US09974085B2
A method for operating a base station in a wireless communication system is provided. In the method, feedback is received from at least one terminal. When the base station configures terminal allocation information, a terminal that the base station is to service is determined based on information included in the feedback. A combination of base stations allowing the determined terminal to obtain maximal performance is determined with consideration of the information included in the feedback and a gain of cooperation between base stations.
US09974083B2
A wireless communication system includes one or more base stations able to divide resources between multiple network operators sharing the base station. A shared base station is configured to monitor a contribution to the load on the base station associated with network operators sharing the base station resources and to provide the determined contribution to the load to one or more other base stations for use in load balancing between the base stations.
US09974082B2
Method performed by a transmitting device for transmitting a block to a receiving device. The transmitting device and the receiving device operate in a wireless communications network. The transmitting device transmits a block to the receiving device. The block comprises four bursts. The four bursts further comprise Uplink State Flag, USF, Stealing Flag, SF, and data and header fields. The USF and the SF fields are interleaved and mapped over the four bursts. The data and header fields are interleaved over one burst but repeated over the four bursts. The data and header fields are overlapping with and overridden by bits from the USF field in different positions in each burst. In a method performed by the receiving device, the receiving device receives the transmitted block. In a method performed by a controlling node, the controlling node selects a block format for transmission by the transmitting device.
US09974081B2
The disclosure proposes a method of power allocation and a base station using the method. The method is applicable to a base station for transmitting information signals to at least two user equipments in a non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) system. The method includes: setting a first transmit power of a first user equipment to be smaller than a second transmit power of a second user equipment, where a channel gain of the first user equipment is larger than that of the second user equipment; calculating a first system capacity of the first user equipment according to the first transmit power, and calculating a second system capacity of the second user equipment according to the second transmit power; summing the first system capacity and the second system capacity to obtain a sum capacity; and calculating the first transmit power and the second transmit power based on maximizing the sum capacity.
US09974080B2
A terminal for use within an unknown regulatory domain, and a computer program product and method for configuring the terminal, are provided. The terminal can comprise first program instructions to actively scan one or more domain independent channels in a frequency band, second program instructions to configure the terminal for use in the unknown regulatory domain in response to the terminal receiving regulatory domain information as a result of actively scanning one or more of the domain independent channels, third program instructions to passively scan one or more domain dependent channels in the frequency band in response to the terminal not receiving the regulatory domain information as a result of actively scanning one or more of the domain independent channels, and fourth program instructions to configure the terminal for use in the unknown regulatory domain in response to passively scanning one or more domain dependent channels in the frequency band.
US09974079B1
Various communication systems may benefit from improved radio frequency transmissions. For example, communication systems may benefit from the selection of a frequency band based on measurements of a spectrum surrounding the user equipment. A method, in certain embodiments, may include taking measurements by a base station of a spectrum of an environment surrounding a user equipment. The method may also include determining based on the measurements and radio frequency capabilities of the base station at least one desired frequency for transmission by the user equipment. In addition, the method may include sending a request from the base station to a network entity requesting a grant of the at least one desired frequency for transmission by the user equipment.
US09974067B2
A method for transmitting, by a user equipment (UE), an aperiodic sounding reference signal (SRS) in a wireless communication system, the method including receiving, via a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), downlink control information (DCI) for downlink scheduling. The DCI includes an SRS request for triggering transmission of the aperiodic SRS. The method further includes detecting the SRS request; and transmitting the aperiodic SRS on an uplink (UL) component carrier (CC), which is linked to a downlink (DL) CC in which a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) is scheduled by the DCI, among a plurality of UL CCs. If a carrier indicator field (CIF) is configured, the UL CC is indicated by the CIF.
US09974064B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe devices, methods, computer-readable media and systems configurations for multiplexing channel state information and hybrid automatic repeat request-acknowledgement information. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US09974061B2
The present disclosure relates to a method used in a UE for transmitting a periodic signal to a first base station and an associated UE. The UE has been in communications with a first base station. The method includes: obtaining from the second base station a subframe configuration, which indicates a first set of subframes assigned to communications between the UE and the first base station and a second set of subframes assigned to communications between the UE and the second base station; and if a given uplink subframe, in which the periodic signal is to be transmitted to the first base station, is not in the first set of subframes, transmitting the periodic signal in a first available uplink subframe in the first set of subframes following the given uplink subframe. The present disclosure also relates to a method used in a first base station for transmitting a periodic signal/its periodic system information to a UE and an associated first base station; and a method used in a second base station for forwarding to a UE and an associated second base station.
US09974054B2
To suppress concentration of channel quality information requests and reports in a case of discontinuously transmitting reference signals at specific resources in a time domain, and thereby preventing degradation in throughput. A transmission apparatus transmits an instruction of CSI request distributed for each reception apparatus in a subframe concurrently with or earlier than a reference signal CSI-RS to each of reception apparatuses. Each of the reception apparatuses detects the CSI request from the transmission apparatus and calculates CSI from a channel estimation value of CSI-RS received thereafter. Then, the reception apparatus identifies CSI report subframe of the own apparatus from CSI report interval information of a given time interval notified in advance, the subframe in which the CSI request is detected and transmission timing of CSI-RS, and transmits a feedback signal including CSI report value by using PUSCH at the timing of the CSI report subframe.
US09974048B2
Systems, methods, and devices for device-to-device (D2D) distributed scheduling are disclosed herein. User equipment (UE) is configured to measure a received power level for a reference signal received from a target UE and measure received power levels for reference signals received from one or more non-target UEs. The UE is configured to generate a resource usage map for the target UE and the one or more non-target UEs. The UE is configured to determine a priority, with respect to the target UE, for each resource element group based on the resource usage map and an anticipated signal-to-interference ratio (SIR). The UE is configured to transmit data to the target UE during one or more resource element groups with the highest priorities for the target UE.
US09974047B2
When a user of a mobile device attempts to use an application having high data demands, the mobile device queries its cellular data provider to determine currently available data transfer rates, based on the geographic location of the mobile device and the demands on the cellular base station from which the mobile device is being served. If the base station is experiencing data congestion, which is likely to result in a less than optimum user experience, the mobile device displays a warning to the user suggesting that the user postpone usage of the application or try using the application in a different geographic location that is experiencing less congestion.
US09974043B1
Example method includes: determining, by a network device, a plurality of client devices' locations within a wireless network; assigning the plurality of client devices into a number of clusters; calculating an original cluster centroid location for each cluster of client devices; calculating an average distance between each client device in a particular cluster and the original cluster centroid location for the particular cluster; iteratively adjusting the number of clusters and assignment of the plurality of client devices to determine the number of clusters associated with a low number of cluster and a low average distance from each client device in a respective cluster to a respective cluster centroid location; and assigning a subset of access points in the wireless network to a high priority, each AP in the subset having the closest distance to the respective cluster centroid location corresponding to the determined number of clusters.
US09974042B2
Methods and systems are described for monitoring a piece of equipment using a hierarchical node network having at least an ID node, a master node, and a server. The ID node is associated with the equipment, can monitor equipment operations, and communicate directly with the master node but is unable to directly communicate with the server. The master node can directly communicate with the server and separately communicate with the ID node. The master node associates with the ID node when the master node detects a signal broadcast from the ID node. The server then determines a location of the ID node. The ID node detects an actionable event related to the operation of the equipment, and transmits a message reporting the actionable event to the master node. The master node notifies the server about the actionable event. Thereafter, the server initiates a responsive action based upon the notification.
US09974039B2
Embodiments of a User Equipment (UE) and methods for determination of a side-link reference signal received power (S-RSRP) are disclosed herein. The UE may receive a signal from a second UE as part of a device-to-device (D2D) communication. The UE may determine a resource element (RE) block size to be used for a determination of the S-RSRP. The RE block size may be based on a delay spread of a channel between the UE and the second UE. The UE may determine the S-RSRP based on multiple summations, sizes of which may be based on the determined RE block size.
US09974035B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for synchronizing communications between a parent device operating on a time-slotted channel hopping (TSCH) protocol and a low-energy network device operating on a low-energy channel hopping protocol. The parent device sub-divides TSCH timeslots and communicates with adjacent TSCH devices during a primary portion of the timeslot and listens for communications from a connected low-energy device during the secondary portion of the timeslot. Upon receiving a synchronization request from a low-energy device, the TSCH device transmits a synchronization response comprising synchronization data. The synchronization data allows the low-energy device to synchronize communications with the TSCH network by synchronizing with the channel hopping pattern of the TSCH protocol.
US09974034B2
A procedure for synchronization of re-configuration of RRC procedures between the radio base station and the UE is achieved by associating a new configuration to be used by a UE with an additional UE identity. The UE is normally identified by a first UE identity, but is informed in a re-configuration message that the UE also has the additional UE identity. The UE is identified by the additional UE identity when the new configuration is to be activated. Hence, when the radio base station detects that the UE responds to requests, which included the additional UE identity, the radio base station can conclude that the UE has activated the new configuration.
US09974027B2
Systems and methods are disclosed that provide a closed loop power control system including adaptively adjusting the desired target SINR over time so as to ultimately achieve a feasible SINR. In one implementation, a method is provided of optimizing uplink closed loop power control in a RAN in which one or more base stations each service a plurality of mobile stations, including: determining a power level for each mobile station for its respective uplink transmissions, including measuring a current achieved SINR for each mobile station; and for each mobile station, adjusting the power level to be sufficiently high to meet desired transmission characteristics but not so high as to cause unnecessary interference with transmissions from other mobile stations, by adjusting a desired target SINR based on factors selected from the following: current and prior achieved SINRs, current and prior interference measurements, and current and prior transmission power control commands.
US09974026B2
The present invention provides a terminal control method and a terminal, and relates to the field of electronic devices. The method includes when a magnetic field sensed by a Hall device of a terminal in a standby state is less than or equal to a first preset threshold, activating a sensor of the terminal, where the Hall device is configured to sense a magnetic field generated by a magnet in a protective case of the terminal. The method also includes obtaining, by using detection data of the sensor, whether the terminal is obstructed, and maintaining the standby state of the terminal when it is obtained that the terminal is obstructed. The method and the terminal provided in the present invention are applied to the terminal.
US09974012B2
A communication apparatus includes first communication means for performing a wireless communication with another communication apparatus in a first communication method, second communication means for performing the wireless communication with another communication apparatus in a second communication method that is different from the first communication method, and sending means for sending a request message for requesting, by using the first communication means, a connection parameter for connecting to another communication apparatus via the second communication means, the request message including information about a communication service executable by the communication apparatus.
US09974010B2
Provided is a communication system applied to a terminal, the communication system includes: a first communication module; a second communication module; a first determination unit configured to determine whether the terminal currently supports circuit switched fallback based on a real-time state of the terminal; and a processing unit configured to establish a connection between the first communication module and a first network in a case that the first determination unit determines that the terminal currently supports the circuit switched fallback, or establish a connection between the second communication module and a second network in a case that the first determination unit determines that the terminal does not currently support the circuit switched fallback. Accordingly, further provided are a terminal and a communication method.
US09974008B2
Various embodiments are described that relate to a visualization. A visualization can be produced that relates to a coverage area for an element in the network. A user of this element can read the visualization and make decisions in view of the coverage area. In one instance, the user can read the visualization and select a route of travel such that a likelihood of coverage being lost during travel is relatively small.
US09974007B2
A method and apparatus for managing access network information are provided. The method includes: the dynamic access network information is obtained, and the current access network information list can be updated in real time according to the obtained dynamic access network information, so as to ensure that access network information obtained by a user terminal from the access network information list is latest information updated in real time. Thus, after the user terminal obtains the information, a process of scanning an access network to determine current availability information of the network can be omitted, so that the switching delay can be reduced, the switching efficiency can be improved, and the power consumption of the user terminal can be reduced, thereby improving the satisfaction degree of user experience.
US09974002B2
Disclosed is a method for generating and transmitting system information in a mobile radio cell. In said method, system information is grouped into several information frames, information required for a mobile user device in order to verify if said mobile user device has access to the mobile radio cell being grouped into a single information frame, and the information frames are fed to the data securing layer by the network layer and are transmitted by means of the physical layer.
US09974001B2
A method and apparatus for use in an ad hoc network, comprising: a node transmitting an extended allowable hold time value to a further node; the node changing its transmission behavior such that the further node stops receiving transmission from the node for an extended period, for example by pausing transmission at least in the direction of the further node; and the further node treating the link to the node as intact during the extended allowable hold time. The transmitting of the extended allowable hold time value may be performed earlier than a next routine transmission of routine allowable hold time value would have been sent. The method may further comprise the node being instructed to maintain topology information for an extended time.
US09973996B2
In order to change control over a user equipment within a femtocell in accordance with a change in camping of the user equipment, a communication system includes a femto base station (10) that provides a femtocell includes notification destination setting means (20) for setting, in the femto base station (10), a notification destination to be notified of a change in camping of a user equipment (30) on the femtocell. The femto base station (10) notifies the set notification destination of the change in camping of the user equipment (30), upon detection of the change in camping.
US09973995B2
The present invention relates to a method for processing information between mobile communication systems in order to prevent the degradation of user-experienced performance when different types of mobile communication networks are used. The method for processing information at user equipment (UE) to improve user-experienced performance of a mobile communication system includes performing a data communication through a first network and receiving, from a policy server, a routing policy including a validity condition which is information about a condition of designating a UE status for handover. The method further includes, in the handover, if a searched second network satisfies the validity condition, performing the data communication through the second network. Accordingly, a network for data transmission can be selected using a routing policy created in consideration of a UE status or a network status, thereby enhancing user-experienced performance.
US09973994B2
Apparatuses and methods are provided for performing cell reselection. A method includes camping on a non-closed subscriber group (CSG) cell that is selected using frequency priorities; scanning other frequencies for non-CSG cells and CSG cells; detecting a CSG cell being a highest ranked cell on a frequency different than a frequency of the non-CSG cell that the WTRU is camped on; and selecting the detected CSG cell, being on a whitelist, and disregarding the frequency priorities in cell selection.
US09973987B2
According to one embodiment of the invention, a non-transitory computer readable medium for improving the scalability and redundancy of a wireless communications network. One embodiment of the non-transitory computer readable medium comprises instructions that select a first controller for controlling a configuration of a first access point and a second access point, detect a particular event and, responsive to detecting the particular event, select a second controller for controlling the configuration of the first access point without modifying the selection of the first controller for controlling the configuration of the second access point.
US09973968B2
Distribution of management services in distributed antenna systems having a central unit and remote units configured to time-division multiplex (TDM) downlink and/or uplink management signals into time slots to form a TDM management frame signal. In this manner, collision will not occur between multiple management signals communicated over a common communications medium at the same time in the distributed antenna system. Collision detection and management mechanism can add design complexity, cost by requiring additional components, and require additional area on electronic boards. The TDM management frame signal may also be modulated at a carrier frequency before being combined with RF communications signals so that the combined signals are within a linear range of shared certain communications components to reduce cost and area.
US09973966B2
Methods, apparatuses and systems for user-plane congestion management are provided. Among these method, apparatuses and systems is a method, implementable by a base station (and/or a serving gateway), for mitigating user plane congestion. The method may include sending a congestion indication to a core network; receiving a general packet radio system (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP) packet including an first internet protocol (IP) packet associated with a first flow within a bearer; obtaining, from a header of the GTP packet, an indicator indicative of a priority of the IP packet, wherein the indicator was inserted into the header of the GTP packet by the core network responsive to the congestion indication; and dropping any of the GTP packet and the first IP packet on condition that a priority of a second IP packet associated with second flow within the bearer takes precedence over the priority of the first IP packet.
US09973956B2
According to one aspect of the teachings herein, a base station (20), wireless device (12), or other network node (36), determines composite dynamic subframe, CDS, information for a Time Division Duplex, TDD, carrier frequency used for transmitting one or more TDD carriers (22) of interest, from respective cells (18) in a wireless communication network (10). The CDS information identifies or otherwise indicates that one or more subframes in one or more of the TDD carriers (22) are dynamic subframes having a dynamically changeable uplink or downlink direction. The measurement configuration of the wireless device (12) is adapted according to the CDS information, so that radio measurements performed by the device (12) with respect to the one or more TDD carriers (22) accounts for the dynamic subframes, e.g., by avoiding measurements on the dynamic subframes, increasing the number of measurements made, or increasing the measurement intervals.
US09973948B2
The mobile terminal testing apparatus including: a cell state determination unit 16 that determines in-use states of multiple cells which perform communication with a mobile communication terminal 2; a cell state change processing unit 17 that changes states of the multiple cells and notifies the cell state determination unit 16 of the states of the multiple cells; and a scenario processing unit 15 that detects the number of cells that need to be added and the number of cells that are available for deletion, based on a message that is transmitted and received between the mobile terminal testing apparatus and the mobile communication terminal 2, and that causes the cell state change processing unit 17 to perform initialization of a cell that is available for deletion, and sets the cell to be available for re-use.
US09973945B2
A method and an apparatus for efficiently reporting a master information block (MIB) decoding status of a neighbor cell in a wireless communication system are provided. The method includes receiving, by a user equipment (UE) and from an evolved Node B (eNB) of a serving cell, neighbor cell-related information for receiving an MIB of the neighbor cell, based on the neighbor-cell related information, decoding, by the UE, the MIB of the neighbor cell, and transmitting, by the UE, decoding information of the MIB to the eNB of the serving cell.
US09973942B2
Methods and apparatus for modifying network management for hybrid operation. In one embodiment, the networks include an LTE network and a CDMA 1× network, and a mobile device can place CDMA 1× voice calls while registered with the LTE network. However, since the mobile device cannot simultaneously measure information for the LTE network while connected to the CDMA 1× networks, the mobile device modifies measurements and behaviors reported to the LTE network. In one implementation, the mobile device accounts for the time switched away from the LTE network in one or more subsequent reports thereto.
US09973928B2
Embodiments are directed to automatically unlocking a user device based on proximity to a previously paired accessory. Embodiments include transmitting, by a transmitter of the first device (204), an ultrasound message comprising a personal code exchanged between the first device (204) and a second device (206) in a previous pairing between the first device (204) and the second device (206); receiving, by a receiver of the second device (206), the ultrasound message; determining and initiating storing, by a processor (238) of the second device (206), a timestamp associated with a time the ultrasound message was received by the second device (206); determining, by the processor (238) of the second device (206), the personal code; authenticating, by the processor (238) of the second device (206), the personal code determined from the ultrasound message; and based at least in part on the timestamp, initiating unlocking, by the processor (238) of the second device (206), at least one of the first device (204) or the second device (206).
US09973919B2
A handheld device can include antenna elements and a housing. The housing can include a processor, communications circuitry communicatively coupled to the plurality of antenna elements and the processor, and memory including instructions executable by the processor. The executable instructions can cause the handheld device to estimate a geographic location of the handheld device, configure the communications circuitry and/or the antenna elements for a communications resource. The communications resource can be selected based on the geographic location of the handheld device. The handheld device can be further caused to enable access to a wireless network by using the communication circuitry and the antenna elements as configured in accordance with the communications resource.
US09973915B2
Generally, this disclosure provides apparatus and methods for improved handover with ping pong avoidance in wireless heterogeneous networks. The UE device may include a handover (HO) module configured to determine a reference signal received power (RSRP) difference between a serving cell and a neighbor cell and to select a TimeToTrigger (TTT) related to an HO measurement report based, at least in part, on the RSRP difference.
US09973914B2
A communication device may include a first type of interface and a second type of interface. The communication device may execute the communication of object data with a mobile device using the second type of interface after executing a specific process for causing the communication device to shift to a communication-enabled state, in a case where it is determined that the communication device is not currently in the communication-enabled state. Also, the communication device may execute the communication of the object data with the mobile device using the second type of interface without executing the specific process, in a case where it is determined that the communication device is currently in the communication-enabled state.
US09973910B1
A method of mobile content distribution. The method comprises receiving requests to provide mobile content to a mobile communication device by an application executing on a computer system, where each request comprises a user identity, looking up profile information by the application based on the user identity, and evaluating the profile information by the application according to a Boolean rule, where each rule defines a plurality of conditions for satisfying the rule in terms of three or more of gender, location, identity of a mobile application installed on a mobile communication device, age category, and identity of a mobile communication device model. The method further comprises, for a content request that evaluates true in the Boolean rule, scoring the profile information according to a model and sending mobile content to a mobile communication device associated with the profile information whose score exceeds a predefined threshold.
US09973903B2
A device for communication includes a processor, a transmitter, and a receiver. The processor is configured to generate a traffic advertisement indicating availability of data to be sent to a plurality of devices. The traffic advertisement includes a unicast message addressed to a first device of the plurality of devices. The transmitter is configured to transmit the traffic advertisement during a paging window. The receiver is configured to receive, during a data transmission window that is subsequent to the paging window, a data request from a second device of the plurality of devices. The data request is responsive to the traffic advertisement. The transmitter is further configured to send first data to the second device responsive to the data request.
US09973901B2
In some implementations, a method in a user equipment (UE) for supporting group communication service includes receiving, from a base station, a group communication on a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH). The UE determines a first Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) information that corresponds to the group communication on the PDSCH. The UE transmits the first HARQ information. In some implementations, the UE determines a group Channel State Information (CSI) for a group communication that is transmitted by a base station on a PDSCH. The UE determines a unicast CSI for a unicast communication that is transmitted by the base station on the PDSCH. The UE transmits the group CSI. The UE transmits the unicast CSI.
US09973893B2
Movement information describing a movement of a tracking device is received at a mobile device. The mobile device determines a location associated with the tracking device, and provides the determined location, an identity of the tracking device, and the received movement information to a tracking server. The tracking server is configured to select one or both of the determined location or a previous location of the tracking device stored by the tracking server based on the movement information. The tracking server then provides, in response to a request for location information, the selected one or both of the determined location or a previous location to a requesting entity.
US09973889B2
A signal analysis system matches a mobile device cellular identifier to a mobile device network identifier. The system obtains multiple cellular positioning records (CPRs) and multiple network positioning records (NPRs). These records include different types of information because they are generated by different types of networks. The system performs spatial matching and temporal matching of the CPRs and the NPRs to identify a specific mobile device cellular identifier among the CPRs that belongs to a mobile device identified by a specific mobile device network interface identifier among the NPRs.
US09973887B2
This document describes systems, methods, devices, and other techniques for sharing navigation data among computing devices. The techniques can include identifying, by a first computing device, a second computing device, based on the first computing device detecting an audio signal emitted by one or more speakers of the second computing device, wherein the second computing device is running a navigation application that has been programmed to navigate a geographic route. Using information encoded in the audio signal that was emitted by the one or more speakers of the second computing device, the first computing device can determine the geographic route that the navigation application running on the second computing device has been programmed to navigate. A representation of the geographic route can be displayed on an electronic display of the first computing device.
