US09826510B2

A method and apparatus for uplink transmission is disclosed. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) transmits a message to a Node-B, wherein the message is selected from at least a first type, a second type, and a third type. The first type of message indicates that the WTRU has uplink buffered data to transmit and the WTRU requires uplink resources for transmission of uplink data. The second type of message includes a plurality of indications, wherein each indication indicates an amount of uplink buffered data associated with at least one logical channel, wherein each logical channel is associated with a priority. The third type of message indicates an amount of uplink buffered data and has less information than the second type of message.
US09826509B2

The relay device is configured to relay packet data between an information processing device and a mobile equipment, and the relay device includes a memory, and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to receive, from the information processing device, a session release request that requests release of a communication session set between the mobile equipment and the information processing device, and when there is not a wireless resource allocated to the mobile equipment, transmit a session release response to the session release request to the information processing device without transmitting the session release request to the mobile equipment.
US09826503B2

A multimedia communications system for broadcast distribution of multimedia content to mobile terminals over a cellular network is disclosed. The disclosed system accesses content providers, receives corresponding content information associated with provider content, and broadcasts content information to user terminals. The user terminals include software and/or hardware for receiving the content information and enabling a user to subscribe to one or more content items. Once a subscription is in place for one or more content items, corresponding content IDs are sent to and stored at the terminal. The system facilitates broadcast of the content. Content IDs stored in the terminal and broadcasted content IDs are compared. Only the content associated with the matching content IDs is then downloaded to the user terminal for storage and/or presentation. Content associated with unmatched content IDs is prevented from being received.
US09826502B2

A wireless communication network may provide services, e.g., multimedia services, in unicast and broadcast modes, and the mode of providing a service may depend on a level of demand. In response to changing demand for a service the network may determine that service should transition from one mode to the other, and the network, may signal such a transition to one or more terminals subscribing to the service.
US09826501B2

Disclosed are a paging method, apparatus, and system, used for solving the problems in the prior art of long time lapse and low paging reception reliability in terminals when using an extended DRX cycle to carry out monitoring. The method in the embodiments of this invention comprises: a terminal performs paging reception in an extended paging location within each extended paging cycle; and within at least one extended paging cycle, the terminal performs paging retransmission reception in at least one specific paging location other than the extended paging location. As the terminal performs paging reception at least twice within at least one extended paging cycle, the embodiments of the present invention may improve terminal power-saving and also ensure the time lapse and reliability of paging reception, thereby achieving the aims of assuring user experience and improving system performance.
US09826473B2

Provided is a method for scanning an Access Point (AP) in a wireless communication system. The method includes receiving a beacon frame from a proximity AP located within a proximity of a User Equipment (UE) and determining whether a channel where the proximity AP is located is congested; if the channel is not congested, scanning at least one AP operating on the channel, and searching for a first AP that can communicate with a highest signal strength; determining whether to perform re-scanning for an AP in the channel; if it is determined to perform the re-scanning, predicting a time that a beacon frame is to be transmitted from the first AP; receiving a beacon frame from the first AP at the predicted time, and determining whether the channel where the first AP is located is congested; and if the channel is not congested, re-scanning at least one AP operating on the channel.
US09826470B2

Provided is a cell searching method performed by a terminal in a wireless communication system, and a terminal using same. In the method, determined is whether or not a downlink frequency exists, the downlink frequency being associated with a frequency having preconfigured resources for a D2D operation, and, if the downlink frequency exists, a search is performed for a cell in the downlink frequency.
US09826467B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for establishing an association between a STA and an AP, and the method includes: sending, by the STA, an association request frame to the AP, where the association request frame includes a service type element, and the service type element is used for indicating a sensor service type, an offloading service type, or a hybrid service type to which the STA belongs, where the sensor service type includes a first sensor service or a second sensor service, and the offloading service type includes a first offloading service or a second offloading service; and receiving, by the STA, an association response frame sent by the AP, where the association response frame is generated by the AP after determining, according to the service type element, a service type to which the STA belongs.
US09826463B2

Methods, systems, and devices are described that allow for partial matching of published services or service names, including compressed service names. The described features employ compression techniques, including hashing; and they allow for partial matching of compressed service name strings. Various embodiments are described that provide for identifying a desired service (or attributes of a desired service) and comparing one or more advertised attributes. The comparison of desired and advertised attributes may be utilized to determine, select, and or locate an advertised service.
US09826459B2

A wireless multi-hop network includes a source node, at least one relay node, and a destination node. Each relay node is configured to perform partial decoding on a received signal including at least one previous-hop transmission signal according to a predefined function to calculate a function signal for the at least one previous-hop transmission signal, and encode the function signal and transmit the encoded function signal to a next hop. A destination node includes a receiver configured to obtain a received signal comprising a combination of a plurality of transmission signals for transmission by a source node and to be relayed by at least one relay node, and a decoder configured to configure a decoder graph corresponding to channel coding by the source node and relay nodes and to joint-decode the received signal according to the decoder graph to detect information blocks from the received signal.
US09826458B2

A portable encoded information reading (EIR) terminal for incorporation in a data collection system can comprise a terminal module communicatively coupled to a wireless interface module via a wired interface. The terminal module can include a central processing unit (CPU), a memory, and an encoded information reading (EIR) device. The wireless interface module can include a microcontroller, a memory, and at least one wireless communication interface. The wireless interface module can establish one or more wireless links with one or more peer EIR terminals, to join a wireless network which is collectively formed by the peer EIR terminals. The wireless interface module can receive or transmit beacons containing at least an identifier of a path selection protocol which is used for unicast, multicast and broadcast frame transmission within the wireless network.
US09826452B2

A mobile communication device with a processor is provided. The processor determines whether an Inter-Radio Access Technology (IRAT) procedure is ongoing when receiving a request for a Mobile Originated (MO) call, starts a first guard timer in response to the IRAT procedure being ongoing, and performs an Access Domain Selection (ADS) for making the MO call in response to the IRAT procedure being completed and the first guard timer not expiring.
US09826446B2

A system and related method for increasing or decreasing the range of a pico cell station. The system and method determine triggers for dynamic range change, measure operational conditions and make a change reactive to operational conditions. Range increase may be implemented to address a coverage hole. Range decrease may be implemented to address holdover attempts. Range changes are implemented by changing transmission power, reference signal received power and/or cell reselection thresholds.
US09826428B2

Provided is an apparatus to detect congestion of a network using a receiver of a communication system. The apparatus includes a transport layer information extraction unit configured to extract transmission control protocol frame information from information that is received from a lower layer. The apparatus also includes a congestion information filtering unit configured to identify and output a packet to determine congestion in the transmission control protocol frame information. The apparatus further includes a congestion detection unit configured to determine whether the network is congested using the packet to determine congestion. The apparatus includes a congestion information output unit configured to, upon detecting congestion in the network, deliver information indicating the detection of the congestion in the network to an operating system or other applications.
US09826424B2

Access devices may receive signals over a network and calculate a frequency spectrum of the received signals. An analyzer system may collect the frequency spectrum data from multiple access devices, and based on the collected data, detect, identify, and locate sources of anomalies in a communication network.
US09826413B1

A system and method are provided for producing radio-frequency (RF) coverage maps for networks of ground stations. The coverage maps are produced from ground station log files that are generated for a particular network of RF radio stations, including an ARINC VHF Data Link Mode 2 (VDLM2) Network. A coverage map regarding interactive communications between aircraft and various ground stations at a particular location therefrom is generated based on actual available operating data including geographic locating of an aircraft, which may be according to Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) system data or other aircraft geolocating data, and Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) measurements for the data exchange with the aircraft. Collected and/or recovered actual available operating data may be massaged to determine an actual coverage map, which may map the RSSI measurements to associated aircraft geographic locations to provide indications of relative signal strengths at various points around the particular location.
US09826406B2

An information processing apparatus and method provide logic for processing information. In one implementation, an information processing apparatus may include a receiving unit configured to receive, from a first communications device, a request for information identifying at least one second communications device. In such implementations, the second communications device may be associated with the first communications device, and the first and second communications devices may share at least one connection right. The information processing apparatus may also include a control unit configured to obtain the information, based on the received request, and generate an instruction to transmit the information to the first communications device.
US09826402B2

A device may receive information associated with a particular entity and trigger, based on the information, a status for the particular entity. The device may transmit, based on triggering the status, a list of a plurality of mobile devices and may receive an identified set of mobile devices from the list of the plurality of mobile devices. The device may further receive, from a selected mobile device, a request to perform an action and receive a string of characters from the selected mobile device. The device may further transmit, based on receiving the string of characters, an instruction command to the selected mobile device when the string of characters matches a verification string of characters.
US09826399B2

The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates wireless network access. The system includes a trusted network access and tunneling service (TNATS) associated with a ubiquitous static service set identifier (SSID). The system also includes a proximate wireless access point (WAP). During operation, the system enables the TNATS on the proximate WAP, which then broadcasts the ubiquitous static SSID. Next, the proximate WAP receives a request from a guest device to access the TNATS through the proximate WAP. The proximate WAP then initiates an authentication process with the TNATS for a user of the guest device. If the authentication succeeds, the proximate WAP allows the guest device to access a network through the proximate WAP.
US09826395B2

A method implemented in a first user equipment (UE) includes generating a first intermediate address. The method further includes transmitting a data packet using the first intermediate address by (i) applying a first address mechanism to a first part of the first intermediate address, and (ii) applying a second address mechanism to a second part of the first intermediate address.
US09826387B2

An automated power conversion device obtains information on an operational status of the automated power conversion device. Based on the obtaining, the automated power conversion device causes wireless transmission of advertising messages by using a non-connected signalling mode, such that the advertising messages comprise the information on the operational status of the automated power conversion device and are receivable by at least one terminal device of a communications system when the terminal device is located within the listening range of the connectionless signalling mode. The terminal device receives from the automated power conversion device, at least one of said advertising messages when the terminal device is located within the listening range of the connectionless signalling mode. Based on the receiving the terminal device informs the user of the terminal device on the operational status of the automated power conversion device.
US09826379B2

An exemplary method includes a subsidized access management system detecting a request provided by a user of an access device for the user to receive subsidized access to network content, identifying a plurality of user parameters provided by the user and that define a plurality of conditions associated with the subsidized access to the network content and that the user is willing to experience in order to receive the subsidized access to the network content, selecting a sponsor from a pool of potential sponsors and that is willing to sponsor the subsidized access to the network content in accordance with the plurality of user parameters, and providing the user with the subsidized access to the network content by way of the access device in accordance with a subsidized access arrangement between a subsidized access provider and the sponsor. Corresponding systems and methods are also described.
US09826378B2

One embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a method implemented by a first gateway node for processing an emergency call from an untrusted non-3GPP access network. The method comprises: receiving an emergency call request initiated from a terminal device over an untrusted non-3GPP based access network; detecting an event of the emergency call depending upon the emergency network access identifier included in the request message; selecting for the terminal device an emergency access point name that identifies an external network providing an emergency call service; and establishing for the terminal device an emergency call session with a second gateway node interfacing with the external network which is identified by the selected emergency access point name. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there are provided corresponding methods and devices.
US09826374B2

Methods and systems are provided for allowing users to recommend advertisements displayed in a third-party application running on a user device while not granting the third-party application privileges to send such recommendations on behalf of the user. A social network application installed on the user device, and separate from the third-party application, acts as a proxy for advertisement recommendation requests (e.g., indications that a user wishes to recommend an advertisement displayed), and a user is required to confirm all such recommendation actions. In this manner, a third-party application (e.g., a “malicious third-party application) cannot send advertisement recommendation requests, and/or requests to undo such recommendations, on its own as if it were the user.
US09826369B2

Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and/or methods of communicating upper-layer protocol information. For example, a wireless communication unit to transmit a management frame, e.g., a Traffic Stream Establishment (TSE) frame, including an Upper-Layer-Identification (UPID) element including a control field indicating a protocol of a layer higher than a Media-Access-Control (MAC) layer.
US09826364B2

A method for wireless communication by a wireless communication device is described. The method includes receiving geographic location information. The method also includes querying a geographic location tuning database for tuning parameter values corresponding with the geographic location information. The method further includes determining one or more tuning parameters to change based on the tuning parameter values. The method additionally includes adjusting an antenna for inductively coupled communication with a reader device according to the determined tuning parameters.
US09826362B2

A method for safely and efficiently requesting transportation services through the use of mobile communications devices capable of geographic location is described. Individual and package transportation may be provided. New customers may be efficiently serviced, and the requester and transportation provider locations may be viewed in real time on the mobile devices.
US09826360B2

A reception electric field intensity or a transmission delay time in wireless communication between each of multiple apparatuses connected to one and the same network and a portable terminal device is measured. Degrees of nearness, where a degree of nearness indicates a nearness between each of the multiple apparatuses and the portable terminal device in a numerical value are calculated based on a measurement result. One apparatus is selected from among the multiple apparatuses as a candidate target apparatus based on the degrees of nearness calculated. The candidate target apparatus selected is requested to execute a predetermined. A decision on whether or not to approve the candidate target apparatus selected is received from the user, and the candidate target apparatus is identified as a work-target apparatus intended by the user when the user has approved.
US09826355B2

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for comparing multi-dimensional datasets are provided. A multi-dimensional dataset comparison includes receiving a plurality of datasets, each including a plurality of coordinates, wherein a subset of coordinates defines a geo-fence. For a coordinate within a geo-fence of one of the plurality of datasets, determining analogous coordinates in each of the other datasets, the analogous coordinates defining a coordinate input set, and performing in parallel an operation on the coordinate input set to determine whether an entry is present at a coordinate of the coordinate input set.
US09826352B2

Systems and methods of security system settings adjustment are provided, including receiving an alert communication for a predetermined area with a communications interface of a security system, transmitting a notification message from the security system to a pre-selected device in response to the received alert communication, and changing at least one security setting of the security system in response to at least one of the received alert communication.
US09826348B2

Methods and apparatuses are provided that facilitate allowing position determination of devices in wireless networks with home evolved Node Bs (HeNB). An HeNB can determine its location based at least in part on positioning measurements from one or more devices. The HeNB can additionally or alternatively register its location or other location parameters with a positioning server for subsequent provisioning as assistance information for determining a device position. Moreover, a device can request assistance information related to a different base station where the HeNB is not registered with the positioning server.
US09826347B2

Methods and systems for content consumption are described. One method comprises providing content to a first device, receiving a command to provide the content to a second device, determining the second device from a plurality of devices based on a proximity metric, and providing the content to the second device. The command can indicate a switch point, specify one or more non-transferable devices and block the direction of content transfer between certain devices.
US09826346B2

A non-transitory storage medium encoded with a computer readable information processing program executable by a computer of an information processing apparatus having a wireless communication function. The information processing program causes the computer to function as position data obtaining means for obtaining position data indicating a position of the information processing apparatus, data transmission and reception means for transmitting the position data obtained by the position data obtaining means to another information processing apparatus within coverage through wireless communication and receiving position data obtained by position data obtaining means of another information processing apparatus through wireless communication, and processing performing means for performing predetermined information processing based on the position data received from another information processing apparatus through the data transmission and reception means.
US09826342B2

A method of controlling a call and an electronic device for performing the method are provided. The electronic device includes a communication unit for establishing a communication link with respect to at least one external electronic device, a sensor module configured to detect at least one piece of sensor data, and a controller configured to select at least one device for outputting a sound from at least one of the electronic device, and the external electronic device, the selection made on the basis of at least one of the at least one piece of sensor data detected through the sensor module, and situation information of the at least one external electronic device, in a state of being connected to the at least one external electronic device. In addition, other embodiments are also possible.
US09826335B2

A method and apparatus for performing secure Machine-to-Machine (M2M) provisioning and communication is disclosed. In particular a temporary private identifier, or provisional connectivity identification (PCID), for uniquely identifying machine-to-machine equipment (M2ME) is also disclosed. Additionally, methods and apparatus for use in validating, authenticating and provisioning a M2ME is also disclosed. The validation procedures disclosed include an autonomous, semi-autonomous, and remote validation are disclosed. The provisioning procedures include methods for re-provisioning the M2ME. Procedures for updating software, and detecting tampering with the M2ME are also disclosed.
US09826331B2

The present disclosure discloses a method and an apparatus for sound processing in a three-dimensional virtual scene. The method includes: acquiring, by a three-dimensional program engine, a sound processing request of a sound source point in a virtual scene; invoking a corresponding head-response transfer function (HRTF) according to a three-dimensional coordinate position relationship between the sound source point and a sound recipient in the virtual scene; modifying a parameter value of the HRTF according to the virtual scene where the sound source point is located; and performing filtering and delaying processing on a sound signal of the sound source point by using the modified HRTF. In the present disclosure, an HRTF parameter is modified flexibly according to audio effect requirements of a virtual scene, so that the technical problem that sound localization performed by using an HRTF database of existing hardware in some virtual scenes has undesirable effect is solved, thereby achieving the effect of optimizing three-dimensionally located audio effects.
US09826330B2

Audio spatial effects are provided using a gimbal-mounted ultrasonic speaker array in which a vertical line of ultrasonic speakers are provided on a speaker mount and are angled to direct sound at respective different elevation angles. The speaker mount can be rotated by a gimbal. In this way, the azimuth angle of the linear array is established in response to a control signal from, e.g., a game console or video player, with elevational angle of the desired sound beam being established by selecting one or more of the speakers in the linear array with the appropriate elevation angle.
US09826324B2

Various methods and apparatus for processing audio signals are disclosed herein. The assembly may be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a removable oral appliance to form a hearing aid assembly. Such an oral appliance may be a custom-made device which can enhance and/or optimize received audio signals for vibrational conduction to the user. Received audio signals may be processed to cancel acoustic echo such that undesired sounds received by one or more intra-buccal and/or extra-buccal microphones are eliminated or mitigated. Additionally, a multiband actuation system may be used where two or more transducers each deliver sounds within certain frequencies. Also, the assembly may also utilize the sensation of directionality via the conducted vibrations to emulate directional perception of audio signals received by the user. Another feature may include the ability to vibrationally conduct ancillary audio signals to the user along with primary audio signals.
US09826319B2

A hearing device, e.g. a hearing aid, is provided, comprising a forward path comprising an input transducer for providing an electric input signal, a signal processing unit configured to apply a requested forward gain to the electric input signal, and an output transducer. The hearing device further comprises a feedback reduction unit for reducing a risk of howl due to feedback from the output transducer to the input transducer. The forward path and the external feedback path defines a roundtrip loop delay. The feedback reduction unit is configured to modulate said requested forward gain in time, to provide that the resulting forward gain exhibits a first, increased gain AH in a first time period TH and a second, reduced gain AL in a second time period TL, wherein at least one of AH, AL, TH, and TL is/are determined according to a predetermined or adaptively determined criterion including said roundtrip loop delay.
US09826318B2

A hearing aid device is disclosed. The hearing aid device comprises means to improve, augment and/or protect the hearing capability of a user by receiving acoustic signals from the surroundings of the user, generating corresponding audio signals, possibly modifying the audio signals and providing the possibly modified audio signals as audible signals to at least one of the user's ears. The hearing aid device comprises a sensor member for detecting the movement and/or acceleration and/or orientation (or spatial position) of the hearing aid device. The hearing aid device comprises at least two hearing aid microphones and a control unit for determining the position or a deviation from an intended position of the hearing aid device or hearing aid microphones. The hearing aid device is configured to compensate for a possible dislocation of the hearing aid microphones.
US09826313B2

An improved compact electroacoustic transducer and loudspeaker system. The electroacoustic transducer (or array of electroacoustic transducers) can generate the desired sound by the use of pressurized airflow. The electroacoustic transducer uses a shared stator with an array of vent support fingers and metal frame instead of two stators per electroacoustic transducer.
US09826309B2

An optimised method for driving a loudspeaker is used for protecting the loudspeaker from damage due to excessive excursion or from overheating. The playback power of an incoming audio data stream is compared with a feedback power derived from the loudspeaker actuator and the comparison is used to adjust the frequency response of the loudspeaker, across individual sub bands.
US09826307B2

A microphone array includes an n microphone units (where n is an integer equal to or larger than three). A first one of the microphone units includes three microphones ((14-1 through 14-3)) arranged in line at equal intervals. An m-th microphone unit (where m is a positive integer expressed by 1
US09826305B2

An audio device includes a digital-to-analog converter, an amplifier, a speaker, a power management unit and a temperature sensor. The digital-to-analog converter is configured to convert a digital audio signal into an analog audio signal. The amplifier is coupled to the digital-to-analog converter and configured to amplify the analog audio signal and generate an amplified analog audio signal. The speaker is coupled to the amplifier and configured to broadcast the amplified analog audio signal. The power management unit is configured to provide the amplifier with a first working voltage and provide the digital-to-analog converter with a second working voltage. The temperature sensor is coupled to the speaker and configured to generate a temperature detection signal according to a temperature of the speaker. Wherein, the power management unit adjusts at least one of the first working voltage and the second working voltage according to the temperature detection signal.
US09826302B2

An electronic device includes a body housing one or more electronic circuits. A first actuation device and a second actuation device are disposed along the body. When actuated, the actuation devices control the operation of the one or more electronic circuits. A first speaker assembly and a second speaker assembly are operable with the one or more electronic circuits. One or both of the first actuation device or the second actuation device comprising a magnet, while one or both of the first speaker assembly or the second speaker assembly comprising a ferromagnetic material to selectively magnetically couple the first speaker assembly and the second speaker assembly to the first actuation device or the second actuation device, respectively.
US09826298B2

A wireless speaker system is provided. The system includes at least one main light emitting diode (LED) lighting device including a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) radio frequency module and a wireless audio module. The system also includes at least one auxiliary LED lighting device including the wireless audio module. Further, the system includes a smart terminal. The main LED lighting device is wirelessly connected to the smart terminal through the built-in Wi-Fi radio frequency module. The smart terminal sends an audio signal to the main LED lighting device, and then the wireless audio module in the main LED lighting device transmits the audio signal to the auxiliary LED lighting device. The auxiliary LED lighting device sends feedback information to the smart terminal through the main LED lighting device.
US09826297B2

In some cases, a method may include receiving information at a media device that is associated with movement of an accessory device. The accessory device is communicatively coupled to the media device via a media interface of the media device (e.g., a mini-phone jack of the media device). The method includes determining, at the media device, whether the accessory device satisfies accessory device orientation criteria based on the information. In response to determining that the accessory device does not satisfy the accessory device orientation criteria, the method includes generating a signal. The signal may be communicated from the media device to the accessory device via the media interface. In some cases, the signal may include accessory device re-orientation information.
US09826293B2

A control system includes a plurality of subscriber devices of a communications network, these subscriber devices communicating with one another by optical signals. A subscriber device includes two opposing faces, an optical shutter controllable between an at least partially transparent state and an opaque state, the optical shutter traversing a part of the subscriber device between the two opposing faces; a control circuit configured for controlling the controllable optical shutter; an optical signal emitter on a first of the two opposing faces, disposed in such a manner as to allow the emission of optical signals toward a first neighboring subscriber device; and an optical signal receiver on a second of the two opposing faces, disposed in such a manner as to allow optical signals to be received that originate from a second neighboring subscriber device.
US09826282B2

A reception apparatus includes a plurality of reception units each corresponding to a communication path among a plurality of communication paths, and a generation unit configured to, in a case where the plurality of reception units receives a first data unit and a second data unit, generate the first data unit at a first time corresponding to a time at which the plurality of reception units has completed reception of data forming the first data unit, and generate the second data unit at a second time corresponding to a time at which the plurality of reception units has completed reception of data forming the second data unit.
US09826279B2

Media content is received in a windows management application. The media content is from a set of content including zero or more television signal content and zero or more application content. The media content is incorporated into a television signal containing a window configuration. The television signal is then sent from the windows management application to a television where it is displayed.
US09826278B2

An electronic device and method for providing a broadcast program are provided. The electronic device includes: a tuner configured to receive a broadcast signal; a storage configured to store an image of a particular person; and a controller configured to acquire a broadcast image including a person from a broadcast signal of a preset broadcast program received through the tuner and, if it is determined that the person included in the broadcast image is the same as the particular person in the stored image, provide a user with the broadcast program based on a point in time when the particular person is included in the broadcast image.
US09826272B2

A system includes a set-top box and a remote device. The remote device receives data representing an event from the set-top box. The remote device determines whether the event has occurred based on the data representing the event and generates a transition command to transition the set-top box from a first operating mode to a second operating mode. Further, the remote device transmits the transition command to the set-top box if the event has occurred.
US09826268B2

A network device can include a tuner configured to receive audio and video data of at least one broadcast program, a network interface configured to receive at least one thumbnail image corresponding the at least one broadcast program, a user interface configured to receive a first command for executing an electronic program guide from a remote controller, and a controller configured to output a signal for displaying the electronic program guide in response to the first command. Also, the electronic program guide can include the at least one thumbnail image within a designated time zone.
US09826267B2

Examples are described for integrating interface functionality with other experiences. For example, if a user is interested in a particular item of scheduled or on-demand content (e.g., a television series episode), the user may also be interested in a web page devoted to the television series and/or other extras such as cast interviews, news, related theme apps, and the like. These types of experiences may be integrated into an interface by presenting the experiences as supplemental services that may be presented and/or selected.
US09826263B2

A apparatus or method for detecting CPD in an HFC network, comprising: (a) acquiring digital RF downstream signals from a CMTS or CM; (b) emulating even and odd order IM distortion products from the downstream signals; (c) acquiring RF upstream signals from the CMTS during a quiet period; (d) cross-correlating the RF upstream signals with the emulated even and odd order IM products to produce even and odd order cross-correlation functions, respectively; (e) accumulating, separately, a multiplicity of even and odd order cross-correlation functions; (f) calculating even and odd order cross-correlation envelopes from the accumulated even and odd order cross-correlation functions, respectively; and (g) detecting a CPD source from either or both of the even and odd order cross-correlation envelopes by the presence of a peak in either or both of the envelopes.
US09826258B2

An encoder includes a controller to determine whether macroblocks of a frame of video content are to be processed by intra-frame encoding or by predictive coding. The encoder includes a switch coupled to the controller. The encoder includes an intra-frame unit to receive the macroblocks via the switch when the controller determines to process the macroblocks by intra-frame encoding. The encoder includes a predictive unit to receive the macroblocks via the switch when the controller determines to process the macroblocks by predictive encoding. The encoder also includes a redundancy allocation unit coupled to the controller. The controller determines whether to process the macroblocks by intra-frame encoding or predictive frame encoding based on information received from the redundancy allocation unit.
US09826257B2

In one embodiment, a method determines a video including ad slots inserted within the video. The method generates a caption curve for a caption file of caption segments for a video based on start and stop times for caption segments in the caption file. The caption segments in the caption file were generated for the video without including ad slots. Then, the method determines a speech velocity for the video using the caption file and revises the caption curve based on the speech velocity and a number of characters in caption segments in the caption file. A speech probability curve is determined based on audio of the video and the method correlates the speech probability curve to the revised caption curve to align the caption segments of the caption file with speech of the video.
US09826256B2

Embodiments are provided for deliver multimedia information to a transportation apparatus through a UAV network. After the transportation apparatus enters an area, one or more UAVs may be configured to capture one or more images of an interior of the transportation apparatus. Geographical location of the transportation apparatus can be obtained. Image analysis may be employed to analyze the images to obtain passenger. Based on the geographical information regarding the transportation apparatus, and passenger, specific multimedia information can be determined for presentation to the passenger(s) in the transportation apparatus. The determined multimedia information may include media contents of interest to the passenger(s) and available in the geographical location the transportation apparatus is currently traveling in. The determined multimedia information can be transmitted to transportation apparatus for presentation to the passenger.
US09826255B2

A frame coding unit generates individual picture signal information from a moving picture signal, and outputs a frame code value which is a numeric value to be obtained as a result of coding picture signal information of each frame. A variable length coding unit decomposes the frame code value into unit frame code values which are basic units of coding, converts the unit frame code values into frame code words using only a single code table, and constructs a frame stream by combining the converted frame code words. A multiplexing unit multiplexes a header stream which is constructed through a method equivalent to a conventional method and the frame stream, and constructs a picture coded signal.
US09826252B2

A method for detecting a freeze-frame condition comprises receiving a sequence of images from at least one digital device; selectively encoding a first subset of the sequence of images using a first coding scheme that causes an adjustment to an image characteristic of the selected images being encoded; selectively encoding a second subset of the sequence of images using a second coding scheme; storing the first encoded subset and second encoded subset; retrieving the stored first encoded subset and second encoded subset; selectively decoding the first subset of the selected images using the first coding scheme and selectively decoding the second subset of the selected images using the second coding scheme to re-create the sequence of images. A freeze-frame condition in the re-created sequence of images is identifiable based on a plurality of decoded images being different with respect to the image characteristic across multiple decoded image frames.
US09826249B2

Various embodiments for deriving a motion vector for a current block of a picture are provided. One or more first type of candidates is derived for the motion vector of the current block, with each of the one or more first type of candidates being derived from a motion vector of a first block. A second type of candidate is derived for the motion vector of the current block when a total number of the one or more first type of candidates is less than a threshold value, with the second type of candidate being different from the one or more first type of candidates. The motion vector of the current block is selected, from among the one or more first type of candidates and the second type of candidate, for decoding the current block.
US09826239B2

The video signal processing method according to the present invention comprises: generating a candidate mode list of a current block on the basis of an intra-prediction mode from the spatial neighboring block of the current block; modifying the candidate mode list on the basis of an intra-prediction mode from the neighboring view of the current block; inducing the intra-prediction mode of the current block on the basis of the modified candidate mode list; and predicting the current block by using the induced intra-prediction mode.
US09826230B2

A filtering method according to the present invention is for filtering a plurality of blocks included in an image, and comprises: determining whether each of the blocks is an IPCM block or not; filtering a non-IPCM block that is not an IPCM block among the blocks to generate filtered data; outputting the filtered data as pixel values of the non-IPCM block, and outputting pixel values of the unfiltered IPCM block as pixel values of the IPCM block.
US09826229B2

A method determines a first unit of video in a base layer and analyzes a portion of pixels for the first unit of video in the base layer. A scan pattern for a second unit of video in an enhancement layer is determined based on the analyzing of the portion of the pixels in the base layer. The enhancement layer is useable to enhance the base layer. The method then performs a scan of the second unit of video in the selected scan pattern for a transform process in the enhancement layer.
US09826223B2

There are provided a stereoscopic image display device and a method of manufacturing the stereoscopic image display device. The stereoscopic image display device includes: an image generation unit generating a left-eye image and a right-eye image; a 3D filter layer disposed above the image generation unit, the 3D filter layer including a first region through which the right-eye image passes and a second region through which the left-eye image passes; and a light shielding pattern disposed between the image generation unit and the 3D filter layer in a position corresponding to a boundary portion between the first region and the second region. The light shielding pattern is formed of a phase change ink composition.
US09826218B2

