US09724044B2
For fixedly implanting a device for material or signal delivery or acquisition or a part of such a device in a human or animal body, an opening is provided in hard tissue of the body, the opening reaching through a hard tissue layer, e.g. through a cortical bone layer into cancellous bone underneath. The device includes a plug portion and/or a cover portion which includes a ring of a material having thermoplastic properties extending around the plug portion or on a tissue facing surface of the cover portion. The opening provided in the hard tissue has a cross section at least in the area of its mouth that is adapted to the plug or cover portion such that the plug portion can be introduced through the mouth of the opening or the cover portion can be positioned over the mouth of the opening such that the ring extends around the opening, along its wall and/or on the hard tissue surface around its mouth.
US09724039B2
Disclosed are systems, apparatuses and methods for recording images of one or more selected anatomical features, and to facilitate re-orientation and/or re-positioning of such images to one or more desired positions.
US09724035B2
Aspects of the invention include methods for visualizing lymphatic tissue in an ocular region, e.g., the cornea, of a living subject, such as a mouse or human. In certain embodiments, the methods include contacting the region with a fluorescently-labeled lymphatic tissue-specific dye, e.g., FITC or rhodamine labeled dextran, and detecting the labeled dye to visualize lymphatic tissue in the region, where the visualization may vary, from an image obtained at a single time to a video over a period of time. The invention finds use in a variety of different applications, including research and therapeutic applications.
US09724029B2
Method and system for determining real time analyte concentration including an analyte sensor having a portion in fluid contact with an interstitial fluid under a skin layer, an on-body electronics including a housing coupled to the analyte sensor and configured for positioning on the skin layer, the on-body electronics housing including a plurality of electrical contacts, on the housing; and a data analysis unit having a data analysis unit housing and a plurality of probes, on the housing. Each of the probes configured to electrically couple to a respective electrical contact when the data analysis unit is positioned in physical contact with the on-body electronics. The one or more signals on the probes correspond to one or more of a substantially real time monitored analyte concentration level (MACL), MACL over a predetermined time period, or a rate of change of the MACL, or combinations thereof, are provided.
US09724024B2
An adaptive alarm system is responsive to a physiological parameter so as to generate an alarm threshold that adapts to baseline drift in the parameter and reduce false alarms without a corresponding increase in missed true alarms. The adaptive alarm system has a parameter derived from a physiological measurement system using a sensor in communication with a living being. A baseline processor calculates a parameter baseline from a parameter trend. Parameter limits specify an allowable range of the parameter. An adaptive threshold processor calculates an adaptive threshold from the parameter baseline and the parameter limits. An alarm generator is responsive to the parameter and the adaptive threshold so as to trigger an alarm indicative of the parameter crossing the adaptive threshold. The adaptive threshold is responsive to the parameter baseline so as to increase in value as the parameter baseline drifts to a higher parameter value and to decrease in value as the parameter baseline drifts to a lower parameter value.
US09724021B2
A body fluid sampling system for use on a tissue site includes a single drive force generator. A plurality of penetrating members are operatively coupled to the force generator. The force generator moves each of the members along a path out of a housing with a penetrating member exit, into the tissue site, stops in the tissue site, and withdraws out of the tissue site. A flexible support member couples the penetrating members to define a linear array. The support member is movable and configured to move each of the penetrating members to a launch position associated with the force generator.
US09724020B2
Circuits for rendering piezo-based respiratory belts compatible with polysomnograph (PSG) machines designed for use with respiratory induction belts (RIPs) comprise an instrumentation amplifier adapted to be connected to a piezoelectric transducer and providing an AC output signal to a low-pass filter. In a first embodiment, the low-pass filter output is applied to an input of a microcontroller's A to D converter and the resulting digitized samples are used to vary the resistance of a digital potentiometer whose wiper terminal is coupled in series with an inductor so as to emulate the presence of a RIP belt to the PSG machine. In a second embodiment, the low-pass filter output is used to drive the primary of a transformer so as to vary the permeability of the transformer's ferrite core in a way that emulates the performance of a RIP belt to the PSG.
US09724019B2
A method, apparatus, computer program, system and device for measuring oscillatory motion comprising: receiving a plurality of signals related to a plurality of measurements of a direction of a vector parameter (at-1, at); determining a predominant measured direction of the vector parameter (āt) based on the plurality of measurements of the direction of the vector parameter; determining an angle of rotation (φt) between: a measured direction of the vector parameter (at) of one of the plurality of measurements of the direction of the vector parameter, and the predominant measured direction of the vector parameter (āt).
US09724007B2
An apparatus and method is provided that identifies the presence or absence of a P-wave within a set of ECG data. A computation processor identifies the R-wave and then analyses a section of the waveform within a predetermined time window preceding the detected R-wave peak. The waveform within the window is analysed to identify a candidate P-wave, and in response to identifying the candidate P-wave a first and second feature associated therewith is measured. A composite feature value is calculated from the first and second measures, and compared to a classification threshold value. In an exemplary embodiment, the first feature represents a height between a highest peak of the candidate P-wave and a trough of the Q-wave, and the second feature represents a time between the peak of the candidate P-wave and a peak of the R-wave.
US09724005B2
A real-time multi-channel EEG signal processor based on an on-line recursive independent component analysis is provided. A whitening unit generates covariance matrix by computing covariance according to a received sampling signal. A covariance matrix generates a whitening matrix by a computation of an inverse square root matrix calculation unit. An ORICA calculation unit computes the sampling signal and the whitening matrix to obtain a post-whitening sampling signal. The post-whitening sampling signal and an unmixing matrix implement an independent component analysis computation to obtain an independent component data. An ORICA training unit implements training of the unmixing matrix according to the independent component data to generate a new unmixing matrix. The ORICA calculation unit may use the new unmixing matrix to implement an independent component analysis computation. Hardware complexity and power consumption can be reduced by sharing registers and arithmetic calculation units.
US09724002B2
Provided according to embodiments of the invention are photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors, systems and methods of using the same. In some embodiments of the invention, methods of obtaining a photoplethysmography (PPG) signals include securing a PPG sensor onto a nasal columella of an individual; and obtaining a PPG signal from the PPG sensor.
US09723996B2
Methods, apparatus and systems for characterizing changes in at least one physical property of soft tissue. A series of acoustic pulses is generated and directed into the soft tissue such that at least one of the pulses is of sufficiently high intensity to induce physical displacement of the tissue. Waves reflected off the tissue, or a flexible member that moves with the tissue, are received and measured to estimate at least one characteristic of the physical displacement induced thereby. Repetition of the generating, receiving and estimating steps provides characterization of the at least one physical property over time. Methods, apparatus and systems for characterizing at least one physical property of blood, by generating a series of acoustic pulses and directing the series of pulses into the blood such that at least one of the pulses is of sufficiently high intensity to induce physical displacement of the blood. Acoustic pulses and/or optical waves reflected from the blood, or a flexible member in contact with the blood that moves with the blood, are received and measured to estimate at least one characteristic of the physical displacement induced thereby.
US09723989B2
In a method for ex vivo evaluation of tissue response, a target biological sample is placed in a chamber of a sample holder. Biodynamic imaging (BDI) is performed on the sample to extract BDI data of the entire sample, optical coherence imaging (OCI) data is generated from the BDI data; and then motility contrast imaging (MCI) data is generated from the OCI data. The MCI data is used to select an area of the ex vivo sample having the highest normalized standard deviation (NSD) value, indicative of a region of desirable responsiveness to a stimuli. The sample is subjected to a perturbation or external condition and an MCI analysis is performed on the selected area to determine the tissue response to the perturbation or external condition. In one aspect, the selected area or region of interest is obtained using a gradient descent method.
US09723980B2
Detecting position information related to a face, and more particularly to an eyeball in a face, using a detection and ranging system, such as a Radio Detection And Ranging (“RADAR”) system, or a Light Detection And Ranging (“LIDAR”) system. The position information may include a location of the eyeball, translational motion information related to the eyeball (e.g., displacement, velocity, acceleration, jerk, etc.), rotational motion information related to the eyeball (e.g., rotational displacement, rotational velocity, rotational acceleration, etc.) as the eyeball rotates within its socket.
US09723965B2
A cartridge for a water-conducting domestic appliance, in particular a domestic dishwasher, which has a detergent dosing system having at least one detergent dispenser for receiving at least one cartridge, wherein the cartridge has separate chambers for storing at least two detergents, the cartridge including a cartridge housing having at least two chambers formed therein, wherein each chamber has a storage capacity for storing detergent which is greater than the quantities required for one washing cycle.
US09723957B2
A kit for a scrubbing device having interchangeable scrubbing mechanisms for attachment to a bar of soap includes a base element configured to removably couple to and retain the bar of soap, and a plurality of scrubbing elements each including a different scrubbing mechanism. The base element is configured to be removably and interchangeably coupled to each of the plurality of scrubbing elements.
US09723956B2
An arrangement for shaking drinks includes a shaking container and a device placed in a drink in the container. The device texturizes and aerates the drink when the container is shaken. The device has a three-dimensional body constituted of a food-grade, thermally insulating, elastomeric material and is re-usable. The body has a density of about 916 grams per liter, and is dimensioned to almost fully occlude the interior of the container.
US09723952B2
A forced hot air roller conveyor drying assembly is provided. It consists primarily of two parts; a roller conveyor for rolling cylindrical elongated food members while transporting them horizontally from one end of the conveyor to the other, and a hot air drying assembly for blowing hot air around the product as it is being rolled. The combined rolling of the product and the drying of the product helps ensure that the physical roundness of the food product remains nice and uniform while it is being uniformly dried. The forced hot air assembly may include a fan and heating elements, the fan directing warm air to the product rolling horizontally through the assembly and the roller conveyor may be comprised of a multiplicity of paired roller members driven by chain links, which chains are in turn driven by an axle engaging a drive sprocket.
US09723950B2
A food cabinet is provided that includes an enclosure with an access door, shelves carried by and vertically arranged within the enclosure, and a heat transfer arrangement. The heat transfer arrangement includes a pump, fluid conduits coupled with the pump and associated with the shelves of the enclosure, a primary tank, and an auxiliary tank. The primary tank is fluidly connected to the pump and contains a heat transfer medium. The auxiliary tank is coupled with the primary tank and provides make-up heat transfer medium to the primary tank. Also provided is a method of warming food using such a food cabinet that includes the steps of placing a food item on one of the shelves, heating the heat transfer medium to a temperature between 200° F. and 250° F., and pumping the heat transfer medium through the shelf.
US09723948B2
A wok lid control apparatus (3) comprises a machine frame (100), a base (11), a drive mechanism (12) and a follow-up mechanism (13). The drive mechanism (12) comprises a linear motor (21), a connecting rod (22) and a wok lid holder (23). The follow-up mechanism (13) comprises a wok lid shaft (31), a bearing (32), and an elastic component (33). The wok lid holder (23) is provided with a through hole (231) for the wok lid shaft (31) to run through. A lower end of the wok lid shaft (31) is fixedly connected to a wok lid (20), while an upper end of the wok lid shaft protrudes through the through hole (231). An upper end of the elastic component (33) is connected to the bearing (32), and a lower end of the elastic component (33) is connected to the wok lid (20).
US09723946B2
A beverage machine that heats up water in the upper water chamber(s) is provided. The water has direct contact with an electric heating system and the heated water flows by gravity and being distributed by a pour over system into an underlying filter basket. The hot water chamber has a sensor for water temperature. Once the water reaches an optimal temperature, a motor and gear system would drive a valve open and allow the heated water to flow into the underlying filter basket. A specific amount of water can be heated up in individual batch, thereby making it easy to manage water temperature in every batch.
US09723944B2
A beverage preparation machine for dispensing beverages comprising: a housing; a first reservoir station; a first reservoir for containing an aqueous medium, the first reservoir being connectable to said first reservoir station; an auxiliary module station for receiving an auxiliary module.
US09723941B2
A stand for Christmas trees and other elongated objects includes spring biased, movable arm assemblies, with each arm assembly including a base arm and a gripping arm pivotally secured to the base arm. The gripping arm includes upper and lower elongated object engaging surfaces. When a Christmas tree or other elongated objects is pressed to downward between the arm assemblies, the elongated object contacts the lower object engaging surfaces, bringing the upper object engaging surfaces into contact with the elongated object. Spring pressure supplied by springs within the arm assemblies retains the elongated object within the stand.
US09723918B2
An apparatus for adjusting the height of a work surface comprising a height-adjusting mechanism and a universal mount that ensures compatibility with a wide variety of desks and other work surfaces. The apparatus may include one or more suction cups for securing the work surface to the height adjustment mechanism. The apparatus may also include a bent universal adapter bracket.
US09723917B2
A table device including: a first base including a first reference surface; a second base including a second reference surface, and movable on the first reference surface in a direction parallel to a first axis; a first bearing member provided to the second base, and forming a gas bearing between the first bearing member and the first reference surface; a second bearing member provided to the second base, apart from the first bearing member relative to a direction parallel to a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, and forming a gas bearing between the second bearing member and the first reference surface; and a table movable on the second reference surface. A distance between the first bearing member and the second bearing member is longer than a dimension of a moving range of the table relative to the direction parallel to the second axis.
US09723915B2
A method for cleaning a brush includes inducing a static charge on a surface of a first plate, wherein the first plate comprises at least one of silicon nitride (SixNy) or silicon oxide (SiaOb), wherein a, b, x and y are integers. The method further includes rotating the brush in contact with the surface of the first plate.
US09723905B2
A digital device including a scent emitting unit and a method for controlling the same are disclosed. The digital device includes a display unit for displaying a first image including a first object having a first scent property and a second object having a second scent property, a sensor unit for sensing a distance from a specific body part of a user, a scent emitting unit, and a processor. The processor controls the scent emitting unit to emit any one of a first scent, a second scent or a mixture of the first scent and the second scent according to the distance from the specific body part of the user, and a mixture ratio of the first scent to the second scent in the mixture is changed according to a predetermined condition.
US09723897B2
A sharps protector is formed of a hard, pierce-resistant shell filled with a receptor material. One or two ends of the shell provide entry, and a center or end wall is a pierce-resistant barrier limiting pin push-through. The receptor material is set back at each entry end, thereby establishing a pre-entry pocket that prealigns the pin for accurate entry. Exterior surfaces of the protector are coded to indicate entry positions and barrier positions, using visual or tactile coding. Glow-in-the-dark or reflective material on the surface of the shell aids recovery of dropped protectors.
US09723892B2
A foot alignment tool is configured for aligning a foot bearing a load. The tool extends between a handle at one end and a support lever at an opposing end and is characterized in that the support lever is configured to be received under or substantially under the medial longitudinal arch or the cuboid of the foot and configured to be rotated so as translate and/or rotate the foot from the inside of the foot to the outside of the foot or from the outside of the foot to the inside of the foot by a predetermined amount about a foot heel-toe axis wherein the support lever is configured to apply a predetermined torque.
US09723889B2
Protective gear includes an outer shell layer connected to a middle shell layer through an outer energy and impact transformer layer. The middle shell layer is connected to an inner shell layer through an inner energy and impact transformer layer. The outer and inner energy and impact transformer layers flexibly connect the shell layers to absorb impact forces, rotational forces, shear forces, etc., and allow the various shell layers to move and slide relative to the other shell layers. The outer and inner energy and impact transformer layers may be constructed using gels, fluids, electro-rheological elements, magneto-rheological elements, etc. The protective gear may be formed as helmets or body protection for various activities and protect users from not only impact and penetrative forces, but rotational and shear forces as well.
US09723887B2
The present invention relates to a helmet and a method for dealing with an accident using the helmet, which the helmet includes: a helmet body part made of a resin having a semi-spherical space for receiving the head of a wearer; a light part arranged in the front of the helmet body part having LEDs mounted on a substrate to provide the wearer with lighting; a metallic heat radiator extending from the front of the helmet body part to the back thereof along the upper central line of the helmet body part and partially contacting the back of the substrate to discharge heat; a communication device part received in the helmet body part for dealing with communication and emergency circumstances; and a battery received in the helmet body part for supplying power to the communication part and light part. According to the present invention, the metallic heat radiator is integrated with the resinous helmet body part by injection molding of different materials, so that the heat generated from the LEDs of the light part is discharged upwards from the top of the helmet, thus preventing the wearer from being subjected to the discomfort caused by the heat generated from the LEDs.
US09723886B2
The present invention is an improved rear view mirror that removably attaches to a protective helmet. The helmet mirror, in its preferred embodiment, includes a bracket, an elongated adjustable arm, an adjustment nut, and a mirror, wherein the bracket and the adjustable arm are rubber-coated. The adjustable arm includes a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is attached to the bracket and the second end is attached to the mirror by means of the adjustment nut. The positioning of the mirror may be adjusted by bending the adjustable arm and/or pivoting the mirror about the adjustment nut. The bracket is bent to form a general J-shape when viewed from the side. The bracket is adapted to be wedged under the rim portion of a protective helmet to removably secure the device to the same.
US09723876B2
An electronic smoking article includes a first section containing a liquid supply reservoir including liquid material, a heater operable to heat the liquid material to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the liquid material and form an aerosol, and a wick in communication with the liquid material and operable to deliver the liquid material to the heater, and a second section containing a power supply. The first section is connected to the second section at a breakaway connection. The breakaway connection includes a weakened region.
US09723875B2
The present application relates to an electronic cigarette and an assembly method for the electronic cigarette, the electronic cigarette comprises a battery assembly and an atomizer assembly, the battery assembly includes a battery holder and a battery which is removably contained in the battery holder; the battery includes a first electrode and a second electrode, the battery holder is inserted into the atomizer assembly, and the battery assembly is removably connected to the atomizer assembly; one end of the battery holder is provided with an electrical connector, the electrical connector is respectively electrically connected to the second electrode and the atomizer assembly, and the first electrode is abutted against the atomizer assembly and is electrically connected to the atomizer assembly.
US09723867B2
An method for imparting an organoleptic quality to a tobacco industry product using a sensate substance obtained from a donor product, the method comprising repeatedly circulating a fluid in a closed loop through a donor product storage chamber containing a donor product and a recipient product storage chamber containing a batch of tobacco industry product so that at least one sensate substance obtained from the donor product is conveyed from the donor product storage chamber into the recipient product storage chamber and into contact with the tobacco industry product to impart an organoleptic quality thereto.
US09723863B2
A batch carbonation apparatus includes a housing defining a vessel cavity. The housing includes an agitation mechanism. The pressure vessel includes a cap that has a CO2 inlet and a CO2 outlet is provided. The pressure vessel also includes a seal. The pressure vessel is moveable into an out of the vessel cavity. A locking mechanism is provided and is attached to the agitation mechanism to removably lock the cap and seal relative to the pressure vessel. A CO2 source is connected to a plurality of valves where each valve has a differing pressure. A selection toggle is attached to the housing. A control mechanism is coupled to the plurality of valves. A user selects a desired carbonation level using the selection toggle and CO2 is introduced to the pressure vessel at a specified pressure wherein the agitation mechanism agitates liquid within the pressure vessel forming a carbonated beverage having a selected carbonation level. Also disclosed is a process of forming a carbonated beverage in a batch.
US09723854B2
The invention relates to the use of an amidohydrolase for preparing foodstuffs or stimulants.
US09723853B2
A dairy-based yogurt product having a protein level above 15%, sometimes more than 25%, with a smooth and rich texture and no grittiness. The yogurt product includes a particular selection of dairy proteins and other ingredients to raise the gelation temperature of the dairy proteins and avoid causing gelation or precipitation during pasteurization. Additionally, pasteurization temperatures, times and methods are selected to avoid gelation. Starting dairy proteins generally have relatively higher pH levels and low total acidity (TA) levels to help reduce gelation during pasteurization. Ingredients such as buffering agents and sequestering agents may be utilized to help raise the gelation temperature, as well as higher sugar levels which can control hydration of the proteins.
US09723841B2
The present invention generally relates to herbicidal compositions, and more particularly, herbicidal compositions containing glyphosate or a salt thereof and a surfactant comprising at least one mono and/or diglyceride alkoxylate.
US09723835B2
A composition for controlling pests includes a compound represented by the formula (1) or N-oxide thereof: and 4-oxo-4-[(2-phenylethyl)amino]-butyric acid. A method for controlling pests has a step of applying to plants, plant seeds, bulbs, or soil where plants grow an effective amount of the composition for controlling pests. The composition for controlling pests and the method for controlling pests exhibit excellent controlling efficacy on pest.
US09723832B2
A modular sample store including a storage area; a service area; a transfer area; a motorized robot with a lifting device and at least one platform; and a controller. The sample store service area includes one integrally formed cubic vat module and the sample store storage area includes at least one integrally formed cubic vat module. Each one of the aforementioned vat modules includes an essentially horizontal vat floor and four joining vat walls that are connected to the vat floor and that are leaving an open vat space. The modular sample store also includes upper side walls and a cover plate to close the sample store. Each vat floor and vat wall includes an outside liner and an inside liner, which outside and inside liners in each case are separated by a clearance. This clearance is essentially filled with a polymer foam material that provides fixation of the outside and inside liners to each other as well as thermal insulation of and reinforcement to the thus integrally formed cubic vat module sandwich construction.
US09723831B2
The present invention relaters to a system and methods for automated vitrification of mammalian oocytes or embryos. The system and methods enable automated processing of oocytes or embryos in vitrification solutions; robotically moving vitrification devices that carry processed cells for freezing in liquid nitrogen; automated sealing of the frozen devices; and transferring the sealed devices to an automated storage system for long-term cryopreservation.
US09723821B2
A fishing lure and method of casting are disclosed. In one aspect, a lure assembly includes a fishing hook having an eyelet and a bend separated by a shank, the bend terminating at a point separated from the shank by a gape. The lure assembly further includes a hook appurtenance attached to the fishing hook and positioned past the bend generally aligned with the shank of the fishing hook. The hook appurtenance includes an ergonomic mass forming a resilient structure for gripping by a person, the ergonomic mass having a size smaller than a gape of the hook to avoid interfering with operation of the fishing hook.
US09723819B2
A bird feeder includes an electric circuitry for delivering a mild shock to squirrels attempting to eat seeds on a seed tray. A seed storage tube dispenses seeds on the surrounding seed tray, which is surrounded by walls forming a shell with windows providing access to the seeds. Window frames form electrodes having a first polarity and both a roof and porches beneath the windows form electrodes of a second polarity. Squirrels will complete the circuit between electrodes, while birds will be unaffected. A solar cell on the roof recharges a battery.
US09723810B2
An apparatus for mixing and cutting animal feed including a container with a sidewall, a rotary mixing and cutting device positioned inside the container and arranged to be driven by a driving unit. At least one counter element is provided at the sidewall. The apparatus includes a positioning device for moving the counter element between a retracted position and an inserted position, and a control unit to control the positioning device of the counter element and arranged to determine an indication of the amount of instantaneous power consumed by the driving units for driving the rotary mixing and cutting device and to control positioning device based on the determined indication of the amount of instantaneous power.
US09723809B2
An autonomous and self-propelled vehicle for laterally displacing feed, having a frame and a housing, the housing including a rotatable feed-displacement device, at least a bottom section of the feed-displacement device being rotationally symmetrical about a cylinder axis, the cylinder axis being at an angle to the vertical direction in such a manner that a part of the feed-displacement device which, viewed in the direction of travel, is situated at the front is arranged closer to the ground than a part of the feed-displacement device which, viewed in the direction of travel, is situated at the rear.
US09723804B2
The present invention relates to a Lactuca sativa seed designated 81-64 RZ, which exhibits a combination of traits including resistance to downy mildew (Bremia lactucae) races Bl:1 to Bl:28, Bl:30-Bl:32 and Ca-I to Ca-VIII, resistance to currant-lettuce aphid (Nasonovia ribisnigri) and resistance to corky root (Sphingomonas suberifaciens) race CA1, as well as having non-flabellate leaves. The present invention also relates to a Lactuca sativa plant produced by growing the 81-64 RZ seed. The invention further relates to methods for producing the lettuce cultivar, represented by lettuce variety 81-64 RZ.
US09723799B2
The present invention is in the field of soybean variety AR1210886 breeding and development. The present invention particularly relates to the soybean variety AR1210886 and its progeny, and methods of making AR1210886.
US09723797B2
The invention provides methods and compositions for breeding pepper (Capsicum sp. such as Capsicum annuum) lines, including isogenic and nearly isogenic lines, displaying one or more mature fruit color(s) of interest. Predictive genetic markers and associated sequences and primers, associated with phenotypic diversity at the Ccs locus encoding Capsanthin-Capsorubin Synthase, and the Ze locus encoding Zeaxanthin Epoxidase are also provided, as well as methods for breeding pepper lines. Further provided are pepper plants, and plant parts including seeds, seed mixtures, fruit, and packaged fruit, which display mature fruit color(s) of interest.
US09723794B2
A power tool includes a housing, a blade assembly, a drive assembly within the housing for driving the blade assembly, and a cover that is coupled to the power tool and is movable between at least two positions. The blade assembly is fixedly retained by the power tool when the cover is in a first position and is detachable from the power tool when the cover is in a second position. The cover has tool-less means for coupling the blade assembly to the cover when the cover is in a second position.
US09723793B2
A cutting device for agricultural harvesters has a conveying channel and pivotably supported cutting knives arranged in a row on a frame. The cutting knives project in the cutting position into the conveying channel. A conveying member with conveying tines, rotatingly driven about a horizontal axis, interacts with the cutting knives for comminuting crop. Individual adjusting devices, each associated with one cutting knife, yieldingly support the cutting knives in the cutting position. A knife switching device is provided to move the cutting knives from the inoperative position into the cutting position. With a preselecting device a desired group of cutting knives can be selected that is pivoted into the cutting position upon activation of the knife switching device. The preselecting device is activatable with reduced force expenditure by eliminating resistances, caused by adjusting and connecting devices of the knife switching device, when preselecting the desired group of cutting knives.
US09723789B2
A cart having an adjustable elevation auger. A junction box may located within the opening of a sump of a bin of a cart. The junction box may have an open top, closed bottom and sides, and back wall. The back wall of the junction box may be secured to a bin wall by a hinge such that the junction box may pivot about a pivot axis. An auger housing may be connected to and extend from the junction box. An auger may extend through the auger housing and have an intake end disposed within the junction box. The auger housing and auger may pivot with the junction box about a pivot axis between a lowered position and an elevated position. The auger may be a corner auger and may be a folding auger.
US09723779B2
A seed meter is provided for planting multiple types of seed and rapidly switching between the types being planted in a single planting pass of a planting session of row-crop planting. The seed meter has a segmented seed meter reservoir with multiple seed meter chambers arranged between two pairs of seed disks that may be better parallel to each other or angled with respect to each other to define an X-shaped arrangement of the seed disks in the seed meter. Activation and deactivation of the seed disks within the seed meter are synchronized to selectively deliver a single one of the multiple types of seed from the respective seed meter chamber for delivery out of a single seed tube of the seed meter, which may provide absolute and instantaneous on-the-go seed switching within a single row from each seed meter.
US09730366B2
An electromagnetic interference (EMI) suppressing shield is disclosed. The EMI suppressing shield can include a plurality of shield portions electrically coupled to a positive electric potential polarity or a negative electric potential polarity. At least some of the plurality of shield portions can be electrically isolated from one another. At least one of the plurality of shield portions can be electrically coupled to the positive electric potential and at least one of the plurality of shield portions can be electrically coupled to the negative electric potential.
US09730353B2
A component assembly system includes a supporting profiled rail, a functional component, and a bridging module configured to electrically connect to the functional component. The bridging module includes a module retention device configured to hold the bridging module on the supporting profiled rail. The functional component is configured to partly seat onto the bridging module, and includes a component retention device configured to hold the functional component on the supporting profiled rail. A locking slide is configured to releasably fix a functional component to a supporting profiled rail. The locking slide is configured to positively engage around the supporting profiled rail.
US09730345B2
A housing supporting apparatus includes: a base-plate body having a base-plate axis; a connection plate body having one end formed with a connection plate axis and pivotally connected to one end of the base-plate body; a first supporting plate having a first axis pivotally connected to the one end of the connection plate body; and a second supporting plate having a second axis pivotally connected to one end of the first supporting plate. The second supporting plate has one end pivotally connected to the base-plate axis.
US09730327B1
A stackable via package includes a substrate having an upper surface and a trace on the upper surface, the trace including a terminal. A solder ball is on the terminal. The solder ball has a solder ball diameter A and a solder ball height D. A via aperture is formed in a package body enclosing the solder ball to expose the solder ball. The via aperture includes a via bottom having a via bottom diameter B and a via bottom height C from the upper surface of the substrate, where A
US09730326B2
Electrical contact arrangement for an electric motor and method for producing same. The present invention relates to an electrical contact arrangement for an electric motor, in particular for an EC drive of a motor vehicle fan, comprising an elongate contact which runs perpendicular to a planar basic conductor, wherein the basic conductor is in the form of a leadframe, and a conductive cohesive and/or form-fitting and/or force-fitting connection is provided between the leadframe and the contact. The present invention also relates to a method for the production of said electrical contact arrangement.
US09730324B2
A variable capacitance device includes: a supporting substrate having a plurality of variable capacitance elements formed thereon, the plurality of variable capacitance elements being connected in series, wherein each of the plurality of variable capacitance elements has a separate lower electrode, or at least some of the plurality of variable capacitance elements share a lower electrode, thereby forming a plural set of the lower electrodes that serves as the lower electrodes of the respective variable capacitance elements, wherein the variable capacitance device further includes an insulating moisture-resistant film and a conductive adhesive film, and wherein the conductive adhesive film and the insulating moisture-resistant film have a gap in a plan view between at least some of regions where the plural set of the lower electrodes are respectively formed so as to avoid electrical leakage between said at least some of regions through the conductive adhesive film.
US09730320B2
A laminate with superior thermal conductivity, heat resistance, drill workability, and fire retardancy is provided. In a prepreg obtained by impregnating a woven or nonwoven fabric base with a thermosetting resin composition, the thermosetting resin composition contains 80 to 200 parts by volume of an inorganic filler per 100 parts by volume of a thermosetting resin, the inorganic filler contains (A) gibbsite type aluminum hydroxide particles having an average particle diameter (D50) of 2 to 15 μm and (B) magnesium oxide having an average particle diameter (D50) of 0.5 to 15 μm, and a compounding ratio (volume ratio) of the gibbsite type aluminum hydroxide particles (A) to the magnesium oxide (B) is 1:0.3 to 3.
US09730313B2
A printed circuit board includes a plurality of layers including attachment layers and routing layers; first and second signal vias forming a differential signal pair, the first and second signal vias extending through the attachment layers and connecting to respective signal traces on a breakout layer of the routing layers; an antipad of a first type around and between the first and second signal vias in one or more of the attachment layers; and antipads of a second type around the first and second signal vias in at least one routing layer adjacent to the breakout layer.
