US09867537B2

An example method for automatically measuring a subject's phoria while the subject fixates on a visual target can include capturing an image of at least one of the subject's eyes using an image capturing device. The image can include a reflection of light from at least one of the subject's eyes. The method can also include analyzing the image to identify a position of the reflection of the light within at least one of the subject's eyes, and determining a phoria measurement based on the position of the reflection of the light within at least one of the subject's eyes.
US09867528B1

Methods and apparatus for performing interferometric measurements on ear tissue within a person's ear, wherein the measurements are performed as a function of pressure within the ear canal. Measurements may be performed at a plurality of pressures, including pressures greater than, and less than, atmospheric pressure. Using an apparatus in accordance with the invention, methods are provided for characterizing a tympanic membrane, as well as a biofilm adjacent to the tympanic membrane, and an effusion in the middle ear. The tympanic membrane may be characterized as to geometrical features and mobility. Characterizations provided by the apparatus serve to diagnose ear pathology.
US09867527B2

A heater unit includes a heater which is provided inside of a distal end portion of an endoscope insertion portion and which heats the inside to prevent fogging which occurs in an optical member provided the inside, a temperature sensor which measures the temperature of the inside and a flexible substrate. The heater unit further includes an insulating sealing portion which seals a mounting surface of the heater mounted on the flexible substrate, which seals the heater so that so that a joint surface of the heater that faces the mounting surface and that is joined to the lens frame is exposed and which seals the whole temperature sensor.
US09867523B2

A surgical imaging device and method configured to be inserted into a surgical site. The surgical imaging device includes a plurality of prongs. Each one of the prongs has an image sensor mounted thereon. The image sensors provide different image data corresponding to the surgical site, thus enabling a surgeon to view a surgical site from several different angles. The prongs may be moveable between a first position, suitable for insertion through a small surgical incision, and a second position, in which the prongs are separated from each other. In addition, the prongs may be bendable.
US09867518B1

A device for wringing a mop having a plurality of strings connected to a handle and a tailband connected to the strings, includes a bucket having a base connected to a wall. A wringer inwardly projects from the wall. The wringer is shaped and dimensioned to pass through the strings of the mop, so that when the mop is twisted the wringer captively engages the strings to effect a wringing action. In an embodiment, the wringer is a rod. In another embodiment, a friction-enhancing material is disposed on the bottom of the base. The friction-enhancing material prevents the bucket from moving as the mop is twisted and wrung out.
US09867511B1

An appliance that dries and sanitizes solids, evaporates liquids, using air flow and short bursts of heat developed by an induction heating unit that relies on eddy currents of a ferromagnetic collection pan to dry the solids and evaporate the liquids. The pan is removed and the treated matter is disposed of. The unit is lightweight, needs only to be vented, plugged in and is ready to use. It is mobile, works off of conventional power mains, generators and/or solar. No special type of toilet paper is involved, there is no composting, no fire, and there are no chemicals.
US09867508B2

A loofah includes an inner core and an outer portion. The inner core includes a natural material. The outer portion includes a natural material. A water absorbency of the inner core is less than a water absorbency of the outer portion.
US09867499B2

A cooking insert for use with a cooking device may include a lower cooking plate and an upper cooking plate connected to the lower plate with a floating hinge, with the lower plate having a plurality of ribs formed on an upper surface thereof. The insert may include a base member having a first portion and a second portion, with the first portion defining a cooking surface. A cavity formed in an upper surface of the second portion is suitable for cooking a liquid egg therein.
US09867492B2

A water dispenser having beverage-making function is provided. The water dispenser can include a body defining a beverage making cavity with an open side therein; a beverage making assembly disposed in the beverage making cavity and including a beverage container for accommodating a beverage capsule, the beverage container having a first penetration member for penetrating a bottom of the beverage capsule; and a water injection mechanism for supplying water to the beverage capsule and having a second penetration member for penetrating a top of the beverage capsule.
US09867488B2

A tool assembly having a housing body with a top portion and a bottom portion. The tool assembly may have an axis defined by the housing body and extending through the top portion and the bottom portion, an opening defined in the housing and extending from an outer surface of the housing body towards the axis, a notch defined in the housing along the opening, and a module base having a collar. Wherein the module base is positionable within the opening and when the collar is at least partially positioned within the notch, the module base is at least partially positioned within the opening and restricted from moving axially along the axis relative to the housing body.
US09867485B2

A system, method and apparatus of joining a duvet cover with a comforter are described including a duvet cover having two opposing interior surfaces defining an interior cavity and having an opening such that a user can access the interior cavity of the duvet cover, a comforter having two opposing exterior surfaces and operable to be inserted at least partially inside the duvet cover through the opening, and a first fastener of the comforter and a second fastener of the interior cavity of the duvet cover, wherein the first fastener and second fastener are compatible and operable to be joined, such that when joined they at least partially prevent movement of the comforter with respect to the interior cavity of the duvet cover.
US09867482B1

Disclosed are various embodiments for storage containers that may be used with a storage assembly. The storage assembly can include a shelf system and multiple containers. The shelf system can include multiple shelves, where a shelf includes multiple holes. Each container can include multiple slots and multiple tabs. The tabs of one container can be configured to be inserted through the holes of a shelf into the slots of another container.
US09867480B2

An infant sleep pod providing passive and/or active safety features. The infant sleep pod provides a safe sleeping environment for infants sharing sleep areas with adults. The infant sleep pod provides a firm, flat, separate, portable, and dedicated sleep space for an infant. The infant sleep pod includes a base with a bed and sidewall, and a bridge extending across the bed. The bridge covers a head portion of the bed, while a foot portion of the bed is left open for inserting and removing the infant. The bridge prevents pillows and blankets from covering the bed and infant. The infant sleep pod also includes electronics for monitoring the sleep pod. The electronics include a sensor unit in the bridge and a control unit in communication with the sensor unit. The control unit and sensor unit are operable to detect unsafe conditions and, in response, generate alerts.
US09867478B2

This disclosure concerns a wireless communication system adapted to produce a closed-loop feedback scheme between a handheld remote control and an adjustable bed controller. The adjustable bed controller is adapted to, in response to a receipt of a motion command from the handheld remote control via the closed-loop feedback scheme, adjust, with feedback, a portion of an adjustable bed. The feedback is based on a comparison of sensor feedback and a predetermined position stored in a memory of the adjustable bed controller. The handheld remote control can receive, through the closed-loop feedback scheme, a returned confirmation reflecting the state of the position of the bed segment in response to the control signal.
US09867466B2

According to some embodiments, a folding chair comprises a first frame element, a second frame element, wherein the first frame element moves from a first position remote from the second frame element to a second position toward, adjacent to or against the second frame element, and a cradle comprising a guide member that guides the first frame element into the cradle.
US09867465B2

In a seat height adjustment method for a chair, a body height of a user of an electronic device is acquired from the electronic device which is in communication with the chair. The method further computes a target seat height suitable for the user according to the user's body height and a preset formula. The lifting device can automatically adjust the seat height for a user when the user has leave the chair and further returning the seat of the chair to an original height.
US09867464B1

A shelf locator insert includes an insertable portion including a leg member and a head portion located over the leg member. A tacky layer is located on the head portion. An engagement fin is provided along the leg member. The insertable portion is configured to be received within a channel of a shelf support bracket such that the engagement fin interfaces with an interior wall of the shelf support bracket to friction fit the shelf locator insert in the shelf support bracket.
US09867463B2

A stabilizing mat includes a first surface configured to inhibit movement of items placed thereon. The first surface includes a plurality of first parallelogram areas and a plurality of depressions. Each of the first parallelogram areas includes one of the depressions at a center of the first parallelogram area. Each of the first parallelogram areas further includes four first parallelogram corners and four first parallelogram sides. Each of the first parallelogram corners of the first parallelogram areas includes a protruding peak. Each of the protruding peaks is separated from an adjacent one of the protruding peaks by a concavity. Each of the concavities defines one of the depressions. The mat also includes a second surface including a plurality of substantially flat areas configured to rest on a flat foundation to provide support to the items placed on the first surface.
US09867458B2

A composite table top including a top plate having an outer and an inner surface, a bottom plate having a plurality of projections, each of the plurality of projections having a top defining a top surface. The composite table top has at least a pair of reinforcement inserts disposed at two opposite edges of the bottom plate. The sum of the top surfaces of the plurality of projections is 30%-70% of the upper surface of the bottom plate.
US09867451B2

A suspension apparatus includes a woven net portion that attaches to a motor vehicle. The woven portion is suspended between opposed structural members on the vehicle by bars extending transversely across the opposed ends of the woven portion. Bars are received in a plurality of hooks that are secured to the structural members via an adjustable strap.
US09867449B2

A manufacturing process for three-dimensionally printing cosmetic products, and/or custom facial mask applicators using makeup powder as a fabrication medium. The process may use the versatile nature of makeup powder ingredients to stretch the usability of a makeup powder mixture across many platforms of facial cosmetics. The process may create custom, digital files that can be manufactured with high resolution, high complexity, and with a full spectrum of colors using Food and Drug Administration (FDA) compliant cosmetic grade dye. In particular, full-face makeup mask applicators that are based on an exact three-dimensional scan of the user's face.
US09867448B2

A container is provided that includes a base having a plurality of sides defining abase perimeter and a well configured to hold a product. The container also includes a lid assembly configured to be pivotably coupled to the base and a recess disposed on two or more of the plurality of sides. The recess has a height extending between a top and bottom of the base and a width extending between the base perimeter and the well. The container further includes a collapsible applicator configured to be: (i) held within the recess at two or more of the plurality of sides when the collapsible applicator is in a collapsed position; and (ii) removed from the recess at the two or more sides and extended from the collapsed position to an extended application position.
US09867442B1

An eyelash comb having a heating element which allows for easier separation and reapplication of mascara on the eyelashes.
US09867437B1

An improved luggage system is a piece of wheeled luggage with support arms attached to the bottom side which telescope outward, and pivot 90 degrees downward and lock into position, to allow the luggage to be in a raised position off the floor, so the user does not need to bend down to access the items within the luggage, or pick up the luggage and put it on a bed or other raised furniture for access. It further has additional folding panels with pockets for storing extra shoes and the like, and light bars attached along the inside of the top panel to illuminate the inside of the luggage.
US09867435B2

Watch comprising a watchband fixed to a case, this watchband comprising an extending strand, and a buckle arranged to encircle a case or an element protruding from this watchband, formed by this extending strand or by an added buckle, and the buckle comprises a stop surface arranged to cooperate, in a fastened position, either with a first complementary stop surface of a case, or with a second complementary stop surface comprised in the protruding element of the watchband.
US09867432B1

A safety belt buckle includes a base unit, a driving unit mounted on the base unit, and a torque device mounted on the driving unit. The base unit is provided with a plurality of insertion slots, a rotation shaft, and a positioning portion. The driving unit includes a circular cap and a driving handle. The torque device includes a ring, two balls, two compression springs and a fixed plate. In practice, when the driving handle is driven by a user, the circular cap is rotated to operate the two compression springs which press the two balls to increase a resistance to the circular cap, and to obstruct rotation of the driving unit, thereby preventing the driving unit from being driven freely by an external force.
US09867426B2

An article of footwear includes a sole structure that has a heel portion with a rear, a lateral side, and a medial side. The article of footwear includes a heel extender that has a rear segment disposed at the rear of the heel portion, a lateral arm disposed at the lateral side of the heel portion, and a medial arm disposed at the medial side of the heel portion. The heel extender has a protuberance that establishes a rearmost extent of the article of footwear. The sole structure has a first hardness and the protuberance has a second hardness greater than the first hardness.
US09867422B2

A footwear having traditional functionality utilizes uppers that substantially resemble and function as a bikini bra section and a bikini groin section, with each bikini section attachable to the footwear with various decorative fasteners, such as, bikini tie strings, toggles, and ornamental members. The front and rear uppers are substantially triangular and elastic, like a bikini. A sole has a front sole section and a rear sole section. The front upper has at least one front fastening member and at least one front decorative member. The rear upper has at least one rear fastening member and at least one rear decorative member. The rear upper is optional. The front and rear fastening members attach to their respective side of the soles and to each other. A front and rear reinforcing member at each respective upper maintains the uppers to the front and heel of the feet.
US09867419B1

An improved sandal with several orthotic benefits is provided. The sandal has a unique combination of features that will be useful for the treatment and prevention of plantar fasciitis. The improved sandal has a medial split in the medial heel section of the sole. The medial split is designed so that it absorbs more energy than the other parts of the heel and promotes a lateral to medial rotation of the heel portion during the wearer's gait. In a preferred embodiment the sandal will include a rocker bottom sole and raised bed for the big toe that begins its rise at the metatarsophalangeal joint. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the sole of the sandal will also include a metatarsal bar that supports the transverse arch and an upward bend that that begins to rise from the sole at a point just forward of the end of the medial split and intersects with the metatarsal bar.
US09867417B2

An article of footwear includes an intermediate covering portion with an adjustable volume. The intermediate covering portion is closed around the instep of the foot. The article also includes a tensioning system that can be used to change the volume of the intermediate covering portion. The tensioning system includes a tension balancing member to balance loads across different portions of the intermediate covering portion.
US09867403B2

Disclosed are various embodiments for a vest with integrated bulk product storage. The vest may be configured to be worn about a person's neck, with a front portion and a back portion. Each of the front and back portions includes one or more integrated bulk product storage compartments. Bulk product is poured into the compartment via a recloseable filling opening at or near the top of the vest, while bulk product is dispensed from the compartment via a recloseable dispensing opening at or near the bottom of the vest. The vest may also function as a safety vest by exhibiting a safety color and/or pattern.
US09867401B1

This invention is a one-use, disposable hygienic shower sock for wearing in showers, locker rooms, or other similar areas where bare feet come into contact with damp or wet floors. The shower sock is made of a biodegradable plastic or fabric material with a water permeable upper portion and a water-proof sole. The inside of the shower sock may be treated with one or more preventative or treatment applications, such as an anti-fungal agent, an anti-bacterial agent, a plantar wart guard, a foot detox product, an anti-microbial agent, or an anti-viral agent. Essential oil based deodorizers, such as eucalyptus, peppermint, and lavender may also be applied inside the shower sock. The bottom of the sole may have an anti-slip gripping element to prevent the wearer from slipping on wet floors.
US09867398B2

Systems, methods, and apparatuses are presented for an e-cigarette device that atomizes the liquid through ultrasonic vibrations, thereby generating micro-droplets that can be absorbed through breathing, similar to breathing in a mist or vapor. No heating elements are involved, thereby leading to no burnt elements and reducing second-hand smoke effects.
US09867389B2

A cooking apparatus includes a cooking vessel, a support structure, an assortment of ferrous members and a source of electro-magnetic radiation. The ferrous members are mounted on the support structure along with food. The source of electro-magnetic radiation heats the ferrous members and enables a previously unobtainable level of precision and control in the preparation of food.
US09867385B2

The invention provides a method of processing green coffee beans that improves the aromas and flavors of green coffee beans through simple means, allowing richly fragrant green coffee beans that have unique aromas to be obtained with ease. A method of processing green coffee beans includes a fermentation process by bringing green coffee beans, which are unground seeds from coffee berries, microorganisms, and nutritive substances that are metabolized by the microorganisms into contact with one another to cause fermentation, followed by a separation process of separating out only said green coffee beans that have passed through the fermentation process.
US09867369B2

The present invention is directed to wetting agent compositions and methods for making and using the wetting agent compositions. The compositions of the invention include a sheeting agent, a defoaming agent, and an association disruption agent. The wetting agent compositions of the present invention result in a faster draining/drying time on most substrates compared to conventional wetting agents. The wetting agent compositions of the present invention are especially suitable for use on plastic substrates.
US09867368B2

A system for the hypothermic transport of biological samples, such as tissues, organs, or body fluids. The system includes a self-purging preservation apparatus to suspend a sample in preservation fluid and perfuse a tissue with preservation fluid. The self-purging preservation apparatus is placed in an insulated transport container having a cooling medium. When assembled, the system allows for transport of biological samples for extended periods of time at a stable temperature.
US09867365B1

A fishing line accessory system for securing fishing accessories to a fishing line includes a primary coupling component, a secondary coupling component coupleable with the primary coupling component, and at least one fishing accessory. One of the coupling components has a first magnet, at least one fishing accessory includes a second magnet, and the second magnet is attachable to and detachable from the first magnet. The fishing line is secured between the primary coupling component and the secondary coupling component.
US09867360B1

A novel maize variety designated X95K895 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof are produced by crossing inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant by crossing hybrid maize variety X95K895 with another maize plant are disclosed. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X95K895 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X95K895, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X95K895. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X95K895.
US09867355B2

The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01064176. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01064176. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01064176 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01064176 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US09867353B2

The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01058528. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01058528. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01058528 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01058528 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US09867350B2

The invention relates to the novel cotton variety designated 15R517. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants, plant parts and derivatives of the cotton variety 15R517. Also provided by the invention are methods of using cotton variety 15R517 and products derived therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing cotton plants by crossing the cotton variety 15R517 with itself or another cotton variety and plants and seeds produced by such methods.
US09867341B2

A new and distinct inbred plant of Tagetes erecta named KI4537 and characterized by elevated levels of lutein and fertile male flowers.
US09867327B2

A tire for a furrow press roller comprises a sole via which the tire is mounted on a field roller support, a tread opposite to the sole, and two sidewalls connecting the tread to the sole. The sole, the tread and the sidewalls together delimit a non-inflatable chamber. The tread comprises at least one crest and two shoulders each connecting the crest to a respective sidewall. The chamber extends partially at least laterally under the shoulders and radially into the crest.
US09867322B2

Provided is a safety apparatus for a cultivator. A driving cylinder includes a body wherein a rod having a pressurizing plate at a front end of the rod is inserted into the body; a first inlet hole and a second outlet hole which are formed at one side of the body; a first inlet hole and a second outlet hole formed at a rear portion of the pressurizing plate when the rod extends from the body; a first outlet hole and a second inlet hole formed at the other side of the body; a relief valve at the first outlet hole; a first hydraulic line to connect the relief valve and the first inlet hole; a second hydraulic line to connect the second outlet hole and the second inlet hole; and a check valve at any of the second outlet hole, the second inlet hole and the second hydraulic line.
US09867321B2

An agricultural implement having a rolling basket. A stationary blade is disposed inside an inner chamber of the rolling basket and attached at ends of the rolling basket near the bearings that are connected to the rolling basket. The rolling basket rotates around its major axis via the bearings, while the blade is held stationary. The stationary blade has sleeves at the ends, and each of the sleeves is connected to a post of a support arm and locked into the posts via a pin.
US09872413B2

A multi-function handle for Information Handling System (IHS) chassis is described. In some embodiments, a chassis may include a sled configured to be installed in a rack; a drawer configured to slide in and out of the sled; and a front panel comprising a handle and a selector, the selector configured to allow a user to selectively pull from the rack using the handle: (i) the drawer without the sled, or (ii) the sled and the drawer. A method may include accessing a chassis installed in a rack, the chassis comprising: (i) a drawer configured to slide in and out of a sled; and (ii) a front panel having a handle and a selector; determining that the selector is in a first position; and pulling the handle to slide the drawer without the sled outward from the rack.
US09872403B2

The present disclosure is directed to an electrical cabinet for an electrical assembly for a wind turbine. The electrical cabinet has one or more walls that define an internal volume having one or more electrical components configured therein. One or more of the walls includes an inner panel and an outer panel mounted to the inner panel. The inner panel includes an inner vent and the outer panel includes an outer vent. Further, the panels are arranged together so as to define a flow path between the inner and outer vents. Thus, during normal operation, air is directed from outside of the electrical cabinet to the internal volume of the electrical cabinet via the flow path so as to cool the one or more electrical components. Further, during a fault event, gas is permitted to exit the internal volume of the electrical cabinet via the flow path.
US09872402B2

A telecommunication distribution box includes a housing and an electrical component mounted in the housing. A cover plate is movably connected to the housing and is movable between open and closed positions. A lip extends outwardly from the cover plate. The lip covers the electrical component when the cover plate is in the closed position to prevent accessing and removing the electrical component.
US09872398B1

A method and structure are provided for implementing enhanced via creation without creating a via barrel stub. The need to backdrill during printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing is eliminated. After the vias have been drilled, but before plating, a via plug with a specialized geometry and including a capillary is inserted into each via to allow electroplating on only preferred wall surfaces of the vias. Then a board plating process of the PCB manufacturing is performed.
US09872396B2

A method of joining a first tin-plated electrical component to a second tin-plated electrical component, and components joined to exhibit reduced stress levels at the joined location. The method includes defining a pocket in the second component that is shaped to accept a portion of the first component, placing the portion of the first component substantially within the pocket to define an interfacial region, and using a resistance welder to both form a solid-state diffusion bond along at least a portion of the interfacial region and fill a substantial remainder of the interfacial region with melted tin plating from one or both of the first and second components.
US09872389B2

A flexible printed circuit board installed on a substrate in a display device is provided.
US09872382B2

The present invention belongs to the technical field of resin composite materials, in particular relates to a low dielectric composite material and a laminate and printed circuit board prepared therefrom. The composite material is obtained by adhering a low dielectric resin composition with phosphorus-containing flame retardant onto a substrate; the composition comprises the following components: (A) phosphorus-containing flame retardant; (B) vinyl compound. The phosphorus-containing flame retardant has a structure as shown in formula (I). In the present invention, diphenylphosphine oxide is derivatized, and prepared a phosphorus-containing flame retardant, which has no reactive functional groups, has better dielectric properties, and has high melting point, and upon combining with a vinyl compound, a resin composition is obtained, and a composite material having low thermal expansion ratio, high heat resistance, high glass transition temperature, and low dielectric constant and dissipation factor, can be made from the resin composition, and a laminate and printed circuit board having the properties of high glass transition temperature, low dielectric properties, halogen-free flame retardancy, low thermal expansion coefficient of the laminate, etc., can be made from the composite material.
US09872377B2

One or more light emitting diode diodes (LEDs) are attached to a printed circuit board. The attached LEDs are connectable with a power source via circuitry of the printed circuit board. An overmolding material is insert molded an over at least portions of the printed circuit board proximate to the LEDs to form a free standing high thermal conductivity material overmolding that covers at least portions of the printed circuit board proximate to the LEDs. The free standing high thermal conductivity material has a melting temperature greater than about 100 ° C. and has a thermal conductivity greater than or about 1 W/m·K. In some embodiments, the free standing high thermal conductivity material is a thermoplastic material.
US09872373B1

Methods of operating a plasma enhanced substrate processing system using multi-level pulsed RF power are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of operating a plasma enhanced substrate processing system using multi-level pulsed RF power includes providing a first multi-level RF power waveform to a process chamber, the first multi-level RF power waveform having at least a first power level, a second power level, and a third power level, providing, after a first delay period, a second multi-level RF power waveform to the process chamber, the second multi-level RF power waveform having at least a first power level, a second power level, and a third power level, and processing the substrate using the first multi-level RF power waveform and the second multi-level RF power waveform to produce a features on the substrate have an aspect ratio of greater than 60:1 while maintaining an etch rate of greater than 170 nm/min.
US09872370B2

A discharge lamp driving device includes: a discharge lamp driving unit which supplies drive power to a discharge lamp; and a control unit which controls the discharge lamp driving unit according to a waveform of the drive power. The waveform has n launching periods and a low-power mode lighting period. The n launching periods include a first launching period in which the drive power increases toward refresh power that is equal to or above drive power in a low-power mode and equal to or below rated power, and (n−1) launching periods in which the drive power is maintained at the refresh power. The control unit, in an x-th launching period, supplies the discharge lamp with a drive current having a drive frequency equal to or below a drive frequency of a drive current supplied to the discharge lamp in an (x−1)th launching period.
US09872369B2

A lighting control system of the type including an electronic device with a processor, memory, wireless communication capability and a user interface may be used. A controller may be used with a receiver to receive wireless communication from the electronic device and an output terminal with at least one lighting array in electrical communication with the output terminal of the controller. A power supply may be provided in electrical communication with the controller thereby providing electrical power to the controller and the lighting array. Software on the electrical device may be used providing a graphical interface with a user to actuate the controller to provide an electrical output to the lighting array. The combination may be placed on a building, vehicle or any object to allow a plurality of lighting themes and palettes. Music may also be used to control the lighting output as well as speed or acceleration.
US09872367B2

A handheld device for grouping a plurality of lighting fixtures is disclosed. In one embodiment, the handheld device includes a communication interface configured to wirelessly communicate with the plurality of lighting fixtures and control circuitry. The circuitry is configured to: effect selection of at least two lighting fixtures of the plurality of lighting fixtures via the communication interface; determine a first group for the at least two lighting fixtures; create first group assignment information for the first group; and send the first group assignment information to each of the at least two lighting fixtures via the communication interface.
US09872365B2

The invention relates to a method for replacing a device in a network comprising a plurality of devices. The method includes a step of storing (132) replicated data of a first device in a storage means, a step of removing (352) the first device from the network, a step of connecting (354) a second device to the network, a step of providing (262) a replacement information comprising the first identifier and a step of providing (272) the replicated data of the first device from the storage means to the second device.
US09872358B2

A light unit (10) is disclosed including a plurality of lighting devices (22, 24, 26), in particular a plurality of LEDs, for emitting light. The light unit comprises connection terminals (12, 14) for connecting the light unit to an external power supply (16) and for receiving an input voltage (V10) and/or an input current (IT) from the external power supply. A first current path (18) and a second current path (20) are connected to the connection terminals each comprising at least one lighting device, wherein the first current path and the second current path are connected in parallel to each other. The second current path has a controllable resistor (28) for controlling an electrical current I1 in the second current path and a current limiter (30) for limiting the current in the second current path. The light unit comprises a control unit (36) adapted to control the controllable resistor on the basis of the electrical current in the second current path and on the basis of an electrical current (I1) in the first current path or a total current (IT) in both current paths.
US09872354B2

An LED drive circuit (1) includes a controller (5) which controls a duty ratio of a PWM signal and driving current for driving a blue LED chip (7B) with a blue LED driver (3B) based on blue light, green light, and red light which are received by a photo sensor (4).
US09872341B2

A system includes a plurality of elements that are to operate in a radio frequency (RF) environment. The system further includes a plurality of switching devices to operate in the RF environment, each of the plurality of switching devices to control power to at least one of the plurality of elements, wherein the plurality of switching devices are coupled to a power line that is to provide power from outside the RF environment. A filter is coupled to the power line to filter out RF noise introduced into the power line by the RF environment. The system further includes a converter, coupled to the one or more switching devices, to operate in the RF environment and to provide a non-conductive communication link between the one or more switching devices and a controller outside of the RF environment.
US09872335B2

A method for communication includes, in a wireless communication terminal, estimating a wake-up time that is intended to not exceed an occurrence time of a periodic transmission that is addressed to the wireless communication terminal from a wireless network. Circuitry of the wireless communication terminal is activated at the estimated wake-up time for receiving the periodic transmission. In response to finding, upon activating the circuitry, that the estimated wake-up time is too early to coincide with the periodic transmission, a next wake-up time, which is also intended to not exceed the occurrence time of the periodic transmission, is re-estimated, and the circuitry is deactivated until the re-estimated next wake-up time.
US09872309B2

A communication method in a wireless communication system, the method includes receiving a first control channel including first scheduling information on a first physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH); receiving a second control channel including second scheduling information on a second PDSCH; determining whether the first PDSCH and the second PDSCH are scheduled to be overlapped on at least one subframe; and determining which one of the first PDSCH and the second PDSCH is to be received on the at least one overlapped subframe.
US09872307B2

Embodiments of systems and methods for time domain multiplexing solutions for in-device coexistence are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US09872304B1

A wireless access node to facilitate voice over long term evolution (VoLTE) communication sessions comprises a wireless communication transceiver and a processing system. The wireless communication transceiver is configured to exchange VoLTE packets with a wireless communication device during a VoLTE communication session, and receive a scheduling request and responsively issue a scheduling grant with a number of hybrid automatic repeat requests (HARQs). The processing system is configured to calculate a quality of service (QoS) score based on a communication quality of the VoLTE communication session after issuing the scheduling grant, and if the QoS score falls below a threshold value, apply a lower level of fragmentation to the VoLTE packets.
US09872290B2

System and method embodiments are provided to achieve efficient Direct Mobile Communications (DMC) and device-to-device (D2D) communications for terminal based groups with improved spectrum efficiency, reduced interference, and virtual full duplex operation mode. The embodiments include a distributed mechanism for D2D communications that enables one or more cooperating UEs (CUEs) to help one or more target UEs (TUEs) with limited additional signaling overhead and relatively simple implementation. The mechanism comprises a grantless multi-dimensional multiplexing scheme that uses low density spreading (LDS) over time, frequency, and/or space domains to enable data forwarding between multiple half-duplex terminals or UEs while allowing the UEs to operate in virtual full-duplex mode.
US09872287B2

The invention relates to the performing, by a mobile station, of a PUSCH transmission (3) in response to a DCI transmission (1). Specifically, in case a first TDD uplink/downlink configuration, according to which the communication is configured, is different from a second TDD uplink/downlink configuration, on the basis of which the DCI to PUSCH timing relations are defined (2a), and in case these DCI to PUSCH timing relations define plural timing relations for performing PUSCH transmissions in response to a single DCI transmission (2b), the mobile station applies a pre-stored association (2c) indicating a single timing relation that is to be used for determining the PUSCH transmission based on the subframe in which the corresponding DCI transmission is received (2d).
US09872284B2

A femto cell access point device (FAPD) selects channel bandwidth and frequency for transmission based on bandwidth of a broadband channel between the femto cell and a core network. A method can include determining a data throughput associated with a broadband channel communicatively coupling the access point device and a network device of a network, and evaluating channel information associated with a plurality of frequency sub-bands. The access point device can be configurable to communicate over the plurality of frequency sub-bands. The method can also include selecting a transmission parameter for a mobile device, wherein the selecting is based on the data throughput, and wherein the transmission parameter comprises information representing a selected set of the plurality of frequency sub-bands. The broadband channel can be a digital subscriber line (DSL) channel in some embodiments.
US09872274B2

Methods and apparatus are provided for paging transmission and reception for UEs requiring coverage extension/coverage enhancement. In one novel aspect, the UE reports the CE status to the MME. CE level related information and the corresponding cell ID are provided from eNB to MME. MME sends paging information including the repetition number to all eNBs in the corresponding tracking area when paging the UE. In another novel aspect, a paging area is used for CE UEs. The UE receives paging area information, notifies the network, and updates the stored paging area information upon detecting changes between the received and the stored paging areas. In another embodiment, the UE reports its CE status upon detecting CE status changes. The eNB stores UE CE information and forwards it to neighboring eNBs in the same paging area. The eNB pages UEs on its CE UE list with repetition while paging other UEs normally.
US09872273B2

An object of the present invention is to provide a communication system, a base station, a host node, and a communication method in order to address one or more of the above-described problems. A communication system according to the present invention is a communication system including: a base station (10) and a host node (40) that communicates with the base station (10). The base station (10) included in the communication system transmits to the host node (40) setting information indicating whether or not a paging message transmitted from the host node (40) can be transmitted to other base stations, and the host node (40) receives the setting information from the base station (10).
US09872263B1