US09973886B2
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure suggest an apparatus and method for rapidly establishing an initial connection and exchanging data among wireless devices in a wireless communication system. According to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, a certain wireless device for transmitting data may discover neighboring wireless devices and display locations of the discovered wireless devices as information in the form of a map. Then, a user can easily select a wireless device to transmit data to based on the information which is displayed in the form of the map as described above, and transmit desired data to the selected wireless device.
US09973884B2
Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and/or methods of controlling access to location sources. For example, a device may include a location caching controller to store cached location information in a cache based on location information retrieved from two or more location sources, to receive at least one location request from at least one application, to select between retrieving requested location information from at least one of the location sources and retrieving the requested location information from the cache, and to provide to the application a location response including the requested location information.
US09973875B2
The invention provides a computer-based method for logging a user mobile device onto a server computer system including registering a unique identifier of a user mobile device, receiving a first message from the user mobile device, detecting an Internet Protocol address associated with the user mobile device, receiving the unique identifier corresponding to the Internet Protocol address; and transmitting to the user mobile device a second message.
US09973872B2
Systems and methods that reproduce surround sound effects from an audio source are described. Wireless communication devices form a wireless network in which music, for example, can be played on the speakers of the wireless communication devices to reproduce surround sound effects from a selected audio source. As the wireless communication devices roam with respect to each other or with respect to a focal point or listening position of the wireless network, the wireless network adjusts how the audio source is played at each speaker of the respective wireless communication device to maintain or to enhance the reproduction of surround sound effects from the audio source.
US09973865B2
A prosthetic system, comprising a first sub-system configured to evoke a hearing percept based on a first principle of operation, and a second sub-system configured to evoke a hearing percept based on at least one of the first principle of operation or a second principle of operation different from the first principle of operation, wherein the first and second sub-systems are configured to independently process respective inputs indicative of an ambient sound to harmonize an estimated recipient perception of magnitude of a property of the respective evoked hearing percepts.
US09973860B2
According to an embodiment, an optical MEMS transducer includes a diffraction structure including alternating first reflective elements and openings arranged in a first plane, a reflection structure including second reflective elements and configured to deflect with respect to the diffraction structure, and an optical element configured to direct a first optical signal at the diffraction structure and the reflection structure and to receive a second optical signal from the diffraction structure and the reflection structure. The second reflective elements are arranged in the first plane when the reflection structure is at rest. Other embodiments include corresponding systems and apparatus, each configured to perform various embodiment methods.
US09973854B1
Implementations of an electronic headset are provided. In some implementations, the electronic headset may be configured to be worn on the head of a user. In some implementations, the electronic headset may be configured so that two earcups can be removably and/or rotatably coupled to a headband thereof. In some implementation, the electronic headset may be configured to power attached electronic earcups and/or other electrically powered accessories (e.g., a light, etc.) conductively coupled thereto. In some implementations, an electronic headset may comprise a headband having a mounting bracket on each end thereof, two earcup mounting hubs, and an electronic circuitry comprising a power source. In some implementations, each earcup mounting hub may be configured to conductively interface with a mounting bracket when coupled thereto. In this way, the electronic earcups may be powered by the electronic headset.
US09973844B1
A headphone stand, for supporting a variety of electronic devices and accessories, having a base portion and a tower portion. The tower portion is mounted on the top surface of the base portion and has a pair of parallel and substantially identical end plates, and a connecting part extending between the end plates. Each of the end plates has a plurality of fingers extending forwardly and rearwardly therefrom for supporting electronic devices and accessories. A plurality of upstanding walls extend upwardly from the base portion, defining slots for holding electronic devices. A USB hub provides a plurality of USB charging ports, such that charging cables can be used to charge various devices supported by the headphone stand.
US09973842B2
There is disclosed a portable sound equipment comprising a neckband wire configured to wrap a predetermined region of a user's neck; a main body coupled to one end of the neckband wire; a first printed circuit board disposed on an upper or lower surface of the main body; a flat bracket disposed on the first printed circuit board and having one surface which contacts with the first printed circuit board; a lateral bracket coupled to a lateral surface of the flat bracket; a second printed circuit board supported to the lateral bracket and toward a lateral surface of the main body; and a side button disposed on the second printed circuit board and exposed outside the lateral surface of the main body.
US09973841B2
An ear bud set comprises: a body part; a leg part foldably connected to the body part; and an elastic body connected to the body part and a foldable portion of the leg part. The earbud set is stably provided in the ears when being used for the hearing aid or the earphone, the Bluetooth and the like, and thus is not easily separated from the ears despite vigorous motion, and since earholes are ventilated and external sound can be heard after being worn in the ears, sound transmission efficiency capable of preventing a safety accident is effective. The earbud set can be stably worn in the ears irrespective of the different shapes and sizes of ears of people, does not cause earaches by dispersing the force applied to the ears, and can be stably provided to the ears with low pressure.
US09973838B2
An acoustic device such as a microphone or speaker is positioned with and coupled to a housing to connect an acoustic port of the acoustic device with an external opening of the housing. A reservoir is connected to the external opening via a bleed channel. The bleed channel may be less resistive to liquid ingress than the acoustic port. As such, the reservoir and bleed channel may redirect liquid from the external opening away from the acoustic port. In some implementations, the reservoir and/or the bleed channel may be defined by one or more acoustically permeable barriers such as meshes that cover the acoustic port, compressible materials such as foams that form a perimeter around the acoustic port, and/or adhesive layers that couple the acoustic device, the housing, and/or one or more other components.
US09973834B1
Systems and methods are disclosed herein for providing near real time communication to a user based on analysis of various user and environmental telematic data. The system includes a user with a wearable human telematic sensor providing telematic data about the wearer. Also, the system and method includes at least one building/environment telematic sensor configured to provide telematic data about the building and/or surrounding environment. The various telematic data is communicated and processed to provide a notification back to the user such as a potential safety hazard. The safety hazard may be based upon sensed data specific to the user, specific to the user's environment, or combinations thereof.
US09973829B2
A method and system for video communications between a terminal and a server. A first terminal establishes a communication connection with a server through a communication protocol. Local video data displayed in a video zone of the first terminal and other data displayed in a preset whiteboard zone of the first terminal are sent-to the server, to allow the server to send the local video data and the other data to one or more second terminals to be displayed. Complex content can be shown in one-to-one, one-to-many or many-to-many video communications applications to satisfy the demand and experience of video communications in the scenes of chats.
US09973828B1
A content server stores digital content including video, audio, image, animation, or text content. The content server receives account permissions governing video access for a restricted account that an authorizing account supervises. The content server also receives a designation by the authorizing account of a delegate account authorized to control video access for the restricted account. The content server receives a request from the restricted account to view a video and determines whether the restricted account may view the video according to the account permission. In response to determining that the authorized account is not authorized to view the requested video, the content server transmits an authorization request to the delegate user, who provides authorization for the restricted account to view the video. In response to authorization from the delegate account, the content server transmits the video to the restricted user.
US09973819B1
Disclosed are various embodiments for providing a live video stream with an interactive shopping interface. A live video stream is obtained from a media server. Item information is obtained from the media server. The item information indicates one or more items being featured in the live video stream. A user interface is rendered upon a display. The user interface includes the live video stream and the item information indicating the items being featured in the live video stream.
US09973818B2
A method of providing additional information to a viewer of a moving image file is disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing one or more tags within the moving image file indicating the existence of additional product information; visually indicating the existence of the tags alongside or over the moving image; detecting a request to view the product information associated with the one or more tags; pausing the moving image; and displaying the requested product information over the paused image.
US09973817B1
A list of video-on-demand (VOD) programs based on viewer selections is provided. VOD programs may be marked with a mark indicating the level of viewer interest. In one embodiment, a list of VOD programs may be displayed that includes or excludes programs having a particular mark, or sorts programs based on the marks. In another embodiment, a list of VOD programs may be displayed based on availability times. In yet another embodiment, after a viewer has played back a VOD program, a list of related VOD programs may be automatically displayed.
US09973814B1
An adjustment module analyzes user adjustments in a playback attribute (e.g., volume) of a media item (e.g., a video) that occur when the user transitions from one media item to another. By analyzing these adjustments, the adjustment module determines an adjustment amount to apply to the playback attribute of a media item to cause the media item to appear equivalent to users with respect to the playback attribute when compared with the media item that was previously played.
US09973813B2
A commercial-free audiovisual content system allows a viewer to select two or more audiovisual sources such as television channels to view on an audiovisual display. When the system detects that a commercial is being displayed in the audiovisual content of the channel presented on the main part of the screen, the system will immediately switch to display the audiovisual content of another source that is not displaying a commercial.
US09973810B2
The Controlled Environment Media And Communication System delivers communications services to residents of controlled facilities using a common network architecture. Some of the communications capabilities of the Controlled Environment Media And Communication System include media distribution, video visitation, intra-facility messaging, and other such communications services.
US09973801B1
A non-climactic period is forecasted during a live streaming of a main content, where a likelihood of an occurrence of any climactic event in the non-climactic period is below a threshold likelihood, and where a second content is inserted during the non-climactic period. A validation is requested from a first user of the live streaming, of the forecasted non-climactic period and a first response to the request is received from the first user. Based on the first response, a first rank of the first user is computed relative to another user in a group of responding users. A first dynamic delay period that has an inverse relationship with the first rank is computed for the first user. A first transmission of a future portion of the live streaming to the first user is delayed by at least the first dynamic delay period.
US09973799B2
A system and method for streaming a Video on Demand (VOD) asset includes receiving, at a host, a VOD asset request from a client over an internal network, and sending the VOD asset request from the host over an external network using a client/host address that includes a host address and a client address. The VOD asset targeted for the client including the client/host address is received at the host over the external network, and the VOD asset is streamed from the host to the client over the internal network.
US09973793B2
Provided are a method and an apparatus for processing a video image. The method for processing a video image comprises: acquiring information of a current video; intercepting key images of the current video according to the information of the current video, each key image comprising a video frame image with a complete subtitle; sequencing the key images to generate an image library; and receiving a playing request, and according to the playing request, reading, from the image library, corresponding key images for playing.
US09973791B2
Systems and methods presented herein provide for qualifying assets for insertion into selected COD content. In one embodiment, a system is operable to select from a plurality of assets for insertion into a Content On Demand (COD) content selection. The system includes an interface operable to process a request for asset insertion into the COD content selection to extract information of the COD content selection including a provider of the COD content selection (e.g., a head end). The system also includes an asset qualification module operable to communicate with the provider of the COD content selection to validate the request, to analyze the information of the COD content selection to validate the assets for insertion into the COD content selection, and to remove one or more of the assets from insertion selection based on the validation of the assets.
US09973787B2
Content data control is to be performed in a preferred manner between a device such as an HDMI device and an IP (DLNA) device. In response to transmission request information received from a mobile terminal (14) via a wireless transmission path (16), a television receiver (13) transmits information related to uncompressed image/audio data to the mobile terminal (14) via the wireless transmission path (16), the related information having been acquired from an HDMI-connected BD recorder (11). The mobile terminal (14) displays a list of content information in accordance with the received related information, and transmits the control information about selected content to the television receiver (13).
US09973779B2
A sequence of 3D VDR images and 3D SDR images are encoded using a monoscopic SDR base layer and one or more enhancement layers. A first VDR view and a first SDR view are encoded with a DVDL encoder to output first and second coded signals. A predicted 3D VDR signal is generated, which has first and second predicted VDR views. First and second VDR residuals are generated based on their respective VDR views and predicted VDR views. A DVDL encoder encodes the first and second VDR residuals to output third and fourth coded signals. A 3D VDR decoder, which has two DVDL decoders and SDR-to-VDR predictors use the four coded input signals to generate a single-view SDR, 3D SDR, single-view VDR, or 3D VDR signals. A corresponding decoder is also described, which is capable of decoding these encoded 3D VDR and SDR images.
US09973778B2
A multi-view video prediction method and a multi-view video prediction restoring method. The multi-view video prediction method includes generating a base layer image stream including residual values of I-picture base view key pictures and base view images of a base view by performing inter prediction between the base view images; and generating an enhancement layer image stream comprising residual values of additional view images of an additional view by performing inter-view prediction for predicting the additional view images with reference to the base view images, performing inter prediction for predicting a different additional view key picture with reference to an additional view key picture from among the additional view images, and performing inter prediction for predicting an additional view image other than the additional view key picture with reference to the additional view images.
US09973771B2
Implementations are provided that relate, for example, to view tiling in video encoding and decoding. A particular method includes accessing a video picture that includes multiple pictures combined into a single picture (826), accessing information indicating how the multiple pictures in the accessed video picture are combined (806, 808, 822), decoding the video picture to provide a decoded representation of at least one of the multiple pictures (824, 826), and providing the accessed information and the decoded video picture as output (824, 826). Some other implementations format or process the information that indicates how multiple pictures included in a single video picture are combined into the single video picture, and format or process an encoded representation of the combined multiple pictures.
US09973768B2
An encoded bitstream of entropy encoded video data is received by a video decoder. The encoded bitstream represents syntax elements of a sequence of coding blocks. The sequence of coding blocks is recovered by processing a bin sequences associated with each coding block in a processing pipeline, wherein a defined amount of time is allocated to process each coding block in the processing pipeline. The encoded bitstream is arithmetically decoded to produce each bin sequence. The arithmetic decoder is time-wise decoupled from the processing pipeline by storing a plurality of the bin sequences in a buffer memory.
US09973759B2
A method for reducing the storage requirement or complexity of context-based coding in three-dimensional or multi-view video encoding and decoding is disclosed. The system selects the context based on selected information associated with one or more neighboring blocks of the current block conditionally depending on whether the one or more neighboring blocks are available. The syntax element is then encoded or decoded using context-based coding according to the context selection. The syntax element to be coded may correspond to an IC (illumination compensation) flag or an ARP (advanced residual prediction) flag. In another example, one or more syntax elements for coding a current depth block using DMM (Depth Map Model) are encoded or decoded using context-based coding, where the context-based coding selects a by-pass mode for at least one selected syntax element.
US09973758B2
Techniques related to content adaptive entropy coding are described. A technique for video coding may include obtaining first and second video data for entropy encoding such that the first and second video data comprise different data types, determining a first entropy encoding technique for the first video data such that the first entropy encoding technique comprises at least one of an adaptive symbol-run video length coding technique or an adaptive proxy variable length coding technique, entropy encoding the first video data using the first encoding technique to generate first compressed video data and the second video data using a second encoding technique to generate second compressed video data, and assembling the first compressed video data and the second compressed video data to generate an output bitstream.
US09973753B2
An encoding controlling unit 3 selects one transformation block size which provides an optimal degree of encoding efficiency from a set of transformation block sizes which are determined in accordance with an encoding mode 7, and includes the transformation block size selected thereby in optimal compression parameters 20a to notify the transformation block size to a transformation/quantization unit 19, and the transformation/quantization unit 19 divides an optimal prediction differential signal 13a into blocks having the transformation block size included in the optimal compression parameters 20a, and carries out a transformation and quantization process on each of the blocks to generate compressed data 21.
US09973750B2
A video encoding/decoding method and apparatus using split prediction is provided.The video encoding/decoding method and apparatus using split prediction splits a block into various partition shapes in addition to a conventional standardized right-angled quadrangular shape so as to effectively predict an image of a current block from a previous image and thus, may more improve the performance of video data compression and may achieve superior reconstructed image quality.
US09973735B2
A camera apparatus includes a rotatable camera unit; a filter unit which is configured to selectively take at least one of a covering state and a standby state, wherein the covering state covers a light incident portion of the camera unit with a filter and the standby state removes the filter from the light incident portion; a controller which is configured to control a rotation of the camera unit and a state of the filter unit; and a memory which stores posture information including a direction of the camera unit and filter information representing at least one of the covering state and the standby state of the filter unit. The controller controls the direction of the camera unit based on the posture information stored in the memory and controls the filter unit based on the filter information stored in the memory.
US09973733B2
A communication system includes a terminal having a first storage section for storing a number of pieces of content information, a second storage section for storing a number of pieces of the content information, a storage control section for placing a content ID stored in the second storage section into purchase information for each terminal and stored in the second storage section, an access control section for controlling access to the content information corresponding to the content ID stored in the second storage section, and an accounting setting section for setting an amount of a fee to be imposed on the terminal in response to the purchase information.
US09973730B2
A method comprising: displaying a UI for display of received video; detecting selection of a UI displayed button while a received video frame is displayed; in response, disabling the display of video frames received after the received video frame; determining a position of a face of a user in the received frame; receiving a plurality of drawing inputs while the button is selected, each drawing input defining image data to be applied at a position on said face; modifying the video frame in accordance with the drawing inputs by applying the image data to each of the positions; detecting a condition and in response, for each video frame received after the detection, determining a position of the face in the frame to determine the location of the positions in the frame, applying the image data to each of the positions, and displaying the modified video frame in the UI.
US09973728B2
Systems and methods can support a data processing apparatus. The data processing apparatus can include a data processor that is associated with a data capturing device on a stationary object and/or a movable object. The data processor can receive data in a data flow from one or more data sources, wherein the data flow is configured based on a time sequence. Then, the data processor can receive a control signal, which is associated with a first timestamp, wherein the first timestamp indicates a first time. Furthermore, the data processor can determine a first data segment by applying the first timestamp on the data flow, wherein the first data segment is associated with a time period in the time sequence that includes the first time.
US09973714B2
Disclosed is an imaging device and method capable of obtaining an image with exposure appropriate for each sample when a plurality of samples are collectively imaged. For performing imaging using an imaging device configured to divide an imaging area into a plurality of partial areas, to perform imaging for each partial area, a proper exposure time is calculated for each partial area based on an image signal, a positive integer multiple of the maximum value among the calculated proper exposure times is set as a total imaging time, an imaging frequency is set for each partial area using a value obtained by dividing the total imaging time by the calculated proper exposure time, imaging with the calculated proper exposure time of the partial area is successively and repeatedly performed by the set imaging frequency, and each image successively imaged is simply added or is added and averaged.
US09973706B2
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and apparatus for detecting an imaging condition. In one embodiment, there is provided a method for detecting an imaging condition. The method comprises: determining, based on luminance distribution in a first image of a scene, imaging lightness of the first image, the first image being captured by a first camera; determining, based on detection of a highlighted region in a second image of the scene, imaging exposureness of the second image, the second image being captured by a second camera, the first image and the second image being captured under a same or similar imaging condition, an exposure amount of the first camera being lower than an exposure amount of the second camera. There is also disclosed a relevant apparatus, electronic device, and a computer program product.
US09973699B2
An image processing apparatus, which captures and records a moving image and which can generate still image data from moving image data, evaluates validity of image capturing conditions related to imaging parameters such as focus, exposure, white balance, and image blur, generates a degree of appropriateness corresponding to each imaging parameter, and based on at least one of the degrees of appropriateness, changes characteristics of control of imaging parameters corresponding to the other degrees of appropriateness.
US09973697B2
One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for ordering images for panorama stitching and/or for providing a focal point indicator for image capture. For example, one or more images, which may be stitched together to create a panorama of a scene, may be stored within an image stack according to one or more ordering preferences, such as where manually captured images are stored within a first/higher priority region of the image stack as compared to automatically captured images. One or more images within the image stack may be stitched according to a stitching order to create the panorama, such as using images in the first region for a foreground of the panorama. Also, a current position of a camera may be tracked and compared with a focal point of a scene to generate a focal point indicator to assist with capturing a new/current image of the scene.
US09973690B2
An imaging device includes: an optical system; an imaging element that continuously generates image data of an object; a position changing unit that changes a relative positional relationship between the optical system and the imaging element; a touch panel that detects a contact position thereon, and periodically outputs a position signal according to the contact position; a position controller that controls the position changing unit based on duration of maintaining the contact position to change the positional relationship; a trimming unit that generates pieces of trimming image data by sequentially cutting out an area including a touch position corresponding to the position signal from an image corresponding to the image data each time the positional relationship is changed; and a super-resolution processer that performs pixel interpolation using the pieces of trimming image data to generate super-resolution image data having a higher resolution than that of each trimming image data.
US09973687B2
An method for capturing images using a capturing apparatus including determining whether a moiré pattern exists in a preview image captured by a camera device. A capturing parameter of the camera device is adjusted when the moiré pattern exists in the preview image. The camera device is controlled to capture images when the capturing parameter has been adjusted.
US09973686B2
An information processing system that detects that a first user input is received at a user interface corresponding to a display configured to display an image captured by an image capturing unit; determines a status of a timer corresponding to the user interface upon detecting the first user input; controls an image capture operation of the image capturing unit upon detecting the first input and determining that the status of the timer satisfies a first predetermined condition; and controls the display to display an image condition settings menu upon detecting the first input and determining that the status of the timer satisfies a second predetermined condition.
US09973684B2
A lens control apparatus and a control method thereof are disclosed. The lens control apparatus includes a microprocessor which obtains a correction defocus amount so that the correction defocus amount obtained by the microprocessor when a zoom speed is a first speed is greater than the correction defocus amount obtained by the microprocessor when a zoom speed is a second speed which is less than the first speed.
US09973682B2
An image sensor includes a pixel array including first to fourth pixels having an R, G, and B Bayer pattern. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) block converts a pixel signal of each of the first to fourth pixels into a digital pixel signal. At least one among the first to fourth pixels includes two photo diodes separated in a first direction, and at least one other of the first to fourth pixels includes two photo diodes separated in a second direction which is different from the first direction.
US09973676B2
Provided is an interchangeable lens digital camera that is capable of correcting a rolling shutter distortion in a live view image without delay in displaying the image. At the start of live view imaging, a lens controller in an interchangeable lens controls a shake detection sensor to detect the direction and amount of a shake, and produces deviation information on the basis of shake detection signals from the shake detection sensor, the deviation information indicating fluctuation in direction and amount of the shake for one frame of the live view image in the form of a parameter. The deviation information is transmitted to a body controller of a camera body through a serial communication unit, to correct the rolling shutter distortion on the basis of the deviation information.
US09973669B2
An apparatus and method of producing a dual overmolded camera module. The dual overmolded camera module including a dual overmolded image sensor module having a first image sensor device and a second image sensor device spaced from one another in an x-direction at a predetermined alignment distance, and wherein at least one of the first image sensor device and the second image sensor device have a conductive via formed therethrough and a redistribution layer along at least one side. The dual overmolded camera module further including a first lens assembly and a second lens assembly mounted over respective ones of the first image sensor device and the second image sensor device, and wherein both the first lens assembly and the second lens assembly are aligned with a common target.