An image representing reflected light of structured light is acquired, distance information is calculated, from the image, and a measurement line map storing the distance information is generated. The structured light forms a plurality of measurement lines at discrete positions, and the measurement line map is formed as a two-dimensional array in which one dimension includes elements in a number corresponding to a number of the measurement lines, and another dimension includes elements in a number corresponding to a number of pixels of the image in a lengthwise direction of the measurement lines.
US09826213B1

Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media are provided that relate to using one or more vision sensors to capture images of a loaded pallet in association with application of stretch wrap to the loaded pallet by an automated pallet wrapping machine. The images are used to generate an image-based identifier for the loaded pallet that is then used for pallet identification by mobile robots and/or other automated agents in a warehouse or other environment. In some implementations, the images are captured by the vision sensor when the pallet is in the wrapping area of the automated pallet wrapping machine and while the vision sensor and/or the pallet are rotating. In some implementations, the image-based identifier may be assigned to pallet attributes and/or a de-palletizing scheme of the loaded pallet.
US09826204B2

Generating images to be projected at different projection distances with a multi-aperture projection display, statically or without any conversion, neither mechanically nor at the imager, is enabled by designing the single images of the multi-aperture projection display in a suitable manner, namely by combining provisional single images for the projection channels of the multi-aperture projection display, which are intended for each of the at least two images to be projected, projection channel by projection channel, to the actual or final single images.
US09826201B2

A method and a measuring machine for determining dimensional properties of a measurement object each use a workpiece table and a camera having an image sensor and an imaging optics. The imaging optics exhibits aberrations and is configured to be focused on a plurality of different working positions relative to the workpiece table. The aberrations are minimized by using first calibration values provided for a defined working position. A first working distance of the camera relative to a region of interest is determined. Subsequently, the imaging optics is focused, using the first working distance and using second calibration values that represent an image field curvature of the camera, such that the region of interest is substantially brought into a defined working position. Subsequently, the image recording and image evaluation take place to determine measurement values that represent the dimensional properties of the measurement object in the region of interest.
US09826190B2

An image processing device includes a correction section adapted to perform a correction process of data of low (N−M) bits (N and M are integers fulfilling N>M) of a gray level value represented by input video data in a case in which the data of the low (N−M) bits coincides with a predetermined bit sequence, and a modulation section adapted to set data on which the correction process has been performed as target data with respect to the pixel having the data of the low (N−M) bits coinciding with the predetermined bit sequence, and perform a modulation process of modulating at least a part of data of high M bits of the target data using a bit sequence defined in accordance with the data of the low (N−M) bits in a plurality of unit periods.
US09826186B2

An imaging apparatus is provided which, in a case where an optical signal is smaller than a threshold, performs more AD conversions for generating digital signals than the number of times of AD conversions in a case where an optical signal is larger than the threshold.
US09826184B2

A device for imaging comprising an image sensor is disclosed. The image sensor includes rows and columns of pixels. The image sensor further includes a first control structure for controlling transfer of accumulated electric charges from photo-active regions to transmission regions in pixels. The image sensor further includes a second control structure for controlling transfer of accumulated charge in the transmission region of each row to the adjacent row below. The first and second control structures control the image sensor to alternately transfer accumulated charges in photo-active regions to the transmission regions and transfer charges to the adjacent row below. The control structure includes a plurality of row structures which are arranged to select whether the charge in the photo-active regions of respective rows are added to the transmission region. Each row of pixels is controlled by one of the row structures of the first control structure.
US09826177B2

There is provided a video signal noise elimination method for performing noise correction by digital processing. The video signal noise elimination method includes using, as an output video signal, a mixed video signal obtained by mixing an input video signal and a low-pass video signal at a predetermined mixing ratio corresponding to a contour signal. The method further includes subtracting an off-set, which grows larger as the low-pass video signal becomes greater, from the contour signal. The method further includes controlling the predetermined mixing ratio so that a ratio of the low-pass video signal contained in the mixed video signal increases in a portion where the contour signal is small and so that the ratio of the low-pass video signal contained in the mixed video signal decreases in a portion where the contour signal is large.
US09826174B2

An image processing apparatus and method are provided. In the method, an image sensor including first pixels for detecting an image and second pixels for detecting a different type of signals, reads out values from at least one of the second pixels and at least one the first pixels, based on a predetermined rule, outputs a first sampling image, based on the read out pixels, restores values of the at least one of the second pixels to be image pixel values for locations of the at least one of the second pixels included in the first sampling image, outputs a restored image based on the restored values, performs binning on pixels of the restored image using a predetermined method; and outputs a reduced resolution image with a resolution reduced at a predetermined rate from the restored image, based on the binning.
US09826172B2

A spectroscopic analysis apparatus includes a light source section having a first light source and second light source that radiate light fluxes, a wavelength tunable interference filter, an imaging section that captures light having passed through the wavelength tunable interference filter to acquire a first spectroscopic image when the object being imaged is irradiated with the light from the first light source and a second spectroscopic image when the object being imaged is irradiated with the light from the second light source, a pixel detector that detects an abnormal pixel in the first spectroscopic image, and a light amount corrector that replaces the amount of light at the abnormal pixel in the first spectroscopic image with the amount of light at a pixel in the second spectroscopic image that is located in the same position as the abnormal pixel.
US09826165B2

There is provided a control device including a display control unit configured to cause display of a display unit to shift between a first display mode in which a first kind of image having a predetermined relation with an electric-to-electric (EE) image acquired by an imaging unit and a second kind of image different from the first kind of image are displayed and a second display mode in which the first kind of image is not displayed and the second kind of image is displayed, and a power control unit configured to control power supply to the imaging unit in the shift between the first and second display modes.
US09826164B2

Disclosed is a marine environment display device for georeferencing an image stream of a marine environment captured by a camera. The marine environment display device may comprise an image receiver configured to receive an image of the image stream from the camera, a location receiver configured to receive an object location of an object, an image generator configured to generate, from the image, a projected image having location information associated with each of a plurality of points on the projected image and corresponding to a camera position and field of view of the camera, an object generator configured to generate an object indicator at a position on the projected image based on the object location and the location information, and a display configured to display the projected image and the object indicator at the position on the projected image.
US09826163B2

An image processing apparatus includes a setting unit configured to set, in a first range encompassing an area of a captured image acquired by an imaging unit, a first analysis graphic or a first line on a display screen displaying the first analysis range, and set, in the first setting range, a display range of the captured image to be displayed on a display unit, and a determination unit configured, when the display range is such that the first graphic or the first line set in the first range is partially located outside the display range, to determine a second analysis graphic having a number of vertexes equal to or smaller than a number of vertexes of the first analysis graphic, and contained within the display range or a second line contained within the display range.
US09826154B2

There is provided an imaging device including an imaging control unit that executes imaging control in first and second self-timer modes in which an automatic focusing process and an imaging process are executed in order after reception of an imaging start instruction. A first period from the reception of the imaging start instruction to execution of the automatic focusing process in the first self-timer mode is shorter than a second period from the reception of the imaging start instruction to execution of the automatic focusing process in the second self-timer mode.
US09826152B1

Single-unit, 360-degree cameras are provided with lighting arrays and a multifunctional lumens, as well as systems and methods for mounting, moving, and/or cooling the cameras such that the operator, lighting, and carriers of the camera are at least substantially invisible to the lens of the camera when taking a spherical image.
US09826148B2

An image processing apparatus comprises an input unit configured to input an image; an acquisition unit configured to acquire a parameter for adjusting an image quality, reference environment information serving as a reference when adjusting the image quality by applying the parameter, and shooting environment information representing an environment upon shooting the image; an adjustment unit configured to adjust the image by using the parameter; and a determination unit configured to determine, based on a difference between the reference environment information and the shooting environment information, whether adjustment by the parameter is necessary.
US09826144B2

The invention relates to the field of portable electronic equipment, and discloses peripheral equipment for controlling a camera arranged in a terminal, a system and a method thereof. The peripheral equipment comprises: an external controller, comprising a user operation end for receiving an operation action of a user; and a trigger signal generator for generating a regular trigger event signal according to the operation action; and a transmission device, comprising an interface interacting with the terminal, for transmitting the trigger event signal to the terminal through a transmission medium. According to the invention, the problem that existing mobile terminals with relatively large sizes are unfavorable for photo taking operation of users is effectively solved.
US09826129B2

Provided are a near-infrared-ray-absorbing composition having strong near-infrared shielding properties when a cured film is produced, a near-infrared-ray cut filter, a manufacturing method therefor, a camera module, and a manufacturing method therefor. The near-infrared-ray-absorbing composition includes a copper complex obtained by reacting a compound (A) having at least two coordination sites with a copper component.
US09826121B2

A method for printing a document from a mobile device includes identifying a document to be printed and generating a notification comprising a selection of at least one candidate print device that may be selected for printing. The notification may be generated by analyzing, by one or more mobile device applications, the document to be printed to identify a document context including a security level of the identified document; using data sensed by one or more mobile device sensors to identify a user context including at least a current geographical location of the user; using the user context to detect a print device near the geographical location of the user; and accessing a rule set to determine if the identified document can be printed on the detected print device based on the security level of the identified document; and causing a user interface to output the notification.
US09826115B2

A method of forming a three-dimensional article includes sequentially forming a plurality of first two-dimensional layers and a second two-dimensional layer. The second two-dimensional layer includes a second outer edge and a second inner area within the boundary defined by the second outer edge. The second inner area includes uniform physical characteristic and a watermark area within the second inner area having a physical characteristic different from that of the second inner area. An article includes a body with an inner area having a physical characteristic. A watermark is within the inner area and has a physical characteristic different from the physical characteristic of the inner area.
US09826110B2

A networked printer system includes a first printer coupled to a network. The first printer includes a first printer address book having a plurality of address book contents that are located in a plurality of Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) Object Identifiers (OIDs). A second printer is coupled to the network. The second printer includes a processor, a communications device coupled to the processor, and a computer-readable medium coupled to the processor. An address book transferring engine is located on the computer-readable medium and includes computer-readable instruction that when executed connect to the first printer through the communications device over the network using SNMP, retrieve the plurality of address book contents from the plurality of SNMP OIDs, and transfer the plurality of address book contents to a second printer address book that is associated with the second printer.
US09826107B2

An information processing system includes a first information processing apparatus and a second information processing apparatus that use setting information. The first information processing apparatus includes a transmission unit that transmits information including at least function identification information and user identification information to the second information processing apparatus, the function identification information identifying a function for which first setting information is used, and the user identification information identifying a user associated with the function identification information. The second information processing apparatus includes a request unit that makes a request for the first setting information to the first information processing apparatus in a case where second setting information is stored in the second information processing apparatus; and an update unit that updates the second setting information in accordance with the first setting information that has been transmitted from the first information processing apparatus.
US09826103B2

Apparatus and methods that offload charging from an Online Charging System (OCS). The OCS includes an offload controller that receives a online charging request from a policy enforcement element for a service, determines whether charging for the service is eligible to be offloaded from the OCS to an Offline Charging System (OFCS), and pushes a charging rule to the policy enforcement element to switch a charging mode for the service to offline charging. An online charging function within the OCS receives another online charging request for the service from the OFCS that reports a charging event detected by the policy enforcement element, and debits an account of an end user based on the online charging request from the OFCS.
US09826100B2

Various of the disclosed embodiments concern computer systems, methods, and programs for brokering logins to software as a service (SaaS) applications and tracking usage of the SaaS applications. First, a user, e.g. employee of an enterprise, logs into a SaaS usage proxy using a first set of credentials. The first set of credentials is known by the user, e.g. preexisting credentials for an enterprise-wide authentication system. Once a SaaS application is selected by the user, the SaaS usage proxy logs into the SaaS application using a second set of credentials. However, the second set of login credentials is encrypted and not known by the user, which causes the SaaS application to be accessible only through the SaaS usage proxy. This allows the SaaS usage proxy to monitor all usage of the SaaS application, even if multiple network-accessible devices are used to log into the SaaS usage proxy.
US09826093B2

Disclosed are method, device and system for processing a calling requires message of a mobile terminal, the method comprising: triggering a pre-embedded blocking program in the calling process; upon detecting a calling request message, the blocking program acquires an incoming call number in the calling request message; the blocking program determines whether the incoming call number is a call number defined by a preset rule, if the incoming call number is a call number defined by the preset rule, then delaying the ring of the phone number defined by the preset rule. The present invention protects a user from the harassment of a malicious harassing call, thus avoiding unnecessary financial loss.
US09826090B2

Merchant/consumer calls may be recorded and evaluated according to a variety of criteria. The call recordings and analyses thereof, as well as consumer tracking information, may be displayed in a user interface of a web-based online portal for convenience in evaluating the use and efficacy of marketing channels as well as the quality of merchant/consumer interactions. In an aspect, the user interface provides call visualization in the form of audio data from a telephone call displayed as a waveform on a call timeline. The call may be (automatically or manually) annotated with various business-value-specific keywords spoken during the telephone call, and markers for these keywords can be presented on the call timeline to visually indicate the keyword and the time during the call when the keyword was spoken. A business value for the call may be determined based at least in part on keywords spoken during the call.
US09826087B2

When authorized, a user of a computing device, such as a smart phone, may select an originating phone number to initiate a voice call that is different from the telephone number that is assigned to the computing device. The telephone number that is selected as the originating number may be a number that is assigned to another computing device and/or a different user. In response to receiving a request to place an outgoing call using the selected destination number, the network returns a temporary routing number to the computing device. The computing device places a call to the temporary routing number. After receiving the call at the temporary routing number, the network places the outgoing call using the selected originating number. The outgoing call appears to a called party to originate from the selected originating number instead of from the phone number assigned to the computing device.
US09826086B2

Communication systems and communication methods are provided, by which load of a communication network when measuring a voice communication quality can be suppressed. A test signal for voice communication quality evaluation is transmitted to a communication terminal apparatus via a communication network, and a received voice data encoded by a predetermined scheme for the test signal received with the communication terminal apparatus is received from the communication terminal apparatus. A received voice signal is generated from the received voice data received from the communication terminal apparatus, and a evaluation value of voice communication quality is calculated by comparing the generated received voice signal with the test signal before transmitting.
US09826078B2

A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed, by which a region desired to be shared with a watch type terminal can be guided. The present invention includes a touchscreen configured to output information, a wireless communication unit configured to communicate with a watch type terminal having a display, and a controller configured to control a display of an object on the touchscreen, in response to receiving a touch input at the touchscreen, transmitting, to the watch type terminal, control information, outputted at the displayed object or a request for the watch type terminal to transmit data corresponding to the information.
US09826077B2

A method of unlocking a locking mode of a portable terminal, which includes sensing a user's gesture input which is set in a locking mode of the portable terminal. The locking mode is unlocked in response to the user's gesture input, and a function mapped to the user's gesture can be executed when unlocking the locking mode. A portable terminal compares gestures among predefined sets of gesture information in order to check whether there is a gesture that coincides with the analyzed gesture.
US09826072B1

An anchoring network device of a telecommunications network can receive a first initiation request of a communication session and determine a second request indicating a different media capability than the first request. The different capabilities can share a payload format. A network gateway can modify headers of packets to change between the capabilities. In some examples, the anchoring device can determine that a codec list of the initiation request corresponds to a rewrite rule. The device can apply the rewrite rule to the request to provide a second request listing a second, different codec. The first codec and the second codec can both be associated with a common payload format. The network gateway can modify first packets from a first to a second terminal to replace first-codec headers with second-codec headers and vice-versa.
US09826069B2

Apparatuses, methods, and computer readable media for restriction of upload traffic in a high-efficiency wireless local-area network are disclosed. A high-efficiency (HE) wireless local area network (HEW) device including circuitry is disclosed. The circuitry may be configured to generate a HE packet comprising a first indication of whether a random access is allowed, and generate the HE packet with a second indication of a type of packet allowed in the random access, if random access is allowed. A HE station including circuitry is disclosed. The circuitry may be configured to receive a HE packet from a access point, the packet comprising an indication of whether random access is permitted during a transmission opportunity, and determine based on the HE packet whether the random access is allowed, and if the random access period is not allowed, then return to a power saving mode without decoding the rest of the HE packet.
US09826061B2

Downloadable pluggable services and methods of distributing the same are described. The downloadable pluggable services may correspond to communication services that can be downloaded to upgrade a communication system. The downloadable pluggable services may include a number of component parts that can be distributed among various servers in the communication system being upgraded along with instructions that enable the component parts to instruct each server in the communication system to operate in a coordinated fashion so as to provide the downloaded service.
US09826059B2

Techniques for resource access throttling are described. In implementations, access to a network resource can be controlled based on a variety of factors, such as a type of user requesting access to the network resource. For example, consider a scenario where an online content store is preparing to launch. To prevent resources associated with the online content store from being overwhelmed by the number of requests for access when the store is launched, techniques can be implemented to throttle the number of requests that are granted. For instance, requests for access can be throttled based on different user types.
US09826050B2

Method and device of sharing photos and associated information among users of a social network platform are disclosed. The method includes: a mobile device sending, to a server, a first location of a first photo and a current location of the mobile device; receiving a first plurality of POIs, at least one of which is located near the first location of the first photo and another one of which is located near the current location of the mobile device; determining a first POI among the first plurality of POIs as a first check-in location of the first photo; and sending the first photo and the first POI to the server.
US09826048B2

Systems and methods for location-based content sharing on a network are disclosed. The systems and methods disclosed are directed to sending and receiving various types of content items, including text, images, audio files, and video. Users may receive, evaluate, and further retransmit content items. A user may enter content item filters in order to limit the content items the user receives. A content item filter may include a location filter, a demographic filter, or any other type of filter that may be applied to content items. Demographic filters may include criteria such as age and gender. Location filters may include one or more receiving locations, which may be a point location or an area or a combination of one or more of these.
US09826044B2

Systems and methods for communicating between a first and a second peer using interactive connectivity establishment (ICE) protocol, the first and second peers sharing a symmetric network address translation (NAT) having wireless isolation enabled and no support for hair-pinning. At a first Traversal Using Relay NAT (TURN) server designated as a relay candidate by a TURN Virtual Internet Platform (VIP), it is determined that a first port allocated by the symmetric NAT for a first request for communication initiated by the first peer and directed to the TURN VIP, is different from a second port allocated by the symmetric NAT for a first packet transmitted from the first peer to the first TURN server, based on a first indication. The second port is mapped to the first port. Using a similar port mapping for the second peer, peer-to-peer communication between the first and second peers is enabled.
US09826041B1

A system and method for providing sets of partition placements, the system and method including determining a first set of placements for a first set of partitions first set of partitions of a volume based at least in part on a set of constraints, and placing the first set of partitions based at least in part on the first set of placements. The system and method further includes determining a second set of placements for a second set of partitions of the volume based at least in part on the first set of placements and the set of constraints, the second set of partitions being a replica of the first set of partitions, and placing the second set of partitions based at least in part on the second set of placements.
US09826036B2

In the present invention, as functions of a web browser, the web browser extracts, among local storage data stored in a storage area, local storage data as a deletion candidate according to one or more conditions, and deletes the local storage data extracted as the deletion candidate from the storage area.
US09826035B2

The present disclosure describes methods, systems, and computer program products for retrying message delivery in a network. One computer-implemented method includes determining a retry window (RW) for one or more retry attempts to send a message to a target system, determining a minimum silent interval (MSI) representing the minimum permitted time interval between two successive retry attempts, dividing the RW into one or more time slots of N duration, randomly determining, by a hardware processor, a point-in-time within a time slot starting from the beginning time of the time slot, and sending a message as a retry attempt to the target system at the point-in-time.
US09826030B1

A system and method for providing sets of partition placements, the system and method including, receiving at least one placement request for a set of partitions of a volume. Based at least in part on counts of pairs of partitions hosted by pairs of computing devices, the system and method further includes determining how suitable the pairs of computing devices are for placement of partitions of the set of partitions, generating a set of placements based at least in part on the determination, and providing the set of placements in response to the at least one placement request.
US09826028B2

In one embodiment, computer-readable instructions, when executed, cause a client browser to wait for all of the markup language in a document object model to be loaded, and upon loading, parse the document object model for supported tags, create placeholder frames for each supported tag, and bundle all the tags into a single meta-request for a server. Upon receiving each response, the instructions are further operable to cause the client browser to replace the hidden frames with its corresponding response, thereby reducing the number of socket connections from the client to the server.
US09826025B2

Presented herein are techniques for use in a network environment that includes one or more service zones, each service zone including at least one instance of an in-line application service to be applied to network traffic and one or more routers to direct network traffic to the at least one service, and a route target being assigned to a unique service zone to serve as a community value for route import and export between routers of other service zones, destination networks or source networks via a control protocol. An edge router in each service zone or destination network advertises routes by its destination network prefix tagged with its route target. A service chain is created by importing and exporting of destination network prefixes by way of route targets at edge routers of the service zones or source networks.
US09826020B2

A request for content is sent, using a client device, to a content server through a first network connection. A root document is received from the content server. The root document includes at least one content stub, where each content stub identifies a respective portion of the content as a deferred portion of the content and includes a content identifier of the respective deferred portion of the content. A network connection change to the content server from the first network connection to a second network connection is detected. A determination is made to download at least one deferred portion of the content through the second network connection based upon a configured download constraint assigned to the deferred portion of the content and a network characteristic of the second network connection. The deferred portion of the content identified by the respective content stub is obtained.
US09826014B2

For various implementations, a first application streaming client can obtain portions of an application from a application streaming server, execute the application based on those portions obtained, and provide a second application streaming client (a pixel-based application streaming client) access to the executing application using a pixel stream generated based on output from the executing application. Depending on the implementation, the first application streaming client could execute the application, based on the portions obtained, on behalf of a user at the application streaming client, on behalf of the pixel-based application streaming client, or both. In various implementations, the first application streaming client and the second application streaming client can be communicatively coupled through a local network (e.g., LAN or local WiFi), while the first application streaming client and the application streaming server can be communicatively coupled through a wider area network (e.g., WAN or MAN).
US09826010B2

A wireless network access point implementing a data control system is configured to receive a data stream from a transmitting terminal device and transmit the data stream to a receiving terminal device. The data control system includes a receiving module configured to receive the data stream from the transmitting terminal device, a transmitting module configured to transmit the data stream from the wireless network access point to the receiving terminal device, a speed detecting module configured to detect a current transmission speed of the data stream, a comparing module configured to determine whether the current transmission speed is greater than or equal to a required minimum transmission speed of the data stream, and a managing module configured to stop the wireless network access point from receiving or transmitting the data stream when the current transmission speed is less than the required minimum transmission speed.
US09826005B2

Users in public forums often mention certain topics in the course of their discussions. Member's comments in messages to other members are analyzed to obtain terms that co-occur with topics. Frequencies of co-occurrence of a term with topics are normalized based on frequency of the term in a random sample of message. The terms are ranked by their normalized frequency of co-occurrence with a topic in messages. The top terms are selected based on their rank. Analysis of demographic information associated with members that mentioned top terms associated with a topic is displayed in graphical format that highlights the relationship between the age, gender, and usage of the top terms over time. The demographic information presented includes average age of members that mentioned a top term or their gender information within a selected time interval.
US09825997B2

A mediator for the transmission of media contents includes means for receiving video content requests from terminals when they request to take part in said video call conference, and for optimizing these requests, in order to avoid requesting any redundant video stream from a multimedia resource function, before forwarding the optimized requests to the multimedia resource function; means for implementing virtual conferees as a function of the video content requests from said terminals, for receiving the video streams that have been requested by the optimized request, from the multimedia resource function, and then forwarding the received video streams to the terminals that have requested them, in a broadcast way when a same video stream has been requested by several terminals, and means for commanding the telephony server to accept the implemented virtual conferees in the video call conference.
US09825996B2

Rights management services (RMS) integration with mobile device management (MDM) may be provided. A functionality associated with a document may be restricted according to a document management policy. After the document has been transmitted to a receiving device, a request to un-restrict the at least one functionality associated with the document may be received. If it is determined that the receiving device complies with the document management policy, the functionality associated with the document may be un-restricted.
US09825995B1

A computer-implemented method includes receiving, at a first server sub-system, content served to a client computing device; transcoding, with the first server sub-system, the received content using a policy received from a second security sub-system; determining, with the first server sub-system that the second server sub-system has likely ceased operating properly; receiving a request to vote on a leader server sub-system from one or more server sub-systems, and voting for from of the one or more server sub-systems; and subsequently transcoding received content according to a policy received from another of the server sub-systems that is not the second server sub-system.
US09825992B2

Systems and methods for configuring security policies based on security parameters stored in a public or private cloud infrastructure are provided. According to one embodiment, security parameters associated with a first network appliance of an enterprise, physically located at a first site, are shared by the first network appliance with multiple network appliances of the enterprise by logging into an shared enterprise cloud account. The shared parameters are retrieved by a second network appliance of the enterprise, physically located at a second site, by logging into the shared enterprise cloud account. A VPN client configuration is automatically created by the second network appliance that controls a VPN connection between the first and second network appliances based on the shared parameters. The VPN connection is dynamically established based on the shared parameters when the VPN client configuration permits network traffic to be exchanged between the first and second network appliances.
US09825991B2

The systems, methods and apparatuses described herein provide an apparatus configured for preventing relay attacks on a communication link between the apparatus and a communication partner. The apparatus may comprise a communication port, a timer and a processor. The processor may be configured to generate a request, transmit the request through the communication link using the communication port and start counting time using the timer, receive a response via the communication port and stop the timer, receive authentication data via the communication port, authenticate the authentication data, compare the counted time with a predefined threshold, compare a first field within the request with a second field within the response and determine whether there is a relay attack.
US09825990B2

Systems and methods for software defined behavioral DDoS attack mitigation are provided. According to one embodiment, a method is provided for mitigating DDoS attacks. A DDoS attack mitigation appliance of multiple mitigation appliances controlled by a DDoS attack mitigation central controller receives DDoS attack mitigation policies through a network connecting the controller and the mitigation appliance. A DDoS attack is mitigated by the mitigation appliance based on the received mitigation policies. The mitigation policies are generated by the controller based on granular behavioral packet rate thresholds estimated based on granular traffic rate information collected from one or more of the multiple mitigation appliances controlled by the controller.
US09825986B1

The disclosed computer-implemented method for generating contextually meaningful animated visualizations of computer security events may include (1) detecting a security-related event that involves an actor and a target within a computing environment, (2) identifying certain characteristics of the security-related event that collectively describe a context of the security-related event with respect to the actor and the target within the computing environment, (3) generating, based at least in part on the certain characteristics of the security-related event, a graphical animation of the security-related event that graphically represents the context of the security-related event with respect to the actor and the target within the computing environment, and then (4) providing, for presentation to a user, the graphical animation of the security-related event to facilitate visualizing the context of the security-related event with respect to the actor and the target. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09825981B2

Techniques for ranking a set of vulnerabilities of a computing asset and set of remediations for a computing asset, and determining a risk score for one or more computing assets are provided. In one technique, vulnerabilities of computing assets in a customer network are received at a vulnerability intelligence platform. Breach data indicating set of breaches that occurred outside customer network is also received. A subset of the set of vulnerabilities that are most vulnerable to a breach is identified based on the breach data. In another technique, multiple vulnerabilities of a computing asset are determined. A risk score is generated for the computing asset based on the vulnerabilities. In another technique, multiple remediations associated with a risk score and multiple vulnerabilities are identified. The remediations are ordered based on the remediations that would reduce the risk score the most if those remediations were applied to remove the corresponding vulnerabilities.
US09825980B2

A content delivery network includes a plurality of cache servers. Each cache server is configured to receive a request for content from a client system and receive content and security data from a content server. Each cache server is further configured to provide the content to the client system and provide the security data to a monitoring system.
US09825976B1

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a processor to perform operations including: responsive to determining that a correlation between a representation of the first portion of network traffic and a representation of a known exploit kit results in a score above a first prescribed score value, classifying the representation of the first portion of the received network traffic into an exploit kit family corresponding to the representation the known exploit kit; and responsive to determining that the score is below the first prescribed score value and above a second prescribed score value, (i) analyzing the representation of the first portion of the received network traffic, and (ii) processing, within a virtual machine, a second portion of the received network traffic to determine whether processing of the received network traffic results in behavior indicative of an exploit kit is shown.
US09825969B2

A media rendering system includes a proximity detecting device configured to detect a user identification device and receive a user identity from a user identification device when the user identification device is located within a proximity detecting region of the proximity detecting device. A media rendering device is in communication with the proximity detecting device. The media rendering device is configured to receive one or more user identities from the proximity detecting device and render media according to an operating manner determined at least in part by the received one or more user identities.
US09825964B2

Enforcing access control to individual extensions of services in a multi-tenant cloud environment by initializing objects for the extension based on public and private configuration files with service access rules that are merged is described. This allows third party vendors to specify payment rules for their own extensions while securely keeping the core extension configuration files. Tenants of the multi-tenant cloud environment can pick and choose which services to purchase, and the cloud environment automates the process of accessing the service using the third-party developer's tenant access list rules.
US09825962B2

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for sharing information. The methods, systems, and apparatus include actions of receiving user information entered by a user through a user interface and generating a user profile based at least on the user information. Additional actions include receiving an identification of a particular storage provider location from the user through the user interface, storing the user profile at the particular storage provider location, and receiving privacy settings from the user. Additional actions include receiving a request from the user to access a network resource associated with a particular user information consumer. Further actions include obtaining the user profile from the particular storage provider location, generating a user information collection including at least a portion of the user information from the user profile, and providing the generated user information collection to the particular user information consumer.
US09825959B2

In various example embodiments, systems, devices, methods, and media for configurable data endpoints are presented. In one example, a system comprises a module, executing on at least one processor of a machine, configured to issue a request for access to data residing on a client device. In response to receiving an authorization of the request, the module communicates with a user-configurable API data endpoint on the client device to retrieve at least some of the requested data and store the requested data in a database. This allows users to leverage data already residing on their mobile devices when required to enter data into other computerized systems, for example.
US09825946B2

A method for enhanced validation of cryptograms for varying account number lengths includes: storing one or more primary account numbers and a plurality of formatting templates, each template being associated with an account number length; receiving a selection indicating a specific primary account number; identifying a specific formatting template where the associated account number length corresponds to a length of the specific primary account number; receiving an unpredictable number from a point of sale device; generating a cryptogram based on at least the unpredictable number and one or more algorithms; generating a data string, wherein the data string includes at least the generated cryptogram, the specific primary account number, and the unpredictable number, and wherein the data string is formatted based on the identified specific formatting template; and electronically transmitting the generated data string to the point of sale device.
US09825940B2

The present disclosure provides systems and techniques for improved back-end integration of third-party content and an administrative framework allowing for user experience management for a computer-based environment. Described herein, for example, are approaches to improving secure access to multiple web-based systems, integrating web-based content, and controlling timing of web interaction. The problems addressed herein relate to coordinating access and delivery of web content from and to multiple sources and multiple users in an integrated and time-controlled manner.
US09825923B2