The invention is directed to methods and systems for generating reference signals from radio signals received from a large-coverage access component, such as a base station. The radio signals are received, analyzed, and selected based on the analysis. The selected signals are processed by an oscillator to filter out abnormalities. Consequently, a reference signal is generated that is encapsulated into packets and delivered to one or more small-coverage access components using the Precision Timing Protocol or some other protocol that is useable by the small-coverage access components. The small-coverage access components comprise one or more of a femtocell or a picocell.
US09872260B2

A power adjustment method includes: measuring output power that is obtained when input power to be amplified in a linear region is input to a power amplifier configured to amplify input power linearly in the linear region and amplify input power nonlinearly in a nonlinear region; deriving a straight line connecting a measurement point corresponding to the measured output power and a boundary point between the linear region and the nonlinear region in a coordinate plane representing input/output characteristics; acquiring information on an approximate equation that is stored in advance in correspondence with the measured output power, the approximate equation representing a relation between input power and output power in the nonlinear region; and storing information on the derived straight line and the acquired information on the approximate equation in a semiconductor integrated circuit provided at a preceding stage of the power amplifier.
US09872253B2

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a network selection method, an apparatus and a base station. The method includes: determining each of networks satisfying requirements of a user when the user initiates a service or transmits a service; estimating an average energy efficiency of a system during service transmission after the user selects to access each of the networks; selecting a network which can make the average energy efficiency of the system reach a preset threshold value to serve the user. Embodiments of the present invention solve a problem in the prior art that, because no consideration is given to network energy consumption in the network selection, system energy efficiency is reduced. Through comprehensive consideration of network energy efficiency and system energy efficiency, the need for energy saving and consumption reduction is met.
US09872251B2

This disclosure describes systems, methods, and devices related to awake window (AW) protection. A device may identify a beacon frame received from a first device. The device may identify an information element associated with a first awake window (AW) within the beacon frame. The device may suspend one or more first backoff timers for a duration of the first AW. The device may associate a second backoff timer with a management frame.
US09872247B2

In accordance with the exemplary embodiments of the invention there is at least a method and an apparatus to perform operations including starting, by a device of a communications network, a timer in response to a radio resource control message, where a power preference indication message is not sent by the device for at least a duration of the timer.
US09872240B2

The present disclosure relates to new network device source entity triggered device configuration setup. Specifically, various techniques and systems are provided for efficient setup of a acquired device on a network using information generated by a new network device source entity. More specifically, exemplary embodiments of the present invention include methods and systems for receiving, at a computing device connected to an established network device on a network, an acquisition communication including an indication that a new network device has been acquired; transmitting data to the established network device, wherein the data includes identification information associated with the new network device; receiving a join query, wherein the join query includes a request to authorize the new network device to join a network; and transmitting a response to the join query, wherein the response includes an authorization for the new network device to join the network.
US09872237B1

A device for communicating with a plurality of user equipment in a cellular network comprises a non-transitory memory having instructions and one or more processors in communication with the memory. The one or more processors execute the instructions to receive information regarding a faked base station including an operating frequency, location area code and cell identification of the faked base station, prepare a first message to alert of the faked base station, select the plurality of user equipment that may receive a signal from the faked base station, transmit the first message to alert of the faked base station to the plurality of user equipment and transmit a second message to bar the plurality of user equipment from connecting to the faked base station.
US09872235B2

A wireless communication interface measures a signal level of a received signal from an access point. A control unit calculates connection time with the access point to which a mobile communication device is connected. The control unit associates a first connection threshold or a second connection threshold that is larger than the first connection threshold with the access point on the basis of the connection time. After calculating the connection time, when the mobile communication device is not connected to the access point, the control unit determines whether to connect the mobile communication device to the access point on the basis of a comparison between the signal level and the first connection threshold or the second connection threshold associated with the access point.
US09872228B2

Disclosed herein are embodiments for Machine Type Communication (MTC). The techniques disclosed may reduce signaling by transmitting MTC data over control planes and avoiding a full cycle of connection procedures typically required for transmission. MTC data may be directly appended to a control plane message. In addition, in order to reduce the signaling load, a WTRU may autonomously release the connection without being told by the network. Techniques may be used to indicate a network provider's machine type communication (MTC) capability. The MTC services or capabilities that may be provided by a respective network operator may be communicated to a WTRU.
US09872222B2

A communication system includes: a first base station that supports a first wireless communication scheme; a second base station that supports a second wireless communication scheme; and a mobile station. The first base station acquires communication information on a communication state of the second wireless communication scheme and the first base station includes a wireless communication unit that transmits a notification signal including the communication information by the first wireless communication scheme. The mobile station receives the notification signal by the first wireless communication scheme and the mobile station includes a controller that selects whether to maintain data communication by the first wireless communication scheme or to switch the first wireless communication scheme to the second wireless communication scheme, based on the communication information included in the notification signal and an amount of communication data processed by the mobile station.
US09872208B2

Disclosed are a data forwarding method and device, used for solving the problem that a communication interruption risk is generated when a user equipment (UE) is handed over in an existing hierarchical network. The method comprises: a source macro base station obtaining serial number sending state information of PDCP data packets, in uplink and downlink directions, of a local base station currently accessed by a UE, a control plane of the UE being connected to the source macro base station, and a user plane being connected to the local base station; and the source macro base station sending the serial number sending state information to a target base station that the UE is to be handed over to, and the target base station establishing a user plane connection to the UE according to the serial number sending state information.
US09872206B2

Embodiments of a user station (STA) and methods for operating in a millimeter-wave basic service set (BSS) are generally described herein. In some embodiments, a STA transmits a request, using a first channel with a first bandwidth, for an allocation to communicate data on a second channel with a second bandwidth different from the first bandwidth. The request can include a directional multi-gigabit (DMG) traffic specification (TSPEC) element with a value representative of the second bandwidth. The STA may receive the allocation of the second bandwidth in an Extended Schedule element. The STA may transmit data on the second channel with the second bandwidth responsive to receiving the allocation.
US09872198B2

Systems and methods are provided for data transmission. For example, packet loss is detected based on at least information associated with a first data packet; and in response to packet loss being detected, a packet-retransmission request is sent to a data-transmission terminal and the packet-retransmission request is repeatedly sent to the data-transmission terminal during a retransmission life-cycle associated with the first data packet, the packet-retransmission request including a first identification of the packet-retransmission request.
US09872195B2

A method and system for providing data communication for machine type communication (MTC) devices based wireless communication. The method comprises selecting at least one cluster head for a plurality of clusters, receiving by the cluster head a data traffic transfer request from the one or more MTC devices determining availability of a network resources for transferring the data traffic, establishing a dedicated connection with a base station for transferring the data traffic from the MTC devices to the base station through the connection established between the cluster head and the base station. The data traffic transfer request comprises one of an activation status, a buffer occupancy status and a delay tolerance of the one or more MTC devices.
US09872180B2

A method for managing network access is provided. The method includes determining whether there is a network connection request from at least one application, checking at least one attribute information item of the application, determining an access point name (APN) corresponding to the application based on the at least one attribute information item, and transmitting and receiving data of the application to/from a network using the determined APN.
US09872176B2

Disclosed is an electronic device including a processor that receives an input signal for requesting an authentication, determines whether a mobile oriented (MO) server is available based on at least one of an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) or network Internet Protocol (IP) information of the electronic device, and if it is determined that the MO server is available, creates an authentication code, and a communication module that transmits the created authentication code to the MO server.
US09872171B2

The present invention relates to a service provision method for storing each wireless fingerprint characteristic of a case in which a service device provides a general service and a case in which the service device provides an event for each affiliated store in a wireless fingerprint map, and providing an event by changing a wireless signal transmission pattern through an affiliated store terminal, and a device performing the same and a recording medium recording a computer program executing the same.
US09872165B2

A method for establishing an intra-network call between a first subscriber, which is served by a first call control node in a visited public land mobile network, V-PLMN, and a second subscriber of a home public land mobile network, H-PLMN, which is different to the V-PLMN. The second subscriber is served by a second call control node of the same V-PLMN. The method include sending, by the first call control node, a call setup message to a gateway node in the V-PLMN which is adapted to perform re-routing of calls to another network. The gateway node requests routing information of the second call control node from a proxy location register, PLR, in the V-PLMN. The gateway node routes the call to the second call control node responsive to if routing information towards the second call control node is available from the PLR.
US09872161B2

A communication system includes a wireless master device, a wireless client device, and a base station, wherein, the wireless client device starts wireless transmission to the base station when the wireless client device receives a start instruction sent from the wireless master device in accordance with a predetermined operation performed with respect to the wireless master device and stops the wireless transmission when the wireless client device receives a stop instruction from the wireless master device after the starting of the wireless transmission.
US09872160B2

A wireless communication device maintains a communication contact. The wireless communication device receives media session quality data for the communication contact. The wireless communication device receives a request for a media session with the communication contact and responsively identifies estimated media session quality with the communication contact based on the media session quality data for the communication contact. The wireless communication device displays a session activation icon for the media session request that visually indicates the estimated media session quality for the media session with the communication contact. The wireless communication device receives a user selection of the session activation icon and responsively establishes the media session with the communication contact.
US09872154B2

A vehicle information system for passenger vehicles, such as automobiles and aircraft, and methods for manufacturing and using same. The vehicle information system includes a broadband communication system with a broadband antenna system and a broadband control system. Exploiting the advent of high-speed connectivity solutions, the vehicle information system supports a low-cost, high-capacity bidirectional data connection with a terrestrial content system and thereby can be established as another node on the “Worldwide Net.” The vehicle information system likewise provides wireless access points for communicating with passengers' personal media devices. As desired, the vehicle information system can support mobile telephone connectivity and/or presentation of live integrated digital television (IDTV) programming. The vehicle information system thereby provides enhanced information, entertainment, and communication services during travel.
US09872146B2

A system and method for multi-beacon management including: determining occurrence of a trigger event; determining a beacon to be acted upon; determining the settings to be assigned; assigning the settings to the beacon; and operating the beacon according to the settings.
US09872145B2

A device may obtain event information regarding a set of user equipment. The device may determine a first location for a particular user equipment, of the set of user equipment, based on the event information and a stored set of parameters. The device may provide information associated with identifying the first location. The device may determine a second location for the particular user equipment based on the information associated with identifying the first location and after determining the first location. The device may provide information associated with identifying the second location. The device may update the stored set of parameters as a set of updated parameters. The device may use the set of updated parameters to determine another location.
US09872144B2

An apparatus receives a message including results of measurements on signals of a WLAN access point. The apparatus determines as a first condition whether the message comprises no indication of a position obtained in a non-cell based positioning and/or no information enabling a non-cell based positioning. The apparatus determines as a second condition whether the message comprises in addition results of measurements on signals of at least one cell of a cellular communications network. If the conditions are met, the apparatus determines a position based on the results of measurements on signals of the at least one cell of a cellular communications network and causes storage of location information that is based on the determined position in a memory for the WLAN access point, in case no location information has previously been stored in the memory for the WLAN access point.
US09872141B2

A method includes moving an interrogation device through multiple geographical positions. At each geographical position of the interrogation device, a wireless communication terminal is solicited to establish temporary communication with the interrogation device, and a value indicative of a distance between the wireless communication terminal and the interrogation device is estimated using the temporary communication. A geographical location of the wireless communication terminal is calculated based on multiple estimated values corresponding to the respective multiple geographical positions of the interrogation device.
US09872140B2

There are provided systems and methods for social networking connections through short range wireless devices. A user may become associated with a new location based on one or more connections made by the user's communication device and a device at the location, such as a communication device of another user at the location or a wireless beacon established at the location. The user may previous have been associated with another location, such as a previous workplace, apartment building, or other commonplace for users. Once the user is associated with the new location, other nearby users associated with that location may be determined. The nearby users may be detected using similar devices at the location or may provide information that associates them with the location. Using social networking connections between the user and nearby users, the users may receive contact recommendations proposing new social networking connections between the users.
US09872137B2

One of embodiments providing location information in a wireless access system supporting a MCPTT service comprises steps of: receiving, from a requesting UE, a report request message requesting a report of location information, the report request message encrypted with a credential of the requesting UE; verifying the credential of the requesting UE; and transmitting, to the requesting UE, a report response message including the location information of the requested UE, when the credential of the requesting UE has been verified; or transmitting, to the requesting UE, a request reject message indicating the report request is denied, when the credential of the requesting UE is not verified, wherein the credential is configured with an identifier of the requesting UE and a qualification of the MCPTT service, and the MCPTT service is used for a public safety and utility services and provides communication among the requesting and the requested UEs.
US09872132B2

The present invention provides an information processing apparatus and a method of deciding a correction amount for correcting the radio field intensity of received radio waves in the information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus receives a BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) packet transmitted by an external apparatus, and displays a screen for deciding a correction amount for correcting the radio field intensity of the BLE packet. If a user inputs an instruction for deciding the correction amount via this screen, the correction amount is decided based on the radio field intensity of the received BLE packet and a reference value.
US09872130B2

In at least some embodiments, a communication device includes a transceiver with a physical (PHY) layer. The PHY layer is configured for body area network (BAN) operations in a limited multipath environment using M-ary PSK, differential M-ary PSK or rotated differential M-ary PSK. Also, the PHY layer uses a constant symbol rate for BAN packet transmissions.
US09872119B2

Techniques described herein may involve dynamically adjusting the equalization of multiple speakers in a playback device. An example implementation involves a playback device emitting, via a first speaker, a first audio signal and emitting, via a second speaker, a second audio signal. The playback device may detect, via a microphone, an audio signal representing (i) at least a portion of the first audio signal and (ii) at least a portion of the second audio signal. The implementation may further involve the playback device determining one or more reflection characteristics based on the detected audio signal. The example implementation may also involve identifying a first audio setting and a second audio setting based on one or more reflection characteristics and applying (i) the first audio setting to playback of media content via the first speaker and (ii) the second audio setting to playback of media content via the second speaker.
US09872118B2

A method for identifying the position of loudspeaker boxes in a loudspeaker box arrangement includes the operation of a first loudspeaker box in the loudspeaker box arrangement as an acoustic test signal generator. An acoustic test signal from the first loudspeaker box is received at other loudspeaker boxes in the loudspeaker box arrangement. A positional relationship between the signal-generating first loudspeaker box and at least one of the other loudspeaker boxes in the loudspeaker box arrangement is ascertained on the basis of the acoustic test signal received in the other loudspeaker boxes.
US09872107B2

An electrodynamic transducer includes a motor assembly and a diaphragm disposed forward of the motor assembly, the diaphragm having a front surface and a rear surface. A back cover supports the motor assembly and the diaphragm, the back cover creating an air cavity beneath the diaphragm rear surface. The back cover includes at least one heat-conducting member providing a heat transfer path from the motor assembly to the back cover.
US09872106B2

Disclosed is a device for audibly producing an audio signal including a first speaker, a second speaker, a first housing surrounding the first speaker, a second housing surrounding the second speaker, a curved member having a first curvature and connected to the first housing and the second housing, a receiver for receiving the audio signal, and an energy storage device mounted on the curved member, the energy storage device electrically connected to the receiver and having a second curvature congruent to the first curvature.
US09872104B2

A system and method for controlling noise produced by an air handling system, for example, is provided. The system includes a source microphone to collect sound measurements from the air handling system and a processor to define a cancellation signal that at least partially cancels out the sound measurements. The system also includes a speaker to generate the cancellation signal. The sound measurements are at least partially canceled out within a region of cancellation. Accordingly, the system further includes a response microphone to collect response sound measurements at the region of cancellation. The processor tunes the cancellation signal based on the response sound measurements.
US09872101B2

A system for sound capture and generation via nasal vibration is described. In embodiments the system includes eyeglasses that include at least a frame that is wearable by a user. Sensing circuitry is mounted to the frame, and a device is incorporated into the frame. The sensing circuitry includes at least one sensor, wherein the sensor can passively sense voice vibration induced in the user's nose, and/or which may actively induce audio vibration in the user's nose based on audio data.
US09872097B2

An optical heart rate earphone includes a front housing, a circuit board assembly, a rear housing assembled to a rear end of the front housing, and a light pipe. The front housing has a sound tube. At least one portion of the sound tube forms at least one light transmission gap. The circuit board assembly includes a circuit board and at least one optical sensor. The at least one optical sensor is corresponding to the at least one light transmission gap. The light pipe has a circular base. At least one portion of a periphery of the base protrudes rearward to form at least one transmittance slice. The light pipe is assembled to the sound tube. The at least one transmittance slice is wedged in the at least one light transmission gap.
US09872093B2

An audio output apparatus a display configured to display an output image; a speaker configured to output audio; and a processor configured to control the speaker to output music content as the audio, determine, based on meta data and external environment information, an image category corresponding to the music content among presorted image categories, determine at least one image corresponding to the determined image category as a background image, and control the display to display the determined at least one image as the output image.
US09872075B2

Systems and methods presented herein provide for ranking of assets for insertion into selected COD content. In one embodiment, a system includes an interface operable to receive information of a COD content selection by a Customer Premises Equipment (CPE). The system also includes an asset ranking module operable to identify assets that are available for insertion to the selected COD content from the plurality of assets, to determine values of the available assets to a provider of the selected COD content, to rank the available assets based on the determined values, and to direct the insertion of the one or more assets into the selected COD content based on the rank of the available assets.
US09872062B1

Synchronization of audio and video data can be enforced by embedding audio within video frame data. In a network environment in which audio and video data are generated on a source computing device and then transferred over the network to a destination computing device for output, the source computing device can be configured to encode the video data into an encoded video stream. As part of this encoding, the source computing device can also embed audio in the encoded video stream in a manner that associates the audio with corresponding video frames. The encoded video stream with the embedded audio can then be transferred over the network. The destination computing device can be configured to parse the encoded video stream to remove the audio and route it to an audio buffer and then route the encoded video stream to a GPU.
US09872054B2

In embodiments, apparatuses, methods and storage media are described that are associated with presentation of video data during pause. In embodiments, upon receipt of a pause command, a video presentation engine may repeatedly present a multi-frame segment of video content until a resume command is received. In embodiments, the multi-frame segment may begin at a point when the pause command is received or at an earlier point. Sound may be selectively played, in embodiments, along with the multi-frame segment. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US09872049B1

A method comprises receiving an unmarked content item comprising stream-enabled video segments, one or more segments including sequential black frames; identifying insertion point(s) for the segments based on location of black frame(s) without requiring user input; discarding segment(s) that do not include black frames; removing black frames from the segments; generating a playlist comprising a first source location associated with segments that do not include black frames, a second source location associated with segments having removed black frames, and a third source location associated with an ad provider system; providing the playlist to the consumer system to allow the consumer system to stream segments that do not include black frames from the first source location, second stream segments having removed black frames from the second source location until a corresponding insertion point is reached, and third stream ad(s) from the third source location when the corresponding insertion point is reached.
US09872040B2

In palette-based coding, a video coder may form a so-called “palette” as a table of colors representing the video data of a given block. The video coder may code index values for one or more pixels values of a current block of video data, where the index values indicate entries in the palette that represent the pixel values of the current block. A method includes determining a number of entries in a palette, and determining whether a block of video data includes any escape pixels not associated with any entry in the palette. The method includes responsive to determining that the number of entries is one, and that the block does not include any escape pixels, bypassing decoding index values for the pixel values of the block, and determining the pixel values of the block to be equal to the one entry in the palette.
US09872039B2

In one embodiment, the method includes determining a motion vector of a current image block equal to a motion vector of an image block based on a reference picture index indicating a reference picture for the image block. For example, the motion vector of the current image block may be equal to the motion vector of the image block if the reference picture index indicates a long-term reference picture for the image block.
US09872038B2

A prediction information deriving unit derives the inter-prediction information candidates from inter-prediction information of a prediction block neighboring to a coding target prediction block or a prediction block present at the same position as or near the coding target prediction block in a coded picture at a temporally different position from the coding target prediction block. A candidate supplementing unit supplements inter-prediction information candidates having the same prediction mode, reference index, and motion vector until the number of inter-prediction information candidates reaches the designated number of candidates when the number of inter-prediction information candidates is smaller than the designated number of candidates.
US09872025B2

In a moving picture coding device that codes moving pictures in units of a block by partitioning a first block, which is obtained by partitioning each picture of the moving pictures into predetermined sizes, into one or a plurality of second blocks, a quantization parameter calculation unit calculates a quantization parameter of the second block. A predictive quantization parameter deriving unit derives a predictive quantization parameter of the second block using quantization parameters of a third block adjacent to the left of the second block and a fourth block adjacent to the top of the second block. A differential quantization parameter generation unit generates a differential quantization parameter of the second block from a difference between the quantization parameter of the second block and the predictive quantization parameter. A first bitstream generation unit codes the differential quantization parameter of the second block.
US09872024B2

An image decoding apparatus that includes a motion compensation prediction circuit configured to conduct motion compensation prediction for each of blocks to be decoded by using the reconstructed image, an inverse transformation circuit configured to conduct inverse orthogonal transformation for the data of the blocks to be decoded, and a determination circuit configured to determine a filtering strength and whether or not to conduct filtering, with respect to each of the boundaries. In addition, the determining circuit is configured to determine filtering is conducted when at least one of the two adjacent blocks is intra-coded, and filtering is not conducted when both of the two adjacent blocks are not intra-coded, a non-zero transformation coefficient is not coded in both of the two adjacent blocks, the two adjacent blocks are predicted by the same reference frame, and an absolute value of a difference between motion vectors of the two adjacent blocks is smaller than a specified threshold value.
US09872022B2

Implementations of sample adaptive offset (SAO) processing a reconstructed picture in an image or video coding system are described. In one example implementation, a method may receive input data associated with the reconstructed picture. The method may also perform multiple stages of SAO filtering operations on a SAO processing unit of at least a portion of the reconstructed picture. Information related to a SAO parameter set that signals one or more SAO types, one or more SAO subtypes, one or more SAO offset values, or a combination thereof, used by the multiple stages of SAO filtering operations are encoded or decoded.
US09872018B2

A random access point is generated in a stream of coded digital pictures containing a plurality of predictive coded frames that have two or more predictive coded frames in which one or more subsections of each of the two or more predictive coded frames are intra coded. Information is added to a stream of digital pictures that identifies for a decoder which of two or more predictive-coded frames in the stream have intra-coded subsections at different portions that can be combined to form a patch frame.
US09872015B2

Video decoding and encoding with in-loop processing of reconstructed video are disclosed. At the decoder side, a flag is received from the video bitstream and according to the flag, information associated with in-loop filter parameters is received either from a data payload in the video bitstream to be shared by two or more coding blocks or individual coding block data in the video bitstream. At the encoder side, information associated with the in-loop filter parameters is incorporated either in a data payload in a video bitstream to be shared by two or more coding blocks or interleaved with individual coding block data in the video bitstream according to a flag. The data payload in the video bitstream is in a picture level, Adaptation Parameter Set (APS), or a slice header.
US09872000B2

A second screen system comprises a first screen that renders a first content comprising watermarks of a first type and watermarks of a second type. The watermarks of the first type are captured by a second screen that reacts to these watermarks. The second screen displays information to a user and receives user input. The second screen also watermarks a second content with watermarks of the second type and renders the second content. A third device captures watermarks of the second type in both the first content and the second content. Since the watermarks embedded by the second screen can depend on the user's actions, the third device can indirectly react to the user's actions.
US09871998B1

A suitable imaging device for capturing images of an object or an area of interest may be automatically selected based on information regarding the locations and/or other operational properties of a plurality of imaging devices, and a location of the object or the area of interest. One or more geometric models of the fields of view of the imaging devices may be generated, and whether the object or the area of interest falls within one or more of the fields of view may be determined using such models. Where multiple imaging devices may include the object or the area of interest, within a field of view, the imaging device having the most suitable image, e.g., the largest or highest resolution image of the object or the area of interest, may be selected.
US09871977B2

The embodied invention is a multi-step process that creates a memorabilia item of a vehicle that is at a local gathering or event. The invention includes a mobile photographic studio that is adapted for use in an environment such as a ‘parking lot’, or ‘grass field’, or indoor facility environment. The mobile photographic studio utilizes tents with special controlled lighting and photographic enhancing features that which control the lighting and reflectivity of unwanted images of the vehicle. The overall process includes transmitting a raw vehicle photograph to a post processing methods system that removes any minor issues. Finally, the photograph is incorporated in a memorabilia item that is sold to a customer.
US09871976B2

An imaging apparatus comprises a plurality of imaging elements, an exposure time and a sensitivity value, a memory that stores correction information used to correct the exposure time and the sensitivity value, a correction circuit that corrects, when the exposure time corresponds to the predetermined exposure time, the exposure time and the sensitivity value according to the correction information to generate a corrected exposure time and a corrected sensitivity value, a setting circuit that sets setting values to control each imaging element, a control circuit that controls, when the exposure time calculated by the calculation circuit does not correspond to the predetermined exposure time, simultaneous exposure of each imaging element by using the setting value, and an image generating circuit that generates separate images acquired by each of the imaging elements.
US09871965B2

A signal processing chain implements wide dynamic range (WDR) multi-frame processing including receiving raw image signals from a WDR sensor including a plurality of frames including a first frame including first exposure time pixel data and a second frame including second exposure time pixel data. Statistics for camera control are generated including first statistics for the first pixel data and second statistics for the second pixel data. The first and second pixel data are merged using WDR merge algorithm in a WDR merge block which utilizes the first and second statistics to generate a raw higher bit width single frame image. The single frame image is post-processed in post-processing block using at least a defect pixel correction algorithm, and at least a portion of tone mapping is performed on the single frame image after the post-processing to provide an output toned mapped image.
US09871957B2

An environment recognition unit (20a) includes a frame (201), cameras (202) arranged on a front side in the frame (201), a camera control circuit (207) disposed on a back side in the frame (201), a pair of LRFs (205) arranged laterally to the frame (201). The frame (201) includes a first duct (208) provided adjacent to the camera control circuit (207), and a second duct (210) provided adjacent to the cameras (202).
US09871943B1

In accordance with an embodiment, an image forming apparatus comprises a first image forming section configured to form an image with a visible image forming material; a second image forming section configured to form an image with an invisible image forming material; an image acquisition section configured to acquire a print image that should be printed on a medium as a printed matter; and a processor configured to acquire authentication information for authenticity determination added to the printed matter and carry out an image forming processing on not only the print image with the visible image forming material by the first image forming section but also the authentication information with the invisible image forming material by the second image forming section.
US09871942B2

An image forming apparatus that is remotely accessed from a terminal apparatus includes: a display; a display control unit configured to control display of the display and to transmit image data of an image to the terminal apparatus in order to display the image to be displayed on the display, onto the terminal apparatus; an attribute information acquisition unit configured to obtain first attribute information related to an attribute of the terminal apparatus; a web content acquisition unit configured to obtain web content by issuing a notification of second attribute information related to an attribute of the image forming apparatus to a server in a case where remote access is not being executed, and by issuing a notification of the first attribute information to the server in a case where remote access is being executed; and a browser unit configured to generate an image based on the obtained web content.
US09871940B2

An information processing system implements a receiving unit receiving a request including app identification information, first flow identification information, information related to electronic data used in a first sequence of processes from one apparatus among from at least one apparatus coupled to the information processing system, and a process executing unit causing each program of the at least one program identified by program identification information defined by first flow identification information included in the request in association with the app identification information included in the request received by the receiving unit to be executed according to an execution order defined in the first flow information, and, in response to the error occurring in the first sequence of processes, causes the each program to be executed in the execution order defined in the second flow information to execute the second sequence of processes.
US09871929B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a communication method and a user equipment. The method includes: establishing, by a first user equipment, Internet-based Web Real-Time Communication WebRTC multimedia communication with a second user equipment, where the Internet-based WebRTC multimedia communication includes Internet-based WebRTC audio communication and Internet-based WebRTC non-audio communication; and performing, by the first user equipment, a first audio communication change operation, where the performing, by the first user equipment, a first audio communication change operation includes: establishing, by the first user equipment, telecommunications domain-based audio communication with the second user equipment, and disconnecting, by the first user equipment in a case in which the Internet-based WebRTC non-audio communication with the second user equipment remains, the Internet-based WebRTC audio communication with the second user equipment. According to the embodiments of the present invention, quality of communication between user equipments can be improved.
US09871923B2

A computing system for managing a plurality of resources for one or more communication sessions in an enterprise is disclosed. The computing system includes a monitoring module for monitoring one or more parameters of at least one communication session. The system further includes a database for storing one or more monitored parameters. The system further includes a calculation module for calculating a multiplicity value for each of the plurality of resources based on the stored parameters. The system further includes an allocation module for allocating the at least one communication session to at least one resource of the plurality of resources based on the calculated multiplicity value.
US09871919B1

At least one inquiry message is received from a user device in the form or a text message, email or other communication message format. The message may be received and processed to identify the content of the inquiry message to determine whether the inquiry message should be transferred to a live agent queue or whether the inquiry message should be responded to with an automated response stored in a database. In the case of the automated message failing to address the user's inquiry or if the automated responses do not appear to be relevant based on the comparison of the message content to automated response content then transmitting the inquiry message to the live agent queue.
US09871918B1

A computer-implemented method for providing an objective evaluation to a customer service representative regarding his performance during an interaction with a customer may include receiving a digitized data stream corresponding to a spoken conversation between a customer and a representative; converting the data stream to a text stream; generating a representative transcript that includes the words from the text stream that are spoken by the representative; comparing the representative transcript with a plurality of positive words and a plurality of negative words; and generating a score that varies according to the occurrence of each word spoken by the representative that matches one of the positive words, and/or the occurrence of each word spoken by the representative that matches one of the negative words. Tone of voice, as well as response time, during the interaction may also be monitored and analyzed to adjust the score, or generate a separate score.
US09871914B2

Methods, systems, and products provide called party identification to a calling party. A communication is processed from a calling communications address to one of a plurality of communications addresses associated with a simultaneous ring. When an answer is detected at one of the plurality of communications addresses, an answering communications address is sent to the calling communications address.
US09871913B1

Systems and methods for determining the trustworthiness of calling party information, such as caller ID and ANI information, contained in a call request are provided. The method includes receiving a call request at a service provider network element, such as a telecommunication carrier switch. A decision is made as to whether the call request should be verified by reviewing a database of called telephone numbers for monitoring. When the call request is to be verified, a determination is made whether a discrepancy exists between the calling party information contained within the call request and authenticated stored calling party information. For example, the caller ID information in a call request is compared to service provider caller ID information for the calling party to determine if they match. When a discrepancy exists, a discrepancy report is transmitted to the called party.
US09871912B2

In a conference call having a plurality of participants interacting in a conference exchange of information in a digital transmission environment, the interaction being across a variable network transmission resource, a method of allocating the level of transmission resource, the methods including the steps of: (a) monitoring predetermined aspects of the participant's behavior during the conference call; (b) determining a divergence of participants behavior from normative values; (c) utilizing any divergence as an indicator of aberrant operation of the participants; and (d) allocating the resource determinative on the divergence of participants behavior from normative values.
US09871907B2