US09973665B2
A sensor adjustment system includes an exterior housing configured to hold a directional sensor inside the housing. The directional sensor is configured to obtain data outside of the housing along a boresight of the directional sensor. The system also includes one or more fasteners configured to be operably coupled with the directional sensor inside the housing. The one or more fasteners are configured to be actuated in order to change an orientation of the boresight of the directional sensor. The one or more fasteners are configured to be actuated from outside of the housing while changing the orientation of the boresight of the directional sensor inside the housing.
US09973664B2
An external camera device for a motor vehicle prevents condensation on the camera optics by thermally coupling the optics to an air stream from the vehicle's ventilation system. The camera optics are disposed adjacent to an optical window in a camera holder that is attached to an outer surface of the motor vehicle. A flow channel guides the air stream through the camera holder. An inlet of the flow channel is connected to the ventilation system, and the flow channel is thermally coupled to the camera optics. The device is mounted onto the vehicle through a mounting surface of the camera holder. The inlet of the flow channel passes through the mounting surface. The outlet of the flow channel can either pass through the mounting surface or exit adjacent to the optical window, in which case a fluid-guide element guides the air stream from the outlet towards the optical window.
US09973663B2
Methods and systems are provided for a self-cleaning camera. The system includes a camera including a lens and a housing surrounding the lens. The system includes a shroud coupled to the housing about the lens. The shroud includes at least one anchor point for coupling the shroud to a vehicle. The system also includes a motor coupled to the housing of the camera via a coupling system such that an activation of the motor moves the camera relative to the shroud, and the movement of the camera relative to the shroud assists in cleaning the lens of the camera.
US09973649B2
A photographing apparatus includes: an image pickup section that outputs a picked-up image obtained by photographing an object; a metadata creation section that creates metadata based on a tag format when the picked-up image is recorded; a communication section that can transmit the picked-up image to an external apparatus; a metadata update section that converts the metadata created by the metadata creation section into a data description language; and a transmission control section that transmits the metadata created by the metadata update section to the external apparatus via the communication section when the picked-up image is transmitted. When an image file is transmitted, auxiliary data is converted into data in text format according to a transmission destination, so that it is possible to promote effective use of the auxiliary data while enabling high-speed processing.
US09973637B2
A wearable wireless image data relay device for positioning on a limb of a wearer may include a band configured to at least partially encircle the limb of the wearer; a storage mounted on the band and configured to store image data; and a transceiver mounted on the band and configured to detect wireless transmission of the image data from at least one camera, wirelessly receive the transmission of the image data from the at least one camera to enable storage of the image data within the storage, form a wireless coupling with a receiving device, and in response to formation of the wireless coupling and the storage of the image data within the storage, wirelessly transmit the image data from the storage to the receiving device.
US09973636B2
There is disclosed a mobile terminal including a case comprising an electric control unit in which electric/electronic parts are mounted, a battery cover coupled to a rear surface of the case, and a vibration motor coupled to an inner surface of the battery cover.
US09973634B2
Methods, systems, devices, and computer readable medium for processing data in a digital subscriber line environment are disclosed. In one aspect methods include establishing a first data channel in a first system utilizing a first frequency band. Methods also include conveying, for a second system that establishes a second data channel over a second frequency band, handshake information using the first system.
US09973628B1
Disclosed embodiments provide improved communication between a caller and multiple parties. A caller performs a call spray operation on a group of contacts using an electronic communication device such as a mobile telephone. The call spray operation attempts to contact an electronic device associated with each contact in the group of contacts. If one of the contacts answers and is deemed to be a live user, then the remaining contacts that did not answer each receive a message on their associated electronic device indicating which of the contacts answered the caller with a live user. In this way, a group of people can be conveniently contacted and kept up to date with the status of the communication with the caller.
US09973618B2
An electronic device and its operating method are provided. The method includes, while a display displays content, identifying, by a first processor, state information of the electronic device using a first sensor based on a first cycle, determining, by the first processor, whether the state information is maintained using the first sensor based on a second cycle, when determining that the state information is maintained based on the second cycle, providing, by the first processor to a second processor, first notification information corresponding to the determination, and changing, by the second processor, a state of the display in response to the first notification information.
US09973602B2
A piezoelectric vibrator is located on a first end portion of a second surface of a panel, and is configured to vibrate while being bent in a first direction, the first end portion extending in the first direction. A double-sided tape is located between the panel and a first case. An adhesive is located between the panel and the first case. The first end portion includes an element region, and has second and third end portions with the element region interposed between the second and third end portions. The second end portion faces the element region, and includes a first adhesive region. The double-sided tape is present between the first adhesive region and the element region, and is not present in a region located closer to an outer edge of the panel than the first adhesive region.
US09973598B2
Disclosed embodiments relate to a communications device that supports the Modbus protocol. In some embodiments, a device includes: a receiver to receive a transmit packet; a data packet extractor configured to extract a data packet from the transmit packet; a data packet analyzer configured to acquire a command indicated by the data packet based on a Modbus map that associates data included in the data packet with a handler function included in the communications device; and an action performer configured to carry out the acquired command.
US09973597B1
Server systems are disclosed that retrieve content on behalf of client devices and compress the retrieved content based on information known to be available to the client devices. The server systems may use server-side copies of compression dictionaries stored on the client devices. The compression dictionaries may be based on content portions, scripts, formatting data, and other byte sequences typically found in content. In some embodiments, device-specific, browser-specific, or user-specific compression dictionaries may be used based on content requested by the respective devices/browsers/users, and the server systems may maintain server-side copies of each dictionary. During compression, the server systems may generate additional compression information, such as new compression dictionary entries, and may provide information to the clients about the differences between the server-side and client-side compression dictionaries to so that the client devices can update the client-side compression dictionaries.
US09973596B2
In one embodiment, a sender in a shared-communication network determines whether a pending frame is low-latency or high-throughput, and sets a maximum transmission unit (MTU) of the pending frame as a first MTU in response to a low-latency frame and a longer second MTU in response to a high-throughput frame. In another embodiment, a receiver receives a data frame from a sender according to an MTU, and determines a trigger for adjusting the MTU based on latency requirements. In response to the trigger, the receiver sets an interrupt flag in a link-layer acknowledgment for the received data frame. In still another embodiment, a sender determines a pending low-latency data frame to send to a receiver operating according to an MTU, and sends a control message to the receiver to indicate the pending low-latency data frame and an adjusted MTU.
US09973587B2
A web page pushing method and apparatus, and a terminal, where the method includes receiving, by a first terminal, a response packet, which is sent by a network side to the first terminal, for a request packet for visiting a target web page, where the response packet includes an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the target web page, determining whether the first terminal stores the response packet, if the first terminal stores the response packet, forwarding the response packet to a second terminal, if the first terminal does not store the response packet, storing the response packet in the first terminal, and replacing the IP address of the target web page in the response packet with an IP address of a preset web page to obtain a target response packet, and sending the target response packet to the second terminal.
US09973581B2
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) discovery signal at a wireless network element from a customer premise equipment; requesting that a data session be established at a gateway; receiving an Internet protocol (IP) address; and communicating the IP address to the customer premise equipment.
US09973578B2
A method for monitoring cache efficiency by a network device is implemented in a content centric networking (CCN) gateway or CCN router, where the CCN gateway or CCN router is part of a CCN network. The method collects content object retrieval information using a cache check type length value (TLV) that tracks a number of hops between a CCN gateway and a node in the CCN network that caches the content object. The method includes receiving a CCN interest packet from a user equipment, the CCN interest packet including a content object name, determining whether the cache check TLV is present in the CCN interest packet, and updating a value of the cache check TLV where the cache check TLV is determined to be present in the CCN interest packet.
US09973570B2
A system for providing an isolated testing model for testing the disaster recovery capabilities of a streamlined backup network backing up a primary network. The primary network provides one or more users access to critical data and critical services. The system is configured to be switched between a production mode and a test mode. When the system is in the production mode, the primary network and the streamlined backup network form a live production environment and the streamlined backup network provides the one or more users access to the critical data and the critical services in the event the primary network is unable to do so. When the system is in the test mode, the streamlined backup network is removed from the live production environment by physically and logically isolating the streamlined backup network from the primary network.
US09973568B2
Techniques for monitoring web application performance are provided. A request for a web application is received at an application server. A response pipeline at the application server generates client application code corresponding to the requested web application. The client application code is intercepted in the response pipeline. Instrumentation code is inserted into the intercepted client application code to generate an instrumented client application code. The instrumentation code is configured to be executed when the instrumented client application code is rendered at the client to capture performance information at the client, and is configured to transmit the captured performance information from the client.
US09973558B2
Software for a distributed streaming platform receives a specification for a streaming application and converts the specification into a logical plan that includes a directed acyclic graph (DAG) with operators as nodes and streams as edges. The software translates the logical plan into a physical plan using any stream modes as specified and with one or more instances of the operators per any static partitioning. Then the software obtains a plurality of containers running on a networked cluster of servers. One slave executes in each container. The software assigns the instances to the slaves for execution according to an execution plan that depends at least in part on the physical plan and number of containers obtained. Each slave monitors throughput of the streaming windows through the instances in the container and other statistics related to service level and reports the results of the monitoring, which are used for dynamic adjustment.
US09973557B2
Streaming media is problematic for thin clients using remoting protocols like RDP that were never designed to handle the volume of data associated with multimedia. The result is large demands on the host computer and thin client CPU and excessive bandwidth on the network, which results in a poor display quality. A process running on a host computer detects an existing multimedia acceleration channel to a thin client and also identifies unaccelerated media streams like Adobe Flash. The unaccelerated content is automatically re-encoded using a codec format supported by the thin client acceleration channel. This results in a significant improvement in the quality of the streaming media displayed on the thin client and overall reductions in host CPU load, network bandwidth and thin client CPU load. No additional software is required on the thin clients to support new media types including Adobe Flash.
US09973549B2
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, receiving from a web real-time communications gateway a first request for communication services from a network resource, where the network resource does not utilize a web real-time communications protocol and where the first request is compliant with a markup language that differs from the web real-time communications protocol, directing the network resource to provide the communication services identified in the first request, receiving a first message from the web real-time communications gateway, where the first message is compliant with the markup language, translating the first message to a first updated message conforming to a protocol used by the network resource, where protocol differs from the markup language used for communicating with the web real-time communications gateway, and transmitting the updated first message to the network resource facilitating the communication services identified in the first request. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09973542B2
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, providing radio access information to a first server of an IP multimedia subsystem network to cause the first server to establish an interface between the first server and a second server for providing the radio access information to the second server, where the interface does not utilize an S14 interface, and where the providing of the radio access information to the second server causes the second server to discover access networks in proximity to the communication device and to manage connections to the access networks. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09973540B2
A security gateway appliance is configured to evaluate network traffic according to security rules that classify traffic flows according to specifically identified application programs responsible for producing and/or consuming the network traffic and to enforce policies in accordance with network traffic classifications. The appliance includes an on-box anti-virus/anti-malware engine, on-box data loss prevention engine and on-box authentication engine. One or more of these engines is informed by an on-box dynamic real tie rating system that allows for determined levels of scrutiny to be paid to the network traffic. Security gateways of this type can be clustered together to provide a set of resources for one or more networks, and in some instances as the backbone of a cloud-based service.
US09973539B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide approaches for enforcing runtime policies in a networked computing environment (e.g., a cloud computing environment). Specifically, in a typical embodiment, computer code and data of an application is annotated with metadata defining a set of runtime policies for executing the computer code and data. Once a request is received to run the application, a set of parameters (e.g., geographic location) corresponding to the execution of the computer code and data of the application is dynamically determined, and compared to the runtime policies. The runtime policies for executing the computer code and data are then enforced at runtime. This includes either running the application, or preventing the running of the application in the case that the set of parameters corresponding to the execution of the computer code and data of the application do not satisfy the runtime policies.
US09973538B2
A system comprises one or more application containers, each application container including computer-readable instructions and initiated via a container service and isolated using operating system-level virtualization. The system also comprises one or more virtual switches configured to route traffic from the application containers. The system further comprises one or more security containers, each security container configured to transparently intercept traffic from the one or more application containers for analysis of network security. The system further comprises a user interface (UI) container configured to receive configuration settings from a user. The system also comprises an analytics container configured to perform analysis on data received from the one or more security containers. The system also comprises a management container configured to configure settings for the one or more security containers and the analytics container.
US09973536B2
Data traffic is monitored on a network and data access elements thereof are collected. The collected data access elements are compared to security rules. A first audit data collection is sent to a first repository in response to one or more data access elements of a first data access matching a first condition of one of the security rules. The one of the security rules having the first condition designates the first audit data collection and the first repository. A second audit data collection is sent to a second repository in response to one or more data access elements of a second data access matching a second condition of one of the security rules. The one of the security rules having the second condition designates the second audit data collection and the second repository.
US09973534B2
Context information associated with a mobile communications device and a network connection for the mobile communications device is collected. A security policy is applied to determine whether the security offered by the network connection is appropriate for the context. If the security offered by the network connection is not appropriate for the context, the network connection may be made more secure, less secure, or a different network connection having an appropriate level of security may be used for the data associated with the context.
US09973530B2
A method of providing at least one communications service provider a connection to an Internet Protocol, IP, server in a perimeter network, the IP server providing a service over a public IP network, the method comprising the steps of detecting, in the perimeter network, an irregularity in IP traffic arriving at the perimeter network over the public IP network, disregarding, in the perimeter network, IP traffic arriving at the perimeter network over the public IP network, and enabling, in the perimeter network, a connection between the IP server and the at least one communications service provider for the service provided by the IP server over at least one private IP network.
US09973513B2
A communication number updating method is provided. The method includes obtaining an old communication number and a new communication number used by a same user account of an instant messenger for a user of the old communication number and the new communication number, generating a communication number change message which carries the old communication number and the new communication number, sending the communication number change message to a contact of the user account through the instant messenger, so that the instant messenger logged in by the contact of the user account automatically accesses a local address book and add the new communication number in a communication entry of the old communication number in the local address book.
US09973507B2
Methods, systems and computer readable media for a captive portal having dynamic, context-based whitelisting are described.
US09973506B2
The present disclosure discloses a method and an apparatus for clearing a notification icon, and a storage medium. The method includes: acquiring a list of applications corresponding to to-be-cleared notification icons, the application list including application identifiers of the applications corresponding to the to-be-cleared notification icons; and stop displaying a notification icon corresponding to the application identifier, when a clearing command is received and according to each application identifier included in the application list. By determining application identifiers of applications corresponding to to-be-cleared notification icons, displaying of notification icons corresponding to the application identifiers can be stopped at once according to the application identifiers of the applications of the to-be-cleared notification icons when a clearing command is received. Hence, notification message prompts which a user does not care about are cleared quickly, and unwanted distraction is avoided when messages are reduced, and the operation is simple and convenient.
US09973504B2
A content management system can tag a client installer with an information tag linking the client installer to a user account. The client installer can be configured to install the client-side application on the client device and pass the identification tag to the installed client-side application. The client-side application can transmit the identification tag to the content management system, which can use the identification tag to identify the linked user account and log the client-side application into the user account. The content management system can implement several verification measures such as limiting the number of times and when an identification tag can be used, as well as IP addresses that can use the identification tag. The content management system can also use data cached by the web-browser application to determine if the web-browser application was used to access the user account in the past.
US09973499B2
A mechanism to activate an original object (12S) so that statistical objects (14S) generated from the original object can be recognized using statistical object identification is disclosed. An object activation agent (48) with a clock (47) and at least one original object (12S) communicates the original object (12S) and time from the clock (47) to an object activation service (50). The object activation service (50) provides and communicates keying information (61) and expiration criterion (63) for at least one of said original objects (12S) back to the object activation agent (48).
US09973485B2
Disclosed is a device that obtains and stores a secret key. The device may comprise a transceiver configured to: transmit a command for a secret key to a server; transmit an identifier to the server; and receive a wrapped secret key from the server. The device may further comprise: a storage device; and a processor. The processor may be coupled to the transceiver and the storage device and the processor may be configured to: receive the wrapped secret key from the transceiver; unwrap the wrapped secret key to obtain the secret key; and store the secret key in the storage device.
US09973482B2
A method and system for recording data including content in a recording medium on a computer apparatus. First encrypted data, obtained by encrypting the data using a medium key created for each recording medium, is recorded in a recording medium. Second encrypted data, obtained by encrypting the medium key using a public key, is recorded in the recording medium. A private key corresponding to the public key is not recorded in the recording medium.
US09973481B1
The present document describes systems and methods that, in some situations, improve data security. In one embodiment, communications between a client and a server are encrypted using an envelope-based encryption scheme. The envelope includes: a data encryption key reference; and data encrypted with a corresponding data encryption key. A data encryption key server maintains a collection of data encryption keys that are accessible using corresponding data encryption key references. In another embodiment, a storage server maintains stored data using the envelope-based encryption scheme. The stored data is made available to particular clients in encrypted or plaintext form based at least in part on a trust score determined for each client's request. In yet another embodiment, as a result of a secure transport handshake, a client is provided with a pluggable cipher suite.
US09973480B2
A computer-implemented method, a computer system, and a computer program product are provided for enforcing multi-level security (MLS) on a message transmitted over a network that may be insecure. The method includes the processor obtaining a request from a source to send a message to a target, where the request includes the message and a context indicating a requested security level for the message. The processor encrypts the message based on ascertaining the message received in the request is a plaintext. The processor authenticates the encrypted message based on ascertaining the encrypted message is a ciphertext, where the target is enabled to trace the authenticated ciphertext back to the source. The processor transmits the authenticated encrypted message to the target across the network.
US09973470B2
A handheld wireless device makes a request for service from a server of a business on a global network, the request originating from the wireless device is automatically routed to the closest server of the business that is geographically closest to the location of the wireless device as determined by a GPS function in the device, or by a router server in the wireless network based on the group of cell towers being connected to by the wireless device, or based on the location of the wireless device in a global telephone network database, for faster access to the service and a response there from.
US09973459B2
A method of generating a digital media message includes receiving a first digital content segment via an electronic device, associating the first digital content segment with a first position in a play sequence, receiving a second digital content segment different from the first digital content segment, and receiving a third digital content segment different from the first and second digital content segments. The method also includes adding the second and third digital content segments to the play sequence such that the second digital content segment is presented simultaneously with at least one of the first and third digital content segments when the digital media message is played. Such a method further includes providing the digital media message for sharing with a remote electronic device.
US09973452B2
A communication system and method for organization, preparation and viewing of emails, including a graphical user interface operating on a display of a computing device. The graphical user interface includes: a writing interface with writing functions; a reading interface with a plurality of reading functions; and an organizing interface with a plurality of organizing functions. The writing functions including a recipient action identifier indicating what is expected of the recipient with regard to the sent email, what folder the writer has designated the email is to be stored in on the recipient computing device, a read date identifying a date on which the writer wishes the recipient to read the email, and a writing block for text associated with a message being sent in accordance with the email. The recipient action identifier and the read date are appended to the email and by a computer system of a recipient upon receipt of the email by the recipient.
US09973446B2
Provided is a novel approach for connecting servers to peripherals, such as NICs, HBAs, and SAS/SATA controllers. Also provided are systems for arranging peripherals within one or more I/O directors, which are connected to the servers over an Ethernet network. Such arrangement allows sharing the same resource among multiple servers.
US09973445B2
A novel design of a gateway that handles traffic in and out of a network by using a datapath pipeline is provided. The datapath pipeline includes multiple stages for performing various data-plane packet-processing operations at the edge of the network. The processing stages include centralized routing stages and distributed routing stages. The processing stages can include service-providing stages such as NAT and firewall. The gateway caches the result previous packet operations and reapplies the result to subsequent packets that meet certain criteria. For packets that do not have applicable or valid result from previous packet processing operations, the gateway datapath daemon executes the pipelined packet processing stages and records a set of data from each stage of the pipeline and synthesizes those data into a cache entry for subsequent packets.
US09973437B2
A device may store a credit value for each of multiple output components. The device may receive packets from a network device via an input component. The device may cause the input component to queue the packets. The device may selectively dequeue a packet from the input component, to be sent to an output component, based on whether the credit value for the output component satisfies a credit threshold. The device may send the packet to the output component based on a destination of the packet when the packet is dequeued from the input component. The device may determine a size of the packet after the packet is dequeued. The device may update the credit value for the output component based on the size of the packet. The device may output the packet to another network device via the output component.
US09973431B2
System, methods, and apparatus are described that facilitate signaling between devices over a single bi-directional line. In an example, the apparatus couples a first device to a second device via a single bi-directional line, indicates initiation of a first action, initiated at the first device, by sending a first single transition on the single bi-directional line from the first device to the second device, and indicates initiation of a second action, initiated at the second device, by sending a second single transition on the single bi-directional line from the second device to the first device. In another example, a first device initiates a first action, indicates initiation of the first action by generating a first event on a single bi-directional line, and receives an indication of a second action initiated at a second device by observing a second event on the single bi-directional line.
US09973430B2
A method for processing packets in a network device includes receiving a packet at the network device, identifying a flow with which the packet is associated, and, based at least in part on the identified flow, selectively causing the packet, or a packet descriptor associated with the packet, to bypass at least a first packet processing unit of the network device.
US09973413B2
A relaying apparatus in a communication network has ports and a memory storing an address table where addresses of apparatuses connected to the respective ports are registered. The ports include a first and second particular ports to be connected in the communication network permitting a broadcast frame having been transmitted via the first particular port to be received via the second particular port. Upon receiving the broadcast frame via the second particular port, the relaying apparatus makes a determination whether or not a transmission-source address of the received broadcast frame is registered to a port other than the first and second particular ports in the address table. The relaying apparatus cancels the received broadcast frame when making the determination affirmatively.
US09973407B2
A method for bandwidth-sensitive content sharing can begin with the establishment of a content sharing session between two or more end-user devices by a bandwidth-sensitive content sharing system. At least one of the two or more end-user devices can be a mobile device having a network constraint and/or a data usage constraint. A bandwidth limitation can be determined for the mobile device from network connection data and user data. The bandwidth limitation can indicate a restriction to content sections of a content item the mobile device is to receive during the content sharing session. The content item shared with the mobile device can be filtered based upon a priority value for each content section of the content item. A content section can be an identifiable and discrete encapsulation of data within the content item. The filtered content item can satisfy the bandwidth limitation of the mobile device.