US09730312B2
A method comprises mounting a grounding clip to a planar flexible printed circuit transmission line; clamping the grounding clip to an inner wall of a chassis of an electronic device; and operating a laser beam to weld the grounding clip to the chassis to route the flexible printed circuit transmission line along the inner wall. Welding the grounding clip to the chassis causes the grounding clip to remain in contact with the planar flexible printed circuit transmission line to ground the planar flexible printed circuit transmission line to the chassis.
US09730311B2
An electric compressor includes a motor, a scroll compression mechanism, a housing, a circuit unit, a circuit housing housing the circuit unit and integrated with the housing. The electric compressor includes a heat sink provided on a circuit unit side of a partition wall so as to project to be brought into contact with a semiconductor element of a power substrate, facing the partition wall that erects along a vertical direction to separate the inside of the housing from the circuit housing. The heat sink has a lower surface and an upper surface formed into a cylindrical shape so that width of an upper end portion and a lower end portion of the heat sink gradually decreases to reach a tip portion.
US09730304B2
A discharge lamp lighting apparatus is provided with a pulse generation part, and a power supply part converts DC applied voltage into alternating current corresponding to a frequency of the pulse, and supplies the alternating current to the discharge lamp. The pulse generation part is structured to alternately output a first pulse and a second pulse that has a lower frequency than the first pulse. The frequency of the second pulse is set to a predetermined reference frequency when a value of the applied voltage coincides with a predetermined reference value, is set to a lower frequency than the reference frequency when the value of the applied voltage exceeds the reference value, and is set to a frequency that is equal to or lower than the reference frequency when the value of the applied voltage falls below the reference value.
US09730302B2
A lighting control system includes a control card for an illumination device. The control card receives an input signal from a controller electronic device, identifies a type of the illumination device, and uses the identified type to identify an output signal protocol corresponding to the illumination device. If the input signal uses a protocol that differs from that of the output signal protocol, the control card will convert the input signal to the output signal protocol. The controller device may be programmed to enable a user to display and/or control various parameters of various lighting devices.
US09730299B2
Example embodiments relate to a node and a method of controlling devices connected to the node. In example embodiments the devices may be, but are not required to be, lights.
US09730298B2
Lighting units, systems, and methods are described herein for determining whether occupancy detections are legitimate or not. Methods and systems are further described herein for powering down a network of power over ethernet (PoE) components.
US09730296B2
A trigger circuit (10) comprises a switch member (SW1) connected in series with a high-ohmic resistive element (R1), the junction between the switch member and the resistor element being connected via a capacitor (C1) to the input of a circuit (20) to be triggered. The circuit (20) operates a light-emitting source (130, FIG. 3). The switch (SW1) can be a user-operated switch, a tilt switch (100, FIG. 2) or can be a comparator (124) responsive to an external factor e.g. incoming vibrations.
US09730294B2
A lighting device with a drive device for dimming light-emitting diodes. The drive device comprises a dimming component that operates a switch in response to both a change in an input power signal and a system temperature. In one example, the dimming device can include a waveform generator that generates a signal with a waveform having levels that change in response to changes in temperature. The waveform defines the time during which the switch is open and closed, thereby determining the period of time the LEDs are energized. By operating the LEDs in this manner, the drive device effectively dims the LEDs to reduce the operating temperature and cool the LEDs.
US09730289B1
A solid state light fixture includes a light emitting diode (LED) load and a driver circuit that selectively provides one of a switched-mode drive current and a linear-mode drive current to the LED load in response to a dimming control signal.
US09730287B2
The present invention discloses a dimming regulation circuit which stabilizes a rectified voltage in response to an unstable output voltage of a dimmer and a lighting apparatus including the dimming regulation circuit. The dimming regulation circuit stabilizes the rectified voltage and provides the stabilized rectified voltage to a lamp, when a rectified voltage corresponds to a preset stabilization required range.
US09730280B2
A ripple reduction circuit is provided. The ripple reduction circuit may include a ripple capacitor configured to drive at least a first segment of a string of light emitting diodes (LEDs), a first diode having an anode coupled to the ripple capacitor, and a cathode configured to be coupled to an input end of the first LED segment, a second diode having a cathode coupled to the ripple capacitor and the anode of the first diode, and an anode configured to be coupled between the first LED segment and a second LED segment of the string of LEDs, a third diode having an anode coupled to the ripple capacitor, and a cathode configured to be coupled to a last LED segment of the string of LEDs, and a fourth diode having a cathode coupled to the ripple capacitor and the anode of the third diode.
US09730276B2
Presented is a heating element, and method for producing same, comprised of strip material having a length, width and depth where the strip material is twisted at least once axially relative to its length and bent at least once across its width resulting in a generally flat profile. The twists and bends provide for expansion and contraction of the heating element and thereby provide stress relief during heating and cooling.
US09730269B2
The present disclosure discloses a method and system for partitioning WLAN in order to separate network traffic from different WLANs. Specifically, a network device receives a packet from a client connected to a first network device on an access network. The network device then determines that the received packet is associated with a VLAN that is pre-configured on the first network device based on the access network to which the client is connected. Furthermore, the network device transmits the packet to a MAC layer switching device, which is not configured with the VLAN that is pre-configured on the network device. The packet includes one of a DHCP discovery message, an ARP request message, a unicast message, a multicast message, and a broadcast message. The unicast message will be transmitted to the second network device on the pre-configured VLAN prior to being transmitted to another network device outside the pre-configured VLAN.
US09730267B2
The disclosure relates to a method (30) for radio bearer release performed in a base station node (2) of a communication system (5). The base station node (2) provides one or more radio bearers to a user equipment (1), and the communication system (5) comprises a serving gateway (4). The method (30) comprises: receiving (31) an error message from the serving gateway (4), the error message indicating a faulty radio bearer; awaiting (32), for a delay time, additional error messages indicating faulty radio bearers; and releasing (33) the one or more radio bearers being indicated as faulty.
US09730263B2
A service recovery method for a wireless communication network is disclosed. The method includes: receiving a radio resource control (RRC) re-establishment request or a cell update message from a user equipment (UE); performing an RRC establishment process that is triggered by a non-access-stratum of the UE if the RRC re-establishment or the cell update fails; and sending an initial UE message to a core network device after the RRC establishment process is complete. In the embodiments of the present invention, service continuity of the UE in an active state is ensured.
US09730262B2
A method of operating a first electronic device for improving call quality is provided. The method includes the operations of transmitting call data received through a first call between the first electronic device and a third electronic device to a second electronic device, using short-range wireless communication connected with the second electronic device, if a communication abnormality of the short-range wireless communication takes place, connecting a second call between the first electronic device and the second electronic device, generating a third call by merging the first call and the second call, and releasing a call connection of the first electronic device from the third call.
US09730254B2
In an example, the mobile device may be configured to determine whether to authorize a request for the vehicle head unit to utilize a resource of the mobile device. The mobile device may be configured to utilize a proxy of the mobile device to establish a connection with a destination in response to determining to authorize the request.
US09730253B2
Methods, apparatuses, and systems are described for selecting an access domain for receiving a speech and/or video call at a mobile station of a mobile communications network in which calls are routed via a central service control common to a plurality of access domains. In one method, a terminating mobile station receives an INVITE and then, if the access network supports neither simultaneous circuit switched (CS) and packet switched (PS) connections nor voice over internet protocol (VoIP), the terminating mobile station transmits a message indicating that a CS bearer is required for a session.
US09730252B2
A method and apparatus for connecting a wireless station (STA) to an access point (AP). The STA broadcasts a probe request that includes a custom information element (IE), and receives probe responses from one or more APs in response to the probe request. The STA then identifies a target AP from the probe responses based at least in part on whether one or more of the received probe responses include the custom IE, and connects to the target AP. For example, the target AP may respond to the probe request by sending a probe response that includes the custom IE. The STA may thus identify a set of candidate APs based on one or more received probe responses that include the custom IE, and select the target AP from the set of candidate APs.
US09730248B2
Embodiments herein relate to a communication device and a method performed by the communication device for enabling improved random access transmissions in a radio communications network. The communication device obtains information indicating a first random access channel configuration and also obtains information indicating at least a second random access channel configuration. Then, the communication device determine whether or not the at least second random access channel configuration is orthogonal to the first random access channel configuration. Furthermore, the communication device uses the result of the determining to determine the time required by the communication device to configure the at least second cell.Embodiments herein also relate to a first network node and a method therein for enabling improved random access transmissions in a radio communications network.
US09730247B2
A method for transmitting data in a wireless local area network and the device using the same are provided. A device transmits a plurality of data units via one or more subchannels. The plurality of data units have same access categories.
US09730238B2
Provided is a data frame transmission method of a communication apparatus, the method including determining whether a transmission allowance condition of a data frame of the communication apparatus is satisfied when another communication apparatus occupies a channel, verifying an end time of another data frame transmitted by the other communication apparatus based on a result of the determining, and transmitting the data frame based on the verified end time.
US09730237B1
A wireless device and a random access method thereof for a mobile communication system are provided. The mobile communication system defines a plurality of preambles. The wireless device receives a system message carrying a random access success rate from a base station, and divides the preambles into N preamble subsets according to the random access success rate. The N preamble subsets have a strict partial order relationship therebetween. The union of the N preamble subsets consists of the preambles. When requesting random access from the base station, the wireless device randomly selects a preamble from the smallest preamble subset. When a preamble collision occurs, the wireless device reselects a preamble from the larger preamble subset gradually for the random access.
US09730234B2
Techniques for managing communications are disclosed. The management may comprise, for example, monitoring a shared channel for downlink transmissions associated with a first Radio Access Technologies (RAT) and uplink transmissions associated with the first RAT, identifying a first set of node identifiers associated with the downlink transmissions on the shared channel and a second set of node identifiers associated with the uplink transmissions on the shared channel, and detecting a hidden node operating on the shared channel based on the first set of node identifiers and the second set of node identifiers.
US09730231B1
User equipment that executes carrier aggregation includes a controller that executes timer control for deactivating a cell used for the carrier aggregation, based on expiration of a timer; and a receiver that receives, from the base station, setting information including a timer value of the timer used in the controller, wherein, when the setting information including a common timer value that is common for multiple cells used for the carrier aggregation and an individual timer value that is specified for each cell is received, the controller executes the timer control by applying the individual timer value to the specified cell, and when another cell is used for which no individual timer value is specified, the timer control is executed by applying the common timer value.
US09730224B2
A method and an apparatus for activating or deactivating a primary carrier and secondary carriers in a Time Division Duplex Long Term Evolution (TDD LTE) system using carrier aggregation are provided. An apparatus includes an User Equipment employing the method corresponding the operation associated with the activation and deactivation of SCells, which thereby performs communication with eNBs without errors.
US09730221B2
A mobile station (MS) performs a first random access procedure using a dedicated preamble for non-contention based random access on a first available random access channel (RACH) of a plurality of RACHs in time domain within a period that the dedicated preamble is valid. In addition, the MS performs a second random access procedure using the dedicated preamble for non-contention based random access on the first available RACH after the predetermined time window has expired in a case that a random access response to the transmitted preamble is not received within a predetermined time window monitoring for the random access response. The MS also transmits the dedicated preamble on a RACH allowed to transmit by the BS, where any one of the RACHs in frequency domain is allowed to be transmitted by the BS over a period of time that the plurality of RACHs are allocated to a single carrier.
US09730220B2
Disclosed in some examples are systems, machine-readable media, methods, and cellular wireless devices which implement a Listen Before Talk (LBT) access scheme for a device operating according to a cellular wireless protocol in an unlicensed channel. A cellular wireless device may utilize the cellular wireless protocol in the unlicensed channel after the LBT access scheme has determined that a channel (a defined range of frequencies) in the unlicensed channel is idle for a particular period of time.
US09730218B2
Systems and methods for allowing group access to the wireless medium of a wireless network are disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes performing a backoff procedure for each of one or more certain classes. The method may further include receiving an indication that the backoff procedure for at least one of the one or more certain classes is complete. In some aspects, once the backoff procedure for a class is completed, performing one or more transmissions which are transmittable simultaneously with other transmissions in the class. Finally, the method may update the backoff procedures for the class based on the one or more transmissions. In some aspects, the backoff procedures may be updated based on certain fairness conditions.
US09730217B2
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, and more specifically, disclosed are a method and an apparatus for accessing a channel in a WLAN system. A method for accessing the channel from a station (STA) in the wireless communication system, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of: receiving from an access point (AP) setting information with respect to at least one slot allowing channel access by the STA; and beginning the channel access from a slot boundary of the at least one slot, wherein the channel access may begin without a clear channel assessment (CCA).
US09730215B2
Interfacing according to a common public radio interface in a base station in a mobile communication system is described. The interfacing comprises a conversion process for rate-converting legacy data samples. First a predetermined number of the legacy data samples is converted to frequency samples in a frequency domain, then the frequency samples are zero padded to extend the frequency range according to a related sample rate of a 4G data format and then converted into a number of data samples of the related sample rate. The related sample rate is a multiplication of S/K times a basic frame rate of the 4G data format, S samples being allocated to K frames, K and S being integers and K being 8 or less. Advantageously large buffers for allocating a large number of legacy samples to 4G frames are avoided.
US09730203B2
The present invention provides a method for assigning the number of control channel candidates and the number of blind detection times, a base station, and a user equipment. The method includes determining a first aggregation level set {L1i} and determining the number of EPDCCH candidates corresponding to each aggregation level in the {L1i}. {L1i} is formed by N aggregation levels supported by an EPDCCH. A second aggregation level set {L2j} is determined along with the number of EPDCCH candidates corresponding to each aggregation level in the {L2j}. {L2j} is formed by M aggregation levels supported by an EPDCCH to be detected, {L2j} is a subset of {L1i}, and the number of EPDCCH candidates corresponding to L2j in {L2j} is greater than or equal to the number of EPDCCH candidates corresponding to L2j in {L1i}.
US09730198B2
The invention relates to a wireless communication system, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for transmitting control information. The wireless communication system may support carrier aggregation (CA). A method for transmitting control information to a base station by a terminal in a wireless communication system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises the steps of: receiving at least one of either a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) from said base station via at least one serving cell provided on the terminal; and transmitting, to said base station, control information on the reception of said PDCCH or on the reception of said PDSCH indicated by the PDCCH. Said at least one serving cell may use a frequency division duplex (FDD) frame structure or a time division duplex (TDD) frame structure. Said control information may be transmitted using a control information feedback timing of a first serving cell determined in accordance with a preset criterion from said at least one serving cell.
US09730196B2
Systems and methods presented herein provide for an LTE wireless communication system operating in an RF band with a conflicting wireless system. The LTE system includes a first eNodeB operable to transmit downlink communications to UEs in the RF band and to receive uplink communications from the UEs in the RF band. The first eNodeB is also operable to transmit an LTE control channel across a portion of the RF band, to time divide the LTE control channel into a plurality of subchannels, and to occupy a first of the subchannels. A second eNodeB is operable to detect the LTE control channel and to occupy a second of the subchannels proximate in time to the first subchannel of the first eNodeB.
US09730192B1
A wireless RF data transmission system has at least one base station transmitting control information on a control channel and high speed data on at least one data channel. At least one subscriber station receives the control information and data channels, adjusting a modulation and/or coding of reception of the data in response to the control information. Preferably, the control information is transmitted using a more robust modulation, such as QPSK, than used to transmit the data, which is preferably transmitted using either 16, 64 or 256 QAM. Additionally, timing or header information for the data may be included on the control channel.
US09730189B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide an access method, a user equipment and a base station. In the present invention, a user equipment obtains a first synchronous channel resource; uses the first synchronous channel resource to send an access request to a base station, for requesting to access the base station; receives access feedback sent by the base station, and determining whether access is successful according to the access feedback. In this way, occupation of the user equipment on an access resource during access may be reduced, and utilization efficiency of the access resource is improved.
US09730171B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a transmitter, a receiver and methods of operating a transmitter and a receiver. In one embodiment, the transmitter includes a synchronization unit configured to provide a primary synchronization signal and a secondary synchronization signal having first and second segments. The transmitter also includes a secondary scrambling unit configured to provide a scrambled secondary synchronization signal, wherein scrambling agents for the first and second segments are derived from a primary synchronization sequence of the primary synchronization signal. The secondary scrambling unit is further configured to provide an additional scrambling of one of the first and second segments, wherein a second scrambling agent is derived from the remaining segment of a secondary synchronization sequence of the secondary synchronization signal. The transmitter further includes a transmit unit configured to transmit the primary synchronization signal and the scrambled secondary synchronization signal.
US09730168B2
A method and apparatus for receiving a power headroom (PH) report by a base station in a mobile communication system supporting carrier aggregation are provided. The method includes receiving an extended PH report (PHR) including respective PHs for multiple activated serving cells and respective indicators corresponding to the respective PHs through one of the multiple serving cells, and checking each indicator to determine whether a corresponding PH is calculated based on a real transmission or a reference format. It is determined that the corresponding PH is calculated based on the real transmission, if the each indicator is set to “0”, and it is determined that the corresponding PH is calculated based on the reference format, if the each indicator is set to “1”.
US09730167B2
A method and apparatus for transmitting a power headroom (PH) report by a terminal in a mobile communication system supporting carrier aggregation are provided. The method includes determining respective PHs for multiple activated serving cells based on a real transmission or a reference format, setting respective indicators for the PHs, wherein each indicator indicates that a corresponding PH is determined based on the real transmission or the reference format, and transmitting, to a base station, an extended PH report including the PHs and the indicators on one of the multiple activated serving cells. The each indicator is set to “0”, if the corresponding PH is determined based on the real transmission, and the each indicator is set to “1”, if the corresponding PH is determined based on the reference format.
US09730161B2
A radio module for a field device, wherein the radio module contains a schedule, according to which process data, especially measurement data, are downloaded from the field device by means of the radio module and wirelessly transmitted to a superordinated unit. Based on the schedule, the radio module transmits to the field device control signals, which serve to control the power consumption of the field device.
US09730157B2
Methods, systems, and devices are described for detecting a communications network or assisting in the detection of a communications network. In a method for detecting a communications network, a beacon received from a device over a wireless local area network (WLAN) may be decoded to identify an information element (IE) in the beacon. The IE may indicate an availability of another network. When the IE is empty, a sleep mode may be entered (e.g., by a user equipment (UE)). In a method for assisting a detection of a communications network, a database including information indicating an availability of at least a first network may be accessed, and a beacon may be broadcast over a WLAN. The beacon may include an IE that indicates the availability of at least the first network.
US09730137B2
A network core with a software defined networking (“SDN”) controller is provided to control routing of traffic within the network and between the network and the traffic destination. The SDN controller is merged with existing 3rd Generation Partnership Project (“3GPP”) network architecture to enable service deliveries via open application programming interfaces (“APIs”) and move the network core towards an all internet protocol (“IP”), cloud based, and software driven telecom network. The SDN controller can work with, or take the place of policy and charging rules function (“PCRF”) network elements, so that policies such as quality of service and traffic management and routing can be synchronized and managed end to end.
US09730136B2
Systems and methods related to distributed route determination through a multi-hop wireless network based on multiple route metrics or properties are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of operation of a network node comprises identifying a subset of neighbors of the network node in a wireless network based on: (a) link weight(s) for links from the network node to at least some of the neighbors of the network node with respect to route metric(s) and (b) defined limit(s) for the route metric(s). The method further comprises obtaining second link weights for the links from the network node to at least the subset of the neighbors with respect to a second route metric, and identifying from the subset of the neighbors, an optimal next hop neighbor for the network node. In this manner, multiple route metrics are taken into consideration in manner that is computationally efficient.
US09730135B1
A device, computer-readable medium, and method for activating antennas based upon a location and a movement of a group of mobile endpoint devices are disclosed. For example, a method may include a processor of a cellular network detecting a group of mobile endpoint devices associated with a first location and activating a first antenna at a first cell site of the cellular network associated with the first location, in response to detecting the group of mobile endpoint devices. The processor may further detect a movement of the group of mobile endpoint devices toward a second location, and activate a second antenna at a second cell site of the cellular network associated with the second location and deactivate the first antenna, in response to detecting the movement of the group of mobile endpoint devices toward the second location.
US09730133B2
Techniques for synthetic transaction for wireless handover are described. According to various embodiments, a synthetic transaction is utilized to determine a signal quality of a wireless network. Based on the signal quality, a decision is made whether to perform a handover of a communication session to a wireless network.
US09730129B2
An apparatus of a communication network detects that a modification of a radio resource control connection for a user equipment is required. The apparatus decides, based on the detected modification requirement, if a re-establishment of a packet data convergence protocol is required for a first radio bearer and/or a second radio bearer, and indicates, in a radio resource control reconfiguration message, the first radio bearer and/or the second radio bearer for which re-establishment of the packet data convergence protocol is required. The user equipment detects, from the radio resource control reconfiguration message, that a modification of a radio resource control connection between the user equipment and the communication network is required, and re-establishes the packet data convergence protocol for the first radio bearer and/or the second radio bearer in accordance with the indication set in the radio resource control reconfiguration message.
US09730126B2
A base station serving terminals, the base station including: a memory, and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to: select a terminal among the served terminals based on reception powers or reception qualities at the served terminals, when a number of the served terminals exceeds a threshold, determine an amount of change in transmission parameter so that a reception quality at the selected terminal from another base station satisfies a certain condition in case where a handover of the selected terminal to the other base station is performed, the other base station being selected based on the reception powers or the reception qualities, perform the handover of the selected terminal to the other base station, and change the transmission parameter by the determined amount of change.
US09730125B2
A technique for providing per station control of multiple stations in a wireless network across multiple access points. A look-up table that assigns a station connected to the access point and at least one communication parameter to each of a plurality of persistent, uniquely-assigned BSSIDs (Basic Service Set Identifiers) is stored. An access point responds to messages addressed one of the plurality of persistent, uniquely-assigned BSSIDs and ignores messages addressed to other BSSIDs. Persistence of the BSSID allows the controller to maintain individual control over each station after moving to a second access point of the plurality of access points. A frame comprising the plurality of BSSIDs corresponding to each connected station aggregated into the frame is generated. The frame is transmitted to the plurality of stations. Responsive to a station of the plurality of stations being handed-off to a different access point, a uniquely-assigned BSSID corresponding to the station is deleted from the look-up table.
US09730123B2
It is presented a method, executed in a root sequence determiner for a base station controlling a first cell, the first cell being associated with at least one root sequence used for cell differentiation on a random access channel. The method comprises the steps of: obtaining information on root sequences of neighboring cells; when a root sequence conflict is found between the first cell and a neighboring cell, here denoted a conflict cell, determining if the conflict cell is of a higher priority than the first cell, the priorities of the first cell and the conflict cell being based on properties of the respective cells; and when the conflict cell is of a higher priority than the first cell, finding a new root sequence for the first cell, avoiding the root sequences of the neighboring cells.
US09730120B2
Technology for a target evolved node B (eNB) operable to facilitate handover is disclosed. The target eNB can receive a handover request message to hand over a user equipment (UE) from the source eNB to the target eNB. The handover request message can include an evolved packet system (EPS) bearer group identifier (ID) indicating an EPS group bearer of the source eNB and associated with the UE, a last UE indicator to indicate whether the UE is a last UE of the source eNB to use the EPS group bearer, and a downlink (DL) traffic indicator to indicate whether the DL traffic for the UE during handover is negligible. The target eNB can perform a handover procedure to establish a connection with the UE based on at least one of the EPS bearer group ID, the last UE indicator, or the DL traffic indicator included in the handover request message.
US09730116B2
Systems and methods for transitioning between networks are disclosed. A multifunction device detects a vehicle network advertisement beacon over a first communication channel. The vehicle network advertisement beacon indicates wireless network capabilities of a wireless networking device hosting a wireless network in a vehicle. Responsive to detecting the vehicle network beacon over the first communication channel, a handoff process for migrating the multifunction device from a first wireless network to the wireless network in the vehicle is performed.
US09730112B2
A method for dynamically provisioning access and/or service for a device may include receiving information indicative of a user identity associated with a user of a device, correlating the user identity to the device, determining a user profile descriptive of access to be afforded to the user in a network or indicative of service parameters associated with provision of services to the user in the network, and granting the user access to use the network services via the device in accordance with the user profile.
US09730110B2
A computer-implemented method comprising: receiving an instruction to aggregate cellular bandwidth of a user device with the cellular bandwidth of one or more participating user devices; appending a shared character string to a network name of the user device based on receiving the instruction; scanning for wireless local area networks (WLANs) after appending the shared character string; identifying one or more WLAN networks with the network names having the shared character string, where the one or more WLAN networks are hosted by the one or more participating user devices; connecting to a particular WLAN network, of the one or more WLAN networks via a WLAN interface of the user device; combining bandwidth from the cellular interface of the user device with the bandwidth from the WLAN interface of the user device; and hosting a WLAN network providing a sum of the bandwidth from the WLAN interface and the cellular interface.
US09730107B2
A method for and apparatus for performing a cell management in a wireless communication system is provided. A wireless device detects a cell configuration based on a cell state, the cell state is determined by at least one of a number of UEs, a data offloading, a traffic pattern, and a UE mobility. The cell state includes a dormant or a low_active in which a resource for the reference signal is smaller than a resource for a high_active, and a transmission period of the reference signal when the cell state is in the dormant or the low_active is longer than a transmission period of a reference signal when a cell state is in the high_active. Thus, a cell specific RSs such as CRS, SIB, or paging and synchronization transmission as overhead in a cell can be minimized and controlled based on the active UEs.
US09730103B2
Embodiments of systems and methods for providing single MPDU frame signaling are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US09730095B2
Component for insertion into a cellular communication network to reduce redundant signaling on the network or between the network and other networks, comprises: an extractor, to extract signaling passing the insertion point towards a destination, modify the signaling and reinsert the signaling for sending onwards. The extractor comprises a signal part remover to remove a part determined to be present at the destination; and an inserter for inserting a flag into the signaling to indicate the removal. The modified signal is sent on to the destination where a complementary component reads the flag and reinserts the extracted part from a database of its own. Location update activity often involves redundant transfer of user profiles, which the components herein can save.
US09730085B2
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, providing testing criteria to a probe device located at a venue enabling the probe device to perform testing of first communication services via a first wireless access technology utilizing a distributed antenna system of the venue and testing of second communication services via a second wireless access technology utilizing the distributed antenna system according to the testing criteria, and receiving performance data from a database server responsive to the data query, where the performance data is representative of test results generated from the testing of the first and second communication services by the probe device. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09730084B2
Provided is a communication control method for use in a small-or-medium-scale base station including the steps of: receiving a radio signal transmitted from a communication terminal or a large-scale base station; acquiring information of the communication terminal or the large-scale base station by analyzing the radio signal; selecting one operation range among a plurality of types of operation ranges based on the information of the communication terminal or the large-scale base station; and communicating with the communication terminal in accordance with the operation range selected from among the plurality of types of operation ranges.
US09730073B1
Devices, methods, and systems for provisioning network credentials onto a device using audible commands. In some instances, the device is a headless device without a graphical user interface. The device may include a limited number of speech models and phrases pre-programmed onto the device to enable the device to query a user to enter network credentials and have a dialog type interface with the user using local speech recognition techniques. Once the network credentials are entered and the device connects to the user's network, the device may change modes and limit the local speech recognition techniques. In this respect, the device may send audio input to a more powerful remote device for processing.
US09730070B2
The invention instantiates a Personal VLAN bridge, using IEEE Std. 802.11 elements. The result is a bridge, referred to as a public access point, that is better suited for implementing public wireless data networks than the IEEE Std. 802.11 architecture. The invention also provides a location-update protocol for updating the forwarding tables of bridges that connect public access points together. The invention further provides a method for more controlled bridging, which is referred to as fine bridging.
US09730069B2
A mobile terminal including a display unit on which objects corresponding to at least one selected application from among multiple applications executable on the mobile terminal are output in a locked mode; a user identification unit that identifies at least one user of the mobile terminal and determines whether the at least one user is authorized to cancel the locked mode; and a controller that only grants access for at least one individually assigned application among the multiple applications to the user authorized to cancel the locked mode of the mobile terminal. The at least one user has access to only at least one assigned function among multiple functions included in the at least one individually assigned application.
US09730058B2
A distributed antenna system with a plurality of remote radio units is disclosed. The distributed antenna system includes a jammer signal generator for generating a jammer signal in at least one frequency range to be blocked on detection of an uplink signal in a coverage area, as well as at least one antenna element for transmitting the generated jammer signal in the coverage area. The jammer signal will ensure that any mobile devices or stations within the coverage area are unable to transmit radio signals as the frequency range(s) on which the radio signals should be transmitted are blocked by the jammer signal.
US09730056B2
A method, apparatus, and system is provided for establishing communication between a wireless communication device (WCD) and one of a plurality of serving nodes (SNs). Each of the SNs is configured to perform mobility management and session management. The WCD determines information that identifies which WCD-SN protocol type is supported by or is being used by the WCD. Each of the WCD-SN protocol types is a version, subset, or variant of a protocol used to support mobility and session management. The identified protocol type is compatible with one or more of the SNs and is not compatible with another one or more of the SNs. The WCD transmits, to a base station controller, a message that includes the information on which WCD-SN protocol type is supported by the WCD or is being used by the WCD. The controller selects, based on the protocol type, one of the SNs.
US09730044B2
Telecommunications data usage management may be provided. A network state associated with a communication network may be identified. Upon determining that the network state is not in compliance with a data usage policy, access to the communication network may be restricted for at least one application.
US09730042B2
Systems and methods for collecting aircraft data from aircrafts within proximity of one another while in-flight are provided. In one embodiment, the method can include receiving, by a first aircraft, a first transmission from a second aircraft. The first transmission can include first data associated with the second aircraft. The method can include determining a communication time period based, at least in part, on the first data. The method can include sending, to the second aircraft, a second transmission that can include second data indicative of at least the communication time period. The method can include receiving, from the second aircraft, one or more third transmissions that can include third data indicative of one or more parameters of the second aircraft. A size of the third data can be based, at least in part, on the communication time period.