Providing secure radio information transfer over a mobile radio bearer by generating one or more secret keys, applying symmetric encryption to unencrypted radio information to generate encrypted radio information, applying a keyed hash operation to the unencrypted radio information using the generated one or more secret keys to generate a message digest, and transmitting both the encrypted radio information and the message digest over a network.
US09825920B1

A computer-implemented method is provided that includes propagating a first identifier and a first key to one or more cipher engines on a computing system, the one or more cipher engines configured to perform at least one of decryption and encryption based on a first cryptographic scheme from a plurality of cryptographic schemes identified by the first identifier, and the first key; on expiration of the first identifier and the first key, propagating a second identifier and a second key to the one or more cipher engines on the computing system and instructions for configuring the one or more cipher engines to change the first cryptographic scheme to a second cryptographic scheme based on the second identifier and the second key; and setting a time window beyond the expiration for acceptance of messages encrypted in the first cryptographic scheme and messages encrypted in the second cryptographic scheme.
US09825916B2

A mobile device identifier (such as an MSISDN) that typically accompanies a mobile device request is replaced with an “enriched” identifier that exposes the mobile device user's home operator but obfuscates the mobile device's (and, thus, the device user's) identity. In one embodiment, the identifier comprises a first part, and a second part. The first part comprises a data string that identifies (either directly or through a database lookup) the mobile device user's home operator. The second part, however, is an opaque data string, such as a one-time-use unique identifier (UID) or a value that is otherwise derived as a function of the MSISDN (or the like). The opaque data string encodes the mobile device's identity in a manner that preferably can be recovered only by the user's home operator (or an entity authorized thereby). When the mobile device user roams into a foreign network, that network receives the enriched identifier in lieu of an MSISDN. The foreign network uses the first part to identify the mobile device user's home network, e.g., to determine whether to permit the requested access (or to provide some other value-added service). The foreign network, however, cannot decode the second part; thus, the mobile device's identity (as well as the identity of the mobile device user) remains obscured. This ensures that the user's privacy is maintained, while preventing third parties from building a profile of the device based on the requests that include the MSISDN or similar identifier.
US09825904B2

Embodiments of the invention relate to overlay network address management. One embodiment includes an overlay gateway including an overlay network manager associated with a physical network. The overlay network manager prevents duplicate address assignment for overlay domains having a first sharing status and performs address translation for overlay domains having a second sharing status. Address translation is avoided for overlay domains having the first sharing status.
US09825902B1

In accordance with one example embodiment, there is provided a method for configuring a virtual IP address (“VIP”) at a network element, wherein the configuring includes identifying at least one ingress interface of the network element for receiving traffic destined for the VIP and wherein the VIP is associated with a plurality of servers; determining whether the configuring indicates that the VIP is to be advertised; and advertising the configured VIP address to at least one neighboring network node if the configuring indicates that the VIP is to be advertised.
US09825901B2

A method for acquiring an Internet Protocol (IP) address is provided that pertains to the communications field. The method includes detecting Packet Data Protocol (PDP) connection information between a mobile broadband device and a network side; acquiring identification information if it is detected that the PDP connection information between the mobile broadband device and the network side changes, where the identification information is used to identify the PDP connection information between the mobile broadband device and the network side; and sending the identification information to a host, so that the host acquires an IP address of the host according to the identification information. In the present invention, the mobile broadband device sends the identification information to the host, so that the host sets, according to the identification information, a value of a state identifier included in the host.
US09825900B2

In one embodiment, a system includes a processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor. The logic is configured to cause the processor to receive, at a first end point station, information exchange packets from all end point stations in a virtual network having a specified VNID, process each received information exchange packet to retrieve information about connections at each end point station in the virtual network having the specified VNID, and assemble a Tunnel Information Base (TIB) for a selected tunnel end point. Each of the information exchange packets include a MAC address for all member VMs in the virtual network having the specified VNID connected to each end point station in the virtual network having the specified VNID. In addition, the TIB includes a Tunnel ID, the specified VNID, and MAC addresses of the member VMs of the virtual network having the specified VNID.
US09825896B2

A message post-processing apparatus provides an optional instrumented viewport to a message recipient to store message dispositions such as archive, reply-to, forward, open, move, delete, and each elapsed time-to-disposal (TTD) from display. The instrumented viewport also displays a proposed disposition and a proposed TTD, which may be overridden within the instrumented viewport. A timer is initialized to TDD when each message is substantially within the viewport. Absent user intervention, a disposer circuit performs the proposed operation on the message upon expiration of the TTD. The proposed TTD and disposition is derived from analyzing the history and quality of similar messages among recipient's dispositions. When a recipient changes the treatment of a message, the apparatus stores the new disposition and TTD for future reference. A synthesizer circuit transforms message body and headers and proposed TTD and disposition into a message précis.
US09825892B2

Various embodiments of systems and methods for personalized and context-aware processing of a message generation request are described herein. Initially a message generation request from the portable electronic device to the operating system is intercepted. Next values corresponding to a plurality of context parameters are received. The values include a personal preference of a user. Next the message generation request is processed, based on the values of the context parameter and the message generation request, to obtain a message. Finally the message is sent to the portable electronic device. The message to the portable electronic device is displayed based on the values corresponding to the plurality of context parameters.
US09825873B2

A traffic control apparatus at which packets of a plurality of packet flows arrive includes a plurality of buffers corresponding to a plurality of times, a selector configured to read a packet accumulated in one of the plurality of buffers corresponding to a current time, and a scheduler configured to decide one of the plurality of buffers to accumulate a packet of each of the plurality of packet flows. The scheduler attempts, for each of the plurality of packet flows, accumulation of packets which are reached during a predetermined period under a condition that, as quantity of packets accumulated in the plurality of buffers is larger, the number of buffers into which packets can be accumulated becomes smaller after the predetermined period.
US09825869B2

A current request for a server to perform work for a user profile can be received and processed at the server. It can be determined whether server usage by the profile exhibits a sufficient trend toward a threshold value to warrant performing traffic shaping for the user profile. If so, then a delay time can be calculated based on, or as a function of, server resources used in processing the current request, and a response to the current request can be delayed by the delay time.
US09825867B2

An Application Layer Traffic Optimization (ALTO) node comprising a processor configured to import a first set of network information from one or more software defined networking (SDN) nodes, aggregate the network information received from the SDN nodes, calculate a plurality of traffic optimization decisions based on the aggregated network information, and forward the traffic optimization decisions to the SDN nodes. Also disclosed is a method for optimizing traffic using a SDN node and an Application Layer Traffic Optimization (ALTO) node, the method comprising receiving a request for network resources from a node, obtaining a plurality of traffic optimization information from the ALTO node, negotiating one or more paths with a second SDN node using the traffic optimization information received from the ALTO node, constructing the paths, and sending a response to the node that indicates the node may forward packets via one of the paths.
US09825855B2

An information processing apparatus includes a processor configured to perform a process which includes determining an address available to be set as a source address of a first packet to be transmitted to an apparatus included in a network; identifying one or more relay apparatuses in a communication route from the apparatus to the information processing apparatus; and configuring, for at least one of the identified relay apparatuses, a setting regarding a transfer destination of a second packet whose destination address is the determined address in such a manner that the second packet is transferred toward the information processing apparatus along the communication route.
US09825851B2

A system provisions global logical entities that facilitate the operation of logical networks that span two or more datacenters. These global logical entities include global logical switches that provide L2 switching as well as global routers that provide L3 routing among network nodes in multiple datacenters. The global logical entities operate along side local logical entities that are for operating logical networks that are local within a datacenter.
US09825850B2

A network controlling method and a network controller are provided. The network controlling method includes the following steps. A hybrid SDN-Ethernet system including a plurality of hosts, a plurality of Ethernet switches and m Software-defined networking switches (SDN switches) is provided. m is larger than or equal to 1. A first path according to at least one default spanning tree in the hybrid SDN-Ethernet system is obtained. m×k optional paths are obtained. Each of the m SDN switches is set as a beginning of each of k of the m×k optional paths. A second path is selected according to the m×k optional paths and the first path of the at least one default spanning tree.
US09825848B2

A communication network includes base stations. Each base station includes a BS function unit, a terminal function unit, a transfer unit, and an antenna. The antenna receives first uplink data from a subscriber terminal and downlink data transmitted from another base station and transmits downlink data to another base station or a subscriber terminal. The terminal function unit converts the downlink data received by the antenna to second uplink data. The BS function unit demodulates and outputs the first uplink data or the second uplink data as first data, and modulates input second data into downlink data and transmits the downlink data from the antenna. The transfer unit recognizes a communication destination of the first data, and, when a transfer of the first data is required, outputs the first data to the BS function unit as second data.
US09825844B2

An interconnection system comprising a plurality of nodes, each comprising at least two ports, and a plurality of links configured to interconnect ports among the nodes to form a hierarchical multi-level ring topology, wherein the ring topology comprises a plurality of levels of rings including a base ring and at least two hierarchical shortcut rings, and wherein each node connected to a higher-level shortcut ring is also connected to all lower-level rings including the base ring.
US09825843B2

An electronic assembly includes horizontally-stacked die disposed at an interposer, and may also include vertically-stacked die. The stacked die are interconnected via a multi-hop communication network that is partitioned into a link partition and a router partition. The link partition is at least partially implemented in the metal layers of the interposer for horizontally-stacked die. The link partition may also be implemented in part by the intra-die interconnects in a single die and by the inter-die interconnects connecting vertically-stacked sets of die. The router partition is implemented at some or all of the die disposed at the interposer and comprises the logic that supports the functions that route packets among the components of the processing system via the interconnects of the link partition. The router partition may implement fixed routing, or alternatively may be configurable using programmable routing tables or configurable logic blocks.
US09825835B2

A method of packet processing, includes: providing a plurality of network appliances that form a cluster, wherein two or more of the plurality of network appliances in the cluster are located at different geographical locations, are communicatively coupled via a private network or an Internet, and are configured to collectively perform out-of-band packet processing; receiving a packet by one of the network appliances in the cluster; processing the packet using two or more of the plurality of the appliances in the cluster; and passing the packet to one or more network monitoring tools after the packet is processed.
US09825831B2

Systems and methods for monitoring the performance associated with fulfilling resource requests and determining optimizations for improving such performance are provided. A processing device obtains and processes performance metric information associated with processing a request corresponding to two or more embedded resources. The processing device uses the processed performance metric information to determine an allocation of one or more domains to be associated with the two or more embedded resources. In some embodiments, in making such a determination, the processing device assesses performance metric information collected and associated with subsequent requests for the two or more embedded resources using each of a variety of alternative allocations of domains associated with the two or more embedded resources. The processing device may also consider a number of factors, including domain selection criteria obtained from an original content provider. Aspects of systems and methods for generating recommendations to use a particular allocation of domains to process a subsequent request corresponding to the two or more embedded resources are also provided.
US09825824B2

In one embodiment, the system may identify a virtual network, the virtual network including a plurality of virtual entities and connections among the plurality of virtual entities. The system may automatically map each of the plurality of virtual entities to one or more resources or resource pools such that the virtual network is mapped to a physical network, wherein mapping includes allocating one or more resources or resource pools to a corresponding one of the plurality of virtual entities.
US09825815B2

The present invention provides a system and method for aggregating and estimating the bandwidth of the multiple network interfaces. Particularly, the invention provides a cross layer system for bandwidth aggregation based on dynamic analysis of network conditions. Further, the invention provides a system and method of estimation for evaluating bandwidth of multiple physical interfaces.
US09825814B2

Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media are provided for dynamically setting an end point group for an end point. An endpoint can be assigned a default end point group when added to a network. For example, the default end point group can be a baseline port/security group which is considered an untrusted group. The end point can then be dynamically assigned an end point group based on a set of group selection rules. For example, the group selection rules can identify an end point group based on the MAC address or other attributes. When the end point is added to the network, the MAC address and/or other attributes of the end point can be determined and used to assign an end point group. As another example, an end point group can be assigned based on the amount of traffic or guest operation system.
US09825813B2

Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for creating and using service control functions. The service control functions can detect a message via an adapter function. The message can relate to a service controlled by the service control functions. Service policies can be accessed. The service policies can include message handling policies and can be accessed to determine if a policy relating to the message exists. If a determination is made that the policy exists, the message and the policy can be analyzed to determine an action to take with respect to the message, and the action can be initiated.
US09825810B2

Some embodiments provide an elastic architecture for providing a service in a computing system. To perform a service on the data messages, the service architecture uses a service node (SN) group that includes one primary service node (PSN) and zero or more secondary service nodes (SSNs). The service can be performed on a data message by either the PSN or one of the SSN. However, in addition to performing the service, the PSN also performs a load balancing operation that assesses the load on each service node (i.e., on the PSN or each SSN), and based on this assessment, has the data messages distributed to the service node(s) in its SN group. Based on the assessed load, the PSN in some embodiments also has one or more SSNs added to or removed from its SN group. To add or remove an SSN to or from the service node group, the PSN in some embodiments directs a set of controllers to add (e.g., instantiate or allocate) or remove the SSN to or from the SN group. Also, to assess the load on the service nodes, the PSN in some embodiments receives message load data from the controller set, which collects such data from each service node. In other embodiments, the PSN receives such load data directly from the SSNs.
US09825796B2

A wireless communication device (alternatively, device) includes a processor configured to support communications with other wireless communication device(s) and to generate and process signals for such communications. In some examples, the device includes a communication interface and a processor, among other possible circuitries, components, elements, etc. to support communications with other wireless communication device(s) and to generate and process signals for such communications. Different long training fields (LTFs) are designed using different respective binary sequences. The LTFs are designs based on a number of resource units (RUs) and RU sizes associated with a sub-carriers/tone plan. Each RU allocation specifies a respective one or more RUs of one or more RU sizes for a communication channel. The LTFs are designed such that peak to average power ratio (PAPR) of the LTF increases across the RU allocations as size of the one or more RU sizes increases.
US09825786B2

A method for transmitting and receiving data in a communication system includes adding symbols to both ends of a transmitted signal block, filtering the transmitted signal block, removing the symbols from the filtered transmitted signal block and transmitting the transmitted signal block to a receiver through a channel. A transmitter includes a controller configured to add symbols to both ends of a transmitted signal block through the symbol adder, filter the transmitted signal block, remove the symbols from the filtered transmitted signal block through the symbol remover, and transmit the transmitted signal block through the transceiver to a receiver through a channel. A receiver includes a controller configured to add symbols to both ends of the received signal block through the symbol adder, filter the received signal block and reconstruct data from the received signal block.
US09825781B2

There is provided a method of estimating channel spread at a receiver of a user equipment, UE, for one antenna port of a network node. The method is performed in the UE. The method comprises acquiring channel estimates for one antenna port of a network node. The method further comprises determining a variation of acquired channel estimates representing subframes associated with a common precoder, the subframes comprising resource blocks scheduled to the UE. The method further comprises estimating the channel spread by using a pre-determined mapping from the determined variation to a channel spread value. A user equipment and a computer program are also provided.
US09825780B2

Combinational networks may provide simultaneous connectivity over networks of different network types between user equipment. A communication session, comprising a circuit switched call and one or more packet switched sessions, may be deployed simultaneously over different network types, in relation to the same user equipment. The circuit switched call and the packet switched session can be correlated, in which case the communication session is regarded as a combinational session. By introducing a number of logical databases that contain actual data on network addresses and communication sessions, a correlation check is deployed applied by a correlation node. The check consists of a number of queries towards said databases or to other network entities, yielding whether the communication session is to be regarded as combinational. The result of the check may e.g. be deployed in an on-line combinational charging system.
US09825779B2

A system and method of defining the topology of a network-on-chip. The IP sockets and their data transfer connectivity are defined. The location of each IP socket is defined. A number of switches are defined so that there is at least one switch within a distance from each IP socket, the distance being less than that over which a signal propagates within one clock cycle period. The switches are coupled by links. Links may comprise pipeline stages, storage buffers, and are characterized by a data width.
US09825774B2

Provided are a method, apparatus, and system for sharing usage information of daily life. Usage information sharing system includes: a first home network including at least one electronic device generating metadata with respect to human behavior; a first collecting device collecting metadata with respect to usage information from first home network; a second collecting device transmitting metadata of first home network that is received from the first collecting device to a second home network; and a second home network comprising at least one electronic device receiving the metadata from the second collecting device and performing an operation corresponding to the metadata. Accordingly, behavioral actions of a person in daily life can be dynamically recognized via a home network and home electronic devices and converted into metadata, and transmitted to another home network in real-time via a network. Thus, the experiences and feelings of a user can be dynamically shared.
US09825771B2

The method of establishing a multicast data channel in a network virtualization system includes: creating, on a controller, a virtual remote logical interface for an external interface of a remote node; generating, a multicast tree tunnel that uses a core node as a root, and obtaining a multicast protocol packet sent by a device outside the network virtualization system; acquiring, a multicast source address and a multicast group address from the multicast protocol packet, and generating a multicast forwarding table; searching, the multicast forwarding table for an external interface of the core node, searching for an outbound interface of the multicast tree tunnel on the core node according to the multicast tree tunnel, and generating a P2MP PW forwarding table of the core node, and sending the P2MP PW forwarding table of the core node to the core node. The method implements a multicast service in a virtual cluster router.
US09825764B2

Systems and methods for enhanced security of media are provided. Media security may be enhanced by improving the setup of encryption and/or decryption, by improving the performance of encryption and/or decryption, or by improving both. The calls related to enhanced security of media from an application in an emulated environment to a security module in the operating system hosting the emulated environment may be combined to reduce the overhead of accessing a security module. An application handling secure shell (SSH) communications may execute multiple calls to a cryptographic module in the host operating system. Because many calls to the cryptographic module during SSH communications follow patterns, two or more related calls may be combined into a single combined call to the cryptographic module. For example, a call to generate a server-to-client key and a call to generate a client-to-server key may be combined into a single call.
US09825757B2

An example information encryption method that includes acquiring to-be-encrypted information and converting the to-be-encrypted information into a polynomial of a predetermined format; extracting biometric information, and acquiring biometric data; and substituting the biometric data into the polynomial for calculation to acquire a value of the polynomial and using a two-dimensional dataset including the biometric data and the value of the polynomial corresponding to the biometric data as first encrypted information. The techniques of the present disclosure improve the security of information encryption, and reduce the risk of illegal decryption of encrypted information.
US09825755B2

System, methods and apparatus are described that facilitate transmission of data, particularly between two devices within an electronic apparatus. A configurable clock tree includes a delay matrix that may be configured such that each the timing of clocks for each of a plurality of data lanes can be optimized for minimum skew. Selections between different versions of a base clock signal and different paths available to the selected version may provide a root clock used for transmitting data on a communications link. The versions of the one or more clock signals may include three versions of a first clock signal. Each version of the first clock signal may be subject to a different delay with respect to the clock signal.
US09825754B2

A universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART) module is disclosed. The UART module may include a receiver unit being clocked by a programmable receiver clock configured to sample an incoming data signal and comprising a counter clocked by said receiver clock, wherein the counter is reset to start counting with every falling edge of the data signal and to trigger a BRK detection signal if the counter reaches a programmable threshold value.
US09825750B2

Indicating a attribute of a dynamic subframe in the scenario of applying the dynamic TDD subframe in a time division duplexing system includes: determining, by a user equipment, an attribute of a dynamic subframe, wherein the attribute of the dynamic subframe indicates that the dynamic subframe is an uplink subframe or that the dynamic subframe is a downlink subframe; and performing an information transmission according to the attribute of the dynamic subframe.
US09825748B2

Apparatus and methods for managing use of radio frequency channels in unlicensed radio frequency bands by a wireless communication device in communication with a cellular wireless network are disclosed. The wireless communication device obtains, from an eNodeB of the wireless network, one or more access network discovery and selection function (ANDSF) policies that include rules for mobility of the wireless communication device and offloading of traffic for the wireless communication device to radio frequency channels in an unlicensed radio frequency band. The wireless communication device determines when at least one radio frequency channel in the unlicensed radio frequency band is available for offloading traffic, for network selection, for network re-selection, or for a supplemental connection via carrier aggregation based on the ANDSF policies, measured interference levels, and/or loading information provided by the eNodeB.
US09825746B2

A method for receiving ACK/NACK (Acknow1edge/Negative ACK) information at a base station in a wireless communication system, the method includes configuring a plurality of carriers for downlink signal transmission; transmitting downlink signals including a semi-persistent scheduled downlink signal through the plurality of carriers; and receiving an ACK/NACK payload for the plurality of carriers, the ACK/NACK payload including a plurality of concatenated ACK/NACK sets, wherein each ACK/NACK set is associated with a respective one of the plurality of carriers and has one or more ACK/NACK bits, wherein the ACK/NACK payload includes an ACK/NACK bit for the semi-persistent scheduled downlink signal, and the ACK/NACK bit for the semi-persistent scheduled downlink signal is positioned at an end of a corresponding ACK/NACK set.
US09825742B2

A base station capable of communicating with a user equipment (UE) includes a transceiver configured to transmit Channel State Information-Reference Signal (CSI-RS) according to a CSI-RS configuration comprising a number of antenna ports, and downlink signals containing the CSI-RS configuration and a precoding-matrix-construction configuration for precoding matrix indicator (PMI) reporting on physical downlink shared channels (PDSCH), the precoding-matrix-construction configuration comprising a first and second sampling factors, O1 and O2, and a first and second numbers, N1 and N2, receive, from the UE, uplink signals containing a precoding matrix indicator (PMI) derived using the CSI-RS according to the precoding-matrix-construction configuration, a controller configured to convert the PMI to one of predetermined precoding matrices. Other embodiments including UEs and methods are disclosed.
US09825737B2

The detection and validation of Secondary Synchronization Signal comprising generating a set of samples by performing DFT operation on a time domain LTE signal, wherein the signal comprising an LTE frame divided into an even half and odd half frame, First and second set of hypotheses from even samples in even and odd half frame are generated and third and fourth set of hypotheses from odd samples in even and odd half frame are generated using first and second hypotheses. Even half frame is selected as start of boundary of the frame when location of the peak of first hypotheses is smaller than that of second hypotheses or location of the peak of fourth hypotheses is smaller than that of third hypotheses. The physical layer cell identity is determined from the locations of the peak of the first, second, third and fourth set of hypotheses averaged over multiple frames.
US09825735B2

In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, disclosed is a method and an apparatus thereof for handling a conflict resolution between storage requirements of multiple applications sharing the same data. A conflict resolution function resolves the conflicts in several steps and the result is either a coordinated merge of the different applications' storage requirements in multiple groups according to their needs and/or a controlled reduction of the relevance of some of the storage requirements for some applications.
US09825733B1

A method for data communication between a first node and a second node over a data path includes determining one or more redundancy messages from data messages at the first node using an error correcting code and transmitting messages from the first node to the second node. The transmitted messages include the data messages and the redundancy messages. The method includes, receiving, at the first node, a first plurality of messages including messages indicative of a rate of arrival at the second node of the messages transmitted from the first node and messages indicative of successful and unsuccessful delivery of the messages transmitted from the first node to the second node. A first transmission limit and a second transmission limit are maintained according to the first plurality of messages. Transmission of messages from the first node to the second node is limited according to the maintained first transmission limit, and according to the second transmission limit.
US09825714B1

An apparatus for reducing electromagnetic interference in redundant power systems may include an inductor capable of being electrically coupled between first and second power sources and an electrical load. The apparatus may also include a first return-current path that electrically couples a return terminal of the electrical load to a return terminal of the first power source. The first return-current path may include a winding wound around a core of the inductor. The apparatus may further include a second return-current path that electrically couples the return terminal of the electrical load to a return terminal of the second power source. The second return-current path may include a winding wound around the core of the inductor. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.
US09825713B2

An apparatus is described which uses directly modulated InGaN Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) or InGaN lasers as the transmitters for an underwater data-communication device. The receiver uses automatic gain control to facilitate performance of the apparatus over a wide-range of distances and water turbidities.
US09825702B2

An OLED display capable of visible light communication and a visible light communication system having same are disclosed. The OLED display comprises an OLED display unit, a data memory unit, and an OLED control unit. The OLED display unit emits an image which is outwardly displayed and additional information which is included in the image. The data memory unit is storing image data corresponding to the image and additional data corresponding to the additional information. The OLED control unit controls the OLED display unit to display the image by using the image data provided by the data memory unit and controls the flicker of the image within a range which cannot be perceived by human eyes so that the additional information is included in the image by using the additional data provided by the data memory unit. As described above, the OLED display displays not only a general image but also additional information included in the image and thus can perform an image display function together with a reception function in visible light communication.
US09825701B2

An optical communications beacon receiver including a camera for capturing a plurality of beacon images. The plurality of beacon images includes a beacon signal transmitted from a beacon transmitter. The beacon receiver also including processing circuitry configured for determining the state of the beacon signal for each of the plurality of beacon images based on the known pattern, at least one beacon image of the plurality of beacon images includes a beacon on state and at least one beacon image of the plurality of beacon images includes a beacon off state, comparing the at least one beacon image including the beacon on state to the at least one beacon image including the beacon off state, and determining a beacon location based on the comparison of the at least one beacon image including the beacon on state to the at least one beacon image including the beacon off state.
US09825695B2

The disclosure is directed to a method of multiuser superposition transmission (MUST) method and a transmitter using the same method. In one of the exemplary embodiments, the disclosure is directed to a method of multiuser superposition transmission (MUST) method used by a base station. The method would include not limited to: determining a first bit stream to be transmitted; encoding the first bit stream to generate an encoded first bit stream which has a plurality of binary levels per symbol; determining a first encoding rate for each of the binary levels of the encoded first bit stream, wherein at least two of the levels of the encoded first bit stream have a different code rate; and attaching a first plurality of redundancy bits based on the first encoding rate.
US09825693B1

A method and system of symbol measurement and combining (SMaC) provides near-optimal performance for each user independently by relying on rapid digital beamforming with near-ideal convergence properties. This approach is also provides near-ideal performance without any knowledge of user/jammer location and adapts instantly as those locations change. An iterative joint estimation method is used to determine a covariance matrix RXX, and a user beamsteering vector, α.
US09825689B2

A unified device for adjacent and non-adjacent channels/carriers for processing Physical layer Protocol Data Units (PPDUs) includes a dual-use configuration capable of processing either 80+80 Megahertz (MHz) PPDUs with a single spatial stream (160/80+80 MHz 1×1) or 80 MHz PPDUs with two spatial streams (80 MHz 2×2).
US09825687B2

In this disclosure, methods for pre-compensation of the phase shifting error, and apparatuses for the same are disclosed. In one example, a device performs precoding of a digital signal, while acquiring information on an error caused by a phase shifting of the precoding. Then, the device performs phase compensation on the digital signal based on the acquired information. Here, the phase compensation may compensate different amount of phase based on an amount of the phase shifting of the precoding. This phase compensated-digital signal is converted to an analog signal, and is transmitted to a receiver.
US09825683B2

Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to a technique for communicating Channel State Information (CSI) feedback. In some aspects, the CSI feedback is communicated in a very high throughput (VHT) wireless communications system.
US09825678B2

A method for selecting members of a client uplink group is described. An uplink traffic characteristic information signal is received from each of a plurality of communication devices. Multiple communication devices of the plurality of communication devices are selected as members of a client uplink group based at least on traffic information indicated by the respective uplink traffic characteristic information signals. An uplink group definition frame is transmitted to each member of the client uplink group. The uplink group definition frame indicates an uplink multi-user multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) transmission schedule for the client uplink group for members of the client uplink group to simultaneously transmit to an access point. The members of the client uplink group are triggered to transmit uplink data frames simultaneously.
US09825676B2

There is provided generating precoders for joint transmission (JT) in a downlink coordinated multi-point transmission/reception (DL COMP) wireless communications system. The system includes a plurality of transmission points (TPs) operable to communicate with a plurality of user equipments (UEs). Each UE has one of the TPs as its serving TP. The method includes transmitting channel state information (CSI) from each UE to its serving TP, wherein the transmitted CSI includes precoder matrix indicators (PMI), and using the PMI to generate precoders for transmission of data from the plurality of TPs to the plurality of UEs.
US09825671B2

A communication system may include a first broadband device and a second broadband device. Signals may be wirelessly communicated from the first broadband device to the second broadband device at a power level that is below a spurious emissions mask. The communicated signals may be transmitted over a designated frequency band. A barrier separates the first broadband device from the second broadband device. The first broadband device may be paired with the second broadband device, and the signals may be wirelessly communicated from the first to the second broadband device. The signals may be communicated using signal emitting/receiving components, which may be jointly configured to optimize near-field communication while nullifying or substantially reducing signaling in other ranges, particularly far-field or intermediate-field ranges. The signal emitting/receiving components may comprise dipole or coil antennas, with the desired optimization and nullification being achieved based on controlling of electromagnetic fields.
US09825655B2

There are disclosed various methods and apparatuses for an antenna. In some embodiments of the method a transmission signal is provided to a first feed point (126) of an antenna (102). A modified signal is generated from the transmission signal and provided to a second feed point (128) of the antenna (102). In some embodiments the apparatus comprises an antenna comprising a first feed point (126) and a second feed point (128). There is also a first interface to provide a transmission signal to the first feed point (126), and a phase shifter (124) for generating a modified signal from the transmission signal. The modified signal is provided to a second feed point (128) of the antenna (102).
US09825652B1

Techniques described and suggested herein include systems and methods for minimizing inter-facility data transfer during retrieval of data archives stored on data storage systems using redundancy coding techniques. For example, redundancy coded shards, which may include identity shards that contain unencoded original data of archives, may be configured such that a variable number of the shards can be leveraged to meet performance requirements or time-to-retrieval limitations for retrieval requests associated with the archives stored and/or encoded therein. Under some circumstances, implementing systems may monitor throughput rates, capabilities, and burdens, so as to preferentially retrieve data such that the identity shards are favored and fewer hosting data storage facilities are used for a given retrieval.
US09825648B1

In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a first compression engine to receive a first compressed data block from a second compression engine that is to generate the first compressed data block by compressing a first plurality of repeated instances of data that each have a length greater than or equal to a first length. The first compression engine is further to compress a second plurality of repeated instances of data of the first compressed data block that each have a length greater than or equal to a second length, the second length being shorter than the first length, wherein each compressed repeated instance of the first and second pluralities of repeated instances comprises a location and length of a data instance that is repeated. The apparatus further comprises a memory buffer to store the compressed first and second plurality of repeated instances of data.
US09825638B2