In one embodiment, a social networking system automatically establish a connection to a target user by selecting an avatar representing the target user, and establishing a connection by a communication channel based on current context and one or more rules configured by the target user.
US09871905B1

A method of providing customized delivery of applications to a user equipment (UE) is disclosed. The method comprises installing a plurality of stub application on the UE, presenting the stub applications on the user interface as if each stub application is a full application, and monitoring requests for full applications and time of subsequent installation of full applications initiated by user input. In response to passage of a predefined time period, the method further includes storing a list of recommended full applications, generating an application programming interface call sequence, initiating at least one application programming interface call from the call sequence, receiving the new stub application in response, and supplanting one of the plurality of stub application with the new stub application.
US09871892B2

A USB-to-coaxial network bridging system and method includes receiving data frames from a USB or FireWire device via a corresponding USB or FireWire communication interface, wherein the received data frames are intended for transmittal to a predetermined remote device on a coaxial network; combining the received data frames into an aggregated frame and addressing the aggregated frame to allow the aggregated frame to be routed to the predetermined remote device on the coaxial network; and sending the aggregated frame to the remote device over the coaxial network.
US09871889B1

Described are techniques for processing command requests. A plurality of requests are issued from a client to a server. The server has a current configuration. Each of the plurality of requests requests a portion of current configuration information describing the current configuration of the server. Response are sent from the server to the client. Each response includes a portion of the current configuration information describing the current configuration of the server. A first set of configuration files is determined in accordance with portions of the current configuration information included in the responses. The client services a second plurality of command requests using a simulator by processing the second set of command requests in accordance with a simulation mode and the first set of one or more configuration files.
US09871878B2

A system for improving network data communications performance between end-user devices and content origin servers. A plurality of accelerators are distributed across a network and communicate with end-user devices and content origin servers. Software development kits installed on end-user devices monitor control channel data traffic between the end-user devices and accelerators. Various data traffic efficiency approaches are implemented by the software development kits on the end-user devices and the plurality of accelerators resulting in improved data communications links between the end-user devices and the content origin servers.
US09871869B2

A device may determine a session life cycle associated with a communication session. The session life cycle may indicate a time period associated with expiration of the communication session. The device may compare the session life cycle and a threshold value, and may determine that the session life cycle satisfies the threshold value based on comparing the session life cycle and the threshold value. The device may initialize multiple ager rings based on determining that the session life cycle satisfies the threshold value. The multiple ager rings may be used to monitor the expiration of the communication session. The device may monitor the expiration of the communication session using the multiple ager rings.
US09871868B2

A system facilitates co-use of an interface by multiple client computer, such as co-browsing of a webpage. A first user computer using an interface transfers a state of the interface to a server, which uses the state to recreate the interface in a virtual client executed by the server. The interface is rendered on a virtual screen and images of the screen are transmitted to the first user computer and one or more second user computers performing co-use with the first user computer. For example, a browser rendering a webpage on a first computer transmits session data and cookies associated with the webpage to a virtual browser executing on a server system. The virtual browser retrieves the webpage and uses the session data and cookies to render the webpage on the virtual screen.
US09871867B2

Disclosed is a message processing unit provided in a PLC system including a master and a plurality of slaves. The message processing unit is provided to each of the slaves and includes a first filter configured to receive a message transmitted from the master and to determine whether the message is a broadcast message, a second filter configured to receive the message delivered from the first filter and to determine whether the message is a message-to-be-processed, and a processor configured to process the message he delivered from the first filter or the second filter.
US09871866B2

A medical device controller operating in conjunction with a medical device determines one or more current versions of executable code associated with one or more processors in a medical device. Medical devices may include infusion pumps, other patient treatment devices as well as vital signs monitors. The medical device controller determines one or more current versions of executable code and configuration information associated with the one or more processors in the medical device. The medical device controller further determines which of the processors in the medical device require updated executable code, and which of the processors in the medical device require updated configuration information. The medical device controller distributes to the medical device as required at least one of the updated executable code and the updated configuration information. The medical device deploys the distributed updates, and activates the updates at a clinically appropriate time.
US09871864B2

Techniques are provided for the creation of a peer zone definition for use in a Fibre Channel (FC) Fabric. The peer zone definition defines a peer zone in which two or more initiator host devices are each permitted to communicate with a target device, but the two or more initiator host devices are prevented from communicating with each other. In accordance with one example, a target device and of two or more initiator host devices connected to the FC Fabric are received. A peer zone definition is created, and the peer zone definition is transmitted to the switches composing the FC Fabric for enforcement.
US09871863B2

A method and apparatus for managing network attached storage that includes detecting frequency of access from a client to a data item that is in a first server in the network attached storage, a global namespace of the network attached storage indicating an access address for accessing the data item, the access address including a first address of the data item in the first server; in response to the frequency being higher than a predetermined threshold, copying the data item from the first server to a second server in the network attached storage which is proximate to the client, so as to form a data image; and updating the global namespace so as to add to the access address a second address of the data image in the second server whereby the data access efficiency of the network attached storage can be considerably improved.
US09871860B2

A method and system for providing remote access to a state of an application executing on a remote server. A client computer includes a client remote access program that is used to connect to a server remote access program. At the client computer, a client difference program having encoded data indicative of a change of a state of the application last received from the server computer is generated and transmitted to the server remote access program. At the server computer, the client difference program is executed to update the state of the application and a server difference program is generated having encoded a difference between the updated state of the application and the state of the application last sent to the client computer. The server difference program is transmitted to the client computer to update the state of the application since it was last received from the server computer.
US09871856B2

A system and method for performing a resource allocation diagnosis on a distributed computer system includes computing current resource allocation of the distributed computer system using a current snapshot of the distributed computer system. The current snapshot includes configurations and resource usage information of at least some components of the distributed computer system. The system and method also includes computing improved resource allocation of the distributed computer system using a modified version of the current snapshot of the distributed computer system and outputting the current resource allocation and the improved resource allocation for the resource allocation diagnosis.
US09871855B2

A technology for balancing computing resource load across cache servers in a distributed data store is disclosed. The technology can monitor computing resource load on each cache server to increase or decrease an assigned weight of the cache server. The technology can use two hash functions to reallocate, based on the change in the assigned weight, a portion of the key space from one cache server to another. The first hash function can be a consistent hash function that identifies a cache server mapped to an entity identifier. The second hash function can be employed to determine a hash weight of the cache server. The hash weight of the cache server can then be evaluated against the assigned weight to determine whether the entity identifier should remain mapped to the same cache server or should be reevaluated for allocation to a different cache server.
US09871852B2

Monitoring installations for buildings, building complexes, open spaces or other monitoring areas can comprise a plurality of system components. These system components can, for example, be designed as door openers, door closers, turnstiles, monitoring cameras, fire detectors, etc. It is standard for the system components to be interconnected via a network such that signals and data streams may be exchanged in the form of information. The invention relates to a monitoring system (1) which comprises: as a first network, a local monitoring network (2) for an object (3) to be monitored, said at least one local monitoring network (2) having at least one terminal; a security control device (13), the local monitoring network (2) being able to be connected to said security control device (13), such that data may be exchanged, by means of a client connection via a second network (4) such that first server messages SN_1 can be sent from the security control device (13) to a terminal address EG and terminal messages EN can be sent from the terminal (7) to the server address SA_C; and at least one user device (19, 25) which can be connected to the security control device (13) by a user connection via the second or a further network (4, 18) such that second server messages SN_2 can be sent from the security control device (13) to a user to one, or the, server address SA_C, SA_B. The security control device (13) comprises a device manager (14) which is designed to forward the terminal messages EN from the terminal (7) to the user address BA, as first server messages SN_1, and to forward the user messages BN from the user device (19, 25) to the terminal address EG, as second server messages SN_2, in order to achieve a user-terminal connection between said terminal (7) and user device (19, 25).
US09871850B1

An edge node of a content delivery network (CDN) service receives a representation of a browsing request from a client-side component of a split-browser service (SBS). The SBS includes a browsing engine implemented at a provider network. The edge node determines whether content retrieval analysis of the browsing request is to be performed at the edge node. In response to a determination that content retrieval analysis of the browsing request is not to be performed at the edge node, the edge node uses a routing knowledge base of the CDN service to identify a network route to the SBS browsing engine and transmits the representation of the browsing request via the identified network route to the SBS browsing engine for content retrieval and related processing.
US09871845B2

A data processing, and more specifically, to a method and system for portlet scheduling. The method for scheduling a plurality of portlets according to the present invention comprising: obtaining invocation time of the plurality of portlets; obtaining weights of the plurality of portlets; assembling the plurality of portlets into a plurality of threads according to the invocation time and the weights, wherein the assembled plurality of threads has similar thread invocation time. With the method and system for scheduling a plurality of portlets according to illustrative embodiments, the plurality of portlets are assembled into a plurality of threads having similar thread invocation time according to invocation time and importance of each portlet, and the above problems are better solved, thus loading time of the portlets can be significantly reduced, loading efficiency of the portlets can be improved, thereby better improving user experience.
US09871836B1

In an embodiment, a method for distributed discussion collaboration is provided. The computer-implemented method includes selecting a featured discussion item for each of one or more collaborators based on information associated with each respective collaborator. The method also includes providing selected featured discussion items for display to respective one or more collaborators. The method further includes receiving voting information for the featured discussion items displayed to the respective one or more collaborators. In another embodiment, a system for distributed discussion collaboration includes a selection module configured to select a featured discussion item for each of one or more collaborators based on information associated with each respective collaborator. The system also includes a view controller and a voting module.
US09871831B2

A method includes receiving internet protocol (IP) multimedia core network subsystem (IMS) session content that includes voice call content in IMS domain and multimedia content in IMS domain; translating the voice call content in IMS domain to voice call content in circuit switched (CS) domain; transmitting the voice call content in CS domain to a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) via a CS domain entity and a radio access network (RAN); and transmitting the multimedia content in IMS domain to the WTRU via a PS domain entity and the RAN.
US09871830B2

A determination is made at a server that a network connected device is to control monitoring performed by a first network connected sensor. A first connection is established between the network connected device and the first network connected sensor, the first connection providing control of the first network connected sensor by the network connected device. A context change for the network connected device is determined. A second connection between the network connected device and a second network connected sensor is established, the second connection providing control of the second network connected sensor by the network connected device.
US09871824B2

A system and method are disclosed for enforcing a normalized set of policy-based behaviors across two or more disparate client devices. The policy definition can be a common description of expected behavior, while a client-side policy engine interprets and implements platform specific details associated with the client. In one embodiment, a client device receives a generic policy definition from a network. The generic policy definition is applicable to disparate device types having different hardware and/or software platforms. A client policy engine can analyze the generic policy definition, compare it to client-side applications or functions and make intelligent decisions on how to apply the policy for the specific client.
US09871807B2

Described is a generic protocol decoder that analyzes network traffic or file data to look for a signature, and signals an intrusion prevention mechanism/system if the signature is matched. In one aspect, the generic decoder is built using generic application-level protocol analysis language (GAPAL) primitives. These primitives provide various capabilities, including pattern matching, skipping, reading data, copying variable data and comparing data. The generic decoder may be coupled to a pre-developed protocol parser that provides the decoder with the data to analyze.
US09871806B2

An apparatus and method of displaying a network security situation is provided. The apparatus includes an extraction unit configured to classify a characteristic factor including IP addresses of a transmission node and a reception node from a traffic flow, a network visualization unit configured to generate a domain circle visualizing each of a transmission domain and a reception domain as a circle shape by mapping the IP addresses of the transmission node and the reception node to points on circumference as one to one, arrange the generated domain circle on an axis, and visualize each of a transmission network area and a reception network area as a sphere shape, a session construction unit configured to a session of the visualized transmission network area and reception network visually, and a display unit configured to display the session which is visually constructed.
US09871802B2

A social networking system maintains a limited user profile associated with a user of the social networking system who does not satisfy one or more criteria for the social networking system to maintain a user profile. The limited user profile includes information describing the user and allows the user to be associated with limited types of interactions with the social networking system. An administrator is associated with the limited user profile and may modify information associated with the limited user profile as well as authorize or deny interactions involving the limited user profile. When the user satisfies criteria for the social networking system maintaining a user profile, the social networking system generates a user profile based on information in the limited user profile and prior interactions involving the limited user profile.
US09871801B2

A computing system record security architecture comprises, in one example, a record generation component configured to generate a record in a computing system, the record identifying a set of users associated with the record, and having an owner property that identifies a first user as an owner of the record, a co-owner assignment component configured to receive a co-owner assignment request, from the first user, to assign a second user to the record as a co-owner, and a record security component configured to receive a record modification request, from the second user, that requests a modification to the record, and to propagate the record modification request to the set of users with a unique identifier that identifies the first user.
US09871797B2

In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a memory, storing processor-executable instructions, blacklist terms, and credential dump records, and a processor. The processor receives repository data from targeted remote repositories and stores the repository data as a potential credential dump in the memory when the repository data includes a credential dump attribute. The processor stores the potential credential dump as a probable credential dump when the potential credential dump does not include a blacklist term, in which case the processor also detects a format and delimiter of the probable credential dump. Based on the format and delimiter, pairs of usernames and associated passwords are identified and hashed. If a percentage of the hashes not associated with the credential dump records exceeds a predetermined threshold, the probable credential dump is deemed authentic.
US09871796B1

A system for collaborating on a component a first multi-user CAx environment including a data module. The first multi-user CAx environment corresponds to a first profile. The data module is configured to access data relating to a component design in a database. The database relates to a group of function-based commands. A synchronization module is configured to cause the data module to access at least one work area relating to the component design according to one of at least three access levels when at least one predetermined criterion is met, and another one of the at least three access levels when the at least one predetermined criterion is not met. A method for designing a component is also disclosed.
US09871792B2

Conventional wireless interface (WiFi) controllers cannot resolve authentication for trusted client devices without calculation from a host processor. Leaving the host processor on or awaking it from a sleep state each time a non-authenticated trusted client device attempts to connect wastes power. A hostless authenticated wake service allows a host controller to enter a sleep state while the WiFi controller responds to multicast domain name service-service discovery (mDNS-SD) queries from trusted client devices. Once a client device is authenticated, the WiFi controller may respond to a trusted client request to awake the host processor for further command processing and service provision. Not only does this approach reduce power consumption by allowing the host processor to remain in the sleep state, it allows trusted client devices to discover its presence while ensuring security.
US09871790B2

The present invention relates to identification method of an entity executed by an identification system from indexed distance data (d1, . . . , dn) corresponding to reference entities and comprising: a determination phase of a set (I) of indices of minima (index1, . . . , indexk) from said indexed distance binary data of length q′ comprising an execution step comprising, for each set of jth bits of indexed distance data contained in a list of data to be processed, j being an integer varying from q′−1 to 0, starting by the set of most significant bits of the data to be processed and finishing by the set of least significant bits of the data to be processed, the search of indices of minima comprising, if a number of indices of a first group of indices of indexed distance data (p) is greater than a remaining number of indexed data to be set aside (r), addition of said indices of a second group to the set of indices of minima; an identification phase of the entity to be identified from the reference entities corresponding to the stored reference biometric data determined associated with the indices of minimal distance data (index1, . . . , indexk), the operations on binary integers for conducting at least said execution step, being translated in the form of at least one Boolean circuit used to execute at least said execution step securely between the control server and the management server by means of a secure multi party computation protocol enabling secure evaluation of said Boolean circuit.
US09871782B2

Embodiments of the invention provide methods, devices and computer programs arranged to control provisioning of device-to-device (D2D) communication services in a communication network. One embodiment includes an apparatus including a processing system arranged to cause the apparatus to: assign a credential of a first type to a first D2D device; store an association between a validity condition and the credential of the first type, wherein the validity condition is dependent on a characteristic of a D2D communication service; transmit data indicative of the credential of the first type for reception by the first D2D device, said credential being for use in verification of said D2D communication service to be provided by the first D2D device to a second, different, D2D device; and maintain an operative state for the D2D communication in dependence on said association.
US09871780B2

A method and system for automatically terminating a logout session for a restricted access system by determining that an authorized user has left the vicinity of the restricted access system. The authorized user preferably carries a wireless transmitter which transmits an authorization signal. When the authorized user leaves the vicinity of the restricted access system after logging in, the signal is no longer received by a wireless receiver or too weak of a signal, such that an access control system in communication with the wireless receiver automatically causes the restricted access system to initiate a logout action in order to prevent or reduce the chance of an unauthorized user gaining access to the restricted access system.
US09871779B2

Generally, this disclosure describes a continuous authentication confidence module. A system may include user device including processor circuitry configured to determine presence data; a confidence factor including at least one of a sensor configured to capture sensor input and a system monitoring module configured to monitor activity of the user device; memory configured to store a confidence score and an operating system; and a continuous authentication confidence module configured to determine the confidence score in response to an initial authentication of a specific user, update the confidence score based, at least in part, an expectation of user presence and/or selected presence data, and notify the operating system that the authentication is no longer valid if the updated confidence score is within a tolerance of a session close threshold; the initial authentication configured to open a session, the confidence score configured to indicate a current strength of authentication during the session.
US09871772B1

A system and method operate on a first electronic device and a second electronic device. The first device has a control system and a cryptographic communications module. The second device has a key generator, a user interface, and a cryptographic communications module. The second device generates a single-mission cryptographic key that is securely programmed into the first device, and the first device is deployed to a remote location. The user interface receives a command for controlling the first device. The second device encrypts the command according to the cryptographic key, and transmits the encrypted command to the first device. The first device authenticates the command, decrypts it, and passes the decrypted command to the control system. The first device may be actively guided ordnance, and the second device may be a control element for controlling the actively guided ordnance. The key may be automatically obfuscated upon mission completion or termination.
US09871767B2

The present invention is directed to systems and methods for establishing an electronic communications connection between secure communities. A secure community includes a collection of communication resources having an administrator that maintains control over the secure community. In an embodiment, a system for establishing an electronic communications connection between two or more secure communities includes a community gateway controller, an identification module, a secure community database configured to store secure community information, and an encryption compatibility module configured to determine a media transmission encryption scheme for a connection between a host secure community and a second secure community. Upon receipt of a request to establish the connection between secure communities, the community gateway controller determines whether to grant the request based on information stored in the secure community database and assigns a media transmission encryption scheme for the connection based on the determination made by the encryption compatibility module.
US09871755B2

The disclosure is related to encoding a message or portions of the message to be exchanged between a pair of users. Messages can be exchanged between a pair of users in multiple ways, e.g., electronic mail, short messaging service (SMS), messenger applications. The computing resource, e.g., network bandwidth consumed in transmission of the messages, can be minimized by encoding/compressing at least portions of a message prior to transmission. A server analyzes messages exchanged between a pair of users to identify message portions, e.g., a word or a phrase, that are commonly exchanged and generates a set of codes for those message portions. The pair of users can use the set of codes for encoding and/or decoding the messages exchanged between them. The codes are generated using a specified coding technique, e.g., Huffman coding.
US09871753B2

A method, device and system for distinct forwarding of a plurality of messages selected as a group is provided. The device comprises: a processor, a memory, a communication interface, an input device and a display device, the processor configured to: render, at the display device, a message list comprising messages associated with the device; receive, using the input device, a selection of a plurality of the messages in the message list, and thereafter a single indication to forward all of the plurality of the messages in the selection to a given network address; and, transmit, using the communication interface, to the given network address, a plurality of distinct forwarding messages, each respectively comprising at least a portion of one of the plurality of the messages in the selection, the plurality of distinct forwarding messages in a one-to-one relationship with the plurality of the messages in the selection.
US09871747B2

A communications network includes a plurality of network components that are interconnected for exchanging data messages (data telegrams). The network has a first and a second partial network and each network component is connected to the two partial networks. In order to design such a communications network with few devices and so as to be as reliable as possible, the communications network has at least some network components that are interconnected along a chain. Each chain of network components has a first network component directly connected to the first partial network, and a second network component directly connected to the second partial network. A corresponding network component for operation in a communications network is also described, and a method for the interference-immune transmission of data messages in a communications network.
US09871745B2

Embodiments of the invention provide a method, a system and a computer program product configured to automatically auto-scale a user compute instance to multiple cloud providers while considering a multiplicity of user requirements. The method, executed on a digital data processor, includes obtaining information, via a user interface, that is descriptive of user cloud computing related preferences, including a user cloud computing budgetary preference. The method further includes sensing properties of a plurality of clouds and making decisions, based at least on the obtained information and on the sensed properties, of when to scale up or scale down the user cloud instance, of selecting one of the plurality of clouds as where to scale the user cloud instance, and determining which resource or resources of the selected cloud to add or remove from the selected cloud. The method further includes automatically executing the decisions on the selected cloud.
US09871731B2

A load balancer capable of adjusting how network data is distributed to a tenant or group of tenants by manipulating the data plane. The load balancer is placed directly in the flow path of network data that is destined for a tenant or group of tenants having a tenant address. The load balancer includes a control plane and one or more data planes. Each data plane may contain one or more network traffic multiplexors. Further, each data plane may be dedicated to a tenant or group of tenants. Data planes may be added or deleted from the load balancer; additionally, multiplexors may be added or deleted from a data plane. Accordingly, network data directed towards one tenant is less likely to affect the performance of load balancing performed for another tenant.
US09871722B2

The present invention provides a content delivery network routing method, system, and user terminal. The method includes: receiving, by a CDN routing device, a first service request sent by a user terminal, where the first service request carries a first uniform resource locator URL and a domain name; returning, by the CDN routing device, a redirection response message to the user terminal, where the redirection response message carries a second URL, and the domain name; and receiving, by the cache node, a second service request sent by the user terminal, and returning a header field indication to the user terminal. Therefore, when the user terminal accesses content accelerated by a CDN, the user terminal can obtain cookie information corresponding to a domain name, which is advantageous to network-side authentication and user login information management.
US09871721B2

According to an example, in a method for multicasting a data message by an apparatus in a multi-site network (MSN), a multicast data message that is to be communicated to another apparatus over the MSN network may be received, in which the apparatus includes a MSN-link port through which data messages are to be communicated to the another apparatus. In addition, a determination may be made that the received multicast data message is to be communicated to the another apparatus through the MSN-link port. The received multicast data message may be replicated and the replicated multicast data message may be encapsulated into a MSN message. Moreover; the MSN message encapsulating the replicated multicast data message may be tunneled to the another apparatus over the MSN-link port.
US09871714B2

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a query, determining a user bias of a first user of an online social network from a first node corresponding to the first user and a plurality of user nodes corresponding to a plurality of second users sharing one or more user attributes with the first user, identifying nodes of a plurality of second nodes based at least in part on the user bias of the first user, where the identified nodes correspond to the structured query, and generating search results corresponding to the identified nodes. The bias may be determined by identifying a candidate user node of the second nodes, comparing a first user attribute of the first node to a second user attribute of the candidate user node, and including the candidate user node in the user nodes when the first user attribute matches the second user attribute.
US09871713B2

Methods and apparatus are provided for performing a trace session between a first user equipment (UE), and a second UE in a telecommunications network including an IMS network. A trace session initiator activates the trace session with an activation request message, or a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) INVITE message, including trace settings comprising informational elements describing the trace session. The activation message may be converted into the SIP I NVITE message and sent towards the first and/or the second UE. The SIP INVITE message may include trace settings as extensible mark-up language (XML) informational elements within the body of the SIP INVITE request message and/or as request Uniform Resource Identifier informational elements within the SIP INVITE request message. Network elements in the communications path between the UEs are configured to detect the trace session by detecting the trace settings in the SIP INVITE request message and act accordingly.
US09871706B2

A method, system and computer program product for managing pattern contents across multiple racks. The workload usage characteristics of the pattern contents on a primary rack in a domain of racks are collected based on monitoring the workload usage of the pattern contents in the pattern definition and in the deployed pattern. Furthermore, information regarding use of the pattern definition, the deployed pattern and the pattern contents by users (“human interaction usage patterns”) is collected based on monitoring the human interaction usage patterns. The pattern contents are then ranked based on analyzing the collected workload usage characteristics and analyzing the collected information regarding human interaction usage patterns. Once the pattern contents are ranked, those contents that are highly ranked are deemed to be more likely to be utilized in the pattern and therefore are the contents that are copied from the primary rack to the other racks of the domain.
US09871684B2

In one or more exemplary embodiments, a method comprises applying one or more first hermetic filters to an interval of data to produce one or more first filtered subintervals of data, wherein the one or more first hermetic filters are constructed from a hermetic function for the interval; and applying one or more second hermetic filters to the one or more first filtered subintervals of data to produce one or more second filtered subintervals of data, wherein the one or more second hermetic filters are constructed from a hermetic function for the one or more first filtered subintervals.
US09871680B2

The present invention provides a preamble sequence sending and receiving method and apparatus, and a system. The preamble sequence sending method includes: generating, by a transmit end, a frequency offset estimation sequence, where the frequency offset estimation sequence includes N subsequences each with a length of M, N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2, and M is a positive integer; generating, by the transmit end, a prefix and a suffix based on the frequency offset estimation sequence; adding, by the transmit end, the prefix and the suffix before and after the frequency offset estimation sequence respectively to form a preamble sequence, where the prefix and the suffix are used for canceling multipath interference; and adding, by the transmit end, the preamble sequence to a data packet and sending the data packet to a receive end.
US09871679B2

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a transmission device that includes at least one transceiver configured to modulate data to generate a plurality of first electromagnetic waves in accordance with channel control parameters. A plurality of couplers are configured to couple at least a portion of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves to a transmission medium, wherein the plurality of couplers generate a plurality of second electromagnetic waves that propagate along the outer surface of the transmission medium. A training controller is configured to generate the channel control parameters based on channel state information received from at least one remote transmission device. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09871678B2

Method and system for setting up a bearer are disclosed. The bearer setup method includes these steps: a packet data network gateway (PGW) obtains first quality of service (QoS) information and a first bearer identifier (ID), and sets up a bearer between the PGW and a radio access network (RAN) according to the first QoS information, where the bearer is associated with the first bearer ID; the RAN sets up a radio bearer (RB) with a user equipment (UE) according to second QoS information associated with the first QoS information, where the RB is associated with a second bearer ID associated with the first bearer ID.
US09871669B2

An embodiment is a powerline communications (PLC) apparatus including a communications interface that implements a first communication protocol including of a transceiver that communicates over an electrical power distribution wiring of a vehicle. The first communication protocol includes a powerline communications automotive network (PLCAN) delimiter type (DT) (PLCAN-DT), and a PLCAN variant length field in a frame control comprising payload length, a number of symbols used, a PHY block size, and a number of repetitions used, wherein broadcast addressing is used in the network to transmit messages.
US09871668B2

A method and apparatus for transmitting feedback information in a device-to-device (D2D) communication system is provided. A cluster head is determined among a plurality of user equipment (UE) belong to a cluster, the cluster head transmits a notification to other UEs belong to the cluster, determines whether or not multicast data is successfully received by the other UEs, and transmits feedback information to the network.
US09871664B2

A security apparatus includes an encryptor configured to visually encrypt a target object, and a decryptor configured to decrypt an area corresponding to a decryption gesture in the encrypted target object, during a predetermined period of time.
US09871662B2

A certificate orchestration system for digital certificate and encryption key management is provided herein along with associated methods. The system includes a certificate orchestration server having a processing device in communication with a coupled storage system that is coupled to the certificate orchestration server. The system further includes an interface provided by the certificate orchestration server to a client device; and a database to store digital certificates and keys. The certificate orchestration server is configured to receive a request from the client device to generate a digital certificate and an associated public key, receive the digital certificate and associated public key from a third-party certificate authority system over an external network, store the digital certificate and public key in the coupled storage system. The coupled storage system is not directly connected to the client device.
US09871660B2

Methods for certifying a security document comprising the steps of: a) selecting a set of unique characteristics, obtained as the result of the variations in the manufacturing process and supplies, b) getting a digital image of a security document and obtaining data of the relative position between features selected from different manufacturing processes (register), c) constructing a message by measuring the register of selected features from the document and the document ID data, d) constructing a hashed message, the hashed message being the message obtained after being encoded by means of a unidirectional cryptographic hash function, e) encrypting the hashed message using a public key cryptographic system to obtain a digital certificate by means of a private key, and f) storing the digital certificate in an external database.
US09871648B2

A method distributes clock synchronization information within an optical communications network that includes a plurality of network elements. The method receives an ingress clock synchronization message at a first network element. The ingress clock synchronization message includes a clock synchronization message identifier and a correction field. The clock synchronization message identifier is inserted into an optical channel frame overhead and the ingress clock synchronization message is inserted into an optical channel frame payload. The optical channel frame overhead and the optical channel frame payload are transmitted across the first network element, across the network to a second network element, and across the second network element. A transit time of the clock synchronization message identifier is determined across each of the network elements. At the second network element, the correction field of the ingress clock synchronization message is updated with the transit times to form an egress clock synchronization message.
US09871640B2

The present invention relates to a wireless access system supporting multi-carrier aggregation (CA) and discloses various methods and devices for aperiodic feedback of channel state information (CSI). The method for aperiodic feedback of the channel state information (CSI) in the wireless access system supporting the multi-carrier aggregation (CA), according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of: receiving a first message including an aperiodic CSI request field and uplink grant from a base station; receiving a second message including bitmap information indicating a downlink component carrier (DL CC) subjected to CSI measurement from the base station; measuring the CSI in consideration of at least one of the aperiodic CSI request, uplink grant, and bitmap information; and transmitting the measured CSI to the base station through a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) to thereby receive aperiodic feedback of the same.
US09871639B2

A method and an apparatus for transmitting/receiving feedback in a mobile communication system are provided. A method of configuring and receiving feedback information of an evolved Node B (eNB) includes transmitting configuration information on a plurality of reference signals including a first reference signal and a second reference signal to a User Equipment (UE); transmitting feedback configuration information including first feedback configuration information on the first reference signal and second feedback configuration information configured such that feedback information on the second reference signal is generated with reference to the first feedback configuration information to the UE; transmitting the reference signal to the UE according to the configuration information on the reference signal; and receiving feedback information including first feedback information according to the first feedback configuration information and second feedback information according to the second feedback configuration information from the UE.
US09871623B2

A Viterbi decoding apparatus includes a main decoder, a re-encoder, an adjusting module, a secondary decoder and a secondary result generating module. The main decoder performs a Viterbi decoding process on input data to generate a set of main decoded results. The re-encoder performs a convolutional encoding process on the set of main decoded results to generate a set of re-encoded results. The adjusting module adjusts the input data according to the set of re-encoded results to generate adjusted input data corresponding to a predetermined path in a Viterbi trellis diagram. The secondary decoder generates a plurality of symbols according to the adjusted input data. The secondary result generating module generates a set of secondary decoded results according to the plurality of symbols and the set of main decoded results.
US09871613B2