US09730038B2
Techniques to manage platform migrations are described. In one embodiment, for example, an apparatus may comprise an interface component, a bundle component, and an execution component. The interface component may be operative to receive a command from a client, the command comprising a bundle identifier for the client. The bundle component may be operative to determine a bundle of platform migrations associated with the client based on the bundle identifier. The execution component may be operative to execute the command on behalf of the client based on the bundle of platform migrations. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09730033B2
Approaches, techniques, and mechanisms are disclosed for the secure distribution of media content to devices having minimal or no Internet connectivity. Computing devices referred to herein as “local servers” are strategically deployed at various locations, such as stores and other public locations. Packages of media contents are stored on the local servers, and may be updated using various online and/or offline data transfer techniques. Portable devices may directly connect to the local servers via various types of proximity-based connections, such as by wireless local area networks, by wired connections over Universal Serial Bus cables, or by sharing of removable media such as Secure Digital cards. The local servers may copy their media contents to authorized devices when such connections are established. The contents on a device may be automatically be updated the next time the device connects to one of the local servers, so as to include newly selected and/or available content.
US09730032B2
A method for computer-aided mapping of system information medium access control protocol messages onto a plurality of transport channels for transmission using an orthogonal frequency division multiple access method, wherein a scheduling of system information data packets information in the context of the mapping on a transport channel of the plurality of transport channels is carried out dependent on the type of the system information.
US09730029B2
Systems and methods for unsupervised indoor localization are provided. Sensor data obtained from a device carried by a user can be used to simultaneously estimate the indoor location of a user and identify landmarks within the indoor environment based on their signatures. The landmarks can be used to reset the location estimate of the user, and the location estimate of the user can be used to improve the learned location of the landmarks. This recursive process leads to excellent accuracy in indoor localization. Systems and methods for estimating the heading direction of a user are also provided. Sensor data obtained from the user can be used to analyze the forces acting on the user in order to give an accurate heading direction estimate.
US09730027B2
Techniques for automatic tracking of user data for exercises are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of operating a wearable device may involve determining that a user of the wearable device has started an exercise, activating the GPS receiver in response to determining that the user has started the exercise, and detecting a time at which the GPS receiver achieves an initial GPS fix of a location of the wearable device. The method may further involve logging, based on output of the one or more biometric sensors, a first set of user data during a first time interval between the start of the exercise and the detected time of the initial GPS fix, and back-filling an exercise route of the user during the first time interval based on the first set of user data.
US09730017B2
Methods and apparatuses are provided for providing augmented reality client application content to be enabled for one or more nodes. A method may include specifying a bounded area of a mesh network and associating content with the bounded area. The method may additionally include causing, at least in part, a peer-to-peer transmission of the content to one or more nodes within the bounded area over the mesh network. Corresponding apparatuses are also provided.
US09730010B2
A method for providing a current location of a vehicle includes detecting and determining whether a smart key approaches the vehicle. Identification information of the smart key is received from the detected smart key. Information related to the current location is transmitted to an external device upon recognizing the inherent identification information to provide guidance to the current location of the vehicle through the external device.
US09730008B2
A method for guiding location includes commencing a call between a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal requesting the collection of location information from the second terminal, receiving the location information of the second terminal and displaying on the first terminal a geographic information map displaying the location information, and the user of the first terminal transmitting to the second terminal direction information that is displayed on the geographic information map. As a result, more intuitive and convenient location guidance is provided.
US09730007B2
A communication device capable of performing wireless communication measures an actual time from a first timing (at which a communication request instructing to perform communication with a specific device is informed from an application program on the communication device to an OS (Operating System) on the communication device) to a second timing (at which reply information in response to the communication request is informed from the OS to the application program). When the actual time is greater than a predetermined threshold, the communication device determines that an associating process has been performed by the OS in a specific period from the first timing to the second timing, the associating process previously registering the communication device and the specific device in association with each other. When the actual time is smaller than the predetermined threshold, the communication device determines that the associating process has not been performed in the specific period.
US09730003B2
A device for supporting wireless communication is provided. The device includes a first Bluetooth transceiver for connecting to a Bluetooth device, a second Bluetooth transceiver for connecting to a client device, one or more processors, and a memory for storing instructions executable by the one or more processors. The one or more processors may be configured to scan for one or more available Bluetooth devices via the first Bluetooth transceiver, establish a first communication connection with the Bluetooth device via the first Bluetooth transceiver, establish a second communication connection with the client device via the second Bluetooth transceiver, receive data from the client device via the second communication connection, and forward the data to the Bluetooth device via the first communication connection.
US09730001B2
Techniques for securing communications between fixed devices and mobile devices. A mobile device management server mediates communications between the fixed device and mobile device. The mobile device management server enrolls mobile devices and then assists with pairing the mobile devices to fixed devices in an out-of-band manner. This enrollment, coupled with out-of-band pairing, improves the speed and security of authenticating communication between fixed and mobile devices. If the mobile device has appropriate capabilities, the mobile device management server may request that the mobile device obtain and verify biometric data from a user prior to enrollment and performing authentication procedures.
US09730000B2
Provided are an apparatus for constructing utilization information of a sensor, capable of collecting information regarding various sensors installed in a mobile device of an occupant positioned within a vehicle from the mobile device, comparing the information regarding the sensors with characteristics of various sensors installed in the vehicle and performing analysis to generate utilization information so that the various sensors installed in the mobile device may be utilized in the vehicle, and a method thereof. The apparatus for constructing utilization information of a sensor constructs utilization information between various sensors provided in the mobile device and various sensors provided in the vehicle by matching the corresponding sensors of the mobile device in consideration of types, functions, and positions of the sensors of the vehicle.
US09729994B1
A system and method for providing assistive listening for a plurality of listeners in an environment including a plurality of acoustic sources. A microphone array in combination with an acoustic beamforming processor configured to receive the acoustic signals within the environment and to process the acoustic signals based upon a target location of an acoustic signal selected on a listener-controlled interface device to generate a steered beam pattern. The acoustic beamforming processor further configured to transmit the steered beam pattern to the listener-controlled interface device based on the target location selected. The listener-controlled interface device configured to provide the steered beam pattern to an ear-level transducer of a hearing-impaired listener.
US09729992B1
An audio receiver that receives left, right, and center audio channels for a piece of sound program content is described. A content processor in the audio receiver generates separate audio signals corresponding to each channel for driving corresponding transducers in left and right loudspeaker arrays. The content processor generates (1) first center audio signals for driving transducers in the left array to generate a first center pattern, (2) second center audio signals for driving transducers in the right array to generate a second center pattern, (3) left audio signals for driving transducers in the left array to generate a left pattern, and (4) right audio signals for driving transducers in the right array to generate a right pattern. The first and second center patterns collectively represent the center channel while the left and right patterns respectively represent the left and right channels.
US09729991B2
An apparatus for generating an output signal having at least two output channels from an input signal having at least two input channels, has an ambient/direct decomposer, an ambient modification unit and a combination unit. The ambient/direct decomposer is adapted to decompose at least two input channels of the input signal such that each one of the at least two input channels is decomposed into a signal of a first signal group and into a signal of a second signal group. The ambient modification unit is adapted to modify a signal of the ambient signal group or a signal derived from a signal of the ambient signal group to obtain a modified signal as a first output channel. The combination unit is adapted to combine a signal of the ambient signal group or a signal derived from a signal of the ambient signal group and a signal of the direct signal group or a signal derived from a signal of the direct signal group as a second output channel.
US09729982B2
The present invention relates to a hearing aid fitting device, and an objective thereof is to improve usability thereof. To achieve this object, the fitting device (1) of the present invention comprises a hierarchical classification database (12) and an adjustment data determination component (20). A plurality of pieces of adjustment difference data obtained by the fitting of a hearing aid is hierarchically classified according to similarity in the amount of adjustment and is saved in the hierarchical classification database (12). The adjustment data determination component (20) determines fine adjustment data for the hearing aid by selecting a cluster from among a plurality of clusters in each hierarchical layer.
US09729977B2
A method for operating a hearing device for being worn at least partially within an ear canal of a user, including an ear canal microphone, a filtering unit and an electrical-to-acoustical converter, capable of active occlusion control (AOC) and allowing the user to adjust the AOC functionality according to his or her preferences. The method includes picking up an ear canal internal sound at the microphone which provides a signal representative of the internal sound, filtering the signal with the filtering unit to reduce a perceived level of body sounds produced by the user, providing the filtered signal to the converter which outputs sound into the ear canal, and changing at least one setting or parameter of the filtering unit in dependence of a control signal, wherein the control signal is initiated by the user. Moreover, a hearing device adapted to perform the method is provided.
US09729972B2
A speaker device includes: a diaphragm that radiates sound; an edge arranged in an outer periphery of the diaphragm; a frame arranged in an outer periphery of the edge, and including an annular attachment part connected to an outer peripheral region of the edge; and a connecting member arranged between the outer peripheral region and the attachment part and adhered to the outer peripheral region and the attachment part. An inner diameter of the attachment part is less than an inner diameter of the outer peripheral region.
US09729968B2
A method and a system for echo cancellation. The method includes receiving incoming downlink signal sample, performing Kalman filter time update of linear filter, constructing data matrix for linear filter adaptation, performing Kalman filter measurements update on linear filter, performing Kalman filter time update on non-linear filter, constructing data matrix for non-linear filter adaptation, performing Kalman filter measurements update on non-linear filter, generating echo using adapted linear and non-linear filters, subtracting the echo from microphone signal to generate echo free uplink signal, and uplinking the echo free signal to the far-end.
US09729966B2
An active noise reduction system using adaptive filters. A method of operation the active noise reduction system includes smoothing a stream of leakage factors. The frequency of a noise reduction signal may be related to the engine speed of an engine associated with the system within which the active noise reduction system is operated. The engine speed signal may be a high latency signal and may be obtained by the active noise reduction system over audio entertainment circuitry.
US09729960B1
An acoustic layer is added to a keyboard-type device including: enclosing walls, optionally—one or more microphones, a signal processing device, at least one audio transducer, and an acoustic waveguide. The acoustic layer adjoins one or more internal areas of a keyboard-type device. The signal processing device receives an internal signal from an electronic device either through wires or wirelessly. The signal processing device provides a directive sound enhancement of the audio input signals based on room acoustics, such as reverberation, echo, noise, delay, frequency response, and/or speaker-positional information that is determined by the signal processing device. The audio transducer device generates an audible audio output in response to an audio signal output from the signal processing device. The acoustic waveguide receives the audible audio output and generates an enhanced bass audio output from the acoustic waveguide.
US09729955B2
The invention provides a headset control method, comprising the following steps: A) a capacitive sensing circuit electrode layer detects sliding coordinate signals and trajectory signals; B) a processing unit receives the coordinate signals and trajectory signals detected by the capacitive sensing circuit electrode layer; C) the processing unit analyzes whether the received coordinate signals and the trajectory signals meet control rules that are already defined and converts the coordinate signals and trajectory signals meeting the control rules into instructions to be transmitted to a main control chip; D) the main control chip is connected with a playback equipment terminal and the main control chip transmits the instructions to the playback equipment terminal, and the playback equipment terminal executes the instructions.
US09729951B2
A loudspeaker overload protection circuit and method receives at a compressor a signal representing the estimated loudspeaker power consumption; receives at the compressor a signal representing the nominal power of the loudspeaker; receives at the compressor an input audio signal from the signal source and supplying with the compressor an output audio signal to the loudspeaker; estimates from the output audio signal, (a) signal(s) that represent(s) the voltage and/or current supplied to the loudspeaker and a parameter that represents the ohmic resistance of the loudspeaker the power consumed by the loudspeaker; supplies a signal representing the estimated loudspeaker power consumption to the compressor; and attenuates the input audio signal when the signal representing the estimated loudspeaker power consumption exceeds the signal representing the nominal power of the loudspeaker.
US09729948B1
Systems and methods for discovery of a controller in an OpenFlow network may include using an OpenFlow capable switch to discover the controller without the help of other components, such as DHCP. The link discovery protocol may be configured on the switch and the discovery process may use an out-of-band or an in-band communication. In one example, a link discovery protocol packet is sent out of all ports of a switch that meet the eligibility criteria. The response is guaranteed because of a TTL like mechanism in the packet. Each port on a switch that receives this link discovery protocol packet takes an action depending on its current state.
US09729947B2
Systems and methods for conveying wavelength tuning information from a pluggable optical transceiver to a host device determining the wavelength tuning information of the pluggable optical transceiver operating in the host device; appending the wavelength tuning information as part of existing data communicated between the pluggable optical transceiver and the host device; and providing the existing data with the wavelength tuning information incorporated therewith to the host device.
US09729943B2
A utility meter reporting network is disclosed. In one embodiment, an end-point reporting device is configured to collect utility usage data and to convey the utility usage data to a gateway device via a first Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) radio communication link using a first ISM transceiver operable in the 902 MHz to 928 MHz range. The network further comprises a gateway device comprising a second ISM transceiver for receiving the utility usage data from the end point and a wireless transceiver which is configured to send the utility usage data via an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 compliant wireless communication link. The network further comprises a utility office which receives the utility usage data from said gateway device via said IEEE 802.11 compliant wireless communication link.
US09729938B2
Systems and methods for low-delay video streaming featuring multiple video compression ratios. One embodiment of the system includes: a real-time video encoder (RT-VE) that receives an incoming high-definition uncompressed video (HD-UV), processes the incoming HD-UV according to first and second compression ratios, and sends the processed video over a resource reservation communication link to a real-time video decoder (RT-VD). The compression delay added by the RT-VE is below the duration of a single video frame, and the RT-VD converts the processed video into an outgoing HD-UV. Wherein on-the-fly switches between the first and second compression ratios, while continuing to receive the incoming HD-UV uninterruptedly, are both visually lossless switches and maintain a total delay between corresponding frames of the incoming HD-UV and the outgoing HD-UV that is below duration of two video frames.
US09729924B2
A user interface allows for blending of television program choices from which a viewer may select, the blending representing options for linear and non-linear programming presented together within a single hierarchy of a designated category. The blending may further include managed content relevant to the designated category, where desired. Such designated categories may include television programming categories and/or content categories. The options for linear and non-linear programming may be presented together within a single screen of the user interface.
US09729917B2
An enhanced multimedia over coax alliance (MoCA) implementation having a single Receive (Rx) physical (Phy) module that is arranged to receive data via one of at least two Rx radio frequency (RF) modules, which are arranged to be in communication with a coaxial cable, and at least two transmit (Tx) Phy modules respectively arranged to be in communication with two Tx RF modules, which are also arranged to be in communication with the coaxial cable.
US09729915B2
Devices, systems, and methods for detecting user devices to determine a state of a watched show are provided. A digital video recorder (DVR) is configured to store a media file associated with a media program. The DVR detects one or more user devices within a predetermined vicinity while the media program is being played. The DVR identifies users who are interested in the media program. The DVR tracks a watch status associated with the media program indicating which users have watched or are watching the media program based on the detected user devices. For stored media files, the DVR determines whether to delete the media file based on whether all users who are interested in the media program have completed watching the media program. The DVR may track user activity and/or vital signs based on sensor data from wearable devices, for example, to determine user reaction and/or user interests.
US09729911B2
A system and method for facilitating recording of content in a multicast adaptive bitrate (MABR) streaming network using a DVR recording scheduler node. A program recording request may be generated at a subscriber device based on a program schedule to record a particular program, wherein the program recording request includes a priority level indicative of a video quality preference for recording the particular program. Optionally, the program recording request may also include an indication of a target recording device of the subscriber premises. The recording quality of the particular program may be dynamically adjusted based on bandwidth contention conditions on the subscriber premises bandwidth pipe and may involve disregarding the priority level indicated in the program recording request as long as there is no bandwidth contention.
US09729907B2
A method is provided in which a descriptor file is created for synchronizing a plurality of digital media streams. A plurality of time offsets are identified in a timeline of a digital audio narration of a first digital media stream, and the plurality of time offsets and a corresponding plurality of content points are stored in the descriptor file in a manner indicating a correlation therebetween. Synchronization points are identified in digital media content of one or more other digital media streams, and synchronization time offsets are selected that correspond to the synchronization points from the plurality of time offsets. The synchronization time offsets and the corresponding synchronization points are stored in the descriptor file in a manner indicating a correlation therebetween, such that the descriptor file allows a synchronized rendering of the plurality of digital media streams on a client device.
US09729905B2
The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for creating overlapping bonded groups of downstream channels that can provide increased channel capacity to improve packing densities, while at the same time limiting complexity and cost increases of new receivers and allowing the continued operation of legacy receivers.
US09729901B2
Systems, apparatuses, methods, and software for using a network to efficiently distributing media content assets from a virtually unlimited content library and/or other storage to a plurality of client devices, as well as bi-directional local content sharing between head ends, and dynamic distribution and generation of media content assets within the network.
US09729897B2
The invention provides a motion prediction method. First, a plurality of candidate units corresponding to a current unit of a current frame is determined. A plurality of motion vectors of the candidate units is then obtained. A plurality of scaling factors of the candidate units is then calculated according to a plurality of respective temporal distances depending on a plurality of reference frames of the motion vectors. The motion vectors of the candidate units are then scaled according to the scaling factors to obtain a plurality of scaled motion vectors. The scaled motion vectors are ranked, and a subset of highest ranking motion vectors are identified to be included in a candidate set. Finally, a motion vector predictor for motion prediction of the current unit is then selected from the candidate units.
US09729881B2
A video decoding apparatus includes: a decoder to determine a size of a minimum block unit among block units in which quantization parameter information is decoded from a bitstream, determine a current block to be decoded by dividing a block larger than 16×16 into one or more blocks, decode, from the bitstream, a skip information and the motion information for deriving the motion vector of the current block without decoding information on residual signals of the current block, and decode, from the bitstream, prediction information of the current block and quantized transform coefficients of the current block; and a video reconstructor to determine the motion vector of the current block using the decoded motion information, reconstruct residual signals from the quantized transform coefficients by inversely quantizing the quantized transform coefficients using a quantization parameter, and reconstruct the current block based on the prediction information and the reconstructed residual signals.
US09729877B2
An image coding method includes: adding, to a candidate list, a first adjacent motion vector as a candidate for a predicted motion vector to be used for coding the current motion vector; selecting the predicted motion vector from the candidate list; and coding the current motion vector, wherein in the adding, the first adjacent motion vector indicating a position in a first reference picture included in a first reference picture list is added to the candidate list for the current motion vector indicating a position in a second reference picture included in a second reference picture list.
US09729846B2
An apparatus for generating a three-dimensional (3D) image reproduced on a curved-surface display panel is disclosed. The apparatus may include a controller for determining depth information including at least one ratio of a left depth level to a right depth level, based at least in part on at least one curvature of the curved-surface display panel; and an image processor for generating the 3D image reproduced on the curved-surface display panel using the determined depth information.
US09729843B1
A device receives a video file with technical computing environment information, and the video file displays interaction with a technical computing environment. The device plays the video file, and receives the technical computing environment information from the video file when the video file is playing. The device provides the technical computing device information to a local technical computing environment associated with the device.
US09729842B2
An image storage apparatus, an image reproducing apparatus, a method of storing an image, a method of reproducing an image, a storage medium and a photographing apparatus are provided. The image storage apparatus records link information of a contents file within a moving image file and stores the linked moving image file. Accordingly, a user can select the moving image file to be displayed together with the linked contents file on one screen when the user reproduces the moving image file.
US09729840B2
A detachable projection module and an electronic device having the same integrate an optical engine and an image processing unit into an independent detachable module, where the module case is fixedly connected to a device body of the electronic device, so that projection module can receive image signals from the electronic device and convert the received image signals into projection signals to be projected onto a surface near the device body of the electronic device. Through a dedicated or generic connector interface, the detachable projection module may be removed from one electronic device and be mounted to another electronic device, giving an electronic device capability of equipping a projection module to extend the electronic device with a secondary display or empower an electronic device, which has no display at first, with display ability.
US09729837B2
Systems and techniques for scanning-beam display are provided to use local dimming on the optical energy of at least one optical beam to minimize the non-uniform image brightness across the screen. This local dimming during the beam scanning can be achieved by adjusting optical energy of at least one optical beam during the scanning based on (1) the location of the scanning optical beam and (2) the predetermined distortion information at the location.
US09729825B2
A method for generating an immersive video of a plurality of persons in a computer server, the method comprising: —receiving a plurality of video streams on a plurality of video channels from a plurality of client devices, each video stream including a silhouette of a person; —extracting the person's silhouette from each incoming video stream to generate a filtered video stream representing only the silhouette of the person; —generating a video stream of a virtual scene comprising a plurality of—the silhouettes extracted from the plurality of filtered video streams the method further comprising receiving silhouette data carried on a metadata channel from a client device in addition to the video stream, the silhouette data representing a position of a face of the person within a frame of the video stream; —analyzing the silhouette data performing the silhouette extraction as a function of the silhouette data analyzed.
US09729818B2
A system may include a receiver, a decoder, a post-processor, and a controller. The receiver may receive encoded video data. The decoder may decode the encoded video data. The post-processor may perform post-processing on frames of decoded video sequence from the decoder. The controller may adjust post-processing of a current frame, based upon at least one condition parameters detected at the system.
US09729811B2
A smart TV is provided. The smart TV has a network interface, configured to connect the smart TV with a mobile device via a network; and a processing unit, configured to execute a first remote virtual keyboard application for activating a remote virtual keyboard mode of the smart TV; wherein the processing unit further generates an input interface comprising a first virtual keyboard when the smart TV generates an input column in response to an input demand; wherein when the remote virtual keyboard mode of the smart TV is activated and there is the input demand, the processing unit hides the first virtual keyboard without being displayed, and uses the mobile device to replace the hidden first virtual keyboard for accepting input from a user.
US09729799B2
A minimally invasive surgical system includes a scene anti-bloom process that allows switching between imaging modes on a stereoscopic display without causing a surgeon to look-away or being momentarily distracted by sudden changes in overall scene luminance. The process receives a switch from a first imaging mode to a second imaging mode. An overall scene luminance of a scene in the first imaging mode is less than an overall scene luminance of a scene in the second imaging mode. The process delays the switch to the second imaging mode until after an illumination output level of a visible illumination source has changed to a higher output level, and then switches to the second imaging mode.
US09729794B2
In a smartphone, the imaging mode of an imager or the display mode of a display is changed from a normal mode when an image of an optical communication region is captured. More specifically, a process of lowering the contrast of the entire image (frame), a process of superimposing an icon image on the candidate region, a masking process for lowering the contrast of the candidate region, a process of reducing the count of display frames by image averaging or thinning, or a zoom limiting process of limiting the upper limit of the zoom ratio of the imager or the upper limit of the enlarged display magnification on the display is performed.
US09729791B2
A power connector facilitates mounting and repositioning an electronic device via a magnetic field. The power connector can include a receptacle surface comprising a curved surface operable to mate with a curved contact surface of an electronic device, and a device-coupling mechanism operable to hold the curved contact surface of the electronic device pressed against the curved surface of the power connector device, while an angle of the electronic device changes with respect to the power connector. The power connector can also include a power-transfer mechanism operable to transfer at least power to the electronic device, without an electrical wire between power connector and the electronic device, while the angle of the electronic device changes with respect to the power connector.
US09729789B2
The invention relates to a method of 3D reconstruction of a scene by means of 2D panoramic images of the scene, which comprises a step of processing these images. These images arise from a panoramic system moving in displacement along a determined trajectory, such that the image of at least one point of the scene is in at least 3 successive images obtained according to various directions; the step of processing these 2D successive images comprises the sub-steps: a) determining reconstruction planes in the scene to be reconstructed, b) determining, on the basis of pairs of panoramic images and for each pair, rectification planes corresponding to the reconstruction planes and projecting onto each of them a sector of each image of the pair, in a direct manner, so as to obtain two 2D rectified images, c) matching the two 2D rectified images so as to obtain an intermediate 3D reconstruction, d) transforming each intermediate 3D reconstruction into a 3D frame including the reconstruction planes so as to obtain a transformed intermediate 3D reconstruction, e) repeating steps b) to d) on the basis of a new pair of 2D panoramic images and of at least one other rectification plane, so as to obtain at least one other transformed intermediate 3D reconstruction, f) temporally fusing at least two transformed intermediate 3D reconstructions so as to obtain a 3D reconstruction of the scene.
US09729786B2
An image processing apparatus and an image capture apparatus can efficiently use a plurality of integrated circuits for image processing. Image processing ICs are integrated circuits that deal with different formats of image data. A programmable logic IC converts a data format of image data output from one image processing IC into a format of image data that is dealt with by the other image processing IC, and outputs the result of conversion to the other image processing IC.
US09729778B2
A focus adjustment device includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire focus evaluated values of a plurality of color signals obtained from an image signal generated by an image sensor that light transmitted through a focus lens has entered, a calculation unit configured to calculate at least one value indicating a difference in magnitude between each pair of the focus evaluated values of the plurality of color signals, and a determination unit configured to determine, in a case in which a value calculated by the calculation unit is within a predetermined range, a drive direction of the focus lens based on the value calculated by the calculation unit, and determine, in a case in which the value calculated by the calculation unit is outside the predetermined range, a drive direction of the focus lens based on a luminance signal obtained from the image signal.
US09729773B2
Provided is an interchangeable lens digital camera that is capable of correcting a rolling shutter distortion in a live view image without delay in displaying the image. At the start of live view imaging, a lens controller in an interchangeable lens controls a shake detection sensor to detect the direction and amount of a shake, and produces deviation information on the basis of shake detection signals from the shake detection sensor, the deviation information indicating fluctuation in direction and amount of the shake for one frame of the live view image in the form of a parameter. The deviation information is transmitted to a body controller of a camera body through a serial communication unit, to correct the rolling shutter distortion on the basis of the deviation information.
US09729768B2
An electronic device includes an electronic member, a plate having a fastening part, the fastening part having a tubular shape and projecting outward with respect to the electronic member when the plate is arranged outside the electronic member, a case having a hole whose diameter is larger than the outer diameter of the fastening part, the fastening part being inserted into the hole, and a fastening member attached to the fastening part from outside of the case with the fastening part inserted into the hole. A part of the electronic member is located on the axis of the fastening part.
US09729766B2
A hinge structure, comprising a plurality of bearings each of which has a cylindrical body formed by using a molding die, and a shaft member rotatably supported by the plurality of bearings.
US09729764B2
The present invention is applied to an image pickup apparatus for which, for example, a CMOS solid-state image pickup element is used. One screen image is divided into a plurality of blocks, and a motion is detected for each of the blocks to control the exposure time of the block.
US09729754B2
Embodiments may include a reception processor that receives image data corresponding to an image including a plurality of image objects. A controller may determine whether image objects are in contact with a boundary of a printing area of medium, and, based on a result of the determination, may perform expansion processing on one of the plurality of image objects that is in contact with the boundary of the printing area of the medium to expand image objects in contact with the boundary of the printing area and does not perform expansion processing on image objects not in contact with the boundary of the printing area of the medium such image objects not in contact with the boundary of the printing area are not expanded. Expansion image data including the expanded image objects and image objects on which expansion processing is not performed may be generated and output.
US09729753B2
Electronic device is linked with a mobile terminal, screen transition of the electronic device is eliminated, and various operation input is performed while confirming operation content from the mobile terminal on a screen of the electronic device. When proximity of the mobile terminal is detected in a state of displaying a specific screen on an operation display portion, an image forming apparatus transmits operation input information associated with the specific screen in advance to the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal displays an operation input screen based on the operation input information transmitted from the image forming apparatus and transmits operation content instructed by a user from the operation input screen to the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus updates the specific screen in accordance with the operation content transmitted from the mobile terminal.
US09729747B2
When a first recognition condition is satisfied, a target apparatus notification portion causes an image display portion to display a notification notifying that a target apparatus is recognized which exists at an azimuth of a line of sight of a user. The first recognition condition is that an apparatus image exists in a position corresponding to the line-of-sight direction in a field-of-view image taken by a camera, when a line-of-sight direction enters a gaze state under a situation that an image processing apparatus exists in an area where the wireless communication can be performed. An instruction screen control portion causes the image display portion to display an instruction screen for execution of a job, when a second recognition condition is satisfied. The second recognition condition is that the apparatus image exists in the field-of-view image within a short distance range of the target apparatus.
US09729746B1
A printing device configuration application, referred to herein as a “mass deployment tool,” provides the capability to configure a large number of printing devices for cloud printing, in accordance with specific requirements of a cloud print service. The mass deployment tool deploys and installs a cloud print configuration application to a plurality of printing devices. The mass deployment tool transmits registration settings data to the cloud print configuration applications and causes the cloud print configuration applications to register their corresponding printing device with the cloud print service. The mass deployment tool receives and stores identification data that specifies a unique identification issued by the cloud print service for each of the printing devices. The mass deployment tool may be configured to provide a graphical user interface that allows a user to specify and manage the registration settings, general settings used to install the cloud print configuration applications, and sharing settings.
US09729743B2
A printing apparatus has first and second sheet storage units, where a second sheet conveyance path is longer than a first sheet conveyance path, and includes a determining unit and a permitting unit. When a sheet stored in the first sheet storage unit is for printing of a Nth page included in a first job and a sheet stored in the second sheet storage unit is for printing of a N+1th page included in the same first job, the determining unit determines a feeding schedule in which the N+1th page sheet feeding is initiated before the Nth page sheet feeding is initiated. When an issued instruction is issued to perform a second job by interrupting the first job after determining the feeding schedule, the permitting unit permits printing of a page included in the second job before the printing of the N+1th page included in the first job.
US09729731B1
Provided is an information processing apparatus that transmits image data input by sequentially reading originals, with limiting an allowable frame size. The apparatus includes: a transmission control unit, in which, in a case where an original has an existing size, the transmission control unit transmits the image data to a destination with frames having one of frame sizes selected based on the existing size of the original, such that transmission of the current image data is finished before a start of transmission of the image data of the next original.
US09729724B2
A communication system includes: a relay device including: a storage unit configured to store terminal specification information for specifying the third terminal associated with the second terminal, and a first communication control unit configured to connect the third terminal to the first network if an authentication control unit authenticates the terminal authentication information; one or more first terminals connected to a first network; a second terminal connectable to the first network and including a second communication control unit configured to transmit the relay-device specification information and the terminal authentication information to the third terminal through the second network if receiving the relay-device specification information and the terminal authentication information from the relay device; and a third terminal connectable to a second network and including a third communication control unit configured to transmit the terminal authentication information to the relay device through the second network.
US09729722B2
Conference call alerting is provided. A first device of a plurality of telecommunications devices initiates a telecommunications link between the first device and a second device of the plurality of telecommunications devices. The first device receives an interaction that includes a communications address of a third device of the plurality of telecommunications devices. The telecommunications link is modified to include the third device. In response to the third device joining the telecommunications link, the first device issues an alert to the second device and the third device, wherein the alert indicates that the third device has joined the telecommunications link.
US09729721B2
A gateway 202 identifies mobile devices 210 connected to it. Communication access numbers associated with the mobile devices are then obtained and synchronized with communication access numbers associated with the gateway. The gateway notifies a service provider for the mobile device that its calls should now be routed to the gateway instead of the mobile device. Calls received by the gateway can then be delayed, reformatted and/or otherwise transformed/controlled by the gateway and passed to connected landline devices.