A virtual critical path (VCP) circuit is defined separate from an actual critical path circuit. The VCP operates in accordance with a special clock signal. The actual critical path circuit operates in accordance with a system clock signal. The VCP circuit has a signal timing characteristic substantially equal to that of the actual critical path circuit. The VCP circuit includes computational circuitry defined to compute an output value based on an input value, and comparison circuitry defined to compare the output value with an expected result value. A match between the output value computed by the VCP circuit and the expected result value indicates that a frequency of the special clock signal is acceptable. The VCP circuit is used to determine a maximum acceptable frequency of the special clock signal. A frequency of the system clock signal is then set to the maximum acceptable frequency of the special clock signal.
US09825615B2

A method of operating an inverter including the steps of detecting the temperature of the at least one electrolytic capacitor; selecting at least one of a plurality of switching patterns based on the temperature of the at least one electrolytic capacitor; and generating a ripple current across the at least one electrolytic capacitor by operating the inverter from the at least one of the plurality of switching patterns for preheating of the at least one electrolytic capacitor.
US09825614B2

A common sub-expression elimination method for simplifying hardware logic of a hardware filter circuit by eliminating a common sub-expression included in a plurality of sub-expressions is provided. Each of the sub-expressions includes a corresponding two or more of inputs constituting a plurality of coefficients used by the hardware filter circuit. The method is implemented on a computing device and includes: identifying for each coefficient of the plurality of coefficients, a combination of the inputs constituting the coefficient; counting occurrences of the sub-expressions in each of the coefficients; identifying one or more of the sub-expressions having a maximum one of the counts and including the corresponding two or more of the inputs; selecting one of the one or more of the sub-expressions as the common sub-expression; eliminating the common sub-expression; and repeating these steps to eliminate more of the sub-expressions common to multiple ones of the coefficients.
US09825613B1

A resistor calibration system includes a reference resistor, a first control circuit, a second control circuit, a comparator, a multiplexer and a de-multiplexer. The first control circuit calibrates a first resistor and a duplicated first resistor. The second control circuit calibrates a second resistor. The comparator includes a first input terminal receiving a reference voltage, a second input terminal and an output terminal. The multiplexer includes a first input terminal coupled to the reference resistor and the first resistor, a second input terminal coupled to the duplicated first resistor and the second resistor, and an output terminal coupled to the second input terminal of the comparator. The de-multiplexer includes an input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the comparator, a first output terminal coupled to the first control circuit, and a second output terminal coupled to the second control circuit.
US09825612B2

A multiplexer includes: a first chip that has a first filter and a resonator, the first filter being connected between a common terminal and a first terminal, a first end of the resonator being connected to the common terminal not via the first filter; and a second chip that has a second filter, the second filter being connected between a second end of the resonator and a second terminal and having a pass band lower than that of the first filter, a resonance frequency of the resonator being higher than the pass band of the second filter.
US09825610B1

In an embodiment, a tunable stiffness mechanical filter is provided including an input coupler to a negative stiffness structure with a negative stiffness characteristic, and further including a tuner for tuning the negative stiffness structure. An output sensor is located along the negative stiffness structure. The filter may include an amplifier and/or a driver coupled between the output sensor and the negative stiffness structure.
US09825597B2

Aspects of this disclosure relate to an impedance transformation circuit for use in an amplifier, such as a low noise amplifier. The impedance transformation circuit includes a matching circuit including a first inductor. The impedance transformation circuit also includes a second inductor. The first and second inductors are magnetically coupled to each other to provide negative feedback to linearize the amplifier.
US09825583B1

A solar energy system for portably providing solar energy features a base unit having a base cavity located therein. A cable notch and an annular panel notch are located on a base side wall. A base first end or a base second end features an opening located therein featuring a first end cap or a second end cap located thereon. The system features power inverter located in the base cavity operatively connected to a power storage component and a solar controller. The system features a solar panel wrapped around the panel notch of the base unit. The solar panel is operatively connected to the solar controller, the power inverter, and the power storage component via cables for operation.
US09825569B2

The present disclosure relates to a method of advanced motor control that reduces the resource demands (e.g., run-time) used to meet safety requirements by running a reduced portion of feedback control loop processes twice. In some embodiments, the method performs a plurality of processes within a feedback control loop of a motor control process configured to control operation of a motor. Performance of a first portion of the plurality of processes, which is less than the plurality of processes, is repeated within the feedback control loop. Performance of a second portion of the plurality of processes is not repeated within the feedback control loop. By repeating performance of first portion of the plurality of processes that is less than the plurality of processes, the method is able to improve performance of a motor by reducing run-time of the motor control process.
US09825567B2

A controller is provided for driving a stepper motor with a magnetic rotor and at least one coil. The controller has a power stage for supplying the at least one coil with current, at least one analog Hall sensor for providing a signal as a function of the position of the magnetic rotor with respect to the Hall sensor, and a feedback line connecting the Hall sensor with the power stage to feed the signal of the Hall sensor back to the power stage.
US09825565B2

A motor controller coupled to a motor is provided. The motor controller is configured to transmit a first instruction to the motor to perform a first start attempt utilizing at least one parameter in a first set of parameters, wherein the first set of parameters are not preconfigured for a specific application in which the motor is being installed. The motor controller is additionally configured to receive feedback associated with the first start attempt from the motor, and transmit, in response to the feedback, a second instruction to the motor to perform a second start attempt utilizing at least one parameter in a second set of parameters, wherein the second set of parameters differ from the first set of parameters.
US09825562B2

A drive control device include a processor and a memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations. The operations include: comparing a rotation speed of a motor driven by a PWM control of a synchronous rectification type and a target value of the rotation speed and calculating an error speed; calculating a torque required in the motor based on the calculated error speed; calculating a drive voltage of the motor in the synchronous rectification type based on the calculated torque, the rotation speed of the motor, and an electrical specification of the motor; and setting a duty ratio of a PWM signal in the synchronous rectification type based on the calculated drive voltage.
US09825557B2

The present disclosure provides an impulse generator and a generator set. The impulse generator comprises: a first substrate; a first conductive film layer on the first substrate; an insulation film layer on the first conductive film layer; a second substrate; a second conductive film layer on the second substrate; and an elastic connection body for connecting the first substrate with the second substrate such that the insulation film layer and the second conductive film layer face each other; wherein, when no external force is applied on the first substrate or the second substrate, the insulation film layer is separated from the second conductive film layer; and, when an external force is applied on the first substrate or the second substrate, the insulation film layer is contacted with the second conductive film layer such that, a surface charge transfer is generated by the contact between the insulation film and the second conductive film layer, owing to their difference in triboelectric series. For the impulse generator according to the present disclosure, when a periodic external force is applied on the substrate of the generator, AC pulse signal output may be formed between the first conductive film layer and the second conductive film layer.
US09825550B1

A bi-directional power converter includes a first terminal, a second terminal, a third terminal, a fourth terminal, a first converter, a second converter, a power driver, and a processor. The first converter is coupled to the first terminal and the second terminal for performing a conversion between a first alternating current and a first direct current. The second converter is coupled to the first converter for performing a conversion between a second alternating current and the first direct current. The power driver is coupled to the second converter, the third terminal and the fourth terminal for performing a conversion between the second alternating current and a second direct current. The processor is coupled to the first converter, the second converter, and the power driver for controlling the first converter, the second converter, and the power driver.
US09825545B2

A split drive transformer (SDT) and use of such a transformer in a power converter is described. The power converter includes a power and distributor circuit configured to receive one or more input signals and provides multiple signals to a first side of the SDT. The SDT receives the signals provided to the first side thereof and provides signals at a second side thereof to a power combiner and rectifier circuit which is configured to provide output signals to a load. In some embodiments, the SDT may be provided as a switched-capacitor (SC) SDT. In some embodiments, the power converter may optionally include a level selection circuit (LSC) on one or both of the distributor and combiner sides.
US09825541B2

A power supply device according to the invention includes: a power switch; a rectification diode generating an output current by rectifying a current supplied according to a switching operation of the power switch; and a switch control circuit generating an output current estimation voltage corresponding to the output current using a detection sense voltage corresponding to a sense voltage that depends on a switch current flowing to the power switch and a compensated discharge period. The compensated discharge period is a period from the peak of a discharge current flowing to the rectification diode to an instant at which the discharge current becomes zero current.
US09825539B2

System and method for protecting a power converter. The system includes a first comparator configured to receive a first threshold signal and a first signal and to generate a first comparison signal. The first signal is associated with an input current for a power converter. Additionally, the system includes a second comparator configured to receive a second threshold signal and the first signal and to generate a second comparison signal. The second threshold signal is different from the first threshold signal in magnitude. Moreover, the system includes a first detection component configured to receive at least the second comparison signal, detect the second comparison signal only if one or more predetermined conditions are satisfied, and generate a first detection signal based on at least information associated with the detected second comparison signal.
US09825538B2

A voltage sampling control circuit can include: a bleeder circuit that generates a sampling signal by sampling a voltage across a winding of a transformer of an isolated switching power supply; a blanking time signal control circuit that activates a first blanking time signal when the sampling signal is higher than a first reference voltage, and activates a second blanking time signal when the sampling signal rises to a level of a second reference voltage, where active portions of the first and second blanking time signals overlap, and the sampling signal is not detected during activation of either of the first and second blanking time signals; a converter configured to convert the sampling signal to a detection signal after both of the first and second blanking time signals have been deactivated; and a sample and hold circuit configured to receive the detection signal, and to generate a feedback signal.
US09825536B2

Determine the duty cycle of the pulse width modulation signal to derive the voltage value of the alternating current voltage when the power supply is in the peak power working status. The voltage value of the alternating current voltage is determined as high if the duty cycle of the pulse width modulation signal is lower than the predetermined duty cycle. At this time, the limit detection voltage of the pulse width modulation controller is suppressed to protect the transistor switch, and the power supply can still provide the load apparatus with enough power. The power supply does not need any alternating current voltage detection circuit. The voltage value of the alternating current voltage is derived by determining the duty cycle of the pulse width modulation signal.
US09825527B2

A method and apparatus for generating a pulse width modulation (PWM) control signal generates a sawtooth ramp signal at a first frequency under standard operating conditions using a ramp generator, and generates a sawtooth ramp at a second frequency under alternative operating conditions. The sawtooth ramp is combined with an error threshold by a PWM controller to generate a square wave PWM control signal. The error threshold is adjusted simultaneous with adjusting the frequency of the sawtooth ramp, thereby preventing either a voltage overshoot and a voltage undershoot.
US09825526B2

To reduce a variation in the electrical characteristics of a transistor. A potential generated by a voltage converter circuit is applied to a back gate of a transistor included in a voltage conversion block. Since the back gate of the transistor is not in a floating state, a current flowing through the back channel can be controlled so as to reduce a variation in the electrical characteristics of the transistor. Further, a transistor with low off-state current is used as the transistor included in the voltage conversion block, whereby storage of the output potential is controlled.
US09825520B2

A current-limiting circuit that includes a transistor connected between an input terminal and an output terminal of the current-limiting circuit. A controller is arranged to monitor a current flowing through the transistor and to control the transistor based on the monitored current so as to limit the current, wherein a voltage dropped across the transistor varies over a range of values during operation in a current-limiting mode. The controller includes a timing module arranged to control, based on a value of the voltage across the transistor, a period of time for which the transistor limits the current. For all ranges of voltage that may be dropped across the transistor during the current-limiting mode, the timing module is arranged to control the respective period of time for each range, such that the transistor dissipates substantially the maximum amount of energy that it is capable of dissipating without sustaining damage.
US09825518B2

An exemplary power conversion system includes a power conversion device and a control system. The power conversion device converts electrical power from one form to another. The power conversion device includes at least one switching element capable of being turned off to block an electrical current flowing through the at least one switching element. The control system is electrically coupled to the power conversion device for monitoring an electrical current flowing through the at least one switching element and for monitoring at least one parameter in association with the operation of the power conversion system. The control system further generates an over-current threshold value that is variable with respect to at least one monitored parameter.
US09825516B2

Windraider is a process and a machine for converting wind energy into electricity. The Windraider process is a previously undiscovered highly efficient process for converting kinetic wind energy into oscillating rotating mechanical energy. The Windraider machine provides a unusually robust and stable platform for effecting the Windraider process, and a series of mechanisms for improving its range of applicability and for efficiently converting its resulting oscillating rotating mechanical energy into electrical energy.
US09825511B2

The method for repairing a stator having a damaged part includes providing the stator with a seat, removing the damaged part of the stator, connecting the inserts replacing the damaged part of the stator to the seat, and fixing the inserts.
US09825509B2

A rotating electrical machine is provided with: a plurality of bus bars that provide an electrical relay between an external power line, which is positioned on the outside of a housing, and a multiphase coil; an insulation cover that is mounted on the plurality of bus bars with a prescribed gap between each, and covers at least part of the bottom surface of each bus bar; and a coolant supply means that supplies a cooling fluid, which cools a stator, inside the housing. A through-hole, which vertically penetrates a bottom surface, is formed on the bottom surface of the insulation cover.
US09825508B2

A linear motor device includes a track member with multiple magnets with alternating N poles and S poles arranged along the moving direction, and a moving body with a configuration which includes an armature which is movably mounted on the track member; and the device generates a driving force in the moving direction between the magnetic flux created armature and the magnets of track member. The armature also includes a heat conduction member arranged in cooling passages formed in cores of the armature. By this, coils on the moving body side are cooled efficiently, and a large driving force can be achieved by passing a large current as well as maintaining a large space for winding the coils in order to increase the winding count.
US09825497B2

In one possible embodiment, a motor winding is provided having a high density multi-conductor wire bundle with a compacted Litz wire bundle. The compacted Litz wire bundle has a serpentine configuration with a central portion having compacted Litz wire and end turns having non-compacted Litz wire.
US09825493B2

An interior permanent magnet synchronous motor includes a stator a rotor disposed with a space between the stator and the rotor, and a plurality of permanent magnets embedded in the rotor. In particular, a plurality of slits are formed in one side surface of the permanent magnet in a rotation direction of the rotor at equal intervals.
US09825491B2

There is provided a power feeding apparatus including a remaining battery level reception unit configured to receive a remaining battery level of a respective secondary battery included in a respective power receiving apparatus among a plurality of power receiving apparatuses from the respective power receiving apparatuses, a power feeding time determination unit configured to determine power feeding time for the power receiving apparatuses based on the remaining battery level, and a power feeding unit configured to wirelessly feed power to the power receiving apparatuses for the power feeding time.
US09825481B2

The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates operation of a power adapter in hiccup mode. The system includes a bleeding mechanism that reduces a hiccup time of the hiccup mode by increasing a leakage current of the power adapter. The system also includes an activation mechanism that activates the bleeding mechanism upon detecting a voltage drop associated with the hiccup mode.
US09825479B2

A charging/discharging control system of an energy storage apparatus includes a weather information collection module, a load information collection module, a load grouping module which classifies a plurality of loads into at least one load group based on a load correlation according to a predetermined condition, and an energy storage apparatus charging/discharging control module which determines a battery charging or discharging level per time slot of each of a plurality of energy storage apparatuses by using at least one of an estimated load amount of each load per time slot, a battery charging amount of the energy storage apparatus per time slot via solar generation, and a battery charging amount per time slot via system power, wherein a particular load corresponding to a lowest rate for a unit load is determined by using battery charging/discharging information and power rate information per time slot.
US09825474B2

A secondary battery system including plural batteries, extends the lifetime of each battery, and improves the charge/discharge (energy) efficiency of a whole system is provided. A secondary battery system includes plural batteries individually controllable for charging/discharging, plural PCSs each connected to the corresponding battery and performing charging/discharging to the connected battery, and a battery controller distributing a charge/discharge power value as a whole system to each of the PCSs at a fixed cycle or an arbitrary timing. The battery controller includes a preference order calculator setting a preference order to the plural batteries at each time point based on a deterioration characteristic of each battery related to each SOC thereof, and a distribution rate determining unit distributing the charge/discharge power value to the PCSs in accordance with the preference order.
US09825472B2

A device for detecting a short beacon signal includes a power-receiving unit (PRU) to receive the short beacon signal from one or more power-transmitting units (PTUs). An active load level is asserted for detection by the one or more PTUs in response to the short beacon signal. The active load level, once asserted, makes a detectable change in a reflected impedance associated with the PRU as measured by at least one of the one or more PTUs.
US09825453B2

A protection mode control circuit includes an auto-restart counter configured to count the cycle of a first signal in a protection condition and to generate an auto-restart signal when a result of the count reaches a protection reference value and a latch mode unit configured to generate a latch mode signal for changing protection mode to latch mode when the auto-restart signal is consecutively generated by a predetermined threshold number.
US09825448B1

An electrical raceway assembly including a substrate engaging member having an upper region, an intermediate region, a lower region, an inner surface and an outer surface; a signage engaging member having an upper region, an intermediate region, a lower region, an inner surface and an outer surface; wherein the upper region of the substrate engaging member and the upper region of the signage engaging member are releasably secured to each other; and wherein the lower region of the substrate engaging member includes a segment that regulates positioning of the lower region of the signage engaging member.
US09825445B2

An electric device includes a housing and a clamp. The housing has a port through which a cable is led. The clamp has inter-connectable first and second clamping bodies. Each clamping body has clamping ribs. The clamping bodies are interconnected to one another causing the clamping ribs to interlock with one another around the cable to thereby fix the clamp to the cable. The clamp is situated at an opening of the port with the clamping bodies being within the port and the clamp is fastened to the housing.
US09825442B2

A conduit system includes an open-ended sleeve with aligned openings through upper and lower walls of the sleeve for insertion of a fastener to secure the lower wall of the sleeve to a support. A cover member or bridge is inserted into the sleeve between two conduit ends to cover the opening in the upper wall after the lower wall is attached to the support, restricting access to the previously inserted fastener. The ends of two adjacent lengths of conduit to be connected are inserted into opposite ends of the sleeve to abut the opposite ends of the cover member, and the adjacent lengths of conduits are thereby attached to the support.
US09825440B1

According to typical inventive practice, a cable is grasped by a Kellum grip and is positioned through the topside “V”-notch of an “M”-structure. Two wires engage pulleys and a ratchet distanced from the pulleys. The pulleys are joined with a grip plate, attached at an axial end of the Kellum grip. The ratchet is joined with a ratchet plate, proximate and/or attached to the “M”-structure. The “M”-structure has joined therewith three blade wheels having cutting orientations in the same linear direction. The blade wheels are situated interiorly and perpendicularly in correspondence to the geometric sides of the inverted triangle defined by the “V”-notch. Each blade wheel is adjustable to suit the diameter of the cable positioned through the “V”-notch. Ratcheting of the wires moves the ratchet plate and hence the “M”-structure, resulting in creation via the blade wheels of three parallel slices in the cable along its axis.
US09825439B2

As described above, a withdrawable interlock device of a vacuum circuit breaker according to the present disclosure may locate the second lever between the link and the moving plate, and thus the second lever may be engaged with an outer side of the first lever in a state that the control power connector is coupled to the control power plug not to move the moving plate through the second lever so as to maintain a state that the fitting protrusion is fitted into the fitting groove, thereby having an effect of preventing the circuit breaker body from being separated to the outside of the cradle in a state that the control power connector is coupled to the control power plug to supply power.
US09825433B2

An ignition plug wire for an internal combustion engine has an elongated conductor with a programmable capacitor module disposed in-line with the elongated conductor. The programmable capacitor module is configured to step up or convert the ignition voltage normally supplied by an ignition coil to a plasma voltage. An inventive ignition plug if configured such that the anode enclosed within the insulator includes or is replaced by a voltage converting module designed to convert the ignition voltage into a plasma voltage. The voltage converting module consists of a semiconductor circuit, a composite semiconductor material, or a capacitor.
US09825428B2

In various embodiments, passivation layers are deposited on internal surfaces of cooling channels defined within heat sinks for electronic devices such as laser beam emitters, the passivation layers retarding or substantially preventing erosion and/or corrosion of the heat sinks.
US09825427B2

An optical module providing a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA), and a process to assembly the optical module are disclosed. The optical module provides front and rear coupling units each optically coupled with the SOA and fixed to the housing enclosing the SOA. The housing has a slim wall fixing a lens holder soldered to the slim wall. The front and/or rear coupling unit is fixed to the lens holder by YAG laser welding after the active alignment by using a spontaneous emission of the SOA, and amplified emission of externally provided test beam.
US09825425B2

Optoelectronic apparatus includes a substrate, such as a semiconductor die and a monolithic array of light-emitting elements formed on the semiconductor die in a grid pattern comprising multiple columns. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a cylindrical lens, having a cylinder axis that is angled relative to the columns of the grid pattern of the light-emitting elements. A diffractive optical element (DOE) is mounted on the substrate and configured to project the light emitted by the elements so as to generate a pattern of stripes corresponding to the columns of the grid pattern.
US09825416B2

A composite connector includes an insulative base having a seat and a tongue plate extended forward from the seat, a first insulative board attached onto the seat and arranged in parallel to the tongue and on one side of the first surface, a plurality of first conductive terminal pieces located on an outer side of the first insulative board and away from the tongue, a second insulative board attached onto the base and arranged in parallel to the tongue plate and on one side of the second surface, a plurality of second conductive terminal pieces located on an outer side of the second insulative board and away from the tongue plate, and a plurality of first elastic connecting terminals arranged between the first surface and the first insulative board. Accordingly, the technical effect of transmission for multiple transmission interfaces is achieved.
US09825410B2

Connector receptacles, examples of which comprise a housing having a first plurality of slots in a top side and a second plurality of slots in a bottom side, a top row of contacts positioned in the first plurality of slots in the housing, a bottom row of contacts positioned in the second plurality of slots in the housing, a top shell portion over the top of the housing, the top shell portion comprising first and second electromagnetic contacts extending from a front of the top shell and passing through openings in the top side of the housing, and a bottom shell portion under the bottom of the housing, the bottom shell portion comprising third and fourth electromagnetic contacts extending from a front of the bottom shell and passing through openings in the bottom side of the housing.
US09825409B1

A shield connector includes an inner housing provided with a first terminal receiving chamber and a second terminal receiving chamber which are configured to respectively receive inner terminals attached to ends of a plurality of wires bundled into a shielded electric wire, and a shield terminal incorporating the inner housing therein. The first terminal receiving chamber is provided with an opening which is opened to a side opposite to a side where the second terminal receiving chamber is placed. The opening is opened, from one end of the first terminal receiving chamber at a side of a terminal insertion port of the second terminal receiving chamber through which one of the inner terminals is inserted, to a wall at the other end of the first terminal receiving chamber, so that another one of the inner terminals is received in the first terminal receiving chamber through the opening.
US09825408B2

A receptacle assembly includes communication connectors secured together as a communication module each having a contact array arranged within a shroud for mating with a pluggable module. A gasket plate is coupled to the communication module between the communication module and the pluggable modules. The gasket plate has a plurality of openings receiving corresponding shrouds and pluggable module interfaces around each of the openings for interfacing with mating ends of the pluggable modules. The receptacle assembly includes a receptacle housing having a plurality of panels dividing a housing cavity into module cavities. The gasket plate is coupled to the communication module to define a connector module assembly. The connector module assembly is loaded into the housing cavity prior to mounting to the circuit board such that the connector module assembly and the receptacle housing are configured to be mounted to the circuit board as a unit.
US09825406B2

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to communication connectors, and methods of manufacture thereof and their components. In some embodiments, the methods focus on reducing the net effect on electrical performance of communication connectors from variation in manufacturing, where the connectors include multiple stages of capacitive coupling.
US09825402B2

A conductor terminal having an insulating material housing and having at least one spring-loaded clamping connection in the insulating material housing and also having at least one actuation element, which is pivotably accommodated in the insulating material housing and is designed to open in each case at least one associated spring-loaded clamping connection, is described. The actuation element has two side wall portions which are spaced from one another and at least partially enter the insulating material housing with a pivot bearing region and, opposite said pivot bearing region, are connected to each other by a transverse web to form a lever arm. The pivot bearing regions of the mutually distanced side wall portions of an actuation element form an axis of rotation, about which the actuation element is pivotably mounted in the insulating material housing. An associated spring-loaded clamping connection is at least partially accommodated in the space between the pivot bearing regions of an actuation element. The pivot bearing regions have actuation portions, which in each case are designed in order to act on an associated clamping spring of a spring-loaded clamping connection as the actuation element is pivoted from a closed position into an open position. The adjacent side wall portions of two actuation elements arranged adjacently in the insulating material housing border one another directly.
US09825399B2

Provided are a module assembly, a connector, and an electronic device, the module assembly including a first module that includes a pin configured to selectively protrude from a side thereof, a pin installation portion in which the pin is installed to be movable, and a first magnet configured to attract the pin into the pin installation portion, a second module to be coupled to the first module, the second module including a pin receiver configured to receive the pin when the pin protrudes from the first module, and a second magnet configured to attract the pin into the pin receiver, wherein the second magnet is configured to apply, to the pin, a greater magnitude of magnetic force than the first magnet in a case in which a distance between the first module and the second module is less than a preset distance.
US09825398B1

In the waterproof connector, a receptacle is provided with a first housing and first contacts, and a plug is provided with a second housing and second contacts. The first housing has a header at one end portion side and a quadrangular shaped waterproof ring mounted to allow close contact with an outer perimeter of the header. The second housing has in its interior a second contact housing chamber into which the header can be introduced, and has a shell which surrounds a periphery of the plurality of second contacts. The waterproof ring has a first pucker, formed with an undulating shape at an outer perimeter of the front portion, and which can closely contact at an inner wall of the shell, and a second pucker, formed with an undulating shape at an outer perimeter of the rear portion, and which can closely contact at an inner wall of a first frame.
US09825392B1

A high speed connector assembly is disclosed in this invention, which includes a receptacle connector and a plug connector. Each differential signal terminal of the receptacle connector has an L-type body, a front mating portion and a bottom mounting portion. The front mating portion includes two L-type arms having unequal length. A front end of each L-type arm disposes a resilient contact finger being perpendicular to a vertical plane. The resilient contact fingers of the two L-type arms can respectively and electrically contact with two opposite sides of one plug terminal of the plug connector, thereby forming double-sided contact. The present invention can suppress the short pile effect and reduce signal crosstalk and signal loss during transmitting the high speed signal by this double contact.
US09825387B2

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a linear edge connector assembly and corresponding bolster plate features for receiving and securing a linear edge connector assembly. Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to a linear edge connector assembly that includes a grooved and indented receiver that can receive a spring loaded ball on the bolster plate. In embodiments, the linear edge connector assembly can include a magnetic element to create a magnetic attraction to magnetic elements on the bolster plate, such as a press-fit ball or a U-shaped hardstop. In some embodiments, the linear edge connector assembly includes a screw or push pin that can be received by a receiver on the bolster plate. The receiver can include a thread or friction fit receiver.
US09825386B2

A board to board male connector includes a male insulator, a first male signal contact set, a second male signal contact set, and a first male holding contact. The male insulator includes a first side wall, a second side wall, a first erect wall, and second erect wall. The first side wall is opposite to the second side wall. The first erect wall is opposite to the second erect wall. The first male signal contact set is disposed on the first erect wall. The second male signal contact set is disposed on the second erect wall. The first male holding contact includes a first male holding body disposed on the first side wall, and at least one first embedding wing extending from at least one side of the first male holding body and embedding into the first side wall.
US09825381B2

Mounting and connector structure for an electronic apparatus includes a substrate, a mounting connector mounted on a substrate surface of the substrate, and a mating connector is attached/detached to the mounting connector in a direction perpendicular to the substrate surface, and a casing having a first casing member disposed on a connector mounting surface of the substrate and a second casing member disposed on an opposite surface side of the connector mounting surface, and the casing accommodates the substrate and the mounting connector in an accommodation space which is formed by coupling the casing members to one another. The first casing member is in contact with a first surface that is a side where the mating connector is attached/detached in the mounting connector, and the second casing member is in contact with a second surface that is a side facing to the first surface in the mounting connector.
US09825378B2

A mounting clip for connecting a cable terminal of an electrical cable to an electrical unit comprising a receiving portion for one element of a two-element connection system and a groove for receiving at least a part of a cable terminal and/or part of a cable. A nut can be fixedly held in the receiving portion of the clip. A terminal with an opening can be placed between the nut and an electrical unit. A screw can be threaded into the nut to press the terminal against a surface of the electrical unit.
US09825373B1

A monopatch antenna system includes a ground plane, a patch antenna arranged parallel to the ground plane and having an aperture, and a monopole antenna extending perpendicularly to the ground plane through the aperture in the patch antenna. A feed system supplies a first portion of an RF signal to the patch antenna with a substantially circular polarization and simultaneously supplies a second portion of the RF signal to the monopole antenna with a linear polarization to produce a wide-beam composite antenna beam pattern having both linear and circular polarizations of the RF signal.
US09825370B2

The disclosure relates to an antenna reflector phase correction film and a reflector antenna. The antenna reflector phase correction film includes a first substrate, a second substrate, and multiple artificial microstructures disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, the artificial microstructures are wires made of electrically conductive materials, and an electromagnetic wave, emergent after being reflected by an antenna reflector attached with the antenna reflector phase correction film, has an equiphase surface. According to the disclosure, the antenna reflector phase correction film has specific refractive index distribution internally, so that a surface emergent phase of a reflector can be corrected after attaching onto a surface of a conventional reflector, a phase error caused due to installation or processing is improved, a complete flat emergent equiphase is obtained, and then a far-field performance (such as a higher gain) is improved.
US09825369B2

An antenna device comprises a cell structure including a plurality of cells made up of a multi-layer structure including a conductor layer and a dielectric layer, arranged in a matrix, and further comprises a first antenna element and a second antenna element arranged over the cell structure. The cells are configured to have artificial magnetic conductor effects corresponding to different frequency bands in a first direction and a second direction, and the first antenna element and the second antenna element are arranged parallel to the surface of the cell structure, respectively along the first direction and the second direction.
US09825363B2

A remote control device includes a first loop antenna portion in the form of a printed metallic trace on a first side of a printed circuit board (PCB) and a second loop antenna portion in the form of a raised metallic structure on a second side of the PCB. The first and second loop antenna portions are connected together through the PCB to form a loop antenna.
US09825360B2

Embodiments for providing side lobe modulation in a radio frequency (RF) transmitting are generally described herein. In some embodiments, an antenna side lobe is modulated to add data to the side lobe for communication with an intended recipient.
US09825359B2

An architecture for providing a low cost, high performance antenna for small devices In particular, a rotatable antenna that having three antenna elements; a primary element consisting of a radiating element and swiveling cylindrical head, a secondary element that consists of a feeding cylindrical pin attached vertically to an electronic device main board, and a third element that consists of a plastic part over-molding the secondary element to permit electromagnetic coupling accuracy between the primary and secondary elements.
US09825356B2

Systems and methods presented herein provide for elastomeric and flexible cables. One cable includes a first insulator extruded as a tube. The cable also includes an elastomeric conductor comprising conductive particles embedded in a polymer. The elastomeric conductor is extruded with the elastomeric insulator through a conduit of the tube. Other cables include flexible wires extruded with elastomeric tubes. In some embodiments, the cables are configured with stay cords that limit a length of stretching in the cable.
US09825353B2