We disclose an optical add-drop multiplexer that can apply different routing operations to different subcarriers of a data frame. In an example embodiment, the digital signal processor (DSP) of the optical add-drop multiplexer carries out subcarrier-specific add, drop, and pass-through operations in the electrical frequency domain, which enables the DSP to only partially unwrap the pass-through subcarriers, thereby at least partially avoiding some of the more processing-power-hungry DSP operations and reducing the sub-wavelength routing latency accordingly. Also disclosed is an example data-frame structure that can be used to provide subcarrier-specific routing instructions to the optical add-drop multiplexer.
US09871611B2

The present invention relates to the introduction of an outstation into an optical network. The optical network has a central station, and a plurality of previously introduced outstations which are optically connected to the central station. The network is operable in: a normal operating state in which data traffic is received from previously introduced outstations at a normal data rate; and, a set-up state in which the transmission of data traffic from the previously introduced outstations is restricted relative to the normal state, the method including the step of: when the network is in the set-up state, performing a set-up operation for introducing the outstation into the optical network, the set-up operation involving the transmission of set-up data from the outstation being introduced, wherein the set-up data is transmitted at a reduced rate relative to the normal operating rate.
US09871606B1

A real time messaging platform identifies an audio snippet of a time-based media (TBM) event. The messaging platform maintains a real time repository of concurrently broadcasting TBM events as well as a historical repository of previously broadcast TBM events. These repositories contain acoustic fingerprints of their respective TBM events. The messaging platform matches an acoustic fingerprint of the audio snippet with one of the stored acoustic fingerprints to identify the TBM event in the recorded snippet. To identify the TBM event, the messaging platform matches multiple overlapping reference audio segments of the reference audio stream with multiple test audio segments of the audio snippet. This allows the platform to account for time delays between the test and reference audio segments that would otherwise hinder the matching process.
US09871599B2

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to determining the location and/or density of vias that form part of an RF isolation structure of a packaged module and the resulting RF isolation structures. From electromagnetic interference (EMI) data, locations of where via density can be increased and/or decreased without significantly degrading the EMI performance of the RF isolation structure can be identified. In certain embodiments, one or more vias can be added and/or removed from a selected area of the packaged module based on the EMI data.
US09871595B2

A decoding device for an absolute positioning code is provided. The decoding device includes a linear feedback shift register (LFSR), a lookup table (LUT) circuit, a counter circuit, and a computation circuit. The LFSR includes n registers, for loading the absolute positioning code with a first frequency. The LFSR performs shifting operation according to a clock signal having a second frequency greater than or equal to the first frequency. The LUT circuit outputs a lookup result and a valid flag according to values stored in the n registers. The lookup result has k different data, k≦(2n−1). The counter circuit resets according to the valid flag, and performs counting operation according to the clock signal to generate a counting result. The computation circuit performs calculation according to the lookup result and the counting result to generate a decoding result when the valid flag indicates valid.
US09871589B2

Techniques are disclosed for providing proper raster line alignment of a camera or other light-sensing device of a receiver device relative to a transmitting light-based communication (LCom)-enabled luminaire to establish reliable LCom there between. In accordance with some embodiments, proper alignment can be provided automatically (e.g., by the receiver device and/or other suitable controller). In accordance with some embodiments, proper alignment can be provided by the user. In some instances in which a user is to be involved in the alignment process, the receiver device may be configured, for example, to instruct or otherwise guide the user in the process of properly aligning the receiver device relative to a given transmitting LCom-enabled luminaire.
US09871587B2

An information processing program causes a computer to execute: encoding information to be transmitted, to determine a luminance change frequency; and outputting a signal of the determined luminance change frequency to cause a light emitter to change in luminance according to the determined luminance change frequency to transmit the information. In the encoding, each of a first frequency and a second frequency different from the first frequency is determined as the luminance change frequency. In the outputting, each of a signal of the first frequency and a signal of the second frequency is output as the signal of the determined luminance change frequency, to cause the light emitter to change in luminance according to the first frequency during a first time and change in luminance according to the second frequency during a second time different from the first time after the first time elapses.
US09871583B1

A receiver applies a calibration method to compensate for skew between input channels. The receiver skew is estimated by observing the coefficients of an adaptive equalizer which adjusts the coefficients based on time-varying properties of the multi-channel input signal. The receiver skew is compensated by programming the phase of the sampling clocks for the different channels. Furthermore, during real-time operation of the receiver, channel diagnostics is performed to automatically estimate differential group delay and/or other channel characteristics based on the equalizer coefficients using a frequency averaging or polarization averaging approach. Framer information can furthermore be utilized to estimate differential group delay that is an integer multiple of the symbol rate. Additionally, a DSP reset may be performed when substantial signal degradation is detected based on the channel diagnostics information.
US09871575B2

Embodiments include a system, method, and computer program product for a mobile ad-hoc radio based linked extensible (MARBLE) unit that is a portable, self-contained mesh-capable radio transceiver unit capable of being deployed with other MARBLE units to form a local area ad hoc mesh network. Several MARBLE units may be distributed in the field by an operator (e.g., first responder) in the form of a ball, puck or other shaped enclosure that may be held by a human hand and thrown, tossed or placed in the field to deploy a local area ad hoc mesh network. The MARBLE units may exchange information among themselves to determine and select one MARBLE unit as a relay gateway to access an IP network for all of the MARBLE units coupled to the local area ad hoc mesh network.
US09871574B2

An antenna is provided and characterized by searching a look-up table for emission angle information according to an incident angle of a radio frequency input signal and driving an antenna array to emit a radio frequency output signal in a direction corresponding to an incident direction of the radio frequency input signal according to the emission angle information.
US09871568B2

Techniques are described herein for fast and efficient discovery of small cells by user equipment (“UE”) in a wireless telecommunications network. The small cells may operate at a high frequency band (“HFB”), which may correspond to higher frequencies than other cells (e.g., base stations, such as evolved Node Bs (“eNBs”)) of the network. The UE may receive assistance information, which may include polling channel configurations, beamforming weights, carrier frequencies, cell identifiers of small cells, and/or other information. The UE may use the assistance information when outputting (either omnidirectionally, pseudo-omnidirectionally, or directionally) a polling sequence, in order to detect the small cells.
US09871565B2

A Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) communication method and system for performing communication between N (N is an integer greater than or equal to 2) transmitting devices each having a transmit antenna and at least one receiving device having N receive antennas by using a multi-user MIMO scheme. The method includes dividing the N transmitting devices into a plurality of sets, and assigning an orthogonal code to each set of transmitting devices as a digital signal sequence to be transmitted by each of the transmitting devices, and arranging the digital signal sequences to be transmitted by the transmitting devices in a frequency axis direction in which an inverse fast Fourier transform is performed, and performing coding.
US09871563B2

In a general aspect, an electronic device can include a device configured to transmit data by intracorporeal current. The device configured to transmit data by intracorporeal current can include a first electrode configured to be capacitively coupled with a body of a user or capacitively coupled in an intracorporeal current conduction path of the electronic device. The electronic device can further include a circuit configured to electrically bias the first electrode. The circuit can include an electric coil arranged near the first electrode. The electric coil can be configured to, in response to an alternating-current (AC) signal, generate an alternating magnetic field having field lines incident on the first electrode. The field lines incident on the first electrode can induce a current in the first electrode, where the current induces an electric field that generates an intracorporeal current.
US09871560B2

An electronic device, for example for near field communication (NFC), includes a device host including an operating system (OS), a trusted execution environment (TEE), and a near field communication (NFC) controller configured to enable communication of the electronic device with other devices. The NFC controller is coupled to the device host by a data channel for data exchange and a control channel for control information exchange, and the control channel is provided between the TEE and the NFC controller.
US09871550B2

A protective enclosure for an electronic device includes a cushion layer and a structural layer. The cushion layer covers the back surface and side surfaces of the installed electronic device. The structural layer is disposed over the cushion layer and includes a back portion, a right side portion, and a left side portion. The structural layer includes a thinned region on the back portion. The thinned region has a thickness that is less than the thickness of the remainder of the back portion of the structural layer. The thinned region of the structural layer allows a section of the protective enclosure to bend away from the back surface of the electronic device for installation and removal of the electronic device from the protective enclosure.
US09871549B2

An electronic device, a protection device, and a method for protecting the electronic device with the protection device is provided. The electronic device includes a sensor module configured to detect a motion state of the electronic device when a cover is connected to the electronic device, and a processor configured to control an actuator of the cover based on the detected motion state of the electronic device.
US09871542B2

A noise canceller device for removing interference signals from other systems and improving communication quality of a desired signal is provided. The noise canceller device comprises a first calculation unit performing cross-correlation processing on interference signals received by sub-antennas, a first peak detection unit detecting peaks of the interference signals, a first information acquisition unit acquiring first interference signal information, a composition unit composing the interference signals, a second calculation unit performing correlation processing between a signal received by a main antenna and the composed interference signal, a second peak detection unit detecting a peak of the composed interference signal, a second information acquisition unit acquiring second interference signal information, an interference signal replica generation unit generating an interference signal replica, and a removal unit subtracting the interference signal replica from the received signal by the main-antenna.
US09871540B2

Techniques for calculating a real power delivered to a transmit load of a transceiver. In an aspect, two distinct voltages are sampled from a matching network coupling the transmit load to an amplifier output. The voltages are coupled by configurable coupling elements to the down-conversion mixers of the transceiver, and are subsequently converted to digital form for processing by a baseband processor. The baseband processor may calculate a coefficient relating the calculated real power to an actual power delivered to the load. The coefficient may be stored and subsequently applied to a transmit element during normal signal transmission by the transceiver. Note the coupling elements may be configured to decouple the sampled voltages from the down-conversion mixers during normal signal reception by the transceiver, thus avoiding unnecessary loading on the receive signal path.
US09871537B2

This disclosure describes techniques for binary arithmetic coding in video coding, and video encoders and decoders for performing such techniques. In some examples, the techniques may support binary arithmetic coding that supports slower adaptation rates and accounts more extreme probabilities (i.e., probabilities closer to 0 and 1) while maintaining relatively small tables.
US09871535B2

A processing device includes an accelerator circuit to identify a byte in a byte stream, determine whether a first byte string starting from a first byte position of the byte matches a second byte string starting from a second byte position, responsive to determining that the first byte string matches the second byte string, generate a token comprising a first symbol encoding a length of the first byte string and a second symbol encoding a byte distance between the first byte position and the second byte position, and responsive to determining that the first byte string does not match another byte string, generate the token comprising the first symbol comprising the byte and a second symbol encoding a determined value.
US09871529B1

Systems and circuits for feedback control of an asynchronous successive approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) are described. An example system includes the asynchronous SAR ADC. A timing detector circuit is coupled to the asynchronous SAR ADC to receive one or more internal signals from the asynchronous SAR ADC. The timing detector circuit outputs a timing detector signal representing an internal timing of the SAR ADC. The timing detector signal is generated based on the one or more internal signals. A regulator circuit is coupled to the timing detector circuit to receive the timing detector signal. The regulator circuit is also coupled to the asynchronous SAR ADC to output a feedback signal to the asynchronous SAR ADC. The feedback signal is generated based on the timing detector signal to control the internal timing of the SAR ADC to match a target timing.
US09871524B2

An integrated circuit embedded in a plug of a universal serial bus (USB) 3.1 type-C cable assembly is disclosed. The integrated circuit includes a first pin connected to an operation transmission line through which an operation voltage is transmitted, a second pin connected to a configuration channel (CC) line, a first resistor connected to the first pin, a ground line, and a switching circuit configured to connect the first resistor and the ground line using a channel voltage supplied to the second pin when the operation voltage is not applied, and disconnect the first resistor from the ground line based on the operation voltage.
US09871516B2

In one embodiment, an apparatus for transmitting a signal with an improved termination is disclosed. The apparatus includes a driver to generate a differential mode signal superimposed on a common mode signal at a differential driver output of the driver. The differential driver output includes a first driver output and a second driver output. The apparatus also includes a termination circuit coupled between the first driver output and the second driver output. The termination circuit includes a capacitor connected to a node. The termination circuit also includes a first resistor and a first inductive element coupled in series between the first driver output and the node. In addition, the termination circuit includes a second resistor and a second inductive element coupled in series between the second driver output and the node.
US09871514B1

An apparatus includes a FET device having a drain terminal, source terminal and a gate terminal; a first supply voltage coupled to the drain terminal of the FET; an output terminal coupled to the source terminal of the FET; a bias current supply coupled to the gate terminal of the FET; a second supply voltage coupled to the gate terminal of the FET; a current sensing circuit coupled to output a sense current proportional to the current flowing through the FET; a current limit comparator coupled to the sense current and comparing the sense current to a predetermined limit current; a pull down current circuit coupled to remove current from the gate terminal of the FET; a current time derivative circuit coupled to the sense current and outputting a sense rate current; and a circuit coupled to receive the sense rate current and coupled to the bias current supply.
US09871510B1

A cascode switch circuit includes a normally-on device cascode coupled to a normally-of device between first and second terminals of the cascode switch circuit. A leakage clamp circuit is coupled between first and second terminals of the normally-off device. The leakage clamp circuit is coupled to clamp a voltage at an intermediate terminal between the normally-on device and the normally-off device at a threshold voltage level. The leakage clamp circuit is further coupled to clamp a voltage between the second terminal of the normally-on device and the control terminal of the normally-on device at the threshold voltage level to keep the normally-on device off when the normally-on device and the normally-off device are off.
US09871505B2

A voltage-resistant switch is described. The switch comprises a signal input, a first FET transistor with a first channel with an extended drain and a first gate connector and a second FET transistor with a first channel with an extended drain and a second gate connector. A control signal connector is connected with the first gate connector and with the second gate connector via a second node and with the first channel and the second channel via a second resistor, and a signal connector is connected with the second channel. The voltage-resistant switch can be switched on and off.
US09871504B2

Differential clock phase imbalance can produce undesirable spurious content at a digital to analog converter output, or interleaving spurs on an analog-to-digital converter output spectrum, or more generally, in interleaving circuit architectures that depend on rising and falling edges of a differential input clock for triggering digital-to-analog conversion or analog-to-digital conversion. A differential phase adjustment approach measures for the phase imbalance and corrects the differential clock input signals used for generating clock signals which drive the digital-to-analog converter or the analog-to-digital converter. The approach can reduce or eliminate this phase imbalance, thereby reducing detrimental effects due to phase imbalance or differential clock skew.
US09871500B2

A multilayer electronic component includes a stack and a balun. The stack includes a plurality of stacked dielectric layers and conductor layers. The balun is formed using the stack. The balun includes an unbalanced transmission line and first to fourth balanced transmission lines. The unbalanced transmission line includes a first line portion and a second line portion connected in series. The first and second balanced transmission lines are configured to be electromagnetically coupled to the first line portion. The third and fourth balanced transmission lines are configured to be electromagnetically coupled to the second line portion.
US09871482B2

A power conversion device includes a high-pass filter for extracting an AC component of voltage Vdc of a DC link section, a multiplier for multiplying output VdcAC of the high-pass filter by a first gain K1 and outputting the result, a multiplier for multiplying output of the multiplier by a second gain K2 and outputting the result as a d-axis voltage correction signal vdcmp*, and a multiplier for multiplying output of the multiplier by a third gain K3 and outputting the result as a q-axis voltage correction signal vqcmp*. The gate signal generation section generates gate signals on the basis of a signal vd1 obtained by adding the d-axis voltage correction signal vdcmp* to a d-axis voltage command value vd* and a signal vq1 obtained by adding the q-axis voltage correction signal vqcmp* to a q-axis voltage command value vq*.
US09871469B2

A piezoelectric vibrator element includes a pair of vibrating arms extending from a base, and having a groove on each of opposing principal surfaces in the longitudinal direction of the vibrating arms. Two systems of excitation electrodes are included on the side surfaces and the opposing principal surfaces, and in the grooves of the vibrating arms. A width of a bank part formed by a side surface of the vibrating arms and a side surface of the groves is W0, and the separation distance between the excitation electrodes on the opposing principal surfaces is W1, such that 1 μmW1.
US09871467B2

Unique systems, methods, techniques and apparatuses of zero-voltage transition pulse width modulation resonant converters are disclosed. One exemplary embodiment is a zero-voltage transition PWM resonant converter comprising a DC bus, a first switching device, a second switching device, a resonant tank circuit, an auxiliary circuit having a flying capacitor and a plurality of auxiliary switching devices, and a controller. The controller is structured to control the first switching device, the second switching device, and the plurality of auxiliary switching devices to provide resonant operation of the tank circuit effective to provide a substantially zero voltage condition across the first switching device when turning the first switching device on or off and to provide a substantially zero voltage condition across the second switching device when turning the second switching device on or off.
US09871464B2

A control unit includes a power supply board on which a control power-supply circuit that generates a control voltage is mounted, a control board on which a control circuit that is operated based on the control voltage is mounted, and a connection medium that connects the power supply board and the control board to each other and is used to supply the control voltage from the control power-supply circuit to the control circuit. A signal ground of the control power-supply circuit and a signal ground of the control circuit are connected to each other via a frame ground without via the connection medium.
US09871450B2

An isolated step-up converter having first and second stages is described herein. The second stage can provide either DC or AC output based on the various topologies described. Resonance inductors and capacitors are used and tuned to a commutation frequency in some embodiments. Capacitors and inductors are also used in the first stage.
US09871445B2

A switched power converter includes a power stage. The power stage includes a sensor for sensing an output current to obtain a sensed output current, a sensor for sensing an output voltage to obtain a sensed output voltage, and a sensor for sensing an input voltage to obtain a sensed input voltage. The power converter further includes a look-up table or mathematical relationship implementation for deriving an efficiency measure of the power converter from the sensed input voltage, the sensed output voltage and the sensed output current by relating an energy taken by a load and an energy delivered by the input voltage for a specific period of time.
US09871425B2

An electric machine includes a housing which accommodates a stator and a rotor rotationally supported about an axis of rotation, and has a front/rear air inlet opening on a top face and an air outlet opening therebetween. A front/rear air conveying element draws into the air inlet openings air which is discharged from the air outlet opening during operation. A cooler is mounted on the top face of the housing, covering the air inlet openings and the air outlet opening in a hood-like manner, such that discharged air is fed back to the air inlet openings. The cooler has a front/rear partition arranged between the air outlet opening and the corresponding air inlet opening and extending upward from the top face. Air guiding elements are arranged in the housing and/or in the cooler for feeding discharged air at least partially to the respective other air inlet opening.
US09871417B2

A rotating electric machine, in which a cross conductors of a stator connect slot conductors so as to stride N+1 slots at coil ends on one side and stride N−1 slots at coil ends on another side, with N representing a number of slots per pole, a stator winding includes a plurality of slot conductor groups each made up with a plurality of slot conductors corresponding to a single phase, the plurality of slot conductors in each slot conductor group are inserted at a predetermined number Ns of successive slots forming a continuous range along a circumference of the stator core so that the slot conductors in the slot conductor group take successive slot positions and successive layer positions, Ns=NSPP+NL when NSPP represents a number of slots per pole per phase and a number of layers is expressed as 2×NL.
US09871413B2

A first switch is arranged between one end of a reception antenna and one end of a load. A second switch is arranged between the aforementioned one end of the reception antenna and the other end thereof. A switch control circuit controls switching on and off the first switch and the second switch. The switch control circuit is structured to change the ratio of the on time of the first switch with respect to the period of an electric power signal.
US09871408B2

A data center operable using only electric power based on renewable energy. The data center includes at least one device driven by the electric power, a storage battery for storing the electric power, and a controller for switching the operating mode of the device over the course of time on the basis of predicted values for the amount of electric power generated using renewable energy, the amount of electric power stored in the storage battery, and the amount of electric power consumed by the device.
US09871407B2

A wind turbine generator (WTG) is connected to an electricity grid via a switchgear. A control system disconnects the WTG from the grid in the event of a fault and also if the grid voltage falls below its normal value for a predetermined time, to prevent the WTG from being connected when the control system is not functional. A back-up generator is started manually to recharge a battery and supply power to the control system . When the control system is fully functional, the WTG is manually re-connected to the grid. Alternatively, the control system enters a sleep mode during which the grid voltage continues to be monitored. When the grid voltage returns, the control system reverts to its wake mode and draws sufficient power from the battery to become fully functional, at which point the WTG is re-connected to the grid.
US09871405B2

Disclosed is a voltage regulating circuit, comprising an input end, an output end, a protecting switch, a first switch, a second switch, a third switch, a first coil and a second coil. The third switch comprises a first terminal and a second terminal. The second terminal of the third switch is connected to a third terminal of the first switch. One end of the first coil is connected to a second terminal of the first switch, and the other end of the first coil is connected to a third terminal of the first switch. One end of the second coil is connected to a first terminal of the third switch, and the other end of the second coil is connected to a fourth terminal of the protecting switch. Different connections between switches and the transformer provide various voltage adjustments to reduce power loss and to increase power transformation efficiency.
US09871402B2

Assuming that a transformer has a primary to secondary winding turn ratio 1:N, VR denotes a voltage of regenerated power, VCd denotes a discharge final voltage of a first battery connected with a transformer-primary-side center tap, VCc denotes a charge final voltage of the first battery, VBd denotes a discharge final voltage of a second battery connected with a transformer-secondary-side full bridge circuit, VBc denotes a charge final voltage of the second battery and Drain denotes a lower limit of a duty ratio D of a transformer-primary-side full bridge circuit, an apparatus determines upon (VBd/N)≦VR≦(VBc/N) that the first and second batteries may be able to be charged with regenerated power and determines upon VCd≦VR≦(VCc/Dmin) that the first battery may be able to be charged with the regenerated power.
US09871390B2

A battery protection IC applied to a battery charging system is provided, where the battery charging system includes a charger and a switch, the switch is coupled between the charger and a battery when the battery is put into the battery charging system, and the battery protection IC includes a voltage divider, a comparator and a controller. The voltage divider is coupled to a first node of the switch, and is utilized for dividing a voltage of the first node to generate a divided voltage, whereat least one resistor of the voltage divider is formed by two different types of fuses. The comparator is utilized for comparing the voltage with a reference voltage to generate a comparison result. The controller is utilized for generating a control signal according to the comparison result, where the control signal is utilized for switching on or switching off the switch.
US09871389B2

A battery pack in the present disclosure comprises: a battery; a switching element that is provided in a discharge path from the battery to an external load and that is configured to complete or interrupt the discharge path; a control circuit that operates by receiving a supply of an electric power from the battery, that conducts an electric current through the switching element so as to allow discharge from the battery to the external load, and upon occurrence of an abnormality in the battery or the external load during the discharge, that interrupts the switching element so as to inhibit the discharge from the battery to the external load; and a protection circuit that monitors an operating condition of the control circuit and that interrupts the switching element when the control circuit is inoperative.
US09871388B2

A voltage equalization apparatus includes a switch controller controlling a first switch that is configured to provide a first voltage to a first rectifier element group corresponding to a first electricity storage member and controlling a second switch that is configured to provide a second voltage to a second rectifier element group corresponding to a second electricity storage member, and the switch controller is configured to individually control the first switch and the second switch based on voltage measurement signals of the first electricity storage member and the second electricity storage member.
US09871384B2

A method and system for providing wireless power transfer through a metal object by forming a loop conductor from the metal object through a feature or component embedded within the metal object and by replacing portions of the metal object with insulating components. The method and system utilize a recessed channel to install and isolate conductors that are connected to transmitter or receiver circuits and enable wireless power transfer and other communications. The recessed channel creates a loop around at least a portion of the metal object such that the conductor installed therein may form a loop conductor, which may be connected to a source or sink. In some implementations, a logo embedded within the metal object may create a loop formed by the metal object with a current path around the logo, wherein the metal object itself may be configured to operate as the conductor.
US09871382B2

A method and a controller for continuously operating a plurality of electric energy generating machines during a high voltage condition at a point of common coupling of the plurality of electric energy generating machines are provided herein. The method includes a) sensing a voltage level at the point of common coupling exceeding a permitted voltage level; b) curtailing an active power output of the plurality of electric energy generating machines such that a reactive capability of the plurality of electric energy generating machines is increased; c) establishing a set point of an electric quantity being present at the point of common coupling such that a reactive electric component providable by the electric energy generating machines is increased; and d) controlling an electric energy generating machine based on the set point of the electric quantity such that the high voltage condition at common coupling is at least partially remedied.
US09871377B2

The device for cooperation control of the EMS and the DMS comprises: a calculation unit for calculating an AQI index on the basis of target system information and power flow calculation data; a determination unit which determines whether or not to perform reactive power cooperation control switching of the DMS on the basis of the calculated AQI index and the amount of needed local reserve reactive power (Qreq), and which determines a suppliable reactive power capacity on the basis of the amount of needed local reserve reactive power (Qreq) and a suppliable reactive power range; and a control unit which transmits a cooperation control mode switching control signal so as to switch the DMS to a reactive power cooperation control mode if it is determined that reactive power cooperation control switching of the DMS is to be performed, and which controls the DMS to supply reactive power.
US09871376B2

The invention provides a global optimization and dispatching method based on time scales. The method uses a target value system and a dispatch model. The global optimization and dispatching method takes input from the results from a variety of subtopics. The methods provide adjustment and optimization in accordance with the time scales that are given in the sub goal of each sub topic: long-term, mid-long-term, short-term, ultra short term and real time optimization. Smart distribution grid can improve operational efficiency, integrated application of new elements in the distribution network of distribution energy network, micro grid, energy storage device and non-linear loads. This invention is fully adapted to the smart grid trends, with a good prospective.
US09871369B2

A load driver circuit includes a detection circuit periodically detecting an inrush current that flows to the detection capacitor from the first terminal through the first switch element and outputting a detection signal responsive to a result of the detection at the first node; a peak hold circuit holding a peak voltage of the detection signal and outputting the held peak voltage as a detection voltage; a comparison circuit comparing the detection voltage with a threshold voltage and outputting a comparison result signal responsive to a result of the comparison; a control circuit controlling the first switch element to switch on and off, controlling a current detection operation of the detection circuit, and outputting a load control signal that controls the operation of the load; and a logic circuit controlling the load switch element based on the comparison result signal and the load control signal.
US09871357B2

A cooling system for cooling a power transmission system that includes a cable configured to carry a current corresponding to a transported electric power may include: a cooling device configured to remove heat from the power transmission system; a power supply system configured to extract a power fraction from the cable and configured to supply the cooling device with the power fraction; and a control unit configured to control an amount of the extracted power fraction in response to a parameter of the electric power. When the parameter is higher than a threshold, the extracted power fraction is equal to a first value that depends on the electric power carried in the cable through a first function. When the parameter is lower than the threshold, the extracted power fraction is equal to a second value that depends on the electric power carried in the cable through a second function.
US09871355B2

Dual starters and/or feeders are positioned in a unit housing to be offset from one another in a front to back direction to provide a compact configuration for a MCC cabinet. The dual starters or feeders can communicate with a respective external handle attached to an inwardly oriented shaft. The handles can be rotary handles that connect to a respective gear assembly that transforms rotational input to linear input.
US09871354B2

An enclosure includes a body portion, a top portion having a lid component configured to rotate with respect to the body portion to provide access to an interior compartment of the enclosure, and a counterweight assembly coupled between the lid component and the body portion. The counterweight assembly is configured such that the force required to rotate the lid component from the enclosure's closed position to its full-open position is substantially constant.
US09871349B2

There is provided a light-emitting element including a laminated structure including a first compound semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type, a second compound semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type different than the first conductivity type, and a third compound semiconductor layer formed between the first and second compound semiconductor layers and including an active layer. A second end surface of the second compound semiconductor layer and a third end surface of the third compound semiconductor layer are formed at respective second and third angles theta2 and theta3 relative to a virtual vertical direction of the laminated structure and satisfy the following relationship: “absolute value of theta3 is equal to or greater than 0 degree and smaller than absolute value of theta2”.
US09871347B2

A semiconductor light source includes a substrate, an optical waveguide having a reflection structure provided on the substrate with an oxide film in between and a semiconductor light emitting element provided on the optical waveguide. The optical waveguide includes a constant width core layer portion located in a center portion, tapered core layer portions that are provided on either side of the constant width core layer and of which the core width gradually increases and a constant width core layer portion for an optical wire waveguide. The semiconductor light emitting element is placed so as to cover at least a portion of the tapered core layer portions on both sides.
US09871346B1

The disclosed embodiments relate to a system that implements a hybrid laser. This system includes a reflective gain medium (RGM) comprising an optical gain material coupled to a mirror. This RGM is coupled to a spot-size converter (SSC), which optically couples the RGM to an optical reflector through a silicon waveguide. The SSC converts an optical mode-field size of the RGM to an optical mode-field size of the silicon waveguide. During operation, the RGM, the spot-size converter, the silicon waveguide and the silicon mirror collectively form a lasing cavity, wherein an effective thermo-optic coefficient (TOC) of a portion of the lasing cavity that passes through the optical gain material and the SSC material is substantially the same as the TOC of silicon. Finally, a laser output is optically coupled out of the lasing cavity.
US09871338B2

Disclosed herein is a fiber pump combiner, comprising, a multi-clad fiber comprising an outer cladding layer and an inner cladding layer, a plurality of tapered trenches formed in the inner cladding layer and a plurality of pump fibers, wherein the plurality of pump fibers are tapered and fused into corresponding ones of the plurality of tapered trenches.
US09871333B2

An AC generator slip ring device including a shaft supported by a front and rear bracket, and a rotor on the inner circumferential side of a stator; a sleeve fixed to an end portion on the rear bracket side of the shaft; and a conductive ring retained on the outer circumferential side of the sleeve. The device also includes a partition ring on the outer circumferential side of the sleeve having one end portion fixed to the rear bracket and the other end portion has a first flange projected in the outer diameter direction; a second flange provided on the side opposite to the rear bracket of the sleeve, having an annular wall with a concave portion, the end surface of the annular wall opposing the first flange of the partition ring; and a flat portion formed on an outer circumferential portion of the annular wall of the second flange.
US09871331B2

A modular switchgear electrical connection for use with a modular compartment includes a branch busbar having a busbar aperture defined by the branch busbar. Also included is a connection arrangement for establishing an electrical connection with the branch busbar. The connection arrangement includes a fastener extending through the busbar aperture toward the modular compartment. The connection arrangement also includes a spout including a base wall and a cavity defined by at least one wall extending from the base wall, wherein the base wall includes a spout aperture for receiving the fastener. The connection arrangement further includes a contact component including a base portion a cylindrical portion extending from the base portion, the contact component defining an aperture for receiving the fastener, the contact component secured to the spout and the fastener with a nut for engaging the fastener.
US09871321B2

An electrical connection device (1), especially in the form of a connecting box, comprises a housing (2) having a wall (4) delimiting an inner space (3), electrical components (5) arranged in said inner space (3) and having at least two connecting portions (6, 7, 8), and at least two connecting holes (9, 10, 11) passing through the wall (4), through which external elements (12) connectable to the connecting portions (6, 7, 8) can be guided into the inner space (3). The connection device (1) further comprises a mechanical safety element (13) having a number of stop elements (14, 15, 16) that corresponds to the number of connecting portions (6, 7, 8), which stop elements (14, 15, 16) provide a mechanical stop for the external elements (12).
US09871319B2