US09729720B1
Disclosed are a method and apparatus of receiving and processing customer support calls. The calls may be initiated from a mobile/wireless device via a call function or via a mobile device application. An example method of operation may provide receiving a call from the mobile device at a call processing server configured to route the call to an appropriate destination. The call processing server may perform identifying a purpose associated with the call and transmitting the call to the message redirect call processing module responsive to identifying the purpose of the call as a request for customer service support. Also, the server may also perform creating a redirect message instructing the mobile device to initiate a customer service support application that operates via a data network, and transmitting the redirect message to the mobile device.
US09729717B1
Systems and methods are provided for using automatic speech recognition to analyze a voice interaction and verify compliance of an agent reading a script to a client during the voice interaction. In one aspect of the invention, a method may include a voice interaction, wherein the agent follows the script via a plurality of panels. The voice interaction is evaluated via the plurality of panels employing panel-by-panel playback with an automatic speech recognition component adapted to analyze the voice interaction. As such, it may be determined, via generating a score using confidence level thresholds of an automatic speech recognition component such that confidence level thresholds are assigned to each of the plurality of panels and evaluating the score against at least one of a static standard and a varying standard, whether the agent has adequately followed the script.
US09729716B2
A system for enabling collaboration between two or more customer contact campaigns running within a call center environment includes at least one outbound contact server (OCS) resident on a digital medium, the OCS including an automated dialer application resident on a digital medium thereon or accessible thereto for dialing contact numbers from contact records assembled for the running campaigns, a call monitoring and recording system executing from software on a digital medium, for monitoring call dialing progress and business results of completed calls, a central data repository for storing dialing progress and business results data collected by the running outbound campaigns, and a data sharing mechanism executing from software resident on a digital medium, accessible to each campaign running on the OCS for sharing collected data among the running campaigns. Shared data received by individual campaign instances is processed by the receiving campaign against one or more pre-configured business rules to determine whether to modify campaign contact records, campaign dialing patterns and or campaign dialing methods.
US09729710B2
A method including receiving an interrupt originating associated with an interrupting entity during an ongoing communication between a user and a current entity, determining if the interrupting entity has a higher priority than the current entity, interrupting the user if the interrupting entity has a higher priority than the current entity, and not interrupting the user if the interrupting entity has a lower priority than the current entity.
US09729695B2
A user interface for a messaging client application can include a message list. By executing various input operations on a representation of a message in the message list, the user can take an action on the message. For example, a user operating a pointing device can perform a drag operation on a representation of the message in the message list, and the action to be taken on the message can be indicated by the direction and distance of the drag. Visual feedback can be provided during the drag operation to indicate the action that will be taken if the user ends the drag at the current location.
US09729687B2
Wearable communication devices, e.g. implemented in a watch, using short range communication e.g. to a cell phone allow a user to talk and listen, place and answer calls, send and receive text messages, initiate voice commands to mobile search for information and find locations, and be notified of incoming calls, texts, and events, all while a phone is nearby but not visible. Notification is performed with vibration, an LED light or OLED text display of incoming calls, texts, and calendar events. It allows communicating hands-free. The watches can be directly connected to a smartphone allowing using the watch as “remote control” for home appliances or any other devices via voice and buttons. Motion sensors such as accelerometer, magnetometer and gyroscope, together with audio generation device can be used for gaming applications.
US09729676B2
A method and apparatus for selecting a client computer as a relay server to rebroadcast common application information that is broadcast from a server system over a network. The client computer is selected randomly to rebroadcast the User Datagram Protocol (UDP) information received from the server system and client computers receiving the UDP information from another client computer relay server on the network do not rebroadcast the information. If the client computer selected to rebroadcast the common information fails to rebroadcast, another client computer is randomly selected as a relay server and takes over rebroadcasting the common information.
US09729675B2
Enhancement of upload and/or download performance based on client and/or server feedback information
Systems and methods for providing enhancement of upload and/or download performance based on client and/or server feedback information are disclosed. In one embodiment, the disclosed method optimizes upload performance by performing an upload speed test to measure an upload speed associated with each of multiple servers. The method detects a user request to upload a file from a client device to a host server. Based on results from the upload speed test, the method selects one of the multiple servers to upload the file. The multiple servers can include host servers providing cloud-based collaboration and/or storage services, one or more content delivery network servers and/or geographically distributed edge servers.
US09729674B2
An information processing system including an IC chip, a client driving the IC chip to carry out predetermined processing, a server connected to the client by a communication network, wherein the client has a processing-command requesting section configured to request for transmission of a processing command to the server; an ID-acquisition-command sender section configured to transmit an ID acquisition command; a chip-ID extraction section configured to extract the chip ID; and a processing-command sender section configured to embed the extracted chip ID into the processing command and transmit the command. The server has a command-group sender section configured to send the command. The IC chip has a chip-ID sender section configured to transmit data; a chip-ID determination section configured to determine whether the chip ID in the command is identical with the chip ID of the IC chip; and a processing execution section configured to carry out the predetermined processing.
US09729672B2
Methods are provided for collaborative editing of documents which allow users who are editing source code to see previews of a compiled document as the process of editing continues. During editing, the source code is compiled to provide a compiled document from which previews can be produced. Steps can be taken to ensure that previews are only produced and/or sent to the user for those pages that have been changed since a previous compile. Moreover, a pre-compile checking process may avoid unnecessary attempts to compile incomplete or erroneous source code.
US09729666B2
A distributed storage system comprising interconnected computer nodes; each one of the computer nodes comprising at least one processing resource configured to execute a Unified Distributed Storage Platform (UDSP) agent; at least one of the computer nodes comprising one or more resources including at least one cache resource configured to cache objects and having corresponding cache-related parameters; at least one UDSP agent of a respective computer node having the at least one cache resource is configured to: monitor cache-related parameters of the at least one cache resource connected to the respective computer node, for determining whether the cache-related parameters meet at least one first SLS criteria; and in the case the at least one first SLS criteria is not met, initiate handoff of at least part of one or more cache object spaces of the at least one cache resource to at least one other computer node, which after receiving the at least part of one or more cache object spaces, its cache-related parameters meet at least one second SLS criteria.
US09729654B1
Methods, systems, and computer storage mediums for reducing navigation redirect latency by using speculative preconnection. A redirect speculation value is retrieved in response to a request for a source Uniform Resource Locator (URL), where the redirect speculation value is based on the source URL. The redirect speculation value includes the source URL, a target URL, and a probability factor. A preconnection to the target URL's hostname is then initiated based on the probability factor. Next, a response from the request to the source URL is received, where the response includes a redirect URL. Finally, the preconnection is used to process the redirect URL when the redirect URL is similar to the target URL.
US09729652B2
Systems and methods for providing user's access to a particular version of an electronic resource (e.g., a website, web resource or the like) where versions of such electronic resources are stored across a set of servers are disclosed. In one embodiment, user's requests may be received—either requesting a particular version or as an unversioned request. A version control module (for example, a load balancer) may receive these requests and assign the user's request to a first server according to different metrics, e.g., regarding version control rules and/or effective load balancing considerations. If the initial server assigned is not able to handle the user's request, the user's request may be proxied to another server, according to different metrics. If there is no server that may handle the user's request (after a certain number of proxied requests), the request may be returned to the user as not handled.
US09729651B2
The present invention relates to a method for delivering a push notification and a push notification server for performing the method. In the push notification delivery method, by a push notification server, a push notification message is received from a push notification server application. By the push notification server, the push notification message is sent to a push notification client registered in association with the push notification server application. If the push notification message is not sent, the push notification message is stored in a transmission queue within the push notification server and is resent to the push notification client, or an update, expiration or cancellation of the push notification message is processed. A push delivery state of a push notification message, sending of which has finally failed, is changed to a delivery failed state, and failure results are transferred to the push notification server application.
US09729650B2
A method and apparatus for providing data to a network terminal. A network node receives information relating to a first instance of a client running at the network terminal. Using the information, the network node concurrently runs a second instance of the client that emulates the first instance. Using the second instance, the network node generates a request for data required by the first instance. Before receiving a request for data generated by the first instance, the network node sends the request for data required by the first instance to a remote server and receives a response that includes the required data. The required data is then sent to the network terminal. The advantage of this is that the request for data required is generated before the network node receives a request from the network terminal. This allows the request to be handled more quickly.
US09729648B2
The social networking system monitors implicit interactions between a user and objects of the social networking system with which the user has not established a connection. Based on the implicit interactions between the user and an object, the social networking system identifies a soft connection between the user and the object. The social networking system may then identify soft connections to include in a candidate list of soft connections to recommend to the user. The social networking system may also extract signals from the set of candidate list of soft connections, and may use the extracted signals to rank the soft connections in the list of candidate soft connections. The social networking system may then recommend soft connections to the user based on the rank associated with the soft connections in the candidate list of soft connections.
US09729646B2
Disclosed herein is a communication system including: a first apparatus and a second apparatus being communication terminals at least one of which resides on a mobile object; and a server apparatus. The server apparatus includes: a determination block configured to determine whether the first and the second apparatuses are in close proximity to each other based on position data of the first apparatus and on position data of the second apparatus; and a communication block configured such that if the determination block determines that the first and the second apparatuses are in close proximity to each other, the communication block transmits preinstalled content data to at least one of the first and the second apparatuses.
US09729641B2
Systems and methods for selecting tiering protocols based on data transmissions over mesh networks within defined spatial areas can be provided. A mesh network can be established within a defined spatial area. Each network device within the mesh network can be a user device or a supernode. Further, a wireless communication link can be established between the user devices and supernodes. A plurality of tiered protocols for tiering data transmissions can be accessed. Data to be transmitted over the mesh network can be analyzed to determine which tiered protocol to select. Path data that identifies a routing path from the a user device to a supernode can be generated, and the data can be transmitted according to the path data.
US09729640B2
An example method includes connecting, by wireless device, to a first network device, wherein the first network device provides a connection to a playback network; adding the connection via the first network device to a list of available network connections; sending, to a second network device via the first network device, command(s) to control playback by the second network device; identifying additional available connection(s) to the playback network within range of the wireless device, wherein the additional available connection(s) include a connection via the second network device; determining that the connection to the second network device is preferred over the connection via the first network device based on characteristic(s); based on the determination that the connection via the second network device is preferred, connecting to the playback network via the second network device; and sending, to the second network device, additional command(s) to control playback by the second network device.
US09729633B2
To coordinate distributed processing of the data files specified for the run by the set of analysis computers, the analysis computers and an analysis management computer are each configured to follow a convention regarding how the run is specified and performed. The convention includes the timing of when each run begins and ends, and the specification of the data files to be included in the run, and the identification of the analysis computers available for the run. The analysis management computer provides a mechanism through which the set of data files to be processed, and a state of processing of those files, can be communicated with available analysis computers. The analysis computers communicate their availability to participate in the run through the analysis management computer and receive information enabling each analysis computer to determine its own partitions of the set of data files to process.
US09729632B2
Aspects of the disclosure relate to managing migration of an application. The managing migration of an application includes establishing a source dataset. The source dataset includes a set of source features. The source features relate to a source. The source includes the application. A determination of a first set of migration plans is made. The determination is made with an evaluation. The evaluation is made using the source dataset and a set of legacy features. The evaluation is performed with a cost measure. The application is migrated from the source to the target. The migration is based on the determined first set of migration plans.
US09729622B2
Data migration among cloud-based storage networks is described. A method may include analyzing, by a processor, whether data from a data distribution service is consistent with a data payload of a host cloud provider. The method also includes determining, by the processor, in view of the analyzing, whether the data is a replica of the data payload of the host cloud provider. The method further includes determining, by the processor, whether to initiate a transport of the data to a resource associated with a target cloud provider.
US09729617B2
An information management device includes a first receiving unit that receives organization identification information to identify an organization and device identification information to identify a device in the organization from the device, a first storage unit that stores the received organization identification information and the received device identification information which are associated together, a second receiving unit that receives license identification information and the device identification information from the device, the license identification information identifying a license for using a predetermined service, and a second storage unit that stores the received license identification information and the received device identification information which are associated together.
US09729607B2
A system for managing a domain in a premises is described. The system includes: an action identifier coupled with a server, the action identifier identifies an action to be mapped to a device of the at least one device, wherein the device comprises a communication port that supports a first protocol; a device driver determiner coupled with the server, the device driver determiner determines a device driver that supports a second protocol, wherein the second protocol supports the action; a comparer coupled with the server, the comparer compares the second protocol with a domain configuration store comprising device configuration information for the at least one device; and a device driver implementer coupled with the server, the device driver implementer implements, based on the comparing, the device driver when the first protocol corresponds to the second protocol such that the action is enabled for performance.
US09729605B2
Described herein are methods, apparatus and systems for selectively delivering content through one of two communication channels, one being origin to client and the other being from or through a CDN to client. Thus a client may choose to request content from a CDN and/or from an origin server. This disclosure sets forth techniques for, among other things, distinguishing between which channel to use for a given object, using the CDN-client channel to obtain the performance benefit of doing so, and reverting to the origin-client channel where content may be private, sensitive, corrupted, or otherwise considered to be unsuitable from delivery from and/or through the CDN.
US09729603B2
A method comprises associating at least one cache replacement granularity value with a given one of a plurality of content streams comprising a number of segments, receiving a request for a given segment of the given content stream in a network element, identifying a given portion of the given content stream which contains the given segment, updating a value corresponding to the given portion of the given content stream, and determining whether to store the given portion of the given content stream in a memory of the network element based at least in part on the updated value corresponding to the given portion. The at least one cache replacement granularity value represents a given number of segments, the given content stream being separable into one or more portions based at least in part on the at least one cache replacement granularity value.
US09729595B2
A method, an apparatus, and a system for transmitting media data based on OTT are disclosed. The method includes: receiving, by an OTT server, a media data request initiated by a user terminal, where the OTT server is connected to at least one cache server; determining, by the OTT server, a cache server from the at least one cache server according to a location and/or a capability of the at least one cache server; sending, by the OTT server, a notification message, which carries session information, to the user terminal and the determined cache server, so that the determined cache server receives a media data request, which carries session information, from the user terminal, and sends corresponding media data to the user terminal.
US09729593B2
There is provided a system and method for providing customized experiences to a plurality of client stations in a shared environment. There is provided an accounts database having data relating to a plurality of clients, an online server having a server processor and hosting the shared environment for access by the plurality of client stations, and an online client application for execution by a client processor of a client station. The server processor is configured to retrieve client data from the accounts database relating to a client, determine client preferences of the client based on the client data, create a customized environment from the shared environment according to the client preferences, and send the customized environment to the online client application of a client station associated with the client for rendering the customized environment on a client display. User interactions may be filtered to maintain a shared environment perception.
US09729592B2
Virtual assistant systems (“VAs”) operate on a distributed and interconnected network, such as a hierarchy or mesh, of virtual assistant platforms (“VAPs”). VAs communicate with a user via an electronic device, and can communicate with other devices, software programs, and other VAs. VAs include intelligent agents configured to perform particular tasks. The VAP includes an execution environment that may provide an interface between the VA and the electronic device, and may further provide a framework of services for implementing, maintaining, and executing the intelligent agents. A VA may be configured to participate in a group VA in which knowledge and tasks can be shared and cooperatively executed. Cooperative execution can include distributing subtasks among VAs in the group VA, the subtasks together forming the task. Group VAs can share information with each other, and may further inter-network by accessing a common network outside the VAP, such as a social network.
US09729591B2
Methods and systems for sharing content includes detecting selection of multimedia content at a first device. The selection causes automatic rendition of the selected multimedia content on a display portion of the first device. Selection of a second device is detected at a user interface of the first device. The user interface identifies a plurality of devices that have an established communication pairing with the first device. A gesture made with the first device while the second device continues to be selected, is identified. The gesture acts as a trigger for sharing the selected multimedia content with the second device. The gesture causes the multimedia content to be automatically transmitted to the second device for rendering at a display portion of the second device.
US09729590B2
A method related to addressing possible damage caused by inappropriate internet conduct, including writings, pictures, videos, or any other web-delivered content, and/or inappropriate behavior and/or conduct, is provided. The method includes providing a reporting interface enabling a reporting user to generate a complaint report regarding an unfavorable item published by one or more third parties. The method further includes receiving the complaint report and alerting an administrator regarding the complaint report. Additionally, the method includes providing an administrator interface enabling the administrator to view the complaint report, submit the complaint report to an authority, and assign a complaint report status to the complaint report. A resource center is provided for administrators and users and includes content curated for the recipient.
US09729589B2
Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide improved mechanisms and techniques for integrating computer based collaboration systems with other systems. Various embodiments involve creating a collaboration group around a business object created in another system, and maintaining communications with the other system such that updates regarding actions taken with regard to the business object may be received from and sent to the other system. In various embodiments, the information provided by the other system is displayed in a user interface of the collaboration system. In some embodiments, the information provided by the collaboration system is displayed in a user interface of the other system. In some embodiments, historical information regarding actions taken in the collaboration group is stored, and made available for later retrieval even after the collaboration group is no longer active.
US09729587B2
There is proposed a method and corresponding apparatuses allowing a change from a packet switched communication domain to a circuit switched communication domain. When a user equipment as a connection terminating point receives a connection initialization message with a media flow, such as audio, which cannot be delivered by the packet switched access, it sends a specific response rejecting the connection via the packet switched access to an application server for service centralization and continuity. In the application server, it is checked whether several conditions are met in order to determine whether the communication connection comprising the media flow is allowed to be changed to the circuit switched domain. If yes, the communication connection is changed from the packet switched communication domain to the circuit switched communication domain.
US09729582B2
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for generating SDN policies are disclosed. One system includes a processor and a memory. The system also includes an SDN policy synthesizer (SPS) implemented using the processor and the memory. The SPS is configured to receive scenario based information indicating one or more behaviors for at least one SDN policy, to use a synthesis algorithm for generating the at least one SDN policy based on the scenario based information, and to provide the at least one SDN policy to an SDN controller.
US09729576B2
A system and method for managing and analyzing security requirements in reusable models. At least one functional model, at least one security implementation model, at least one requirement model, and meta models of the models are read by a reader. A correspondence between the functional model, security implementation model, and the requirements model is analyzed, whereby the correspondence indicates that compliance/security/accreditation requirements defined in the requirement model match with security objectives implemented by controls defined by the security implementation model. Next, it is determined whether correspondence is or is not given based on the analysis of the correspondence and then evidence is generated based on the analysis of the correspondence and the determination and the impact of changes is analyzed.
US09729574B2
Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method, network node, and non-transitory machine-readable storage medium including one or more of the following: receiving, at the network device, an ownership indication that a first network processor is currently serving an anti-replay connection; and in response to receiving the ownership indication, effecting a presetting in a second network processor of a current sequence number (SN) for the anti-replay connection to a first value that is greater than or equal to a re-key threshold value, wherein the network device includes at least one of the first network processor and the second network processor wherein the re-key threshold value is a value beyond which an SN triggers re-keying of the anti-replay connection, and wherein the second network processor utilizes the current sequence number upon beginning to serve the anti-replay connection.
US09729568B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for determining network related anomaly scores. One of the methods includes generating a network map including at least a plurality of network nodes and a plurality of edges that indicate communications paths between the plurality of network nodes, obtaining first data indicating network activity over the edges and between the plurality of network nodes for a first time period, generating a model of expected network activity over the edges and between the plurality of network nodes for a future time period using the network map and the first data, obtaining second data indicating network activity over the edges and between the plurality of network nodes for a second time period, and determining an anomaly score using a comparison between the second data and the model of expected network activity.
US09729565B2
In one implementation, a network device is configured to monitor communications associated with an endpoint and identify domain name service messages in the communications. Subsequently, the network device receives a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request and determines whether a destination internet protocol (IP) address of the HTTP request is present in or absent from the domain name service messages. When the IP address is absent from the domain name service messages, the HTTP request is modified to trigger increased security.
US09729564B2
A system and method for calculating a risk assessment for an electronic file is described. A database of checks, organized into categories, can be used to scan electronic files. The categories of checks can include weights assigned to them. An analyzer can analyze electronic files using the checks. Issues identified by the analyzer can be weighted using the weights to determine a risk assessment for the electronic file.
US09729560B2
A method and a device for synchronizing network data flow detection status are provided. The method includes: a status synchronizing server receives a first request sent by a first security device node, where the first request carries a first flow entry of a first data flow that is currently detected by the first security device node; determines first network data flow detection status corresponding to the first flow entry; sends a first response to the first security device node, where the first response carries the first network data flow detection status. A security device node requests previous network data flow detection status of a data flow from a status synchronizing server so as to synchronize network data flow detection status, thereby allowing the security device node to detect a network attack in a more accurate way and improving network system security.
US09729546B2
A network communication system includes a computing device, which includes a processor, a memory device, and a component management module. The component management module is configured to receive a message from customer-premises equipment (CPE). The component management module is also configured to determine from the message that the CPE is operating in a captive portal. The captive portal restricts Internet access to the CPE. The component management module is configured to obtain stored connection credential values corresponding to a subscriber in response to determining that an identification parameter of connection credentials associated with the CPE is valid for the subscriber. The component management module is also configured to provide the stored values to the CPE.
US09729528B2
An apparatus and method for secure communication. An IoT service establishes communication with an IoT device through an IoT hub or a mobile user device. The IoT service and IoT device each generate public/private keys and exchange the public keys. The IoT service and device use their own private key and the public key received from the IoT device and service, respectively to independently generate a secret. The secret or a data structure derived from the secret is then used to encrypt and decrypt data packets transmitted between the IoT service and the IoT device.
US09729527B2
A packet processor provides for rule matching of packets in a network architecture. The packet processor includes a lookup cluster complex having a number of lookup engines and respective on-chip memory units. The on-chip memory stores rules for matching against packet data. A lookup front-end receives lookup requests from a host, and processes these lookup requests to generate key requests for forwarding to the lookup engines. As a result of the rule matching, the lookup engine returns a response message indicating whether a match is found. The lookup front-end further processes the response message and provides a corresponding response to the host.
US09729520B2
Methods and systems for communicating information between mobile applications are presented. In some embodiments, a mobile device may determine that a plurality of applications are running on the mobile device. The mobile device may determine that each application of the plurality of applications uses a shared passcode to encrypt information about a persistent state. The mobile device may generate a beacon that includes encrypted state information. The mobile device may maintain state information across the plurality of applications beyond the lifetime of any one of the plurality of applications by transmitting the beacon from a first application to a second application before the first application's lifetime is completed.
US09729503B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a network name processing method and a mobility management network element. The network name processing method includes receiving a network name sent by a mobile switching center/visitor location register MSC/VLR. The received network name is processed. The mobility management information message is sent to a terminal and according to a processing result based on the processed received network name to enable the terminal to display the network name of the registered network of the terminal. According to the embodiments of the present invention, the terminal always display the network name of the registered network of the terminal, thereby ensuring consistency in the network name display of the terminal, and improving user experience.
US09729497B2
Systems and methods for implementing a subscription-based social media or fan club platform are provided. A content creator generates live content on a mobile device and sends requests to a server for initializing a live stream from the mobile device. The server sends requests to encoding service providers. The encoded live content is send to a content storage server. Subscribers of the social media or fan club platform can access the live content on their mobile devices from the content storage server.
US09729496B2
A method includes engaging with a second person to render a song on behalf of a first person using a digital representation of the first person; and on behalf of the first person and using the digital representation of the first person, while rendering the song with the second person, providing a natural language response to a question or statement from the second person based on information received from or about the first person.
US09729495B2
A social networking system selects and presents content items to a user via a feed. Additionally, the social networking system predicts heights associated with various content items, such as content items selected for presentation via the feed. Characteristics of a content item (e.g., a type of content included in the content item, a language of the content item, and a number of comments associated with the content item) as well as characteristics of a client device associated with the user are used to predict a height associated with the content item. When selecting content items for presentation to the user, the social networking system accounts for the predicted heights of various content items when ordering the content items in the news feed.
US09729486B2
A vehicle network transmission method and a vehicle network transmission system are provided. The vehicle network transmission method comprises the following steps. A first transmission device transmits a data signal to a second transmission device. It is determined whether the second transmission device is located in a target area. If the second transmission device is located in the target area, then a geographic location of the first transmission device is retrieved and a transmission region of the first transmission device is calculated. It is determined whether all of the third transmission devices adjacent to the second transmission device in the target area are located in the transmission region. If all of the third transmission devices adjacent to the second transmission device in the target area are located in the transmission region, then the second transmission device does not continue forwarding the data signal.
US09729485B2
Techniques for the aggregate and hierarchical display of grouped items spanning multiple storage locations are described. Some techniques may aggregate items in response to user input identifying a scope for item retrieval. The user input may identify a scope such as selection of a local storage location or a search query for retrieving items. The aggregated items may span multiple storage locations and include items within the identified scope and related items outside the identified scope. A group of aggregated items are presented in a hierarchical display within a user interface. The hierarchical display may visually differentiate items inside and outside of the identified scope, and may identify parent-child relationship between related items. An aggregate header for the group of aggregated items may be displayed indicating total items in the group and a status for items in the group within the identified scope. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09729480B2
A method of exchanging messages between users over a network includes receiving a registration request from an organization and provisioning an organizational sub-domain, verifying the registration request according to requirements of a first protocol and provisioning a first user address that is part of the organizational sub-domain, and sending a message from the first user address to a second user address according to the first protocol.
US09729472B2
One example includes network physical link (PHY) switch system. The system includes a multiplexer to output a first of a plurality of data streams that are input to a PHY device in response to a first state of a selection signal. The system also includes a data detector that monitors the first data stream and provides a trigger signal in response to a predetermined condition associated with the first data stream. The system further includes a switching controller that provides the selection signal, and in response to a switching command signal indicating a command to switch from the first data stream to the second data stream, monitors the data detector for the trigger signal and changes the selection signal from the first state to a second state in response to receiving the trigger signal to switch to the second data stream of the plurality of data streams.
US09729468B2
A method to enable defining of a profile of a service through manipulation of graphical representations of abstractions of resources in a data center is disclosed. The profile of the service is accessed. A graphical representation of an abstraction of the first resource type is presented. A graphical representation of an abstraction of a second resource type is presented. A manipulation of the graphical representation of the abstraction of the second resource type is detected with respect to the graphical representation of the abstraction of the first resource type. Based on the manipulation, a correspondence between the abstraction of the second resource type and the profile of the service is identified and a relationship between the abstraction of the second resource type and the abstraction of the first resource type is identified. The profile of the service is updated to include information identifying the correspondence and the relationship.
US09729464B1
Method and apparatus for provisioning of resources to support applications and their varying demands
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for allowing efficient allocation of data center resources in a virtualized data center. In one step, network information is obtained from a network using an application resource broker (ARB). In another step, data center information is obtained from a virtual center server using the ARB. In another step, a set of application traffic metrics and a set of virtualized infrastructure metrics are determined using the ARB based on the obtained network information and data center information respectively. The ARB is implemented on a computer system.
US09729458B2
Embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for providing Quality of service to RFID. In one embodiment the present invention includes a method of providing quality of service in an RFID network comprising storing RFID priority information corresponding to the RFID network, wherein the RFID network comprises one or more tags and one or more readers mapping the RFID priority information into priority information corresponding to a second network.
US09729446B1
In one aspect, one or more processors may be coupled to a content-addressable memory, a first memory and a second memory. The one or more processors may be configured to receive a data packet, read a predetermined number of bytes from the data packet, and match the read bytes to patterns corresponding to rows of the content-addressable memory. Further, the one or more processors may determine a number associated with the matched row, and based on the number, determine an initial routing instruction. The one or more processors may then determine which bits of the read bytes to hash using hash information stored in the first memory, hash the bits to generate a hash value, determine whether the value corresponds to routing information in the second memory, and route the data packet based on the routing information.
US09729444B2
In one embodiment, forwarding information with respect to a particular data packet is requested from a distributed hash table (DHT) that stores key-network flow information pairs. A plurality of nodes in a network participate in the DHT, each node locally stores network flow information as dictated by a hashing function of the DHT, and the network flow information can be used to process data packets in the network. Then, forwarding information is received from the DHT indicating a destination node of the plurality of nodes to which the particular data packet should be forwarded according to the hashing function of the DHT. The destination node stores network flow information that corresponds to the particular data packet. Finally, the particular data packet is forwarded toward the destination node in order for the particular data packet to be processed using the network flow information stored at the destination node.
US09729443B2
Various systems, processes, and products may be used to filter multicast messages in virtual environments. In particular implementations, a system, process, and product for filtering multicast messages in virtual environments may include the ability to determine whether a multicast message has been received, examine a local filtering store for a match for the destination address of the multicast message, and send the message to a number of virtual machines if a match for the address is found. The system, process, and product may also include the ability to analyze a filtering store of at least one of the virtual machines for a match for the address if a match is not found in the local filtering store and send the message to a number of the virtual machines if a match for the address is found in a filtering store of one of the virtual machines.
US09729438B2
A system and computer-implemented method for cloud-based anonymous traffic routing is disclosed. The method may include receiving, from a client application by a router, network traffic identified for a destination. The method may include determining, for a set of internal cloud nodes distinct from both the client application and the destination, a set of internet protocol (IP) addresses including a first IP address for a first internal cloud node of the set of internal cloud nodes. The method may also include establishing an anonymity algorithm for cloud-based anonymous traffic routing, the anonymity algorithm configured to use the set of IP addresses. The method may also include routing, based on the anonymity algorithm, the network traffic to the first internal cloud node using the first IP address. The method may also include routing the network traffic from the set of internal cloud nodes to the destination identified by the client application.
US09729424B2
A method implemented by a software defined network (SDN) controller, the method comprising receiving, from a network node, a request for path optimization, wherein the request comprises information identifying the network node and a destination node, forwarding the request to an application layer traffic optimization (ALTO) server, receiving, from the ALTO server, path information that identifies a plurality of SDN domains to be traversed from the network node to the destination node, wherein the plurality of SDN domains comprises a first SDN domain, in which the SDN controller resides, and a second SDN domain, in which an edge node known by the SDN controller resides, and determining a first path segment from the network node to the edge node.
US09729422B2
A feature trace capability may be provided for features including, but not limited to, automatic quality of service (auto QoS), power over Ethernet (PoE), and fabric compatibility. A network command may be implemented with the capability to validate features across a network path or the network as a whole. The output of this network command may result in the display of details about supported features. Such a command may also result in a listing of what devices require upgrades to support any number of features of interest. Embodiments of the feature trace capability may be configured such that the query gets terminated once a final subnet (or endpoint) is reached. Alternatively, the feature trace capability may be configured such that the query gets terminated after a maximum hop count, or trace total (trace_ttl) is reached. Such a limit may prevent the continuous flooding of the network.