In antenna device, a coil conductor of an antenna coil module and a conductor layer at least partially overlap. A current flows in the conductor layer to block a magnetic field generated by a current flowing in the coil conductor. A current flows along the periphery of a slit and around the periphery of the conductor layer due to a cut-edge effect. Since magnetic flux does not pass through the conductor layer, magnetic flux attempts to bypass the conductor layer along a path in which the conductor opening of the conductor layer is on the inside and the outer edge of the conductor layer is on the outside. As a result, the magnetic flux generates large loops that link the inside and the outside of a coil conductor of an antenna on a reader/writer side to couple an antenna device and the antenna on the reader/writer side.
US09825352B2

Wireless electronic devices are provided. A wireless electronic device may include a ground plane and a metal perimeter around the ground plane. The metal perimeter may include a first antenna radiating element. The wireless electronic device may include a second antenna radiating element between the ground plane and the metal perimeter. Moreover, the wireless electronic device may include a feed structure connected to the second antenna radiating element and the metal perimeter.
US09825348B2

A signal transmission system including: a first connector apparatus, and a second connector apparatus that is coupled with the first connector apparatus. The first connector apparatus and the second connector apparatus are coupled together to form an electromagnetic field coupling unit, and a transmission object signal is converted into a radio signal, which is then transmitted through the electromagnetic field coupling unit, between the first connector apparatus and the second connector apparatus.
US09825343B2

The present disclosure includes a battery system with a battery module having electrochemical cells inside of a housing. The housing includes a first side and a second side opposite to the first side. The battery module includes a heat sink coupled with the second side of the housing and a thermal interface disposed between, and in contact with, the heat sink and the electrochemical cells. The thermal interface contacts base ends of the electrochemical cells. The system includes a cage disposed about the battery module. The cage includes a cage side positioned next to the second side of the housing and having openings disposed in the cage side. The openings enable air to be drawn into the cage. The air passes over the heat sink of the battery module.
US09825341B2

Examples are disclosed of methods to recycle positive-electrode material of a lithium-ion battery. In one example, the positive-electrode material is heated under pressure in a concentrated lithium hydroxide solution. After heating, the positive-electrode material is separated from the concentrated lithium hydroxide solution. After separating, the positive electrode material is rinsed in a basic liquid. After rinsing, the positive-electrode material is dried and sintered.
US09825340B2

An electric energy storage device has a housing, a positive pole and a negative pole, and a deep discharge device integrated in the housing. The device further has a discharge load and it is configured such that the two poles can be electrically connected by way of the discharge load. There is enabled targeted and controlled deep discharging of the energy storage device and improved operating reliability.
US09825339B2

A battery pack for housing plural secondary batteries inside a case includes a battery management unit for managing states of the plural secondary batteries, an information transfer circuit which is connected to the battery management unit and transfers information about the secondary batteries to the battery management unit, and a diagnostic circuit which is branched and formed from the information transfer circuit and is extended to an outer surface of the case.
US09825336B2

The invention relates to an article comprising: a) one or more stacks of battery plates comprising one or more bipolar plates; b) located between each plate is a separator and a liquid electrolyte; further comprising one of more of the features: 1) c) the one or more stacks of battery plates having a plurality of channels passing transversely though the portion of the plates having the cathode and/or the anode deposited thereon; and d) i) one or more seals about the periphery of the channels which prevent the leakage of the liquid electrolyte into the channels, and/or posts located in one or more of the channels having on each end an overlapping portion that covers the channel and sealing surface on the outside of the monopolar plates adjacent to the holes for the transverse channels and applies pressure on the sealing surface of the monopolar plates wherein the pressure is sufficient to withstand pressures created during assembly and operation of electrochemical cells created by the stacks of battery plates; 2) c) a membrane comprising a thermoplastic polymer is disposed about the entire periphery of the edges of the stack of plates; 3 wherein the separator is in the form of a sheet having adhered to its periphery a frame; and m4) c) an integrated valve and integrated channel communicating with the valve.
US09825334B2

Disclosed is a rechargeable lithium battery including a positive electrode; a negative electrode including a negative active material, the negative active material including a silicon-based material; and an electrolyte solution including a lithium salt, a non-aqueous organic solvent, and an additive. The additive includes an ethylene carbonate-based compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 and a pyridine-based compound represented by Chemical Formula 2: R11, R12 and R1 to R5 are each independently hydrogen, a halogen, a substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C20 alkyl group, or a C1 to C20 haloalkyl group; at least one of R11 and R12 is a halogen; and at least one of R1 to R5 is a halogen.
US09825331B2

Disclosed are certain fluorinated derivatives of Meldrum's acid as novel compounds, preparation methods for the same, their use in Li ion batteries, Li air batteries and Li sulphur batteries as well as solvent compositions, electrolyte compositions and respective batteries containing them.
US09825329B2

A gel electrolyte for a rechargeable lithium battery includes a gel polymer including a repeating unit derived from a first monomer represented by A-L-E, a non-aqueous organic solvent, a lithium salt, and an additive. A rechargeable lithium battery includes the gel electrolyte. The additive includes a compound selected from compounds represented by compounds represented by derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof.
US09825327B2

A non-aqueous electrolyte includes (i) an inhibitor against a reaction between an anode and a linear ester; (ii) a mixed organic solvent containing cyclic carbonate and the linear ester; and (iii) an electrolyte salt, wherein the inhibitor is any one compound or a mixture of at least two compounds selected from the group consisting of cyclic carbonate with a vinyl group, fluorinated ethylene carbonate, vinylene carbonate, cyclic acid anhydride, a compound having a cyclic S═O group and an acrylate-based compound. Also, an electrochemical device includes a cathode, an anode and the above non-aqueous electrolyte.
US09825324B2

An electrode assembly includes a unit cell A in which a first electrode 110, a second electrode 120, and a separator 130 disposed between the first and second electrodes 110 and 120 are stacked on each other or a structure in which the unit cells A are repeatedly stacked with the separator therebetween. A first electrode tab 111 protrudes from the first electrode 110, and a second electrode tab 121 protrudes from the second electrode 120, and the electrodes tabs 111 and 121 have widths that gradually decrease in directions in which the electrodes tabs 111 and 121 protrude outward from the electrodes 110 and 120, respectively.
US09825321B2

A hybrid photoelectrochemical and microbial fuel cell device is provided that includes a single-chamber photoelectrochemical device having an n-type TiO2 photoanode and a Pt counter electrode in an aqueous electrolyte solution, and a dual-chamber microbial fuel cell having an anode chamber and a cathode chamber separated by a cation exchange membrane, where the anode chamber includes a carbon anode and microorganisms and the cathode chamber includes Pt-loaded carbon cathode, the carbon anode is electrically connected to the Pt counter electrode, the carbon cathode is electrically connected to the TiO2 photoanode, a light source creates photoexcited electron-hole pairs at the photoanode, the holes oxidize water into oxygen, where dissolved oxygen in the cathode chamber is reduced, the microorganisms oxidize and produce bioelectrons, where the bioelectrons are transferred to the Pt electrode and reduce protons to form hydrogen gas.
US09825318B2

A method for operating a fuel cell system includes detecting a pressure in a fuel supply path located downstream of a pressure reducing valve using a pressure sensor. Whether or not the pressure detected by the pressure sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold pressure is determined. The pressure in the fuel supply path located downstream of the pressure reducing is reduced when the pressure detected by the pressure sensor exceeds the predetermined threshold pressure.
US09825317B2

A fuel cell system 10 includes a fuel cell 20, gas supply systems 30, 40, which supply gases to the fuel cell 20, and a controller 60, which controls the gas supply systems 30, 40. During a non-operation period of the fuel cell 20, the controller 60 controls the gas supply systems 30, 40 to carry out the scavenging treatment. If the scavenging treatment is interrupted by an operation performed by a user, then the controller 60 controls the gas supply systems 30, 40 and restarts the scavenging treatment after a predetermined time elapses from the interruption.
US09825311B2

The invention provides a water-activated, deferred-action battery having a housing containing at least one cell, comprising at least one anode selected from the group consisting of magnesium, aluminum, zinc and alloys thereof; a cathode comprising a skeletal frame including conductive metal and having a portion of its surface area formed as open spaces, and further comprising a heat-pressed, rigid static bed of active cathode material encompassing the skeletal frame, the cathode material comprising basic copper sulfate, said cathode material being compacted and fused to itself and to the skeletal frame under pressure and / or heat, to form a heat-fused, conductive, electrochemically active phase; at least one cavity separating the cathode and the at least one anode, and at least one aperture leading to the at least one cavity for the ingress of an electrolyte-forming, aqueous liquid.
US09825306B2

In accordance with the present disclosure, a method for fabricating a symmetrical solid oxide fuel cell is described. The method includes synthesizing a composition comprising perovskite and applying the composition on an electrolyte support to form both an anode and a cathode.
US09825293B2

Disclosed is a lithium secondary battery including an electrode assembly including a cathode, an anode, and a separator disposed between the cathode and the anode and an electrolyte, wherein the anode includes a lithium titanium oxide (LTO) as an anode active material, and the lithium secondary battery has a charge cut-off voltage of 3.3 to 4 V and, when the charge cut-off voltage is reached, the anode has a potential of 0.75 to 1.545 V within a range within which a potential of the cathode does not exceed 4.95 V.
US09825288B2

A method for making a lithium ion battery anode active material comprising: providing silicon particles and a silane coupling agent, wherein the silane coupling agent comprises a hydrolysable functional group and an organic functional group; mixing the silicon particles and the silane coupling agent in water to obtain a first mixture; adding a monomer or oligomer to the first mixture to obtain a second mixture, the surfaces of the silicon particles being coated with a polymer layer by in situ polymerization method to obtain silicon polymer composite material, the monomer or the oligomer reacting with the organic functional group of the silane coupling agent in a polymerization, thereby a generated polymer layer being chemically grafted on the surfaces of the silicon particles; and heating the silicon polymer composite material to carbonize the polymer layer to form a carbon layer coated on the surfaces of the silicon particles.
US09825283B2

Disclosed are a cathode active material for secondary batteries and a lithium secondary battery including the same. More particularly, a cathode active material for secondary batteries having an operating voltage area of 2.50 V to 4.35 V, including a lithium cobalt-based oxide and a surface-treated lithium nickel-based oxide and having high rolling density by a bimodal form in which an average diameter of the cobalt-based oxide and an average diameter of the lithium nickel-based composite oxide are different, and a lithium secondary battery including the same are disclosed.
US09825281B2

A lithium secondary battery is produced by employing a charging method where a positive electrode upon charging has a maximum achieved potential of 4.3 V (vs. Li/Li+) or lower. The lithium secondary battery contains an active material including a solid solution of a lithium transition metal composite oxide having an α-NaFeO2-type crystal structure. The solid solution has a diffraction peak observed near 20 to 30° in X-ray diffractometry using CuKα radiation for a monoclinic Li[Li1/3Mn2/3]O2-type before charge-discharge. The lithium secondary battery is charged to reach at least a region with substantially flat fluctuation of potential appearing in a positive electrode potential region exceeding 4.3 V (vs. Li/Li+) and 4.8 V (vs. Li/Li+) or lower. A dischargeable electric quantity in a potential region of 4.3 V (vs. Li/Li+) or lower is 177 mAh/g or higher.
US09825277B2

A rechargeable battery includes a case; an electrode assembly accommodating the case; a cap plate sealing an opening of the case; terminals electrically coupled to the electrode assembly and penetrating the cap plate; terminal plates on the cap plate and coupled to a respective one of the terminals; and a connecting member including a sinuous body located between the cap plate and the terminal plate to electrically couple the cap plate and the terminal plate.
US09825274B2

An electrode assembly and a rechargeable battery having electrode tab are disclosed. In one aspect, the electrode assembly includes a first electrode and a second electrode which are wound with a separator placed therebetween The first electrode includes a first coated portion coated with an active material and a plurality of first electrode tabs T1−Tn protruding outwardly from the first coated portion, wherein n is a natural number greater than 1. The first electrode, when spread in a plane form, includes first to nth portions on which the first electrode tabs T1−Tn are respectively formed, wherein the first and nth portions of the first electrode respectively define the innermost and outermost portions thereof. Each of the first electrode tabs T1−Tn includes at least one tab, and wherein the number of the first electrode tab Tn is different from the number of each of the first electrode tabs T1−Tn−1.
US09825267B2

Disclosed is a method for producing a lithium secondary battery including forming an electrode assembly using a cathode, an anode and a separator, introducing the electrode assembly into a battery case, injecting an electrolyte into the battery case, and sealing the battery case, wherein, during assembly of the electrode assembly, insulating particles are dispersed on part of the surface of the separator, or at least one of the cathode and the anode contacting the separator. The step of dispersing insulating particles on the part of the surface of the separator or at least one of the cathode and the anode contacting the separator during battery assembly can considerably reduce short-circuits in a lithium secondary battery caused by intrinsic and extrinsic factors and thus low-voltage defects, and thereby significantly improve yield of a lithium secondary battery.
US09825260B2

A novel emissive display assembly incorporates a photo-switchable polarizer that is switchable between an active, polarizing, state and an inactive, non-polarizing, state depending on the predetermined level of intensity of UV light in the ambient light and enhance the viewable quality of the emissive display by minimizing or eliminating UV light reflection on the emissive display.
US09825258B2

A layered structure for an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) device, the layered structure including a light-transmissive substrate and an internal extraction layer formed on one side of the light-transmissive substrate, in which the internal extraction layer includes (1) a scattering area containing scattering elements composed of solid particles and pores, the solid particles having a density that decreases as it goes away from the interface with the light-transmissive substrate, and the pores having a density that increases as it goes away from the interface with the light-transmissive substrate, and (2) a free area where no scattering elements are present, formed from the surface of the internal extraction layer, which is opposite to the interface, to a predetermined depth.
US09825256B2

The present invention relates to the field of display technology, and particularly to a display panel and a display device comprising the display panel. The display panel comprises a substrate, which is divided into a plurality of sub-pixel areas, each of which comprises a thin film transistor and an organic light-emitting diode device provided above the thin film transistor, wherein, a pixel define layer and a conductive layer are provided above the thin film transistor and below the organic light-emitting diode device, the pixel define layer is used for defining a light-transmissive region and a non-light-transmissive region of the sub-pixel area, an upper surface of the conductive layer and an upper surface of the pixel define layer are in the same plane, and the conductive layer is electrically connected to a drain of the thin film transistor.
US09825252B2

An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes a lower substrate having a display area and a peripheral area around the display area; an upper substrate facing the lower substrate; a display unit at the display area of the lower substrate; a sealing member at the peripheral area of the lower substrate and configured to bond the lower substrate to the upper substrate; and a first metal layer between the lower substrate and the sealing member and having a plurality of first through portions extending in a first direction.
US09825243B2

Described herein are devices and methods related to fabrication of organic electroluminescent devices and related components. In certain embodiments, devices and methods for fabricating OLED panels on substrates with non-uniform reflection or un-even surfaces require that the non-uniform features are arranged in a way such that they are not presented in the region where photolithography features are needed. In certain embodiments, where precision processing such as photolithography features are needed, the substrate is designed to be flat.
US09825240B2

An organic light-emitting device includes: a first electrode; a second electrode; an emission layer between the first electrode and the second electrode; a hole transport region between the first electrode and the emission layer; and an electron transport region between the second electrode and the emission layer, wherein the hole transport region includes a first compound represented by Formula 1.
US09825236B2

An organic light emitting device and a display device, the organic light emitting device including an anode; an emission layer on the anode, the emission layer including a first compound represented by the following Formula 1; an electron transport layer on the emission layer, the electron transport layer including a second compound and the second compound being an indenofluorene derivative; and a cathode on the electron transport layer,
US09825235B2

A novel organic compound that can be used as a carrier-transport material, a host material, or a light-emitting material in a light-emitting element is provided. Specifically, an organic compound that can give a light-emitting element having favorable characteristics even when the organic compound is used in a light-emitting element emitting phosphorescence is provided. The organic compound has a bipyridine skeleton formed by two pyridine skeletons to each of which a dibenzothiophenyl group or a dibenzofuranyl group is bonded via an arylene group.
US09825230B2

A novel heterocyclic compound is provided. A novel heterocyclic compound that can be used for a light-emitting element is provided. A novel heterocyclic compound that can improve the reliability of a light-emitting element when used for a light-emitting element is provided. A light-emitting element, a light-emitting device, an electronic appliance, or a lighting device which includes the novel heterocyclic compound and is highly reliable is provided. One embodiment of the present invention is a heterocyclic compound represented by a general formula (G0). In the general formula (G0), A represents a dibenzo[f,h]quinoxalinyl group, B represents a substituted or unsubstituted fluorenyl group, and Ar represents a substituted or unsubstituted arylene group having 6 to 25 carbon atoms. A-Ar—B  (G0)
US09825224B2

The present disclosure relates to an integrated circuit device having an RRAM cell, and an associated method of formation. In some embodiments, the integrated circuit device has a bottom electrode disposed over a lower metal interconnect layer. The integrated circuit device also has a resistance switching layer with a variable resistance located on the bottom electrode, and a top electrode located over the resistance switching layer. The integrated circuit device also has a self-sputtering spacer having a lateral portion that surrounds the bottom electrode at a position that is vertically disposed between the resistance switching layer and a bottom etch stop layer and a vertical portion abutting sidewalls of the resistance switching layer and the top electrode. The integrated circuit device also has a top etch stop layer located over the bottom etch stop layer abutting sidewalls of the self-sputtering spacer and overlying the top electrode.
US09825221B2

A memory device includes a reset gate whose resistance changes. The memory device also includes a pillar-shaped phase-change layer, a reset gate insulating film surrounding the pillar-shaped phase-change layer, and the reset gate surrounding the reset gate insulating film. The pillar-shaped phase-change layer and the reset gate are electrically insulated from each other by the reset gate insulating film.
US09825219B2

Embodiments of the inventive concepts provide magnetic memory devices. The magnetic memory device includes a magnetic tunnel junction including a free layer, a pinned layer, and a tunnel barrier layer between the free layer and the pinned layer. The free layer includes a perpendicular magnetic material doped with non-magnetic impurities.
US09825215B2

A piezoelectric actuator of a multilayer design includes outer electrodes that are fastened by means of a bonding layer applied by thermal spraying. For example, the outer electrodes are formed as a woven wire fabric. Furthermore, a method for fastening an outer electrode in a piezoelectric actuator is specified.
US09825209B2

A method for manufacturing an electronic component package. The method includes (i) providing a package precursor in which an electronic component is embedded such that an electrode of the electronic component is exposed at a surface of a sealing resin layer; (ii) forming a first metal plating layer such that the first metal plating layer is in contact with the exposed surface of the electrode of the electronic component; (iii) disposing a metal foil in face-to-face spaced relationship with respect to the first metal plating layer; and (iv) forming a second metal plating layer. In step (iv), the second metal plating layer is formed so as to fill a clearance between the first metal plating layer and the metal foil, thereby integrating the metal foil, the first metal plating layer and the second metal plating layer with each other.
US09825208B2

A method of producing an optoelectronic semiconductor component includes providing a semiconductor body; applying a photoconductive layer on a radiation exit surface of the semiconductor body, wherein the semiconductor body emits electromagnetic radiation during operation; exposing at least one sub-region of the photoconductive layer with electromagnetic radiation generated by the semiconductor body; and depositing a conversion layer on the sub-region of the photoconductive layer by an electrophoresis process.
US09825207B2

A light-emitting diode package element includes a substrate, a plurality of light-emitting dies arranged on the substrate, and a second wavelength-conversion layer. Some of the light-emitting dies are covered with first wavelength-conversion layers thereon, respectively. The first wavelength-conversion layers convert into light with a first color temperature. The second wavelength-conversion layer covers the substrate, the light-emitting dies, and the first wavelength-conversion layers, and converts into light with second color temperature different to the light with the first color temperature.
US09825206B2

A light-emitting device includes a first light-emitting element, a phosphor, and a second light-emitting element having a peak wavelength between peak wavelengths of two peaks that define a deepest dip in a composite emission spectrum of the first light-emitting element and the phosphor.
US09825204B2

An optoelectronic component includes a carrier having an upper side which includes a first subarea and a second subarea, wherein the first subarea and the second subarea have different optical properties, and a method of producing an optoelectronic component includes providing a carrier having an upper side which includes a first subarea and a second subarea, and changing an optical property in the first subarea or in the second subarea.
US09825199B2

A laser processing system can be utilized to produce high-performance interdigitated back contact (IBC) solar cells. The laser processing system can be utilized to ablate, transfer material, and/or laser-dope or laser fire contacts. Laser ablation can be utilized to remove and pattern openings in a passivated or emitter layer. Laser transferring may then be utilized to transfer dopant and/or contact materials to the patterned openings, thereby forming an interdigitated finger pattern. The laser processing system may also be utilized to plate a conductive material on top of the transferred dopant or contact materials.
US09825196B2

The present invention relates to a microcrystalline silicon thin film solar cell and the manufacturing method thereof, using which not only the crystallinity of a microcrystalline silicon thin film that is to be formed by the manufacturing method can be controlled and adjusted at will and the defects in the microcrystalline silicon thin film can be fixed, but also the device characteristic degradation due to chamber contamination happening in the manufacturing process, such as plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), can be eliminated effectively.
US09825191B2

Methods of passivating light-receiving surfaces of solar cells with high energy gap (Eg) materials, and the resulting solar cells, are described. In an example, a solar cell includes a substrate having a light-receiving surface. A passivating dielectric layer is disposed on the light-receiving surface of the substrate. A Group III-nitride material layer is disposed above the passivating dielectric layer. In another example, a solar cell includes a substrate having a light-receiving surface. A passivating dielectric layer is disposed on the light-receiving surface of the substrate. A large direct band gap material layer is disposed above the passivating dielectric layer, the large direct band gap material layer having an energy gap (Eg) of at least approximately 3.3. An anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer disposed on the large direct band gap material layer, the ARC layer comprising a material different from the large direct band gap material layer.
US09825186B2

The non-volatile memory device comprises memory cells each comprising a selectable state transistor having a floating gate and a control gate. The state transistor is of the depletion-mode type and is advantageously configured so as to have a threshold voltage that is preferably negative when the memory cell is in a virgin state. When the memory cell is read, a read voltage of zero may then be applied to the control gate and also to the control gates of the state transistors of all the memory cells of the memory device.
US09825182B2

A method includes growing a graphene layer on a metal layer, intercalating a first material between the metal layer and the graphene layer by heating the first material at a first pressure and a first temperature, and intercalating a second material between the metal layer and the graphene layer by heating the second material at a second pressure different from the first pressure and a second temperature different from the first temperature. Accordingly, the first material and the second material are chemically bonded to each other to form an insulating layer, and the insulating layer may be between the metal layer and the graphene layer.
US09825176B2

A thin film transistor includes: a substrate, a semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate, a first gate electrode and a second gate electrode disposed on the semiconductor layer, a gate insulating layer disposed between the semiconductor layer and the first and second gate electrodes and having a first through hole between the first and second gate electrodes and a capping layer covering the first gate electrode and contacting the semiconductor layer via the first through hole. The capping layer includes a conductive material.
US09825168B2

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate and a first well region formed in the semiconductor substrate. An insulator is formed in and over a portion of the first well region and a second well region is formed in the first well region at a first side of the insulator. A first doped region is formed in the second well region, and a second doped region is formed in the first well region at a second side opposite the first side of the insulator. A gate structure is formed over the insulator, the first well region between the second well region and the insulator, and the second well region. An isolation element is formed in the semiconductor substrate, surrounding the first well region and the second well region. The first and second doped regions are formed with asymmetric configurations from a top view.
US09825160B2

A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a main electrode; a peripheral electrode; an insulating protective film; a surface metallic layer; and a solder layer, wherein the semiconductor substrate includes: a first region of a first conductive-type in contact with the main electrode on a main contact surface; a second region of a first conductive-type in contact with the peripheral electrode on a peripheral contact surface; and a third region of a second conductive-type provided under the first region, under the second region, and circumferentially outward of the second region, and a circumferentially-outward end of the metallic layer and a circumferentially-outward end of the solder layer are located more circumferentially inward than the circumferentially-outward end of the peripheral electrode.
US09825156B2

A compound semiconductor device includes a heterojunction bipolar transistor and a bump. The heterojunction bipolar transistor includes a plurality of unit transistors. The bump is electrically connected to emitters of the plurality of unit transistors. The plurality of unit transistors are arranged in a first direction. The bump is disposed above the emitters of the plurality of unit transistors while extending in the first direction. The emitter of at least one of the plurality of unit transistors is displaced from a center line of the bump in the first direction toward a first side of a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction. The emitter of at least another one of the plurality of unit transistors is displaced from the center line of the bump in the first direction toward a second side of the second direction.
US09825155B2

The magnetoresistive element includes a semiconductor channel layer, a pinned layer disposed on the semiconductor channel layer via a first tunnel layer, a free layer disposed on the semiconductor channel layer via a second tunnel layer, wherein the semiconductor channel layer includes a first region containing an interface with the first tunnel layer, a second region containing an interface with the second tunnel layer, and a third region, impurity concentrations in the first and second regions are higher than 1×1019 cm−3, an impurity concentration in the third region is 1×1019 cm−3 or less, the first and second regions are separated by the third region, and the impurity concentrations in the first and second regions decrease in the thickness direction of the semiconductor channel layer from the interface between the semiconductor channel layer and the first tunnel layer and the interface between the semiconductor channel layer and the second tunnel layer.
US09825148B2

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a transistor in a semiconductor substrate having a first main surface. The transistor is formed by forming a source region, forming a drain region, forming a channel region, forming a drift zone, and forming a gate electrode adjacent to at least two sides of the channel region. The channel region and the drift zone are disposed along a first direction parallel to the first main surface, between the source region and the drain region. Forming the semiconductor device further includes forming a conductive layer, a portion of the conductive layer being disposed beneath the gate electrode and insulated from the gate electrode.
US09825124B2

A semiconductor structure for facilitating an integration of power devices on a common substrate includes a first insulating layer formed on the substrate and an active region having a first conductivity type formed on at least a portion of the first insulating layer. A first terminal is formed on an upper surface of the structure and electrically connects with at least one other region having the first conductivity type formed in the active region. A buried well having a second conductivity type is formed in the active region and is coupled with a second terminal formed on the upper surface of the structure. The buried well and the active region form a clamping diode which positions a breakdown avalanche region between the buried well and the first terminal. A breakdown voltage of at least one of the power devices is a function of characteristics of the buried well.
US09825121B2

A semiconductor device of the embodiment includes an SiC layer of 4H—SiC structure having a surface inclined at an angle from 0 degree to 30 degrees relative to {11-20} face or {1-100} face, a gate electrode, a gate insulating film provided between the surface and the gate electrode, a n-type first SiC region provided in the SiC layer, a n-type second SiC region provided in the SiC layer, a channel forming region provided in the SiC layer between the first SiC region and the second SiC region, the channel forming region provided adjacent to the surface, and the channel forming region having a direction inclined at an angle from 60 degrees to 90 degrees relative to a <0001> direction or a <000-1> direction.
US09825118B2

A high voltage metal-oxide-metal (HV-MOM) layout includes a first conductive element. The first element includes a first leg extending in a first direction, a second leg connected to the first leg, the second leg extending in a second direction different from the first direction, and a third leg connected to the second leg, the third leg extending in a first direction. The HV-MOM layout further includes a second conductive element separated from the first conductive element by a space. The second conductive element includes a serpentine structure, wherein the serpentine structure is enclosed on at least three sides by the first conductive element. The HV-MOM layout further includes a dielectric material filling the space between the first conductive element and the second conductive element.
US09825104B2

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a substrate including material having a low birefringence. One or more electrodes of a touch sensor are disposed on the substrate.
US09825099B2

A first electrode and an insulation material layer are sequentially formed over a substrate. A doping mask pattern is formed over the insulation material layer. The doping mask pattern exposes a portion of the insulation material layer. Dopants are injected into the exposed portion of the insulation material layer. The doping mask pattern is removed. A second electrode layer is formed over the insulation material layer. One or more pillar-shaped structures, each of which includes a second electrode, an insulation layer and a first electrode formed by respectively patterning the second electrode layer, the insulation material layer, and the first electrode layer. Each of the one or more pillar-shaped structures includes, in the insulation layer, a part of the exposed portion of the insulation material layer that is doped with the dopants. A threshold switching operation is performed in a region doped with the dopants of the insulation layer.
US09825087B2

A light-emitting diode is provided. The light-emitting diode comprises: a first light-emitting structure, comprising: a first area; a second area; a first isolation path having an electrode isolation layer between the first area and the second area; an electrode contact layer covering the first area; and an electrical connecting structure covering the second area; wherein each of the first area and the second area sequentially comprises a first conductive type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second conductive type semiconductor layer, and the electrode contact layer covers a sidewall of the first area.
US09825064B2

The present application discloses a display panel comprising an array of pixel units, each pixel unit comprising a red sub-pixel, a green sub-pixel, and a blue sub-pixel; the red sub-pixel comprising a red light emitting portion; the green sub-pixel comprising a green light emitting portion; and the blue sub-pixel comprising a blue light emitting portion; at least one of the red sub-pixel, the green sub-pixel, and the blue sub-pixel comprising a white light emitting portion for enhancing brightness of the at least one sub-pixel. A first white color coordinate and a second white color coordinate are substantially the same. The first white color coordinate is a white color coordinate of combined light of light emitted from the red sub-pixel, the green sub-pixel, and the blue sub-pixel. The second white color coordinate is a white color coordinate of combined light of light emitted from equal area units of the red light emitting portion, the green light emitting portion, and the blue light emitting portion.
US09825063B2

The present invention provides a display panel, a fabricating method thereof and a display device. The display panel comprises a pixel region and a fan-out region, first signal lines and second signal lines are provided to intersect each other in the pixel region, and extend into the fan-out region, respectively, a first insulation layer is provided between the first signal lines and the second signal lines, a second insulation layer is provided on the second signal lines, the second insulation layer comprises at least four layers of structures, and a density of each layer of structure of the second insulation layer decreases gradually along a direction away from the first insulation layer. A size of the via hole formed in the second insulation layer by etching is smaller than that of the via hole formed in the prior art.
US09825056B2

A display apparatus includes a substrate partitioned into a central area and a peripheral area disposed adjacent to the central area. The central area includes a display area; a first insulating layer corresponding to the peripheral area of the substrate; at least one slit corresponding to a region of the first insulating layer; and a cladding layer, which covers the at least one slit, on the first insulating layer.
US09825047B2