US09973403B2
All electronic systems, viewed from a macro-environment perspective, to a network perspective, to devices dependent upon circuit boards and the internal workings of chips, are critically dependent upon simple point to point connections in order to function properly. Connections are represented by cords, ribbons, traces and cat whiskers, to name a few. With this invention, intelligent but independent electronics are added to the connection to uniquely identify the instance of the connection, allowing the electronic system in question to self map down to the least common denominator, the actual connecting means. Using this technique, a system can report its complete topologic map which may then be stored and retrieved or accessed in real time for purpose of repair and reconstruction and most importantly, as a security enhancement.
US09973402B2
Provided are a transmission device, a receiving device, and a relay device, whereby it is possible to achieve low latency voice communication, and to prevent deterioration in voice data. The transmission device comprises: a data distribution means (1) for distributing segmented data to one or a plurality of TCP connections; a network state monitoring means (2) for monitoring a state of a communications network; and a transmission method determination means (3) for changing a data segmenting method and a method of transmitting the segmented data according to the state of the communication network which is a result of the monitoring of the network state monitoring means (2).
US09973396B2
A method for providing on-demand quality-of-service for a data connection of a user equipment to a 3GPP data access network, this method comprising a sending step, during the attach procedure of the user equipment to the 3GPP data access network, of a message from the user equipment to the 3GPP data access network, this message including an access point name, this access point name comprising an explicit quality-of-service request being requested by the user equipment for the data connection, this explicit quality-of-service request being formatted in a predefined syntax.
US09973393B2
A first computing device determines that a first network device is to be removed from a network, where the network includes one or more network devices. The first computing device determines a first forwarding scheme for the network, where the first forwarding scheme does not include the first network device. The first computing device transmits the first forwarding scheme to the at least one of the one or more network devices in the network.
US09973389B2
A device may provide information associated with initiating a segmented tunnel to be used to transfer multicast traffic via a network covering a plurality of areas. The device may receive acknowledgement information associated with the segmented tunnel. The acknowledgement information may include information that identifies a number of egress devices, associated with at least one area of the plurality of areas, that are to receive the multicast traffic. The device may determine, based on the acknowledgement information, a total number of egress devices that are to receive the multicast traffic. The device may selectively provide the multicast traffic via the segmented tunnel based on the total number of egress devices that are to receive the multicast traffic.
US09973368B2
A fine timing method is provided. The method comprises: calculating values of a first timing metric function based on cross-correlation between a received signal and M training sequences within a time period, to obtain a plurality of sets of X values spaced according to a certain pattern; calculating summations for the plurality of sets of X values, respectively; and determining the beginning of a data frame based on the calculated summations.
US09973366B2
A broadcast signal transmitter is disclosed. A broadcast signal transmitter according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises an input formatting module performing baseband formatting and outputting at least one Physical Layer Pipe (PLP) data; a BICM module error-correction processing the PLP data; a framing & interleaving module interleaving the PLP data and generating a signal frame; and a waveform generating module inserting a preamble into the signal frame and generating a broadcast signal by performing OFDM modulation.
US09973350B2
A method for network sharing of multiple network operators includes steps of: providing a network sharing management proxy device adapted to be disposed between a sharing access point (AP) and a plurality of core networks of the network operators, wherein the sharing AP allows one or more end user equipment (UE) of the network operators to access; receiving a control message by the network sharing management proxy device, wherein the control message is corresponding to an UE, and the UE is an end UE of a first network operator of the network operators; checking the control message to determine that the UE is corresponding to which one of the network operators, and generating tunneling information accordingly; and transmitting the control message to a first core network of the first network operator according to the tunneling information.
US09973348B2
A transceiver circuit for operating in a controller area network (CAN), having a CAN bus network and a control unit, that supports a flexible data rate (CAN FD), is described. The transceiver circuit comprises: a transmit CAN path and a receive CAN path; an input node on the transmit CAN path; a detection module operably coupled to the input node on the transmit CAN path and arranged to receive an input frame from the control unit before the input frame is transmitted on the CAN bus network and determine whether the input frame on the transmit CAN path comprises a CAN FD frame; and at least one switching module, operably coupled to the detection module and coupleable to the CAN bus network, where the at least one switching module is operable to impart a first voltage value on the CAN bus network in response to the input frame being determined as comprising a CAN FD frame.
US09973346B2
An internet of things (IoT) edge appliance is configured to perform a method that includes receiving a configuration signal to configure the IoT edge appliance to communicate with at least one of a first device on the cloud network or a second device on the industrial process control and automation system network. The method also includes configuring a communication link with a cloud network and an industrial process control and automation system network. The method further includes communicating data with the at least one of the first device on the cloud network or the second device on the industrial process control and automation system network.
US09973342B2
Methods and systems are provided for authenticating a message μ, at a user computer of a group signature scheme, to a verifier computer. The method includes, at the user computer, storing a user id m for the user computer and a user signing key which comprises a signature on the user id m under a secret key of a selectively-secure signature scheme. The user id m is an element of a predetermined subring, isomorphic to q[x]/(g(x)), of a ring R=q[x]/(f(x)), where f(x) and g(x) are polynomials of degree deg(f) and deg(g) respectively such that deg(f)>deg(g)>1. The method includes, at the user computer, generating a first cryptographic proof Π1 comprising a zero-knowledge proof of knowledge of the user signing key and including the message μ in this proof of knowledge. The user computer sends the message μ and a group signature, comprising the first proof Π1, to the verifier computer.
US09973337B2
A domain is identified from a communication address. The domain corresponds to a host name. Resource records associated with the host name are caused to be queried for a public key reference. The public key reference is received in response to the caused resource record query. A public key associated with the communication address is identified based on the public key reference.
US09973336B2
A hash value generating device for generating a hash value based on the KECCAK algorithm includes a θ processing unit, a ρ processing unit, a π processing unit, a χ processing unit, and an processing unit for performing processing of five steps θ, ρ, π, χ, and included in round processing of the KECCAK algorithm. The π processing unit receives input of data in units of planes and outputs data in units of sheets.
US09973329B2
When a data path includes CMOS circuitry, such circuitry may introduce jitter into the data signal. Embodiments are described in which additional data transitions are made to occur, and these additional data transitions may change the characteristics of the data frequency content transferred to the power supply so that such noise may be better filtered. This may have an effect of reducing jitter in the data signal. In one embodiment, a second data signal is generated to be a version of a first data signal with every second bit inverted. Second CMOS circuitry receives the second data signal in parallel to first CMOS circuitry receiving the first data signal. The first CMOS circuitry and the second CMOS circuitry are connected to a same power supply.
US09973322B2
Splitting data in a wireless communications network. Data may be split to use multiple base stations for transmission to user equipment in order to improve the bandwith if a UE is on a cell edge, or may be split by user equipment for transmission to multiple base stations in order to improve handover. Data splitting may be performed at the Packet Data Convergence Protocol layer, at the Radio Link Control layer, or at the Media Access Control layer on user equipment or on a base station. Data may instead be split in a network node, such as in a serving gateway, in order to reduce X2 interface load or delay carrier aggregation.
US09973320B2
A method of transmitting channel information by a User Equipment (UE) when an uplink sub-frame is used for downlink transmission in a communication system using a dynamic Time Division Duplex (TDD) UpLink-DownLink (UL-DL) configuration is provided. The method includes receiving reconfiguration information for reconfiguration of TDD uplink and downlink from an evolved Node B (eNB), measuring interference in a first sub-frame changed from an uplink sub-frame to a downlink sub-frame by the reconfiguration, and transmitting information on interference measured in only the first sub-frame to the eNB in an uplink sub-frame according to a predetermined timing.
US09973318B2
A transmission method of a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS), including: selecting from a resource block s groups of resource elements for transmitting CSI-RSs of mi antenna ports, or selecting at least one resource element from each of r resource blocks for transmitting CSI-RSs of mj antenna ports, to constitute a resource element group to which CSI-RSs of n antenna ports correspond, n>mi, n>mj, 1≤i≤s, 1≤j≤r; transmitting the CSI-RSs of n antenna ports to a terminal via the resource elements, and informing related information to the terminal by using indication signaling and further provides a base station, a terminal, a system, a machine-readable program and a storage medium storing a machine-readable program. The present disclosure may provide CSI-RSs supporting more antenna ports according to CSI-RSs of existing antenna ports of a low number, thereby fully bringing performance of a large-scale antenna system into play.
US09973316B2
A method and apparatus are provided for transmitting data, acknowledgement information, and channel quality indicator (CQI) information. The method includes mapping a reference signal on a middle symbol in a slot; mapping the acknowledgement information on two symbols in the slot, which are directly adjacent to the middle symbol; mapping the CQI information and the data on symbols in the slot except for the middle symbol; and transmitting the reference signal, the acknowledgement information, the CQI information, and the data on the symbols.
US09973314B2
Systems and methods are disclosed that may communicate a control aggregate frame from a first wireless device to a second wireless device. A first wireless device may form a control aggregate frame by aggregating a plurality of first control frames into the control aggregate frame. The control aggregate frame may include a single media access control (MAC) header, a plurality of first aggregation fields, each storing a control frame subtype for a corresponding one of the plurality of first control frames, and a plurality of first payload fields, each storing a corresponding one of the plurality of first control frames. After generating the control aggregate frame, the first wireless device may transmit it to the second wireless device.
US09973299B2
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a waveguide system for detecting a condition that adversely affects a propagation of electromagnetic waves generated by the waveguide system on a surface of the wire, and adjusting characteristics of the electromagnetic waves generated by the waveguide system to reduce adverse effects caused by the condition. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09973298B2
The method includes: learning, by a terminal, a first CQI index according to a first CQI table, and sending the first CQI index to a base station; receiving, by the base station, the first CQI index sent by the terminal device, determining a first MCS index according to the first CQI table, a first MCS table, and the received first CQI index, and sending the determined first MCS index to the terminal device; and receiving, by the terminal, the first MCS index sent by the base station, and determining a modulation order and a code block size according to the first MCS table and the received first MCS index, where the first CQI table includes an entry in which a modulation scheme is higher than 64 QAM, and the first MCS table includes an entry in which a modulation scheme is higher than 64 QAM.
US09973294B2
A node in an optical network may include a wavelength selective switch (WSS) and a processor. The wavelength selective switch may have a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports for routing and/or power-controlling of optical slices. The wavelength selective switch may have a plurality of control passbands, each control passband including a one or more optical slices. The processor may determine a passband group (PBG) having a plurality of PBG passbands, each of the plurality of PBG passbands corresponding to a particular control passband. The PBG may be used to translate control information, notifications, and/or instructions.
US09973287B2
A clock generation circuit includes a random number generator configured to generate random numbers according to a first probability distribution, a filter configured to output random numbers according to a second probability distribution, based on the random numbers according to the first probability distribution input thereto, and a variable delay circuit configured to modulate a clock signal input thereto by delaying edges of the clock signal by amounts corresponding to values of the random numbers according to the second probability distribution. Probability of a smallest number according to the second probability distribution is smaller than probability of the smallest number according to the first probability distribution, and probability of a largest number according to the second probability distribution is smaller than probability of the largest number according to the first probability distribution.
US09973286B2
System and method for correcting a phase noise generated by vibration of an antenna transmitting or receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal in a signal propagation direction includes: measuring the vibration of the antenna by a sensor generating an output signal; converting the output signal of the sensor to a measurement signal proportional to the vibration of the antenna in the signal propagation direction; performing a single or double integral of the measurement signal to produce a control signal with an amplitude proportional to the vibrational velocity or displacement of the antenna in the signal propagation direction; and applying the control signal to an oscillator, a clock signal, or a phase controller associated with the RF signal.
US09973285B1
In one aspect, an apparatus includes: a pulse frequency modulation (PFM) voltage converter to receive a first voltage and provide a second voltage to a load; and a pulse generator. The PFM voltage converter may include an inductor to store energy based on the first voltage and a switch controllable to switchably couple the first voltage to the inductor. The pulse generator may be configured to generate at least one pulse pair to control the switch, where this pulse pair is formed of a first pulse and a second pulse substantially identical to the first pulse, where the second pulse is separated from the first pulse by a pulse separation interval, when the second voltage is less than a first threshold voltage.
US09973279B2
The present disclosure discloses a method for eliminating nonlinear effects, a transmitter and a receiver. The method includes: setting signals to be transmitted and redundant signals, where the redundant signals are symmetrical to the signals, which are to be transmitted, about Y axis; and after the setting is completed, respectively executing dispersion pre-compensation on the signals to be transmitted and the redundant signals, and executing signal modulation after the dispersion pre-compensation is completed.
US09973271B2
Provided are a method and device for configuring an OTDR test parameter set. The above-mentioned method comprises: an FMS acquiring related information about an ODN according to a test result fed back by an OTDR; and the FMS configuring a test parameter set required for one or more subsequent OTDR tests according to the related information. According to the technical solution provided in the disclosure, the test parameter set required for initiating an OTDR test can be accurately acquired.
US09973264B2
A method for synchronization of user terminal (UT) uplink data transmissions to a satellite in a satellite communications system is provided. The UT tracks frame timing and frequency of downlink data transmissions received by the UT from the satellite. The UT estimates a respective timing delay and frequency shift of the downlink data transmissions based on the tracked frame timing and frequency of the downlink data transmissions. The UT receives satellite ephemeris data broadcast by the satellite. The UT synchronizes uplink data transmissions to the satellite based on the estimated timing delay and frequency shift of the downlink data transmissions, the received satellite ephemeris data, and knowledge of a UT position and velocity vectors associated with any movement of the UT.
US09973243B2
Embodiments are provided for uplink measurement based mechanism and control using user equipment (UE) centric sounding signals. The mechanism provides an alternative to DL-measurement dominated system control. Based on UL-measurements at TPs, the network obtains knowledge of users' channel and timing information, traffic, and interference, and is thus able to perform better control, including TP and UE clustering and optimization, and power control and link adaptation. In an embodiment method, a TP receives one-to-one mapping information indicating a plurality of UE IDs and a plurality of sounding channels assigned to the corresponding UE IDs. When the TP detects a sounding reference signal (SRS) from a UE, the TP is able to identify the UE using the detected SRS and the one-to-one mapping information. The TP then obtains measurement information for the identified UE, enabling better control and communications for uplink and downlink transmissions between multiple TPs and the UE.
US09973242B2
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, receiving, by a network element of a distributed antenna system, a reference signal and a first modulated signal at a first carrier frequency, the first modulated signal including first communications data provided by a base station and directed to a mobile communication device. The element converts the first modulated signal at the first carrier frequency to the first modulated signal in a first spectral segment based on an analog signal processing of the first modulated signal and utilizing the reference signal to reduce distortion during the converting. The network element wirelessly transmits the first modulated signal at the first spectral segment to the mobile communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09973240B2
A master unit for wirelessly charging a slave device includes a plurality of radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) modules, each of the plurality of RFIC modules having an antenna array. The master unit is configured to select one of a single beam mode by using all or substantially all antenna arrays in the plurality of RFIC modules, a multi-beam mode by using each respective antenna array in each of the RFIC modules to form a separate beam from each RFIC module, and a customized beam pattern mode by using a customized combination of antennas in selected ones of the plurality of RFIC modules. The master unit is configured to dynamically select from one of the single beam mode, the multi-beam mode, and the customized beam pattern mode based on a location of the slave device relative to the master unit.
US09973232B1
Dual-band antenna structures and methods of operating the same of an electronic device are described. One apparatus includes a radio frequency (RF) feed and a dual-band antenna structure coupled to the RF feed at a feeding point and coupled to a ground plane at a grounding point. The structure includes a first loop antenna and a second loop antenna, both coupled to the feeding point and the grounding point. The first loop antenna radiates electromagnetic energy in a first resonant mode in a first frequency band and the second loop antenna radiates electromagnetic energy in a second resonant mode in a second frequency band and radiates electromagnetic energy in a third resonant mode in the first frequency band. Surface currents create three or more hot spots of magnetic field.
US09973230B2
A phone cover with rotary latch including a first frame, a second frame, a limiting piece, and limiting grooves is provided. The first frame and the second frame are separated structures. A limiting hole and a positioning post are configured at the frame connecting ends disposed at the two sides of the first frame respectively. A limiting post and a positioning post are configured at the frame connecting ends disposed at the two sides of the second frame. A positioning hole is disposed in middle of the limiting piece, limiting protrusions are disposed in two ends of the limiting piece. The limiting hole is disposed corresponding to the limiting post, and the limiting post is embedded in the limiting hole. Limiting grooves are disposed at one connecting end of the first frame and one connecting end of the second frame respectively, and each limiting groove is configured with the limiting protrusion.
US09973220B2
Isolation circuits for digital communications and methods to provide isolation for digital communications are disclosed. An example isolation circuit includes an isolation barrier, a burst encoder in a first circuit, and an edge pattern detector in a second circuit. The example isolation barrier electrically isolates the first circuit from the second circuit. The example burst encoder generates a first pattern in response to receiving a rising edge on an input signal and generates a second pattern in response to receiving a falling edge on the input signal. The example edge pattern detector detects the first pattern or the second pattern received from the burst encoder via the isolation barrier, sets an output signal at a first signal level in response to detecting the first pattern, and sets the output signal at a second signal level in response to detecting the second pattern.
US09973219B2
A predistortion system for optimizing the performance of a distorting component. The predistortion system comprises a signal generator, the distorting component, an analyzing device for frequency and/or time domain analysis, and a predistortion device. The signal generator generates a first signal according to a reference signal. Furthermore, the first signal after being passed through the distorting component results in a second signal. Then, the second signal after being passed through the analyzing device results in a third signal. Moreover, the third signal after being passed through the predistortion device results in a compensated signal. In addition to this, the reference signal is provided for the predistortion device.
US09973214B2
A low density parity check (LDPC) decoding method and a decoding apparatus are provided. The method includes following steps. Based on M edges of a Tanner graph related to a parity check matrix, each of the edges is associated with one of a plurality of threads, such that each of the threads is corresponding to one of a plurality of edge identifies. When executing one of the threads, data in a shared memory is accessed according to the edge identifier of the one of the threads, so as to update a plurality of passing massages respectively corresponding to the edges in the shared memory. Thereby, high computation parallelism and fully-coalesced data accesses can be achieved.
US09973213B2
A decoding method for low density parity code is provided. The method includes performing an iterative decoding operation for a codeword, wherein a plurality of Log-Likelihood-Ratios correspond respectively to a plurality of data bits of the codeword; determining whether the iterative decoding operation is successful; determining whether a perturbation condition is met if the iterative decoding operation is not successful; performing protect operation for a first Log-Likelihood-Ratio among the Log-Likelihood-Ratios, and performing a perturbation operation for a plurality of second Log-Likelihood-Ratios among the Log-Likelihood-Ratios, wherein the second Log-Likelihood-Ratios are different to the first Log-Likelihood-Ratio; and re-performing the iterative decoding operation for the codeword after finishing the perturbation operation.
US09973203B1
An interleaved DAC utilizes a set of positive sub-DACs and a set of negative sub-DACs for converting digital inputs in parallel without return to zero. For each digital input, a positive sub-DAC performs conversion and drives its analog output for a duration of N/fs; and a negative sub-DAC performs conversion and drives its analog output for a duration of (N−1)/fs; and by a delay of 1/fs. By combining the outputs from the two sets of sub-DACs, the output from the positive sub-DAC is effectively removed when it is no longer needed at the combined output. As a result, the combined analog signal has each data point valid only for a duration of T, thereby achieving the desired data conversion speed of fs.
US09973201B2
According to one aspect, a semiconductor device (1) includes: an input circuit (11_1) configured to receive an analog signal, the analog signal and a digital signal being selectively input; an input circuit (11_4) configured to be driven by a power supply common to the input circuit (11_1) and receive a digital signal, the digital signal and an analog signal being selectively input; an AD converter (15) configured to perform AD conversion of the analog signal input to the input circuit (11_1); an edge detection circuit (12) configured to detect an edge of the digital signal input to the input circuit (11_4); and a control unit (13) configured to execute predetermined processing on a result of the AD conversion by the AD converter (15) based on a result of the detection by the edge detection circuit (12).
US09973189B2
A large-power insulated gate switching device (e.g., MOSFET) is used for driving relatively large surges of pulsed power through a load. The switching device has a relatively large gate capacitance which is difficult to quickly discharge. A gate charging and discharging circuit is provided having a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) configured to apply a charging voltage to charge the gate of the switching device where the BJT is configured to also discontinue the application of the charging voltage. An inductive circuit having an inductor is also provided. The inductive circuit is coupled to the gate of the switching device and further coupled to receive the charging voltage such that application of the charging voltage to the inductive circuit is with a polarity that induces a first current to flow through the inductor in a direction corresponding to charge moving away from the gate and such that discontinuation of the application of the charging voltage to the inductive circuit induces a second current flowing through the inductor in the direction corresponding to charge moving away from the gate such that the second current discharges the gate of the switching device. Faster turn off of the switching device is thus made possible and is synchronized to the discontinuation of the charging voltage.
US09973186B2
Switching circuitry for use in a digital-to-analog converter, the circuitry comprising: a common node; first and second output nodes; and a plurality of switches connected between the common node and the first and second output nodes and operable in each clock cycle of a series of clock cycles, based on input data, to conductively connect the common node to either the first or second output node along a given one of a plurality of paths, wherein the circuitry is arranged such that a data-controlled switch and a clock-controlled switch are provided in series along each said path from the common node to the first or second output node.
US09973172B2
Provided, among other things, is an apparatus for digitally processing a discrete-time signal that includes: an input line for accepting an input signal, processing branches coupled to the input line, and an adder coupled to outputs of the processing branches. First and second lowpass filters, each having a frequency response with a magnitude that varies approximately with frequency according to a product of raised functions, are included within baseband processors in such processing branches.
US09973169B2
Embodiments of a Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) device, or filter, and methods of fabrication thereof are disclosed. In some embodiments, the SAW filter comprises a piezoelectric substrate and an Interdigitated Transducer (IDT) on a surface of the piezoelectric substrate. The IDT includes multiple fingers, each comprising a metal stack. The SAW filter further includes a cap layer on a surface of the IDT opposite the piezoelectric substrate and on areas of the surface of the piezoelectric substrate exposed by the IDT. The cap layer has a thickness in a range of and including 10 to 500 Angstroms and a high electrical resistivity (and thus a low electrical conductivity). For instance, in some embodiments, the electrical resistivity of the cap layer is greater than 10 kilo-ohm meters (KΩ·m). The SAW filter further includes an oxide overcoat layer on a surface of the cap layer opposite the IDT and the piezoelectric substrate.