A dual orientation connector having a connector tab with first and second major opposing sides and a plurality of electrical contacts carried by the connector tab. The plurality of contacts includes a first set of external contacts formed at the first major side and a second set of external contacts formed at the second major side. The first plurality of contacts are symmetrically spaced with the second plurality of contacts and the connector tab is shaped to have 180 degree symmetry so that it can be inserted and operatively coupled to a corresponding receptacle connector in either of two insertion orientations.
US09871314B2

A power connector includes: an insulative housing including an upper surface, a lower surface, and a receiving space; a number of contacts accommodated in the insulative housing each including a contacting portion, a rear portion accommodated in a rear end of the insulative housing, and a corrugated elastic portion connecting the contacting portion and the rear portion, the contacting portion including a lower tongue plate extending forwardly from the corrugated elastic portion, an upper tongue plate, and a curved section connecting the lower tongue plate and the upper tongue plate; wherein the curved section has a pair of contact beams.
US09871309B2

A connector is provided and includes a contact, a contact receiving housing, an insertion member, and a securing device. The contact includes a frame and a terminal section extending from a front end of the frame. The contact receiving housing includes a bottom wall and a pair of side walls extending from opposite sides of the bottom wall to define a contact receiving space. The insertion member extends from an end of the bottom wall and is positioned between the pair of side walls. The insertion member corresponds with an inner surface of the bottom wall. The securing device is positioned inside the contact receiving housing and secures the contact and the contact receiving housing in a fixed position.
US09871298B2

A radio frequency (RF) energy harvesting device (rectenna) includes an antenna structure configured to resonate at RF frequencies, and a rectifying circuit that facilitates harvesting multiband RF signals having low energy levels (i.e., tens of mW and below) by utilizing two Zero Bias Schottky diodes having different forward voltage and peak inverse voltage values. Positive voltage pulses from a captured RF signal generated on a first antenna end point are passed by the first diode to a first internal node where they are summed with a second RF signal generated on the second antenna end point (i.e., after being passed through a capacitor), thereby producing a first intermediate voltage having a substantially higher voltage level. Positive voltage pulses are then passed from the first internal node through the second diode to an output control circuit for conversion into a usable DC output voltage.
US09871293B2

A method and apparatus for electronically steering an antenna system is provided. A surface wave is propagated along each of a number of surface wave channels formed in each of a plurality of radiating elements to form a radiation pattern. Each surface wave channel in the number of surface wave channels formed in each radiating element in the plurality of radiating elements is coupled to a transmission line configured to carry a radio frequency signal using a surface wave feed in a plurality of surface wave feed associated with the plurality of radiating elements. A main lobe of the radiation pattern is electronically steered by controlling voltages applied to a plurality of switch elements connecting a plurality of impedance elements in each of the number of surface wave channels.
US09871291B2

Described embodiments include a system, method, and apparatus. A system includes an antenna comprising a sub-Nyquist holographic aperture configured to define selectable arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic fields on a surface of the antenna. A path analysis engine tests power transmission pathways from the antenna to a target device located in an environment within a space radiateable by the antenna. The environment includes a human being. An optimization circuit selects responsive to the tested power transmission pathways a power transmission regime. The regime includes an electromagnetic radiation pattern shaped to transfer radiofrequency electromagnetic power from the antenna to the target device without exceeding a radiation exposure limit for humans. A gain definition circuit selects a complex radiofrequency electromagnetic field implementing the selected power transmission regime from the at least two selectable, complex radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. An antenna controller defines the selected arbitrary complex radiofrequency electromagnetic field in the sub-Nyquist holographic aperture.
US09871290B1

An apparatus includes a lens assembly and a printed circuit board. The lens assembly may be configured to provide at least four orthogonal optical paths and a central atrium. The printed circuit board may be disposed below the lens assembly and generally comprises an antenna and ground plane on a front surface of the printed circuit board, and a first emitter, a second emitter, a first detector and a second detector mounted on the printed circuit board. The antenna is generally aligned with the central atrium. The first emitter is generally located between a first pair of the four orthogonal optical paths. The second emitter is generally located between a second pair of the four orthogonal optical paths. The first detector is generally located between a third pair of the four orthogonal optical paths. The second detector is generally located between a fourth pair of the four orthogonal optical paths.
US09871287B2

A solar panel array structure is used in network communications that comprises at least one support structure configured to support a solar panel array, wherein the at least one support structure comprises a metal portion. The metal portion comprises antenna connections that are configured to allow the metal portion to be used as a radio antenna. In some cases, a radio transceiver is connected to the antenna connections. A separate radio antenna may also be connected to the support structure or to the solar panel array. The radio transceiver may be used to transmit data through a wireless communication network.
US09871285B2

Antenna configurations for wireless speakers are disclosed. An example playback device includes a housing having a first base on which the playback device rests when oriented in a first direction, a second base on which the playback device rests when oriented in a second direction, and a side of the playback device. A first antenna may be affixed to the side of the playback device, oriented perpendicular to the second base, and arranged to produce a first electric field in a first direction extending through the first base of the playback device. A second antenna of a second type may be positioned above the second base and below a speaker of the playback device when the playback device is oriented in the second direction. The second antenna may produce a second electric field in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction.
US09871282B2

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a transmission medium for propagating electromagnetic waves. The transmission medium can have a first dielectric material for propagating electromagnetic waves guided by the first dielectric material, and a second dielectric material disposed on at least a portion of an outer surface of the first dielectric material for reducing an exposure of the electromagnetic waves to an environment that adversely affects propagation of the electromagnetic waves on the first dielectric material. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09871281B2

A high-frequency signal line includes a dielectric body including a first dielectric layer and one or more other dielectric layers laminated together. A first signal line is provided on a first main surface, which is a main surface located on one side in a direction of lamination, of the first dielectric layer. A second signal line is provided on a second main surface, which is a main surface located on another side in the lamination direction, of the first dielectric layer so as to face the first signal line via the first dielectric layer. The second signal line is electrically connected to the first signal line. A first ground conductor is located on one side in the lamination direction than the first signal line. A second ground conductor is located on another side in the lamination direction than the second signal line.
US09871280B2

A dielectric resonator which has a simple structure and is easy to manufacture, and a dielectric filter and a communication apparatus using the same are provided. In a dielectric resonator, a dielectric body includes a first portion having surfaces and a second portion having surfaces. A conductor surrounding the dielectric body includes inner surfaces facing the surfaces. A conductor is disposed between the surface and the inner surface. A conductor is disposed between the surface and the inner surface. The dielectric body includes a third portion which is not interposed between the conductors and a fourth portion which is not interposed between conductors.
US09871277B2

A magnesium-air fuel cell includes, in an inner portion, a pair of cathode accommodating portions each having at least one end opened. Cathode bodies are each disposed in a corresponding cathode accommodating portion, while having a part exposed to the inner portion. The part of each cathode body is separated from and faces an anode body. A power supply device using the fuel cell includes a supporting portion including a water supply port for the reaction liquid, a base portion incorporating the fuel cell, and a main body including a water supply pipe from the water supply port to the base portion. The water supply pipe is in communication with a water injection port in the fuel cell, and the water supply pipe incorporates a discharge pipe that extends from the supporting portion into the inner portion of the fuel cell and discharges reaction gas produced in the inner portion.
US09871275B2

A battery-state estimation device obtains, at a first timing, a first resistance value corresponding to a first open circuit voltage of a lithium-ion secondary battery and a second resistance value corresponding to a second open circuit voltage, which is higher than the first open circuit voltage, of the lithium-ion secondary battery. Further, the battery-state estimation device obtains, at a second timing which is different from the first timing, a third resistance value corresponding to the first open circuit voltage and a fourth resistance value corresponding to the second open circuit voltage. The battery-state estimation device determines presence or absence of lithium deposition in the lithium-ion secondary battery, based on a magnitude relation between a first variation amount of the third resistance value with respect to the first resistance value and a second variation amount of the fourth resistance value with respect to the second resistance value.
US09871274B2

Provided is a battery pack, which can be prevented from being released from a label adhered to a frame or a battery cell due to distortion applied to the battery pack, thereby preventing noises from being generated during movement of an adhered surface of the label. A battery pack is also provided, which may prevent electrostatic discharge (ESD). The battery pack includes a battery cell, a protective circuit module (PCM) electrically connected to the battery cell, a frame accommodating the battery cell and the PCM, and a label adhered to the battery cell, the PCM and the frame while surrounding the same. A release sheet is attached to a region of the label surrounding the PCM.
US09871269B2

Disclosed are an electrolyte for a rechargeable lithium battery including a lithium salt, a non-aqueous organic solvent, and an additive represented by the following Chemical Formula 1, and a rechargeable lithium battery including the same. Definition of Chemical Formula 1 is the same as described in the detailed description.
US09871260B2

An integrated hybrid emergency power system having various features is disclosed. A hybrid emergency power system may have an auxiliary power unit and an emergency power unit. The emergency power unit may have a fuel cell. The auxiliary power unit may have an engine. The emergency power unit may be connected to the auxiliary power unit by an emergency power unit efficiency improvement apparatus. In this manner, the operating efficiency of the emergency power unit may be enhanced.
US09871259B2

Provided is a method of making a composite ceramic material for a fuel cell. The composite ceramic material for the fuel cell forms a cored structure where perovskite ceramic particles having a small particle diameter surround lanthanum cobaltite particles having a large particle diameter. Lanthanum cobaltite is added as a starting material in a process of synthesizing the perovskite ceramic particles. The composite ceramic material for the fuel cell made according to this method improves an electric connection characteristic between a separation plate and a polar plate of the fuel cell, and is chemically and mechanically stable.
US09871257B2

Provided is a porous electrode substrate having excellent thickness precision, gas permeability and conductivity, handling efficiency, low production costs and a high carbonization rate during carbonization. Also provided are a method for manufacturing such a substrate, a precursor sheet and fibrillar fiber used for forming such a substrate, along with a membrane electrode assembly and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell that contain such a substrate. The method for manufacturing a porous electrode substrate includes step (1) for manufacturing a precursor sheet in which short carbon fibers (A) and carbon fiber precursor (b) are dispersed, and step (2) for carbonizing the precursor sheet, and the volume contraction rate of carbon fiber precursor (b) in step (2) is 83% or lower. The present invention also relates to a porous electrode substrate obtained by such a manufacturing method, a precursor sheet and fibrillar fiber used for forming the substrate, along with a membrane electrode assembly and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell containing the substrate.
US09871255B2

A gas diffusion electrode for an electro-synthetic or electro-energy cell, for example a fuel cell, including one or more gas permeable layers, a first conductive layer provided on a first side of the gas diffusion electrode, and a second layer, which may be a second conductive layer, provided on a second side of the gas diffusion electrode. The one or more gas permeable layers are positioned between the first conductive layer and the second layer, which may be a second conductive layer, and the one or more gas permeable layers provide a gas channel. The one or more gas permeable layers are gas permeable and substantially impermeable to the liquid electrolyte. The porous conductive material is gas permeable and liquid electrolyte permeable. The gas diffusion electrode can be one of a plurality of alternating anode/cathode sets.
US09871253B2

A ion-conductive fused-ring quinone polymer includes recurring units of formula (1) and/or (2) below wherein each X is independently a single bond or a divalent group, and A1 and A2 are each independently an aromatic hydrocarbon ring or an oxygen atom or sulfur atom-containing aromatic heterocycle that forms together with two carbon atoms on a benzoquinone skeleton. This polymer is a material having charge-storing properties which, when used as an electrode active material, is capable of providing a high-performance battery possessing high capacity, high rate characteristics and high cycle characteristics.
US09871245B2

There is provided a process for preparing a crystalline electrode material, the process comprising: providing a liquid bath comprising the electrode material in a melted state; and introducing a precursor of the electrode material into the liquid bath, wherein the electrode material comprises lithium, a metal and phosphate. There is also provided a crystalline electrode material, comprising lithium substituted by less than 0.1 atomic of Na or K; Fe and/or Mn, substituted by less than 0.1 atomic ratio of: (a) Mg, Ca, Al and B, (b) Nb, Zr, Mo, V and Cr, (c) Fe(III), or (d) any combinations thereof; and PO4, substituted by less than 20% atomic weight of an oxyanion selected from SO4, SiO4, BO4, P2O7, and any combinations thereof, the material being in the form of particles having a non-carbon and non-olivine phase on at least a portion of the surface thereof.
US09871240B2

Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to lithium-ion batteries, and more specifically, to batteries having integrated separators and methods of fabricating such batteries. In one embodiment, a lithium-ion battery having an electrode structure is provided. The lithium-ion battery comprises an anode stack, a cathode stack, and a porous electrospun polymer separator comprising a nano-fiber backbone structure. The anode stack comprises an anodic current collector and an anode structure formed over a first surface of the anodic current collector. The cathode stack comprises a cathodic current collector and a cathode structure formed over a first surface of the cathodic current collector. The porous electrospun polymer separator is positioned between the anode structure and the cathode structure.
US09871238B2

To provide a secondary battery that can be prevented from exploding or catching fire due to the occurrence of a short circuit. The secondary battery (10) of the present invention includes an electric cell assembly that is, at least, partially enclosed by an extensible sheet (11) having a surface resistivity of 10−2 Ω/sq to 1010 Ω/sq, and is housed together with an electrolyte in a container (5), and in which positive electrodes (1) and negative electrodes (2) are stacked on each other or wound with a separator (3) interposed therebetween.
US09871234B2

A latch mechanism for retaining a battery within a battery compartment.
US09871232B2

A cell in which thermal welding of a laminate packaging is performed so that the thickness of a thermal welded portion including an electrode terminal is larger than that of a thermal welded portion including no electrode terminal.
US09871230B2

The positive electrode substrate exposed portions or the negative electrode substrate exposed portions, or both, of an electrode assembly is split into two groups, and therebetween is disposed an intermediate member made of a resin material and holding one or more connecting conductive members. Collector members for the substrate exposed portions split into two groups is electrically joined by a resistance welding method to the substrate exposed portions split into two groups, together with the connecting conductive member(s) of the intermediate member. The resin material portion of the intermediate member protrudes, in the extension direction of the substrate exposed portions split into two groups, beyond the ends of the substrate exposed portions split into two groups and the ends of the collector member to a prismatic outer can. This structure enables enhanced resistance between the substrate exposed portions and the collector member and curbs variation in the welding strength.
US09871221B2

The present invention includes a frame-shaped sealing material, a filling layer, and a support. The frame-shaped sealing material is provided between a TFT substrate and a counter substrate, and is configured to seal an organic EL element (electroluminescent element) along with the TFT substrate and the counter substrate. The filling layer is composed of a liquid filler, and is filled in the space between the counter substrate, a sealing film, and the sealing material. The support is located inside the sealing material and between the TFT substrate and the counter substrate, and also supports the TFT substrate and the counter substrate.
US09871212B2

Compounds having a structure according to Formula I, G1-L1-G2, or Formula V, are described. In Formula I, G1 and G2 independently have a structure of Formula II, In the structures of Formulae I, II, and V, L1 connects one of rings A1-A4 of G1 to one of rings A1-A4 of G2; L1 is selected from a direct bond, BR, NR, PR, O, S, Se, C═O, S═O, SO2, SiRR′, GeRR′, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, and combinations thereof; each ring A1, A2, A3, and A4, as well as R, R′R″, and R1 to R19 can be hydrogen or a variety of substituents, including a fused ring between adjacent substituents; and at least two adjacent R1 to R16 on the same ring are Formulations and devices, such as an OLEDs, that include the compound of Formula I or V are also described.
US09871202B2

The present invention discloses an “organic light-emitting device (OLED)”, comprising an anode, a cathode, and one or more organic layers, wherein the said organic layer contains at least one compound having the formula (I), and the said OLED has the advantages of excellent light-emitting efficiency, excellent color purity and long lifetime.
US09871197B2

A semiconductor memory device according to an embodiment includes: a plurality of first conductive lines stacked in a first direction above a semiconductor substrate and extending in a second direction; a second conductive line extending in the first direction; semiconductor layers arranged between the first conductive lines and the second conductive line and extending in the first direction; a conductive layer in contact with a bottom surface of the semiconductor layer with a first impurity of a first conductivity type; and variable resistance films arranged at intersections between the first conductive lines and the semiconductor layer, the semiconductor layer having a first semiconductor part arranged from the bottom surface of the semiconductor layer to a position equal to or lower than a bottom surface of the first conductive line at a lowermost layer in the first direction with a second impurity of a second conductivity type.
US09871196B2

Memory devices having memory cells comprising variable resistance material include an electrode comprising a single nanowire. Various methods may be used to form such memory devices, and such methods may comprise establishing contact between one end of a single nanowire and a volume of variable resistance material in a memory cell. Electronic systems include such memory devices.
US09871188B2

A piezoelectric ceramic includes a perovskite-type metal oxide containing barium titanate, and Mn. When a surface thereof along the remanent polarization direction is subjected to X-ray diffraction analysis at room temperature, the ratio of the diffraction intensity of the (002) plane to the diffraction intensity of the (200) plane is 1.0 or more, the diffraction peak of the (002) plane has a half width of 1.2° or less, and the lattice constant of the c-axis thereof and the lattice constant of the a-axis thereof satisfy the relationship 1.004≦c/a≦1.010.
US09871180B2

A thermoelectric material includes a stack structure including alternately stacked first and second material layers. The first material layer may include a carbon nano-material. The second material layer may include a thermoelectric inorganic material. The first material layer may include a thermoelectric inorganic material in addition to the carbon nano-material. The carbon nano-material may include, for example, graphene. At least one of the first and second material layers may include a plurality of nanoparticles. The thermoelectric material may further include at least one conductor extending in an out-of-plane direction of the stack structure.
US09871179B2

A thermoelectric power module comprising: a thermoelectric element employing a bismuth-tellurium (Bi—Te) based thermoelectric material; at least one barrier layer disposed on the thermoelectric element; an electrode; an electrode protection layer disposed at least on one principal surface of the electrode; a solder layer having a side surface formed with a recess, the solder layer joining a first region of the electrode protection layer to the at least one barrier layer; and a coating film disposed on a side surface of the thermoelectric element, a side surface of the at least one barrier layer, and the side surface of the solder layer, the coating film covering a second region adjacent to the first region of the electrode protection layer and being filled into the recess of the solder layer.
US09871178B2

A light-emitting diode device is disclosed, which comprises a substrate including a first surface; a plurality of light-emitting diode units formed on the first surface, each of the light-emitting diode units including a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer formed on the first semiconductor layer, and an active layer formed between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer; and a plurality of conductive connecting structures, spatially separated from each other, wherein one end of one of the plurality of conductive connecting structure is arranged on the second semiconductor layer, directly contacted with the second semiconductor layer, and electrically connected with each other through the second semiconductor layer; wherein another end of the one of the conductive connecting structures is arranged on another light-emitting diode unit, and directly contacted with one of the semiconductor layers of the another light-emitting diode unit.
US09871175B2

A Light Emitting Diode (LED) fluorescent cover comprises the following components by weight: 90-96% of single-component solid silicone rubber, 3-8% of fluorescent powder and 1-2% of vulcanizer; and the preparation method includes the following steps: step 1): using mixed compound of the single-component solid silicone rubber, as well as the fluorescent powder and the vulcanizer as raw material to mix, standing for 2-4 h after mixing with open mill or internal mixer; step 2): controlling temperature, pressure and vulcanization time of vulcanizing machine according to size of the fluorescent cover mold, using the vulcanizing machine to carry out first vulcanization to the raw material that is obtained from the step 1) and placed in the fluorescent cover mold; step 3): with combined action of blower gun, taking the fluorescent cover out slowly; step 4): baking the semi-finished product in a closed space at a temperature of 150-200° C. for 1-2 h.
US09871174B2

A light-emitting device includes a light-emitting element, a cover layer, and an anti-adhesion layer. The light-emitting element has a top surface, a bottom surface and a first side surface. The cover layer covers the light-emitting element and includes a first transparent binder and a plurality of wavelength conversion particles dispersed within the first transparent binder. The anti-adhesion layer includes a fluoro-containing material, and is disposed on the cover layer and the top surface.
US09871157B2

Mutual alignment between a condenser lens and its power generating element can be performed easily and accurately.This method for producing a concentrator photovoltaic unit includes: a first step of emitting linear laser beams respectively toward incident positions 42 on an incident surface 13f1; and a second step of performing positional adjustment between a Fresnel lens 13f and a power generating element part 21, based on positional relationship between the power generating element part 21 and beam images respectively formed by the linear laser beams at a time when the beam images and the power generating element part 21 are seen along an optical axis S from the incident surface 13f1 side of the Fresnel lens 13f. Four incident positions 42 in the first step are set such that at least one pair of beam images, among the beam images respectively formed by the linear laser beams, cross each other at an optical axis point S1 of the Fresnel lens 13f when the power generating element part 21 side is seen along the optical axis S from the incident surface 13f1 side of the Fresnel lens 13f.
US09871155B2

The present invention relates to a layer system (1) for thin-film solar cells with an absorber layer (4) that contains a chalcogenide compound semiconductor and a buffer layer (5) that is arranged on the absorber layer (4), wherein the buffer layer (5) contains NaxIn1SyClz with 0.05≦x<0.2 or 0.2
US09871152B2

To provide a solar cell that reduces occurrence of a defect and has high photoelectric conversion efficiency. The solar cell includes a silicon substrate such as an n-type single-crystal silicon substrate single crystal with pyramid-shaped irregularities P formed thereon, and an amorphous or microcrystal semiconductor layer formed on the single-crystal silicon substrate. A flat part F is formed in a valley portion of the pyramid-shaped irregularities P provided on a surface of the single-crystal silicon substrate. With this configuration, a steep angle of 70° to 85° of a concave portion formed by a substantially (111) surface can be widened to between 115° and 135°. Accordingly, a change of atomic step morphology attributable to a rounded shape can be eliminated, thereby enabling to reduce epitaxial growth and defects in the amorphous or microcrystal semiconductor layer.
US09871144B2

A thin film transistor substrate includes a gate electrode disposed on a substrate; a semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate that partially overlaps the gate electrode and includes an oxide semiconductor material; and a source electrode and a drain electrode disposed on the semiconductor layer, where the drain electrode is spaced apart from the source electrode. The source electrode and the drain electrode each include a barrier layer and a main wiring layer, the a main wiring layer is disposed on the barrier layer, and the barrier layer includes a first metal layer disposed on the semiconductor layer, and a second metal layer disposed on the first metal layer.
US09871142B2

A method of manufacturing a display device is provided. The display device includes a display region divided into a first display region and a second display region by a border region extending in the second direction, a plurality of data lines including a plurality of first data lines arranged in the first display region, and a plurality of second data lines arranged in the second display region. Each of the plurality of first data lines and each of the plurality of second data lines are electrically isolated from each other. The method includes steps of forming a plurality of conductive lines on a substrate extending from a top side to a bottom side of the display region in the first direction, and separating the plurality of conductive lines into the plurality of first data lines and the plurality of second data lines.
US09871141B2

A method includes performing a first epitaxy to grow a silicon germanium layer over a semiconductor substrate, performing a second epitaxy to grow a silicon layer over the silicon germanium layer, and performing a first oxidation to oxidize the silicon germanium layer, wherein first silicon germanium oxide regions are generated. A strain releasing operation is performed to release a strain caused by the first silicon germanium oxide regions. A gate dielectric is formed on a top surface and a sidewall of the silicon layer. A gate electrode is formed over the gate dielectric.
US09871137B2

The semiconductor device structures are provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a gate stack structure formed on a substrate and an isolation structure formed in the substrate. The semiconductor device structure further includes a source/drain stressor structure formed between the gate stack structure and the isolation structure and a metal silicide layer formed on the source/drain stressor structure. A portion of the metal silicide layer is below a top surface of the isolation structure.
US09871135B2

A semiconductor device is disclosed that includes a first region of a first conductivity type that includes a drain, a region of a second conductivity type abutting the first region in a lateral direction and a vertical direction to form an interface between the first conductivity type and the second conductivity type, wherein the drain region is spaced apart from the interface. A source region of the first conductivity type abuts the second region in the lateral direction and vertical directions. A control gate structure includes a conductive layer that is spaced apart from the drain region by a first dimension in the lateral direction. A shallow trench isolation (STI) region having a second dimension in the lateral direction is disposed at a location of the first region between the source and drain regions, wherein the second dimension is less than one-half of the first dimension.
US09871128B2

There are disclosed herein various implementations of a bipolar semiconductor device with sub-cathode enhancement regions. Such a bipolar semiconductor device includes a drift region having a first conductivity type situated over an anode layer having a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type. The bipolar semiconductor device also includes first and second depletion trenches, each having a depletion electrode. In addition, the bipolar semiconductor device includes a first control trench situated between the first and second depletion trenches, the first control trench extending into the drift region and being adjacent to cathode diffusions. An enhancement region having the first conductivity type is localized in the drift region between the first control trench and one or both of the first and second depletion trenches. In one implementation, the bipolar semiconductor device may be an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT).
US09871126B2

A discrete semiconductor transistor includes a gate resistor electrically coupled between a gate electrode terminal and a gate electrode of the discrete semiconductor transistor. A resistance R of the gate resistor at a temperature of −40° C. is greater than at the temperature of 150° C.
US09871120B2

A method is provided for fabricating fin field-effect transistors. The method includes providing a substrate. The method also includes forming a plurality of fins on a surface of the substrate. Further the method includes forming a transitional layer having atoms identical to atoms of the fins on side and top surfaces of the plurality of fins by a deposition process. Further, the method also includes performing an oxidation process to convert the transitional layer and a surface portion of the fins into a dielectric material to form a gate dielectric layer on the plurality of fins.
US09871115B1

A method includes forming a polysilicon layer with an uneven upper surface over a first region and a second region of a substrate, doping a top portion of the polysilicon layer to change its removal rate, thereby forming a doped layer, and removing the doped layer in the first region to expose the polysilicon layer in the first region and leaving at least a portion of the doped layer in the second region. The method also includes removing the exposed polysilicon layer in the first region at a first removal rate and the doped layer in the second region at a second removal rate, the polysilicon layer in the second region being exposed after the doped layer in the second region is removed, and removing the polysilicon layer in the first region and the second region at a third removal rate and a fourth removal rate, respectively.
US09871112B1

A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a channel layer, a barrier layer, a source and a drain, a p-type nitride layer and a strain gate. The channel layer is disposed on the substrate. The barrier layer is disposed on the channel layer. The source and the drain are respectively disposed at two sides of the barrier layer. The p-type nitride layer is disposed on the barrier layer. The strain gate is disposed over the p-type nitride layer for tuning a first strain of the channel layer and a second strain of the barrier layer.
US09871109B2

A semiconductor device according to the present invention includes, in a termination region, a p− type breakdown voltage holding region that is an impurity region formed in a predetermined depth direction from a substrate surface of an n− type substrate, a first insulating film formed on the n− type substrate so as to cover at least the p− type breakdown voltage holding region, a first field plate formed on the first insulating film, a second insulating film formed so as to cover the first field plate and the first insulating film, and a second field plate formed on the second insulating film. The first insulating film is thicker in a corner portion than in an X-direction straight portion and a Y-direction straight portion.
US09871106B2

Embodiments of the disclosure described herein comprise a tunneling field effect transistor (TFET) having a drain region, a source region having a conductivity type opposite of the drain region, a channel region disposed between the source region and the drain region, a gate disposed over the channel region, and a heterogeneous pocket disposed near a junction of the source region and the channel region. The heterogeneous pocket comprises a semiconductor material different than the channel region, and comprises a tunneling barrier less than the bandgap in the channel region and forming a quantum well in the channel region to in crease a current through the TFET transistor when a voltage applied to the gate is above a threshold voltage.
US09871092B2

A display device includes contact holes opened in an insulating film outside of a display area in which pixels are arranged, and having a conductive film exposed in bottom portions, a first metal film formed to cover the contact holes and come in contact with the conductive film of the bottom portions, and a transparent conductive film formed on the first metal film.
US09871088B2

When a hollow structure in which a light-emitting element is provided between a pair of substrates is used in order to prevent oxygen or moisture from reaching the light-emitting element, light leakage to an adjacent pixel easily occurs as compared to a structure in which a space between a pair of substrates is filled with a resin such as an adhesive. In order to reduce light leakage to an adjacent pixel in the hollow structure, a light-blocking spacer is formed over a partition to keep the distance between the pair of substrates uniform. The cross-sectional shape of the light-blocking spacer is a trapezoid having a lower side shorter than an upper side.
US09871083B2

A sealing member containing conductive particles and disposed in a seal region is formed between a display panel and a touch panel. A laminated structure formed on the display panel includes a first detection lines. The first detection lines extend from the seal region to a connection region and are connected through the conductive particles to terminals of second detection lines formed on the touch panel. A peripheral edge of the organic barrier is located inward from the conductive particles of the sealing member. The above described structure can facilitate a work for connecting external lines such as FPC to the display panel and the touch panel. Further, the structure can secure stability of electrical connection between the external lines and the touch panel.
US09871082B2

An organic light emitting display integrated with a touch screen panel includes a first substrate, the first substrate having pixels and having signal lines coupled to the pixels, and a second substrate, the second substrate being on the first substrate to seal the first substrate, the second substrate having sensing electrodes of the touch screen panel on a surface thereof. The signal lines include first and second signal lines, the first and second signal lines being arranged in a direction that intersects the sensing electrodes, the first and second signal lines receiving different signals, respectively, and functioning as first and second driving electrodes of the touch screen panel.
US09871076B2

Devices and methods of forming a device are disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate with a cell region. Selector units and storage units are formed within the substrate. The selector unit includes first and second bipolar junction transistors (BJTs). The selector unit includes first and second bipolar junction transistors (BJTs). A BJT includes first, second and third BJT terminals. The second BJT terminals of the first and second BJTs are coupled to or serve as a common wordline terminal. The third BJT terminal of the first BJT serves as a first bitline terminal, and the third BJT terminal of the second BJT serves as a second bitline terminal. A storage unit is disposed over the selector unit. The storage unit includes a first pinning layer which is coupled to the first BJT terminal of the first BJT, a second pinning layer which is coupled to the first BJT terminal of the second BJT, a free layer which includes an elongated member with first and second major surfaces and first and second end regions separated by a free region. The first pinning layer is coupled to the second major surface of the free layer in the first end region and the second pinning layer is coupled to the second major surface of the free layer in the second end region. A reference stack is disposed on the first major surface of the free layer in the free region. The reference stack serves as a read bitline terminal.
US09871073B1

An x-ray detector may comprise: a moisture-impermeable substrate including a non-monolithic conductive portion integrated with a monolithic dielectric portion; a scintillator and an array of CMOS tiles positioned between the scintillator and the substrate; a cover positioned on the substrate and forming a seal therebetween that semi-hermetically encloses the scintillator and the array of CMOS tiles in a covered sealed region; and analog-to-digital electronics conductively coupled to the array of CMOS tiles and to the conductive portion, wherein the conductive portion transmits signals from the covered sealed region to beyond the seal without disrupting a semi-hermeticity of the seal. In this way, sealing of multiply-tiled CMOS image array detectors within a single x-ray detector can be more simply and reliably achieved.
US09871072B2