A non-volatile memory device according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a substrate, a plurality of word lines stacked over the substrate and having a stepwise pattern, wherein the plurality of word lines each have a pad region, and a plurality of contact plugs coupled to the respective pad regions of the word lines, wherein a width of a pad region of a first one of the plurality of word lines is greater than a width of a pad region of a second word line lower than the first word line.
US09825041B1

Various embodiments include methods and integrated circuit (IC) structures. In some cases, an IC can include: a substrate; a deep trench within the substrate; a buried oxide (BOX) layer adjacent the deep trench; a first fin structure over the deep trench; a second fin structure over the BOX layer; an ONO layer over the first fin structure; and a gate electrode contacting the ONO layer.
US09825034B2

A semiconductor device may include a strain relaxed buffer layer provided on a substrate to contain silicon germanium, a semiconductor pattern provided on the strain relaxed buffer layer to include a source region, a drain region, and a channel region connecting the source region with the drain region, and a gate electrode enclosing the channel region and extending between the substrate and the channel region. The source and drain regions may contain germanium at a concentration of 30 at % or higher.
US09825028B2

Some embodiments include a resistor that may be used in audio conversion for an ADC. The resistor may be made up of an n-well as well as a p-well polysilicons. The n-well and p-well polysilicons may include a shallow trench isolator. The n-well and p-well components may be in series with other n-well or p-well components respectively. Similarly, multiple n-well components which are in series, may be in parallel with multiple p-well components.
US09825026B2

A semiconductor device is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a substrate and a plurality of devices on the substrate, wherein a first device of the devices includes a first nitride semiconductor layer on the substrate, a second nitride semiconductor layer brought together with the first nitride semiconductor layer to form a first heterojunction interface, between the substrate and the first nitride semiconductor layer, a third nitride semiconductor layer brought together with the second nitride semiconductor layer to form a second heterojunction interface, between the substrate and the second nitride semiconductor layer, and a first contact electrically connected to the first and second heterojunction interfaces.
US09825024B2

A semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes an active region, a gate line, a first metal interconnect, a power rail, and a second metal interconnect. The gate line overlaps the active region and extends along a first direction. The first metal interconnect overlaps the active region and the gate line. The first metal interconnect extends along a second direction intersecting the first direction. The power rail is disposed in a higher layer than the first metal interconnect. The power rail extends along the second direction. The second metal interconnect is disposed in a same layer as the power rail, the second metal interconnect extends along the second direction.
US09825022B2

An ESD clamp circuit includes a power supply, a ground supply, an ESD detection transistor, a capacitor having a first terminal connected to the power supply and a second terminal connected to a gate of the ESD detection transistor, and a first resistor connected in series with the capacitor between the power and ground supplies. The ESD clamp circuit also includes a clamp transistor having a first terminal connected to the power supply and a second terminal connected to the ground terminal, an inverter having an input connected to a first terminal of the ESD detection transistor and an output connected to the gate of the clamp transistor, a feedback transistor connected across the inverter, and a second resistor having a first terminal connected to the gate of the clamp transistor and to a second terminal to the ground supply.
US09825003B2

An electronic component package includes a first insulating layer having a via formed therein and a pattern formed thereon, an electronic component disposed on the first insulating layer so that an inactive side thereof is directed toward the first insulating layer, and a second insulating layer disposed on the first insulating layer so as to cover the electronic component and having a redistribution pattern formed thereon so as to be electrically connected to the electronic component.
US09824990B2

A package includes a corner, a device die, a molding material molding the device die therein, and a plurality of bonding features. The plurality of bonding features includes a corner bonding feature at the corner, wherein the corner bonding feature is elongated. The plurality of bonding features further includes an additional bonding feature, which is non-elongated.
US09824985B2

A semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a seal ring and a noise-absorbing circuit. The noise-absorbing circuit is electrically connected between the seal ring and a ground pad. The noise-absorbing circuit includes at least one capacitor and at least one inductor to form a first noise-absorbing path, a second noise-absorbing path and a third noise-absorbing path.
US09824984B2

A semiconductor device, in particular an integrated circuit with protection against side channel attacks, in particular imaging- and probing-based attacks, EMA and reverse engineering, in which a metallic conductive layer of a first (104) and/or a second potential supply line (106) are each connected directly and individually to all the circuit components via respective individual conductor path structures (V1, V2).
US09824982B1

Methods for enhancing mechanical strength of back-end-of-line (BEOL) dielectrics to prevent crack propagation within interconnect stacks are provided. After forming interconnect structures in a dielectric material layer, a pore filling material is introduced into pores of a portion of the dielectric material layer that is located in a crack stop region present around a periphery of a chip region. By filling the pores of the portion of the dielectric material layer located in the crack stop region, the mechanical strength of the dielectric material layer is selectively enhanced in the crack stop region.
US09824968B2

A method comprises: accessing data representing a layout of a layer of an integrated circuit (IC) comprising a plurality of polygons defining circuit patterns to be divided among a number (N) of photomasks for multi-patterning a single layer of a semiconductor substrate, where N is greater than one. For each set of N parallel polygons in the layout closer to each other than a minimum separation for patterning with a single photomask, at least N−1 stitches are inserted in each polygon within that set to divide each polygon into at least N parts, such that adjacent parts of different polygons are assigned to different photomasks from each other. Data representing assignment of each of the parts in each set to respective photomasks are stored in a non-transitory, computer readable storage medium that is accessible for use in a process to fabricate the N photomasks.
US09824964B2

This disclosure provides a package substrate, a package structure including the same and their fabrication methods. The package substrate comprises: a first wiring layer having a first metal wire and a first dielectric material layer surrounding the first metal wire; a conductive pillar layer formed on the first wiring layer and including a first metal pillar connected to the first metal wire and a molding compound layer surrounding the first metal pillar; a flexible material layer formed on the conductive pillar layer and including a first opening formed on the first metal pillar and exposing the first metal pillar; and a second wiring layer formed on the conductive pillar layer and including a second metal wire connected to the first metal pillar through the first opening, a second metal pillar formed on the second metal wire, and a protective layer surrounding the second metal wire and the second metal pillar.
US09824958B2

Various embodiments provide a chip carrier structure. The chip carrier structure may include a structured metallic chip carrier; encapsulating material at least partially filling the structure; wherein the main surfaces of the metallic chip carrier are free from the encapsulating material.
US09824947B2

The disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus for testing different types of TSVs in a single die or different types of TSV connections in a stack of die. The testing is facilitated by test circuitry associated with each type of TSV. The test circuitry includes a scan cell adapted for testing TSVs.
US09824946B2

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor chip from a wafer having a test architecture includes forming a plurality of dies on a wafer, each of the plurality of dies including a semiconductor device, forming at least two common pads commonly coupled to the dies, the at least two common pads being formed in a scribe lane, the scribe lane distinguishing the dies with respect to each other, and simultaneously testing the semiconductor devices at a wafer level, using the at least two common pads.
US09824945B2

A semiconductor device reduces measurement time. The semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the invention includes: plural series-coupled resistance elements for testing; plural switches coupled to a coupling path coupling the resistance elements; and plural selection circuits to select, by turning on or off the switches, a number of the series-coupled resistance elements to be measured as a group. In the semiconductor device: the switches include plural first switches coupled to plural groups of the resistance elements, each of the groups including N (N=2 or a larger integer) of the resistance elements; and the selection circuits turn the first switches on or off and thereby select a number of the series-coupled resistance elements to be measured as a group, the number equaling the N.
US09824943B2

A semiconductor structure with a stop layer for planarization process therein and a method for forming the same is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: forming a trench in a substrate and between active areas; filling the trench with isolation layer; doping the isolation layer with an element to form a doped isolation region; annealing the doped isolation region; and planarizing the annealed and doped isolation region and measuring a planarization depth thereof. The coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs) of the stop layer, the dielectric layer, and the active area are different.
US09824925B2

Alignment marks on a semiconductor device surface are exposed and exposed surfaces cleaned after an obscuring coating is applied over the surface and marks. The surface can be an attachment surface of the device and can include C4 solder bumps of a flip-chip type device and the coating can include a wafer level underfill coating that is substantially optically opaque. Laser ablation, such as with a UV laser, can remove the coating while minimizing heat transfer to the device.
US09824921B1

A method provides a structure having a FinFET in an Rx region, the FinFET including a channel, source/drain (S/D) regions and a gate, the gate including gate metal. A cap is formed over the gate having a high-k dielectric liner and a core. Trench silicide (TS) is disposed on sides of the gate. The TS is recessed to a level above a level of the gate and below a level of the cap. An oxide layer is disposed over the structure. A CB trench is patterned into the oxide layer within the Rx region to expose the core and liner at an intermediate portion of the CB trench. The core is selectively etched relative to the liner to extend the CB trench to a bottom at the gate metal. The CB trench is metalized to form a CB contact.
US09824910B2

An electrostatic chuck is disclosed. In one aspect, the electrostatic chuck includes a top plate, wherein first and second regions adjacent to each other are formed at a surface of the top plate. The electrostatic chuck also includes a first absorption plate positioned at the first region and a second absorption plate positioned at the second region to be separated from the first absorption plate. The first and second absorption plates are configured to support the absorption target.
US09824909B2

A chuck for aligning a first planar substrate in parallel to a second planar substrate includes a top plate having a top surface for arrangement of the first planar substrate. A bottom plate is at least one distance measuring sensor configured to measure a distance between the top surface of the top plate and a surface of the second planar substrate, and at least three linear actuators in contact with the top plate and the bottom plate. The method for setting a gap between the first and second planar substrate includes measuring the thickness of the first planar substrate and measuring between a surface of the second planar substrate and the top surface of the top plate. The tilt adjusts between a top surface of the first planar substrate or the chuck and the surface of the second planar substrate by using at least three linear actuators of the chuck.
US09824908B2

In this system, regarding an conveyance object placed on a rotary table, based on positions temporarily set previously as a taking position of the disk-shaped conveyance object in a storing container and a reference position of the rotary table, information of the taking position of the conveyance object in the storing container and of the reference position of the rotary table is acquired based on information of the deviation of the conveyance object placed on the rotary table with respect to the reference position of the rotary table acquired by a sensor portion so as to teach a conveying operation of the conveyance object from the storing container to the rotary table by the robot based on the acquired position information.
US09824907B2

A gas purge apparatus, a load port apparatus, and a gas purge method are capable of filling a container with a cleaning gas without leaning the container to be purged. The first and second purge nozzles are configured to be escalated so that the first purge nozzle 30-1 contacts with the first purge port 5-1 whose distance to the regulating distance 90 is near before the second purge nozzle 30-2 contacts with the second purge port 5-2.
US09824904B2

A chuck for a plasma processor comprises a temperature-controlled base, a thermal insulator, a flat support, and a heater. The temperature-controlled base is controlled in operation a temperature below the desired temperature of a workpiece. The thermal insulator is disposed over at least a portion of the temperature-controlled base. The flat support holds a workpiece and is disposed over the thermal insulator. A heater is embedded within the flat support and/or mounted to an underside of the flat support. The heater includes a plurality of heating elements that heat a plurality of corresponding heating zones. The power supplied and/or temperature of each heating element is controlled independently. The heater and flat support have a combined temperature rate change of at least 1° C. per second.
US09824899B2

The present invention provides an etching liquid which has a suitable etching rate for etching of an oxide containing zinc and tin and is suppressed in change of the etching rate due to dissolution of the oxide, while being free from the generation of a precipitate. The corrosiveness of this etching liquid to wiring materials is low enough to be ignored, and this etching liquid has excellent linearity of a pattern shape. The present invention uses an etching liquid which contains (A) one or more substances selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, methanesulfonic acid, perchloric acid and salts of these acids, and (B) oxalic acid or a salt thereof and water, and which has a pH of from −1 to 1.
US09824885B2

One aspect of the present invention is a double sided hybrid crystal structure including a trigonal Sapphire wafer containing a (0001) C-plane and having front and rear sides. The Sapphire wafer is substantially transparent to light in the visible and infrared spectra, and also provides insulation with respect to electromagnetic radio frequency noise. A layer of crystalline Si material having a cubic diamond structure aligned with the cubic <111> direction on the (0001) C-plane and strained as rhombohedron to thereby enable continuous integration of a selected (SiGe) device onto the rear side of the Sapphire wafer. The double sided hybrid crystal structure further includes an integrated III-Nitride crystalline layer on the front side of the Sapphire wafer that enables continuous integration of a selected III-Nitride device on the front side of the Sapphire wafer.
US09824870B1

A system that integrates several technologies into a single, portable medical diagnostic apparatus for analyzing a sample body fluid (liquid and/or gas): (1) a mechanism to capture airborne microdroplets and to separate the body fluid into a first fluid component (primarily gas) and a second fluid component (primarily liquid); (2) a volatilizer to convert a portion of the second fluid component into a third fluid component that is primarily a gas; (3) a functionalized nanostructure (NS) array configured to receive, identify, and estimate concentration of at least one constituent in the first and/or third fluid components; (4) a miniaturized differential mobility spectrometer (DMS) module; and (5) a biomarker sensor, to detect volatile and non-volatile molecules in a sample fluid, which may contain one or more components of blood, breath, perspiration, saliva, and urine.
US09824858B2

A de-coating method includes: exposing a coated body in which a coating made of an inorganic material is formed on a surface of the metal body to ion flows to peel off the coating from the metal body, wherein the coated body is placed at an ion flow-concentrated portion where two or more ion flows overlap each other, and is exposed to the ion flows without addition of a positive or negative bias to the coated body. As gases for use in generating ions from plasma, oxygen and CF4 that promote de-coating through a chemical reaction are preferably used in addition to Ar that performs de-coating under the physical action of ion collision and stabilizes plasma.
US09824857B2

An ion implanter may include an electrostatic clamp to hold a substrate; a plasma flood gun generating a flux of electrons impinging upon the substrate; and a controller coupled to the plasma flood gun and including a component generating a control signal responsive to a measurement signal, the control signal to adjust operation of the plasma flood gun to a target operating level. At the target operating level the flux of electrons may comprise a stabilizing dose of electrons, the stabilizing concentration of electrons, the stabilizing concentration reducing a clamp current variation in the electrostatic clamp to a target value, the target value being less than a second value of clamp current variation when the plasma flood gun is not operating.
US09824855B2

In order to solve the problem that information indicating three or more points on a contour of a figure drawn by an electron beam writer cannot be more precisely acquired, an information processing apparatus includes: an accepting unit that accepts pattern information indicating a pattern figure, and actually observed contour information acquired using an image obtained by capturing an image of a figure drawn by an electron beam writer; a transforming information acquiring unit that acquires transforming information, which is information that minimizes the sum of squares of differences between convolution values corresponding to three or more corrected contour points of a given point spread function in a region indicated by the pattern figure indicated by the pattern information and a threshold regarding the convolution values; a corrected contour point acquiring unit that acquires corrected contour point information, which is information indicating three or more corrected contour points respectively corresponding to three or more actually observed contour points, using the transforming information; and an output unit that outputs the corrected contour point information. Accordingly, it is possible to more precisely acquire information indicating three or more points on a contour of a figure drawn by an electron beam writer.
US09824853B2

In order to enable high-speed imaging of a wide-field image, the imaging method using the electron microscope comprises: irradiating and scanning a wide-field region of the sample with a low-dose amount of electron beam, and acquiring a wide-field image of the sample; setting, from this wide-field image, a narrow-field region; irradiating and scanning this narrow-field region with a high-dose amount of the electron beam, and acquiring a narrow-field image of the sample; determining the noise-removal parameters for the acquired wide-field image and narrow-field image; performing image quality improvement processing on the wide-field image and the narrow-field image; performing drift correction on the narrow-field image undergone the image quality improvement processing; and combining the narrow-field image undergone this drift correction and the wide-field image in such a manner that the visibility of each is at the same level throughout the entirety of the combined image.
US09824851B2

A system and method associated with a charge drain coating are disclosed. The charge drain coating may be applied to surfaces of an electron-optical device to drain electrons that come into contact with the charge drain coating so that the performance of the electron-optical device will not be hindered by electron charge build-up. The charge drain coating may include a doping material that coalesces into clusters that are embedded within a high dielectric insulating material. The charge drain coating may be deposited onto the inner surfaces of lenslets of the electron-optical device.
US09824847B2

According to one embodiment, an X-ray tube includes a cathode, an anode target and an envelope. The cathode includes an insulating member, a conductive line, a pin assembly, a filament, a focusing electrode, and a terminal assembly. The conductive line is formed on the insulating member. The pin assembly includes a pin and a first sleeve. The terminal assembly is fixed to the insulating member, is supporting the filament, and is electrically connecting the filament to the conductive line.
US09824845B2

A field emission device is configured as a heat engine, wherein the configuration of the heat engine is variable.
US09824843B2

An emitter has a basic unit with at least one emission surface. Accordingly, the basic unit has deep structuring in a region of the at least one emission surface. More specifically, the basic unit has the deep structuring on both a front side and on a rear side in the region of the emission surface for improving emission properties.
US09824834B2

An approach includes a method of fabricating a switch. The approach includes forming a first fixed electrode and a second fixed electrode, forming a first cantilevered electrode aligned vertically over the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode, and operable to directly contact the second fixed electrode upon an application of a voltage to the first fixed electrode, forming a second cantilevered electrode aligned vertically over the second fixed electrode, and which has an end that overlaps the first cantilevered electrode, and forming a hermetically sealed volume encapsulating the first fixed electrode, the second fixed electrode, the first cantilevered electrode, and the second cantilevered electrode.
US09824829B1

A capacitor is described. A casing for the capacitor comprises a container having a face wall joined to a surrounding sidewall extending to a annular edge defining an open end of the container. An inwardly extending protrusion is located intermediate the face wall and the annular edge at the container open end. A partition plate is supported on the protrusion to thereby provide a first capacitor enclosure bounded by the face wall, the surrounding sidewall and the partition plate. A cover plate is secured to the annular edge to close the open end of the container and provide a second capacitor enclosure bounded by the partition plate, the surrounding sidewall and the cover plate. An anode, for example of tantalum, and a cathode active material, for example of ruthenium oxide, reside in capacitive association with each other inside each of the first and second capacitor enclosures. A working electrolyte is also contained in the capacitor enclosures. Finally, leads extend from each anode through insulative seals structures supported by the casing for making electrical connection to the capacitor.
US09824828B2

The invention relates to micro supercapacitors and nanocomposite active materials and methods of fabrication thereof.
US09824807B2

An apparatus comprises multiple electrically conductive loops, an elongated tubular ferromagnetic shield, and an elongated tubular superconductive inner shield. The superconductive inner shield is positioned within the ferromagnetic shield. Each conductive loop includes (i) a thrust segment extending from a first end of the superconductive inner shield outside the ferromagnetic shield to a second end of the superconductive inner shield and (ii) a return segment passing through an interior passage of the superconductive inner shield from the second end of the superconductive inner shield to the first end of the superconductive inner shield. The conductive loops can be spatially arranged relative to a uniform external magnetic field so that interaction between the external magnetic field and electrical current flowing in the conductive loops results in asymmetric magnetic flux density around, and non-zero net force exerted on, the conductive loops.
US09824805B2

A coil unit for an electric vehicle for the inductive transfer of electrical energy between the coil unit and a stationary charging station. The coil unit includes at least one coil and a flux guide unit for guiding a magnetic flux occurring during operation of the coil. Also disclosed is an electric vehicle having a coil unit for the inductive transfer of electrical energy between a secondary coil of the coil unit and a primary coil of a charging station. The disclosed coil solves the problem of allowing the safe use of the inductive electrical energy transfer in electric vehicles, in particular motor vehicles, by proposing a coil unit, in which the flux guide unit has material weakenings, and an electric vehicle having such a coil unit.
US09824802B2

The present invention relates to an Ni—Zn—Cu—Co ferrite sintered plate having a composition comprising 45 to 50 mol % of Fe2O3, 10 to 25 mol % of NiO, 15 to 36 mol % of ZnO, 2 to 14 mol % of CuO and 0.1 to 3.5 mol % of CoO, all of the molar amounts being calculated in terms of the respective oxides, and a ferrite sintered sheet that is provided on a surface thereof with a groove and further with an adhesive layer and/or a protective layer. The ferrite sintered sheet is capable of exhibiting an increased μ′ value of a magnetic permeability while maintaining a small μ″ value of the magnetic permeability.
US09824787B2

In one embodiment, the invention includes an x-ray source having a cathode with an elongated blade oriented substantially transverse with respect to a longitudinal axis of the cathode. The blade can be pointed towards an anode. In another embodiment, the invention includes an x-ray source having a window with an annular-shape, forming a hollow-ring. A convex portion of a half-ball-shape of an anode can extend into a hollow of the annular-shape of the window. In another embodiment, the invention includes an x-ray source having an anode with a dome shape having a concave side facing the electron emitter.
US09824775B2

An integrated circuit and method of performing a reliability screen of an electrically programmable non-volatile memory array in the integrated circuit. At a first memory address of the array, a most stringent value of a sensing reference level at which correct data are read is identified. The remainder of the addresses of the array are evaluated in sequence, beginning at the value determined for the first address, and incrementally adjusting the sensing reference level for each, if necessary, until correct data are read at that address. The sensing reference level may be a reference current applied to a sense amplifier, against which read current from the addressed memory cell is compared, or may be control gate voltage applied to the control gate of a floating-gate transistor in the addressed memory cell. The process continues until all addresses in the memory array have been evaluated, following which the reference level identifies the strength of the weakest cell in the array, and the weakest address can be identified.
US09824771B2

Provided is a gate shift register including a plurality of stages receiving a plurality of clocks to generate gate output signals, in which an n-th stage of the stages dependently connected to each other includes an output node outputting an n-th gate output signal, a pull-up TFT switching a current flow between an input terminal of a clock having an n-th phase and the output node according to a potential of a Q node, a pull-down TFT switching the current flow between an input terminal of a low potential voltage and the output node according to a potential of a QB node, appnd a BTS compensation unit periodically discharging the QB node at a low potential level just after the n-th stage is reset and just until the n-th stage is set in a next frame.
US09824770B1

Apparatuses and methods for transmitting fuse data from fuse arrays to latches are described. An example apparatus includes: a plurality of fuse arrays, each fuse array of the plurality of fuse arrays being configured to store input data; a fuse circuit that receives the input data and provides the input data on a bus; and a plurality of redundancy latch circuits coupled to the bus, including a plurality of pointers and a plurality of latches associated with the plurality of corresponding pointers that load data on the bus. The fuse circuit may control loading of the input data by controlling a location of a pointer among the plurality of corresponding pointers responsive to the input data.
US09824760B2

A device includes a non-volatile memory and a controller coupled to the non-volatile memory. The controller is configured to initiate writing of first data to a first portion of a group of storage elements of the non-volatile memory. The controller is further configured to initiate writing of shaped dummy data to a second portion of the group of storage elements.
US09824759B2

In a method of programming a non-volatile memory device, a first voltage is applied to a selected memory cell for programming, and a second voltage is applied to a non-selected memory cell. Before the second voltage rises to a predetermined voltage level, which is less than a program voltage level, the first voltage is greater than the second voltage or the second voltage is maintained at greater than a ground voltage level. Related non-volatile memory devices and memory systems are also discussed.
US09824757B2

The consumption current of a TCAM device is reduced. A semiconductor device includes multiple sub-arrays each including a TCAM cell array. Each sub-array searches the corresponding part of the input search data. Each sub-array outputs the search result indicative of a match for every entry without searching, when the corresponding first control signal is activated.
US09824753B2

A computing device includes a computation circuit and a data storage circuit. The computation circuit is coupled to the data storage circuit and is arranged for reading and writing data from/to the data storage circuit. The computing device includes a memory array of non-volatile memory elements and controlling circuitry connected to the memory array for reading and writing data from/to selected memory elements in the array. The computation circuit and the data storage circuit are located in the memory array, and the non-volatile memory elements of the memory array are memristor-type elements.
US09824740B2

Described are dynamic memory systems that perform overlapping refresh and data-access (read or write) transactions that minimize the impact of the refresh transaction on memory performance. The memory systems support independent and simultaneous activate and precharge operations directed to different banks. Two sets of address registers enable the system to simultaneously specify different banks for refresh and data-access transactions.
US09824736B1

According to one embodiment, a memory device includes a memory cell array; a generation circuit generating a reference current; a sense amplifier comparing a cell current flowing through a memory cell with the reference current; a first clamp transistor connected between the sense amplifier and the memory cell; a second clamp transistor connected between the sense amplifier and the generation circuit; a first interconnect layer connected to a gate of the first clamp transistor; a second interconnect layer connected to a gate of the second clamp transistor and arranged adjacent to the first interconnect layer; and a first shield line arranged adjacent to one of the first interconnect layer and the second interconnect layer, a fixed voltage being applied to the first shield line.
US09824733B2

An operating method for a resistive memory cell and a resistive memory are provided. The operating method for the resistive memory cell includes following steps. A forming operation for the resistive memory cell is performed. Whether the resistive memory cell is in a first state is determined, wherein the first state is corresponding to a first operation. When the resistive memory cell is not in the first state, a complementary switching operation regarding a second operation for the resistive memory cell is performed, so that the resistive memory cell generates a complementary switching phenomenon regarding the second operation. Thus, the resistive memory cell which cannot retain data by normal forming operation can effectively obtain the data retention capability by the complementary switching phenomenon.
US09824730B2

A first timing reference signal and a second timing reference signal are sent to a memory device. The second timing reference signal has approximately a quadrature phase relationship with respect to the first timing reference signal. A plurality of serial data patterns are received from the memory device. The transitions of the first timing reference and the second timing reference determining when transitions occur between the bits of the plurality of data patterns. Timing indicators associated with when received transitions occur between the bits of the plurality of data patterns are received from the memory device. The timing indicators are each measured using a single sampler. Based on the timing indicators, a first duty cycle adjustment for the first timing reference signal, a second duty cycle adjustment for the second timing reference signal, and a quadrature phase adjustment are determined and applied.
US09824720B1

An apparatus includes a tape cartridge housing, an RFID chip attached to the tape cartridge housing. The RFID chip includes a tape cartridge ID and tape cartridge information, a time relay operably connected to the RFID chip, and external contact points configured to contact another RFID chip of another tape cartridge within the same tier. A method includes receiving a tape cartridge label read request including a position indicator corresponding to a location of a tape cartridge of interest, moving a tape cartridge gripper to the location indicated by the position indicator, activating a field coil on the tape cartridge gripper to provide power to an RFID chip on a selected tape cartridge, detecting information transmitted by the RFID chip on the selected tape cartridge, determining if the selected tape cartridge is the tape cartridge of interest, and activating a next RFID chip on an adjacent tape cartridge.
US09824713B2

Provided is a light information device, and the like, that records header information on an information recording medium, after preventing screen burn of a spatial light modulator. One example of the solution in the present invention is a light information device that records two-dimensional page data on an information recording medium and is provided with a first information generation unit, a second information generation unit that generates a second bit string on the basis of a first bit string, and a spatial light modulation unit that displays a pattern corresponding to the second bit string. The second information generation unit: performs a first processing, on the first bit string corresponding to first identification information, that inverts each bit at a prescribed cycle; generates the second bit string corresponding to the first identification information; performs a second processing, different from the first processing, on the first bit string corresponding to second identification information that includes bits which are switched at the same cycle as the prescribed cycle; and generates the second bit string corresponding to the second identification information.
US09824709B2

Devices having an air bearing surfaces (ABS), the devices including a near field transducer (NFT) that includes a disc having a front edge; a peg, the peg having a front surface at the air bearing surface of the apparatus, an opposing back surface, a top surface that extends from the front surface to the back surface, two side surfaces that expend from the front surface to the back surface and a bottom surface that extends from the front surface to the back surface; and a barrier layer, the barrier layer separating at least the back surface of the peg from the disc and the barrier layer having a thickness from 10 nm to 50 nm.
US09824705B1

A slider of a heat-assisted recording head comprises electrical bond pads coupled to bias sources and a ground pad, an air bearing surface, and a waveguide configured to receive light from a laser source. A contact sensor proximate the air bearing surface is coupled between a first bond pad and a second bond pad. A bolometer is coupled to a reference thermal sensor. The bolometer is situated at a slider location that receives at least some of the light communicated along the waveguide. The reference thermal sensor is situated at a slider location unexposed to the light communicated along the waveguide. The bolometer and reference thermal sensor are coupled between the first and second bond pads and in parallel with the contact sensor. A ground connection is coupled to the ground pad and at a connection between the bolometer and the reference thermal sensor.
US09824702B2

A magnetic head includes a coil, a main pole and a return path section. The return path section is located on the trailing side relative to the main pole so that a space is defined between the main pole and itself. The coil includes a first winding portion and a second winding portion connected in series. The first winding portion extends to pass through the aforementioned space, and extends once around the entire perimeter of the main pole as viewed from the medium facing surface. The second winding portion does not pass through the aforementioned space, and surrounds only a part of the entire perimeter of the main pole as viewed from the medium facing surface.
US09824701B2

A microwave assisted magnetic head includes a main magnetic pole; a trailing shield; and a spin torque oscillator provided between the main magnetic pole and the trailing shield. The spin torque oscillator has a first end surface configuring a part of an air bearing surface, a second end surface facing the main magnetic pole, and a third end surface facing the first end surface, the first angle θ1 made by the first end surface and the second end surface is smaller than the second angle θ2 formed by the second end surface and the third end surface, and the second angle θ2 is 80 to 100 degrees.
US09824696B2

Provided is a noise reduction apparatus, a noise reduction method, and a program for generating voice that is easy to hear while reducing sudden sound. The noise reduction apparatus includes a first microphone configured to collect mainly voice and output the voice as a first signal, a second microphone configured to collect mainly sound other than the voice and output the sound as a second signal, a sudden sound detecting unit configured to detect sudden sound in the first signal and the second signal, a sudden sound information storage unit configured to store the sudden sound as one or a plurality of reference signals, and an adder configured to remove the sudden sound from the first signal based on the reference signal stored in the sudden sound information storage unit.
US09824692B1

The present invention is directed to a deep neural network (DNN) having a triplet network architecture, which is suitable to perform speaker recognition. In particular, the DNN includes three feed-forward neural networks, which are trained according to a batch process utilizing a cohort set of negative training samples. After each batch of training samples is processed, the DNN may be trained according to a loss function, e.g., utilizing a cosine measure of similarity between respective samples, along with positive and negative margins, to provide a robust representation of voiceprints.
US09824690B2

An additive three-dimensional fabrication system includes voice control for user interaction. This voice-controlled interface can enable a variety of voice-controlled functions and operations, while supporting interactions specific to consumer-oriented fabrication processes.
US09824680B2

A beamforming module includes a conversion unit configured to convert an input signal to generate a converted signal using at least one conversion function, a weight calculator configured to calculate a converted signal weight as a weight for the converted signal, and a synthesizer configured to generate a result signal using the converted signal and the converted signal weight.
US09824676B2