US09973161B2
Described examples include multistage amplifier circuits having first and second forward circuits, a comparator or sensor circuit coupled to sense a signal in the second forward circuit to identify nonlinear operation or slewing conditions in the multistage amplifier circuit, and one or more sample hold circuits operative according to a sensor circuit output signal to selectively maintain the amplitude of an amplifier input signal in the second forward circuit and/or in a feedback circuit in response to the sensor circuit output signal indicating nonlinear operation or slewing conditions in the multistage amplifier circuit. Certain examples further include a clamping circuit operative to selectively maintain a voltage at a terminal of a Miller compensation capacitance responsive to the comparator output signal indicating nonlinear operation or slewing conditions.
US09973151B2
A method can be used to measure a load driven by a switching amplifier having a differential input, an LC output demodulator filter and a feedback network between the amplifier output and the differential input. The amplifier is AC driven in a differential and in a common mode by applying a common. The feedback network provides feedback towards the differential input from downstream the LC demodulator filter by computing the impedance of the load as a function of the differential mode output current and the common mode output current. The feedback network provides feedback towards the differential input from upstream the LC demodulator filter by measuring the impedance value of the inductor of the LC demodulator filter, and computing the impedance of the load as a function of the differential mode output current, the common mode output current and the impedance value of the inductor of the LC demodulator filter.
US09973150B1
Embodiments of a Doherty amplifier device are provided, where the device includes a main amplifier that produces a first RF signal with a variable first output power and a peaking amplifier that produces a second RF signal with a variable second output power equivalent to the first output power multiplied by a power ratio n greater than one; first and second RF signals combined in phase at a combining node; and a main output matching network (OMN), wherein the main OMN forms a portion of an equivalent main path transmission line having a characteristic impedance equivalent to (n+1)·√{square root over (Ropt·R0)}, wherein Ropt is a load impedance seen at the main amplifier intrinsic current generator plane during a full power condition of the Doherty amplifier device and (n+1)·R0 is a load impedance seen at the combining node during a back-off power condition of the Doherty amplifier device.
US09973148B2
Aspects of this disclosure relate to a radio frequency system that includes an envelope generator configured to generate an envelope signal corresponding to an envelope of a radio frequency signal and at least two radio frequency components coupled to the envelope generator. One of the radio frequency components is a radio frequency switch configured to pass the radio frequency signal. The radio frequency switch is configured to receive the envelope signal to cause intermodulation distortion associated with the radio frequency switch to be reduced.
US09973139B2
Apparatuses, systems, and methods for coupling adjacent solar canopies into a unitized structure to reduce wind loads on and increase the structural integrity of the solar canopies. In one embodiment, an array of two or more solar canopies may be divided into pairs of adjacent canopies, which are structurally coupled together.
US09973132B2
A motor control circuit includes a processor configured to calculate a plurality of motor impedances from measurements of an excitation voltage on a power bus to a motor and measurements of a plurality of currents through the motor resulting from the excitation voltage, and the processor configured to calculate individual winding inductances in the motor, based on the measured motor impedances, and configured to determine whether there is an inter-turn winding fault based on the calculated individual winding inductances.
US09973131B2
The present disclosure relates to a motor driving device and a laundry treatment apparatus. The motor driving device may include an inverter to convert DC power into AC power according to a switching operation and to output the converted AC power to a motor, an output current detector to detect an output current flowing through the motor, and a controller to control the inverter based on the detected output current. The controller changes a carrier frequency, changes a voltage command based on the changed carrier frequency and outputs an inverter switching control signal to the inverter based on the changed carrier frequency and the changed voltage command. Accordingly, noise may be reduced during operation of the motor.
US09973130B2
A method for driving an AC motor is disclosed. The method comprises generating two phases of currents to drive the motor coils to generate one magnetic field sum, and each positive and negative half output cycle of each phase of current has a positive or negative curved-triangle current. A method for generating electric power with an AC motor generator is also disclosed.
US09973128B2
Periodic disturbance occurs in current etc. due to offset error and gain error of a current sensor used in a control device. A voltage command value is generated from a current command value and a current detection value by the current sensor in a current control section. The generated voltage command value is inputted to a plant model section, and a virtual current value is calculated. The virtual current value is inputted to a periodic disturbance observer via a coordinate transform section, and a compensation value is calculated. The compensation value is superimposed on the current detection value via a coordinate inverse-transform section, and the current detection value of the current sensor is corrected.
US09973119B2
A single phase motor drive circuit for driving a single phase motor, comprising: a timer unit for receiving a sensor signal indicative of an angular position of a rotor, and for providing a timing signal in phase with the sensor signal; a waveform generator for generating a waveform for energizing the motor, the waveform generator being adapted for receiving the timing signal and a configurable setting, and for generating the waveform based thereon; a configuration unit for receiving an input signal indicative of a desired motor speed, the configuration unit being adapted for generating the configurable setting as a function of the input signal, and for providing the setting to the waveform generator to dynamically configure the waveform generator. A method, an assembly and a cooling system includes the single phase motor driver circuit.
US09973106B2
An electric circuit for use with an AC power source includes a diode electrically connected to a line input from the AC power source, a transistor having a gate, a drain, and a source, wherein the drain is electrically connected to the diode, a zener diode electrically connected between the gate and the source of the transistor, a resistor electrically connected between the drain of the transistor and a neutral input from the AC power source, and a capacitor electrically connected in parallel with the resistor.
US09973103B1
A power conversion system can be implemented to actively control a load while compensating for reactive power which may be sourced or consumed by an input filter circuit. In one aspect, the power conversion system can receive externally supplied multi-phase AC electric power, such as three-phase power from a power grid, and use a converter circuit to generate a DC bus. The power conversion system can then use an inverter circuit to generate multi-phase AC electric power from the DC bus for driving the load with adjustable frequencies and/or amplitudes as desired. The input filter circuit can be coupled to the converter circuit to filter out harmonics resulting from switching of the converter circuit. The power conversion system can receive feedback signals which may be used to determine reactive power sourced or consumed by the filter circuit, and can adjust the converter circuit to compensate for such reactive power.
US09973091B2
A switched mode power supply, in some embodiments, comprises a synchronous rectification transistor switch including a gate, and it further comprises an output driver coupled to the gate and providing a driving signal to the gate. The driving signal is determined based on a dynamically controllable clamp signal and a prior driving signal.
US09973078B2
A power conversion apparatus sets a point between AC input terminals of a full-wave rectifying circuit as an input terminal of an alternating voltage, connects a series circuit of two switches between DC output terminals, connects a series circuit of a capacitor and an inductor with a midpoint of the two switches, forms a closed loop with the first switch, the capacitor and the inductor, connects a series circuit of a diode and a smoothing capacitor with the midpoint of the two switches, forms a closed loop with the first switch, the diode and the smoothing capacitor, sets both ends of the smoothing capacitor as output terminals of direct voltages, and changes a switching frequency according to an average voltage per unit time of the direct voltages output from the output terminals.
US09973077B2
According to one aspect, embodiments of the invention provide an AC-DC rectifier comprising an input configured to receive input AC power from an AC power source having an input AC voltage waveform, an output configured to provide output DC power to a load, an active power filter coupled to the input, an inverter coupled to the input and configured to convert the input AC voltage waveform into an output AC voltage waveform at a desired magnitude, a rectifier portion coupled between the inverter and the output and configured to convert the output AC voltage waveform into the output DC power, and a controller coupled to the active power filter and the inverter and configured to operate the active power filter to provide Power Factor Correction (PFC) at the input and to operate the inverter to provide the output AC voltage waveform at the desired magnitude to the rectifier portion.
US09973074B2
A conventional power supply device has a problem in miniaturization. A power supply device generates a prediction value of an error signal from first and second error signals, and controls an output voltage so that the prediction value lies between first and second threshold values. The first error signal is obtained by converting an error voltage based on the difference between the output voltage and a reference voltage at a first timing. The second error signal is obtained by converting an error voltage based on the difference between the output voltage and the reference voltage at a second timing.
US09973065B2
A method for manufacturing a coil module for a stator for a tubular linear motor includes placing a plurality of bobbins and spacers on a winding mandrel and winding the plurality of bobbins with a single length of wire to form a set of coils. Three sets of such coils are interleaved on an encapsulation mandrel. A plurality of metal comb shaped elements, each including a longitudinal spine and a plurality of teeth are distributed about the circumference of the three interleaved sets of coils to form a coil module. The coil module and the mandrel are surrounded with an encapsulation mold. An encapsulating material is introduced into the encapsulation mold. The encapsulated coil module is removed from the encapsulating mold and the encapsulation mandrel after setting of the encapsulating material.
US09973063B2
The present application provides a combined stator wedge driver and bar jacking tool for positioning a stator bar and a stator wedge into place along a slot of a stator core. The combined stator wedge driver and bar jacking tool may include a bar jacking tool to drive the stator bar into the slot and a stator wedge driver to drive the stator wedge on top of the stator bar in the slot. The bar jacking tool and the stator wedge driver extend from a common housing.
US09973062B2
A method of in situ formation of an aluminum carbon nanotube composite material and an induction motor component produced with such composite. The method includes forming an aluminum-based matrix by mixing a catalyst precursor with an aluminum powder such that a colloidal compound is formed that is subsequently sintered to leave a catalytically-active material formed on the surface of the aluminum powder. A carbon-containing gas is introduced to the composite catalyst that includes aluminum and the catalytic metal so that carbon nanotube reinforcements are grown on the aluminum-based matrix with the assistance of the catalytically-active metal. Additional mechanical processing steps may also include pressurizing, sintering and cold-rolling the aluminum carbon nanotube composite material.
US09973055B2
An electric compressor including a compression mechanism, an electric motor driving the compression mechanism, a housing accommodating the compression mechanism and the electric motor, an inverter box located on an outer surface of the housing, an inverter substrate accommodated in the inverter box and having an inverter circuit supplying electric power to the electric motor, the inverter substrate having a first surface and a second surface that is a reverse surface of the first surface, a plurality of fastening members fixing the inverter substrate to the inverter box, and a reinforcing member having a first end fixed to the inverter box and a second end soldered to the first surface or the second surface of the inverter substrate. The reinforcing member extends toward the first surface or the second surface of the inverter substrate in the inverter box. The reinforcing member is not electrically connected to the inverter circuit.
US09973053B2
Provided are, an electric motor assembly capable of preventing a sealant from leakage through a lead-wire drawing portion, and an electric motor manufacturing method with use of the electric motor assembly. The electric motor assembly includes a rotor, a stator, a casing, a partition wall with through-holes, plugs made of a highly elastic material and including a tapered outer peripheral surface to be fitted into the through-holes, and lead wires connected to the stator. The plugs surround lead-wire insertion holes. A sealant is injected into the casing in a state that the lead wires are drawn through the lead-wire insertion holes. The injection pressure presses the plugs outwardly to bring the outer peripheral surfaces of the plugs into close contact with the inner peripheral surface surrounding the through-holes and elastically deforms the plugs in a diameter-reduction direction to cause the plugs to close the lead-wire insertion holes.
US09973049B2
An electric motor includes a stator operable to produce a magnetic field and defining an opening, and a rotor at least partially disposed within the opening. The rotor includes a shaft extending along a rotational axis, a plurality of first core portions each including a plurality of laminations stacked contiguously on the shaft, and a second core portion coupled between each of the first core portions. The first core portions and the second core portion cooperating to define a rotor magnetic core. A plurality of windings is coupled to the rotor magnetic core, and an air flow path is partially defined by the first core portions, the second core portion, and the shaft. The air flow path includes an axial portion that passes through the shaft axially along the rotational axis and a radial portion that extends radially outward through the second core portion.
US09973048B2
A motor may include a rotor including a shaft; a stator; and a bearing supporting the shaft. The rotor may include a plurality of core pieces on an outer side of the shaft, a plurality of permanent magnets, and a mold resin part between the core pieces. The neighboring core pieces may include a magnet insertion hole provided therebetween. The permanent magnet may include two poles, with poles of neighboring magnets facing each other having identical polarity. The mold resin part may include at least one first guide part disposed closer to one side than the center between neighboring core pieces, and covers at least a portion of a surface on one side of the magnet insertion hole in a circumferential direction, the permanent magnet being in direct indirect contact via resin with the core piece disposed on the other side of the magnet insertion hole.
US09973046B2
A communication device proposed by the invention comprises, in a modularly assembled design, a first module for generating a mechanical rotary motion, the rotational energy of which is converted into electrical energy by a second module, namely a converter module. A third module is a transmitter module which is supplied with and driven by energy from the converter module.
US09973040B2
To minimize excessively high output or increases in magnetic-flux leakage by controlling power feeding on the power-feeding side if an unforeseen situation occurs. This power-feeding device (100) feeds power to an external power-receiving device (150) in a contactless manner. A power-feeding coil (103) uses electromagnetic power to feed electrical power to a power-receiving coil (154) in the power-receiving device (150). While power is being fed from said power-feeding coil (103), a power-feeding-side control unit (107) determines the amount of displacement of the power-feeding coil (103) and, on the basis of the determined displacement amount, controls the amount of electrical power being fed.
US09973028B2
A charging system for use in providing power for charging a battery. The system includes a first, alternating-current-to-direct-current, stage and a second, direct-current-to-direct-current, stage. The first stage includes a single-phase diode rectifier for rectifying an input alternating-current input voltage, and a power-factor-correcting sub-circuit including a switch. The second stage includes multiple switches. The system further includes a high-frequency capacitor connected between the first stage and the second stage. The system also includes a controller connected to the switches of the first and second stages and configured to control, by way of the switches, timing of boost inductor current passing through the charging system.
US09973021B2
The embodiments described herein include a transmitter that transmits a power transmission signal (e.g., radio frequency (RF) signal waves) to create a three-dimensional pocket of energy. At least one receiver can be connected to or integrated into electronic devices and receive power from the pocket of energy. The transmitter can locate the at least one receiver in a three-dimensional space using a communication medium (e.g., Bluetooth technology). The transmitter generates a waveform to create a pocket of energy around each of the at least one receiver. The transmitter uses an algorithm to direct, focus, and control the waveform in three dimensions. The receiver can convert the transmission signals (e.g., RF signals) into electricity for powering an electronic device. Accordingly, the embodiments for wireless power transmission can allow powering and charging a plurality of electrical devices without wires.
US09973016B2
A portable power charger having an internal rechargeable battery is provided with a power connection port than can act in a power input mode when the charger is connected with an external power source via the power connection port and in a power output mode when at least one electronic device is connected to the charger via the power connection port. The power charger may be connected with both an external power source and an electronic device via the power connection port at the same time, wherein the charge supplied from the external power source recharges the charger and any electronic device connected to the charger. The charger also can automatically turn on if a connector cable is connected to the power connection port with either an external power supply or an electronic device connected at the other end of the cable to supply or draw power through the cable.
US09973007B2
Disclosed is an energy mixer having a first active diode coupled between a first input node and an output node, and a second active diode coupled between a second input node and the output node. A first capacitor is coupled between the first input node and a dynamic node, and a second capacitor is coupled between the second input node and a third node. Switching circuitry is configured to selectively couple the dynamic node between a fixed voltage node and the second input node in response to a control signal provided by control circuitry. When an output voltage at the output node is within a first range, the dynamic node is coupled to the fixed voltage node and when the output voltage is within a lower voltage second range, the dynamic node is coupled to the second input node such that first capacitor and second capacitor are coupled in series.
US09972996B2
The present invention relates to a steering wheel having a heating element and a fail-safety device using the same. The steering wheel having a heating element has a rim, a surface of which is coated with an electrically conductive heating element. The heating element includes a plurality of unit heating elements arranged in parallel, each of which includes a first unit line, each of two ends of which connect a positive power-applying terminal and a negative power-applying terminal together in series; a second unit line spaced apart from the first unit line, each of two ends of which connects the positive power-applying terminal and the negative power-applying terminal together in series; and a connection line for connecting the first and second unit lines.
US09972987B2
Provided is a gas insulation device that includes a grounded metal tank in which an insulation gas is encapsulated; a conductor which is provided in the tank, on a surface of which an alumite film on which sealing treatment is performed is formed, and across which a voltage is applied; an insulating coat provided on an inner surface of the tank; and a coat that is provided on the coat and that includes an insulation material containing a non-linear resistive material.
US09972981B2
A device for servicing live power lines, including: a main body, two primary mechanical arms, two telescopic arms, a terminal device, an auxiliary mechanical arm, and a monitoring system. A travelling wheel mechanism, an equipotential wheel, and a first clamping jaw are disposed on the upper end of each telescopic arm. The two primary mechanical arms are symmetrically disposed on two sides of the main body, respectively. The two telescopic arms are vertically disposed on two ends of the main body, respectively, and are capable of telescoping upward and downward. The auxiliary mechanical arm is disposed and adapted to move transversely on the main body. The main body is driven by the travelling wheel mechanism to travel on the high voltage transmission line. The first clamping jaw clamps the high voltage transmission line for locating the main body.
US09972980B1
A serviceable busway plug includes a main body with a main face and two sides, a window, a lever connected to either the main face or the sides, and at least one contact connected to the main body. The contact is configured to electrically connect to a busway.
US09972970B2
A thermal emission source capable of switching the intensity of light at a high response speed similarly to a photoelectric conversion element. A thermal emission source includes: a two-dimensional photonic crystal including a slab in which an n-layer made of an n-type semiconductor, a quantum well structure layer having a quantum well structure, and a p-layer made of a p-type semiconductor are stacked in the mentioned order in the thickness direction, wherein modified refractive index areas (air holes) whose refractive index differs from the refractive indices of the n-layer, the p-layer and the quantum well structure layer are cyclically arranged in the slab so as to resonate with a specific wavelength of light corresponding to a transition energy between the subbands in a quantum well in the quantum well structure layer; and a p-type electrode and an n-type electrode for applying, to the slab, a voltage which is negative on the side of the p-layer and positive on the side of the n-layer.
US09972964B2
An optical device may include a laser emitter to generate a first laser beam and a second laser beam with orthogonal polarization states. The optical device may include first and second photodetectors to generate respective first currents based on optical powers of the first and second laser beams. The optical device may include a polarization-based beam splitter to combine the first and second laser beams. The optical device may include a wavelength filter to filter the first and second laser beams based on respective wavelengths of the first and second laser beams. The optical device may include a third photodetector and a fourth photodetector to generate respective second currents based on optical powers of the first and second laser beams after filtration. The wavelengths of the first and second laser beams may be controlled based on the first currents and the second currents.
US09972957B1
A method for electrically insulating a connector module mounted on a printed circuit board assembly, the method including coating a first portion of a piece of sheet metal with an insulation material, forming the piece of sheet metal into a metal frame, wherein a second portion of the piece of sheet metal not coated with the insulation material is formed into a grounding pin, assembling the connector module, wherein components of the connector module include the metal frame, a housing, and a set of external pins, and mounting the connector module on a printed circuit board to form a printed circuit board assembly, wherein the set of external pins are electrically connected to a corresponding set of vias on the printed circuit board, and the grounding pin is electrically connected to a ground on the printed circuit board.
US09972945B1
A electrical connector structure includes ground terminals formed in two rows, which are fixed into two bases respectively, in which each of the ground terminals includes a contact portion, a soldering portion and a main body is connected to the contact portion and the soldering portion, and each main body is fixed into the bases, and each soldering portion extends out of the bases; and a ground member including two ground plates, in which the ground plates covering surfaces of the bases, respectively, and a surface of each ground plate has a plurality of contact arms protruding, the contact arms are electrically contacted to the ground terminals, respectively, in which two ends of each contact arm contact the ground plates, respectively.
US09972927B2
An electrical power contact includes a mating segment having a mating interface at which the electrical power contact is configured to mate with a mating contact. The mating segment includes an electrically conductive base layer, and an electrically conductive outer layer that includes the mating interface. The mating segment also includes a circuit protection layer that extends between the base layer and the outer layer. The circuit protection layer provides an electrical pathway between the base layer and the outer layer. The circuit protection layer includes a selectively conductive material that is configured to open the electrical pathway between the base layer and the outer layer when an electrical current above a predetermined threshold is passed through the circuit protection layer.
US09972922B2
A connection terminal for connecting an electrical device to a continuous electrical conductor such as a ground conductor includes a connector body with at least one terminal connection. Each terminal connection includes a recess which extends in a direction of extension of the electrical conductor and a holding device to at least partially close the recess. The holding device is adjustable relative to the direction of extension of the electrical conductor from an open position in which the electrical conductor can be inserted into the recess to a closed position in which the holding device holds the electrical conductor in the recess. The holding device is either reversibly rotatable in a direction of rotation around an axis which extends in the direction of extension or reversibly displaceable in a sliding direction which extends transverse to the direction of extension. The terminal connection includes a clamping means device which clamps the electrical conductor and/or the holding device in the closed position.
US09972916B2
The present disclosure provides a planar array antenna. The planar array antenna includes a plurality of phase modulation surfaces, in which each phase modulation surface includes an array including a plurality of transmission phase-shift elements; and a planar power source, configured to power the plurality of phase modulation surfaces, in which each phase modulation surface is configured to modulate a transmission phase of an electromagnetic wave based on the plurality of transmission phase-shift elements, and the plurality of phase modulation surfaces are controlled to change a relative position to change the beam angle based on the corresponding transmission phases. The planar array antenna may be installed in a conformal manner on surfaces of the mobile device, such as a vehicle, an aircraft, a ship or the like.
US09972915B2
An antenna includes an aperture defining a feed area of the antenna, the aperture divided into a plurality of discrete subarrays, and a feed network having an input port, a plurality of output ports, and a plurality of conductors, each conductor connected between the input port and a respective output port the plurality of output ports, and each output port of the plurality of output ports connected to a respective subarray of the plurality of subarrays. A line length of one conductor of the plurality of conductors is different from a line length of another conductor of the plurality of conductors to introduce different time delays between the input port and the respective output ports.
US09972914B2
An array arrangement according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure can be provided. For example, the array arrangement can include a monopole array having a first end and a second end. The monopole array can be configured to be driven from the first end and from the second end. Further, a monopole array can be provided according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. For example, the monopole array can include a first monopole element can include a first antenna element, and a first grounding element in communication with the first antenna element. The monopole array can also include a second monopole element including a second antenna element, and a second grounding element in communication with the second antenna element. The first antenna element can be oriented in a first direction, and the second antenna element can be oriented in a second direction.