US09729405B2
A system and methods for providing service assurance using real-time monitoring, management and maintenance capabilities to provide customers and vendors with information related to the state of the service. The service assurance domain implements end-to-end functionality with a level of granularity sufficient to diagnose issues to the device and call/session level.
US09729403B1
One embodiment is directed to a method performed by a computing device. The method includes (1) receiving a command from a user to display a current GUI page of a set of GUI pages on a client device, the set of GUI pages providing the user with control over a system, (2) selecting, with reference to a proficiency level associated with the user, a version of the current GUI page from a plurality of versions of the current GUI page, and (3) causing the selected version of the current GUI page to be displayed to the user on a display of the client device. Other embodiments are directed to a computerized apparatus and a computer program product for performing a method similar to that described above.
US09729401B2
A management system and method for remediating poor-performing clients running in a distributed computer system uses a machine learning technique to automatically detect one or more poor-performing clients among a plurality of clients running in the distributed computer based on at least performance data and resource usage data of the clients. An action is then initiated to mitigate the effects of the poor-performing clients.
US09729399B2
A device enables automated bandwidth on demand functionality for a user, associated with a network, based on a request of the user, and receives a particular schedule for the user and the automated bandwidth on demand functionality. The device generates provisioning commands that update bandwidth requirements of the network, for the user, based on the particular schedule. The device provides the provisioning commands to network resources of the network, and the provisioning commands cause the network resources to implement the updated bandwidth requirements for the user according to the particular schedule.
US09729395B2
An example computing device creates a resource module that acquires resource information relating to resources of the computing device and acquire quality of experience information corresponding to a quality of audio, and creates a roster module that displays a participant list including resource information relating to resources of a plurality of other computing devices connected to the teleconference and display quality of experience information corresponding to a quality of audio a user of each of the plurality of other computing devices experiences when connected to the teleconference. The device also creates a policy module configured to evaluate the resource information and quality of experience information acquired by the client resource module against rules of a teleconference policy and implement actions based on a determination that the computing device is non-compliant with one or more of the rules of the teleconference policy to control quality of audio during the teleconference.
US09729392B2
A message manager is capable of analyzing a number of inputs to dynamically adjust rules used to delete messages as well as determine what kinds of messages are likely candidates to be deleted due to their being stale. If a message is determined to be a likely candidate for deletion, the message manager may query the user if they want to delete all messages with similar characteristics, e.g., sender, title, dates sent, time sent, recipients, content, context, and the like. If the user selects “yes” then the message manager may automatically update its deletion rules and further delete all messages in accordance with the user's selection.
US09729378B1
A system and method involve receiving, at a processor, a phase modulated signal such as an optical or electromagnetic signal, using one or more samples of an in-phase component I(t) and a quadrature component Q(t) of the received phase modulated signal to generate, at the processor, a processed signal using the equation [A−B×I(t)]×Q(t), where A and B are numerical parameters, and inputting the processed signal into a receiver operatively connected to the processor. The processed signal may be filtered prior to being input into the receiver. Parameters A and B may be selected to vary complexity and performance of the receiver while controlling distortion for different modulation indices.
US09729377B2
A method for determining a symbol boundary in a data packet belonging to a received OFDM signal is provided. The data packet includes a first training filed and a second training field, which begins with a guard interval. The method includes detecting the beginning of the data packet, and starting an automatic gain control process. The method further includes, after the automatic gain control process is locked, determining autocorrelation peaks and estimating the symbol boundary from times of the autocorrelation peaks.
US09729375B2
A method and an apparatus for receiving broadcast signals thereof are disclosed. The method for receiving broadcast signals, the method comprises receiving the broadcast signals, demodulating the received broadcast signals by an OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex) scheme, parsing a signal frame from the demodulated broadcast signals, MIMO (Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output) decoding service data in the parsed signal frame, decoding signaling data in the parsed signal frame and decoding the MIMO decoded service data.
US09729370B2
The present invention provides a method for transmitting and receiving data in a single carrier frequency division multiple access system to which a precoding matrix is applied, and to a transmitting/receiving apparatus for same. The method for transmitting data comprises the steps of: applying selected mapping algorithm (SLM) sequences of an SLM sequence subset corresponding to a precoding matrix, to respective data; selecting the SLM sequence in which each of the applied data has the smallest peak to average power ratio (PAPR) value; and transmitting the index of the selected SLM sequence and data to which the selected SLM sequence is applied. The method for receiving data, to which a precoding matrix is applied, comprises the steps of: receiving the index of the SLM sequence selected from the SLM sequence subset corresponding to the precoding matrix, and data to which the selected SLM sequence is applied; and removing the SLM sequence from the data to which the SLM sequence is applied using the SLM sequence indicated by the index, in order to recover data.
US09729362B1
Systems and methods for autonomous signal modulation format identification are disclosed. In an example embodiment of the disclosed technology, a method includes applying higher-order statistics to an input signal to identify the input signal's modulation format. The method may include applying higher-order statistics to the input signal to calculate higher-order cumulant values for the input signal as higher-order cumulants are indicative of a particular modulation format signature. The method may further include employing a decision tree to determine the modulation format of the input signal.
US09729344B2
An IP-enabled speaker with a trigger button module. Activation of the button on the trigger button module activates an audio link between a user of the speaker and a user of a destination communications device.
US09729340B2
System and method for notifying a user of conditions associated with an internet-of-things (IoT) hub
A platform, apparatus and method for detecting that an IoT hub communication channel has become inoperative. For example, one embodiment of an IoT system comprises: an Internet of Things (IoT) hub comprising a network interface to couple the IoT hub to an IoT service over a first communication channel; at least one IoT device communicatively coupled to the IoT hub over a second communication channel; connection monitoring logic to detect when the first communication channel between the IoT service and the IoT hub has become inoperative; notification logic to transmit a notification to a data processing device of a user of the IoT system responsive to the connection monitoring logic detecting that the first communication channel has become inoperative.
US09729338B2
A multicast destination table contains a list of links. The list of links includes the main link that is currently in use and alternate links to reach the same destination. The links in the list of links are ordered based on a metric. Each of the links is stored as an entry in the multicast destination table. A multicast replication engine traverses the list of links until an enabled link in the list of links is reached, and replicates a packet according to data associated with the enabled link in the list of links.
US09729328B2
An information processing apparatus which updates a basic software package is disclosed. The information processing apparatus includes an encryption and decryption unit which stores values calculated uniquely from software and encrypts information based on the calculated values and decrypts encrypted information based on the calculated values. The basic software package includes a firmware authenticating module for authenticating a firmware updating file which includes new software for updating the basic software package, a value uniquely calculated from the new software, and a public key signature. The information processing apparatus further includes a software updating module which updates the basic software package by using the authenticated firmware updating file, and an encryption key managing module for encrypting again the information encrypted by the values based on a value changed by updating the basic software package.
US09729325B2
Disclosed is a method for protecting message data. In the method, the message data is padded with padding bits generated based on a deterministic function performed on the message data. The padded message data is compressed to generate compressed data. A length of the compressed data is dependent on the padding bits. The compressed data is encrypted to generate encrypted message data.
US09729323B2
In one embodiment, it is proposed a method of cryptographic processing of data, the method being executed by an electronic device, and comprising obtaining at least two points belonging to a same elliptic curve defined on an algebraic structure being a finite ring, each point being represented by at least two coordinates. The method is remarkable in that it comprises:obtaining a parameterization of an isomorphism between said elliptic curve and another elliptic curve, said parameterization defining some configuration parameters, each configuration parameter having a range of possible values;determining in function of values of coordinates of said at least two points said configuration parameters, delivering determined configuration parameters; andobtaining coordinates of another point corresponding to an image of an addition of said at least two points through said isomorphism, said another point belonging to said another elliptic curve, and said obtaining being performed without an inversion operation in said algebraic structure, due to said determined configuration parameters.
US09729319B2
Methods and systems are disclosed for key management for on-the-fly hardware decryption within an integrated circuit. Encrypted information is received from an external memory and stored in an input buffer within the integrated circuit. The encrypted information includes one or more encrypted key blobs. The encrypted key blobs include one or more secret keys for encrypted code associated with one or more encrypted software images stored within the external memory. A key-encryption key (KEK) code for the encrypted key blobs is received from an internal data storage medium within the integrated circuit, and the KEK code is used to generate one or more key-encryption keys (KEKs). A decryption system then decrypts the encrypted key blobs using the KEKs to obtain the secret keys, and the decryption system decrypts the encrypted code using the secret keys. The resulting decrypted software code is then available for further processing.
US09729313B2
The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer readable medium for scrambled communication of data to, from, or over a medium. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for communicating data in scrambled form to or over a medium. The method includes receiving analog or digital data to be transmitted to or over a medium. The method further includes modulating samples representing at least signal using the analog or digital data to produce data modulated signal samples. The method further includes scrambling the data modulated signal samples using a predetermined scrambling algorithm. The method further includes transmitting the scrambled data modulated signal samples to or over the medium. The method further includes descrambling samples received from the medium using the inverse of the predetermined scrambling algorithm to obtain the unscrambled modulated signal samples, which can then be demodulated to retrieve original data.
US09729310B2
A system and method for providing a scrambled counter mode encryption for a device that mitigates the effect of side channel attacks based on differential power analysis (DPA). The scrambled counter mode encryption engine creates noise at the start of the encryption process by obfuscating the counter value with the use of the very fast mixing function, such as a mixing function based on a XOR tree, substitution-permutation networks, or double-mix Feistel networks. The mixing function uses some secret key material, which diversifies its behavior between different instantiations. Because the counter values are scrambled and the mixing functions operate very fast in parallel hardware, the input of the block cipher is pseudorandom and groups of blocks can't be correlated. The output of the block cipher is XORed with a plaintext message to obtain a cipher text message.
US09729304B2
The teachings present a method performed in a network node for configuring a device for radio communication in uplink and downlink between the network node and the device. The method comprises: configuring the device with a primary cell on a first radio channel at a first carrier frequency f1 with a first frequency bandwidth B1 for time division duplexed communication in uplink and downlink; configuring the device with a secondary cell on a second radio channel at a second carrier frequency f3 with a second frequency bandwidth B3, wherein the secondary cell is adjacent to the primary cell and configured for downlink communication only; and configuring the device to support and to monitor the second radio channel, the configuration comprising a priority list according to which the device is to perform the monitoring. The teachings also disclose corresponding network node, methods in a device, and corresponding devices.
US09729303B2
The embodiments herein relate to a method performed in a user equipment, a user equipment, a method performed in a network node and a network node for controlling glitch behavior of the user equipment. The method comprising: receiving a message from the network node. Determining if the message includes an indicator indicating if the UE shall perform a glitch at cell configuration or at cell activation, and performing the glitch depending on the indication received in the message.
US09729299B2
Systems, methods, and computer readable storage media communicate with a wireless device within a dense wireless environment. In one aspect, a method includes determining whether a wireless device is subject to interference, adjusting a transmission attribute based on the determining, and transmitting a message to the wireless device based on the adjusted transmission attribute. In some aspects, adjusting a transmission attribute may include selecting one or more of time division multiplexing or frequency division multiplexing when communicating with the wireless device. In some aspects, particular time periods and/or particular frequency bands may be selected for communication with the device depending on whether the device is subject to interference.
US09729294B2
A communications system in which, in each cell, a common reference signal to wireless terminals of the cell is transmitted at a first timing at a frequency that is based on identification information of the cell, and the communications system includes a wireless base station that transmits the common reference signal at the first timing, and transmits at a second timing that is different from the first timing, a wireless-terminal-specific reference signal to the wireless terminals of the cell of the wireless base station and a control signal to the wireless terminals of the cell of the wireless base station, concurrently at different frequencies; and a wireless terminal that based on the wireless-terminal-specific reference signal transmitted by the wireless base station, demodulates the control signal transmitted by the wireless base station.
US09729293B2
A terminal is disclosed that includes a higher layer processing circuitry, a channel measurement circuitry, and a transmitting circuitry. The terminal is configured to set a first parameter and a second parameter measurement. The channel measurement circuitry is configured to perform a measurement of a reference signal received power based on a first reference signal in a case that the first parameter is configured in a measurement configuration, and perform a measurement of a reference signal received power based on a second reference signal in a case that at least the second parameter is configured in the measurement configuration. The transmitting circuitry is configured to report a first measurement report.
US09729290B2
Provided is a method for transmitting, by a user equipment (UE), a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) for a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) in a wireless communication system. A terminal receives a cyclic shift field, which indicates a first value and a second value, through a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) from a base station, generates a first DMRS sequence and a second DMRS sequence, which are associated with a first layer and a second layer respectively, by using a first cyclic shift and a second cyclic shift, respectively, which are determined based on the first value and the second value respectively, and transmits the first DMRS sequence and the second DMRS sequence to the base station. Furthermore, the first value and the second value are separated by a maximum value corresponding to a total number of possible cyclic shifts.
US09729288B2
The present invention relates to a method for generating an uplink reference signal in a system supporting plural uplink-access transmission modes. The method comprises: a step for transmitting the reference signal configuration information about the configuration of a reference signal from a base station to a user device through an uplink grant PDCCH (Physical Downlink Control Channel), and a step for receiving from the user device a sub-frame including the reference signal that is generated based on the reference signal configuration information. The reference signal configuration information is prepared for plural uplink access transmission modes and includes a cyclic shift value for the sequence of the reference signal. The reference signal is supposed to be transmitted to an uplink, and the user device is set up to be operated in the uplink-access transmission mode that corresponding to the reference signal configuration information.
US09729259B2
A de-serializer, such as forming part of a SERDES, in which a point in time of receipt, on the serial data path, of receipt of a particular part of a data packet, such as an SOF, is determined from when that part is output on the parallel data path from knowledge of the clock controlling the parallel data path as well as which of the parallel lanes the part is output on.
US09729251B2
Power distribution modules in distributed antenna systems include fan monitoring circuits for indicating an alarm condition to head-end equipment. The alarm condition can be used by system operator/owners that a fan is drawing excessive power, thereby detracting from system performance, or indicating that the fan may fail. The alarm condition signal can be returned to the head-end equipment via an uplink communication path between a remote unit powered by the module and the head-end equipment.
US09729249B2
According to one embodiment, an amplification circuit includes an amplifier having a gain based on a gain control signal and amplifying an input signal by the gain, and a control portion outputting the gain control signal for increasing the gain after decreasing the gain based on an amplitude of the input signal, when the amplitude of the input signal is detected.
US09729247B2
A light transmitter to transmit multiple light packets, each formatted to include a same message comprising a series of bits, each bit represented as light that is intensity modulated over a bit period at a frequency indicative of the bit. The light packets are transmitted at different start-times to establish different phases, one for each of the light packets, to permit a light receiver to sample each message at a different phase of a fixed sample timeline that is asynchronous to the bit period and the frequency. The light receiver samples the multiple light packets based on the sample timeline, to sample each received message at one of the different sample phases, then constructs a best series of bits based on the multiple demodulated messages.
US09729245B2
A transmitter may receive client data, associated with a client rate, to be mapped to frames associated with a server rate. The transmitter may generate justifications associated with the mapping of the client data to the frames. The transmitter may create, based on the justifications, artificial justifications that include information associated with justifications created to shape phase variations present in a recovered client clock associated with the client rate. The phase variations may be shaped based on the artificial justifications to cause shaped phase variations to be present in the recovered client clock. The shaped phase variations may include phase variations that can be filtered from the recovered client clock. The transmitter may map the client data to the frames based on the artificial justifications to cause the shaped phase variations to be present in the recovered client clock.
US09729236B2
A system for transmitting data using light includes a plurality of light sources configured to transmit light at non-overlapping wavelengths, processing electronics, and a diffuser configured to diffuse the transmission of light. The processing electronics assign the plurality of light sources to a plurality of channels, accept a data stream, allocate the data stream to the channels, and modulate a transmission of the light using the allocated data stream, where the allocated data used to modulate a first light source of the plurality of light sources is separate from the allocated data used to modulate a second light source of the plurality of light sources.
US09729225B2
There is a method including receiving, at a first network node, information from a relay node associated with the first network node. The information includes an indication of at least one second network node neighboring the first network node. Parameter information of the at least one second network node is determined on the basis of the indication. The parameter information is uniquely mapped to the relay node and indicates current available resources of the at least one second network node for the relay node. Apparatus and computer program products are also disclosed.
US09729216B2
Various communication systems may benefit from codebook methods and devices for multiple transmitters. For example, a codebook for four transmitters (4Tx) may provide further enhancement for downlink multiple-input multiple-output (DL-MIMO) systems. A method can include weighting a signal for transmission based on a precoder selected according to a feedback from a codebook, such as codebooks A, B, C, D, or E, described herein. The method can also include sending the weighted signal.
US09729196B2
A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may perform, for example, a method that determines at least one threshold for detecting signal interference in a first plurality of segments occurring in a first radio frequency spectrum of a first wireless communication system, detecting a pattern of recurrence over time of signal interference in a segment of the first plurality of resource blocks according to the at least one threshold, and performing one or more mitigation steps to mitigate the signal interference without filtering the signal interference where the one or more mitigation steps include at least one of transmitting signals out of phase from the signal interference, adjusting transmit power, increasing power in a resource block of a long term evolution communication session, performing beam steering, or changing time parameters for the resource block without changing to a new resource block. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09729188B2
A system for harnessing and conditioning wirelessly transmitted electrical energy by near field magnetic induction configured with various magnetic field shielding embodiments is disclosed. The shielding embodiments are designed to minimize electromagnetic interference and induced electrical current. The system comprises an electrical energy capture circuit and an RF communication circuit. The electrical energy capture circuit conditions and modifies the wirelessly received electrical energy. The RF communication circuit enables the system to wirelessly communicate with its sub-circuits and other energy capture systems. The system comprises a tunable band stop filter that is electrically connected to the RF communication sub-circuit. In addition, the RF communication sub-circuit is configured with opposing electrically conductive plates that isolate and shield the circuit from an oscillating magnetic field.
US09729186B1
A mobile phone holder. The mobile phone holder provides a device for securing a cellular communications device to clothes. The holder includes a housing having an open upper end, a rear wall, arcuate side walls, and a bottom end forming a pocket configured to slidably receive and secure a phone in the housing. The sidewalls include cut-out portions and the bottom end includes a slot for providing access to inputs and outputs of a cell phone. A pair of opposing straps are disposed on an exterior surface of the rear wall that are configured to secure the holder to a user's clothing. In this way, a user may attach a cell phone to his or her clothes in order to communicate over the phone without compromising his or her hands.
US09729181B2
The front side of a vehicle infotainment system head unit is provided with a removable faceplate that carries a network access device such as a cell phone or GPS receiver and an associated antenna. A removable user-interface display panel, also referred to herein as a display screen, is also carried by the faceplate. When the head unit and faceplate are assembled into a vehicle dashboard, a removable bezel conceals the network access device, antenna and provides access to the display panel. The network access device and its antenna are thus readily accessible by simply removing the bezel.
US09729179B1
Systems and methods for interference cancellation in a receiver of wireless signals include receiving a signal comprising an aggressor and a desired signal. The received signal is amplified in a low noise amplifier (LNA) to generate an amplified received signal. The aggressor is extracted from the received signal in a feed-forward path between an input of the LNA and an output of the LNA, to generate an extracted aggressor and the extracted aggressor is subtracted from the amplified received signal to provide the desired signal. An amplify and rotate block in the feed-forward path is used to align a phase of the aggressor to a phase of the amplified received signal in order to enable the subtraction.
US09729178B2
A method, apparatus and receiver for detecting intermodulation distortion (IMD) affecting a received signal in a wireless receiver are provided. One method includes determining a measurement indicative of IMD based on at least one transmit signal. When the measurement indicative of IMD exceeds a first pre-determined level, at least one sample of an amplitude of a signal output by the wireless receiver is collected in a first data set. When the measurement indicative of intermodulation distortion does not exceed a second pre-determined level, the second predetermined level being less than the first predetermined level, at least one sample of an amplitude of the signal output by the wireless receiver is collected in a second data set. A comparison is performed based on data of the first data set and on data of the second data set to determine a measure of IMD.
US09729177B2
Apparatus and methods for orienting power amplifiers are disclosed herein. In certain implementations, a power amplifier system is provided. The power amplifier system includes a first power amplifier die that is positioned in a first position on a printed circuit board (PCB) and configured to radiate a first amount of emissions. The power amplifier system further includes a second power amplifier die that is positioned in a second orientation on the PCB and configured to radiate a second amount of emissions. The power amplifier system further includes a third power amplifier die that is positioned in a third orientation on the PCB and configured to radiate a third amount of emissions, the third power amplifier die oriented such that the first amount of emissions, the second amount of emissions, and the third amount of emissions in a first direction are less than a threshold value.
US09729172B2
A low density parity check (LDPC) encoder, an LDPC decoder, and an LDPC encoding method are disclosed. The LDPC encoder includes first memory, second memory, and a processor. The first memory stores an LDPC codeword having a length of 64800 and a code rate of 7/15. The second memory is initialized to 0. The processor generates the LDPC codeword corresponding to information bits by performing accumulation with respect to the second memory using a sequence corresponding to a parity check matrix (PCM).
US09729166B1
A data converter is disclosed. The data converter includes a loop-filter, a quantizer, an analog dynamic element matching (DEM) shuffler, a digital DEM shuffler and a feedback digital-to-analog converter. The loop-filter receives analog signals from an analog input. The quantizer then converts the filtered analog signals from the loop-filter to digital signals at a digital output. The analog DEM shuffler shuffles a set of analog threshold levels of the quantizer to yield a set of partially shuffled digital data at an output of the quantizer. The digital DEM shuffler shuffles the set of partially shuffled digital data from the output of the quantizer to yield a set of shuffled digital data. The feedback digital-to-analog converter converts the set of shuffled digital data to a set of analog data to be fed back to the loop-filter.
US09729164B2
One method of processing microphone input in an ADC to determine microphone configuration is to process the microphone input signals in two processing paths, in which one processing path processes a difference between differential input signals and another processing path processes an average value of the differential input signals. The outputs of these processing paths may be combined to generate a digital signal representative of the analog signal from the microphone. The digital signal contains a digital version of the audio in the environment around the microphone, but may also be used to detect microphone topology and configure aspects of the processing paths to match the detected microphone topology. An apparatus for an ADC may implement the two processing paths as two delta-sigma modulator loops.
US09729160B1
Circuit and method for encoding an analog signal to a stream of bits at an Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) and subsequent reconstruction of the original signal from the bit stream at a Digital to Analog Converter (DAC), where the ADC module samples the analog signal at a sub-Nyquist rate and encodes the samples to a stream of bits. The bit steam is subsequently used to reconstruct the Nyquist-rate samples of the original analog signal at the DAC. The ADC samples the input signal in one of the two realizations of non-uniform sampling, namely, Random Sampling (RS) and Level Crossing (LC) sampling techniques, according to embodiments of the disclosed invention.
US09729158B2
A system for providing ultra low phase noise frequency synthesizers using Fractional-N PLL (Phase Lock Loop), Sampling Reference PLL and DDS (Direct Digital Synthesizer). Modern day advanced communication systems comprise frequency synthesizers that provide a frequency output signal to other parts of the transmitter and receiver so as to enable the system to operate at the set frequency band. The performance of the frequency synthesizer determines the performance of the communication link. Current days advanced communication systems comprises single loop Frequency synthesizers which are not completely able to provide lower phase deviations for errors (For 256 QAM the practical phase deviation for no errors is 0.4-0.5°) which would enable users to receive high data rate. This proposed system overcomes deficiencies of current generation state of the art communication systems by providing much lower level of phase deviation error which would result in much higher modulation schemes and high data rate.
US09729157B2
A variable phase generator is disclosed that includes a delay line with an input, and output, and a delay lone control signal input. A signal on the delay line output has a phase offset relative to the delay line input signal such that the phase offset is controlled by a digital offset signal. A phase detector process the input signal and the output signal to generate a phase detector output signal. A charge pump, responsive to the phase detector output signal, generates a charge pump output. A digital to analog converter receives and converts the digital offset signal to an analog offset signal. A control node is connected to the delay line control input, the charge pump, and the digital to analog converter, and is configured to receive and combine the charge pump output and the analog offset signal to create the delay line control signal.
US09729143B2
A GOA circuit based on LTPS semiconductor TFT includes a plurality of GOA units which are cascade connected, in which an Nth GOA unit includes a pull-up control part, a pull-up part, a first pull-down part and a pull-down holding part. The pull-down holding part utilizes a high/low voltage reverse design and includes first, second and third DC constant low voltage levels, which are sequentially abated, and a DC constant high voltage level so that the influence of electrical property of the LTPS semiconductor TFT to the GOA driving circuit and particularly the bad function due to the electric leakage issue can be solved. Also, the existing issue that the second node voltage level of the pull-down holding circuit part in the GOA circuit based on the LTPS semiconductor TFT cannot be at higher voltage level in the functioning period can be solved.
US09729140B2
Apparatus and methods to increase the range of a signal processing circuit. A system uses floating bias circuits coupled to a signal processing circuit to increase the range of power supplies that can be used with the signal processing circuit, while maintaining the components of the signal processing circuit within a breakdown voltage threshold. As the voltage level of the data signal varies, the voltage level of the floating bias circuits varies as well.
US09729138B1
A circuit can include a signal section that includes a first signal transistor configured to operate in a subthreshold region to maintain the signal node at about VCC as VCC rises from a low level; a high threshold section that enables a current path from the signal node to the low power supply node only after a voltage at the detect node exceeds a level greater than a threshold voltage (Vt); and an output section having transistors with relatively long channels, for reduced crowbar current.
US09729137B2
The present disclosure provides a semiconductor circuit including: a PMOS transistor that includes a first source connected to a power supply, a first drain, and a first gate to which a fixed potential is supplied; an output circuit that outputs a first output signal, which is a reset signal or a power-on signal, and that outputs a second output signal according to a potential of the first drain; a constant current source connected to the first drain; and an NMOS transistor that includes a second source to which a fixed potential is supplied, a second drain connected to the first drain, and a second gate to which the second output signal from the output circuit is applied.
US09729126B2
Method and implementation of gain-bandwidth product (GWB) tuning are disclosed. In an embodiment an operational amplifier (opamp) includes an input stage of the opamp including a differential device pair coupled to a tail device and configured to be responsive to a differential input signal for conducting a first current and an output stage of the opamp including a class AB interface stage circuit and a pair of output devices connected to the class AB interface stage circuit, wherein a first constant gm bias circuit is coupled to an input terminal of the class AB interface stage circuit.
US09729122B2
In one embodiment, a switching circuit includes a first switch comprising one or more transistors operably coupled in series with a first terminal, wherein each of the one or more transistors has a corresponding diode, a drain of each of the one or more transistors being operably coupled to a cathode of the corresponding diode; and a second switch comprising one or more transistors operably coupled in series with a second terminal, wherein each of the one or more transistors has a corresponding diode, a drain of each of the one or more transistors being operably coupled to a cathode of the corresponding diode; wherein a source of the one or more transistors of the first switch is operably coupled to a source of the one or more transistors of the second switch.
US09729118B2
An example method may involve a device determining a first loudness representation for a playback device based on a first equalization setting applied to a representation of average music. The device may also determine a second loudness representation for the playback device, based on a second equalization setting applied to the representation of average music. The device may also determine a loudness adjustment factor based on the first and second loudness representations, and then causing the playback device to play back media based on the second equalization setting and the determined loudness adjustment factor.
US09729112B2
Various embodiments are directed to apparatuses and methods to generate a first signal representing modulation data and a second signal representing an amplitude of the modulation data, the first signal and the second signal to depend on an output signal and vary a power supply voltage to a gain stage in proportion to the amplitude of the modulation data.
US09729110B2
Exemplary embodiments are related to method and devices for calibration a radio-frequency (RF) transceiver. A method may include calibrating an RF device by calculating input voltage values and bias voltage values of a power amplifier for each desired output voltage value of the power amplifier to generate a desired compression point. The method may also include applying digital pre-distortion (DPD) values to the input voltage of the power amplifier, and measuring a value of the output voltage after applying the DPD values.
US09729109B2
Aspects of this disclosure relate to an amplifier with at least two chopper amplifier channels in parallel between a shared input and differential nodes. The amplifier can multiplex outputs of the chopper amplifier channels to provide the output of one or more chopper amplifier channels to the differential nodes at a time. In certain embodiments, this can mask dynamic settling errors.
US09729107B2
Various envelope tracking amplifiers are presented that can be switched between an ET (envelope tracking) mode and a non-ET mode. Switches and/or tunable components are utilized in constructing the envelope tracking amplifiers that can be switched between the ET mode and the non-ET mode.
US09729106B2
A spin torque oscillator and a method of making same. The spin torque oscillator is configured to generate microwave electrical oscillations without the use of a magnetic field external thereto, the spin torque oscillator having one of a plurality of input nanopillars and a nanopillar having a plurality of free FM layers.
US09729103B2
A solar module (2) comprising: (a) a plurality of interconnected photovoltaic cells (4); (b) a forward protective layer (22); (c) a rearward protective layer (24); and (d) an reinforcement (10); wherein the reinforcement is integrally located within the solar module and extends from a location substantially proximate to the forward protective layer to a location substantially proximate to the rearward protective layer.
US09729102B2
A solar energy collection system comprises a frame for mounting the system on a suitable substrate and a plurality of solar panels disposed adjacent to one another on the frame. A first set of the solar panels are movable relative to a second set of the solar panels, for tracking movement of the sun during the day. Solar panels of the first set are arranged in alternating fashion with solar panels of the second set. In some embodiments of the invention, the panels in the second set of solar panels are stationary. The second set of solar panels, in some embodiments, are disposed substantially flat, relative to the frame and the substrate on which the frame is mounted. In some embodiments, differing from those in which the second set of solar panels are stationary, the second set of solar panels may be arranged to be movable relative to the first set of solar panels.
US09729097B2
An apparatus for controlling an induction motor is provided, the apparatus generates generating a d-axis current command and a q-axis current command of a torque command, estimating speed of a rotor of the motor, and correcting the d-axis and q-axis current commands by using the estimated speed, to enhances the rotor speed and position estimation performance by increasing the slip frequency.
US09729087B2
A vibration power generator includes a vibration system attached to a vibrating member. The vibration system includes a first vibration subsystem, and a second vibration subsystem attached to the first vibration subsystem. The first vibration subsystem includes an elastic member attached to the vibrating member, and a first mass member attached to the elastic member. The second vibration subsystem includes a plate spring integral with a piezoelectric element, and a second mass member attached to the plate spring. The first vibration subsystem has a resonant frequency that is substantially equal to a resonant frequency of the second vibration subsystem.