A cabinet structure includes multiple cover members configured to spatially partition an inside from an outside of a cabinet, and a clearance communicating between the inside and the outside of the cabinet is left between two cover members, the two cover members being adjacent to each other, of the cover members, and a passage defined by the clearance and leading from the inside to the outside of the cabinet through the clearance has a shape with multiple bends.
US09824675B2

A method for suppressing interference noise in an acoustic system with a microphone that generates an input signal and a loudspeaker that generates an acoustic signal which partially feeds back to the microphone. A first intermediate signal is formed along a primary signal path as a function of the input signal, and an output signal is formed via a frequency distortion. The output signal is coupled into a signal feedback path. A second intermediate signal is formed in the signal feedback path via a decorrelation and used as an input value for an adaptive filter. The adaptive filter generates a compensation signal which compensates the input signal. A third intermediate signal is formed from the input signal and/or compensated input signal, which is used as an input value for the adaptive filter. The output signal is fed to the loudspeaker for reproduction.
US09824667B2

An image processing apparatus is provided including: a plurality of buffers, a first buffer from a among the plurality of buffers storing a first frame; and a controller configured to obtain frame information of a second frame, which includes second object information about a second object added in the second frame and second object location information indicating a second object area that is an area of the second object in the second frame, detect a duplicate area in the first frame, copy the duplicate area stored in the first buffer to a second buffer from among the plurality of buffers, and draw the second object in the second buffer based on the frame information.
US09824655B2

According to one embodiment, a display device includes a display panel including a gate line, source lines, and switching elements connected to the gate line and the respective source lines. A gate driver selects the gate line. A source driver supplies an image signal to the source lines. The image signals can be supplied to pixel electrodes through the switching elements. A frame period includes a first scan period in which the gate line is selected, a first hold period subsequent to the first scan period, a second scan period in which the gate line is selected subsequent to the first hold period, and a second hold period subsequent to the second scan period. The first hold period is longer than the second hold period.
US09824643B2

Embodiments of the present invention provides an array substrate, a pixel driving method, and a display device, and the array substrate is provided with a first pixel unit set used to display a first image, and pixel units in the first pixel unit set are coupled to a first gate line set in the plurality of gate lines; a second pixel unit set configured to display a second image, and pixel units in the second pixel unit set are coupled to a second gate line set in the plurality of gate lines; the pixel units in the first pixel unit set and the pixel units in the second pixel unit set are alternately provided.
US09824641B2

There is disclosed a method of driving an electrophoresis display device including a display unit having a plurality of pixel electrodes, a common electrode opposite to the plurality of pixel electrodes, and a first and second electrophoresis particles that are disposed between the plurality of pixel electrodes and the common electrode, the method including applying a first or second potential to each of the pixel electrodes, and applying the first or second potential, which is periodically switched, to the common electrode, when an image displayed on the display unit is rewritten, wherein, when the first and second potentials are periodically applied to the common electrode, the application of the first potential for a first application time and the application of the second potential for a second application time different from the first application time are repeatedly performed.
US09824637B2

A device, such as an electrowetting display device, includes a first substrate and a second substrate opposite to the first substrate. A pixel region is on the first substrate. The device includes an input line for applying a driving voltage to a capacitor associated with the pixel region to control a luminance of the pixel region, wherein, after the driving voltage is applied to the capacitor, the pixel region exhibits a reduction in a luminance of the pixel region over time. An illumination device is configured to illuminate at least a portion of the pixel region. A timing controller is configured to modify an output of the illumination device to compensate for the reduction in the luminance of the pixel region over time.
US09824632B2

Circuits for programming a circuit with decreased programming time are provided. Such circuits include a storage device such as a capacitor for storing display information and for ensuring a driving device such as a driving transistor drives a light emitting device according to the display information. To increase programming time, the pixel circuits may be pre-charged or a biasing current may be applied to charge and/or discharge a data line and/or the driving device. Aspects of the present disclosure allow for the biasing current to drain partially through the storage device to allow the portion of the biasing current applied to the driving device to remain small while the data line discharges. Furthermore, the present disclosure provides display architectures and operation schemes for display arranged in segments each including a plurality of pixel circuits.
US09824626B2

The semiconductor device includes a transistor and a capacitor element which is electrically connected to a gate of the transistor. Charge held in the capacitor element according to total voltage of voltage corresponding to the threshold voltage of the transistor and image signal voltage is once discharged through the transistor, so that variation in current flowing in the transistor or mobility of the transistor can be reduced.
US09824622B1

In a method for determining a position of at least one display screen within an array of coupled display screens an emitted signal from an adjacent display screen is detected. The detecting is performed by a sensor coupled with a side of a plurality of sides of a display screen. A positional code number is determined based on the detecting. The positional code number includes a bit number corresponding to a detection of the signal emitted from the adjacent display screen.
US09824618B2

When a clock signal pulse number and a compensation-target-line address indicating a compensation-target row match, the following control is carried out with a time point being a starting point of a current measurement period, the time point being one horizontal scanning period after a time point of the match. At a current measurement period starting point and ending point, only the potential of the one of the clock signals applied to a unit circuit corresponding to the compensation-target row is changed. Throughout the current measurement period, the clock operation of the clock signals is stopped. A monitor enable signal, that is applied to a control terminal of an output control transistor for controlling active signal output to a monitor control line, is only set to a high level during the current measurement period.
US09824613B2

A liquid display panel is disclosed, which comprises: a first substrate; a second substrate; a first electrode and a second electrode disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode have different electric potentials; a first alignment film disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein when a working frequency of the liquid crystal display panel is N Hz, ionic electric potentials of the liquid crystal layer and the first alignment film satisfy the following Equation (I): 0 ≤  V ion_LC ⁡ ( 1 2 ⁢ N ) - V ion_PI ⁡ ( 1 2 ⁢ N ) V ion_LC ⁡ ( 1 2 ⁢ N ) + V ion_PI ⁡ ( 1 2 ⁢ N )  ≤ 0.5 ( I ) wherein 0.1≦N≦30, Vion_LC(1/2N) refers to an ionic electric potential of the liquid crystal layer at a time of 1/2N, and Vion_PI(1/2N) refers to an ionic electric potential of the first alignment film at a time of 1/2N.
US09824607B1

A brain-machine interface for extracting user action intentions within a continuous asynchronous interactive environment is presented. A subliminal stimulus module generates contextually appropriate decision-related stimuli that are unobtrusive to a user. An altered perceptual experience module modifies a user's sensation of the interactive environment based on decision-related stimuli generated from the subliminal stimulus module. A brain monitoring module assesses the user's brain activity in response to the decision-related stimuli and to determine whether an action within the asynchronous interactive environment is intended by the user. Finally, an action is taken based on explicit user input, the user's brain activity in response to the decision-related stimuli, or a combination thereof. The decision-related stimuli can be visual stimuli, audio stimuli, tactile stimuli, or olfactory stimuli, any be a repeated signal having a start and a stop, where the start and stop are selected to minimize cognitive load on a user.
US09824605B2

Some implementations include a method for operating a centrifuge-based-flight simulator in at least one of several different modes: a heightened G-force mode, a normal G-force mode; and transition modes (i.e., ramp-up or ramp-down modes) between the heightened G-force and normal G-force modes. During the normal-G-force mode the simulator ceases planetary motion altogether or substantially decreases rotations to replicate a plurality of flight conditions that physically imparts, on the trainee during operation of the simulator, a G-force that is not greater than approximately one (1) G. The reduction of planetary motion while maintaining realistic motion and force sensations that are appropriate for the virtual-flight conditions being experienced allows realistic flight simulation experience for the trainee and reduces the negative effects of constant planetary motion.
US09824603B2

A system for educational assessment without testing is provided that includes one or more client systems that are connected to a network allowing students or school officials to communicate with an education framework that performs and manages educational assessment. The one or more client systems issue a message to the education framework requesting a task to be performed. The educational assessment is administered independent of one or more educators so as to avoid interruption of instruction time. A server system receives the message and the education framework proceeds to process the contents of the message. The education framework includes a plurality of programming modules being executed on the server system that provides to educators specific information used for the educational assessment based on the contents of the message. The programming modules assist in calculating and determining one or more parameters for the educational assessment of the students as well as providing specific reports to educators as to the progress of the students.
US09824601B2

In one embodiment, a computer-based method includes detecting a state of a user and detecting a stimulus in an environment of the user. The computer-based method then provides a variable level of assistance to the user based on the detected state of the user and the detected stimulus in the environment. In another embodiment, detecting the stimulus in the environment of the user may include detecting a visual stimulus, an auditory stimulus, a physical stimulus, a vibratory stimulus, an electro-magnetic stimulus, an olfactory stimulus, a temperature stimulus, or a movement stimulus. Detecting the state of the user may include detecting natural language spoken by the user. The resulting variable level of assistance utilizes a range of immersive virtual reality, augmented reality and sparsely augmented reality. 3D models of the user's situation (the environment) may be employed in the variable levels of assistance.
US09824600B1

The device object of the present invention consists in two sets of photoelectric cells installed at front and rear of trucks and automobiles and in general moving vehicles. The photoelectric cells are attached to a Magnetic breaking system. In a separate preferred embodiment of the present invention the Photoelectric cells further controls the regular breaking system of the vehicle. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure.
US09824597B2

Methods and configurations are disclosed for exploiting characteristic magnetic signature of electrical power transmission and distribution lines for navigation.
US09824596B2

A method of planning a flight path for a search can include receiving, by a control system, an indication of a search area boundary; receiving, by the control system, an indication of a selected search pattern; determining, by the control system, a flight path based on the search area boundary and the selected search pattern; and transmitting one or more indications of the flight path to an unmanned aerial vehicle.
US09824584B2

A driving support apparatus for a vehicle comprises a first determination part which determines whether a likelihood of a collision between an own vehicle and another vehicle exists based on information acquired by an autonomous sensor and outputs a first notification request when a notification for the likelihood of the collision is required, a second determination part which determinates whether the likelihood of the collision based on information acquired by an inter-vehicle communication device and GPS sensor and outputs a second notification request when the notification for the likelihood of the collision is required, a warning determination part which inhibits the output of the second notification request by the second determination part when a time at which starts outputting the second notification request for a notification device by the second determination part has come until the time period from a time treq1 at which starts outputting the first notification request for the notification by the first determination part. Consequently, the apparatus is less likely to bother and/or confuse a driver, since the notification contents are not switched in a short time.
US09824583B2

Disclosed herein is a traffic control system, comprising: a) at least one traffic control unit; b) a plurality of traffic signals, wherein each traffic signal comprises a wireless transceiver capable of transmitting and receiving at least one message to/from at least one vehicle; and c) a plurality of vehicles, each comprising a vehicle communication unit comprising i. at least one vehicle wireless transceiver capable of transmitting and receiving at least one message to/from a plurality of vehicles and/or traffic signals; ii. a vehicle display unit; and iii. a vehicle-to-vehicle pairing system comprising one or more wireless messages, visual indicators or a combination thereof, wherein messaging information is transmitted and received between the traffic control unit and the plurality of wireless roadside transceivers and/or the plurality of traffic signals via a network.
US09824578B2

Various arrangements for presenting contextual menus are presented. A mobile device may be configured to provide contextual menus for control or monitoring of components. Different menus and interfaces are presented based the position of the mobile device or objects being pointed at using the mobile device. Specific objects may be designated as control markers. The objects may be recognized using a camera of the mobile device. When a control marker is recognized a specific menu or interface that is associated with the control marker may be presented to the user.
US09824570B1

A passive-tracking system is described herein. The system can include a visible-light sensor, a sound transducer, a thermal sensor, a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor, and a processor. The processor can receive visible-light frames from the visible-light sensor, sound frames from the sound transducer, thermal frames from the thermal sensor, and modulated-light frames from the ToF sensor. The processor, based on data of the visible-light and temperature frames, can also determine that an object is a living being and can provide an X and Y position of the object. The processor, based on data of the sound and positioning frames, can determine a Z position of the object. The X, Y, and Z positions may combine to form a three-dimensional (3D) position of the object. The processor can also passively track the object over time by selectively updating the 3D position of the object.
US09824569B2

A communication system for hygiene compliance monitoring comprising a plurality of hygiene dispensers for dispensing hygiene product, each dispenser having a transmitter for transmitting data indicating the status of dispenser, such as product remaining in the dispenser to a central monitoring station.
US09824568B2

Systems and methods for monitoring the proximity of a personal item are provided. Systems and methods as provided herein allow a computing device to monitor the proximity of a personal item by generating an alert when wireless communications between the computing device and the personal item are lost in an unsafe zone to remind a user of the computing device about the personal item in an attempt to prevent leaving the personal item in the unsafe zone, where it may be susceptible to theft or loss. The provided systems and methods also automatically assign safe zones by analyzing clusters of location data points obtained by the computing device over time to determine a home location and an office location, assigning the home location and the office location as safe zones, and assigning all other locations as unsafe. A user may further manually designate locations as safe zones.
US09824567B2

Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage media provide for selective Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) notifications to be made to the crew of an aircraft according to the relevance of the NOTAM to a selected phase of flight of the aircraft. According to embodiments described herein, NOTAMs are received and parsed for subject and status codes. The subject and status codes are used with the selected phase of flight to determine a relevance code each NOTAM according to a set of relevance rules. The relevance rules provide a level of relevance of the NOTAM to the phase of flight and trigger a type of notification according to that level of relevance.
US09824566B1

Various embodiments of systems, computer program products, and methods to provide alert management based on alert rankings are described herein. In an aspect, a plurality of alerts corresponding to a plurality of objects are received. A check is made to determine whether at least two alerts in the plurality of alerts include an identical priority. When the at least two alerts include the identical priority, the alert rankings for the at least two alerts are determined based on a runtime attribute. Further, when two or more alerts in the at least two alerts include the identical alert ranking upon determining the alert rankings based on the runtime attribute, the alert rankings of the two or more alerts are determined based on another runtime attribute. The plurality of alerts including the alert rankings are rendered to provide an order in which the plurality of alerts to be addressed.
US09824562B2

A system for pairing a smoke detector based audio system with a device for wireless audio. The system has a smoke detector circuit with an integrated audio system. The device is paired to the smoke detector circuit using a communications protocol and used to output audio from a speaker. The system has an alarm circuit and an alarm speaker, that can be separate from the audio speaker. The alarm circuit is connected to one or more detection device for determining hazardous conditions. If a hazardous condition is detected, the audio from the device is overridden and alarm audio is output to warn of the hazardous condition.
US09824556B2

A security sensor including a processor, communication module, antenna, and tamper detection circuit, wherein the sensor is configured to detect tampering based at least in part on a difference between an electrical characteristic of a first signal and the electrical characteristic of a second signal.
US09824555B2

A sensor system for monitoring an object, including at least one first part and one second part, of which one is a sensor module having at least one sensor, and at least one fastener to fasten the first part to the object to be monitored, wherein the first part and the second part are designed to establish a releasable connection between the second part and the first part and wherein one of the parts is equipped with a signaling device, which is designed to detect a release of the connection between the second part and the first part and to produce a signal triggered thereby, wherein the fastening of the first part to the object cannot be released nondestructively in a state in which the connection between the second part and the first part exists.
US09824549B2

A monitor display unit mounted on a surface and in electronic communication with a system or device to be monitored, comprising a face plate, a back plate having at least a portion of a side edge being translucent or transparent, a logic controller, and at least one light-emitting device in electronic communication with the controller. Actuation of the light-emitting device causes light to pass through the side edge of the back plate, thereby being visible to a viewer at an angle that can be generally parallel to the surface on which the display unit is mounted.
US09824548B2

A method of updating a notification preference of a system includes detecting a remote alert, identifying at least one feature of the remote alert, determining a plurality of alerts available to the system, mapping the at least one feature of the remote alert and the available alerts to a concept map, and selecting an alert from the plurality of available alerts using the mapping, wherein a selected alert changes a notification preference of the system.
US09824546B2

A card actuated automated banking machine (10) is operative to carry out financial transactions responsive to data included on user cards. The banking machine includes a user interface (15) including a display (24). The user interface includes a card reader (16) which is operative to read data on user cards which identify at least one of user and a user's financial accounts. A fascia of the machine includes a keypad (404, 438, 458) through which users input confidential data. Covers (400, 422, 430) prevent unauthorized persons from viewing confidential inputs to the keypad. Authorization signals assure that the display is operating in a manner that provides appropriate user instructions. A visual indicator is operative to indicate to a user that keypad inputs are being encrypted. Alternatively a touch screen display module (608) is operative to securely receive manual inputs and/or card data.
US09824534B2

A method of connecting a wireless device to an electronic gaming machine is described. The method includes broadcasting, though a wireless transceiver of the gaming machine, a discovery message to wireless communication devices within a broadcast range of the wireless transceiver. The method further includes receiving, at the wireless transceiver, a response message from the wireless device. The method includes establishing, by the gaming machine, a wireless connection between the wireless device and the gaming machine. The method further includes requesting, by the gaming machine, a player identification and player preferences of a user of the wireless device. The method includes receiving, from the wireless device, the player identification and player preferences of the user. The method further includes broadcasting, through the wireless transceiver, an audio message customized for the user to the wireless device.
US09824528B2

A computer implemented method of gaming. The method includes monitoring game outcomes generated for one or more players of a plurality of linked gaming machines, and for each generated game outcome i) identifying instances of one or more special symbols occurring in the generated game outcome, ii) incrementing an accumulating counter for each of the one or more special symbols based on instances of one or more special symbols occurring in the game outcome, and iii) determining whether a trigger condition is met. In response to the trigger condition being met, allocating one or more special symbols to one or more of the linked gaming machines for modifying a game outcome generated for a player of the linked gaming machine, to provide a new game outcome for each of the one or more players of linked gaming machines to which the special symbols are allocated, wherein the number of special symbols allocated to the linked gaming machines is based on a value of the accumulating counter for the special symbol at the time the trigger condition was met, and resetting the accumulating counter for the allocated special symbols.
US09824520B2

An electronic voting method and system implemented in a portable device (1) that improves voting transparency and speed, encouraging participation in the voting process, comprised of registering an identifier code of the portable device (1) used by the voter to vote, associating said identifier to the voter's identity; selecting a Code A by the voter from a first plurality of random codes (20a) received in the portable device (1) and a Code B from a second plurality of random codes (20b) received in the portable device (1); casting the vote in a voting interface (30a) associating it with the random code B selected by the voter, where said association is called voting set (10b); issuing the identifier of the portable device in an identifier interface (40a) associating it with random code A selected by the voter, where said association is called identifier set (10a); sending via a network (5) to the at least one server (6) the voting information that is comprised of at least two separate batches of information, where at least a first separate batch of information (30b) is comprised of the voting set (10b), and at least a second separate batch of information (40b) is comprised of the identifier set (10a); receiving the separate batches of information in the at least one server (6) that is in charge of processing and registering at random the information contained in each batch; and printing in at least one printing device (8) the separate batches of information received in the at least one server (6), where printing of the separate batches of information is generated at random, thus making the association among the different voting papers impossible, leaving a paper trail (8a, 8b) that acts as back-up for the electronic voting.
US09824513B2

A method is provided for verifying proper operation of a left elevator tab disposed at an end portion of a left elevator of an aircraft and a right elevator tab disposed at an end portion of a right elevator of the aircraft. Because proper operation of the elevator tabs cannot be directly verified by existing aircraft instrument, the operation of the elevator tabs can be indirectly verified by analyzing flight data of the aircraft. After identification of a verification event, in which the elevator tabs move relative to the elevators, the positions of the left elevator and right elevator can be measured, and differences in the positions of the left elevator and right elevator can indicate proper operation of the left and right elevator tabs.
US09824512B2

A system comprising a processor is programmed to receive, from a plurality of vehicles, sets of diagnostic test data relating to a performed diagnostic test. Each set of diagnostic test data includes a test output value and one or more corresponding test condition values. The processor is further programmed to select some of the test output values based on selecting a function to relate the test output value to test output values from different sets of diagnostic data. The processor is further programmed to provide the test output value and the corresponding test conditions values as input to the selected function to obtain a plurality of scaled test output values; and generate an adjustment to the diagnostic test based at least in part on the scaled test output values.
US09824511B2

Methods and systems for diagnosing vehicle systems using vehicle sounds, vibrations, or both, are provided. In one embodiment, a system comprises one or more sensors and a processor. The one or more sensors are configured to measure a sound, a vibration, or both, produced by one or more vehicle components. The processor is coupled to the one or more sensors. The processor is configured to compare the measured sound, vibration, or both with an expected sound for the one or more vehicle components, generating a comparison; and diagnose a vehicle system or device using the comparison.
US09824507B2

A vehicular diagnostic communications system, and components thereof, are provided for an apparatus and technique for communicating vehicular diagnostic information over a cellphone network. The system includes a code reader having a vehicle diagnostic port connector for receiving vehicle diagnostic information from the vehicle diagnostic port. The code reader also has a local connectivity network circuit for communicating vehicle diagnostic information between the vehicle diagnostic port connector and a local connectivity circuit. A cellphone is arranged in communication with the local connectivity network for communicating vehicle diagnostic information between the code reader and a cellular telephone network.
US09824497B2

The present disclosure is generally directed to an information processing apparatus comprising at least one processor configured to execute instructions to generate a superimposition parameter corresponding to superimposing virtual information on a real space based on a spatial position of a marker projected on the real space by an input apparatus, and cause a display section to display the virtual information superimposed on the real space according to the spatial position relationship while the marker is detectable and continue the display of the virtual information superimposed on the real space after the marker is undetectable according to a last detected spatial position of the marker.
US09824496B2

In an information display system, an information apparatus includes a target information storage section that stores target information to be published by the information apparatus and an extraction section that extracts the target information from the target information storage section on the basis of user information that is information regarding a user of a head mounted display device, and the head mounted display device includes an information generating section that generates information for additional presentation for providing the augmented reality to the user using the target information acquired from the information apparatus and an image display section that enables the user to view the generated information for additional presentation as a virtual image.
US09824494B2

Techniques are provided for repairing a polygon mesh that represents a three-dimensional surface, the repaired mesh comprising explicit regions that are preserved from the original mesh and implicit regions that are modified from the mesh repair operation. The explicit and implicit regions that comprise the hybrid surface meet along a “cut path” which can be located by identifying the elements of the volumetric grid where the implicit and explicit surfaces diverge. These elements comprise a path of marching cubes having faces that intersect the polygon elements of the explicit surface along the cut path. In certain embodiments the path between these intersections is selected so as to reduce deviation from the marching cube face and the path length. Once a preferred cut path is selected, the polygons that comprise the explicit surface are subdivided to conform to the cut path.
US09824493B1

Systems and methods are provided for quadrilateral mesh generation. The system includes one or more data processors and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The data processors are configured to: receive a geometric structure representing a physical object; determine a directional field; determine a size field; select one or more locations from a region of the geometric structure, the locations being associated with local data; and generate one or more quadrilateral mesh elements based at least in part on the directional field, the size field, and the local data. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is configured to store data related to the structure, data related to the directional field, data related to the size field, and the local data.
US09824487B2

A luminance computation apparatus obtains information of light sources defined in a scene that is rendered, and defines a stochastic function used to determine whether or not to use a light source in a luminance computation for an object that is a predetermined distance from the light source corresponding to a luminance attenuation function in accordance with a distance from the light source for each of the light sources that are defined; The apparatus determines for each of the defined light sources a stochastic effective area of the light source based on the stochastic function for the respective defined light source, and performs a luminance computation for the predetermined object in the scene based on the stochastic function and the attenuation function of a light source for which the determined stochastic effective area is included in the object.
US09824486B2

A method and system is proposed to create a generative model to interpolate any view of a planar scene given a sequence of reference views and a synthesis view that is optimized by the marginalization of photometric regulation, and geometric registration parameters. According to one aspect of the claimed subject matter, a technique is proposed to combine information from varying input camera poses. Planar homography based image super resolution in free view interpolation for planar structure is applied to the combined information. Non-redundant information is combined in such a manner that the high resolution and free view problems in traditional 2D based image-based rendering techniques are overcome.
US09824480B2

In applications that display a representation of a user, it may be reasonable to insert a pre-canned animation rather than animating a user's captured motion. For example, in a tennis swing, the ball toss and take back in a serve could be a pre-canned animation, whereas the actual forward swing may be mapped from the user's gestures. An animation of a user's gestures can be chained together into sequences with pre-canned animations, where animation blending techniques can provide for a smoother transition between the animation types. Techniques for blending animations, that may comprise determining boundaries and transition points between pre-canned animations and animations based on captured motion, may improve animation efficiency. Gesture history, including joint position, velocity, and acceleration, can be used to determine user intent, seed parameters for subsequent animations and game control, and determine the subsequent gestures to initiate.
US09824478B2

Technologies are described herein for dynamically remapping components of a virtual skeleton to enhance the control and appearance of an avatar. Embodiments disclosed herein may remap components of the virtual skeleton if a need for an enhancement, replacement or correction is identified. For example, one or more components of a virtual skeleton, e.g., a joint, hand, arm or leg, may be remapped with modeled components if the component is distorted, missing or incomplete. Components of a virtual skeleton may be remapped with modeled components if enhancements, augmentations, corrections or special effects are desired. A remapped skeleton defining one or more modeled components may be generated from model data. The remapped skeleton may be used to drive user-controlled animations having enhanced movement and appearance characteristics. In addition to driving user-controlled animations, the remapped skeleton may be used to drive robotic devices.
US09824461B2

A method and apparatus for projector distortion compensation in structured light depth reconstruction are described. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a projector configured to project a sequence of light patterns on an object; a first camera configured to capture a sequence of images of the object illuminated with the projected light patterns; a processing unit to receive the sequence of images and reconstruct depth using triangulation in response to camera and projector location coordinates; and a projector distortion compensation unit operable to generate a new projector location coordinate in response to an observed distorted projector location coordinate, the projector distortion compensation unit to provide the new projector location coordinate to the processing unit for use in generating depth values via triangulation.
US09824453B1

Systems and methods provide for an automated system for generating one or more three dimensional (3D) images of a vehicle and/or a baseline image for that vehicle. The system may receive 3D images of a plurality of vehicles of a same type (e.g., same make, model, year, etc.) and generate a 3D image of a baseline vehicle for vehicles of that same type based on 3D images of the plurality of vehicles of the particular type. The system may use a 3D image of the baseline vehicle to determine a characteristic of another vehicle, such as a modification made to the vehicle, damage to the vehicle, cost to repair the vehicle or replace parts of the vehicle, a value of the vehicle, an insurance quote for the vehicle, etc. In some aspects, the 3D images may optionally comprise 3D point clouds, and 3D laser scanners may be used to capture 3D images of vehicles.
US09824452B2

A topographical measurement system of a specular object and a topographical measurement method thereof are disclosed. The topographical measurement system has a screen, an image capturing device, and an image processing device. The specular object reflects a fringe pattern from the screen, so as to form a virtual image of the fringe pattern. The virtual image is therefore analyzed to obtain a surface profile of the specular object.
US09824450B2

A method generates a three-dimensional map of a region from successive images of the region captured from different camera poses. The method detects feature points within the captured images and designates a subset of the images as a set of keyframes each having camera pose data and respective sets of measurement data representing image positions of landmark points detected as feature points in that image. The method also includes performing bundle-adjustment to generate bundle-adjusted landmark points by iteratively refining the three dimensional spatial positions of the landmarks and the camera pose data associated with at least a subset of the keyframes. And for a feature point, not corresponding to a bundle-adjusted landmark point, detected at an intervening image which is not a keyframe and present in another intervening image which is not a keyframe, the method generates a non-bundle-adjusted point corresponding to that feature point and derives a camera pose.
US09824448B2

A method for acquiring a basic magnetic field inhomogeneity value of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system includes homogenizing an original basic magnetic field of the MRI system into a target magnetic field, providing a magnetic field compensation amount for the MRI system by a dynamic shimming method. The dynamic shimming method includes performing a 3D low-resolution dual-echo gradient echo sequence, and using a general formula to acquire the magnetic field inhomogeneity value, the general formula being: ΔB=ΔBoriginal+ΔBcompensating, wherein ΔB is the magnetic field inhomogeneity value, ΔBoriginal is a difference value between the original magnetic field and the target magnetic field, and ΔBcompensating is the magnetic field compensation amount. This method for acquiring a magnetic field inhomogeneity value for an MRI system saves considerable time to map the magnetic field again, thereby shortening the magnetic resonance imaging time, and increasing the efficiency of magnetic resonance imaging.
US09824442B2

For volume ultrasound imaging, the view direction for rendering a volume image is used. In one approach, imaging parameters for acquiring the volume data prior to rendering are set based on the view direction. For the resolution example, the data for imaging is acquired with the resolution in a view plane greater than resolution along the ray tracing direction. In another approach, sets of data representing a volume are acquired or formed with different settings. The sets are weighted based on the view direction and combined. For the resolution example, an image rendered from the combined data may have greater resolution in the view plane where the set of data with greater resolution in that view plane is weighted more in the combination.
US09824441B2

A system and method for assessing the concentration of a fluid component within a container, the method comprising: receiving data associated with an image of the canister; from the image, detecting a color grid comprising color elements coupled to the canister,; selecting a region of the image corresponding to a portion of the canister; determining a match between a detected color of the region and a shade in the set of colors associated with the color grid captured in the image; based upon a position of a color element corresponding to the shade in the color grid, retrieving a concentration of the blood component associated with the shade of color.
US09824417B2

An image signal processor including a CPU is provided. The CPU receives image data and positional information of phase detection pixels from an imaging device, extracts first phase detection pixel data and second phase detection pixel data from the image data using the positional information of phase detection pixels, computes first phase graphs from the first phase detection pixel data based upon moving a first window, computes second phase graphs from the second phase detection pixel data based upon moving a second window, computes disparities of the phase detection pixels using the first phase graphs and the second phase graphs, and generates a depth map using the disparities.
US09824411B2

Methods, computer systems, and computer-storage media for presenting third-party clinical information on a mobile device are provided. A request for clinical information is received from a user of the mobile device. After the user is authenticated, a number of plug-in applications are determined for the user. The request for clinical information is communicated to the plug-in applications. The clinical information is received from the plug-in applications in the form of one or more generic hierarchical structures populated with the clinical information. The populated hierarchical structures are rendered for display on the mobile device.
US09824406B1

Facilitating discussion group formation and interaction is described. In one example, a server sends an eBook to a client device. The server determines whether the eBook is associated with at least one book club in response to sending the eBook to the client device. The server sends book club identifiers to the client device when the eBook is associated with at least one book club. The book club identifiers specify one or more book clubs associated with the eBook.
US09824404B2