US09972906B2
An assembly for a mobile communications antenna system includes a bracket assembly onto which an antenna array is mounted. The bracket assembly includes a steering arrangement configured to provide angular adjustment of an antenna beam azimuth, and an electromechanical tilting arrangement configured to adjust a tilt position of the antenna array. The steering arrangement and the electromechanical tilting arrangement are controllable in remote and manual operational modes to independently and variably adjust both azimuthal angle and tilt position of the antenna array. These operational modes ensure remote control of signal propagation and network coverage accuracy, and manual adjustment of the azimuth of the antenna beam and tilt position of the antenna array in case of field service or component failure.
US09972901B2
An antenna electromagnetic radiation steering system may include an antenna for emitting electromagnetic radiation, and a radome disposed adjacent to and at least partially enclosing the antenna, the radome including a window to pass electromagnetic radiation from the antenna to outside the radome, wherein electromagnetic radiation is directed based on a position of the window relative to the antenna.
US09972900B2
Provided is a distributor capable of reducing insertion loss while suppressing a ratio in power distribution among output lines from being changed. The distributor 4 is a distributor that is connected with an input line Lin and output lines Lo1 to Lo3 respectively formed on a dielectric substrate 10 as microstrip lines, and distributes to the output lines Lo1 to Lo3 high frequency power fed from a feeding point to a branching point through the input line Lin. In addition, the distributor 4 is configured to include a stub area 42 that is formed in the input line Lin, is separated from the branching point 41, and has a rectangular shape wider than line widths of a first area La and a second area Lb of the input line Lin. The stub area 42 is arranged in a position where the distance d1 between an edge on the feeding point side and lateral edges 3a on an input side of the output lines Lo1 and Lo3 substantially perpendicular to the input line Lin is substantially equal to (λg/4)×(2n+1) where λg is a guide wavelength and n is an integer.
US09972889B2
A multiband antenna apparatus and an electronic apparatus having the multiband antenna apparatus are provided. The multiband antenna apparatus includes: a low frequency antenna which transmits and receives at least one low frequency band signal; and a high frequency antenna which transmits and receives at least one high frequency band signal, wherein the low frequency antenna includes a single wing part which emits an electric wave.
US09972888B2
A wireless communication device having a stable capacity of an antenna even if a terminal is bent or folded is disclosed. The wireless communication device includes an antenna, a first ground portion to which the antenna is grounded, and a second ground portion that is electrically separated from the first ground portion, and the wireless communication device is bent around a boundary between the first ground portion and the second ground portion.
US09972884B2
A disclosed RFID tag includes a substrate; a chip bonded to the substrate with an adhesive, and including a first connection terminal on a first surface, the first surface being on a side bonded to the substrate; a first antenna wiring formed on the substrate, and electrically coupled to the first connection terminal; and an adhesive layer formed of the adhesive, and including a base portion and a filet portion, the base portion being in an area of the substrate opposed to the first surface of the chip, the filet portion being in an area of the substrate surrounding the chip. The first antenna wiring is electrically coupled to the first connection terminal via a plurality of paths at an outer edge of the filet portion of the adhesive layer.
US09972880B2
A method of forming a connection receptacle over a substrate includes printing a first dielectric layer over the substrate between first and second transmission lines, the first dielectric layer having a tapered cross-section along a plane extending from the first transmission line to the second transmission line; disposing a conductive layer over the printed first dielectric layer; and electrically connecting the conductive layer to a conductor of the first transmission line and a conductor of the second transmission line.
US09972872B2
A battery system having at least one battery cell, an absorption element, and a temperature-control system having a liquid temperature-control medium configured to cool and/or heat the battery cells in a battery housing, and a motor vehicle having such a battery system.
US09972870B2
A battery module includes battery cells arranged side by side, two end plates sandwiching the battery cells, an elastic body, and a cover. The cover includes a first cover member and a second cover member. The battery module includes a cable that electrically connects a first electronic component and a second electronic component to each other. The cable has a bent portion capable of being deformed in accordance with relative movement between the first cover member and the second cover member in the arrangement direction. The cover includes support portions that support the cable to maintain the shape of the bent portion.
US09972867B2
A system and method for stabilizing electrodes against dissolution and/or hydrolysis including use of cosolvents in liquid electrolyte batteries for three purposes: the extension of the calendar and cycle life time of electrodes that are partially soluble in liquid electrolytes, the purpose of limiting the rate of electrolysis of water into hydrogen and oxygen as a side reaction during battery operation, and for the purpose of cost reduction.
US09972861B2
The present disclosure provides a sheet-form electrode for a secondary battery, comprising a current collector; an electrode active material layer formed on one surface of the current collector; and a first porous supporting layer formed on the electrode active material layer. The sheet-form electrode for a secondary battery according to the present disclosure has supporting layers on at least one surface thereof to exhibit surprisingly improved flexibility and prevent the release of the electrode active material layer from a current collector even if intense external forces are applied to the electrode, thereby preventing the decrease of battery capacity and improving the cycle life characteristic of the battery.
US09972858B2
Provided is a redox flow battery that can suppress generation of a precipitation on a positive electrode. The redox flow battery performs charging and discharging by supplying a positive electrode electrolyte and a negative electrode electrolyte to a battery cell that includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separating membrane interposed between the two electrodes. The positive electrode electrolyte contains a manganese ion and an additional metal ion, the negative electrode electrolyte contains at least one metal ion selected from a titanium ion, a vanadium ion, a chromium ion, and a zinc ion, and the additional metal ion contained in the positive electrode electrolyte is at least one of an aluminum ion, a cadmium ion, an indium ion, a tin ion, an antimony ion, an iridium ion, a gold ion, a lead ion, a bismuth ion, and a magnesium ion.
US09972856B2
A fuel cell module includes a fuel cell stack and FC peripheral equipment. In the fuel cell module, a stress relaxing portion for relaxing heat stress is provided at least along a boundary between a central area and one of outer annular areas or between the outer annular areas. The stress relaxing portion includes a plurality of curved portions including a first curved portion having the largest radius, and a second curved portion and a third curved portion, which are formed respectively at both ends of the first curved portion such that a space lies on the outer side of each of the second and third curved portions.
US09972855B2
A solid oxide fuel cell system (10) comprises a solid oxide fuel cell stack (12) and an electrochemical device (14). The solid oxide fuel cell stack (12) comprises at least one solid oxide fuel cell (16) and each solid oxide fuel cell (16) comprises an electrolyte (18), an anode (20) and a cathode (22). An oxidant supply (24) is arranged to supply oxidant to the cathode (22) of the at least one solid oxide fuel cell (16) and a fuel supply (26) is arranged to supply fuel to the anode (20) of the at least one solid oxide fuel cell (16). The electrochemical device (14) comprises an electrolyte (34), an anode (36) and a cathode (38). Means (28, 50, 52) to supply a portion of the unused fuel from the anode (20) of the at least one solid oxide fuel cell (16) to the anode (36) of the electrochemical device (14), means (32, 50, 58) to supply a portion of the unused fuel from the anode (20) of the at least one solid oxide fuel cell (16) to the cathode (38) of the electrochemical device (14). In use the electrochemical device (14) is arranged to remove oxygen from the unused fuel at the cathode (38) of the electrochemical device (14) and the electrochemical device (14) is arranged to transfer oxygen through the electrolyte (34) from the unused fuel at the cathode (38) of the electrochemical device (14) to the unused fuel at the anode (36) of the electrochemical device (14). The electrochemical device (14) is arranged to oxidise the unused fuel at the anode (34) of the electrochemical device (14) and means (32, 60, 62, 68) to supply the portion of oxygen depleted unused fuel from the cathode (38) of the electrochemical device (14) to the anode (20) of the at least one solid oxide fuel cell (16).
US09972853B2
Disclosed herein is a fuel cell system. The fuel cell system includes: a turbocharger configured to receive and pressurize air discharged from an outlet of a fuel cell and supply the pressurized air to an inlet of the fuel cell; a plurality of valves configured to be provided at an inlet and an outlet of the turbocharger to control an amount of air supplied to the turbocharger in the air discharged from the outlet of the fuel cell and control a pressure of air supplied from the turbocharger to the inlet of the fuel cell; and a controller configured to calculate an air pressure required for the fuel cell and control an opening of the valves based on the calculated air pressure required for the fuel cell.
US09972851B2
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a membrane/electrode assembly, including the steps of: providing a proton exchange membrane comprising a first electrode and a second electrode; placing a first reinforcement with an overlapping portion vertically adjacent to the periphery of the membrane, and with an extension portion made of a polymer material extending laterally beyond the membrane; placing a second reinforcement with an overlapping portion that is vertically adjacent to the periphery of the membrane, and with an extension portion of said second reinforcement extending laterally beyond the membrane and being vertically adjacent to the extension portion of the first reinforcement; applying a laser beam to the vertically adjacent extension portions such as to define an opening through the extension portions and such as to weld the extension portions.
US09972846B2
Bipolar electrode (100) for use in an electrolysis unit, said bipolar electrode (100) comprising a planar main body having a first side and a second side, each of said first side and said second side being provided with a corresponding pattern of protrusions (125), wherein each of said protrusions has a geometrical base within the plane of said planar main body and a substantially planar top side (129), the orthogonal projection of said top side onto said main body being contained in said geometrical base, and wherein the top sides (129) of the respective protrusions (129) of said first side and said second side lie in two planes parallel to said planar main body, the electrode being further characterized by specific shape and orientation requirements. Method for producing the bipolar electrode as above described, which includes an embossing step.
US09972845B2
The present invention relates to a negative electrode active material, and a method of manufacturing the same. The negative electrode active material includes a low crystalline artificial graphite and an amorphous carbon coating layer formed on the low crystalline artificial graphite, wherein an interplanar spacing d002 of (002) plane is in a range of greater than 0.338 nm to less than 0.3396 nm, as measured by X-ray diffraction (XRD). When the negative electrode active material according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention is used for lithium secondary batteries, a more stable SEI layer can be formed during reacting with an electrolyte solution, thereby improving initial efficiency and reversible capacity of the lithium secondary battery.
US09972842B2
A sodium secondary battery electrode having an collector and an electrode mixture containing an electrode active material, a conductive material, and a binder, and wherein: the electrode active material has a sodium-containing transition metal compound, the conductivity of the electrode mixture is 5.0×10−3 S/cm or more, and the density of the electrode mixture is 1.6 g/cm3 or more.
US09972825B2
There is provided a method for sealing a filling orifice formed on a wall of a container in a leak-proof manner using a stopper arrangement comprising a tubular member with a flange having an upper face, and a lower face for covering the orifice, and a mandrel with a stem which is housed inside the tubular member, the force necessary for rupturing the stem being greater than the force resulting from the entry and advancement of a head of the mandrel inside the tubular member, comprising introducing the stopper arrangement into the orifice, bringing the nosepiece of the riveting tool into abutment with the upper face of the flange, actuating the riveting tool so as to exert a tensile force on the stem and bring about expansion of the tubular member against the wall of the orifice and rupturing the stem of the stopper arrangement.
US09972824B2
An inversion plate short-circuits the positive electrode external terminal and the negative electrode external terminal to each other by changing its position. A temperature sensitive member is disposed adjacent to the inversion plate on the side opposite to a direction in which the inversion plate changes its position. The volume of temperature sensitive member increases due to a rise in temperature. The temperature sensitive member contains aluminum phosphite and calcium carbonate.
US09972820B2
A battery system and a method for producing a battery system. The battery system has a plurality of battery cells, a covering plate provided on and/or over the battery cells to cover the battery cells, and cell connectors configured to electrically connect battery cells. The cell connectors are arranged in receiving regions of the covering plate.
US09972811B2
A battery module according to one embodiment includes a stack of battery cells. The battery module also includes a fitting portion provided with at least one of a concave portion or a convex portion formed on a stack surface of each of the battery cells of the stack. The battery module further includes: a first frame which is fitted with one side surface of the stack and constrains the battery cells in a stacking direction; a second frame which is fitted with another side surface of the stack and constrains the battery cells in the stacking direction; and press members located at respective ends of the stack and connected to the first frame and the second frame. The press members are configured to generate an urging force for pressing electrode members of the battery cells from outside the battery cells.
US09972797B2
Device architectures based on trapping and de-trapping holes or electrons and/or recombination of both types of carriers are obtained by carrier trapping either in near-interface deep ambipolar states or in quantum wells/dots, either serving as ambipolar traps in semiconductor layers or in gate dielectric/barrier layers. In either case, the potential barrier for trapping is small and retention is provided by carrier confinement in the deep trap states and/or quantum wells/dots. The device architectures are usable as three terminal or two terminal devices.
US09972794B2
Disclosed is an organometallic complex capable of variable phosphorescence characteristics and yellow emission at high luminance. The organometallic complex has a structure represented by a formula (G1), where at least one of R4, R5, R6, and R7 is a phenoxy group, M is a Group 9 metal or a Group 10 metal, and n is 2 when the central metal M is a Group 9 element, or n is 1 when the central metal M is a Group 10 element.
US09972789B2
An organic light-emitting device includes a first electrode; a second electrode; and an organic layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, the organic layer including an emission layer, where the emission layer includes a first host represented by Formula 1 and a second host represented by Formula 2: The organic light-emitting device may have high efficiency and long lifespan.
US09972787B2
A material for an organic electroluminescent device and an organic electroluminescent device including the same, the material including a monoamine compound represented by the following Formula 1:
US09972779B2
A resistive random access memory is provided. The resistive random access memory includes a bottom electrode, a top electrode, a resistance-switching layer, an oxygen exchange layer, and a sidewall protective layer. The bottom electrode is disposed over a substrate. The top electrode is disposed over the bottom electrode. The resistance-switching layer is disposed between the bottom electrode and the top electrode. The oxygen exchange layer is disposed between the resistance-switching layer and the top electrode. The sidewall protective layer as an oxygen supply layer is at least disposed at sidewalls of the oxygen exchange layer.
US09972760B2
A method of manufacturing a thermoelectric material comprising: ball-milling a compound comprising a plurality of components, the first component M comprising at least one of a rare earth metal, an actinide, an alkaline-earth metal, and an alkali metal, the second component T comprising a metal of subgroup VIII, and the third component X comprises a pnictogen atom. The compound may be ball-milled for up to 5 hours, and then thermo-mechanically processed by, for example, hot pressing the compound for less than two hours. Subsequent to the thermo-mechanical processing, the compound comprises a single filled skutterudite phase with a dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) above 1.0 and the compound has a composition following a formula of MT4X12.
US09972756B2
A method for producing a semiconductor light-emitting device having a substrate, an element and an encapsulating material as constituent members, includes: a first step of providing the substrate with the element; a second step of potting an uncured encapsulating material onto the substrate to cover the element; and a third step of curing the potted encapsulating material in such a manner that all of the following formulae (1), (2) and (3) are satisfied when the absorbances which a cured encapsulating material having a thickness of t [nm] has at wavelengths of 380 nm, 316 nm and 260 nm are represented by AbsA(t), AbsB(t) and AbsC(t), respectively, and the light transmittance thereof at 380 nm is represented by T(t): (1) T(1.7)≥90%; (2) AbsB(t)−AbsA(t)<0.011t; and (3) AbsC(t)−AbsA(t)<0.125t.
US09972753B2
Wavelength converting light-emitting devices and methods of making the same are provided. In some embodiments, the devices include a phosphor material region designed to convert the wavelength of emitted light.
US09972743B1
A photovoltaic device includes an intrinsic layer having two or more sublayers. The sublayers are intentionally deposited to include complementary concave and convex shapes. The sum of these layers resulting in a relatively flat surface for deposition of n- or p-doped layers. The photovoltaic device is optionally bifacial.
US09972737B2
Manufacture of multi junction solar cells, and devices thereof, are disclosed. The architectures are also adapted to provide for a more uniform and consistent fabrication of the solar cell structures, leading to improved yields, greater efficiency, and lower costs. Certain solar cells may be from a different manufacturing processes and further include one or more compositional gradients of one or more semiconductor elements in one or more semiconductor layers, resulting in a more optimal solar cell device.
US09972727B2
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a bispectral matrix detector comprising the following steps: providing a monotype matrix detector; depositing, on the sensitive surface (3) of the monotype matrix detector, a dual-band interference filter (5) allowing the radiation in the first and second frequency bands to pass therethrough; depositing a first interference filter (4a) vertically in line with photosites (31a) intended for sensing in the first frequency band; depositing a second interference filter (4b) vertically in line with photosites (31b) intended for sensing in the second frequency band, one of the first (4a) and second (4b) interference filters being a low-pass filter cutting the second frequency band, and the other a high-pass filter cutting the first frequency band.
US09972725B2
There is provided a semiconductor device configured to include a plurality of semiconductor units formed in a semiconductor layer. Each of the semiconductor units comprises a mesa portion; a Schottky electrode formed on the mesa portion; an insulating film formed continuously on another portion of the Schottky electrode that is nearer to an edge of an upper face of the mesa portion than one portion of the Schottky electrode, on a side face of the mesa portion, and on a surface of the semiconductor layer other than the mesa portion; and a wiring electrode formed on the Schottky electrode and the insulating film. An angle between the side face of the mesa portion and the surface of the semiconductor layer is 90 degrees. A part of the wiring electrode is placed between the insulating films formed on opposed side faces of adjacent mesa portions. The insulating films formed on the opposed side faces are interconnected on the surface of the semiconductor layer, such as to separate the part of the wiring electrode from the semiconductor layer.
US09972721B1
A method of forming a semiconductor device is disclosed including providing a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate comprising a semiconductor bulk substrate, a buried insulating layer positioned on the semiconductor bulk substrate and a semiconductor layer positioned on the buried insulating layer, providing at least one metal-oxide semiconductor gate structure positioned above the semiconductor layer comprising a gate electrode and a spacer formed adjacent to the gate electrode, selectively removing an upper portion of the semiconductor layer so as to define recessed portions of the semiconductor layer and epitaxially forming raised source/drain regions on the recessed portions of the semiconductor layer.
US09972717B2
A semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same are provided. The semiconductor device comprises a first multi-channel active pattern which is defined by a field insulating layer, extends along a first direction, and includes a first portion and a second portion; a gate electrode which extends along a second direction different from the first direction and is formed on the first portion; and a first source/drain region which is formed around the second portion protruding further upward than a top surface of the field insulating layer and contacts the field insulating layer, wherein the second portion is disposed on both sides of the first portion in the first direction and is more recessed than the first portion, a top surface of the first portion and a top surface of the second portion protrude further upward than the top surface of the field insulating layer, and a profile of sidewalls of the second portion is continuous.
US09972709B2
There is provided a method for fabricating a semiconductor device having the following structure, and comprising the steps of growing a first and a second nucleation layer on a substrate; depositing a binary layer over these nucleation layers; and annealing the binary layer to form a first contact area and a second contact area on the substrate, wherein the annealed binary layer comprises a group 14 element selected from Si, Ge and their combination thereof, and the annealed binary layer in the first and second contact areas are capable of providing a lower contact resistance for a current to flow in the device. This method serves to provide an intermediate layer which enables the fabrication process to become CMOS compatible.
US09972702B2
A method for forming a semiconductor device is provided. A first patterned mask is formed on the substrate, the first patterned mask having a first opening therein. A second patterned mask is formed on the substrate in the first opening, the first patterned mask and the second patterned mask forming a combined patterned mask. The combined patterned mask is formed having one or more second openings, wherein one or more unmasked portions of the substrate are exposed. Trenches that correspond to the one or more unmasked portions of the substrate are formed in the substrate in the one or more second openings.
US09972700B2
A vertical fin field-effect-transistor and a method for fabricating the same. The vertical fin field-effect-transistor includes a substrate, a first source/drain layer including a plurality of pillar structures, and a plurality of fins disposed on and in contact with the plurality of pillar structures. A doped layer epitaxially grown from the first source/drain layer is in contact with the plurality of fins and the plurality of pillar structures. A gate structure is disposed in contact with two or more fins in the plurality of fins. The gate structure includes a dielectric layer and a gate layer. A second source/drain layer is disposed on the gate structure. The method includes epitaxially growing a doped layer in contact with a plurality of fins and a plurality of pillar structures. A gate structure is formed in contact with two or more fins. A second source/drain layer is formed on the gate structure.
US09972699B1
Methods for fabricating and replicating self-aligned multi-tier nanoscale structures for a variety of cross-sectional geometries. These methods can utilize a single lithography step whereby the need for alignment and overlay in the process is completely eliminated thereby enabling near-zero overlay error. Furthermore, techniques are developed to use these methods to fabricate self-aligned nanoscale multi-level/multi-height patterns with various shapes for master templates, replica templates and nanoimprint based pattern replication. Furthermore, the templates can be used to pattern multiple levels in a sacrificial polymer resist and achieve pattern transfer of the levels into a variety of substrates to form completed large area nanoelectronic and nanophotonic devices using only one patterning step.
US09972692B2
An integrated circuit device includes a source/drain region having a recess in its top, a contact plug extending on the source/drain region from within the recess, and a metal silicide layer lining the recess and having a first portion covering a bottom of the contact plug and a second portion that is integral with the first portion and covers a lower part of sides of the contact plug. The second portion of the silicide layer may have a thickness different from a thickness of the first portion of the silicide layer. The silicide layer is formed at a relatively low temperature to offer an improved resistance characteristic as between the source/drain region and the contact plug.
US09972684B2
A method for forming a compressively strained semiconductor substrate includes forming a lattice adjustment layer on a semiconductor substrate by forming compound clusters within an epitaxially grown semiconductor matrix. The lattice adjustment layer includes a different lattice constant than the semiconductor substrate. A rare earth oxide is grown and lattice matched to the lattice adjustment layer. A semiconductor layer is grown and lattice matched to the rare earth oxide and includes a same material as the semiconductor substrate such that the semiconductor layer is compressively strained.
US09972681B2
A semiconductor device including a dummy pillar and a plurality of racetrack pillars. The dummy pillar of semiconductor material extends in a first lateral direction. The plurality of racetrack pillars, including the semiconducting material, surrounds the dummy pillar. Each of the plurality of racetrack pillars has a first linear section, which extends in the first lateral direction, and a first rounded section to form a racetrack shape. The plurality of racetrack pillars includes a first racetrack pillar and a second racetrack pillar. The first racetrack pillar is disposed proximate to the dummy pillar and the second racetrack pillar surrounds the first racetrack pillar. The first racetrack pillar is disposed between the dummy pillar and the second racetrack pillar. The semiconductor device includes a plurality of spacing regions including a first spacing region that surrounds the dummy pillar and is disposed between the first racetrack pillar and the dummy pillar.