A photoelectric conversion device has an insulator film disposed on a silicon layer having a photoelectric conversion region, the insulator film having a portion overlapped with the photoelectric conversion region, a silicon oxide film disposed on the insulator film, the silicon oxide film having a portion overlapped with the photoelectric conversion region, an electroconductive member disposed between the insulator film and the silicon oxide film, and a silicon oxide layer disposed between the electroconductive member and the silicon oxide film, in which the portion overlapped with the photoelectric conversion region of the silicon oxide film is in contact with the portion overlapped with the photoelectric conversion region of the insulator film and the hydrogen concentration of the silicon oxide film is greater than the hydrogen concentration of the silicon oxide layer.
US09871070B2

A backside illuminated (BSI) image sensor for biased backside deep trench isolation (BDTI) and/or biased backside shielding is provided. A photodetector is arranged in a semiconductor substrate, laterally adjacent to a peripheral opening in the semiconductor substrate. An interconnect structure is arranged under the semiconductor substrate. A pad structure is arranged in the peripheral opening, and protrudes through a lower surface of the peripheral opening to the interconnect structure. A conductive layer is electrically coupled to the pad structure, and extends laterally towards the photodetector from over the pad structure. A method for manufacturing the BSI image sensor is also provided.
US09871061B2

A display substrate and its fabricating method have been disclosed. In a horizontal-field-mode liquid crystal display device, while maintaining five mask processes, additional direct contact has been formed to implement a narrow bezel.
US09871054B2

According to one embodiment, the stacked body includes a plurality of electrode layers stacked with an insulator interposed. The electrode layers have a plurality of terrace portions arranged in a stairstep configuration with a difference in levels. The insulating layer is provided above the terrace portions. The columnar portions extend in a stacking direction of the stacked body through the insulating layer and through the stacked body under the insulating layer. The columnar portions are insulative. The contact portions are provided at side surfaces of the columnar portions on the terrace portions. The contact portions are connected to the terrace portions.
US09871046B2

A device includes a Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) array, and an SRAM cell edge region abutting the SRAM array. The SRAM array and the SRAM cell edge region in combination include first gate electrodes having a uniform pitch. A word line driver abuts the SRAM cell edge region. The word line driver includes second gate electrodes, and the first gate electrodes have lengthwise directions aligned to lengthwise directions of respective ones of the second gate electrodes.
US09871036B2

A semiconductor chip includes a first circuit and a second circuit having different reference potentials. A first potential which is a reference potential of the first circuit is applied to the semiconductor chip through any of plural lead terminals, and a second potential which is a reference potential of the second circuit is applied to the semiconductor chip through any of plural lead terminals. A substrate of the semiconductor chip has a structure in which a buried insulating layer and a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type are laminated on a semiconductor substrate such as a SOI substrate. A fixed potential is applied to the semiconductor substrate through a die pad and a lead terminal for a substrate potential. The fixed potential is applied to the semiconductor chip through a different route from the reference potential of the first circuit and the reference potential of the second circuit.
US09871034B1

An Integrated Circuit device, including: a base wafer including single crystal, the base wafer including a plurality of first transistors; at least one metal layer providing interconnection between the plurality of first transistors; and a second layer of less than 2 micron thickness, the second layer including a plurality of second single crystal transistors, and the second layer overlying the at least one metal layer; wherein the material composition of at least one of the plurality of second single crystal transistors is substantially different than the material composition of at least one of the plurality of first transistors.
US09871032B2

A gate-grounded metal oxide semiconductor (GGMOS) device is disclosed. The GGMOS is an n-type (GGNMOS) transistor used as an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device. The GGMOS includes a base extension region under an elevated source. The elevated source and base extension regions increase Leff and reduce beta, increasing performance of the ESD protection.
US09871030B2

A silicon substrate having a III-V compound layer disposed thereon is provided. A diode is formed in the silicon substrate through an ion implantation process. The diode is formed proximate to an interface between the silicon substrate and the III-V compound layer. An opening is etched through the III-V compound layer to expose the diode. The opening is filled with a conductive material. Thereby, a via is formed that is coupled to the diode. A High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) device is formed at least partially in the III-V compound layer.
US09871027B2

A semiconductor device includes a mesh-patterned power source wiring that supplies respective circuits with a power source voltage supplied to a plurality of locations at an outer periphery of the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device also includes a back-biasing wiring supplying, to a semiconductor substrate, a substrate voltage that controls a threshold voltage of a semiconductor element. The back-biasing wiring includes a upper layer mesh wiring that receives a supply of a substrate voltage, and a lower layer mesh wiring that is provided in a different wiring layer from the upper layer mesh wiring. The outer peripheries of the upper layer mesh wiring and the lower layer mesh wiring are connected to each other through plural vias.
US09871020B1

The present disclosure generally relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to intelligent through silicon via sharing in 3D-IC integrated structures and methods of manufacture. The structure includes: a plurality of stacked dies each containing at least one macro device; and a layer structure positioned between the plurality of stacked dies which comprises a control structured to route signals between the at least one macro device of a first stacked die and the at least one macro device of a second stacked die of the plurality of stacked dies.
US09871015B1

A method of forming an electronic component package includes coupling a first surface of an electronic component to a first surface of a first dielectric strip, the electronic component comprising bond pads on the first surface; forming first via apertures through the first dielectric strip to expose the bond pads; and filling the first via apertures with an electrically conductive material to form first vias electrically coupled to the bond pads. The bond pads are directly connected to the corresponding first vias without the use of a solder and without the need to form a solder wetting layer on the bond pads.
US09871011B2

A semiconductor package, and a method of manufacturing thereof, comprising a contact in a plated sidewall encapsulant opening, substantially as shown in and/or described in connection with at least one of the figures, as set forth more completely in the claims.
US09871006B2

A semiconductor module including an insulated circuit substrate having a substrate, a circuit layer on a front surface of the substrate, and a metal layer on a back surface of the substrate; a semiconductor element electrically connected to the circuit layer; a cooling unit having a ceiling board bonded to the metal layer, a bottom board opposite the ceiling board, a side wall connecting a periphery of the ceiling board and a periphery of the bottom board, and a fin connecting the ceiling board and bottom board, where thickness of the ceiling board is at least 0.5 mm and at most 2.0 mm and total thickness of the ceiling board and bottom board is at least 3 mm and at most 6 mm; and a solder layer that bonds together the metal layer and the ceiling board by melting at a temperature of at least 200° C. and at most 350° C.
US09871004B2

Semiconductor chip laminates and inductive, capacitive, and electromagnetic shielding laminate structures that can be integrated together to form electronic circuits for use in systems and devices such as smartphones, tablet computers, notebook computers, wearable electronic devices, portable medical devices, servers, networking equipment, industrial equipment, etc. Fabrications of such integrated laminate structures can be modularized into four (4) types of laminates, namely, inductive laminates, capacitive laminates, electromagnetic shielding laminates, and semiconductor chip laminates, which can be vertically laminated together and/or integrated side-by-side with high density to produce the desired electronic circuits, systems, and devices.
US09871003B2

A mark forming method includes: a step of forming, on a device layer of a wafer, an intermediate layer to which a polymer layer containing a block copolymer is adherable, the device layer including a shot area and a scribe line area; a step of removing a portion, of the intermediate layer, formed in the scribe line area; a step of exposing an image of a mark on the scribe line area and forming, based on the image of the mark, a mark including recessed portion; and a step of applying the polymer layer containing the block copolymer on the device layer of the wafer. When a circuit pattern is formed by using the self-assembly of the block copolymer, it is possible to form the mark simultaneously with the formation of the circuit pattern.
US09870989B2

Electrical fuse (eFuse) and resistor structures and methods of manufacture are provided. The method includes forming metal gates having a capping material on a top surface thereof. The method further includes protecting the metal gates and the capping material during an etching process which forms a recess in a dielectric material. The method further includes forming an insulator material and metal material within the recess. The method further includes forming a contact in direct electrical contact with the metal material.
US09870986B2

Implementations of a semiconductor device package may include: a plurality of electrical contacts on a first face of a die, at least one clip electrically and mechanically coupled with at least one electrical contact on a second face of the die where the second face of the die is on an opposing side of the die from the first face of the die. The at least one clip may include at least one lead in electrical communication with the at least one electrical contact on the second face of the die. A mold compound or an encapsulating compound may be included around the die and a majority of the at least one clip where a portion of the at least one lead and a portion of the plurality of electrical contacts on the first face of the die are not overmolded or encapsulated. The semiconductor package includes no lead frame.
US09870976B2

A method of manufacture for a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes providing a semiconductor stack structure that includes a device terminal of a semiconductor device, and having a first surface and a buried oxide (BOX) layer attached to a wafer handle. Another step includes disposing a polymeric layer that includes a polymer and an admixture that increases thermal conductivity of the polymer onto the first surface of the semiconductor stack structure. Another step involves removing the wafer handle from the BOX layer to expose a second surface of the semiconductor stack structure, and yet another step involves removing a portion of the semiconductor stack structure to expose the device terminal.
US09870975B1

Structures and formation methods of a chip package are provided. The chip package includes a first package structure including a first semiconductor die that has a first side and a second side opposite thereto. The chip package also includes a package layer partially or completely encapsulating the first semiconductor die, and a conductive feature in the package layer. The chip package further includes a first heat-spreading layer over the first side of the first semiconductor die and a first cap layer on the first heat-spreading layer.
US09870974B2

A power conversion apparatus includes: a circuit body including a switching device; a base member forming a first concave portion and a cooling surface; and a wedge inserted in the first concave portion of the base member. The first concave portion of the base member is formed by a substrate portion forming the cooling surface, a first wall disposed on the opposite side of the substrate portion from the cooling surface, and an intermediate portion interconnecting the first wall and the substrate portion. The first wall forms an insertion space for insertion of the wedge, and a heat transfer plane forming a heat dissipating surface and a heat transfer path of the circuit body. The intermediate portion is plastically deformed by inserting the wedge into the insertion space, thus causing the first wall to be displaced toward the location of the circuit body.
US09870973B2

Heat dissipaters 120a, 120b are thermally coupled to a memory 220 and a CPU 230 (heat generating components) disposed on a top surface (a first surface) of a substrate 210. A frame 130 is thermally conductive and is attached above the top surface of the substrate 210. Openings 131 are formed in locations corresponding to locations in the frame 130 where the heat dissipaters 120a, 120b are provided. Elastic rubber elements 150 are thermally conductive and flexible, and thermally couple the heat dissipaters 120a, 120b to the frame 130. This configuration is capable of dissipating heat generated by the heat generating components even when the heat generating components generate amounts of heat that exceed the heat dissipation ability of the heat dissipaters thermally coupled to the heat generating components.
US09870972B2

A thermosetting resin molded article including: a metal member; a first thermosetting resin layer containing a chelating agent in an amount of 0.5% by mass or more; and a second thermosetting resin layer containing no chelating agent or containing a chelating agent in an amount of less than 0.5% by mass, in which the metal member, the first thermosetting resin layer, and the second thermosetting resin layer are stacked in this order is provided. A semiconductor device including: a semiconductor element mounted on a substrate and metal members, which are sealed with a sealant, in which the sealant includes: a first thermosetting resin layer stacked on the semiconductor element and the metal member; and a second thermosetting resin layer stacked on the first thermosetting resin layer is also provided.
US09870971B2

An epoxy resin composition and a semiconductor device, the composition including an epoxy resin; a curing agent; an inorganic filler; a curing catalyst; and a silicon compound, wherein the curing catalyst includes a phosphonium compound represented by the following Formula 4 and the silicon compound comprises a silicon compound represented by the following Formula 7:
US09870961B2

Disclosed herein is a wafer processing method including a processed position measuring step of imaging an area including a beam plasma generated by applying a pulsed laser beam to a wafer, by using an imaging unit during the formation of a laser processed groove on the wafer, and next measuring the positional relation between the position of the beam plasma and a preset processing position. Accordingly, it is possible to check whether or not the laser processed groove is formed at a desired position, in real time during laser processing. If the position of the laser processed groove is deviated, the processed position can be immediately corrected.
US09870957B2

A vertical fin field effect transistor (V-FinFET) is provided as follows. A substrate has a lower source/drain (S/D). A fin structure extends vertically from an upper surface of the lower S/D. The fin structure includes a sidewall having an upper sidewall portion, a lower sidewall portion and a center sidewall portion positioned therebetween. An upper S/D is disposed on an upper surface of the fin structure. An upper spacer is disposed on the upper sidewall portion. A lower spacer is disposed on the lower sidewall portion. A stacked structure including a gate oxide layer and a first gate electrode is disposed on an upper surface of the lower spacer, the center sidewall portion and a lower surface of the upper spacer. A second gate electrode is disposed on the first gate electrode.
US09870943B2

A contact process for a semiconductor device is described. A substrate having a doped region and a dielectric layer over the doped region is provided. A contact hole is formed through the dielectric layer and exposing the doped region. An insulating liner layer is formed a in the contact hole. A portion of the insulating liner layer at a bottom of the contact hole is etch-removed and over-etching is performed. A conductive epitaxial layer is formed from the doped region in the contact hole, and then the contact hole is filled with a conductive material.
US09870935B2

A monitoring and deposition control system and method of operation thereof including: a deposition chamber for depositing a material layer on a substrate; a sensor array for monitoring deposition of the material layer for changes in a layer thickness of the material layer during deposition; and a processing unit for adjusting deposition parameters based on the changes in the layer thickness during deposition.
US09870928B2

A system and method for performing a wet etching process is disclosed. The system includes multiple processing stations accessible by a transfer device, including a measuring station to optically measure the thickness of a wafer before and after each etching steps in the process. The system also includes a controller to analyze the thickness measurements in view of a target wafer profile and generate an etch recipe, dynamically and in real time, for each etching step. In addition, the process controller can cause a single wafer wet etching station to etch the wafer according to the generated etching recipes. In addition, the system can, based on the pre and post-etch thickness measurements and target etch profile, generate and/or refine the etch recipes.
US09870927B2

Techniques for fabricating a semiconductor chip having a curved surface may include placing a substantially flat semiconductor chip in a recess surface of a concave mold such that corners or edges of the semiconductor chip are unconstrained or are the only portions of the semiconductor chip in physical contact with the concave mold; and bending the substantially flat semiconductor chip to form a concave shaped semiconductor chip by applying a force on the semiconductor chip toward the bottom of the recessed surface. The corners or edges of the semiconductor chip move or slide relative to the recess surface during the bending.
US09870926B1

A method of manufacturing a source structure for a p-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (PMOS) field effect transistor (FET) is provided. In the method, a first epitaxial layer comprising Si1-xGex is formed on a source region of an FET, a second epitaxial layer comprising Si1-yGey is formed on the first epitaxial layer, a third epitaxial layer comprising Si1-zGez is formed on the second epitaxial layer. Z is smaller than y.
US09870919B2

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to chambers and methods of processing substrates therein. The chambers generally include separate process gas and purge gas regions. The process gas region and purge gas region each have a respective gas inlet and gas outlet. The methods generally include positioning a substrate on a substrate support within the chamber. The plane of the substrate support defines the boundary between a process gas region and purge gas region. Purge gas is introduced into the purge gas region through at least one purge gas inlet, and removed from the purge gas region using at least one purge gas outlet. The process gas is introduced into the process gas region through at least one process gas inlet, and removed from the process gas region through at least one process gas outlet. The process gas is thermally decomposed to deposit a material on the substrate.
US09870900B2

Provided are methods and systems for managing semiconductor manufacturing equipment. A method may include preventive maintenance involving steps of disassembling, cleaning, and assembling parts of a chamber. The assembling of the parts may include checking whether the parts are correctly assembled, using reflectance and absorptivity of a high-frequency voltage applied to the parts.
US09870893B2

An optics plate for an ion implantation system, the optics plate comprising a pair of aperture assemblies. Each pair of aperture assemblies respectively comprises a first aperture member, a second aperture member; and an aperture fastener, wherein the aperture fastener fastens the first aperture member to the second aperture member. An aperture tip may be also fastened to the second aperture member. One or more of the first aperture member, second aperture member, aperture tip, and aperture fastener is made of one or more of a refractory metal, tungsten, lanthanated tungsten alloy, yttrium tungsten alloy, and/or graphite and silicon carbide. The aperture assemblies may define an extraction electrode assembly, a ground electrode assembly, or other electrode assembly in the ion implantation system. The aperture fastener may be a screw and a bevel washer. The first aperture member may be operably coupled to a base plate via an aperture assembly fastener.
US09870891B1

The present invention provides a technique for constructing compact, high gradient magnetic lenses for charged particle beam focusing. Methods for adjusting the focusing strength of the lenses are provided, based on thermal control, mechanical motion of the magnetic chips within the yoke. The present invention is a method for designing and fabricating permanent magnet focusing elements that are compact, simple to construct, and having a large, adjustable focusing strength. Applications include beamlines for THz radiation sources, free electron lasers, wakefield accelerators and any other charged particle devices that require a compact beamline.
US09870878B2

An information display system for a switching device having a handle includes a cover for the switching device and a faceplate. The cover includes an opening sized to allow passage of the handle. The faceplate is configured to carry information about the switching device. The faceplate is rotatable with respect to the cover to change an orientation of the information.
US09870865B2

A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes a ceramic multilayer body including dielectric ceramic layers and inner electrodes laminated with the dielectric ceramic layers interposed therebetween, wherein the dielectric ceramic layers include a perovskite compound containing Ba and Ti, and the inner electrodes (a) contain Ni as a main component, (b) include segregation with the perovskite compound containing Ba and Ti, which is scattered in the inner electrodes and embedded in the inner electrodes, in amount equal to or higher than about 2%, and (c) include columnar segregation with the perovskite compound containing Ba and Ti, which penetrates through the inner electrodes from one main surface side to the other main surface side, in an amount equal to or lower than about 5%, or do not include the columnar segregation. Further, an average thickness of the inner electrodes is equal to or smaller than about 0.4 μm.
US09870852B2

A method for driving an inductive actuator having an actuating element and an actuator coil, includes initially acting on the actuator coil with a voltage having a first value in order to move the actuating element counter to a spring force and acting on the actuator coil with a voltage having a greater, second value at the beginning of the movement of the actuating element. The second voltage value is selected in dependence on how quickly the actuating element is intended to be moved.
US09870851B2

A structure and method for fabricating a laterally configured thin film varistor surge protection device using low temperature sputtering techniques which do not damage IC device components contiguous to the varistor being fabricated. The lateral thin film varistor may include a continuous layer of alternating regions of a first metal oxide layer and a second metal oxide layer formed between two laterally spaced electrodes using a low temperature sputtering process followed by a low temperature annealing process.
US09870847B2

The method relates to an electric device comprising at least two electrodes which are separated by dielectric part. At least one of said electrodes is arranged to be at a floating potential. The dielectric part comprises at least one turn of at least one non-impregnatable electrically insulating film between two neighboring electrodes. The electrodes are bonded to adjacent turns of non-impregnatable insulating film, and adjacent turns of non-impregnatable insulating film, if any, are bonded to each other, so that the turns of non-impregnatable insulating film and the electrodes form a solid body. The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing an electric device, where bonding of at least one turn is performed upon forming of said turn, so that the bonding of said turn to the turn/electrode underneath will commence before said turn has been completely covered by the next turn.
US09870844B2

A method of producing an electrode for a lithium ion battery is disclosed in which an electrically conductive substrate is immersed into an electrodepositable composition, the substrate serving as the electrode in an electrical circuit comprising the electrode and a counter-electrode immersed in the composition, a coating being applied onto or over at least a portion of the substrate as electric current is passed between the electrodes. The electrodepositable composition comprises: (a) an aqueous medium; (b) an ionic (meth)acrylic polymer; and (c) solid particles comprising: (i) lithium-containing particles, and (ii) electrically conductive particles, wherein the composition has a weight ratio of solid particles to ionic (meth)acrylic polymer of at least 4:1.
US09870842B2

Rapidly curable electrically conductive clear coatings are applied to substrates. The electrically conductive clear coating includes to clear layer having a resinous binder with ultrafine non-stoichiometric tungsten oxide particles dispersed therein. The clear coating may be rapidly cured by subjecting the coating to infrared radiation that heats the tungsten oxide particles and surrounding resinous binder. Localized heating increases the temperature of the coating to thereby thermally cure the coating, while avoiding unwanted heating of the underlying substrate.
US09870840B2

According to example embodiments, a metallic glass includes aluminum (Al), a first element group, and a second element group. The first element group includes at least one of a transition metal and a rare earth element. The second element group includes at least one of an alkaline metal, an alkaline-earth metal, a semi-metal, and a non-metal. The second element group and aluminum have an electronegativity difference of greater than or equal to about 0.25. The second element group is included less than or equal to about 3 at % of the metallic glass, based on the total amount of the aluminum (Al), the first element group, and the second element group. A conductive paste and/or an electrode of an electronic device may be formed using the metallic glass.
US09870835B2

A memory repairing method and a memory device applying the same are disclosed, wherein the method comprises steps as follows: A memory device comprising at least one page having a plurality of cell strings is firstly provided. A regular data pattern is then provided to block at least two of the plurality of cell strings, and the blocked cells strings are marked as inaccessible.
US09870832B2

A control signal generation circuit may include: a counting unit suitable for generating counting information; a first signal generation unit suitable for activating/deactivating a first signal based on the counting information, first rising information, and first falling information; a second signal generation unit suitable for activating/deactivating a second signal based on the counting information, second rising information, second falling information, and the first falling information; and a control signal driving unit suitable for driving a control signal in response to the first and second signals.
US09870824B2

Loading data from a computer memory system is disclosed. A memory system is provided, wherein some or all data stored in the memory system is organized as one or more pointer-linked data structures. One or more iterator registers are provided. A first pointer chain is loaded, having two or more pointers leading to a first element of a selected pointer-linked data structure to a selected iterator register. A second pointer chain is loaded, having two or more pointers leading to a second element of the selected pointer-linked data structure to the selected iterator register. The loading of the second pointer chain reuses portions of the first pointer chain that are common with the second pointer chain.Modifying data stored in a computer memory system is disclosed. A memory system is provided. One or more iterator registers are provided, wherein the iterator registers each include two or more pointer fields for storing two or more pointers that form a pointer chain leading to a data element. A local state associated with a selected iterator register is generated by performing one or more register operations relating to the selected iterator register and involving pointers in the pointer fields of the selected iterator register. A pointer-linked data structure is updated in the memory system according to the local state.
US09870819B2

A semiconductor device including a memory device configured to take a plurality of resistance states that are distinguishable from one another; a bias application section configured to apply, in a bias application period, a bias signal to the memory device; and a determination section configured to determine a resistance state of the memory device on the basis of a detection signal, in which the detection signal is generated in the memory device to which the bias signal is applied. The bias application section sets a length of the bias application period in accordance with a resistance value of the memory device, when the resistance state determined by the determination section is predetermined one of the resistance states.
US09870791B1

A multi-sensor reader that includes a first sensor that has a first sensor stack, which includes a sensing layer that has a magnetization that changes according to an external magnetic field. The first sensor also includes a first seed layer below the first sensor stack. The multi-sensor reader also includes a second sensor stacked over the first sensor. The second sensor includes a second sensor stack, which includes a sensing layer that has a magnetization that changes according to the external magnetic field. The second sensor also includes a second seed layer below the second sensor stack. A stabilization element is included to maintain a magnetization direction of the second seed layer and to stabilize the second seed layer.
US09870790B1

A read sensor and fabrication method thereof. The method includes forming a bottom stack that includes an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer, a lower ferromagnetic stitch layer above the AFM layer and a sacrificial cap layer on the lower ferromagnetic stitch layer. The sacrificial cap layer is formed of a material that alloys magnetically with the lower ferromagnetic stitch layer. The method further includes substantially removing the sacrificial cap layer. After substantially removing the sacrificial layer, an upper ferromagnetic stitch layer is deposited on the lower ferromagnetic stitch layer of the bottom stack to form a stitch interface that provides relatively strong magnetic coupling between the lower ferromagnetic stitch layer of the bottom stack and the upper ferromagnetic stitch layer.
US09870787B1

A slider configured for heat-assisted magnetic recording has an upper surface, an opposing air bearing surface (ABS), and a body defined between the upper surface and the ABS. The slider comprises a write pole and a near-field transducer (NFT) at or near the ABS. An optical waveguide is configured to receive light from a laser source and comprises a first cladding layer, a second cladding layer, and a core between the first and second cladding layers. The core has a width, a length, and a longitudinal axis oriented along the length of the core. A bolometer is situated within the body of the slider at a location that receives at least some of the light communicated along the waveguide used during a writing operation. The bolometer is spaced apart from the core and comprises a longitudinal axis that is oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the core.
US09870786B2

According to one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a magnetic recording head includes forming a microwave oscillator to cover a main pole and a side shield and also to cross at least a part of a side gap between the main pole and the side shield, and lapping the main pole, the side shield and the microwave oscillator in a height direction while monitoring an electric resistance between the main pole and the side shield.
US09870784B2

A system and method for speech quality detection is included. The method may include receiving, at a computing device, a first speech signal associated with a particular user. The method may include extracting one or more short-term features from the first speech signal wherein extracting short-term features includes extracting a time frame of between 10-50 ms. The method may also include determining one or more statistics of each of the one or more short-term features from the first speech signal. The method may further include classifying the one or more statistics as belonging to one of a set of quality classes.
US09870782B2

Systems and methods for automatically adjusting telephonic conversation volume are provided. A computer-implemented method includes: detecting a telephone being used for a conversation and receiving data from at least one of a microphone, a camera, and a location system associated with the telephone. The method includes analyzing the data to determine at least one of: usage of sensitive or confidential words in the conversation; distance of the telephone to another person; level of annoyance of another person; conversation loudness relative to ambient loudness; location of the telephone relative to quiet areas. The method includes automatically adjusting a volume of a speaker of the telephone during the conversation based on the analyzing.
US09870773B2

Methods of identifying available connector ports on rack mounted equipment use an image capture device to capture an image of a front face of an equipment rack. The captured image is compared to at least one stored image. A patch cord insertion status of at least one connector port included on an item of equipment that is mounted on the equipment rack is then determined based at least in part on the comparison of the captured image to the at least one stored image.
US09870761B2

This disclosure includes a first magnet and a second magnet spaced from the first magnet in a repulsive relationship. A rod is configured to be secured to a musical instrument and is in a corresponding relationship with the first and second magnets. The corresponding relationship is defined as the movement of the rod corresponds to movement between the first and second magnets.
US09870756B2

A display panel including a pixel array and a gate driver circuit is provided. The pixel array has a plurality of pixels. The gate driver circuit is used for providing a plurality of gate signals to the pixels and includes a plurality of shift registers and a plurality of demultiplexers. The shift registers respectively receive a first gate signal of the gate signals and a first clock signal of a plurality of clock signals to respectively provide a first control signal and a second control signal. The demultiplexers respectively receive a plurality of second clock signals of the clock signals, respectively turn-on according to the first control signal provided by the corresponding one of the shift registers, and respectively cut-off according to the second control signal provided by the corresponding one of the shift registers.
US09870755B2

Implementations relate to prioritized display of visual content in computer presentations. In some implementations, a computer-executed method includes obtaining first visual content and second visual content associated with the first visual content, where the first and second visual content include a plurality of pixels. The method provides a display of a computer presentation by a display device, where the first visual content is displayed in a presentation area of the computer presentation. The method determines that a first presentation priority of at least a portion of the first visual content is reduced based on a determination that less than a threshold amount of the at least a portion of the first visual content has changed. In response to determining that the first presentation priority is reduced, the method improves a visibility of a display of the second visual content in the computer presentation.
US09870753B2

A rearview assembly for a vehicle is provided that includes: a housing configured for mounting to the vehicle; a rearview element disposed in the housing that displays images of a scene exterior of the vehicle; a light sensor assembly disposed in the housing; and a controller for receiving the electrical signal of the light sensor and for adjusting a brightness of the images displayed by the rearview element. The light sensor includes a light sensor for outputting an electrical signal representing intensity of light impinging upon a light-receiving surface of the light sensor, and a secondary optical element configured to receive light, wherein the light passes through the secondary optical element to the light sensor, the secondary optical element including a tint material that is substantially color neutral for attenuating light passing therethrough.
US09870752B2

In some embodiments a detector is to detect a body of a user. A controller is to determine an area of focus of the user in response to the detector, and to dim a portion of a display that is not in the area of focus. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09870746B2

A liquid crystal display apparatus is provided which includes a pixel including a storage capacitor, wherein the storage capacitor is connected to be between a pixel electrode and a storage voltage line, a light sensing unit connected to be between the storage voltage line and a first node, and a transfer unit connected to transfer a voltage from the first node to a sensing line.
US09870743B2

A display apparatus including: a plurality of pixels receiving data voltages in response to gate signals; a drive circuit generating a power voltage and a control signal; a gate driver operating with the power voltage, generating the gate signals and a dummy gate signal in response to the control signal, and supplying the dummy gate signal to the drive circuit; and a data driver operating with the power voltage and generating the data voltages in response to the control signal. The drive circuit measures a temperature of the drive circuit, and a voltage and a current at an output node of the drive circuit generating the power voltage. The measured temperature, voltage and current, and the dummy gate signal are stored in the drive circuit in a predetermined order. This information can be used to detect error states that the display can indicate and use to protect itself from damage.
US09870737B2

A sensing circuit capable of simplifying a configuration of a data driver by reducing a size of a sensing circuit provided at each data driver, and an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device having the same are provided. The sensing circuit includes N sampling and holding circuits, a scaler and an analog-digital converter.
US09870733B2

A data signal processing device includes a load calculator and a compensation processor. The load calculator calculates an on-pixel rate (OPR) based on image data signals and positional weight values. The positional weight values are determined based on locations of pixels in a display panel. The OPR is proportional to a frame luminance load, which corresponds to a sum of driving currents for the pixels to emit light in each of a plurality of frames. The compensation processor compensates distorted luminance caused by the frame luminance load based on the OPR.
US09870731B2

Techniques for implementing aging compensation for a display are described. An example of an electronic device includes a display comprising pixels, each pixel comprising one or more Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). The electronic device also includes a display aging compensation unit to receive input frame data corresponding to content to be displayed, adjust the input frame data to generate output frame data based on a degree of aging of the LEDs, and send the output frame data to the display. The electronic device also includes a display aging monitoring and compensation processing unit to accumulate aging data that describes the degree of aging of the LEDs. The aging data is to be accumulated by sampling the output frame data at a sampling rate that varies depending on a type of the content to be displayed.
US09870727B2

A display device includes: a display unit including pixels including a first color subpixel at a left upper end, a second color subpixel at a left lower end, and a third color subpixel at a right side; a data converter to convert first color, second color, and third color unit input data into first color, second color, and third color unit adapted data; and a driver to apply an image signal to the pixel based on the adapted data, the data converter generating unit adapted data using first unit input data of a target subpixel and second unit input data of another subpixel adjacent the target subpixel along a direction, the direction being: an up direction when the target subpixel is the first color subpixel; a down direction when the target subpixel is the second color subpixel; and a right direction when the target subpixel is the third color subpixel.
US09870724B1