US09729086B2
The invention relates to an ultrasonic actuator (2) with a polarization axis P, said actuator being made of a piezoelectric ceramic. The ultrasonic actuator (2) has a temperature expansion coefficient which is parallel to the polarization axis P and which differs from a temperature expansion coefficient that is perpendicular to the polarization axis P, and at least one friction element (8) is arranged on the ultrasonic actuator. The friction element (8) consists of an anisotropic monocrystal with temperature expansion coefficients which are different along the three crystal axes a, b, and c. The temperature expansion coefficient along a first of the three crystal axes is the lowest, and the temperature expansion coefficient along a second of the three crystal axes is the greatest. The friction element (8) is aligned relative to the ultrasonic actuator (2) such that the first crystal axis is parallel to the polarization axis P of the ultrasonic actuator (2), and the second crystal axis is perpendicular to the polarization axis P of the ultrasonic actuator (2). The invention additionally relates to an ultrasonic motor with an ultrasonic actuator of the aforementioned type.
US09729084B2
A resonant power converter. An embodiment with a fullbridge converter is disclosed, controlled with feedback or feedforward technique. Switching schemes are either based on a sort of look up table or on measurement of current or voltage. Dead time may be adjusted. Timing may be such, that in the respective diagonal pairs of the converter, one switch is switched on for a different time (different pulse width) than the other. Use in a relative high power environment for about 20 KW in e.g. an X-Ray or Computer Tompgrapy System.
US09729078B2
A method for actuating an AC/DC voltage converter is specified, which has a DC voltage output between which at least one series circuit of at least two capacitors and at least one series circuit of n switching elements-is arranged, where n≧4. A connecting point of the switching elements is connected to a connection of an AC voltage input between n/2 switching elements. Two diodes are connected in an antiparallel arrangement to the two switching elements lying closest to the connecting point. In addition, a connecting point of the capacitors is connected to a connecting point of the diodes. An output voltage at the DC voltage output and a potential of the connecting point of the capacitors or diodes are provided as controlled variables, an input current at the AC voltage input is provided as a manipulated variable and the switching elements are provided as an actuating element of a control loop. In addition, a controller for implementing the method and an AC/DC voltage converter containing such a controller are specified.
US09729061B2
A boost regulator that selectively operates in an asynchronous mode, a synchronous mode, or an adaptive mode. In the adaptive mode, the boost mode regulator controls a high side switch according to an adaptive dead time. Adaptive mode allows the boost regulator to operate more efficiently than in asynchronous mode.
US09729056B2
A voltage regulator circuit includes a voltage regulator electrically coupled to a load through an output inductor and operable to regulate a voltage applied to the load, an output capacitor electrically coupled to a node between the inductor and the load, and a charge injection circuit capacitively coupled to the node. The output capacitor is configured to discharge energy stored in the capacitor to the load during step-up transient events at the load and absorb energy from the load during step-down transient events at the load. The charge injection circuit is operable to inject charge onto the output capacitor during the step-up transient events and absorb charge from the output capacitor during the step-down transient events.
US09729052B1
A method for controlling a DC-to-DC converter includes: (a) regulating a magnitude of an output voltage of the DC-to-DC converter according to a magnitude of a reference voltage; (b) in response to a command to enter the unregulated operating mode, allowing the magnitude of the output voltage to fall; and (c) adjusting the magnitude of the reference voltage to track the magnitude of the output voltage. A controller for a DC-to-DC converter includes reference and switching modules. The reference module generates a reference voltage, such that: (a) a magnitude of the reference voltage is fixed, in a regulated operating mode, and (b) the magnitude of the reference voltage tracks a magnitude of an output voltage of the DC-to-DC converter, in the unregulated operating mode. The switching module controls a power stage of the DC-to-DC converter to regulate the magnitude of the output voltage, in the regulated operating mode.
US09729049B2
The present disclosure relates to a supply voltage generating circuit and a switching power supply having the circuit. The supply voltage generating circuit provides a supply voltage for a power terminal of a control circuit in the switching power supply. The supply voltage generating circuit includes a switching circuit, a unidirectional conduction circuit and an energy storage circuit. In a time period during which a main power transistor is turned off, the switching circuit is turned off and a rectifying device provides a current to the energy storage circuit through the unidirectional conduction circuit, in a case that the supply voltage is smaller than a predetermined voltage reference; and the switching circuit is turned on and the current output from the rectifying device flows to the switching circuit, in a case that the supply voltage is larger than or equal to the predetermined voltage reference. When the supply voltage generating circuit is used in a switching power supply, the control circuit has improved controllability for supplying electric energy, and the switching power supply has an increased integration level and a simplified circuit structure, and will not be adversely influenced by resonance.
US09729041B2
Provided are a magnetic rotation accelerator and a power generation system. The magnetic rotation accelerator includes: a shaft; a fixed plate through which the shaft penetrates and on which a plurality of first magnetic units are disposed; and a rotary plate through which the shaft penetrates, which faces the fixed plate and on which a plurality of second magnetic units are disposed, wherein a repulsive force is generated between the first magnetic units and the second magnetic units, the first magnetic units form a first row and a second row around the shaft, and the second magnetic units form a third row and a fourth row around the shaft, wherein central axes of the first magnetic units of the first row are in phase with central axes of the first magnetic units of the second row, and central axes of the second magnetic units of the third row are out of phase with central axes of the second magnetic units of the fourth row.
US09729040B2
The magnetic gear device is equipped with a first magnet row in which a plurality of magnetic pole pairs are arranged at substantially equal intervals in a specific direction; a second magnet row which is opposed to the first magnet row and in which a plurality of magnetic pole pairs are arranged at substantially equal intervals in the specific direction at a pitch shorter (or longer) than that of the first magnet row; and a magnetic body row which is disposed between the first magnet row and the second magnet row and in which a plurality of magnetic bodies are arranged at substantially equal intervals in the specific direction, wherein a distance between the plurality of magnetic bodies and the second magnet row in the opposing direction is shorter (or longer) than a distance between the plurality of magnetic bodies and the first magnet row.
US09729039B2
A linear drive unit and a machine tool having the linear drive unit, capable of being applied to various applications, while taking into consideration the balance between the thrust force and the cogging of a linear motor. The linear drive unit has a magnetic gap changing mechanism which is configured to change a magnitude of a magnetic gap between a coil and a magnet, by displacing at least one of the coil and the magnet so that the coil and the magnet approach or are separated from each other.
US09729036B2
An integrated starter-generator (ISG) system includes a flux-regulated permanent magnet machine (PMM), a wound-field synchronous machine, and a control coil controller. The flux-regulated PMM includes a stationary portion having a control coil and a plurality of permanent magnets, and a rotating portion that includes rotating armature windings. The wound-field synchronous machine includes a stationary portion that includes a main armature winding and a rotating portion that includes a main field winding that receives excitation from the flux-regulated PMM. The control coil controller controls current supplied to the control coil of the flux-regulated PMM to selectively control magnetic flux presented to the rotating armature windings.
US09729031B2
A winding apparatus includes a pair of first latch pawls provided with a distance therebetween so as to sandwich one of magnetic poles of a multi-pole armature, a flyer that is configured to feed a wire while rotating around the pair of first latch pawls so as to loop and wind the wire around the pair of first latch pawls, and a first moving mechanism that is configured to move the pair of first latch pawls to a position of sandwiching the one of the magnetic poles, and insert the wire wound around the pair of first latch pawls into slots formed between the magnetic poles so that the wire is wound around the one of the magnetic poles.
US09729020B2
An example stator assembly includes a stator for establishing a core side of a channel. A plurality of stator windings are secured relative to portions of the stator core. The plurality of stator windings establish a winding side of the channel. At least a portion of the channel is configured to communicate a cooling fluid from a first axial end of the stator core to an opposing axial end of the stator core.
US09729004B2
A power source protection device and a power source protection method are disclosed herein. The power source protection device includes a power supply, a power source managing unit and a signal sending unit. The power supply provides a DC input voltage. The power source managing unit receives the DC input voltage, and when a determining voltage related to the input voltage is larger than a set voltage, enters a startup state and outputs a supply voltage. After receiving the supply voltage, the power source managing unit transforms the DC input voltage into a standby power output voltage and provides the standby power output voltage when the signal sending unit sends a control signal to the power source managing unit within an enabling time. VVhen it has not received the control signal within the enabling time, the power source managing unit enters a shutdown state.
US09728997B2
Provided is a device and method for wirelessly transmitting power, and a wireless power transmission device that may control an electrical connection between a power charger and a transmitter to charge a source resonator with power and transmit the charged power to a target resonator through mutual resonance.
US09728994B2
A device for determining the charge state of an accumulator and having a charging current supply unit that can be operated in a plurality of charging modes is provided. When the storage charge mode is activated, the accumulator is charged only up to a predefined, optimized partially charged state. If the charge state determined at the start of the storage charge mode is higher than the predefined partially charged state, then the discharging device discharges the accumulator as far as the predefined partially charged state.
US09728992B2
A control apparatus has a controller configured to control charge and discharge of a secondary battery. The controller acquires a positive electrode potential and a negative electrode potential of the secondary battery. The controller controls the charge and discharge of the secondary battery such that each of the positive electrode potential and the negative electrode potential changes within a range between an upper limit value and a lower limit value set for each of the positive electrode potential and the negative electrode potential.
US09728990B2
A system and method for early identification of an impending fast-charge or fast-charge opportunity and use of that information to prepare the battery cells for the fast-charge.
US09728986B2
In various embodiments a circuit is provided including: an input terminal to receive an input voltage; a switch, a first controlled input of which being coupled to the input terminal; an inductor, a first terminal of which may be coupled in series to a second controlled input of the switch; a freewheeling diode, wherein a first diode terminal may be coupled with the second controlled input of the switch and with the first terminal of the inductor, and wherein a second diode terminal may be coupled with a reference potential; a capacitor coupled with a second terminal of the inductor; and a controller configured to operate the switch and the inductor in continuous current mode to charge the capacitor.
US09728982B2
A power transmission device includes an inverter using a frequency f11 lower than a frequency f0 between a first resonator and a second resonator or a frequency f12 higher than the frequency f0 to generate a first power; an oscillator using a frequency f10 lower than a frequency fr between the first resonator and a third resonator or a frequency f20 higher than the frequency fr to generate a second power; and a power transmission control circuitry setting a foreign object detection period between first and second transmission periods, using the frequency f11 or frequency f12 in the first transmission period, using the frequency f10 or frequency f20 in the foreign object detection period, and if it is determined that a substance is present in the foreign object detection period, transmitting power in the second transmission period at a frequency different from the frequency used in the first transmission period.
US09728980B2
A wireless power reception method of a wireless power receiver for receiving power from a wireless power transmitter is disclosed. The wireless power receives a connection signal for identifying the wireless power receiver from the wireless power transmitter; transmitting a response signal in response to the connection signal to the wireless power transmitter; negotiating a power transmission condition with the wireless power transmitter; and receiving the power using resonance frequency band according to the negotiated power transmission condition. Furthermore, frequency band for exchanging information used for the power reception is different from the resonance frequency band. In addition, the negotiating of the power transmission condition comprises: receiving first state information of the wireless power transmitter from the identified wireless power transmitter, and transmitting second state information to the wireless power transmitter, the second state information being determined from the wireless power receiver based on the first state information of the wireless power transmitter.
US09728979B2
The present invention provides a contactless power transmission circuit which is capable of narrowing a fluctuation extent of an output voltage output by a power receiving coil via a rectifier circuit. The contactless power transmission circuit controls a period of an alternating voltage output from a driving circuit based on a smaller one of either of a first command value and a second command value. Here, the first command value is one based on a difference between a detected value of the output voltage from the rectifier circuit and a target value. The second command value is one calculated based on a difference between a detected value of a transmission current flowing through the power transmitting coil and a target value.
US09728978B2
A system includes a solar power subsystem that receives power from one or more solar power arrays. A storage control subsystem is coupled to the solar power subsystem to charge a battery from the power received by the solar power subsystem. A grid power control subsystem having an AC to DC converter receives power from a power grid and provides DC voltage to the storage control subsystem. A balance of system control system controls the amount of power received from the power grid as a function of a load, battery charge and received power by the solar power subsystem. The solar array and battery may be sized to provide sufficient power under normal operating conditions, with power being drawn from the grid during abnormal operation conditions.
US09728977B2
A method of controlling a plurality of outlets and a first and a second non-transitory medium for use in connection with in a power distribution. The power distribution system includes a handheld device, a power distribution device, and the plurality of outlets. The handheld device includes a first controller. The power distribution device includes a second controller and is coupled to the plurality of outlets to provide electrical power thereto. The power distribution device is physically separated from the plurality of outlets and is located not in close proximity to an outlet of the plurality of outlets. Each outlet of the plurality of outlets includes a socket and indicia located proximate to the socket. The first non-transitory medium includes instructions that when executed by the first controller cause the first controller to scan indicia of a first outlet and receive a set of input data. The first non-transitory medium also includes instructions that when executed by the first controller cause the first controller to determine and transmit a target setting of the first outlet based on the first set of input data and the scanned indicia. The second non-transitory medium includes instructions that when executed by the second controller cause the second controller to receive the target setting, and provide electrical power to the first outlet based on the target setting.
US09728974B2
Methods, systems, controller devices, and computer program products for reactive power control at a renewable energy site are provided. Embodiments address dynamic performance problems associated with control loop delay and the changing modes of operation for meeting utility voltage and reactive power constraints. Provided is a method for reactive power control involving: (a) determining a site-wide reactive power command comprised by a sum of a reactive power feedforward or compensation term and an integrator term; and (b) distributing the site-wide reactive power command among inverters. Embodiments can include a reactive power control term based on the sum of a single integrator and reactive power compensation term, an integrator anti-windup mechanism based on the status of individual inverters, a means for decreasing detrimental effects of loop delay during reactive power reference changes, and/or a means of implementing voltage and power factor limits with smooth transfer between reactive power operating regions.
US09728967B2
A combination includes an AC power system and a system for improving power factor in the AC power system by continuously variable, analog control of level of reactive current introduced into a power conveying line of the AC power system. A power factor-improving circuit includes at least one channel that comprises a channel-level AC electron tube circuit and at least one associated reactive impedance element interconnected in series manner. Each of the channel-level AC electron tube circuit is responsive to a control system for continuously variable, analog control of the level of reactive current in the at least one associated reactive impedance element so that the foregoing level of reactive current changes, as necessary, in a continuously variable, analog manner to improve power factor in the power conveying line. Each of the channel-level AC electron tube circuit comprises at least one cold-cathode field-emission electron tube.
US09728965B2
A scalable universal power supply and/or power converter provides independent voltage, frequency, phase, and current control through a common power bus connected to a plurality of electrical conversion modules which can provide voltage, frequency, phase, and current control. According to one embodiment, a power supply and/or power converter includes a power bus; a plurality of terminals for input and/or output of electricity; a plurality of electrical conversion modules connected in parallel to the bus for transferring or converting electricity; a switch matrix, formed of a plurality of switches arranged in an array, connecting to the plurality of electrical conversion modules and the plurality of terminals; and a controller configured to select and operate one or more electrical conversion modules and one or more switches of the switch matrix to selectively provide and/or receive electricity to the one or more terminals.
US09728953B2
A fault detection circuit includes a micro processing unit configured to output a first pulse width modulation (PWM) signal, a driver electrically coupled to the micro processing unit, and a comparator configured to electrically connect the micro processing unit and the driver. The first PWM signal is configured to drive the driver to output a second PWM signal configured to drive the electrical device. The comparator is configured to compare the second PWM signal with a reference level to output a third PWM signal to the micro processing unit. The third PWM signal contains a number of high level signals and low level signals. The micro processing unit is configured to detect the number of the high level signals and the number of the low level signals during at least one time period to determine a status of an electrical device.
US09728948B2
A lightning protector device for laying on a structure that is to be protected the device comprises: a surface coating including at least one conductive paint layer. A plurality of electrically conductive elements is arranged in spaced-apart manner on the structure, and the elements are in contact with the conductive paint layer. A protective coating is arranged on the surface coating and comprises a material that is thermally insulating and electrically conductive. The protective coating covers the electrically conductive elements in part.
US09728947B2
Cover plates are provided for electrical fixtures including a screwless cover plate and/or cover plate assembly for electrical devices that cover the outlets but provide holes for plugs, light switches, audio, data, or video connectors, and the like, and that do not show screw or attachment holes and where the cover plate is part of a cover plate assembly that have screwless attachment to a rectangular ring shaped mounting or strapping plate that attaches to the outlet, switch, wall, or housing or receptacle box without showing screw holes, e.g., via tabs or other attachment mechanism, with or without a backing plate.
US09728934B2
A wafer-to-wafer bonded arrangement is provided comprising a VCSEL wafer and a highly thermally-conductive (HTC) wafer that are bonded together with the front side of the VCSEL wafer bonded to the HTC wafer. The VCSEL wafer is fabricated to include, at least initially, a native substrate. The HTC wafer includes a thermally-conductive, non-native substrate. All or a portion of the native substrate may be removed after performing wafer-to-wafer bonding. In effect, the HTC wafer becomes the substrate of the bonded pair. During operation of VCSEL dies diced from the bonded wafer, heat generated by the dies flows into the non-native substrate where the heat spreads out and is dissipated. Laser light generated by the VCSEL die is emitted through the back side of the VCSEL die.
US09728933B2
A tunable transmission optical filter is optically coupled between a laser section and semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) section of a tunable laser device. The optical filter may be tuned to provide a high transmission near the lasing peak while suppressing a significant portion of back-propagating amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) of the SOA section. Without the optical filter, the laser output spectrum may develop side lobes of higher intensity after the ASE is amplified and reflected in the forward direction by the laser gain and mirror sections. While lessening the side lobes, the optical filter simultaneously transmits the laser peak for amplification by the SOA section.
US09728928B2
A connector includes a resin housing, a terminal and a seal member. The housing includes a housing body and a partition portion that divides inside of the housing body, a press-fit hole being provided in the partition portion so as to penetrate the partition portion from a front face to a rear face of the partition portion being opposed to the front face. The terminal includes a conductive metal portion and a plated layer surrounding the conductive metal portion, the terminal being press-fitted into the press-fit hole, and an intermediate portion of the terminal being fixed to the partition portion. The seal member covers at least one of the front face and the rear face of the partition portion and is adhere to the partition portion and the terminal so as to seal the press-fit hole.
US09728921B2
The invention discloses a TF card connector which is capable of installing a Nano-SIM card and a mobile phone thereof. The TF card connector is improved by arranging a Nano-SIM card connector in the TF card connector so that the functions are increased for the TF card connector. The mobile phone have the function of installing an SIM card by arranging the TF card connector capable of installing the Nano-SIM card in the mobile phone to increase the novel functions for the mobile phone such that the Nano-SIM card is used simply and conveniently after the Nano-SIM card is installed.
US09728908B1
An electrical receptacle including a body having a plurality of electrical connections, a device face connected to the body, and wherein the device face is movable with respect to the body from an electrically inactive position to an electrically active position. The electrical receptacle may further include at least one pair of electrical contacts which are in electrical continuity when the electrical receptacle is in an electrically active position.
US09728906B2
An AC-to-DC power adapter comprises a single-piece insulator unit. The various components of the power adapter such as a transformer, other circuitry, etc. are attached to the single-piece insulator unit. The single-piece insulator unit has embedded channels to provide electrical connectivity between the circuitry, The entire assembly is placed in housing and a cap assembly having prongs to connect to a AC wall outlet is ultrasonically welded to the housing.
US09728904B2
A method for connecting a differential transmission cable, (and a differential transmission cable and an electric device) includes: connecting a pair of conductors for transmitting a differential signal to transceivers; and connecting a second shield provided on the periphery of a first shield via an insulating layer to frame grounds, without electrically connecting anywhere the first shield that is provided on the periphery of the pair of conductors via a dielectric layer.
US09728900B1
An electrical receptacle connector includes a terminal module, an inner metallic shell, an outer insulation frame, and an outer metallic shell. The terminal module is assembled with the inner metallic shell and the outer insulation frame, the outer metallic shell is formed on the outer insulation frame, and the outer metallic shell is in contact with the inner metallic shell. The connector is provided with the outer insulation frame so as to prevent water moist entering into the other end of the outer insulation frame from one end of the outer insulation frame having the insertion opening. In addition, the outer metallic shell is formed on the outer insulation frame to improve the structural strength of the connector. Moreover, the outer metallic shell and the inner metallic shell are soldered with each other through the grooves of the outer insulation frame.
US09728889B2
A circuit card is disclosed. The circuit card may have a strain relief aperture and a conductor contact. A conductor may extend through the strain relief aperture and connect in electrical continuity with the conductor contact. The circuit card may have a conformal coating, such as poly(p-xylylene) polymer applied. The conformal coating may be applied in layers, and the layers may have different thicknesses.
US09728868B1
The present invention is directed to a liquid and solid phase power connect for packaging of an electrical device using a using a phase changing metal. The phase changing metal transitions back and forth between a liquid phase and a solid phase while constantly maintaining connection to the electrical device. The packaging uses a substrate, a restraining housing, and a lid to encase an electrical contact on the electrical device and restrain the phase changing metal. In one embodiment, the entire electrical device is encased and a voltage isolator is utilized to limit the contact areas between the phase changing metal and the electrical device. A method for relieving contact stress by transitioning the phase changing metal from a solid to a liquid is also taught.
US09728854B2
An antenna device that uses an exterior metal frame is provided. The antenna includes a Printed Circuit Board (PCB); a plurality of segment-type exterior metal frames spaced apart from the PCB; a feeding portion connected to one metal frame of the plurality of segment-type exterior metal frames; and a slit located between the PCB and the one metal frame, wherein the one metal frame fed through the feeding portion operates with radiation, or the slit operates with radiator, or another exterior metal frame fed through the feeding portion operates with radiation.
US09728852B2
A matching circuit for an antenna of whatever type, includes a ground circuit and a feed circuit. The ground circuit connects a ground terminal of the antenna to a ground voltage, and provides an inductive impedance between the ground terminal and the ground voltage. The feed circuit connects a feed signal to a feed terminal of the antenna. The feed circuit is capable of switching between a first mode and a second mode for respectively providing a first equivalent impedance and a second equivalent impedance between the feed signal and the feed terminal. An associated method is also disclosed.
US09728851B2
A mobile communication device including a ground plane, a radiation element and a resonant circuit is provided. The radiation element is electrically connected to the ground plane. The resonant circuit is electrically connected to the radiation element and receives a feeding signal. The resonant circuit and the radiation element resonate at a resonant frequency and excite the ground plane to generate a resonant mode.
US09728848B1
Devices or apparatuses for changing settings of a neutralization line are described. A radio device may include a neutralization line coupled between a first antenna and a second antenna. The neutralization line has a variable component and the first and the second antennas are electromagnetically coupled and have a first coupling value. The neutralization line is controlled by a controller. The controller is coupled to the first antenna port, the second antenna port and the neutralization line. The controller detects an environmental condition that causes the first coupling value increase to a second coupling value. The controller also adjusts a value of the variable component to change a resistance value or, a reactance value, or both of the adaptive neutralization line to achieve a third coupling value that is lower than the second coupling value.
US09728842B2
An antenna structure includes an antenna holder, a feed portion, a grounding portion, and a radiating body. The antenna holder includes a plurality of surfaces. The feed portion and the ground portion are both positioned on one surface of the antenna holder. The radiating body is positioned on at least one surface of the antenna holder. The feed portion is electronically connected to a first end of the radiating body. The ground portion is electronically connected to a second end of the radiating body so as to form a loop antenna.
US09728836B2
An electronic device includes a main body, a movable portion, and a connector. A positional relationship between the main body and the movable portion is changeable via the connector. The main body includes a first surface having a display unit, the movable portion includes a second surface having a long side adaptive to a short side of the first surface, the movable portion has a first communication antenna unit.
US09728834B2
A connector apparatus includes a first connector unit provided at an end section of a waveguide cable and a second connector unit that is provided at a terminal section of a transmission wire formed on a print substrate and is detachable from the first connector unit, the second connector unit being structured to perform a signal transmission with the first connector unit by an electromagnetic induction.
US09728833B2
The present invention includes a first connector unit, a second connector unit, and a joining unit. The first connector unit is provided at an end section of a feeder cable formed on a circuit substrate. The second connector unit is provided at an end section of a waveguide cable through which a high-frequency signal is transmitted. The joining unit includes a hollow waveguide interposed between the first connector unit and the second connector unit, the joining unit being capable of detachably joining the first connector unit and the second connector unit.
US09728829B1
A circuit for blocking undesired input direct current of AC-coupled broadband circuits. The circuit includes a capacitor coupled to an input port and a common node. The input port receives a RF input signal. Additionally, the circuit includes a current source supplying a DC current to the common node leading a bias current to an output port. Further, the circuit includes a variable voltage source through an internal load and a close loop with an application circuit having an input load coupled to the output port to determine various bias voltages to control the bias current at the output port in association with a RF output signal that is substantially free of any input direct current originated from the RF input signal and is associated with an inherent low cut-off frequency independent of the various bias voltages.
US09728822B2
A charger has a housing with a receptacle configured to receive a battery, an electrical circuit board, a fan to circulate air within the housing and to cool the battery, and a fan-supporting member to support the fan. The fan is located above the electrical circuit board. A part of the fan-supporting member is positioned between the fan and the electrical circuit board.
US09728820B2
A battery pack management system adjusts the relative state-of-charge of respective battery blocks in a battery pack to equalize (i.e., align, balance or otherwise make similar) the peak battery block voltages (i.e., maximum or “upper peak” battery block voltages when the battery pack is being charged and/or minimum or “lower peak” battery block voltages when the battery is being discharged). Upon detecting an anomalous battery block that exhibits outlier upper and lower peak voltages, the battery pack management system adjusts the relative state of charge of respective battery blocks to center their respective upper and lower peak voltages between operating limits, thus maximizing the operating margin of the battery pack as a whole.
US09728813B2
A method is provided for fabricating a thin film solid-state Li-ion battery comprising a first electrode layer, a solid electrolyte layer, and a second electrode layer. The method comprises depositing, on a substrate, an initial layer stack comprising a first layer comprising a first electrode material compound, and a second layer comprising an electrolyte material compound; and afterwards performing a lithiation step comprising incorporating Li in the first layer and in the second layer, thereby forming a stack of a first electrode layer and a solid electrolyte layer. The initial layer stack may further comprise a third layer comprising a second electrode material compound. By performing the lithiation step, Li is also incorporated in the third layer, such that a stack of a first electrode layer, a solid electrolyte layer, and a second electrode layer is formed. One or more of the first, second, or third layers may be Li-free.
US09728807B2
An electrochemical or electric layer system, having at least two electrode layers and at least one ion-conducting layer disposed between two electrode layers. The ion-conducting layer has at least one ion-conducting solid electrolyte and at least one binder at grain boundaries of the at least one ion-conducting solid electrolyte for improving the ion conductivity over the grain boundaries and the adhesion of the layers.
US09728804B2
A flexible secondary battery includes: an electrode stack structure including a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, and a separator disposed between the first and second electrode layers; and a binding structure surrounding the electrode stack structure, where the binder structure is in fixed contact with a first side of the electrode stack structure and is in slidable contact with a second side of the electrode stack structure.
US09728797B2
A fuel battery and a fuel cell stack, the fuel battery including: a fuel cell that generates electric power through a power generating reaction of reactant gases and includes a solid electrolyte layer having a first main surface and a second main surface, a first electrode disposed on the first main surface and serving as one of a cathode and an anode, and a second electrode disposed on the second main surface and serving as the other one of the cathode and the anode; an interconnector disposed so as to face the first electrode; and a current collecting member that electrically connects the first electrode to the interconnector. The first electrode includes: an inner portion connected to the current collecting member; and an outer portion disposed outward of the current collecting member and having a height larger than the height of the inner portion.
US09728796B2
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a fluid distribution system. The system may include one or more electrochemical cell layers, a bulk distribution manifold having an inlet, a cell layer feeding manifold in direct fluidic contact with the electrochemical cell layer and a separation layer that separates the bulk distribution manifold from the cell feeding manifold, providing at least two independent paths for fluid to flow from the bulk distribution manifold to the cell feeding manifold.
US09728795B2
A complex fuel cell stack with hydrogen storage unit is introduced. Through the new configuration of the PEM fuel cell stack, no cooling system and cooling fluid is needed for the fuel cell stack, since hydrogen storage vessel can act as a heat sink to protect the expensive catalyst layer of the MEA of the fuel cell away from over-heated and damaged. In addition, the waste heat generated from the operation of the fuel cells can aid in release of hydrogen from hydrogen storage alloys inside the hydrogen storage vessel.
US09728790B2
Systems and methods are disclosing providing for a fuel cell (“FC”) stack assembly utilizing bus bars that accommodate for variations in FC stack heights during assembly. In some embodiments, bus bars consistent with embodiments disclosed herein may be integrally formed with terminal plates out of a single piece of conductive material. Further embodiments of the bus bars disclosed herein may include structures configured to facilitating cooling of the bus bars during operation of the FC system.
US09728786B2
An anode for a lithium-ion battery includes a current collector, a separator and an active material comprising alloying particles and a carbon material. A conductive net of carbon material surrounds the active material on at least the side walls and a separator-facing surface, the conductive net having net openings sized to retain the alloying particles and the carbon material within the conductive net while allowing lithium ions and electrons to pass through. The conductive net also maintains electrical contact between the carbon material and the alloying particles during lithiation and delithiation of the alloying particles.
US09728783B2
The present invention relates to a cathode active material for a lithium secondary battery comprising: a core including a compound represented by chemical formula 1, and a shell including a compound represented by chemical formula 2, wherein the material composition of the core and the material composition of the shell are different; and a lithium secondary battery including the cathode active material for a lithium secondary battery.
US09728779B2
The present invention provides a negative electrode for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, the negative electrode comprising a negative electrode active material layer containing: negative electrode active materials including carbon active material and silicon active material composed of SiOx at least partially coated with lithium carbonate where 0.5≦x≦1.6; and binders including carboxymethyl cellulose or metal salt thereof, polyacrylic acid or metal salt thereof, and styrene-butadiene rubber or polyvinylidene fluoride, and a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery including this negative electrode. The negative electrode can increase the battery capacity and improve the cycle performance and first charge and discharge efficiency.
US09728777B2
Disclosed is a facile and cost effective method of producing nano silicon powder or graphene-doped silicon nano powder having a particle size smaller than 100 nm. The method comprises: (a) preparing a silicon precursor/graphene nano composite; (b) mixing the silicon precursor/graphene nano composite with a desired quantity of magnesium; (c) converting the silicon precursor to form a mixture of graphene-doped silicon and a reaction by-product through a thermal and/or chemical reduction reaction; and (d) removing the reaction by-product from the mixture to obtain graphene-doped silicon nano powder.