US09972680B2
Aspects described herein relate to food and beverage compositions infused with lipophilic active agents and methods of use for the treatment of a variety of disorders. More particularly, aspects described herein relate to food and beverage compositions infused with lipophilic active agents such as cannabinoids, nicotine, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), and vitamins, that provide enhanced bioavailability of the lipophilic active agents in a subject, and that mask unpleasant tastes of lipophilic active agents.
US09972678B2
A method of forming a semiconductor device is provided including the following steps. A substrate having a first voltage area and a second voltage area is provided. A first oxide layer is formed in the first voltage area. The first oxide layer is removed to form a recess in the first voltage area. A shallow trench isolation (STI) structure is formed in the substrate, wherein a first portion of the STI structure is located in the first voltage area and a second portion of the STI structure is located in the second voltage area, a top surface of the STI structure is higher than the top surface of the substrate, and a bottom surface of the first portion of the STI structure in the first voltage area is lower than a bottom surface of the second portion of the STI structure in the second voltage area.
US09972677B2
Methods of forming a power semiconductor device are provided in which a semiconductor drift layer that is doped with impurities having a first conductivity type is formed on a semiconductor substrate. A portion of the semiconductor drift layer is removed to form a recessed region in the semiconductor drift layer and to define a first semiconductor pillar. Impurities having a second conductivity type that is opposite the first conductivity type are implanted into a first sidewall of the semiconductor drift layer that is exposed by the recessed region to convert a portion of the first semiconductor pillar into a second semiconductor pillar. A third semiconductor pillar is formed in the recessed region.
US09972673B2
The invention provides an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device formed by a Schottky diode. An exemplary embodiment of an ESD protection device comprises a semiconductor substrate having an active region. A first well region having a first conductive type is formed in the active region. A first heavily doped region having the first conductive type is formed in the first well region. A first metal contact is disposed on the first doped region. A second metal contact is disposed on the active region, connecting to the first well region without through any heavily doped region being located therebetween, wherein the first metal contact and the second metal contact are separated by a polysilicon pattern disposed on the first well region.
US09972667B2
A display device includes a substrate having an insulating surface; a plurality of pixel electrodes on the insulating surface, the plurality of pixel electrodes located away from each other; a first insulating layer covering an end of each of the pixel electrodes and exposing a part of a top surface of each of the pixel electrodes; and an organic layer provided on each of the pixel electrodes, the organic layer including a light emitting layer. As seen in a plan view, the first insulating layer includes a plurality of first regions, each of the plurality of first regions being around the exposed part of the top surface of the pixel electrodes, and a second region located between two adjacent first regions, the second region including a recessed portion.
US09972662B2
A pixel structure, a method for manufacturing the same and a display panel are provided. The pixel structure includes: a substrate, an anode layer, a first auxiliary light-emitting layer, a light-emitting layer, a cathode layer and at least one first resistive structure. The light-emitting layer at least includes a first light-emitting portion and a second light-emitting portion, where the first light-emitting portion corresponds to a first sub-pixel, the second light-emitting portion corresponds to a second sub-pixel and a turn-on voltage of the first sub-pixel is greater than that of the second sub-pixel. The at least one first resistive structure is arranged between the first auxiliary light-emitting layer and the cathode layer and arranged in a direction perpendicular to the second light-emitting portion, at least partially overlaps with the second light-emitting portion and does not overlap with the first light-emitting portion.
US09972651B2
A spectrum-inspection device includes a multi-band pass filter, a filter array, and a sensing layer. The multi-band pass filter allows a first waveband, a second waveband, and a third waveband of a light beam to pass through. The light beam passes through the multi-band pass filter forms a multi-band beam. The filter array is disposed under the multi-band pass filter. The filter array includes a first filter allowing wavelengths of the multi-band beam longer than a first wavelength to pass through, a second filter allowing wavelengths of the multi-band beam longer than a second wavelength to pass through, and a third filter allowing wavelengths of the multi-band beam longer than a third wavelength to pass through. The second waveband is between the first wavelength and the second wavelength, and the third waveband is between the second wavelength and the third wavelength.
US09972647B2
A first capacitor obtains a gate-source voltage of a first transistor in accordance with a programming current flowing through the first transistor, and a second capacitor obtains a threshold voltage of a second transistor. Then, the electric charges held in the first capacitor and the second capacitor are capacitively coupled. By using the voltage obtained with the capacitively coupling as a gate-source voltage of the first transistor, constant current in accordance with the programming current can be supplied to a light emitting element.
US09972633B2
A semiconductor device including a logic transistor, a non-volatile memory (NVM) cell and a contact etching stop layer (CESL) is shown. The CESL includes a first silicon nitride layer on the logic transistor but not on the NVM cell, a silicon oxide layer on the first silicon nitride layer and on the NVM cell, and a second silicon nitride layer disposed on the silicon oxide layer over the logic transistor and disposed on the silicon oxide layer on the NVM cell.
US09972623B1
A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device includes the following steps. A barrier layer is formed in a first region and a second region of a semiconductor substrate. The barrier layer formed in the first region is thinned before a step of forming a first work function layer on the barrier layer. The first work function layer formed on the first region is then removed. The process of thinning the barrier layer in the first region and the process of removing the first work function layer in the first region are performed separately for ensuring the coverage of the first work function layer in the second region. The electrical performance of the semiconductor device and the uniformity of the electrical performance of the semiconductor device may be improved accordingly.
US09972622B2
A method for manufacturing a CMOS device includes providing a semiconductor base layer epitaxially growing a germanium layer on the semiconductor base layer, the germanium layer having thickness above a critical thickness such that an upper portion of the germanium layer is strain relaxed. The method also includes performing an anneal step, thinning the germanium layer and patterning the germanium layer into fin structures or into vertical wire structures. The method further includes laterally embedding the fin structures or vertical wire structures in a dielectric layer and providing a masking layer covering the first region, leaving the second region exposed. The method yet further includes selectively removing the fin structure or vertical wire structure in the second region up until the main upper surface, resulting in a trench and growing a protrusion in the trench by epitaxially growing one or more semiconductor layers in the trench.
US09972617B2
Switching loss is reduced. A first surface of a semiconductor substrate has a portion included in an IGBT region and a portion included in a diode region. Trenches formed in the first surface include a gate trench and a boundary trench disposed between the gate trench and the diode region. A fourth layer of the semiconductor substrate is provided on the first surface and has a portion included in the diode region. The fourth layer includes a trench-covering well region that covers the deepest part of the boundary trench, a plurality of isolated well regions, and a diffusion region that connects the trench-covering well region and the isolated well regions. The diffusion region has a lower impurity concentration than that of the isolated well regions. A first electrode is in contact with the isolated well regions and away from the diffusion region.
US09972612B2
A semiconductor device includes: a first element formed of a first constituent as a main constituent; a second element formed of a second constituent as a main constituent; a heat sink on which the first element and the second element are disposed; a first connection layer electrically connecting the first element to the heat sink; a second connection layer electrically connecting the second element to the heat sink; and a mold resin covering and protecting the first element, the second element and the heat sink. Sizes of the first element and the second element are set so that an equivalent plastic strain increment of the first connection layer is greater than the second connection layer. Accordingly, in the semiconductor device including semiconductor elements formed of different constituents, the elements are thermally protected without providing a temperature detector to the semiconductor element formed of one of the constituents.
US09972606B2
A 3-dimensional hybrid package including an integrated circuit chip stack formed on a laminate, the integrated chip stack further including a first chip and a second chip. The first chip is connected to the laminate through first solder bumps, each associated with a first through-silicon via (TSV), and first metal leads embedded in a first polymer tape that extends from first peripheral metal pads formed on a back side of the first chip to the laminate. The second chip is connected to the first peripheral metal pads on the back side of the first chip through second solder bumps formed on a front side of the second chip. The second chip is connected to the laminate by second metal leads, embedded in a second polymer tape that extend from second peripheral metal pads formed on a back side of the second chip to the laminate.
US09972600B2
A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor chip including an inorganic protective film, a second semiconductor chip including an organic protective film and a re-wiring layer, the second semiconductor chip being electrically connected to the first semiconductor chip through a through-silicon via and a bump connection, a third semiconductor chip including an inorganic protective film, the third semiconductor chip being electrically connected to the second semiconductor chip through the re-wiring layer and a bump connection, a first resin layer filled between the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip, the first resin layer being in contact with the inorganic protective film, and a second resin layer filled between the second semiconductor chip and the third semiconductor chip, the second resin layer being in contact with the organic protective film and the inorganic protective film.
US09972599B2
A method of manufacturing a package structure is provided, including forming a first wiring layer on a carrier board, forming up plurality of first conductors on the first wiring layer, forming a first insulating layer that encapsulates the first wiring layer and the first conductors, forming a second wiring layer on the first insulating layer, forming a plurality of second conductors on the second wiring layer, forming a second insulating layer that encapsulates the second wiring layer and the second conductors, and forming at least an opening on the second insulating layer for at least one electronic component to be disposed therein. Since the first and second insulating layers are formed before the opening, there is no need of stacking or laminating a substrate that already has an opening, and the electronic component will not be laminated and make a displacement. Therefore, the package structure thus manufactured has a high yield rate. The present invention further provides the package structure.
US09972592B2
A semiconductor package and methods for producing the same are described. One example of the semiconductor package is described to include a substrate having a first face and an opposing second face. The package is further described to include a plurality of solderable surfaces formed on the first face of the substrate, a first solderable surface in the plurality of solderable surfaces having a pattern plating structure on an outward facing surface of the first solderable surface. There may also be an amount of solder bonded to the outward facing surface of the first solderable surface, where the pattern plating structure on the outward facing surface of the first solderable surface causes the amount of solder to have a first thickness at its ends, a second thickness at its center, and a discrete transition between the first thickness and the second thickness.
US09972589B1
Described herein are integrated circuit structures having a package substrate with microstrip architecture as the uppermost layers and a surface conductive layer that is electrically connected to a ground plane internal to the package substrate, as well as related devices and methods. In one aspect of the present disclosure, an integrated circuit package substrate may have an internal ground plane, a dielectric layer, a microstrip signal layer as the top transmission line layer, a solder resist layer, and a surface conductive layer that is electrically connected to the internal ground plane in the package substrate. In another aspect of the present disclosure, an integrated circuit package substrate may include altering thicknesses of the dielectric and/or solder resist layers to optimize electrical performance by having the microstrip signal layer closer in proximity to the internal ground layer as compared to the surface conductive layer.
US09972588B2
In a circuit substrate, a plurality of first microstrip lines connect outputs of a plurality of circuit patterns containing a parallel capacitor to a plurality of first output pads respectively. A plurality of second wires connect the first output pads of the circuit substrate to inputs of a plurality of transistor cells of a semiconductor substrate respectively. The numbers of the fingers of the transistor cells are the same. The first microstrip lines connected to the circuit patterns disposed on both sides of the lining-up circuit patterns are longer than the other first microstrip lines.
US09972586B2
In order to realize a silicon PUF of lower power consumption, a semiconductor device includes first and second MIS transistors of the same conductive type in off-state coupled in series, as a PUF element. The PUF element outputs a signal of high level or low level depending on the potential of a connection node of the first and the second MIS transistors. Preferably, the MIS transistors are fin-type FETs.
US09972571B1
The semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate; field-effect devices disposed on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the field-effect devices include gates with elongated shape oriented in a first direction; a first metal layer disposed over the gates; a second metal layer disposed over the first metal layer; and a third metal layer disposed over the second metal layer. The first metal layer includes a plurality of first metal lines oriented in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The second metal layer includes a plurality of second metal lines oriented in the first direction. The third metal layer includes a plurality of third metal lines oriented in the second direction. The first metal lines have a first thickness, the second metal lines have a second thickness, the third metal lines have a third thickness, and the second thickness is less than the first thickness and the third thickness.
US09972568B2
A semiconductor package includes a molding member, a chip embedded in the molding member to have a warped shape, and connectors disposed in the molding member. The molding member includes an extendible material which includes a first part having a warped shape, a second part extending from one end of the first part to be flat, and a third part extending from the other end of the first part to be flat, where first surfaces of the connectors are exposed at a surface of the molding member and second surfaces of the connectors are coupled to the chip.
US09972567B2
A multilayer substrate includes a flexible element assembly including a principal surface, a first to an n-th external electrode disposed on the principal surface, and at least one first dummy conductor disposed inside the element assembly in a floating state. When the element assembly is viewed from a normal direction of the principal surface, a distance between an m-th external electrode and a nearest external electrode therefrom among the first to the n-th external electrodes is defined as a distance Dm, an average of distances D1 to Dn is defined as an average Dave, and an area within a circle having a center on the m-th external electrode and having a radius of Dm is defined as an area Am. The first dummy conductor is located in at least one area Am having a radius of Dm greater than the average Dave when viewed from the normal direction.
US09972555B2
To provide a semiconductor device having improved reliability. The semiconductor device has a wiring board, bonding land, semiconductor chip mounted on the wiring board via an adhesive layer and having a pad electrode, bonding wire connecting the pad electrode with the bonding land, and sealing body. The sealing body is, in a circuit formation region, in contact with an organic protection film and, in a scribe region and a region between the pad electrode and the scribe region, in contact with a surface protection film while not in contact with the organic protection film. A first side surface is closer to the circuit formation region side than a second one. The adhesive layer covers entirety of the semiconductor chip back surface and the second side surface of the semiconductor chip. The first side surface is in contact with the sealing body without being covered with the adhesive layer.
US09972549B2
A display device includes a plurality of pixel repairing blocks and each pixel repairing block includes a first sub-pixel unit and a second sub-pixel unit. The first sub-pixel unit has a first power supply terminal and a second power supply terminal. The first power supply terminal of the first sub-pixel unit is electrically coupled to a first power line and the second power supply terminal of the first sub-pixel unit is electrically coupled to a second power line. The second sub-pixel unit has a first power supply terminal and a second power supply terminal. The first power supply terminal of the second sub-pixel unit is electrically coupled to the first power line and the second power supply terminal of the second sub-pixel units electrically coupled to a third power line. The second sub-pixel unit is adjacent to the first sub-pixel unit, and both the second sub-pixel unit and the first sub-pixel unit are configured to generate a first colored light. The plurality of pixel repairing blocks includes a first pixel repairing block. The second power supply terminal of the first sub-pixel unit of the first pixel repairing block is electrically coupled to the second power supply terminal of the second sub-pixel unit of the first pixel repairing block.
US09972541B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe techniques for filling a high aspect ratio, narrow structure with multiple metal layers and associated configurations. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a transistor structure comprising a semiconductor material, a dielectric material having a recess defined over the transistor structure, the recess having a height in a first direction, an electrode terminal disposed in the recess and coupled with the transistor structure, wherein a first portion of the electrode terminal comprises a first metal in direct contact with the transistor structure and a second portion of the electrode terminal comprises a second metal disposed on the first portion and wherein an interface between the first portion and the second portion is planar and extends across the recess in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09972528B2
A semiconductor device may include a substrate, a first interlayered insulating layer on the substrate having openings, conductive patterns provided in the openings, first to fourth insulating patterns stacked on the substrate provided with the conductive patterns, and a second interlayered insulating layer provided on the fourth insulating pattern.
US09972519B2
A substrate transporting apparatus includes a first light emitting sensor emitting a first sensing light in a first direction, a first light receiving sensor receiving the first sensing light, a second light emitting sensor emitting a second sensing light in a second direction different than the first direction, a second light receiving sensor receiving the second sensing light, a substrate transporting loader passing through traveling lines of the first sensing light and the second sensing light, a state information storage unit storing state information of the substrate transporting loader, and an operation information computing unit computing operation information of the substrate transporting loader based on the state information.
US09972518B2
A gas inlet made of an elastic material is prevented from getting scratched by contact with a nozzle, and adhesion between the gas inlet and the nozzle is prevented. A container is positioned, and a purge gas is introduced from the nozzle into a gas inlet hole in the center of a circular bottom surface of the gas inlet provided on the bottom of the container. The nozzle has a planar top end surface having a size equal to or greater than that of the bottom surface of the gas inlet, and a nozzle hole in the center of the top end surface, and has a size equal to or smaller than that of the gas inlet hole. The top end surface is roughened or includes a lubricant so that the top end surface and the gas inlet are mutually slidable.
US09972517B2
According to one embodiment, there is provided an anomaly detection system for a second unit incidental to a first unit that processes a substrate. The anomaly detection system includes a collecting unit, a first calculating unit, a second calculating unit, and a determining unit. The collecting unit is configured to collect a plurality of types of parameters related to a state of the second unit. The first calculating unit is configured to calculate a divergence of a coordinate point from a reference space in a virtual coordinate space of a plurality of types of parameters, the coordinate point being indicated by the plurality of types of collected parameters. The second calculating unit is configured to accumulate the calculated divergence and calculate a cumulative divergence. The determining unit is configured to compare the calculated cumulative divergence with a threshold value and determine an anomaly in the second unit.
US09972516B2
A local transport hand is configured to be movable in a front-and-rear direction between a rear position rearward of a light emitter and a front position forward of the light emitter. A substrate on which a DSA film is formed is placed on an upper surface of the local transport hand. Vacuum ultraviolet rays having strip-shape cross sections are emitted from the light emitter to cross a moving path of the local transport hand. The local transport hand is moved from the front position to the rear position such that the DSA film on the substrate is irradiated with the vacuum ultraviolet rays emitted by the light emitter. At this time, a moving speed of the substrate is controlled, so that an exposure value for the DSA film formed on the substrate is adjusted.
US09972512B2
A liquid processing apparatus for liquid-processing a substrate includes a substrate holding device that rotates a substrate in horizontal position, a nozzle holding device holding processing liquid and gas nozzles, the liquid nozzle discharging processing liquid from a discharge port such that the liquid is discharged obliquely to surface of the substrate, the gas nozzle discharging gas perpendicularly to the surface of the substrate, a moving device that moves the nozzle device with respect to the surface of the substrate, and a control device including circuitry that controls the nozzle, substrate and moving devices such that while the substrate is rotated, the liquid is discharged to peripheral portion toward downstream side in rotation direction and along tangential direction of the substrate and gas is discharged from the gas nozzle toward position adjacent to liquid landing position of the liquid on the surface and is on center side of the substrate.
US09972511B2
Apparatus and methods for processing substrates are disclosed. In some embodiments, a substrate processing system includes: a process chamber defining an interior volume for receiving a substrate and having a plasma forming zone, a substrate support positioned within the interior volume, a resonator coil disposed proximate the plasma forming zone, and a resonant inductor tuning circuit configured to vary an RF feed point location along the resonator coil. A method of operating a substrate processing system, according to embodiments, includes: transferring a substrate to a substrate support disposed within an interior volume of a processing chamber, the interior volume having a plasma forming zone, and operating a resonant inductor tuning circuit to couple an RF power source to a first RF feed point of a plurality of RF feed points along a resonator coil disposed proximate the plasma forming zone.
US09972505B2
The present invention makes it possible to improve the reliability of a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device has, over a semiconductor substrate, a pad electrode formed at the uppermost layer of a plurality of wiring layers, a surface protective film having an opening over the pad electrode, a redistribution line being formed over the surface protective film and having an upper surface and a side surface, a sidewall barrier film comprising an insulating film covering the side surface and exposing the upper surface of the redistribution line, and a cap metallic film covering the upper surface of the redistribution line. Then the upper surface and side surface of the redistribution line are covered with the cap metallic film or the sidewall barrier film and the cap metallic film and the sidewall barrier film have an overlapping section.
US09972504B2
Methods of depositing tungsten into high aspect ratio features using a dep-etch-dep process integrating various deposition techniques with alternating pulses of surface modification and removal during etch are provided herein.
US09972499B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a front surface and a back surface; forming a transition metal layer on a surface of the semiconductor substrate; and exposing the semiconductor substrate having the transition metal layer formed thereon to a hydrogen plasma atmosphere formed by microwaves, to cause the transition metal layer to generate heat. During exposure of the semiconductor substrate, a portion of the semiconductor substrate contacting the transition metal layer is heated by a transfer of heat from the transition metal layer and, at an interface of the transition metal layer and the semiconductor substrate, an ohmic contact is formed by reaction of the transition metal layer and the semiconductor substrate, such as to form a transition metal silicide when the semiconductor substrate is silicon carbide. The ohmic contact provides a lower contact resistivity and device properties can be prevented from degrading.
US09972498B2
A method of fabricating a gate cap layer includes providing a substrate with an interlayer dielectric disposed thereon, wherein a recess is disposed in the interlayer dielectric and a metal gate fills in a lower portion of the recess. Later, a cap material layer is formed to cover the interlayer dielectric and fill in an upper portion of the recess. After that, a first sacrifice layer and a second sacrifice layer are formed in sequence to cover the cap material layer. The first sacrifice layer has a composition different from a composition of the cap material layer. The second sacrifice layer has a composition the same as the composition of the cap material layer. Next, a chemical mechanical polishing process is preformed to remove the second sacrifice layer, the first sacrifice layer and the cap material layer above a top surface of the interlayer dielectric.
US09972488B2
A method of reducing defects in an epitaxial layer. The method includes forming one or more barrier structures within a peripheral edge region of a wafer substrate, and forming an epitaxial layer over a surface of the wafer substrate.
US09972485B2
A semiconductor processing composition and method for removing photoresist, polymeric materials, etching residues and copper oxide from a substrate comprising copper, low-k dielectric material and TiN, TiNxOy or W wherein the composition includes water, at least one halide anion selected from Cl− or Br−, and, where the metal hard mask comprises only TiN or TiNxOy, optionally at least one hydroxide source.
US09972472B2
A structure and associated method for forming a liquid metal or spiral groove bearing assembly for an x-ray tube is illustrated that utilizes a unitary sleeve and a thrust ring or seal each formed of a weldable, non-refractory material. The sleeve and the thrust seal are welded to one another to provide an improved construction for minimizing leaks of the liquid metal bearing fluid. The structure of the sleeve and the thrust seal are formed with deformation restricting features that maintain the integrity of the bearing surfaces of the assembly when the thrust seal is secured within the sleeve and welded thereto to form the bearing assembly.
US09972466B2
A vacuum interrupter for a vacuum circuit breaker is disclosed, in which a center shield is arranged between an upper insulating envelope and a lower insulating envelope, whereby the center shield is not provided inside each of the insulating envelopes and thus outer diameters of the respective insulating envelopes are reduced.