A method and system for providing a social media ecosystem cooperative marketplace. To participate in the social media ecosystem cooperative marketplace, a sharing discount percentage is requested from participating social media merchants. The sharing discount percentage is used to provide lower purchase prices for plural goods and services provided to social media purchasers in the social media ecosystem cooperative marketplace and to support the social media ecosystem cooperative marketplace itself on a global scale for social media purchasers and social media merchants. Social media purchasers are searched for with social media index values and with social commerce connections. Social media purchasers are paid to view advertising or complete surveys for the social media merchants. The social media ecosystem cooperative marketplace is provided on a cloud communications network for mobile and non-mobile devices.
US09824399B2

An automated validation system validates whether a property of a policyholder receiving at least one insurance benefit is currently receiving remote monitoring services, as represented by the policyholder. The system includes an application server, a trusted third party server, and a management computer. The application server requests the trusted third party server to validate whether the property of the policyholder is presently receiving remote monitoring services from a service provider. A management computer can adjust the policyholder's insurance policy based on the received validation results.
US09824392B2

An information handling system may include a first subsystem operable to receive data associated with computing resources from at least one computing resource provider. The system may further include a second subsystem in communication with the first subsystem, the second subsystem operable to provide the computing resources to at least one computing resource customer, wherein the at least one computing resource provider receives compensation paid by the at least one computing resource customer for completion of a workload. A method for managing a computing resource within an information handling system may include receiving data associated with the computing resource from at least one computing resource provider and providing the computing resources to at least one computing resource customer. The at least one computing resource provider may receive compensation paid by the at least one resource customer for completion of a workload.
US09824390B2

A cloud service brokerage system includes an electronic cloud service catalog containing cloud service defining information for a plurality of cloud services and a cloud service store coupled to the electronic cloud service catalog. The cloud service store includes cloud service publications each representing cloud service functionality corresponding to one or more of the cloud services. The cloud service store includes a user interface structure enabling generation of cloud service orders each including one or more of the cloud service publications.
US09824387B2

Systems and methods involving proximity, mapping, indexing, mobile, advertising, and location processing, among others, are disclosed. According to one illustrative implementation, a method of determining a mobile device location may comprise capturing product information from a product within a facility by a mobile device, retrieving a product location within the facility from a database based on the captured product information, and determining the mobile device location within the facility based on the product location and the product information.
US09824383B2

Information is provided to a vehicle by receiving, from a data center, a set of travel related services that are specific to an individual, where the travel related services are received into a control and interconnection system of a vehicle. The control and interconnection system comprises a vehicle interface that interfaces with vehicle subsystems, an operator interface that interfaces with an operator of the vehicle, and a system controller that communicates with vehicle subsystems. The method includes loading the set of travel related services into the system controller of the control and interconnection system, utilizing the control and interconnection system to monitor operational characteristics of the vehicle based upon the loaded set of travel related services, and communicating operational characteristics to the data center. In response, personalized information is received from the data center, whereby the control and interconnection system performs an operation in response to receiving the personalized information.
US09824375B2

Systems and methods for managing payments. An invoice is generated based on a first invoice detail from a first participant and the generated invoice is displayed to a second participant. The system receives a modification of the first invoice detail from the second participant along with a comment associated with the modification. The first invoice detail, the modification, and the comment are stored to the computer readable memory and a payment between the participants is facilitated based at least in part on the modification.
US09824373B2

Methods provide advertisement delivery to a cluster of mobile devices with computer readable program code, when read by a processor, configured for identifying, among a plurality of mobile devices associated with a network, a cluster of two or more mobile devices. The identification may be based at least in part on a relative displacement of the two or more mobile devices during a period of time being less than a maximum relative displacement. The methods may further include displaying an advertising message on each mobile device in the cluster.
US09824371B2

A system can determine that a mobile device, located at a physical place of business transmits a first electronic communication for redemption of an electronic offer at the physical place of business. The system can further detect a second electronic communication transmitted from the mobile device, which indicates a first identifier. The first identifier can be associated with a verifier of the electronic offer (e.g., a staff member) at the physical place of business. The system can further determine, based on analysis of the first identifier, a second identifier (e.g., contact data, a telephone number, etc.), that corresponds to the verifier, without providing the second identifier to the mobile device. The system can further electronically transmit, utilizing the second identifier, a third electronic communication that indicates information about the redemption of the electronic offer.
US09824368B2

Techniques for customized kiosk modes of operation are provided. A kiosk is configured to recognize periods of operation that are slow, moderate, or busy. A number of factors can be used to automatically recognize these periods and change the periods on demand. For each type of period (slow, moderate, or busy), the kiosk uses a different customized mode of operation so as to optimally use the kiosk for the benefit of the kiosk owner, customers interfacing with the kiosk, and marketers selling advertisements via the kiosk.
US09824364B2

A computer implemented method, implemented by an enterprise, of receiving regulatory change data from a feed, identifying a regulatory change, and communicating the regulatory change to an affected regulatory inventory associated with the enterprise. The method may also comprise of providing a questionnaire to a user, receiving questionnaire answers from a user, and creating a compliance action plan to assist the enterprise in managing the regulatory change.
US09824350B2

A decoding system with a decoding engine running on a tablet. The decoding engine decodes signals produced from a read of a buyer's financial transaction card, accepts and initializes incoming signals from a read of a buyer's financial transaction card until the signals reach a steady state, detects the read of the buyer's financial transaction card once the incoming signals are in a steady stat, identifies peaks in the incoming signals and digitizes the identified peaks in the incoming signals into bits. A transaction engine runs on the tablet and is coupled to the decoding engine. A payment system is in communication with the transaction engine and with a buyer's financial transaction card institution or a first party's financial account.
US09824347B2

Methods and apparatus identify downhole equipment and correlate input data with the equipment to improve planning and/or inventory operations. For some embodiments, oilfield equipment or tubular goods such as drill pipe include a shaped recess along an outer circumference for receiving a tag cartridge by shrink fitting. Once tagged, detector system configurations at pipe yards may facilitate logging the presence and location of each drill pipe and correlating specific data, such as inspection data, to each drill pipe. Further, this correlation populates a database utilized to achieve other business functions such as forecasting number of additional drill pipe needed to purchase, invoicing customers according to actual tracked wear/use of the drill pipe being returned, and providing well or job specific drill string population using known history pipe joints.
US09824346B2

The present disclosure provides a fractional lottery transaction system that enables users to round up their purchase price when purchasing an item from a merchant, wherein the round up amount may be used to purchase a fractional amount of a lottery ticket. If the lottery ticket that is purchased is deemed a winner by a lottery establishment, the system determines the fractional amount of the winnings each fractional owner receives.
US09824344B2

Techniques for automated transactions are provided. A customer uses a mobile device to interact with a self-service checkout device (SSCO) to perform a transaction. Initially, a unique barcode for the transaction is generated and displayed to the customer, via an attract screen of the SSCO. The mobile device scans the barcode (can be a QR code); this causes the mobile device to communicate with a remote server that identifies the customer. Preferences for the customer are retrieved and the transaction and features of the SSCO are configured based on the preferences. The transaction proceeds with the configured preferences.
US09824337B1

A system is disclosed for tracking receptacles serviced by a service vehicle. The system may have a locating device located onboard the at least one service vehicle and configured to generate a location signal indicative of a location of the at least one service vehicle, a receptacle sensor located onboard the at least one service vehicle and configured to generate an identity signal indicative of an identity of a receptacle in a vicinity of the at least one service vehicle, and a display. The system may also have at least one controller in communication with the locating device, the sensor, and the display. The at least one controller may be configured to show on the display an icon representing the receptacle overlaid on a map based on the location and identification signals.
US09824328B2

Inventory systems may include one or more sensors capable of detecting spatial positioning of inventory holders and an arm of a worker interacting with the inventory holder. Data can be received from a sensor, a gesture of the arm can be determined from the data, and a bin location or other information can be determined based on the gesture.
US09824323B1

Embodiments are disclosed to detect whether an interaction has occurred between a customer and one or more store employees. By analyzing a how long a communication device used by the customer was within a threshold range of one or more devices worn by store employees, an interaction between the customer and one or more store employees may be identified. Employees whom the customer interacted with may be identified by processing transmission parameters broadcasted by the devices worn by the store employees. Thus, all employees in which a customer interacted with while visiting a store may be identified. The customer may be asked for feedback via the communication device upon detection that a customer has completed a transaction and/or left the store. Using the solicited feedback provided by the customer, various types of reports may be generated.
US09824321B2

A computer implemented method for customer response management the method comprising the step of collecting information from social networking sites wherein the information is at least a post or comment for at least a brand or product; identifying customer among pluralities of authors of the information on the social networking sites; categorizing the information into at least a complaint, lead, service request, information request or feedback; analyzing the categorized information; prioritizing the analyzed information; and routing the prioritized information to at least a concerned personnel or a work flow of the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system for response. The method further comprising identifying the influence of the customer wherein the influence is at least a global influence or local influence. The identification of customer is done by fetching information from at least the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system or social profile aggregator service.
US09824318B1

Disclosed are various implementations for a labor recommendation application. Historical worker assignments and work buffer states for materials processing facilities are selected. Lost labor times are determined as a function of the historical worker assignments and buffer states. A statistical analysis is performed on the lost labor times, the historical worker assignments, or the work buffer states. A labor recommendation for a materials processing facility to minimize estimated lost labor time.
US09824316B2

An original set of rules are transformed into a resulting set of generalized rules in a rule management system. An original set of rules stored in a data structure for transforming into a resulting set of rules are accessed. The original set of rules is automatically processed by building a compact description of one or more rules in the original set of rules and their actions in the form of logical constraints and solving constraints to find a solution that represents a case and an applied action, building a family of cases by taking all logical tests or their negation that are satisfied by the solution, and generalizing the family of cases by removal of specific logical tests which do not apply to the action, resulting in a most-general rule.
US09824314B2

Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems determine that an indication that a received message was sent in response to another message is present in the received message, parse a stored message, in response to the indication being present, for at least a partial match between a subject of the received message and contents of a subject of the stored message, and for at least a partial match between sender and recipient participants of the received message and sender and recipient participants of the stored message, and display the received message as grouped with the stored message. A further exemplary feature includes parsing text of the received message for text that is redundant of text of the stored message, determining that a minimum threshold of consecutive matching characters has been reached, and displaying the received message with the consecutive matching characters at least partially hidden from view.
US09824309B2

A radio frequency identification (RFID) automatic vehicle identification (AVI) system configured to mitigate signal interference, the system comprising a plurality of RFID readers, comprising a first RFID reader and a second RFID reader; and a plurality of antennas, wherein a first antenna is connected to the first RFID reader and a second antenna is connected to the second RFID reader. Prior to the first RFID reader transmitting a signal through the first antenna, the first RFID reader samples a received radio frequency (RF) signal from the first antenna, and if the received RF signal meets predetermined strength and frequency criteria, the first RFID reader inhibits transmission of the signal through the first antenna.
US09824300B2

A system of one or more computers can be configured to perform particular operations or actions by virtue of having software, firmware, hardware, or a combination of them installed on the system that in operation causes or cause the system to perform the actions. One general aspect includes a system, including a computer having a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor such that the computer is programmed to receive an image of at least one lane marker from an image capture device mounted to a vehicle. The system also identifies a lane transition according to the image. The system can also control at least one of steering, braking, and acceleration of the vehicle according to a history of data concerning the lane transition locations.
US09824294B2

A saliency information acquisition device has a local saliency acquisition unit configured to calculate a saliency measure for each pixel in an input image on the basis of information obtained from a local region surrounding each pixel, a candidate-region setting unit configured to set a plurality of candidate regions in the input image, a global saliency acquisition unit configured to calculate a saliency measure for each candidate region in the plurality of candidate regions on the basis of information including a local saliency feature representing an attribute of the saliency measure for each pixel within a candidate region, and a global feature representing an attribute of the candidate regions in relation to the entire input image, and an integration unit configured to combine the saliency measure for each candidate region in the plurality of candidate regions obtained by the global saliency acquisition unit to generate saliency information.
US09824291B2

Systems, components, devices, and methods for generating suggestions based on extracting colors from an image are provided. A non-limiting example is a method for generating suggestions for arranging content based on matching colors in an image. The method includes the step of receiving a content file. The content file includes a content region and an image. The method also includes the step of analyzing the image to identify candidate colors in the image. Additionally, the method includes the step of generating a suggestion for the content region. The suggestion includes the image and a suggested design element. The suggested design element matches one of the identified candidate colors.
US09824283B2

Disclosed are a system and a method of recognizing a travelled lane of a vehicle, which recognize a currently travelled lane by using an image obtained through a camera of a vehicle or information received from a road system. Further, the system and the method detect whether the vehicle changes a lane by using sensing data of the vehicle, current location information, road map data, and the like, and when it is confirmed that the vehicle changes a lane or enters a new lane, the system and the method make the vehicle immediately recognize a currently travelled lane by combining information about the change of a lane or the new lane with information about the first recognized travelled lane. Accordingly, the present invention may make a vehicle recognize a travelled lane even when it is difficult to recognize a lane by a camera, and rapidly obtain information about the change of a lane and an entry lane, thereby determining a final lane. Further, the present invention provides a corresponding vehicle and surrounding vehicles with information about the final lane, so that the information may be utilized in an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) or a V2V application service.
US09824282B2

A security camera system using a power supply by an electromagnetic induction scheme comprises; a CT core detachably installed on a power transmission and distribution line and producing electric power by the electromagnetic induction scheme and; a power transformer for transforming an AC power generated from the CT core to a DC voltage; a camera module for recording a security video using power supplied by the transformer; a wireless communication module for transmitting an audio and a video data captured by the camera module; and a stabilizer module for correcting the shake of a video when capturing a security video.The security camera system provided with the power supply device as a main power supply thereto generating an electric power by the electromagnetic induction scheme using the current flowing around the power distribution line saves time and cost related to power supply construction so that the productivity may be improved.
US09824281B2

A system and method are provided for tracking objects in a scene from a sequence of images captured by an imaging device. The method includes processing the sequence of images to generate sequential images at a plurality of hierarchical levels to generate a set of regions of interest; and, at each of the hierarchical levels: examining pairs of sequential images to link pixels into short tracklets; and grouping short tracklets that indicate similar motion patterns to generate representative tracklets. The representative tracklets are grouped to generate a tracking result for at least one object.
US09824272B2

An iris recognition camera system for mobile device includes a sensor and associated circuit, a lens and lighting sources including a lighting source element, a displaying light source element and IR LED light source elements, wherein the lighting sources are installed around the center of a camera lens with a certain clearance, and the lighting sources are attached on an FPCB and arranged on the four sides of the center of the camera lens and equipped with an FPCB cover for protection and a guiding mirror so that a user may conveniently acquire an image of his or her iris watching the image of his or her iris so as to identify and process only a living iris.
US09824270B1

A method for receipt processing using optical character recognition (OCR). The method includes detecting, within a receipt image, a pre-determined characteristic of the receipt, obtaining an OCR receipt template based on the pre-determined characteristic of the receipt, extracting, based on at least the OCR receipt template, a vendor attribute from the receipt image corresponding to a pre-defined field of the receipt, verifying, based on matching the vendor attribute to a vendor associated with the OCR receipt template, that the receipt is generated by the vendor and that the OCR receipt template is applicable to perform the OCR of the receipt image, and generating, in response to the verifying, a textual content of the receipt by processing the receipt image based at least on the OCR receipt template.
US09824259B2

The present invention relates to a device and a method for microscopy (100) of a plurality of samples (102), wherein the device comprises:—a first optical detector (106, 108), which is designed to consecutively adopt a plurality of measuring positions and to detect first image data (200) of a sample (104) with a first spatial resolution at each measuring position;—an image data analyser device which is designed to determine for each sample (202) a region (204) of the sample to be examined represented within the first image data (200) in each case;—a second optical detector (110, 112), which is coupled to the first optical detector (106, 108) in such a manner that the second optical detector (110, 112) tracks the first optical detector (106, 108) and therefore the second optical detector (110, 112) adopts measuring positions which the first optical detector (106, 108) had previously adopted. The second optical detector (110, 112) is designed to detect for each sample (202) respective second image data (300) from the region (204) to be examined in the sample (202) concerned, with a spatial resolution that is higher than the first spatial resolution.
US09824253B2

An aperture sensing structure for lighting fingerprint which is applied in the field of the fingerprint identification optical system mainly includes a circuit board, a base, a light source device, and a sensing device are arranged on the circuit board. A lighting ring is arranged and covered on the circuit board so as to make a light source of the light source device evenly distribute on the base and the sensing device. The present invention may not only effectively shield the interference of the stray lights, but also the light source may be provided evenly for lighting the finger to effectively identify the fingerprint after the light source of the light source device is guided by the lighting ring.
US09824250B2

A system for determining a location within an area defined by a grid of radio-frequency (RF) tag circuits includes RF exciters that are configured to emit unmodulated RF energy. The grid of the RF tag circuits are configured to receive the unmodulated RF energy from one or more of the RF exciters and to emit modulated RF energy. Each RF tag circuit may store information associated with a location of the RF tag circuit within the area and the modulated RF energy emitted from each RF tag circuit may carry the information.
US09824247B2

Embodiments herein describe RFID systems that include multiple RFID tag readers that each use a different frequency to communicate with an RFID tag. For example, each of the tag readers may transmit a tag query command using different modulated frequencies. In one embodiment, the RFID tag includes multiple receivers each tuned to one of the different frequencies generated by the tag readers. For example, one receiver in the tag is tuned to receive 200 MHz signals while another receiver is tuned to receive 900 MHz signals. To provide location information, the RFID tag compares power values associated with the received signals to determine which of the RFID tag readers is closest to the tag. The RFID tag conveys this location information to the tag readers by selecting one of the frequencies of the tag readers to use when generating a reply message.
US09824231B2

A computing facility, including a storage management system belonging to a first trust zone having a first privilege level, a metadata management system belonging to a second trust zone having a second privilege level higher than the first privilege level, and a security management system belonging to a third trust zone having a third privilege level higher than or equal to the second privilege level. The storage management system is and configured to store multiple content entities, and the metadata management system is configured to manage, for each of the multiple content entities, metadata including a respective content encryption key and a respective retention time, each of the content entities being encrypted by its respective content encryption key. The security management system is configured to manage a master encryption key used to create the respective content encryption keys, and to confirm expiration of the respective retention times.
US09824229B2

A controller with enhanced reliability of access to a database system. A programmable logic controller (PLC) accessible to a database accesses a database (DB) server in response to an event in which a user program calls a DB access processing program. The DB access processing program stores status information indicating a status of accesses to the DB server in a nonvolatile memory, in accordance with an instruction of the user program. When a power interruption occurs, the PLC can obtain a status of accesses to the DB server at the timing of the occurrence of the power interruption by referring to the status information. Then, the PLC, for example, re-sends a structured query language (SQL) sentence, depending on the access status.
US09824225B1

Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for protecting virtual machines processing sensitive information are provided herein. A method includes processing a request for uninterrupted virtual machine execution of a designated section of code by a first virtual machine; enabling uninterrupted virtual machine execution of the designated section of code by the first virtual machine on a selected core of a central processing unit based on said request; and disabling said uninterrupted virtual machine execution of the designated section of code by the first virtual machine based on an indication that the first virtual machine completed execution of the designated section of code.
US09824218B1

A computer implemented method includes generating a first cryptographic hash based on at least one setting associated with an operating system at a first time, storing the first cryptographic hash as a first bit string, generating a second cryptographic hash as a second bit string, wherein the second cryptographic hash is based on the at least one setting associated with the operating system at a second time, determining that a setting associated with the operating system has changed and that the setting change was made outside of the operating system based on a comparison of the first and second bit strings, and if the setting change was made outside of the operating system, setting the setting to a default value.
US09824211B2

A system and method operable to identify and analyze persistent state information among a plurality of software-related events, and present persistent state information in a unified fashion.
US09824210B2

A method involves measuring and monitoring usage of data stored on a user device by software applications installed on the user device, the data being generated by resources of the user device. The method includes for each resource, assigning a resource sensitivity value, the resource sensitivity values of different resources being adapted to enable discrimination among resources based on sensitivity of the data they generate; for each application, calculating a respective application access level to the data by combining through a first predetermined function the resource sensitivity values of the resources that generate data accessed by the application; calculating a device access level to the data by the applications, the device access level being calculated by combining through a second predetermined function the calculated application access levels of the applications installed on the device; and associating with each application a respective indication of the calculated device access level.
US09824202B2

An electronic access protection system for a computer system includes an access-protected apparatus having a firmware component and a data processing device that executes program code of the firmware component; a reading device coupled to the apparatus that reads chip cards; and at least one chip card having at least one chip-card-specific access procedure, wherein a predetermined memory area of the at least one chip card stores first information concerning the at least one chip-card-specific access procedure; and the at least one firmware component has executable program code that reads in and evaluates data from the at least one chip card and performs the at least one chip-card-specific access procedure for the at least one chip card on the basis of the first information stored in the first memory area.
US09824191B2

A method, system and apparatus for controlling and tracking patient access to medicaments. A patient is provided with medication in locked pill containers that must be unlocked with an access code before the patient can access a limited quantity of medication in each container. Thus the patient is forced to go through an interactive session periodically with a master system, via a communicative intermediary, in order to obtain a valid passcode for each batch of medications and follow a treatment regimen. The patient may be assessed during each interaction with the master system. That assessment can include various questions, including questions about status codes that may optionally be displayed on each medication container. These status codes may optionally encode detail about the patient's pattern of accessing medication. The general rate of medication usage can also be deduced by the rate at which the patient contacts the master system. After patient assessment, the master system may elect to not provide the patient with an access code, typically if the patient meets certain criteria that indicate overuse of the medication. Conversely, the master system can elect to proactively contact the patient if the patient fails to make contact with the master system at an expected time, as this lack of contact suggests that the patient is underusing the medication and requires a reminder.
US09824189B2

An image processing apparatus for estimating a position in an image which an operator who observes the image is likely to observe as the candidate of a next position is provided. The image processing apparatus includes a next observation estimating unit that estimates a position selected from among a plurality of positions using a parameter indicating an operation history and information regarding an estimation result at least at a current time on the basis of a probability value obtained from a predetermined probability distribution and a displayed image generating unit that generates an image to be displayed so that at least the candidate of the next position is visually recognizable.
US09824188B2

A conversation user interface enables patients to better understand their healthcare by integrating diagnosis, treatment, medication management, and payment, through a system that uses a virtual assistant to engage in conversation with the patient. The conversation user interface conveys a visual representation of a conversation between the virtual assistant and the patient. An identity of the patient, including preferences and medical records, is maintained throughout all interactions so that each aspect of this integrated system has access to the same information. The conversation user interface presents allows the patient to interact with the virtual assistant using natural language commands to receive information and complete task related to his or her healthcare.
US09824181B2

The present invention relates to methods for evaluating and/or predicting the outcome of a clinical condition, such as cancer, metastasis, AIDS, autism, Alzheimer's, and/or Parkinson's disorder. The methods can also be used to monitor and track changes in a patient's DNA and/or RNA during and following a clinical treatment regime. The methods may also be used to evaluate protein and/or metabolite levels that correlate with such clinical conditions. The methods are also of use to ascertain the probability outcome for a patient's particular prognosis.
US09824168B2

A magnetization analysis apparatus includes a processor configured to execute a process. The process includes: first calculating, using a magnetization vector of each of elements obtained by mesh division in which a magnetic substance is divided into a plurality of meshes and a magnetization vector of an element adjacent to each element, intermediate magnetization that is a magnetization vector at the halfway point between each element and an element adjacent to each element; second calculating an effective magnetic field using the intermediate magnetization calculated at the first calculating; and third calculating a magnetization vector of each element after a unit time based on the effective magnetic field calculated at the second calculating.
US09824166B2

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for utilizing parallel adaptive rectangular decomposition (ARD) to perform acoustic simulations are disclosed herein. According to one method, the method includes assigning, to each of a plurality of processors in a central processing unit (CPU) cluster, ARD processing responsibilities associated with one or more of a plurality of partitions of an acoustic space and determining, by each processor, pressure field data corresponding to the one or more assigned partitions. The method further includes transferring, by each processor, the pressure field data to at least one remote processor that is assigned to a partition that shares an interface with at least one partition assigned to the transferring processor and receiving, by each processor from the at least one remote processor, forcing term values that have been derived by the at least one remote processor using the pressure field data.
US09824163B2

A method for providing a search tool for use in connection with address book management may include receiving an indication of an address book update event associated with a contact of an address book of a user, causing performance, via a processor, of a search responsive to receipt of the indication, and enabling modification of contact information associated with the contact based on the search results. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also provided.
US09824161B1

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing a representation based on structured data in resources. The methods, systems, and apparatus include actions of obtaining search results for a search query. Each search result references a respective resource, the respective resources including a first resource and a second resource. Additional actions include determining a consistent value, that is consistent with both a value for a particular property as indicated by structured data in the first resource and a value for the particular property as indicated by structured data in the second resource. Further actions include in response to determining a consistent value, providing (i) a representation of the consistent value as a possible answer to the search query, and (ii) the search results.
US09824148B2

A method for searching and displaying scattered logs, comprising: finding out one or more corresponding log data based on a search key word; determining a desired timestamp from the log data, and regarding the log data containing the timestamp as target data; searching a semantic file for related semantic data based on the search key word, and finding out related log data based on the related semantic data; time filtering the related log data to obtain filtered log data; establishing a coordinate system by mapping the target data and the filtered log data onto mapping points of the coordinate system; semantically linking the filtered log data, and dying the filtered log data and the target data; and counting the number of lines related to the target data and the filtered log data, and generating links thereto. The present invention further discloses a device for searching and displaying scattered logs.
US09824147B1

A method of processing search queries, performed by a search server system, includes receiving, from a client system, a search query and an indicia of an application language associated with an application used at the client system to perform the search query. The search server system responds by identifying a first language and a first probability factor that specifies a likelihood that the search query is in the first language. In response to satisfaction of filter criteria, comprising a determination that the first language corresponds to the application language, the search server system translates the search query to a translated search query in a second language distinct from the application language, obtains search results for the translated search query, and conveys to the client system at least a subset of the search results for the translated search query.
US09824145B1

A method includes receiving interaction limitations from actions taken by a plurality of reporting users, for an identified user. The interaction limitations received for the identified user are weighted and a user score generated for the identified user based on the weighting of the interaction limitations provided by the reporting users. The user score for the identified user is adjusted over time based on feedback from the plurality of reporting users and based on average scores of other users. A subset of the plurality of reporting users are identified and the subset of users are provided access to interact with the identified user, based on the generated user scores of the identified user and of each of the plurality of reporting users.
US09824140B2

A method includes: extracting a partial character string including a reserved word and a character string immediately previous or subsequent to the reserved word from each of a plurality of pieces of target data, the plurality of pieces of target data conforming to a first pattern character string including the reserved word defined by a protocol; detecting target data including the partial character string among the plurality of pieces of target data; specifying a first partial character string from the extracted partial character string based on the detected target data; and creating, by a processor, a second pattern character string for classifying the plurality of pieces of target data based on the first pattern character string and the first partial character string.
US09824129B2

Managing and validating a project using an information landscape. Embodiments include providing an information landscape including a topology of landscape elements for the project, linking the topology of landscape elements to a plurality of solution artifacts, and validating at least one of the plurality of solution artifacts and semantics of the information landscape.
US09824128B1

The present invention is a distributed computer system of heterogeneous databases joined in an information grid and configured with an Application Programming Interface hardware which includes a search engine component for performing user-structured queries on multiple heterogeneous databases in real time. This invention reduces overhead associated with the impedance mismatch that commonly occurs in heterogeneous database queries.
US09824126B2

A mobile wireless communications device includes a display, and a memory configured to store a plurality of applications and corresponding application data for each application. The mobile wireless communications device also includes at least one input device, and a processor. The processor is configured to search the application data for a search term to thereby determine whether each application of the plurality thereof has search results associated therewith, and present applications having search results associated therewith on an application selection screen, without displaying the search results, on the display. The processor is further configured to receive selection of an application of the plurality thereof via the at least one input device, and execute the selected application to thereby present the search results on the display.
US09824117B1

Techniques for providing user-influenced search results may be provided. The system can introduce an enhanced query language that allows users to reprogram a computer system responsible for providing search results. In an embodiment, the enhanced query language is generated by the system and exposed to users. In another embodiment, a query language is generated by the user and translated by the system to an enhanced query language.
US09824116B2

A system for centralized data reconciliation typically including a memory, a processor, and a data reconciliation module configured to compare data feed metadata received from a source application and a target application to determine a successful data transmission. In some embodiments, the system is configured to receive metadata from a source application and target application; compare the metadata received from the source application and the metadata received from the target application; determine if there is a mismatch between the metadata received from the source application and the metadata received from the target application based on comparing the metadata received from the source application and the metadata received from the target application; and initiate the presentation of the mismatch to a user.
US09824115B2

A method for efficiently managing and analyzing log information is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes providing a community database for a particular product and enabling a user to view a log file associated with the particular product. The method further enables the user to create a category and link a portion of a line of the log file to the category. The category is then submitted to a database administrator to accept or decline the category for admission into the community database. In the event the database administrator accepts the category into the community database, the category is stored in the community database and the portion of the line is linked to the category. Upon opening and viewing future log files, the category may then be used to label lines containing the portion. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also disclosed.
US09824111B2

Systems and methods for sorting a data set. A data storage is divided into a plurality of buckets that is each associated with a respective key value. A plurality of stripes is identified in each bucket. At least one data stripe set is defined that has one stripe within each respective bucket. An in-place partial bucket radix sort is performed on data items contained within one data stripe set with a first processor using an initial radix. Incorrectly sorted data items are then grouped in each bucket into a respective incorrect data item group within each bucket. A radix sort is then performed using the initial radix on the items within the respective incorrect data item group. A first level sorted output is produced.
US09824098B1

Methods and systems to perform methods comprising receiving, at a computer system from a first electronic device a first electronic media work; extracting one or more features therefrom; determining that at least a portion of the first electronic media work corresponds to a first reference media work based on a matching of the extracted features against a database of reference features; receiving, from a second electronic device, a query related to the first electronic media work; linking the query to action information in an action database based upon determining that at least a portion of the first electronic media work corresponds to the first reference media work; generating machine-readable instructions associated with the action to be performed based at least in part on the linking of the query to the action information; transmitting, to the second electronic device, the machine-readable instructions; and logging an event associated with the machine-readable instructions.
US09824096B2

A method is provided for determining a category of a location. The method comprises determining, at a first time, information identifying a first device location of a first device associated with a user; and storing the first device location information and information identifying the first time in a location history. The method further comprises determining, at a second time, information identifying a second device location of the first device; and storing, in the location history, the second device location information and information identifying the second time. The method still further comprises determining, based on the location history, a category of a location.
US09824086B2

A condition determining section (24) determines whether or not two consecutive lines in an image meet a joining condition that is based on a characteristic of a language of a character string, the two consecutive lines being extracted from the character string composed of a plurality of lines. In a case where the joining condition is met, an extracted line joining section (25) and a translation section (26) join and then translate the two consecutive lines.
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