A tag for positioning on containers for carrying item(s). The tag includes a base layer having a second status identifier that comprises a status identification symbol. The tag also includes a front layer having a top portion and a bottom portion and a removable tab connecting the top portion and the bottom portion. The bottom portion and the top portion are secured to the base layer. When the front layer is secured to the base layer, the front layer covers the second status identifier. The removable tab includes a first status identifier that is visible when the tab is retained to the front layer and, when the tab is removed, the second status identifier is visible.
US09870711B2

A flight routing system for determining an alternative route for an aircraft based on an airspace partitioned into a plurality of sectors, and an original flight route having an initial point of takeoff and a destination point is disclosed. The flight routing system includes a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to perform operations including determining a plurality of points within each of the plurality of sectors. The plurality of points are each located along an edge of one of the plurality of sectors. The processor also performs operations including determining at least one connecting arc for each sector, where the connecting arc connects a first point with another point within each sector. The processor further performs operations for determining a complete time-based airspace network based on at least a forecast capacity.
US09870708B2

Methods and devices enabling safe tailgating by a vehicle are disclosed. In an embodiment, the method includes capturing an image of a standardized identification plate of the at least one leading vehicle; determining a distance between the leading vehicle and a trailing vehicle based on width of the standardized identification plate and perceived pixel width of the captured image; dynamically generating a tailgating zone classifier table based on at least one of one or more vehicle parameters, one or more driving pattern parameters, or one or more driving condition parameters associated with the at least one leading vehicle; and dynamically selecting, by the safe tailgating computing device, one of the plurality of safe distance buffer zones based on the distance between the at least one leading vehicle and the at least one trailing vehicle.
US09870707B2

Disclosed are methods and systems for determining a route for a vehicle where the probability for locating a vacant parking place is greatest. In response to a user's request for a vacant parking place, the system of the invention generates a route map and/or a heat map of the route with the highest probability of locating a vacant parking place.
US09870705B2

A system for providing travel and traffic information to an occupant of a vehicle, the system comprising: an electronic device 12″ positionable in the vehicle; a remote server 16′ arranged to provide travel information based on a determined position of the electronic device 12″; and an in-vehicle radio receiver unit 15′ comprising means for audio and/or visual output of travel information to the vehicle occupant. The electronic device 12″, for example in the form of a vehicle cigarette lighter adapter (CLA), comprises a plug that is insertable into an in-vehicle power supply socket for providing power to the electronic device. The position of the electronic device 12″ is determined by a GPS receiver 220. The electronic device 12″ also comprises a network transceiver 224 for communicating with the remote server 16′ via a wireless telecommunications network and a radio transmitter 226. The network transceiver 224 is arranged to demand and receive travel information from the remote server 16′ based on the determined position, and the radio transmitter 226 is arranged to transmit the received travel information to the in-vehicle radio receiver unit 15′.
US09870704B2

A method and system for camera calibration comprises configuring a calibration target comprising calibration reflectors on a test vehicle. Video of a test scene is collected. Next the test vehicle is identified as it enters the test scene and recorded as it passes through the test scene. The position of the calibration target in each frame of the video is determined and the corresponding individual position of each calibration reflector for each frame of the recorded frames is used to construct a camera calibration map to calibrate the video camera.
US09870703B2

Systems and methods are disclosed for a pedestrian warning system. An example disclosed method to simulate noise for an electric or noise-dampened vehicle to warning pedestrians includes producing a first sound at a first frequency range from a first sound generator located at a front of the vehicle. The method also includes producing a second sound at a second frequency range from a second sound generator located under the vehicle. Additionally, the example method includes adjusting the acoustic characteristics of the first and second sounds based on vehicle motion data.
US09870699B2

A security sensor system is provided which allows the stopping of the device due to the end of a battery life to be postponed by suppressing battery power consumption, which is caused due to an object detection operation of the security sensor system, after a low battery state is detected. The security sensor system is powered by a battery. When a low battery detector detects a reduction in the voltage of the battery, an object detection operation of the security sensor system is switched from a normal mode to a suppression mode. Consumption of the battery in the suppression mode is suppressed.
US09870698B2

Systems and techniques are provided for security system re-arming. Input invoking restricted credentials may be received. The security system of an environment may be changed from a first mode to a second mode based on the restricted credentials. The restricted credentials used to change the security system to the second mode may be determined to be near expiration based on an expiration condition of the restricted credentials. A notification may be sent to a person associated with the restricted credentials including a reminder to use the restricted credentials to change the security system to the first mode before the restricted credentials expire.
US09870694B2

Apparatuses, techniques, and methods for a security and/or automation system are described. In some cases, methods may include obtaining data from a first sensor at a first location, receiving identification data related to a person or an event at the first location; comparing the obtained data with the identification data, adjusting a first security action at the first location based at least in part on comparing the received data with the obtained data, and transmitting information to a second sensor at a second location different from the first location based at least in part on the determining, the second sensor being part of a predetermined group of devices.
US09870686B2

A system, method, and device for improving the functioning of security tags for use with merchandise are provided. A security tag device, to be used in conjunction with a tag monitoring device, may be provided with a product. The product may be conductive or may have metallic packaging. The security tag may include a planar dielectric substrate having a first side and an opposing side. An electronic article surveillance (EAS) circuit may be placed on the first side of the planar dielectric substrate. A ferrite sheet having a first side and an opposing side may be coupled to the opposing side of the planar dielectric substrate. A metal backing sheet may be coupled to the opposing side of the ferrite sheet. The planar dielectric substrate may be centered or offset on the ferrite sheet and the ferrite sheet may be centered or offset on the metal backing sheet.
US09870684B2

There is provided an information processing apparatus including an obtaining unit configured to obtain a plurality of segments compiled from at least one media source, wherein each segment of the plurality of segments contains at least one image frame within which a specific target object is found to be captured, and a providing unit configured to provide image frames of the obtained plurality of segments for display along a timeline and in conjunction with a tracking status indicator that indicates a presence of the specific target object within the plurality of segments in relation to time.
US09870680B2

A communication light visualization structure includes a duplex LC communication light visualization adapter including an opening portion connected to a first light extraction space and a second light extraction space, and a guide groove formed in the opening portion; and a duplex LC communication light detector including a base portion that has the same cross-sectional shape as the opening portion, a first light receiver that receives first leakage light, a second light receiver that receives second leakage light, a light blocking wall that shields the first light extraction space and the second light extraction space from each other, and a display portion that individually displays a communication status of a first communication path and a second communication path. The guide groove is formed at a position such that cross sections of the opening portion and the base portion fit together in only one direction.
US09870670B2

Two-way exchange vending can be performed by a two-way exchange based vending machine. The two-way exchange based vending machine can vend rechargeable batteries. The two-way exchange based vending machine can include different modules to perform different functionalities. The two-way exchange based vending machine can include a communications module, a dispensing module, a rejection module, and a receiving module. The communications module can communicate information to and receive inputs from a user. The dispensing module can dispense one or more rechargeable batteries or other requested products to a user. The receiving module can receive one or more rechargeable batteries from a user.
US09870666B2

A system, method and computer program for tabulating votes and creating an audit trail is provided. A ballot processing device may include a paper feed mechanism, a computer, a ballot processing application loaded on the computer, and a digital scanning device linked to the computer. The ballot processing application may process the digital image to establish a series of processing results definning one or more voting results for the paper ballot, and also an audit trail. The ballot processing application may process the digital image to define the voting results based on criteria established by election officials, including ambiguous mark criteria. The audit trail enables election officials to verify that particular paper ballots have been processed correctly in accordance with these criteria.
US09870663B2

The invention relates to a method of pre-authenticating a user at a vehicle with a view to allowing the user to access the vehicle when a handle provided on a door of said vehicle is actuated, said user being provided with a mobile device, said vehicle and said mobile device each comprising a wireless communication interface operating according to the BLE protocol; each of said interfaces initially being in the “notification” state in which each of said interfaces transmits for a basic transmission time; said method comprising: —steps of connecting said interfaces according to the BLE protocol—steps of identifying and authenticating the mobile device, by the vehicle; a step in which the vehicle stores the identity data or the mobile device if the identification and authentication steps have been completed; —a subsequent step in which, when the handle of the vehicle door is actuated, the interface of the vehicle shifts from the “notification” state to the “scanning” state; —a tenth step in which the interface in the “scanning” state confirms the presence of the interface of the mobile device in the “notification” state.
US09870659B2

Some embodiments include a computer server. The computer server can be configured to: add a security system associated with a user account; provision one or more communication devices associated with the security system; configure a cryptographic key to associate at least a communication device amongst the communication devices with the security system; configure an access control file that is cryptographically signed by the computer server and encrypted with the cryptographic key associated with the security system, wherein the access control file contains permissions of the communication devices to the security system; and provide a data payload including the access control file to a first communication device of the communication devices.
US09870618B2

An apparatus for identifying a candidate area in a first image corresponding to an object in a second image, includes a memory and a processor to divide the plurality of candidate areas into a plurality of small candidate areas, divide an image area of the object into a plurality of small areas, perform first comparison processing for a first part, when there is a first candidate area lacking image information of the small candidate area corresponding to the first part, perform second comparison processing for a second part, predict missing result on the small candidate area corresponding to the first part in the first candidate area based on a result of the first comparison processing on a candidate area other than the first candidate area, and a result of the second comparison processing on the plurality of candidate areas, and identify the candidate area based on a prediction.
US09870617B2

Apparatus and methods for detecting and utilizing saliency in digital images. In one implementation, salient objects may be detected based on analysis of pixel characteristics. Least frequently occurring pixel values may be deemed as salient. Pixel values in an image may be compared to a reference. Color distance may be determined based on a difference between reference color and pixel color. Individual image channels may be scaled when determining saliency in a multi-channel image. Areas of high saliency may be analyzed to determine object position, shape, and/or color. Multiple saliency maps may be additively or multiplicative combined in order to improve detection performance (e.g., reduce number of false positives). Methodologies described herein may enable robust tracking of objects utilizing fewer determination resources. Efficient implementation of the methods described below may allow them to be used for example on board a robot (or autonomous vehicle) or a mobile determining platform.
US09870612B2

A method includes inspecting a mask to locate a defect region for a defect of the mask. A phase distribution of an aerial image of the defect region is acquired. A point spread function of an imaging system is determined. One or more repair regions of the mask are identified based on the phase distribution of the aerial image of the defect region and the point spread function. A repair process is performed to the one or more repair regions of the mask to form one or more repair features.
US09870609B2

A system estimates quality of a digital image by accessing a corpus of digital images of one or more subjects, such as a facet of a property. The system will receive, for at least a subset of the corpus, an indicator that one or more patches of each image in the subset is out of focus. The system will train a classifier by obtaining a feature representation of each pixel in each image, along with a focus value that represents an extent to which each pixel in the image is in focus or out of focus. The system will use the classifier to analyze pixels of a new digital image and assess whether each analyzed pixel in the new digital image is in focus or out of focus. The system may use the image to assess whether an incident occurred, such as storm-related damage to the property.
US09870605B2

A digital image processing technique, such as an image warping operation, is stored in a pre-computed lookup table (LUT) prior to image processing. The LUT represents a pixel-to-pixel mapping of pixel coordinates in a source image to pixel coordinates in a destination image. For vectors containing only inlier pixels, a fast remap table is generated based on the original LUT. Each SIMD vector listed in the fast remap is indexed to the coordinates of one of the source pixels that maps to one of the destination pixels in the vector. Other SIMD vectors that contain at least one outlier pixel are listed in an outlier index. For each vector indexed in the fast remap, linear vector I/O operations are used to load the corresponding source pixels instead of using scatter/gather vector I/O load operations via the LUT. The remaining outlier pixels are processed using scatter/gather I/O operations via the LUT.
US09870588B1

Adapting a tax preparation program to a user of the tax preparation program. Data related to a user of the tax preparation program is received at a computer, and a processing element compares received data to profile criteria to select a profile, which may be a pre-defined profile or a dynamically generated profile. A first template corresponding to the selected profile is selected and includes a first collection of forms or screens selected from available forms or screens of the tax preparation program. The first template screens or forms are displayed to the user who prepares an electronic tax return using the first template. The manner in which the user interacts with or changes the first template may be used to generate a modified or second template, which may be used to prepare a current or future electronic tax return and may be provided to other users having similar profiles.
US09870585B2

Event venues include multiple seats for eventgoers, and each seat may be coupled to a seat beacon. The seat beacon may identify the ticket of an eventgoer sitting in them, either by scanning it, interfacing with a user mobile device, or accepting manual input at an interface provided at the seat. A centralized event venue controller may check the ticket identifier against seat identifiers in a ticket purchase information database. If the eventgoer is in the wrong seat, the seat may identify itself locally by lighting a light or remotely by notifying an administrator device. If the eventgoer is in the correct seat, the seat beacon may be used by the eventgoer to order food, drinks, Wi-Fi access, or seat customizations such as a seat heater or a name tag or a cooling cup holder. Such seat customizations can also be provided at the time of ticket purchase.
US09870581B1

A method for providing a content item element marketplace is disclosed. The method includes receiving an element uploaded by an element provider, the element comprising a segment of media that enhances presentation of a content item, identifying the element as participating in the element marketplace, obtaining, from the element provider, identification of one or more accepted payment modalities for the element, associating the identified element with the obtained one or more accepted payment modalities in the element marketplace, and providing the identified element in the element marketplace for browsing by content creators.
US09870574B2

Various embodiments of the present technology generally relate to data delivery. More specifically, some embodiments of the present technology relate to systems and methods for using spatial and temporal analysis to associate data sources with mobile devices. The delivery of data to support a wide variety of services for and about mobile devices that are based on data stored in corporate, commercial, and government databases which is not currently linked to individual mobile devices. Some embodiments allow advertisers to better target their ads to relevant target audience with greater accuracy.
US09870568B2

Methods and systems for determining prices of customized virtual machines required to process customer-specified workloads are disclosed. A count of instances of the customized virtual machines, required to process the customer-specified workloads is determined, based on a configuration of the customized virtual machines. The instances of the customized virtual machines are consolidated on virtual machine servers. Further, the prices of the customized virtual machines are determined based on a count of the virtual machine servers, unused resources in the virtual machine servers, and unused resources in the customized virtual machines. The determined prices are recommended to the customer. Further, at least one of the prices of the customized virtual machines or the configuration of at least one or more customized virtual machines is modified, based on a response to the recommendation received from the customer.
US09870561B2

A numbering system is provided having an identifier with hexadecimal, vigesimal, quadrivigesimal, or any other suitable alphanumeric characters includable on a card and an account identifiable using the identifier. The card can be a gift card, a customer loyalty card, or a customer incentive card. An interface may be connected to a communications network that is accessible to associate the identifier with an account and manage funds associable with the account. Funds data may be associable with the account and storable on the remote server, the funds data relating to the funds transferred by a user to a card issuer. The identifier may be storable on the card in an electronically readable format, and may be included on the card via printing and/or imprinting. A method is provided for using the numbering system.
US09870558B1

A payment terminal can have an application processing unit coupled to a transaction processing unit. The transaction processing unit can receive payment information from a payment device via a payment interface coupled to the transaction processing unit. The transaction processing unit can encrypt the payment information in accordance with a standard payment protocol and provide the encrypted payment information and other protocol dependent information to the application processing unit. The application processing unit can execute a point-of-sale application that can have the transaction processing unit acquire the payment information and have the application processing unit transmit the encrypted payment information and other protocol-dependent information from the transaction processing unit to a payment server.
US09870556B2

A method for maintaining a prepaid payment system comprises a user account that can be utilized to complete a purchase transaction with a merchant. A delayed processing window is introduced between a time when the merchant receives a payment approval notification from the payment system and a time when the payment system transmits a payment request to an issuer of a funding account associated with the user's payment system account. The payment system utilizes a user's stored value account maintained by the payment system to satisfy the requirements of a prepaid program, and therefore processes the payment request received from the merchant and transmits the payment approval notification without obtaining prior authorization from the issuer of the funding account. The payment system submits one or more payment requests for the funding transaction at a time after the completion of the purchase transaction between the user and the merchant.
US09870551B2

Collaborative space planning for a data center is provided. Methods include receiving, into a collaboration server that provides a collaborative environment for a plurality of data center personnel to participate in data center design operations, data corresponding to a data center modification operation from one of the plurality of data center personnel, sending the data corresponding to the data center modification operation to other ones of the plurality of data center personnel from the collaboration server, receiving, into the collaboration server, supplemental data corresponding to the data center modification from one of the other ones of plurality of data center personnel and sending the supplemental data to the plurality of data center personnel from the collaboration server responsive to receiving the supplemental data.
US09870547B2

Systems of demand and capacity management with machine-time accuracy are provided. The system includes an allocation planning module, an order management module, a capacity model, and a capacity management module. The allocation planning module receives a demand plan for a product. The capacity management module transforms the demand plan into a machine-time-based plan according to the capacity model, and reserves capacity according to the machine-time-based plan for the demand plan. The capacity management module further transforms a purchase order received by the order management module before a cutoff date for the product into a machine-time-based order, accepts the machine-time-based order and decreases the reservation capacity depending on the machine-time-based plan.
US09870541B2

Embodiments relate to systems and methods for service level backup using a re-cloud network. A set of operating clouds can support many users. The users can accept service based on a service level agreement (SLA), according to which the user is assured a certain level of service or support from the cloud, such as a minimum amount of uptime, a minimum amount of processor cycles or network bandwidth, or other guaranteed parameters of the usage of their virtual machine. The set of operating clouds in which the user's service is supported can be configured to communicate a service level augmentation request to a backup cloud to request additional resources to maintain the delivery of one or more SLA-specified support to users. The backup cloud network can in turn be nested with other backup clouds or resources.
US09870536B1

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to an integrated drive and readout circuit assembly. Directional couplers are configured to connect to qubit-resonator systems. Diplexers are coupled to the directional couplers. A microwave signal combiner is coupled to the diplexers.
US09870535B2

An electronic device described herein includes a sensing unit having at least one sensor to acquire sensing data. An associated computing device extracts sensor specific features from the sensing data, and generates a motion activity vector, a voice activity vector, and a spatial environment vector as a function of the sensor specific features. The motion activity vector, voice activity vector, and spatial environment vector are processed to determine a base level context of the electronic device relative to its surroundings, with the base level context having aspects each based on the motion activity vector, voice activity vector, and spatial environment vector. Meta level context of the electronic device relative to its surroundings is determined as a function of the base level context, with the meta level context being at least one inference made from at least two aspects of the plurality of aspects of the base level context.
US09870533B2

A wearable apparatus may include a sensor configured to identify a characteristic of the wearable apparatus. The wearable apparatus may also include an activity tracker configured to identify an activity of a tracked individual. The wearable apparatus may further include a memory. The wearable apparatus may include a processor operatively coupled to the memory. The processor may be configured to receive portable autonomous decision logic via a network and execute the portable autonomous decision logic. When executing the autonomous decision logic, the processor is configured to receive the characteristic via the sensor, receive the activity via the activity tracker; determine a state of the tracked individual based on at least one of the characteristic or the activity; and generate an output based on the state of the tracked individual.
US09870519B2

A system, method and computer program product for hierarchical sparse dictionary learning (“HiSDL”) to construct a learned dictionary regularized by an a priori over-complete dictionary, includes providing at least one a priori over-complete dictionary for regularization, performing sparse coding of the at least one a priori over-complete dictionary to provide a sparse coded dictionary, using a processor, updating the sparse coded dictionary with regularization using at least one auxiliary variable to provide a learned dictionary, determining whether the learned dictionary converges to an input data set, and outputting the learned dictionary regularized by the at least one a priori over-complete dictionary when the learned dictionary converges to the input data set. The system and method includes, when the learned dictionary lacks convergence, repeating the steps of performing sparse coding, updating the sparse coded dictionary, and determining whether the learned dictionary converges to the input data set.
US09870504B1

Various embodiments associated with a composite image are described. In one embodiment, a handheld device comprises a launch component configured to cause a launch of a projectile. The projectile is configured to capture a plurality of images. Individual images of the plurality of images are of different segments of an area. The system also comprises an image stitch component configured to stitch the plurality of images into a composite image. The composite image is of a higher resolution than a resolution of individual images of the plurality of images.
US09870503B2

A method of operating an image detection device includes receiving an image, dividing the image into a plurality of patches, grouping ones of the plurality of patches, generating a set of saccadic paths through the plurality of patches of the image, generating a cluster-direction sequence for each saccadic path, generating a policy function for identifying an object in a new image using a combination of the cluster-direction sequences, and operating the image detection device using the policy function to identify an object in the new image.
US09870501B2

A method for processing value documents comprises the following steps: by means of a camera device an action of an operator of a value-document processing apparatus is captured. The captured image data are processed by means of an image processing device and at least one predetermined gesture is extracted from the processed image data. An input information item for the value-document processing apparatus is then allocated to the extracted gesture. The input information is provided in the value-document processing apparatus and processed there. The input information can represent a control information item or a data input information item.
US09870499B2

A biometric collection device that includes a housing and a fingerprint sensor. The biometric collection device provides signals to a user by activating a first signal when the biometric collection device is ready to capture a fingerprint image from the fingerprint sensor, activates a second signal when the biometric collection device begins capturing the fingerprint image, and activates a third signal when the biometric collection device successfully captures the fingerprint image.
US09870498B2

A system and method for calibrating a barcode scanning tunnel comprises providing a scanning tunnel having a moveable surface, a camera, and a dimensioning device. Orientations of the dimensioning device and camera are estimated. Instances of a calibration object on the moveable surface are acquired by the dimensioning device and the camera, and a relationship is defined between the two devices. A calibration object is moved along the moveable surface through the devices' fields of view, controlling the camera's focal distance according to the relationship, so that the dimensioning device and the camera acquire instances of the calibration object, and the relationship is revised.
US09870497B2

A protective cap for a scanning device is provided that retains a device exit window in a fixed position relative to a scan engine while reducing the likelihood of a collision between the scan engine and the exit window when the scanning device is subjected to mechanical stress. Also provided are scanning devices having such a protective cap. The protective cap includes first, second and third portions. The first portion is coupled with an outwardly-facing surface of the exit window and operates to retain the exit window against a scan engine support. The second portion is coupled with the scan engine support and operates to keep the scan engine at a fixed distance from the exit window. The third portion is coupled with an enclosure for the scanning device and operates to secure the exit window and the scan engine at a fixed position with respect to the enclosure.
US09870487B2

A method of operation of an automated assembly system includes: detecting a socket adapter having an adapter identifier and an adapter cryptographic chip; calculating a primary key hash based on a primary key in a programming cryptographic chip; calculating an adapter hash based on the adapter identifier using the adapter cryptographic chip; matching the primary key hash to the adapter hash to update an authentication token with the adapter identifier for authenticating the socket adapter on the device programming system; and programming programmable devices in the socket adapter based on the authentication token.
US09870486B2

Methods and apparatus to assign demographic information to panelists are disclosed. Example disclosed methods include generating decoy database proprietor identifiers based on probability density functions. The example method also include querying a database proprietor using panelist database proprietor identifiers and the decoy database proprietor identifiers to obtain demographic information associated with the panelist database proprietor identifiers. The example method also include assigning the panelist database proprietor identifiers to panelists based on the demographic information obtained from the database proprietor.
US09870485B2

A system and method for detecting sensitive user input leakages in software applications, such as applications created for smartphone platforms. The system and method are configured to parse user interface layout files of the software application to identify input fields and obtain information concerning the input fields. Input fields that contain sensitive information are identified and a list of sensitive input fields, such as contextual IDs, is generated. The sensitive information fields are identified by reviewing the attributes, hints and/or text labels of the user interface layout file. A taint analysis is performed using the list of sensitive input fields and a sink dataset in order to detect information leaks in the sensitive input fields.
US09870480B2

A system for automatically replacing a user security group-based computer security policy by a computer security policy based at least partially on actual access, including a learned access permissions subsystem operative to learn current access permissions of users to network objects in an enterprise computer environment and to provide an indication of which users are members of which user security groups having access permissions to which network objects, a learned actual access subsystem operative to learn actual access history of users in the enterprise to the network objects and to provide indications of which users have had actual access to which network objects, and a computer security policy administration subsystem, receiving indications from the learned access permission subsystem and the learned actual access subsystem and being operative to automatically replace pre-selected user-security group-based access permissions with at least partially actual access-based access permissions without disrupting access to network objects.
US09870479B2

Due to different formats for documents, in particular different means of identifying users, it is a problem how to handle a document in a cloud storage system, in which a user is identified by first user credentials, for processing by an authenticated printing system for which the user is identified by second user credentials. This problem is solved by a method comprising the steps of: i. obtaining the document from the cloud storage system, the document comprising document metadata comprising the first user credentials, ii. obtaining the second user credentials based on the first user credentials, iii, obtaining a print job corresponding to the document, the print job comprising print job metadata comprising the second user credentials, and iv. forwarding at least the print job metadata comprising the second user credentials, to the authenticated printing system for the processing. A system and a computer program product for performing the method are also provided.
US09870478B1

A method for protecting data on a first storage device from unauthorized access is provided. The method includes copying a data map, such as a file allocation table, from the first storage device, on which the data to be protected resides, to a second storage device. A security key is established for the data map. The data map is then deleted from the first storage device, to render unusable the data thereon. The data map is restored to the first storage device upon successful input of the security key.
US09870477B2

The presenting invention relates to techniques for implementing a secure operating environment for the execution of applications on a computing devices (e.g., a mobile phone). In The secure operating environment may provide a trusted environment with dedicated computing resources to manage security and integrity of processing and data for the applications. The applications may be provided with a variety of security services and/or functions to meet different levels of security demanded by an application. The secure operating environment may include a security engine that enumerates and/or determines the security capabilities of the secure operating environment and the computing device, e.g., the hardware, the software, and/or the firmware of the computing device. The security engine may provide security services desired by applications by choosing from the security capabilities that are supported by the secure operating environment and the computing device.
US09870475B2

Embodiments related to hardware configuration reporting and arbitration are disclosed herein. For example, an apparatus for hardware configuration reporting may include: a processing device having a trusted execution environment (TEE) and a non-trusted execution environment (non-TEE); request service logic, stored in the memory, to operate within the TEE to receive an indication of a request from arbiter logic, wherein the request represents a hardware configuration register; and reporting logic, stored in the memory, to operate within the TEE and to report an indicator of a value of the hardware configuration register represented by the request to the arbiter logic. Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed.
US09870474B2

A firmware-based mechanism for protecting against physical attacks on ROM areas holding Authenticated Variables. A first hash of contents of at least one Authenticated Variable is created by a computing device's UEFI-compliant firmware and stored in a non-volatile storage location. Subsequently a second hash of contents of the at least one Authenticated Variable is created by the firmware and compared by the firmware to the stored hash to identify unauthorized modifications of the at least one Authenticated Variable occurring after the creation of the first hash.
US09870470B2

A multi-stage event detector for monitoring a system to detect the occurrence of multistage events in the monitored system, the multi-stage event detector includes: one or more event detecting detector units (142, 144) for detecting observable events occurring on the monitored system; one or more parameter generating detector units (152, 154) for generating parameter values which vary over time dependent on the behavior of the monitored system; a hidden state determiner (120) for determining a likely sequence of states of interest of the system based on the outputs of the one or more event detecting detector units; and a transition determiner (130) for determining a likely transition occurrence based on a comparison of a set of values of a parameter or set of parameters generated by one or more of the one or more parameter generating detector units with a plurality of pre-specified functions or sets of values of a corresponding parameter or set of parameters associated with different transition occurrences.
US09870466B2

There is disclosed in one example, a computing apparatus, including: first one or more logic elements providing a code module, the code module comprising a member having a branching policy designating either a public or private member; second one or more logic elements providing a policy engine, operable to: receive a first branch instruction to the member; determine that the branch instructions does not meet the policy; and take a security action. There is also disclosed a method of providing a policy engine, and a computer-readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions for providing a policy engine.
US09870461B2

Techniques are disclosed for generating, utilizing, and validating traceable image CAPTCHAs. In certain embodiments, a traceable image is displayed, and a trace of the image is analyzed to determine whether a user providing the trace is human. In certain embodiments, a computing device receives a request for an image, and in response, creates a traceable image based upon a plurality of image elements. The computing device transmits data representing the traceable image to cause a second computing device to display the traceable image via a touch-enabled display. The computing device receives a user trace input data generated responsive to a trace made at the second computing device, and determines whether the trace is within an error tolerance range of the set of coordinates associated with the traceable image. The computing device then sends a result of the determination.
US09870454B2

Examples of techniques for determining security access based on user behavioral measurements are disclosed. In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method is provided. The method may comprise performing a trust evaluation to calculate a trust penalty value for a user based on a plurality of measured user attributes. The method may further comprise determining, by a processing device, a security access level based on a predefined trust threshold and the trust penalty value for the user. The method may also comprise applying the security access level to the user.
US09870452B1

An electronic book distribution system includes electronic devices that reset their passcodes after specified authentication failures. The passcodes of an individual electronic device is reset to a value that is generated using a predefined function of a randomly generated support code. The support code is displayed to the user, and the user is instructed to contact a support service in order to obtain the new passcode. The support service independently authenticates the user, calculates the new device passcode using the same predefined function used by the electronic device, and provides the new passcode to the user.
US09870444B2

A method and apparatus for processing shop order instances for an aircraft. A model of the aircraft is identified. The shop order instances for the aircraft are identified. A status of the shop order instances is identified. Graphical representations of parts for a group of shop order instances in a graphical user interface are displayed on a display device. A set of graphical indicators in association with the graphical representations of the parts displayed in the graphical user interface is displayed. The set of graphical indicators indicates the status of the shop order instances.
US09870441B1

Described is a method for implementing a snap to capability that enables the manufactured of a valid pattern in a semiconductor device, based upon an originally invalid pattern.
US09870437B2

Computer-implemented methods and systems of detecting and modeling curbs include receiving a cloud of three-dimensional (3D) data points acquired along street locations. A plurality of vertical scanlines (e.g., arrays of 3D data points obtained at given horizontal locations) are identified within the cloud of 3D data points. One or more curb points indicating the potential presence of a curb in the plurality of vertical scanlines are identified. A synthesized set of non-overlapping curb curves are generated in order to close gaps between certain curb points while removing certain other outlier curb points. Successive curb curves in the synthesized set of non-overlapping curb curves are then identified as belonging to one or more curb segments. A curb model that fits each of the one or more curb segments to one or more curb model shape representations can then be generated.
US09870433B2

A data processing method of establishing an input recommendation is provided. The method establishes an inverted index having a variable prefix length based on entry number distribution, thus preventing the established inverted index from generating a number of index entries that are rarely used, and reducing the redundancy of the input recommendation index that is created.
US09870432B2

A computer search service can receive an enterprise graph query from a client computing device that is remote from the computer search service, with the enterprise graph query identifying an actor object set, a target object set, and a relationship between the actor object set and the target object set. The search service can return results of the enterprise graph query to the client device. The search service can receive from the client device an indication of user input instructing the search service to persist the enterprise graph query, with the indication of user input also instructing the search service to associate the persisted enterprise graph query with an entity. Moreover, in response to receiving the indication of user input, the search service can persist the enterprise graph query as well as associate the persisted enterprise graph query with the entity and/or enter a subscription entry for the query.
US09870423B1