US09728765B2
A rechargeable battery includes: an electrode assembly including a first electrode and a second electrode, a case configured to receive the electrode assembly, a first current collecting member including a first fuse unit coupled to the first electrode and having a cross-sectional area that is smaller than a cross-sectional area of a periphery of the first current collecting member, and a second current collecting member including a second fuse unit coupled to the second electrode and having a cross-sectional area that is smaller than a cross-sectional area of a periphery of the second current collecting member, in which the first fuse unit is configured to melt more quickly than the second fuse unit at a first current, and the second fuse unit is configured to melt more quickly than the first fuse unit at a second current that is lower than the first current.
US09728761B2
A rechargeable battery includes an electrode assembly, a case accommodating the electrode assembly, and first and second electrode terminals electrically coupled to the electrode assembly and protruding out of the case, the first electrode terminal having a first terminal magnet, and the second electrode terminal having a second terminal magnet.
US09728758B2
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an electrode assembly, the method including: preparing an electrode laminate including at least one negative electrode, at least one positive electrode, and at least one separation film; generating a separation film assembly by bonding remaining portions of the separation film positioned in regions not corresponding to shapes of the negative electrode and the positive electrode; and cutting the separation film assembly so as to correspond to the shapes of the negative electrode and the positive electrode, and an electrode assembly manufactured by the method.
US09728755B2
A battery array frame according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a frame body extending along a longitudinal axis and including a top surface, a bottom surface and frame arms that connect between the top surface and the bottom surface. At least one of the top surface and the bottom surface is rotationally symmetric about an axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis.
US09728754B2
Provided is a thin film battery module. The thin film battery module comprises: a battery module which is configured of unit cells stacked against each other; and a shock absorbing portion which surrounds the space between the unit cells and the battery module. Also provided are a thin film battery package, a thin film battery package manufacturing device, and a thin film battery package manufacturing method.
US09728746B2
Disclosed are encapsulation structures, encapsulation methods and display devices of organic electroluminescent devices. The encapsulation structure comprises: a substrate (3); an organic electroluminescent device (2) located on the substrate (3); and at least one film encapsulation layer (1) covering the organic electroluminescent device (2), wherein the film encapsulation layer (1) comprises an inorganic film (11) and a fluorocarbon polymer film (13). The encapsulation structure can effectively improve the film encapsulation layer (1)'s ability to block water and oxygen so as to effectively extend the lifetime of OLED devices.
US09728738B2
An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes a substrate, and a thin-film transistor and a capacitor formed over the substrate. The apparatus further includes an interlayer insulation layer, a first organic insulating layer and a second organic insulation layer sequentially stacked over the substrate and covering the thin-film transistor and a capacitor. The first organic insulation layer includes a first hole that does not overlap with the thin-film transistor and the capacitor when viewed in a direction perpendicular to a major surface of the substrate. The apparatus further includes a pixel electrode formed over the interlayer insulating layer and the first organic insulating layer. The pixel electrode includes a first portion disposed inside the first hole and a second portion disposed over the first organic insulating layer and outside the first hole. The apparatus includes a light emission layer and an opposite layer formed over the pixel electrode.
US09728735B2
A transparent photovoltaic cell and method of making are disclosed. The photovoltaic cell may include a transparent substrate and a first active material overlying the substrate. The first active material may have a first absorption peak at a wavelength greater than about 650 nanometers. A second active material is disposed overlying the substrate, the second active material having a second absorption peak at a wavelength outside of the visible light spectrum. The photovoltaic cell may also include a transparent cathode and a transparent anode.
US09728732B2
A polymer comprising units α, β, γ and δ wherein: unit α is present at 30 mole % to 60 mole % and is an optionally substituted arylene; unit β is present at 1 mole % to 30 mole % and is a unit comprising an optionally substituted fluorene; unit γ is present at 1 mole % to 40 mole % and comprises aryl substituted nitrogen, or an optionally substituted triazine; unit δ is present at 0.5 mole % to 15 mole % and comprises an iridium complex; and optionally up to 20 mole % of other units if the total of α, β, γ and δ is less than 100 mole %.
US09728731B2
Disclosed are a heterocyclic compound and an organic light emitting device including the same.
US09728728B2
The present invention provides a novel compound that is capable of largely improving a life span, efficiency, electrochemical stability and thermal stability of an organic light emitting device, and an organic light emitting device in which the compound is included in an organic compound layer.
US09728726B2
This application relates in part to an organic electroluminescent element including a substrate, a pair of electrodes including an anode and a cathode, disposed on the substrate, and an organic layer(s) including a light emitting layer, in which the organic layer(s) contains a compound represented by the following formula (1), in which R1 to R8 are each hydrogen or a substituent, at least one of R1 to R4 and at least one of R5 to R8 are each a substituent represented by the formula (2); R9 to R12, Z1 to Z4, Ar1, Ar2, and L1 are as defined herein.
US09728723B2
An organic thin film transistor, a manufacturing method thereof and an array substrate are provided. The manufacturing method of an organic thin film transistor includes: forming an organic semiconductor layer; partially sheltering the organic semiconductor layer, so that a sheltered region and an unsheltered region are formed on the organic semiconductor layer, the sheltered region corresponding to a region where an active layer of the organic thin film transistor needs to be formed; and doping the organic semiconductor layer, so that the organic semiconductor layer in correspondence with the sheltered region is not doped, and the organic semiconductor layer in correspondence with the unsheltered region is doped.
US09728712B2
A magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM) device is disclosed. The device described herein has a spin current injection capping layer between the free layer of a magnetic tunnel junction and the orthogonal polarizer layer. The spin current injection capping layer maximizes the spin torque through very efficient spin current injection from the polarizer. The spin current injection capping layer can be comprised of a layer of MgO and a layer of a ferromagnetic material.
US09728711B2
MRAM cell including a magnetic tunnel junction including a reference layer, a storage layer having a storage magnetization, a tunnel barrier layer between the reference and the storage layers; and an antiferromagnetic layer exchange-coupling the storage layer such as to pin the storage magnetization at a low temperature threshold and free it at a high temperature threshold. The storage layer includes a first ferromagnetic layer in contact with the tunnel barrier layer, a second ferromagnetic layer in contact with the antiferromagnetic layer, and a low saturation magnetization storage layer including a ferromagnetic material and a non-magnetic material. The MRAM cell can be written with improved reliability.
US09728704B2
The invention concerns a thermoelectric module with multiple thermoelectric elements, which are arranged spaced apart from one another, two thermoelectric elements being respectively electrically connected by means of a conductor bridge, an electrical insulation being arranged at least in certain portions on a side of the conductor bridge that is facing away from the thermoelectric element and/or on a side of the conductor bridge that is facing the thermoelectric element, the electrical insulation being arranged on the surface of the conductor bridge, the electrical insulation and the conductor bridge being thermomechanically decoupled.
US09728700B2
Provided is a compound which is mixed with a thermoelectric conversion material matrix as a phonon scattering material. The compound is represented by the following formula: (In the above formula, G1 represents a functional group capable of binding to the thermoelectric conversion material matrix; G2 independently represents G1 or CH3; 0≦m≦5; 0≦m′≦5; 6≦n≦1000; and 1/1000<(the number of G1/n)≦1).
US09728691B2
The present invention relates to a light-emitting diode (LED) structure, which comprises an LED unit. The LED unit is doped with a plurality of fluorescent powders in at least an arbitrary layer on one side of a light-emitting layer. Alternatively, the LED unit includes a plurality of fluorescent powder particles arranged on at least a light-emitting surface of the LED unit. No gel is adopted for disposing or packaging fluorescent powders. Thereby, gel yellowing caused by long-term high-temperature heating of the LED structure will not occur. The yellowing phenomenon will affect the light-emitting efficiency of LED and induce color deviation.
US09728690B2
A light emitting device includes a base member including a conductive member containing silver. A light emitting element has an upper surface below an upper surface of a side wall portion. A wire electrically connects the light emitting element and the conductive member. A protective film covers the conductive member to be spaced apart from at least a part of at least one connecting portion connecting the wire and the conductive member. A first resin member continuously covers at least a portion of each of the protective film, a portion of the conductive member around the connecting portion, and the wire. The first resin member has a first gas barrier property with respect to hydrogen sulfide. A second resin member covers the light emitting element and the first resin member and has a second gas barrier property with respect to hydrogen sulfide lower than the first gas barrier property.
US09728685B2
A light emitting device includes a base that has an element mounting surface, a light emitting element that is mounted on the element mounting surface and that has maximum light intensity in a directly upward direction, and a coating member that contains a fluorescent body that is excited by light from the light emitting element, and that is constituted by a single layer that coats an upper part of the light emitting element. The fluorescent body exists at a position other than directly above the light emitting element.
US09728683B2
An optoelectronic semiconductor component includes an optoelectronic semiconductor chip having side areas covered by a shaped body; at least one via including an electrically conductive material; and at least one electrically conductive connection electrically conductively connected to the semiconductor chip and the via, wherein the via is laterally spaced part from the semiconductor chip; the via includes a contact pin, the contact pin including an electrically conductive material; and the contact pin is laterally completely enclosed by the shaped body.
US09728678B2
A light emitting element includes a crystal growth substrate formed in a flat shape and that has a translucency, a semiconductor layer that constitutes a light emitting element structure and is formed at a side of a first surface of the crystal growth substrate, irregularities formed on a second surface of the crystal growth substrate, the second surface being an opposite surface of the first surface, and a protective layer that has a translucency and a predetermined hardness and brittleness, and covers the irregularities formed on the second surface of the crystal growth substrate.
US09728675B2
In a display substrate, a method for manufacturing the display substrate and an electro-wetting display apparatus including the display substrate, the display substrate includes a base substrate, a sidewall defining a unit pixel area, a pixel electrode, a hydrophobic insulating layer and a light blocking layer. The sidewall is on the base substrate and defines the unit pixel area. The pixel electrode is in the unit pixel area. The hydrophobic insulating layer is on the sidewall and the pixel electrode. The light blocking layer is on the hydrophobic insulating layer and overlaps the sidewall.
US09728672B2
A light-emitting diode (LED) and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The method includes following steps. An LED wafer is fixed on a crafting table and is processed such that a substrate of the LED wafer has a thickness smaller than or equal to 100 μm. A fixing piece is pasted on the LED wafer surface. The LED wafer is detached from the crafting table. The LED wafer together with the fixing piece are cut and broken, such that the LED wafer forms a plurality of LEDs. The fixing piece is removed. Before the LED wafer is detached from the crafting table, the fixing piece is pasted on the LED wafer to provide a supporting force to the LED wafer to maintain the flatness of the wafer and avoid the wafer being warped or the substrate being broken or damaged, such that product quality and reliability can be improved.
US09728671B2
An optoelectronic light emission device is provided that includes a gain region of at least one type III-V semiconductor layer that is present on a lattice mismatched semiconductor substrate. The gain region of the type III-V semiconductor layer has a nanoscale area using nano-cavities. The optoelectronic light emission device is free of defects.
US09728666B2
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first insulation layer formed on the substrate in a first region, a photon absorption seed layer formed on the first insulation layer in the first region and on the substrate in a second region separate from the first region, and a photon absorption layer formed on the photon absorption seed layer in the first region. The photon absorption seed layer has a particular structure that may assist in reducing dislocation density in a region that includes a photon absorption layer.
US09728665B2
A luminescent concentrator for solar light is provided. The luminescent concentrator comprises a wavelength-selective filter, an energy concentrating area, and a luminescent material. The wavelength-selective filter is adapted to pass the solar light and to reflect light emitted by the luminescent material. Further, a method for concentrating solar light is provided. The method comprises the steps of (a) passing incident solar light through a wavelength-selective filter and an energy concentrating area onto a luminescent material, and (b) converting the incident solar light in the luminescent material to light having a wavelength reflectable by the wavelength-selective filter. The method further comprises a step (c) of concentrating the converted light in a pre-determined area arranged between the wavelength-selective filter and the luminescent material.
US09728653B2
A MEMS device includes a membrane comprising a first plurality of fingers. A counter electrode arrangement includes a second plurality of fingers disposed in a interdigitated relationship with the first plurality of fingers of the membrane. A deflector is configured to deflect the membrane such that the first and second plurality of fingers are displaced in a position excluding maximum overlapping of surfaces of the fingers.
US09728647B2
The present invention provides a TFT substrate structure and a manufacturing method thereof. In the manufacturing method of a TFT substrate structure according to present invention, a graphene layer is formed on a semiconductor layer and after the formation of a second metal layer, the second metal layer is used as a shielding mask to conduct injection of fluoride ions into the graphene layer to form a modified area in a portion of the graphene layer that is located on and corresponds to a channel zone of the semiconductor layer, wherein the modified area of the graphene layer shows a property of electrical insulation and a property of blocking moisture/oxygen so as to provide protection to the channel zone; portions of the graphene layer that are located under source and drain electrodes are not doped with ions and preserves the excellent electrical conduction property of graphene and thus electrical connection between the source and drain electrodes and the semiconductor layer can be achieved without formation of a via in the graphene layer, making a TFT device so manufactured showing excellent I-V (current-voltage) output characteristics and stability, saving one mask operation process, shortening the manufacturing time, and lowering down the manufacturing cost.
US09728645B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes partially removing an upper portion of an active fin of a substrate loaded in a chamber to form a trench; and forming a source/drain layer in the trench, which includes providing a silicon source gas, a germanium source gas, an etching gas and a carrier gas into the chamber to perform a selective epitaxial growth (SEG) process using a top surface of the active fin exposed by the trench as a seed so that a silicon-germanium layer is grown; and purging the chamber by providing the carrier gas into the chamber to etch the silicon-germanium layer.
US09728643B2
A semiconductor device including a fin active region protruding from a substrate and an isolation region defining the fin active region, a gate pattern intersecting the fin active region and the isolation region, and gate spacer formed on a side surface of the gate pattern and extending onto a surface of the isolation region is provided.
US09728638B2
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a first conductive layer doped with an impurity for forming a cell junction over a semiconductor substrate, forming a second layer over the first conductive layer, forming a plurality of active regions by etching the second layer and the first conductive layer, the plurality of the active regions being separated from one another by trenches, forming a side contact connected to a sidewall of the first conductive layer, and forming a plurality of metal bit lines each connected to the side contact and filling a portion of each trench.
US09728635B1
A method of fabricating a vertical field effect transistor includes forming a base layer on a doped layer that is formed on a substrate, and forming fin hard masks above the base layer. Spacers are formed adjacent to each side of each of the fin hard masks above the base layer. A width dimension of each of the spacers is the same. Gaps between the spacers are filled with oxide prior to removing the spacers. The spacers are removed to leave gaps of the same width on each side of each of the fin hard masks. An etch in the gaps forms a plurality of fins below the fin hard masks. A height dimension of each of the plurality of fins is the same and a space between two of the plurality of fins is different than a second space between two others of the plurality of fins.
US09728631B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device having a conductive film, which sufficiently serves as an antenna, and a method for manufacturing thereof. The semiconductor device has an element formation layer including a transistor, which is provided over a substrate, an insulating film provided on the element formation layer, and a conductive film serving as an antenna, which is provided on the insulating film. The insulating film has a groove. The conductive film is provided along the surface of the insulating film and the groove. The groove of the insulating film may be provided to pass through the insulating film. Alternatively, a concave portion may be provided in the insulating film so as not to pass through the insulating film. A structure of the groove is not particularly limited, and for example, the groove can be provided to have a tapered shape, etc.
US09728630B2
A high-electron-mobility field effect transistor is formed with a buffer region having a stepped lateral profile, the stepped lateral profile having first, second and third cross-sections of the buffer region, the first cross-section being thicker than the third cross-section and including a buried field plate, the second cross-section interposed between the first and third cross-sections and forming oblique angles with the first and third cross-sections. A barrier region is formed along the stepped lateral profile. The barrier region is separated from the buried field plate by a portion of the buffer region. The buffer region is formed from a first semiconductor material and the barrier region is formed from a second semiconductor material. The first and second semiconductor materials have different band-gaps such that an electrically conductive channel of a two-dimensional charge carrier gas arises at an interface between the buffer and barrier regions.
US09728626B1
A FinFET includes a fin and a conductive gate surrounding a top channel region of the fin, the channel region of the fin being filled with an epitaxial semiconductor channel material extending below a bottom surface of the conductive gate. The top channel region of the fin includes epitaxial semiconductor channel material that is at least majority defect free, the at least a majority of defects associated with forming the epitaxial semiconductor material in the channel region being trapped below a top portion of the channel region. The FinFET may be achieved by a method, the method including providing a starting semiconductor structure, the starting semiconductor structure including a bulk semiconductor substrate, semiconductor fin(s) on the bulk semiconductor substrate and surrounded by a dielectric layer, and a dummy gate over a channel region of the semiconductor fin(s). The method further includes forming source and drain recesses adjacent the channel region, removing the dummy gate, recessing the semiconductor fin(s), the recessing leaving a fin opening above the recessed semiconductor fin(s), and growing epitaxial semiconductor channel material in the fin opening, such that at least a majority of defects associated with the growing are trapped at a bottom portion of the at least one fin opening.
US09728623B2
A replacement metal gate transistor is described. Various examples provide a replacement metal gate transistor including a trench, a first sidewall and a second sidewall. A layer is disposed in the trench where the layer has a bottom section disposed on a bottom of the trench and sidewall sections disposed on the first and second sidewalls, wherein the sidewall sections of the layer are at least 50% thinner than the bottom section of the layer.
US09728622B1
Forming a dummy gate on a semiconductor device is disclosed. A first sacrificial layer is formed on a fin, and a second sacrificial layer is formed on the first sacrificial layer. A first hardmask layer is formed on the second sacrificial layer, and a second hardmask layer is formed on the first hardmask layer and patterned. The first hardmask layer is laterally recessed in a lateral direction under the second hardmask layer. The first and second sacrificial layers are etched to a corresponding width of the first hardmask layer. A spacer layer is formed on the fin, the first sacrificial layer, second sacrificial layer, the first hardmask layer and the second hardmask layer. The spacer layer is etched until it remains on a sidewall of the first sacrificial layer, the second sacrificial layer and the first hardmask layer, wherein the first and second sacrificial layers form the dummy gate.
US09728619B2
A method of modifying a wafer having a semiconductor disposed on an insulator is provided and includes forming pairs of semiconductor pads connected via respective nanowire channels at each of first and second regions with different initial semiconductor thicknesses and reshaping the nanowire channels into nanowires to each have a respective differing thickness reflective of the different initial semiconductor thicknesses.
US09728602B2
A semiconductor device includes a nanowire structure and a stressor. The nanowire structure includes a first channel section and a second channel section. The stressor subjects the first channel section to a first strain level and the second channel section to a second strain level greater than the first strain level. The difference between the second strain level and the first strain level is less than the second strain level.
US09728600B2
A device includes a semiconductor substrate, a doped isolation barrier disposed in the semiconductor substrate and defining a core device area within the doped isolation barrier, an isolation contact region disposed in the semiconductor substrate outside of the core device area, and a body region disposed in the semiconductor substrate within the core device area, and in which a channel is formed during operation. The body region is electrically tied to the isolation contact region. The body region and the doped isolation barrier have a common conductivity type. The body region is electrically isolated from the doped isolation barrier within the core device area. The doped isolation barrier and the isolation contact region are not electrically tied to one another such that the doped isolation barrier is biased at a different voltage level than the isolation contact region.
US09728597B2
A semiconductor structure and a method for forming the same are provided. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes forming a bottom electrode layer over a substrate and forming a first passivation layer over the bottom electrode layer by a first atomic layer deposition process. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure further includes forming a dielectric layer over the first passivation layer by a second atomic layer deposition process and forming a second passivation layer over the dielectric layer by a third atomic layer deposition process. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure further includes forming a top electrode layer over the second passivation layer.
US09728595B2
A display device comprises a display panel having a display area, in which a plurality of pixels and at least one power line for supplying power to the pixels are formed, and a non-display area outside the display area; and a cover disposed over the display panel so as to cover the display area of the display panel. The cover comprises at least one electrically conductive portion coupled to the at least one power line and configured to receive at least one power supply voltage via the non-display area and supply the at least one power supply voltage to the at least one power line in the display area.
US09728584B2
Three dimensional memory arrays and methods of forming the same are provided. An example three dimensional memory array can include a stack comprising a plurality of first conductive lines separated from one another by at least an insulation material, and at least one conductive extension arranged to extend substantially perpendicular to the plurality of first conductive lines such that the at least one conductive extension intersects each of the plurality of first conductive lines. Storage element material is arranged around the at least one conductive extension, and a select device is arranged around the storage element material. The storage element material is radially adjacent an insulation material separating the plurality of first conductive lines, and the plurality of materials arranged around the storage element material are radially adjacent each of the plurality of first conductive lines.
US09728580B2
A power transistor has a semiconductor body with a bottom side and top side spaced distant from the bottom side in a vertical direction. The semiconductor body includes a plurality of transistor cells, a source zone of a first conduction type, a body zone of a second conduction type, a drift zone of the first conduction type, a drain zone, and a temperature sensor diode having a pn-junction between an n-doped cathode zone and a p-doped anode zone. The power transistor also has a drain contact terminal on the top side, a source contact terminal on the bottom side, a gate contact terminal, and a temperature sense contact terminal on the top side. Depending on the first and second conduction types the anode or cathode zone is electrically connected to the source contact terminal and the other diode zone is electrically connected to the temperature sense contact terminal.
US09728577B2
An infrared image sensor includes a bias circuit receiving a timing signal, the bias circuit generating a bias voltage having a first value and a second value in response to the timing signal; a semiconductor light-receiving device including a photodiode, the semiconductor light-receiving device receiving the bias voltage; a read-out circuit including a read-out electrode connected to the photodiode, the read-out electrode receiving an electrical signal from the photodiode; and a signal processing circuit processing a read-out signal from the read-out circuit synchronously with the timing signal. The photodiode includes an optical absorption layer made of a III-V group compound semiconductor. The optical absorption layer has a type II multi quantum well structure including first compound semiconductor layers containing antimony as a constituent element and second compound semiconductor layers that are stacked alternately.
US09728568B2
Provided is a semiconductor device including: a multilayer substrate including an optical element; a light-transmitting plate provided on the substrate to cover the optical element; and a lens of an inorganic material provided between the substrate and the light-transmitting plate. A structure having a same strength as a strength per unit area of the lens is provided at a portion outside an effective photosensitive region where the optical element is formed, when the substrate is viewed in plan.
US09728560B2
The present invention provides a TFT substrate structure, comprising a Switching TFT and a Driving TFT, and the Switching TFT comprises a first active layer, and the Driving TFT comprises a second active layer, and the first active layer and the second active layer are made by the same or different materials and the electrical properties of the Switching TFT and the Driving TFT are different. According to the different functions of the different TFTs, the present invention employs different working structures for the Switching TFT and the Driving TFT to respectively implement deposition and photolithography, and employs different materials for the active layers of the Switching TFT and the Driving TFT to differentiate the electrical properties of different TFTs in the TFT substrate. Accordingly, the accurate control to the OLED with lowest cost can be realized.
US09728555B2
A more convenient and highly reliable semiconductor device which has a transistor including an oxide semiconductor with higher impact resistance used for a variety of applications is provided. A semiconductor device has a bottom-gate transistor including a gate electrode layer, a gate insulating layer, and an oxide semiconductor layer over a substrate, an insulating layer over the transistor, and a conductive layer over the insulating layer. The insulating layer covers the oxide semiconductor layer and is in contact with the gate insulating layer. In a channel width direction of the oxide semiconductor layer, end portions of the gate insulating layer and the insulating layer are aligned with each other over the gate electrode layer, and the conductive layer covers a channel formation region of the oxide semiconductor layer and the end portions of the gate insulating layer and the insulating layer and is in contact with the gate electrode layer.
US09728536B2
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a first region and a second region; and forming at least one first dummy gate in the first region and at least one second dummy gate in the second region. Further, the method includes forming a dielectric layer with a top surface leveling with a surface of the first dummy gate on the semiconductor substrate; oxidizing a top portion of the second dummy gate to form a protective layer to prevent over-polishing on the second region; removing the first dummy gate to form a first gate trench; forming a first metal layer to fill the first gate trench and cover the protective layer and the dielectric layer; and removing a portion of the first metal layer higher than the dielectric layer to form a first metal gate in the first gate trench.
US09728532B2
An electro-static discharge (ESD) protection circuit utilizes a gate-drain breakdown characteristic of high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) in a dual stacked configuration to provide a discharge path for electro-static discharges, while having a minimal effect on the associated circuit which is being protected.
US09728531B2
An integrated circuit device includes at least two epitaxially grown active regions grown onto a substrate, the active regions being placed between a first gate device and a second gate device. The integrated circuit device includes at least one dummy gate between the two epitaxially grown active regions and between the first gate device and the second gate device, wherein each active region is substantially uniform in length. The first gate device and the second device are formed over a first well having a first conductivity type and the dummy gate is formed over a second well having a second conductivity type.
US09728530B1
A bipolar transistor device includes a substrate and at least one first transistor unit. The first transistor unit includes a first doped well of first conductivity type, at least one first fin-based structure and at least one second fin-based structure. The first fin-based structure includes a first gate strip and first doped fins arranged in the first doped well, and the first gate strip is floating. The second fin-based structure includes a second gate strip and second doped fins arranged in the first doped well, and the second gate strip is floating. The first doped fins, the second doped fins and the first doped well form first BJTs, and the first doped fins and the second doped fins are respectively coupled to high and low voltage terminals.
US09728528B2
In one well bias arrangement, no well bias voltage is applied to the n-well, and no well bias voltage is applied to the p-well. Because no external well bias voltage is applied, the n-well and the p-well are floating, even during operation of the devices in the n-well and the p-well. In another well bias arrangement, the lowest available voltage is not applied to the p-well, such as a ground voltage, or the voltage applied to the n+-doped source region of the n-type transistor in the p-well. This occurs even during operation of the n-type transistor in the p-well. In yet another well bias arrangement, the highest available voltage is not applied to the n-well, such as a supply voltage, or the voltage applied to the p+-doped source region of the p-type transistor in the n-well. This occurs even during operation of the p-type transistor in the n-well.
US09728523B2
A semiconductor light emitting device includes an LED chip, which includes an n-type semiconductor layer, active layer, and p-type semiconductor layer stacked on a substrate. The LED chip further includes an anode electrode connected to the p-type semiconductor, and a cathode connected to the n-type semiconductor. The anode and cathode electrodes face a case with the LED chip mounted thereon. The case includes a base member including front and rear surfaces, and wirings including a front surface layer having anode and cathode pads formed at the front surface, a rear surface layer having anode and cathode mounting electrodes formed at the rear surface, an anode through wiring connecting the anode pad and the anode mounting electrode and passing through a portion of the base member, and a cathode through wirings connecting the cathode pad and the cathode mounting electrode and passing through a portion of the base member.
US09728519B2
According to one embodiment, there is provided a bonding method of a semiconductor chip. The bonding method includes arranging an activated front surface of a semiconductor chip and an activated front surface of a substrate so as to face each other with a back surface of the semiconductor chip attached to a sheet. The bonding method includes pushing the back surface of the semiconductor chip through the sheet to closely attach the activated front surface of the semiconductor chip and the activated front surface of the substrate. The bonding method includes stripping the sheet from the back surface of the semiconductor chip while maintaining a state in which the activated front surface of the semiconductor chip is closely attached to the activated front surface of the substrate.
US09728515B2
This disclosure relates generally to a wafer having a plurality of semiconductor chips having a major surface, a metal contact positioned on one of the plurality of semiconductor chips and having a side surface and contact surface, the contact surface substantially parallel to the major surface, wherein the contact surface defines a thickness of the metal contact relative to the major surface, an underfill layer abutting the one of the plurality of semiconductor chips and the side surface of the metal contact, the underfill layer having a top surface substantially parallel to the major surface, wherein the top surface of the underfill layer defines a thickness of the underfill layer relative to the major surface, the thickness of the underfill layer being not greater than the thickness of the metal contact, and a solder bump formed in electrical contact with the contact surface of the metal contact.
US09728514B2
A semiconductor device including a relatively thin interposer excluding a through silicon hole and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The method includes forming an interposer on a dummy substrate. The forming of the interposer includes, forming a dielectric layer on the dummy substrate, forming a pattern and a via on the dielectric layer, and forming a seed layer at the pattern and the via of the dielectric layer and forming a redistribution layer and a conductive via on the seed layer. A semiconductor die is connected with the conductive via facing an upper portion of the interposer, and the semiconductor die is encapsulated with an encapsulant. The dummy substrate is removed from the interposer. A bump is connected with the conductive via facing a lower portion of the interposer.
US09728513B2
A semiconductor device includes a fuse pattern disposed over a semiconductor substrate, an epoxy mold compound (EMC) layer disposed over the fuse pattern, a first package substrate disposed over the EMC layer, an insulating film disposed over the first package substrate, and a second package substrate disposed over the insulating film. To the first package substrate, a Vss voltage or a negative voltage lower than the Vss voltage is applied to prevent impurities from migrating to the fuse pattern.
US09728500B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe an integrated circuit and associated fabrication techniques and configurations, which may include forming on at least one of a metal layer or a polymer layer of an integrated circuit die a surface layer that includes an adhesion-functional group, and applying to the surface layer a next layer to adhere to the surface layer with the adhesion-functional group. In embodiments wherein the at least one of the metal layer or the polymer layer is a polymer layer, forming the surface layer may include copolymerizing on the polymer layer a polar monomer that includes the adhesion-functional group. In embodiments wherein the at least one of the metal layer or the polymer layer is a metal layer, forming the surface layer may include forming on the metal layer a self-assembled monolayer that includes amine group terminations. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09728485B1
A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a semiconductor substrate and a dielectric layer over the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device structure also includes a conductive feature in the dielectric layer, and the conductive feature includes a catalyst layer and a conductive element. The catalyst layer is between the conductive element and the dielectric layer, and the catalyst layer is in physical contact with the conductive element. The catalyst layer continuously surrounds a sidewall and a bottom of the conductive element. The catalyst layer is made of a material different from that of the conductive element, and the catalyst layer is capable of lowering a formation temperature of the conductive element.
US09728481B2
An IC system includes low-power chips, e.g., memory chips, located proximate one or more higher power chips, e.g., logic chips, without suffering the effects of overheating. The IC system may include a high-power chip disposed on a packaging substrate and a low-power chip embedded in the packaging substrate to form a stack. Because portions of the packaging substrate thermally insulate the low-power chip from the high-power chip, the low-power chip can be embedded in the IC system in close proximity to the high-power chip without being over heated by the high-power chip. Such close proximity between the low-power chip and the high-power chip advantageously shortens the path length of interconnects therebetween, which improves device performance and reduces interconnect parasitics in the IC system.
US09728480B2
A passivation layer and a method of making a passivation layer are disclosed. In one embodiment the method for manufacturing a passivation layer includes depositing a first silicon based dielectric layer on a workpiece, the first silicon based dielectric layer comprising nitrogen, and depositing in-situ a second silicon based dielectric layer on the first silicon based dielectric layer, the second dielectric layer comprising oxygen.
US09728476B2
A fingerprint sensor device and a method of making a fingerprint sensor device. As non-limiting examples, various aspects of this disclosure provide various fingerprint sensor devices, and methods of manufacturing thereof, that comprise an interconnection structure, for example a bond wire, at least a portion of which extends into a dielectric layer utilized to mount a plate, and/or that comprise an interconnection structure that extends upward from the semiconductor die at a location that is laterally offset from the plate.
US09728468B2
A first well in a first conductivity type which is formed at a first region and is electrically connected to a first power supply line, a second well in a second conductivity type being an opposite conductivity type of the first conductivity type which is formed at a second region and is electrically connected to a second power supply line, a third well in the second conductivity type which is integrally formed with the second well at a third region adjacent to the second region, a fourth well in the first conductivity type integrally formed with the first well at a fourth region adjacent to the first region, a fifth well in the first conductivity type which is formed at the third region to be shallower than the third well, and a sixth well in the second conductivity type which is formed at the fourth region to be shallower than the fourth well, are included.
US09728457B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor substrate structure for use in a semiconductor substrate stack system is presented. The method includes a semiconductor substrate which includes a front-face, a backside, a bulk layer, an interconnect layer that includes a plurality of inter-metal dielectric layers sandwiched between conductive layers, a contact layer that is between the bulk layer and the interconnect layer, and a TSV structure commencing between the bulk layer and the contact layer and terminating at the backside of the substrate. The TSV structure is electrically coupled to the interconnect layer and the TSV structure is electrically coupled to a bonding pad on the backside.
US09728454B1
The present invention provides a semiconductor structure, includes a substrate, a dielectric layer disposed on the substrate, a first gate structure and a second gate structure disposed in the dielectric layer, a hard mask disposed in the dielectric layer, where the hard mask covers a sidewall of the first gate structure, and covers the second gate structure, and a contact structure disposed in the dielectric layer. The contact structure at least crosses over the hard mask. The contact structure includes a first contact portion and a second contact portion. The first contact portion contacts the first gate structure directly, the second contact portion contacts the substrate directly, and the hard mask is disposed between the first contact portion and the second contact portion.
US09728453B2
Methods for forming an integrated device using CMOS processing with wafer bonding. In an embodiment, a method is disclosed that includes defining an integrated circuit function using a front-end substrate having one or more active devices and a back-end substrate having connections formed in metal layers in dielectric material, wherein the back-end substrate is free from active devices; manufacturing the front-end substrate in a first semiconductor process; more or less simultaneously, manufacturing the back-end substrate in a second semiconductor process; physically contacting bonding surfaces of the front-end substrate and the back-end substrate; and performing wafer bonding to form bonds between the front-end and back-end substrates to form an integrated circuit. Additional methods are disclosed.
US09728450B2
Insulating a via in a semiconductor substrate, including: depositing, in the via, a dielectric layer; depositing, in the via, a barrier layer; allowing the barrier layer to oxidize; and depositing, in the via, a conducting layer.
US09728436B2
An integrated robotic mechanism is disclosed for improving transport equipment, integrating an object movement with other functionalities such as alignment or identification. The disclosed integrated robot assembly can comprise a multiple end effector for moving a plurality of workpieces, a single end effector for moving a single workpiece, a rotation chuck incorporated on the robot body to provide alignment capability, and an optional identification subsystem for identify the object during transport. The present invention robot assembly can be used in a sorter or stocker equipment, in processing equipment, and a transfer system.
US09728434B2
In a substrate processing apparatus, a storage device, an indexer block, a processing block and an interface block are arranged to line up in this order. The storage device includes a plurality of openers on which a carrier storing a plurality of substrates can be placed. The carrier is carried in the storage device. In the storage device, the carrier is transported among the plurality of openers by a transport device. The transport device includes first and second hands configured to be able to hold the carrier and move in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction. The second hand is provided below the first hand.
US09728432B2
A method of degassing semiconductor substrates includes sequentially loading a plurality of semiconductor substrates into a degas apparatus, and degassing the semiconductor substrates in parallel, the degassing of each semiconductor substrate commencing at a different time related to the time at which the semiconductor substrate was loaded into the degas apparatus. The method further includes unloading a semiconductor substrate from the degas apparatus when the semiconductor substrate has been degassed, while semiconductor substrates which were loaded later in the sequence are still being degassed. The degassing of the semiconductor substrates is performed at pressure of less than 10−4 Torr, and the degas apparatus is pumped continuously during the degassing of the semiconductor substrates.
US09728428B2
An apparatus for drying of wet substrates in a post CMP cleaning apparatus is provided. The apparatus provides a waterfall or shallow reservoir of rinsing solution, such as DIW, through which a substrate may be lifted. A solvent vapor may be provided at the rinsing solution interface on the substrate, such as in a Marangoni process. In certain embodiments, the volume of solution through which the substrate is lifted is reduced, which may provide for reduced or eliminated particle reattachment to the substrate.
US09728427B2
A method includes followings operations. A substrate including a first surface and a second surface is provided. The substrate and a transparent film are heated to attach the transparent film on the first surface. A first coefficient of a thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch is between the substrate and the transparent film. The substrate and the transparent film are cooled. A polymeric material is disposed on the second surface. A second CTE mismatch is between the substrate and the polymeric material. The second CTE mismatch is counteracted by the first CTE mismatch.
US09728413B2
A method for preparing film patterns; firstly, a complementary film pattern (1) to a desired film pattern (201) is prepared on a substrate (3) with an erasable agent; secondly, a whole layer of film (2) is formed on the complementary film pattern (1); and thirdly, the desired film pattern (201) is obtained by removing the complementary film pattern (1). The preparation method can simplify the production process and reduce the production cost of the film patterns.
US09728409B2
Provided is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including: forming a stacked metal nitride film including a first metal nitride film and a second metal nitride film on a substrate by alternately performing steps (a) and (b) a plurality of times, wherein the step (a) includes alternately supplying: a first metal source containing a first halogen element and a metal element; and a nitrogen-containing source to the substrate a plurality of times to form the first metal nitride film, and the step (b) includes alternately supplying: a second metal source containing a second halogen element different from the first halogen element and the metal element; and the nitrogen-containing source to the substrate a plurality of times to form the second metal nitride film.
US09728406B2
Embodiments described herein generally relate to methods for device patterning. In various embodiments, a plurality of protrusions and gaps are formed on a substrate, and each gap is formed between adjacent protrusions. Each protrusion includes a first line, a second line and a third line. The first and third lines include a first material, and the second lines include a second material that is different from the first material. A fourth line is deposited in each gap and the fourth line includes a third material that is different than the first and second materials. Because the first, second and third materials are different, one or more lines can be removed by selective etching while adjacent lines that are made of a different material may not be covered by a mask. The critical dimensions (CD) and the edge displacement errors (EPE) of the mask are increased.
US09728402B2
An embodiment is a method including depositing a first flowable film over a substrate in a processing region, the first flowable film comprising silicon and nitrogen, curing the first flowable film in a first step at a first temperature with a first process gas and ultra-violet light, the first process gas including oxygen, curing the first flowable film in a second step at a second temperature with a second process gas and ultra-violet light, the second process gas being different than the first process gas, and annealing the cured first flowable film at a third temperature to convert the cured first flowable film into a silicon oxide film over the substrate.
US09728395B2
A method for manufacturing a substrate wafer 100 includes providing a device wafer (110) having a first side (111) and a second side (112); subjecting the device wafer (110) to a first high temperature process for reducing the oxygen content of the device wafer (110) at least in a region (112a) at the second side (112); bonding the second side (112) of the device wafer (110) to a first side (121) of a carrier wafer (120) to form a substrate wafer (100); processing the first side (101) of the substrate wafer (100) to reduce the thickness of the device wafer (110); subjecting the substrate wafer (100) to a second high temperature process for reducing the oxygen content at least of the device wafer (110); and at least partially integrating at least one semiconductor component (140) into the device wafer (110) after the second high temperature process.
US09728394B2
Disclosed herein an excimer discharge lamp that is capable of mitigating a stress concentration occurring due to a fixing method of an outer electrode, and achieving a desired life of lamp in an ensured manner. The excimer discharge lamp comprises: an arc tube for enclosing a luminous gas inside and having a sealing portion formed contiguous to, via a reduced diameter portion, one end of a tube shaped luminous portion; and an outer electrode of a net-like shape arranged on an outer peripheral surface of the art tube. The one end of the outer electrode being fixed via an outer electrode fixing member provided on an outer surface of the sealing portion.
US09728386B1
Mass spectrometry instruments are provided that are configured to provide dynamic switching between positive and negative ion preparation and analysis during a single sample analysis. Mass spectrometry analysis methods are also provided that can include switching between positive and negative ion preparation and analysis during a single sample analysis.
US09728383B2
A method of mass or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed comprising: providing an ion source for generating analyte ions and reference ions; providing a mass analyzer or ion mobility separator (IMS); providing an ion trap between the ion source and the mass analyzer or IMS; guiding reference ions from the ion source into the ion trap and trapping the reference ions in the ion trap; guiding the analyte ions from the ion source into the mass analyzer or IMS, wherein the analyte ions bypass the ion trap; and releasing reference ions from the ion trap into the mass analyzer or IMS for analysis.
US09728376B2
Systems and methods are described herein for coupling electromagnetic (EM) energy from a remotely-located primary antenna into a plasma ion source. The EM energy is radiated by a first by through an intermediary secondary antenna. The embodiments described herein enable the elevation of the plasma ion source to a high electric potential bias relative to the primary antenna, which can be maintained at or near a grounded electric potential.
US09728369B2
A high voltage vacuum feed through (23) for an electron tube (25) has an anode (28) and an insulating body (1) of ceramic material, the insulating body (1) having a continuous hollow space (10). The anode (28) has a rear part (2) and a front part (3) mounted thereto. The rear part (2) consists of a first metallic material, having a thermal expansion coefficient corresponding to a thermal expansion coefficient of the ceramic material. The rear part (2) is arranged in the hollow space (10) of the insulating body (1) and is soldered into the insulating body (1) in a vacuum-tight fashion. The front part (3) has a second metallic material whose heat conductivity is larger than that of the first metallic material. The high voltage vacuum feed through reliably remains vacuum-tight during operation and can be easily provided with different target materials.
US09728367B2
The present invention discloses a digital X-ray source. The digital X-ray source includes an X-ray generation unit that emits X-rays, wherein the X-ray generation unit includes a cathode electrode; an emitter formed above the cathode electrode; an anode electrode located above the emitter; a gate electrode located between the emitter and the anode electrode; first and second focusing electrodes located between the emitter and the anode electrode; and an electrode connecting unit configured to include one or more insulating tubes capable of fixing and adjusting the locations of the gate electrode and the first and second focusing electrodes on the cathode electrode, and also configured to individually insulate and connect the cathode electrode, the gate electrode and the first and second focusing electrodes from and with electric lines
US09728364B2
A fusible link includes a power supply portion provided on a connection terminal that connects to a battery terminal, a circuit terminal that connects to a circuit, a power-supply side upstanding portion standing in an out-of-plane direction of a terminal mounting surface from an edge substantially parallel to an extending direction of the battery terminal out of an outer circumferential edge near the power supply portion of the connection terminal, a circuit-side upstanding portion standing in the same direction as the power-supply side upstanding portion from an edge substantially parallel to the extending direction out of an outer circumferential edge of the circuit terminal, and a bridge portion extending between the power-supply side upstanding portion and the circuit-side upstanding portion. The power-supply side upstanding portion, the circuit-side upstanding portion, and the bridge portion function as a fuse element that fuses when a current greater than a threshold value flows.
US09728345B1
An ultra capacitor module includes a first ultra capacitor having a first polar terminal provided with a screw thread A formed on an outer peripheral surface, a second ultra capacitor having a second polar terminal provided with a screw thread A formed on an outer peripheral surface, and a connecting member having a screw hole B formed corresponding to the screw thread A on an inner peripheral surface through which the first polar terminal is inserted from one side and the second polar terminal is inserted from the other side to connect the first and second ultra capacitors in series and having a gas emission hole formed from a center to an outer surface.
US09728344B2
An electrical double layer capacitor (EDLC) energy storage device is provided that includes at least two electrodes and a redox-enhanced electrolyte including two redox couples such that there is a different one of the redox couples for each of the electrodes. When charged, the charge is stored in Faradaic reactions with the at least two redox couples in the electrolyte and in a double-layer capacitance of a porous carbon material that comprises at least one of the electrodes, and a self-discharge of the energy storage device is mitigated by at least one of electrostatic attraction, adsorption, physisorption, and chemisorption of a redox couple onto the porous carbon material.
US09728342B2
An electric double-layer ultracapacitor configured to maintain desired operation at an operating voltage of three volts, where the capacitor includes a housing component, a first and a second current collector, a positive and a negative electrode electrically coupled to one of the first and second current collectors, and a separator positioned between the positive and the negative electrode. The capacitor may also include a protective coating disposed on an inner surface of the housing for the ultracapacitor.
US09728339B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for a high voltage capacitor having a plurality of capacitor units connected in electrical series in a stacked configuration. An insulator element can be positioned between two adjacent capacitor units of the high voltage capacitor for providing separation between the adjacent capacitor units, where the insulator element has a first thickness at a first end of the insulator element and a second smaller thickness at a second end of the insulator element. The insulator element can have a wedge-shaped cross section.
US09728337B2
A method for producing a capacitor stack in one portion of a substrate, the method including: forming a cavity along a thickness of the portion of the substrate from an upper face of the substrate, depositing a plurality of layers contributing to the capacitor stack onto the wall of the cavity and onto the surface of the upper face, and removing matter from the layers until the surface of the upper face is reached. The forming of the cavity includes forming at least one trench and, associated with each trench, at least one box. The at least one trench includes a trench outlet that opens into the box. The box includes a box outlet that opens at the surface of the upper face, and the box outlet being shaped to be larger than the trench outlet.
US09728335B2
A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes a multilayer unit, thickness-direction first and second outer layer sections, and width-direction first and second outer layer sections. A dimension of the thickness-direction second outer layer section is greater than a dimension of the thickness-direction first outer layer section. The thickness-direction second outer layer section includes an inner portion and an outer portion. A composition ratio of Si to Ti in a ceramic dielectric layer included in the outer portion is higher than that in the inner portion. A Si content ratio is higher in a boundary portion between the outer portion and the inner portion. A relationship expressed by T1/(W0−W1)≦6.95 is satisfied when a minimum dimension in the width direction of the body is denoted by W0, a minimum dimension in the thickness direction of the multilayer unit is denoted by T1, and a minimum dimension in the width direction of the multilayer unit is denoted by W1.
US09728329B2
Techniques are disclosed involving coils. For example, energy may be transferred between transmitting and receiving coils. The transmitting coil may be in a first device, while the receiving coil may be in a second device. In embodiments, the transmitting coil may be shaped in a way as to direct a magnetic field toward a receiving device. Similarly, the receiving device may be shaped in a way that is directed towards the device having the transmitting coil.
US09728324B2
The invention relates to a transformer construction comprising a plurality of transformer cores configured to share magnetic flux paths and, as a result, at least one of the cores comprises a post and an associated sidewall having an effective cross-sectional area which is less than that of the post. Such a construction may be employed in a power conditioning unit, for example, for a photovoltaic module, which is configured to operate the cores out of phase from each other. Also described is a transformer winding comprising a longitudinal spine having a first turn emanating from a first portion of the spine in a first transverse direction and a second turn emanating from a second portion of the spine in a second transverse direction, wherein the second transverse direction is opposite to the first transverse direction.
US09728313B2
A device for cooling a superconducting machine is disclosed, including a storage vessel which receives condensed coolant and from which the coolant can be fed via a pipe to the machine, wherein the storage vessel has a storage region and an evaporator region, which is separated from the former, with a heat source which continuously has a temperature above the boiling point of the coolant. The evaporator region is connected via a curved overflow pipe to the storage region in such a way that, when a defined coolant filling level is reached in the storage region, coolant flows via the overflow pipe automatically into the evaporator region and evaporates there.
US09728308B2
A surge arrester has several tensioning elements which brace the discharge column in the axial direction. One or more loop arrangements radially surround the tensioning elements. One loop arrangement has a plurality of loops. Each loop of the plurality of loops surrounds only some, but not all, of the tensioning elements.
US09728305B2
An apparatus for mounting at a conductive terminal of a high voltage insulator is provided. An apparatus includes an electrical insulator including an electrically insulating material without a conductive material. The electrical insulator includes a first surface, a second surface, a first edge that is between the first surface and the second surface, an intersection between the first edge and the first and second surfaces, and a second edge that is opposite the first edge and that is between the first surface and the second surface. The apparatus further includes a connected electrical conductor that is arranged on the first surface of the electrical insulator and is spaced apart from the second edge and an electrically conductive connector that is configured to electrically couple the connected electrical conductor to the conductive terminal of the high voltage insulator.
US09728290B2
Among other things, an energy shield (212) for a radiation system, such as a security imaging system, is provided. The energy shield is comprised of one or more flaps (300). At least one flap defines an aperture (320) providing a demarcation between a first flap segment (322) of the flap and a second flap segment (324) of the flap. The aperture (e.g., and a flexible member (326) positioned spatially proximate the aperture) provide for (e.g., facilitate) movement of the second flap segment relative to the first flap segment. In this manner, an amount of force required to be applied by an object to pass by the flap may be reduced when the object is small and merely contacts the second flap segment, for example. In this manner, baggage jams may be mitigated, for example, by reducing the likelihood that certain objects will be impeded from passing through the energy shield.
US09728286B2
An apparatus, system and method for handling and translating high level radioactive waste. The apparatus comprises a body for supporting the cask close to the ground so that the cask and the apparatus can pass underneath over head doors. The apparatus further comprises rollers for translating the cask. The apparatus additionally supports the storage cask during spent nuclear fuel transfer procedures.
US09728283B2
A cam is immersed in water at an elevated temperature and/or pressure. A reciprocating cam follower also immersed in the water contacts a surface of the cam. The cam follower includes a permanent magnet. An electrically conductive coil is magnetically coupled with the permanent magnet such that movement of the cam follower induces an electrical signal in the electrically conductive coil. A sealed housing also immersed in the water contains the electrically conductive coil and seals it from contact with the water. Leads of the coil are electrically accessible from outside the sealed housing and from outside the water. Alternatively, the cam includes magnetic inserts, the cam follower is replaced by a sensor arm of magnetic material, and the sensor arm and/or the inserts are magnetized whereby rotation of the rotary element causes time modulation of the magnetic coupling and induces coil voltage.
US09728273B2
In one embodiment, a BIST (built-in self-test) engine performs BIST testing of embedded memory in an integrated circuit device (e.g., an FPGA) via an (e.g., hard-wired, dedicated, low-latency) bus from the configuration bitstream engine. During BIST testing, data is written into the embedded memory at-speed, which may require the bitstream engine to produce a higher frequency than originally used for configuration. Between consecutive write operations, the BIST engine is capable of reading the previously written set of data from the embedded memory and comparing that read-back data with the corresponding original set of data to determine whether a BIST error has occurred. By performing back-to-back write/read-back operations faster than the configuration speed and using a dedicated W/RB bus, BIST testing can be optimally performed without false-positive-invoking delays and undesirable resource utilization.
US09728271B2
A sample-and-hold circuit includes a first transistor; a second transistor disposed between a gate electrode and a drain electrode of the first transistor; a sampling capacitor, an electrode of the sampling capacitor being connected to the gate electrode of the first transistor; and a first current source connected to the drain electrode of the first transistor, where a gate electrode of the second transistor receives a gate control signal. A minimum voltage of the gate control signal is Vth2+Vsat2+Vth1+Vsat1, where Vth1 is a threshold voltage of the first transistor, Vsat1 is a saturation voltage of the first transistor, Vth2 is a threshold voltage of the second transistor, and Vsat2 is a saturation voltage of the second transistor.
US09728270B2
A semiconductor device comprises a bit determination circuit to count the number of bits at a first level in an input address signal formed of a plurality of bits and to output a result indicating whether or not a value of the count exceeds a predetermined determination threshold value, as a bit determination result signal, and a selection control circuit to select a non-volatile program element to be cut off, based on the bit determination result signal and the address signal. Additional apparatus and methods are described.
US09728267B2
A memory device has first and second strings of memory cells coupled to a data line. The first string is for storing a first bit having a first bit significance, and the second string is for storing a second bit having a second bit significance different than the first bit significance. A first resistor is coupled in series with the first string. A second resistor is coupled in series with the second string. The memory device is configured to set the first resistor to a first resistance based on the first bit significance and the second resistor to a second resistance based on the second bit significance so that the second resistance is different than the first resistance. The memory device is configured to compare a first bit of input data to the first bit and to compare a second bit of the input data to the second bit.
US09728266B1
Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods using first and second select gates coupled in series between a conductive line and a first memory cell string of a memory device, and third and fourth select gates coupled in series between the conductive line and a second memory cell string of the memory device. The memory device can include first, second, third, and fourth select lines to provide first, second, third, and fourth voltages, respectively, to the first, second, third, and fourth select gates, respectively, during an operation of the memory device. The first and second voltages can have a same value. The third and fourth voltages can have different values.
US09728263B2
A data storage device includes a memory and a controller. Read voltages are updated based on adjusting a first read voltage without adjusting a second read voltage to generate multiple sets of read voltages, and the multiple sets of read voltages are used to generate multiple representations of data. A value of the first read voltages is selected based on error correction coding (ECC) related information related to the multiple representations of the data. In another embodiment, storage elements of the memory are sensed using a set of candidate read voltages to generate sensing data that is transferred to a memory accessible to the controller. The multiple representations of data may be generated based on the sensing data to emulate results of reading the storage elements using a different combination of candidate reading voltages.
US09728262B2
Non-volatile memory systems with multi-write direction memory units are disclosed. In one implementation an apparatus comprises a non-volatile memory and a controller in communication with the non-volatile memory. The controller is configured to select an empty memory block of the non-volatile memory for the storage of data; examine an identifier associated with the memory block to determine a write direction for the storage of data; and write data to the memory block beginning with an initial word line of the memory block or a last word line of the memory block dependent on the write direction. The controller is further configured to erase the memory unit and, in response to erasing the memory unit, modify the identifier to change the write direction for a subsequent write of data to the memory block.
US09728259B1
Non-volatile (NV)-content addressable memory (CAM) (NV-CAM) cells employing differential magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) sensing for increased sense margin are disclosed. By the NV-CAM cells employing MTJ differential sensing, differential cell voltages can be generated for match and mismatch conditions in response to search operations. The differential cell voltages are amplified to provide a larger match line voltage differential for match and mismatch conditions, thus providing a larger sense margin between match and mismatch conditions. For example, a cross-coupled transistor sense amplifier employing positive feedback may be employed to amplify the differential cell voltages to provide a larger match line voltage differential for match and mismatch conditions. Providing NV-CAM cells that have a larger sense margin can mitigate sensing issues for increased search operation reliability. One non-limiting example of an NV-CAM cell that employs MTJ differential sensing is a ten (10) transistor (10T)-four (4) MTJ (10T-4MTJ) NV-TCAM cell.
US09728255B2
An example memory device includes a planar semiconductor substrate layer; a planar variable resistance layer disposed above the planar semiconductor substrate layer; a planar channel layer disposed above the planar variable resistance layer; and one or more gates positioned along a length of the memory device and above the planar channel layer, wherein each respective gate of the one or more gates is configured to direct at least a portion of a current flowing through a respective region of the planar channel layer positioned below the respective gate into a respective region of the variable resistance layer positioned below the respective gate in response to a voltage applied to the respective gate being greater than a threshold voltage.
US09728254B2
A nonvolatile memory device includes a first resistive memory cell connected to a first word line, a second resistive memory cell connected to a second word line that is different from the first word line, a clamping unit connected between a sensing node and a reference current supplying unit connected to the second resistive memory cell to supply a reference current, and a sense amplifier connected to the sensing node to sense a level change of the sensing node, wherein when the first word line is enabled, the second word line is disabled.
US09728253B2
A resistive random-access memory device includes a RRAM array including a plurality of RRAM cells coupled to a source line, a controller, a bit-line decoder, and a sense circuit. Each of the RRAM cells storing a logic state and is selected by the corresponding bit line and word line. The controller selects a selected RRAM cell by a bit-line signal and a selected word line and determines the logic state according to a sense signal. The bit-line decoder couples a data bit line to the selected bit line according to a bit-line signal. The sense circuit is coupled to the data bit line and compares a memory current flowing through the selected RRAM with a reference current to generate the sense signal. The sense circuit sinks the memory current from the data bit line when operating in a reset operation and a reverse read operation.
US09728248B2
A semiconductor structure includes first and second source/drain region disposed in a semiconductor body and spaced from each other by a channel region. A gate electrode overlies the channel region and a capacitor electrode is disposed between the gate electrode and the channel region. A first gate dielectric is disposed between the gate electrode and the capacitor electrode and a second gate dielectric disposed between the capacitor electrode and the channel region. A first electrically conductive contact region is in electrical contact with the gate electrode and a second electrically conductive contact region in electrical contact with the capacitor electrode. The first and second contact regions are electrically isolated from one another.
US09728240B2
A method of programming a voltage-controlled magnetoresistive tunnel junction (MTJ) includes applying a programming voltage pulse (Vp), reading the voltage-controlled MTJ, and determining if the voltage-controlled MTJ is programmed to a desired state and if not, changing the Vp and repeating the applying and reading steps until the voltage-controlled MTJ is programmed to the desired state.
US09728235B2
A semiconductor device includes a non-volatile memory unit, a data line configured to transfer data sequentially outputted from the non-volatile memory unit, and a shift register unit configured to include a plurality of registers that shift and store the data transferred through the data line in synchronization with a clock. The semiconductor device includes a non-volatile memory unit having an e-fuse array, and transfers the data stored in an e-fuse array to other constituent elements of the semiconductor device that use the data of the e-fuse array in order to have the data stored in the e-fuse array, including diverse setup information and repair information.
US09728230B2
Techniques for intelligently biasing video thumbnail selection to popular segments of the video file are provided. In one aspect, a method of selecting video thumbnails used to represent a video file is provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) acquiring trending data from viewers related to the video file; (b) using the trending data to identify one or more segments of the video file that are popular among the viewers; and (c) adapting a selection of the video thumbnails used to represent the video file to the segments identified in step (b).
US09728225B2
A method implemented in an audio editing device comprises retrieving, by the editing device, audio content and obtaining from a user via the user interface an effect to be applied to the audio content. The method further comprises determining a target number of samples based on the obtained effect, obtaining the target number of samples of the audio content, and identifying, within the obtained target number of samples, a maximum amplitude and a minimum amplitude. The method further comprises applying the effect to the obtained target number of samples and displaying on the user interface, a graphical representation of the obtained target number of samples with the applied effect, wherein the graphical representation depicts amplitude varying as a function of time, wherein displaying the graphical representation is performed prior to generating an audio output file with the effect applied to the audio content.
US09728224B2
A video editing system comprising a computer or mobile device with a display screen, executing a software program whereby virtual film editing equipment is projected on the screen and used to edit motion video and audio programs as if they were physical strips of film or magnetic tape. The user of the system uses a fingertip, mouse, or spoken commands to control the virtual film editing equipment in much the same manner as mechanical film equipment is used to edit film and magnetic tape. A virtual camera on the screen is used to select video or audio clips to edit. A virtual film viewer is used to cut the virtual film clips. A virtual film reel is used to represent the assembled clips organized into a hierarchical structure. A virtual film projector is used to present choices to the user for the export of the reels for presentation to an audience.
US09728223B2
Host data to be written to a recording medium is categorized as one of sequential data or random data. The sequential data is written to a first track width on the recording medium. The random data is written to a second track width on the recording medium, the second track width being larger than the first track width.
US09728222B1
In one general embodiment, an apparatus includes a plurality of read transducers arranged in an array, and a plurality of biasing circuits. Each biasing circuit is coupled to a unique one of the read transducers. Each biasing circuit is configured to selectively reverse a direction of a read current applied to the read transducer associated therewith.
US09728218B2
A magnetic recording medium for heat-assisted magnetic recording is provided. A magnetic recording layer includes upper and lower magnetic recording layers. The lower magnetic recording layer has a lower granular structure including lower magnetic crystal grains, and a lower non-magnetic portion, that surrounds the lower magnetic crystal grains, mainly composed of carbon. The upper magnetic recording layer has an upper granular structure including upper magnetic crystal grains, and an upper non-magnetic portion, that surrounds the upper magnetic crystal grains, formed from a material selected from the group consisting of silicon nitride, titanium oxide and titanium nitride.
US09728215B2
A magnetic disk apparatus of one of the embodiments stores read position dependency information on read signal quality of a data region at a first track and measures the read signal quality at a predetermined radial position in a second data region of a second track different from the first track. A positioning error of the second data region is determined based on the read position dependency information and the read signal quality at the predetermined radial position. Data is recorded in a recording target data region in a shingled recording so as to prevent data written in the second data region from being overwritten by data in a recording target data region adjacent to the second data region by using the determined positioning error.
US09728213B1
Systems and methods for compensating for hysteresis in a disc drive are described. In one embodiment, a method may use an inverse hysteresis model to linearize effects of hysteresis of a microactuator in the disc drive. The hysteresis model may be a Coleman-Hodgdon hysteresis model. The hysteresis of the microactuator may be characterized, and the inverse hysteresis model may be based at least in part on the characterization. The inverse hysteresis model may be used to implement a digital filter. The digital filter may be employed in series with the microactuator to linearize the effects of hysteresis.
US09728209B2
A near-field transducer includes first and second stacked base portions having a common outline shape. The second base portion is proximate alight delivery structure. A peg extends from the first base portion towards a media-facing surface. The peg includes a material that is more thermally robust than a plasmonic material of the base portion. The peg has a peg thickness that is less than a thickness of the first base portion. The first base portion has a first recess proximate the peg. The first recess separates the first base portion from the media-facing surface and exposes at least a top side of the peg.