Methods and apparatus for associating an entity with at least one search query. Some implementations are directed to methods and apparatus for identifying multiple queries associated with an entity and identifying one or more of the queries as an entity search query that provides desired search results for the entity. Some implementations are directed to methods and apparatus for identifying a particular entity and, in response to identifying the particular entity, identifying an entity search query corresponding to the particular entity.
US09870421B2

The present invention provides a method for accurate search of comprehensive information. By providing coordinates of an alternative pragmatic keyword indicating a function and a utility scope of target search information for any search keyword, a general topic keyword, a pragmatic keyword, a common keyword, and a combination result thereof are obtained, and structured information, structured summary information, structured mapping information, semi-structured information, and unstructured information are concurrently searched for on the Internet, so that complete search and accurate search of various types of information on the Internet can be implemented in one search attempt, thereby achieving an objective of improving Internet information search efficiency substantially.
US09870412B2

A cluster manager manages copies of a mid-tier database as a mid-tier database cluster. The cluster manager may concurrently manage a backend database system. The cluster manager is configured to monitor for and react to failures of mid-tier database nodes. The cluster manager may react to a mid-tier database failure by, for example, assigning a new active node, creating a new standby node, creating new copies of the mid-tier databases, implementing new replication or backup schemes, reassigning the node's virtual address to another node, or relocating applications that were directly linked to the mid-tier database to another host. Each node or an associated agent may configure the cluster manager during initialization, based on common cluster configuration information. Each copy of the mid-tier database may be, for example, a memory resident database. Thus, a node must reload the entire database into memory to recover a copy of the database.
US09870411B2

The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for managing data ingestion. Aspects of the invention include a pluggable architecture channel service (e.g., a push/pull channel service) to ingest raw data. Aspects of the invention also include a pluggable architecture formatter to convert ingested raw data into a common format, such as, for example, key value pairs. Aspects of the invention also include an EAV storage with functionality allowing consumers to define multiple entities on (and spanning) ingested data sets. Accordingly, data can be ingested without data loss, without having to define extraction logic, and without having to define a storage schema.
US09870410B2

Embodiments described herein are directed to methods and systems for enhanced event processing. An enhanced event processing request is received, the enhanced processing request comprising an indication of input data from a database data source. The input data indicated in the enhanced event processing request is accessed using a constructed data stream. The constructed data stream provides access to a collection of snapshots over time of database data of the database data source. The data from constructed data stream source may be accessed as a function of a selected value and a selected time. The constructed data stream data includes the temporal element, which is unavailable with the database data, the temporal element facilitates performing enhanced event processing for the database data using the constructed data stream data. An output for the enhanced event processing request is generated based on the input data accessed using the constructed data stream data.
US09870404B2

When plural processing programs for generating post-processing data which is a source of services to be provided are present, a relationship between post-processing data and a data group which is a source of the post-processing data is managed. The processing units acquire pre-processing data, execute given processing, and generate post-processing data as a result of the processing. At an opportunity to acquire the pre-processing data, a process ID indicative of ordering of the acquisition, and not updated before and after the given processing is allocated to acquired pre-processing data. The generated post-processing data is stored, and in extracting the post-processing data satisfying the given data search condition, the post-processing data having a process ID equal to or before the process ID that is latest in the post-processing data and oldest among the respective processing units is extracted from the post-processing data that satisfies the data search condition.
US09870399B1

A database system may include a storage device to store a plurality of database tables. At least a portion of the database tables may be column-partitioned. The database system may also include a processor in communication with the storage device and a row-column subsystem executable by the processor to receive a request to locate a row of a column-partitioned database table. The row in the request may be used to provide a response to a query. The row-column subsystem may be further executable to determine if referenced column values of the requested row are stored in a cache associated with the row-column subsystem. The row-column subsystem may be further executable to retrieve the referenced column values of the row in the request from the cache in response to the determination that the column values are in the cache. The row-column subsystem may be further executable to provide the referenced column values for evaluation with respect to query conditions of the query. A method and computer-readable medium may also implement the row-column subsystem.
US09870396B2

Embodiments relate to an immediate join spilling scheme for a database. An aspect includes receiving a command to perform a join of an inner table and an outer table in a database. Another aspect includes spilling a plurality of hash tables to a disk memory, each hash table corresponding to a respective inner table partition. Another aspect includes registering, by a first agent of a plurality of agents, a set of inner table partitions that require processing by the first agent to complete the join for a first stride of rows of the outer table. Another aspect includes, based on determining that a hash table corresponding to a registered inner table partition of the first agent has been loaded into the local memory by the second agent of the plurality of agents, performing the join of the loaded hash table and the first stride of rows of the outer table by the first agent.
US09870395B2

Embodiments relate to systems and methods for electronically conditioning transmission of communications based on results of a connection assessment. An electronic file is executed at an electronic device, which causes a first query and a second query to be presented. A first query response and a second query response are identified. The first query response is stored in a locked configuration that inhibits the ability to modify the first query response to the first query. The second query response is stored but is not stored in the locked configuration. Query response data is generated that includes an identifier of the second query, an identifier of the second query response and an identifier of the electronic device. A connection variable is determined by assessing one or more network connections available to the electronic device. When a transmission condition is satisfied, the query response data is transmitted to another device.
US09870394B2

Provided is a method, server, and storage medium for query routing. A query may be processed on a query routing server using a same distributed file system and connectable with a plurality of query performance engines sharing metadata. The method may include receiving, through a user input interface, a query and a criterion to select a query performance engine among a plurality of query performance engines, and determining, by a query routing server, one of the plurality of query performance engines based on the received criterion.
US09870387B2

A method for setting transactions of multiple data objects is provided. The method includes steps of: (a) a server acquiring information on multiple data objects used for a service object, and obtaining information on data sources which are set to correspond respectively to the data objects by referring to a setting file; and (b) the server determining the multiple data objects to be used by local transactions or distributed transactions by referring to the information on the data source.
US09870381B2

Quasi-identifiers (QIDs) are detected in a dataset using a set of computing tasks. The dataset has a plurality of records and a set of attributes. An index is generated for the dataset. The index has an indicator for each attribute value of each record in the dataset. Each indicator specifies all the records in the dataset having the same value for the attribute. Each task is assigned an attribute combination and a subset of the plurality of records in the dataset and is passed to a thread for execution on computing resources. The executing task inspects the set of records specified by the index indicator for each attribute value in the attribute combination to produce a result. The result of at least one task identifies a unique record for the associated attribute combination. The attribute combination producing the unique record is a QID.
US09870380B2

Embodiments provide a device profile mechanism for wireless devices. Many embodiments comprise a medium access control (MAC) sublayer logic to build frames comprising a device profile index element for a first device. Embodiments may facilitate access by a second device to a device profile for the first device without communication of the entire device profile from the first device. In some embodiments, the second device may access a storage medium integrated with or accessible to the second device to determine the device profile. Some embodiments may store the device profile index element in memory, in logic, or in another manner that facilitates transmission of the device profile index element in frames. Some embodiments may receive and detect communications with the device profile index element. Further embodiments may generate and transmit a communication with the device profile index element.
US09870373B2

A daisy-chain storage synchronization (DSS) system and method that permits a daisy-chain of interconnected pass-thru disk drive controllers (PTDDCs) each connected to a SATA local disk drive (LDD) disk storage element (DSE) to support state synchronization within PTDDCs in the daisy-chain is disclosed. The PTDDCs within the daisy-chain are configured to individually maintain drive state information (DSI) relating to the LDD as well as chain state information (CSI) relating to the individual PTDDCs within the daisy-chain. This state information may be modified on receipt of out-of-band signaling (OBS) from other PTDDC elements up the daisy-chain as well as OBS from other PTDDC elements down the daisy-chain. CSI is determined in part by conventional SATA OBS state register protocols that are modified by internal state registers (ISR) in each individual PTDDC daisy-chain element so as to make the DSS transparent to existing SATA OBS single-disk standard hardware command protocols.
US09870371B2

A method of accessing data includes storing a table that includes a plurality of tablets corresponding to distinct non-overlapping table portions. Respective pluralities of tablet access objects and application objects are stored in a plurality of servers. A distinct application object and distinct tablet are associated with each tablet access object. Each application object corresponds to a distinct instantiation of an application associated with the table. The tablet access objects and associated application objects are redistributed among the servers in accordance with a first load-balancing criterion. A first request directed to a respective tablet is received from a client. In response, the tablet access object associated with the respective tablet is used to perform a data access operation on the respective tablet, and the application object associated with the respective tablet is used to perform an additional computational operation to produce a result to be returned to the client.
US09870367B2

A system and method is disclosed for using data blocks to optimize file storage in electronic data storage. An example method includes storing a data file in electronic memory, where the data file includes a main block and a plurality of secondary blocks, with the main block including metadata that indicates respective locations of the secondary blocks relative to the main block. The method further includes performing a sparse operation of a data file to determine regions of the data file that contains unused space, determining blocks that are overlapped by the regions of the data file that contains unused space, removing the overlapped blocks, and storing the updated data file in an electronic database.
US09870365B2

A mechanism is provided in a data processing system for managing filesystem inodes. The mechanism monitors inode consumption in a filesystem. The mechanism periodically determines a number of inodes to add to the filesystem based on the inode consumption and adds the number of inodes to the filesystem.
US09870346B2

An approach for creating a clickable link within a presentation during a live collaborative web meeting is provided. The approach identifies one or more uniform resource locators within the presentation. The approach retrieves metadata for each of the one or more uniform resource locators within the presentation. The approach presents the metadata for each of the one or more uniform resource locators with a corresponding image from the presentation. The approach creates the clickable link for each of the one or more uniform resource locators with the corresponding image.
US09870342B2

According to one technique, a modeling computer computes a Hessian matrix by determining whether an input matrix contains more than a threshold number of dense columns. If so, the modeling computer computes a sparsified version of the input matrix and uses the sparsified matrix to compute the Hessian. Otherwise, the modeling computer identifies which columns are dense and which columns are sparse. The modeling computer then partitions the input matrix by column density and uses sparse matrix format to store the sparse columns and dense matrix format to store the dense columns. The modeling computer then computes component parts which combine to form the Hessian, wherein component parts that rely on dense columns are computed using dense matrix multiplication and component parts that rely on sparse columns are computed using sparse matrix multiplication.
US09870337B2

A method comprises identifying resource needs of a plurality of peripherals and resource requirements of a plurality microcontrollers. The method includes comparing the resource needs of the plurality of peripherals with the resource requirements of the plurality of microcontrollers to identify generic resources common to the plurality of microcontrollers, wherein a first microcontroller and a second microcontroller of the plurality of microcontrollers provide the generic resources to processor pin locations according to differing architectures. The method includes assigning each resource of the generic resources to a fixed motherboard location, the assigning including assigning the fixed location to an interface pin. The method includes identifying for each resource of the generic resources a processor pin location of the first microcontroller providing the resource, routing the processor pin location providing the resource to the assigned interface pin, wherein the interface pin provides the resource to the fixed motherboard location.
US09870329B2

A method of handling interrupts includes receiving an event notification message (ENM) that specifies a level, an event target number (ETN), and a number of bits to ignore. A group of virtual processor threads that may be potentially interrupted are determined based on the ETN, the number of bits to ignore, and a process identifier when the level specified in the ENM corresponds to a user level. The ETN identifies a specific virtual processor thread and the number of bits to ignore identifies the number of lower-order bits to ignore when determining a group of virtual processor threads that may be potentially interrupted. In response to no virtual processor thread within the group of virtual processor threads being dispatched and operating on an associated physical processor, an escalate message that includes an escalate event number is transmitted. The escalate event number is used to generate a subsequent ENM.
US09870326B2

A transfer apparatus includes first and second communication paths, an accepting unit, a registration unit, an acquisition unit, and a transfer unit. The accepting unit accepts a request for data. The registration unit detects and registers a range that has been specified for writing. The acquisition unit acquires the data from a memory controller via the first communication path in a case where the request is issued for a registered range, and acquires the data from the arbitration device via the second communication path in a case where the request is issued for an unregistered range. The transfer unit transfers the acquired data. In a case where a first range detected from the arbitration device overlaps at least a portion of or is adjacent to a second range, which has been registered, the registration unit combines the first and second ranges into a continuous range and registers the continuous range.
US09870325B2

A memory device includes at least two independent interface paths, an interface path including multiple memory banks. The memory device can selectively operate in a bank mode or a bank group mode. In bank mode, banks are operated as logical banks, where separate physical banks from different interface paths operate in parallel. When a logic bank is accessed, all physical banks belonging to the logical bank are accessed in parallel across the interface paths. In bank group mode, banks are operated independently, but accessed in bank groups. A separate interface path is operated as an independent bank group, and a bank is individually accessed in its bank group. In bank group mode, back to back access to separate bank groups is possible without resulting in access delay.
US09870318B2

A system and method for efficiently relocating and initializing a block of memory of the computer system. For data initialization and data relocation, multiple registers in a processor are used for intermediate storage of data to be written into the memory. Regardless of whether the amount of data to initialize or relocate is aligned with the register data size, the processor writes the data into the destination buffer with write operations that only utilize the register data size. The write operations utilize the register data size when each of the start and the end of the destination buffer is aligned with the register width, when the start of the destination buffer is unaligned with the register width, when a source buffer and the destination buffer are unaligned with one another for a copy operation, and when the source buffer and the destination buffer overlap.
US09870309B2

A method and system for structuring program code to implement program debugging of the program code using tracking of variables. A first variable to be tracked and a first expression associated with the first variable are determined. The program code includes the first variable and the first expression. A reverse scanning of the program code is performed to search for a first assignment expression within a first assignment statement that assigns a value of the first assignment expression to the first variable. In response to finding the first assignment expression via the reverse scanning, a first watch point for determining a true/false value of the first expression is inserted into the program code after the first assignment statement.
US09870307B2

Techniques are provided for mocking downstream services while regression testing a service. In one technique a version of a service processes a request, during which one or more computers intercept downstream service calls made by the version of the service. For each downstream service call of the downstream calls, a computer provides, to the version of the service, a response of the downstream service call, which was previously recorded while processing the request in a production environment. Processing, by the version of the service, the request involves processing the request based on the response of at least one of the downstream service calls.
US09870295B2

A system includes a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The non-transitory computer-readable medium comprises instructions executable by the processor to cause the system to perform a method. The method comprises receiving a first job to execute and executing the first job. A plurality of data associated with the first job is determined. The plurality of data comprises data associated with (i) a second job executed immediately prior to the first job, (ii) a third job executed immediately after the first job, (iii) a determination of whether the first job failed or executed successfully and (iv) a type of data associated with the first job. The determined plurality of data is stored.
US09870292B2

A method for configuring components in a computing system. A selected one of the components is designated as a primary component, the other components thereby automatically adopting a status of secondary component. The designation of the primary component is stored in a first memory that is accessible by at least one of the primary component, at least one secondary component, and the computing system. Upon occurrence of a predetermined computing system event, the first memory is read to determine the designation of the primary component. A configuration file from a second memory is automatically copied to a memory of at least one secondary component, thereby creating a new configuration file in the at least one secondary component.
US09870291B2

Embodiments are directed to backing up a virtual machine cluster and to determining virtual machine node ownership prior to backing up a virtual machine cluster. In one scenario, a computer system determines which virtual machines nodes are part of the virtual machine cluster, determines which shared storage resources are part of the virtual machine cluster and determines which virtual machine nodes own the shared storage resources. The computer system then indicates to the virtual machine node owners that at least one specified application is to be quiesced over the nodes of the virtual machine cluster, such that a consistent, cluster-wide checkpoint can be created. The computer system further creates a cluster-wide checkpoint which includes a checkpoint for each virtual machine in the virtual machine cluster.
US09870282B2

Systems and methods for providing service and to computing devices. In some embodiments, an Information Handling System (IHS) includes a Basic I/O System (BIOS) and a memory coupled to the BIOS, the memory including program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by the IHS, cause the IHS to: determine that the IHS is operating in a degraded state; and initiate one or more support, diagnostics, or remediation operations in response to the determination.
US09870274B2

A method of executing a job in a computer system having a plurality of different allowed configurations comprises: receiving the job; identifying one or more representative samples of the job; executing the one or more representative samples in an experimental phase, the or each representative sample being executed with each different allowed configuration of the computer cluster; collecting execution data including speed of execution and energy used in each configuration during execution of the one or more representative samples and selecting a suitable configuration for the job taking speed of execution and energy use into account; and executing the remainder of the job in a completion phase with the suitable configuration.
US09870265B2

Systems and methods for prioritizing cloud-based computing tasks are provided. An example method includes, identifying a first plurality of service requests submitted by a plurality of users including a first user; selecting a first service request, in the plurality of service requests, in accordance with a first priority, where the first service request is submitted by the first user; selecting a second service request submitted by the first user, in a second plurality of service requests submitted by the first user, in accordance with a second priority, where the second service request is associated with a first job type; and selecting a third service request submitted by the first user, in a third plurality of service requests submitted the first user, in accordance with a third priority, where the third plurality of service requests submitted the first user are associate with a same job type.
US09870262B2

Stream applications may inefficiently use the hardware resources that execute the processing elements of the data stream. For example, a compute node may host four processing elements and execute each using a CPU. However, other CPUs on the compute node may sit idle. To take advantage of these available hardware resources, a stream programmer may identify one or more processing elements that may be cloned. The cloned processing elements may be used to generate a different execution path that is parallel to the execution path that includes the original processing elements. Because the cloned processing elements contain the same operators as the original processing elements, the data stream that was previously flowing through only the original processing element may be split and sent through both the original and cloned processing elements. In this manner, the parallel execution path may use underutilized hardware resources to increase the throughput of the data stream.
US09870256B2

Provided is a hardware accelerator and method, central processing unit, and computing device. A hardware accelerating method includes, in response to a request for a new task issued by a hardware thread, accelerating processing of the new task and producing a processing result for the task. A predicting step predicts total waiting time of the new task for returning to a specified address associated with the hardware thread.
US09870250B2

At least one application in a distributed computing environment is deployed. At least one resource of a virtual machine is provided to the at least one application in the distributed computing environment. The at least one resource of the virtual machine provided is recorded in metadata and the at least one application receives the metadata and using the metadata the at least one application determines how much of the at least one resource of the virtual machine to utilize. A change to the at least one resource of the virtual machine is determined. Responsive to determining the change to the at least one resource of the virtual machine, the metadata is modified. The at least one application uses the modified metadata to determine how much of the changed at least one resource of the virtual machine to use.
US09870249B2

A virtual computer system includes an external event acquisition controller, an external event storing unit, and a snap shot creating unit. The external event acquisition controller performs control for acquiring an event regarding an external device provided outside a virtual computer which mounts a guest operating system in which an application program is installed. The external event storing unit stores the external event acquired by the external event acquisition controller. The snap shot creating unit creates a snap shot of the guest operating system including the application program after the external event is stored in the external event storing unit.
US09870248B2

A hypervisor identifies a set of pages associated with a guest operating system (OS) of a virtual machine (VM) that are shared with an application. The hypervisor maps each of the set of pages associated with the guest OS to a corresponding page associated with the application. The hypervisor modifies a write protection attribute for each corresponding page associated with the application to cause a protection page fault upon an application attempt to update the corresponding page. The hypervisor detects updated pages by detecting the protection page fault upon the application attempt to update one of the corresponding pages associated with the application. The hypervisor then logs a modification of each updated corresponding page.
US09870245B2

An appliance migration mechanism (AMM) optimizes migration of a live virtual appliance with virtual objects between cloud environments to minimize temporary connections that use significant cloud resources during the migration. The AMM determines a cost of connections of each virtual object in the virtual appliance and produces an order of migration for the virtual objects. The cost of connections of the virtual objects may be determined by the total number of connections and the maximum number of connections. Alternatively the cost of the connections of the virtual objects for migration could be determined by a weighting the costs of the connections where the weighting may consider loading or other factors on the connection.
US09870244B2

An appliance migration mechanism (AMM) optimizes migration of a live virtual appliance with virtual objects between cloud environments to minimize temporary connections that use significant cloud resources during the migration. The AMM determines a cost of connections of each virtual object in the virtual appliance and produces an order of migration for the virtual objects. The cost of connections of the virtual objects may be determined by the total number of connections and the maximum number of connections. Alternatively the cost of the connections of the virtual objects for migration could be determined by a weighting the costs of the connections where the weighting may consider loading or other factors on the connection.
US09870243B2

Embodiments perform automatic selection of hosts and/or datastores for deployment of a plurality of virtual machines (VMs) while monitoring and recovering from errors during deployment. Resource constraints associated with the VMs are compared against resources or characteristics of available hosts and datastores. A VM placement engine selects an optimal set of hosts/datastores and initiates VM creation automatically or in response to administrator authorization. During deployment, available resources are monitored enabling dynamic improvement of the set of recommended hosts/datastores and automatic recovery from errors occurring during deployment.
US09870236B2

A control system for a wind turbine is provided. The control system includes a plurality of controllers distributed in the wind turbine or the wind power plant; and a plurality of data storage units, each data storage unit being arranged at a respective predetermined position in the wind turbine or the wind power plant and being coupled to the controller arranged at the same position; wherein each data storage unit comprises operational information pertaining to the predetermined position in the wind turbine or the wind power plant; and wherein each controller is configured to read the operational information of the corresponding data storage unit and to determine its function from the operational information.
US09870229B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for mapping the architected state of one or more threads to a set of distributed physical register files to enable independent execution of one or more threads in a multiple slice processor. In one embodiment, a system is disclosed including a plurality of dispatch queues which receive instructions from one or more threads and an even number of parallel execution slices, each parallel execution slice containing a register file. A routing network directs an output from the dispatch queues to the parallel execution slices and the parallel execution slices independently execute the one or more threads.
US09870223B2

Systems, methods, and computer program products to perform an operation comprising identifying a first commit of a plurality of commits for a software project, wherein a source code of the first commit is executable in a first system architecture, computing a score for each commit in a first set of the plurality of commits, wherein each score reflects a likelihood of success in porting the source code of the respective commit from the first system architecture to a second system architecture, wherein a version of each commit in the first set of commits is between a version of the first commit and a current version of the software project, identifying one or more of the first set of commits based on the scores for each commit, and building the source code of the one or more of the first set of commits for execution on the second system architecture.
US09870222B2

An air-conditioning system is provided with an air-conditioning apparatus management apparatus and an air-conditioning apparatus which transmits and receives various signals to and from the air-conditioning apparatus management apparatus. The air-conditioning apparatus management apparatus manages the air-conditioning apparatus, an operational state of the air-conditioning apparatus management apparatus is linked to an operational state of the air-conditioning apparatus, and software set in the air-conditioning apparatus management apparatus is updated based on the operational state of the air-conditioning apparatus management apparatus.
US09870221B2

Examples disclosed herein relate to providing code change job sets of different sizes to validators. Examples include placing a plurality of jobs in a queue, each job including at least one code change requested to be committed to shared code. Examples further include providing job sets of different sizes to a plurality of validators, each of the job sets comprising a consecutive group of one or more of the jobs in the queue at a given time and beginning with the job at the front of the queue at the given time.
US09870219B1

Mechanisms for switch upgrades using remote containers. An example system can export, to a server, a state of software processes associated with a first software container at the system. The system can generate a lightweight software container configured to forward traffic associated with the first software container to a second software container at the server, generated based on the state. The system can perform a switchover between the first software container and lightweight software container. The switchover can enable the lightweight software container to forward, to the second container, traffic associated with the first software container. The system can generate a fourth software container based on a snapshot of the second software container, and perform another switchover between the lightweight software container and fourth software container. The switchover can include enabling the fourth software container to handle traffic associated with the first software container, and disabling the lightweight software container.
US09870218B2

Systems and methods for installing and upgrading application packages to an application platform. Application packages may be uploaded to a directory by developing users (developers) for installation by subscribing users (subscribers). Alternatively, a developer may send identification information to a subscribing user to allow that user to access and install that application package created by the developer. Application packages may also be upgraded. If a developer changes the original source package, a subscriber can choose to pull into their organization the change(s) made by the publisher while preserving any data rows the subscriber had created since first importing the package.
US09870217B2

A method involves registering events. The method may include receiving an install command for an applet by a runtime environment executing on a card computing device. The install command may comprise a tag-length-value (TLV) structure with a tag identifying an event-list for registration with a toolkit registry of the runtime environment. Further, the event-list may comprise a toolkit event. The method may further include executing, by the runtime environment, the install command for the applet. The method may further include creating an applet instance of the applet in response to executing the install command. The method may further include registering the applet instance with the toolkit registry by generating, by the runtime environment, a toolkit registry object for the applet instance. Registering the applet instance with the toolkit registry may further include assigning the toolkit registry object to the applet instance. The method may further include identifying the toolkit event of the event-list based on the tag of the TLV structure of the install command. The method may further include registering the toolkit event of the event-list to the toolkit registry object assigned to the applet instance.
US09870212B2

An embodiment relates to a data loading device and a corresponding data loading method for loading software into aircraft systems, the data loading device incorporating a portable computer and a data storage device. The data loading device incorporating a switching device, the switching device having an external data connection. The switching device can switch connections between the computer, the data storage device and the data connection, the switching device having a first switching state which includes a connection between the computer and the data storage device. Furthermore, the switching device has a second switching state which includes a connection between the data storage device and the data connection.
US09870211B2

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for high-level language for specifying configurations of cloud-based deployments. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a configuration specification for configuring a cloud-based deployment, the configuration specification being written in a specification language and requiring instantiation of respective class definitions of one or more classes, each class modeling a respective data or functional component of the cloud-based deployment using a group of configurable class parameters, and the respective class definition of each class representing a requested state of the data or functional component modeled by the class; deriving a plurality of application programming interface (API) calls for configuring the cloud-based deployment based on the class definitions of the one or more classes; causing the plurality of API calls to be executed to configure the cloud-based deployment.
US09870205B1

The programming notebook system, methods, and user interfaces described herein provide software developers with enhanced tools by which a programming notebook workflow and session history associated with code cells in a programming notebook may be tracked and maintained. As a developer progresses through a development workflow, the developer can select an option to save a program code card representing some or all of the program code cell inputs. A card editor user interface may present an aggregated listing of all program code the developer has provided across multiple code cells during the current session which the developer can edit, refine, and/or comment. The card editor may also allow the developer to add associated user interface code to display a UI component associated with the program code card, and allow the developer to add a description and tags for the card so that the card can be searched for and reused.
US09870200B2

Arithmetic logic circuitry is provided for performing a floating point arithmetic add/subtract operation on first and second floating point numbers. The method includes: generating a guard digit for the first or second number by transforming the first and second numbers by a compressing function; determining a result depending on the arithmetic operation, a sum of the transformed floating point numbers, and first and second differences of the transformed floating point numbers, and determining a corresponding result plus one by additionally adding a value of one to the result; generating injection values for rounding the final result; generating injection carry values based on the transformed first and second numbers and the injection values; and selecting the final result from the result, the result plus one, and a least significant digit, based on the injection carry values and the end around carry signals.
US09870197B2

A buffer receives input from a plurality of objects. A display controller performs control to cause a display unit to display received pieces of input content of the objects in divided frames in time-series order of reception and display received input content additionally in a frame that displays past input content when a specific condition is satisfied.
US09870196B2

Online processing of a voice input directed to a voice-enabled electronic device is selectively aborted whenever it is determined that a voice input directed to the voice-enabled electronic device can be successfully processed locally by the device. Doing so may in some instances reduce the latency of responding to a voice input.
US09870195B2

A system and method for establishing a conference session between a plurality of presentation devices including at least first and second presentation devices, the method comprising the steps of creating a conference session involving the first presentation device and at least one other presentation device, the first presentation device comprising at least one first display device on which content to be shared is displayed, for at least the second presentation device that includes at least one second display device, upon successful joining to the conference session, automatically sharing content displayed on the first display device with the second presentation device for display on the second display device and displaying a representation on the first display device identifying the other presentation devices that are successfully joined to the conference session.
US09870186B2

A method displays documentation about a machine on a preferably portable display device. The method is distinguished by the fact that the display device communicates with the machine via a data link. The portable display device communicates with the machine via a data link and the documentation contains partial items of documentation. The states of the machine are registered by a computer of the machine, and that the parts of the documentation matching the registered machine states are selected automatically and displayed on the display device.
US09870182B2

An information processing apparatus includes circuitry. The circuitry is configured to provide a print setting interface for setting print setting values for various print setting items, acquire, as specific print setting data, a specific print setting item having many print setting values to be set, among the print setting items, and a specific print setting value set for the specific print setting item, acquire a relevant print setting value set for a relevant print setting item associated with the specific print setting item, acquire the specific print setting value associated with the relevant print setting value among print setting values registered in both the specific print setting data and history print setting data that is the print setting values set for the print setting items, and present the acquired specific print setting value in the print setting interface as a candidate for the specific print setting value.
US09870172B2

Embodiments herein provide for avoiding address collisions in a memory device. In one embodiment, a memory controller includes a command scheduler operable to process a read-modify-write I/O command to a location in memory, to detect another I/O command to the same memory location while the read-modify-write I/O command is accessing the memory location, and to stall the other I/O command until the read-modify-write I/O command is complete while allowing a third I/O command to access the memory.
US09870170B2

According to one embodiment, a memory controller includes a first volatile memory, a second volatile memory, and a controller. The first volatile memory temporarily stores therein data acquired from outside. The controller controls the temporarily stored data to be transferred from the first volatile memory to a non-volatile memory, stores correspondence information of the transferred data to the non-volatile memory in the second volatile memory, and updates correspondence information stored in the non-volatile memory based on the correspondence information stored in the second volatile memory by using the first volatile memory after the data transfer as a work area. The correspondence information represents association between a logical address and a physical address of the data.
US09870168B1

A key-value store is provided having one or more key-value storage interfaces. A key-value store on at least one compute node comprises a memory for storing a plurality of key-value pairs; and an abstract storage interface comprising a software interface module that communicates with at least one persistent storage device providing a key-value interface for persistent storage of one or more of the plurality of key-value pairs, wherein the software interface module provides the one or more key-value pairs to the at least one persistent storage device in a key-value format. The abstract storage interface optionally processes one or more batch operations on the plurality of key-value pairs. A distributed embodiment for a partitioned key-value store is also provided.
US09870159B2

SSD wear-level data (320) is generated on managed nodes (202) having SSDs (206). The wear-level data is collected by a management node (204).
US09870158B2

Data communications within a rack mountable microarray system includes: sending, from a microarray controller to a communication fabric, a request for data, where the microarray controller is one of the plurality of microarray controllers housed within a drive bay of an enclosure, where the enclosure includes a plurality of storage devices, and where the microarray controller controls one or more of the storage devices; determining, by the communication fabric, a destination microarray controller from among the plurality of microarray controllers, where the destination microarray controller controls another one or more of the storage devices; sending, from the destination microarray controller to the communication fabric, the data specified by the request for data; and receiving, at the microarray controller from the communication fabric, the data specified by the request for data.
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