US09972464B2
A key structure includes a base plate, a keycap and a connecting element. The connecting element includes a first frame and a second frame. The first frame is connected with the base plate and the keycap. The first frame includes a first linking part. The second frame is connected with the base plate and the keycap. The second frame includes a second linking part. The second linking part is contacted with the first linking part. When a depressing force from the user is applied to the keycap, the first frame is swung relative to the second frame. Moreover, in response to a friction between the first linking part and the second linking part, the keycap is correspondingly moved.
US09972463B2
An electronic device includes a pressing member having plural protruding pressing parts, a first opening-formed member having plural first openings into which the plural pressing parts are inserted so as to individually protrude, a second opening-formed member having plural second openings into which the plural pressing parts are inserted so as to individually protrude, and a positioning member positioning the pressing member, first opening-formed member, and second opening-formed member so that the plural pressing parts are disposed at positions where the plural pressing parts are inserted in the plural first openings and plural second openings.
US09972451B2
A new multifunctional polyelectrolyte, particularly suitable for a solid-state supercapacitor, is obtainable or obtained by reacting an effective amount of vinyl hybrid silica nanoparticles (VSNPs) and a compound having a structural unit based on acrylic acid or a structural unit derived therefrom in the presence of a polymerization initiator. The polyelectrolyte allows for an advantageous tunable ionic conductivity, exceptional self-healability and super-stretchability. An energy storage device, in particular a solid-state supercapacitor, includes the polyelectrolyte. A method for manufacturing a solid-state supercapacitor as well as for repairing a solid-state supercapacitor having cracks is also disclosed. Benefiting from the superior properties of the polyelectrolyte, the energy storage devices based thereon exhibit highly advantageous stretchability and self-healability and an exceptional performance compared to conventionally known devices.
US09972445B2
Provided are an electrolytic capacitor with high withstand voltage capable of preventing deterioration of withstand voltage characteristics caused by lead-free reflow or the like and improving ESR characteristics, and a manufacturing method thereof. The electrolytic capacitor is obtained by impregnating a capacitor element in which an anode electrode foil and a cathode electrode foil are wound with a separator interposed, with a dispersion containing: particles of a conductive polymer; sorbitol or sorbitol and polyalcohol; and a solvent so as to form a solid electrolyte layer containing 60 to 92 wt % of the sorbitol or the sorbitol and polyalcohol, and by filling an electrolytic solution containing ethylene glycol in a gap portion in the capacitor element on which the solid electrolyte layer is formed.
US09972442B2
A wet electrolytic capacitor that contains electrodes (i.e., anode and cathode) and a working electrolyte is provided. The anode and optionally the cathode include a wire assembly containing two or more individual wires. A particulate material is also disposed in contact with at least a portion of the wire assembly.
US09972439B2
A ceramic electronic component includes a ceramic body; internal electrodes disposed in the ceramic body; external electrodes disposed on outer surfaces of the ceramic body and electrically connected to the internal electrodes; and tin plating layers disposed on the external electrodes.
US09972438B2
A method for manufacturing a laminated ceramic capacitor having a laminated body including a plurality of stacked ceramic layers and internal electrodes located between the ceramic layers. The laminated body has a pair of mutually opposed principal surfaces extending in the direction in which the ceramic layers extend, a pair of mutually opposed side surfaces and a pair of mutually opposed end surfaces which respectively extend in directions orthogonal to the principal surfaces. The internal electrodes are 0.4 μm or less in thickness, and are located in an area defined by a width-direction gap of 30 μm or less interposed with respect to each of the pair of side surfaces and an outer layer thickness of 35 μm or less interposed with respect to each of the pair of principal surfaces.
US09972436B2
The manufacture method of a coil component includes the steps of bonding a dummy metal layer onto one face of a mounting base, stacking a base insulating resin on the dummy metal layer, stacking a first spiral wiring and a first insulating resin in this order on the base insulating resin to cover the first spiral wiring with the first insulating resin and stacking a second spiral wiring and a second insulating resin in this order on the first insulating resin to cover the second spiral wiring with the second insulating resin to thereby form a coil substrate, detaching the mounting base from the dummy metal layer in a bonding face between the one face of the mounting base and the dummy metal layer, removing the dummy metal layer from the coil substrate, and covering the coil substrate with a magnetic resin.
US09972424B2
The invention relates to a composite material strip for producing an electric component, in particular a resistor, in particular a low-resistance current-measuring resistor, comprising a first material strip (4) made of a copper-containing material, in particular a copper-containing conductor material, for later forming a first connection part of the electric component and comprising a second material strip (3) for later forming a second connection part of the electric component. The first material strip (4) and the second material strip (3) are electrically and mechanically connected together along a longitudinal seam, wherein the second material strip (3) consists of an aluminum-containing material, in particular an aluminum-containing conductor material. The invention further relates to a corresponding production method and to a corresponding component.
US09972422B1
A communication cable may include a plurality of twisted pairs and a plurality of discrete components of insulation material positioned in the interstices between the plurality of twisted pairs. Each of the discrete components may have a largest dimension that is no greater than approximately 250 microns. The discrete components may provide separation between two or more of the twisted pairs. A jacket may be formed around the plurality of twisted pairs and the plurality of discrete components.
US09972410B2
Ti-included oxide dispersion strengthened copper alloy and method for manufacturing dispersed copper
The present invention relates to a Ti-included oxide dispersion strengthened copper alloy and a method for preparing oxide dispersion copper by an internal oxidation Ti-included copper alloy, which thus allows spheronization and refinement of the oxides, and reduction of distance between the oxides. According to the present invention, there is provided oxide dispersion copper having excellent hardness and tensile strength as well as electrical conductivity by performing spheronization and refinement for Ti-included oxide and thus further reducing the distance between oxides.
US09972403B2
Systems and methods for self-testing archival memory devices are described. The memory device includes a data storage component capable of being coded with data. The memory device further includes a read-write mechanism configured to read, write, and delete data stored on the data storage component. The memory device includes a read-write controller configured to control the read-write mechanism based on input received through a device interface of the memory device, wherein the device interface of the memory device is configured to connect to an external computing device. The memory device further includes a diagnostic controller configured to perform a test on at least one of the data stored on the data storage component, the data storage component, and the read-write mechanism. The memory device includes a power source configured to provide operational power to the diagnostic controller when the memory device is not connected to an external power source.
US09972402B2
A method and apparatus for continuous write and read operations during memory testing. The method comprises: controlling a signal generator; triggering a write address and a data field operation each memory cycle; triggering a write signal to write to a memory each memory clock cycle; and reading a read address and a read data operation to the memory. An additional embodiment provides an apparatus for advanced memory latency testing. The apparatus includes a data generator trigger in communication with a signal generator and an address generator trigger also in communication with the signal generator.
US09972395B2
The present invention relates to a flash memory system wherein one or more circuit blocks utilize fully depleted silicon-on-insulator transistor design to minimize leakage.
US09972380B2
Examples described in this disclosure relate to a memory cell having a magnetic Josephson junction device with a doped magnetic layer. In one example, a memory cell including a magnetic Josephson junction (MJJ) device is provided. The MJJ device may include at least a first layer formed above a second layer and a third layer formed below the second layer, where the first layer is a free magnetic layer, the second layer is a non-magnetic layer, where the third layer is a fixed magnetic layer. The free magnetic layer may comprise a magnetic alloy doped with at least one of Vanadium, Zirconium, Molybdenum, or Hafnium, and the fixed magnetic layer may comprise an un-doped second magnetic alloy.
US09972378B2
A base chip including first to Nth delay units coupled in series, where N is a natural number equal to or larger than 2, wherein when the number of stacked chips over the base chip is 1, the base chip is suitable for delaying a refresh signal, and generating first to Xth delayed refresh signals using the first to Xth delay units among the first to Nth delay units, where X is a natural number having a relation of N>X≥1, and when the number of stacked chips over the base chip is 2, the base chip is suitable for delaying the refresh signal, and generating first to Yth delayed refresh signals using the first to Yth delay units among the first to Nth delay units, where Y is a natural number having a relation of N≥Y>X.
US09972366B2
A sense amplifier includes a current supply unit, an amplification unit, a pass transistor and a latch unit. The current supply unit may be configured to provide a sensing current to a sensing node. The amplification unit may be configured to amplify a voltage difference between the read reference voltage with the voltage level of the global bit line. The pass transistor may be configured to transfer a current from the sensing node to the global bit line based on a signal output from the amplification unit. The latch unit may be configured to generate an output signal by detecting a voltage level change of the sensing node.
US09972360B2
Disclosed are systems and methods for improving interactions with and between computers in content searching, generating, hosting and/or providing systems supported by or configured with personal computing devices, servers and/or platforms. The systems interact to identify and retrieve data within or across platforms, which can be used to improve the quality of data used in processing interactions between or among processors in such systems. The disclosed systems and methods automatically generate a thumbnail image from a frame of a video file, where the thumbnail image displays content of a selected frame determined to be high-quality and highly-relevant to the content of the video file. Frames of a video file are analyzed, and the frame that is the most contextually relevant to the video and of the highest visual quality is selected, where a thumbnail image is generated and displayed on a site or application over a network.
US09972353B1
The disclosed technology provides a method that improves SMR throughput in vibration in storage systems. In one implementation, the method comprises receiving a write command to write data on a first track in a band of a storage medium, performing a vibration detection scheme to identify vibration events, determining if a number of vibration events is above a predetermined threshold, skipping the first track responsive to determining the number of vibration events is above a predetermined threshold, seeking to a second track adjacent to the first track, increasing an OCLIM on the second track adjacent to the first track from a default OCLIM to an increased OCLIM, and shifting the writer center on the second track adjacent to the first track.
US09972350B1
A slider of a heat-assisted magnetic recording head comprises an air bearing surface and an optical waveguide configured to receive light from a laser source. The slider comprises a plurality of electrical bond pads including a first bond pad and a second bond pad. A first resistive sensor is configured to sense for spacing changes and contact between the slider and a magnetic recording medium at or near a first close point of the slider. A second resistive sensor is configured to sense for spacing changes and contact between the slider and the medium at or near a second close point of the slider. A bolometer is situated at a location within the slider that receives at least some of the light communicated along the optical waveguide. The first resistive sensor, the second resistive sensor, and the bolometer are coupled together and between the first and second bond pads.
US09972346B2
A recording head includes a near-field transducer proximate a media-facing surface. The near-field transducer comprises an aperture portion surrounded by walls of plasmonic material, the walls oriented normal to the media-facing surface. A notch protrudes within the aperture. The notch comprises at least one of Rh and Ir. A write pole is proximate the near-field transducer. The write pole has a back surface facing away from the media-facing surface and an aperture-facing surface proximate the aperture.
US09972342B2
A reception unit receives a speech signal from another terminal device. A reproduction unit reproduces the speech signal received in the reception unit. A processing unit performs a speech recognition process on the speech signal reproduced in the reception unit, based on a speech recognition model of a user using the terminal device. A transmission unit transmits a result of the speech recognition process in the processing unit to another terminal device.
US09972341B2
An apparatus and a method for emotion recognition are provided. The apparatus for emotion recognition includes a frame parameter generator configured to detect a plurality of unit frames from an input speech and to generate a parameter vector for each of the unit frames, a key-frame selector configured to select a unit frame as a key frame among the plurality of unit frames, an emotion-probability calculator configured to calculate an emotion probability of each of the selected key frames, and an emotion determiner configured to determine an emotion of a speaker based on the calculated emotion probabilities.
US09972337B2
An echo cancellation method includes receiving an echo reference signal, receiving a microphone signal, decomposing, with a first filter bank, the echo reference signal into a series of subband echo reference signals, decomposing, with a second filter bank, the microphone signal into a series of subband microphone signals, estimating a group delay between the echo reference signal and the microphone signal using the series of subband echo reference signals and the series of subband microphone signals, estimating, using adaptive filters, acoustic echoes in the echo reference signal based at least in part on the group delay, subtracting the acoustic echoes from the series of subband microphone signals to obtain a series of acoustic echo removed subband signals, combining the series of acoustic echo removed subband signals into a single time domain echo removed signal, and sending the single time domain echo removed signal to a host operating system.
US09972322B2
Techniques related to speaker recognition are discussed. Such techniques may include determining an adaptive speaker recognition threshold based on a speech to noise ratio and noise type label corresponding to received audio and performing speaker recognition based on the adaptive speaker recognition threshold and a speaker recognition score corresponding to received audio.
US09972320B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for hotword detection on multiple devices are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving audio data that corresponds to an utterance. The actions further include determining that the utterance likely includes a particular, predefined hotword. The actions further include transmitting (i) data indicating that the computing device likely received the particular, predefined hotword, (ii) data identifying the computing device, and (iii) data identifying a group of nearby computing devices that includes the computing device. The actions further include receiving an instruction to commence speech recognition processing on the audio data. The actions further include in response to receiving the instruction to commence speech recognition processing on the audio data, processing at least a portion of the audio data using an automated speech recognizer on the computing device.
US09972318B1
A system capable of generating and storing progress data associated with third party services. A voice enabled device may receive voice commands and the system may perform natural language understanding (NLU) to interpret the voice commands, determine a corresponding process and send instructions to a third party server associated with the process. In order to resume the process after the process is interrupted, the system may save and/or cause the third party server to save progress data and/or a checkpoint corresponding to a status of the process at the time that the process is interrupted. The system may use the progress data to resume the process at a later point based on the status. In addition, the system may track processes associated with saved progress data/checkpoints and may interpret incoming voice commands based on the tracked processes.
US09972310B2
A system and method are presented for neural network based feature extraction for acoustic model development. A neural network may be used to extract acoustic features from raw MFCCs or the spectrum, which are then used for training acoustic models for speech recognition systems. Feature extraction may be performed by optimizing a cost function used in linear discriminant analysis. General non-linear functions generated by the neural network are used for feature extraction. The transformation may be performed using a cost function from linear discriminant analysis methods which perform linear operations on the MFCCs and generate lower dimensional features for speech recognition. The extracted acoustic features may then be used for training acoustic models for speech recognition systems.
US09972308B1
Methods, a system, and a classifier are provided. A method includes preparing, by a processor, pairs for an information retrieval task. Each pair includes (i) a training-stage speech recognition result for a respective sequence of training words and (ii) an answer label corresponding to the training-stage speech recognition result. The method further includes obtaining, by the processor, a respective rank for the answer label included in each pair to obtain a set of ranks. The method also includes determining, by the processor, for each pair, an end of question part in the training-stage speech recognition result based on the set of ranks. The method additionally includes building, by the processor, the classifier such that the classifier receives a recognition-stage speech recognition result and returns a corresponding end of question part for the recognition-stage speech recognition result, based on the end of question part determined for the pairs.
US09972303B1
An apparatus, method and computer program for inserting information into a conversation between two or more devices is provided. In one embodiment, speech data is received at a device. The speech data is analyzed and converted into text utilizing one or more speech-to-text algorithms. The text is examined to locate information that may be related to the text on the data network.
US09972302B2
Systems and methods for prosody prediction include extracting features from runtime data using a parametric model. The features from runtime data are compared with features from training data using an exemplar-based model to predict prosody of the runtime data. The features from the training data are paired with exemplars from the training data and stored on a computer readable storage medium.
US09972298B2
A sound absorbing device includes: a plurality of sound absorbing units. A frequency of sound absorbed by at least one of the sound absorbing units overlaps, at least partially, with a frequency of sound with a volume increased by installation of another sound absorbing unit.
US09972286B1
Described herein are systems, devices and methods for presenting content based on the spatial relationship between a media device and a user of the media device. The media device may present content based on an angle between an eye axis of the user and a device axis of the media device.
US09972285B2
The present invention discloses a device and method for controlling zooming-in of an electronic map, a device and method for controlling zooming-out of an electronic map, a device and method for controlling panning of an electronic map, a device and method for computing tiles within a visual region of an electronic map, and a device and method for processing an electronic map tile request queue, wherein the method for controlling zooming-in of an electronic map comprises: determining a target display level to be reached via zooming in when receiving an instruction of zooming in the map, and searching out a plurality of target tiles that need to be displayed in the target display level; selecting a pre-loaded display level based on a relationship between a current display level and the target display level, and searching out pre-loaded tiles corresponding to the target tiles in the pre-loaded display level; acquiring the pre-loaded tiles and the target tiles according to an order of priority, loading and displaying the pre-loaded tiles by zooming in according to a level difference between the pre-loaded display level and the target display level; and after acquiring the target tiles, loading and displaying the target tiles so as to replace the zoomed-in pre-loaded tiles at corresponding positions.
US09972284B2
A refrigerator includes a main body defining a storage compartment that is divided into a plurality of storage sections, and a door coupled to the main body to selectively open or close the storage compartment. The door includes a door glass having at least one transparent display area, and a door frame surrounding one or more edges of the door glass and configured to protect the door glass. The transparent display area is configured to display, based on being touched by a user, information on food stored in one or more of the plurality of storage sections that corresponds to the touched transparent display area.
US09972282B2
An EL display panel including: a pixel array section in which EL display elements whose light emission state is controlled by an active matrix driving system are arranged in a form of a matrix; a first writing control line driving section and a second writing control line driving section configured to drive each writing control line from both sides of the pixel array section; and a first power supply line driving section and a second power supply line driving section configured to drive a power supply line disposed along a direction of a horizontal line from both sides of the pixel array section, the first power supply line driving section and the second power supply line driving section being respectively arranged between the first writing control line driving section and the pixel array section and between the second writing control line driving section and the pixel array section.
US09972274B2
A field-effect transistor, including: a base; a passivation layer; a gate insulating layer formed therebetween; a source electrode and a drain electrode, which are formed to be in contact with the gate insulating layer; a semiconductor layer, which is formed between at least the source electrode and the drain electrode, and is in contact with the gate insulating layer, the source electrode, and the drain electrode; and a gate electrode, which is in contact with the gate insulating layer, and faces the semiconductor layer via the gate insulating layer, wherein the passivation layer contains a first passivation layer, which contains a first composite metal oxide containing Si, and an alkaline earth metal, and a second passivation layer, which is formed to be in contact with the first passivation layer, and contains a second composite metal oxide containing an alkaline earth metal, and a rare-earth element.
US09972273B2
The invention disclosure a GOA circuit and a liquid crystal display. The GOA circuit including an electrical potential pull-down controlling circuit and a plurality of GOA sub circuits in cascade connection, the electrical potential pull-down controlling circuit comprising a first voltage limited transistor, a second filter transistor and a third transistor. The first voltage limited transistor, and the second filter transistor a reconnected in series and between the output terminal of the initial scanning signal, STV signal and the control terminal of the third transistor, the control terminal of the first voltage limited transistor and the first terminal of the third transistor is connected to the first power terminal and the second terminal of the third transistor is connected to the GOA sub circuit. By this design, the damage from the large static electricity to the GOA sub circuit can be avoided.
US09972271B2
A display panel including a plurality of pixel units, a plurality of source lines, a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of common electrode lines is provided. The pixels units are arranged in array. The array includes a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows. The source lines are respectively coupled with the pixel units disposed in a same column of the columns. The gate lines are respectively coupled with the pixel units disposed in a same row of the rows. The common electrode lines and gate lines extend parallelly with each other. At least one of the source date lines, the gate lines and the common electrode lines has the line widths varied along the extension direction thereof.
US09972264B2
A display device includes a processor including a first display mode in which the processor displays the image on the display screen from an internal image data after the processor receives a first control signal, and a second display mode in which the processor displays the image on the display screen from the image data received by the processor after the processor receives a second control signal. A luminance adjuster adjusts a display luminance based on the internal image data corresponding to a final frame immediately before switching from the first display mode to the second display mode to a display luminance lower than a display luminance of the internal image data of another frame in the first display mode. In the final frame, the image is displayed based on the internal image data in which the display luminance is adjusted by the luminance adjuster.
US09972263B2
According to an aspect, a display device includes: a plurality of first image regions; a plurality of second image regions arranged alternatingly with the first image regions; one or more first data lines arranged in each of the first image regions; one or more second data lines arranged in each of the second image regions; a constant potential line configured to receive a constant potential; a switching signal line configured to supply a switching signal; and a switching circuit configured to switch a coupling destination of each of the one or more second data lines between any one of the first data lines arranged in a corresponding first image region adjacent to a respective second image region and the constant potential line, based on the switching signal.
US09972261B2
A GOA (Gate driver On Array) for an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) device is disclosed herein. The LCD device comprises a plurality of scanning lines. The GOA circuit comprises a plurality of GOA units, which are cascaded with each other as a plurality of level GOA units. The (n)th level GOA unit comprises a clock circuit, a pull-down circuit, a bootstrap capacitor circuit, a pull-up circuit, and a pull-down sustain circuit, to improve the color shift issue of a Tri-gate.
US09972258B2
A driving method of polarity inversion of liquid crystal panels includes driving sub-pixels within a predetermined area of the liquid crystal panel by a period having m number of consecutive frames, and m is an integer larger than four. Wherein polarity of sub-pixel driving voltage of a first predetermined number of consecutive frames among the m number of frames are the same, and the polarity of the sub-pixel driving voltage of the frames other than the first predetermined number of consecutive frames is opposite to the polarity of the sub-pixel driving voltage of the adjacent frames. With such configuration, the IS issue when displaying images by the liquid crystal panel may be eliminated.
US09972256B2
A method for driving a liquid crystal panel comprises providing a liquid crystal panel with a plurality of pixel units in a matrix with M rows and N columns, wherein each of the pixel unit has at least a blue sub-pixel, dividing the liquid crystal panel into multiple display units, wherein each display unit comprises two of the pixel units, providing a gray level value, B, to the blue sub-pixels of each of the display units with a higher gray level value, BH, and a lower gray level value, BL, to the blue sub-pixels respectively, wherein the combination of BH and BL results the blue sub-pixels in the display unit to approach a predetermined Gamma Curve, and γ=1.8˜2.4 at a perspective viewing angle. This invention also discloses a liquid display panel comprising the driving method mentioned above.
US09972255B2
According to an aspect, a display device includes: an image display panel in which pixels are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, each of the pixels including a first sub-pixel displaying a first color, a second sub-pixel displaying a second color, a third sub-pixel displaying a third color, and a fourth sub-pixel displaying a fourth color; and a signal processing unit that converts input values of input signals into extended values in an extended color space to generate output signals, and outputs the generated output signals to the image display panel. The signal processing unit changes the output signals for the first to fourth sub-pixels based on at least saturation of the input signals.
US09972251B2
Disclosed is a method of driving an organic light emitting diode display that includes a first organic light emitting diode, and a first driving circuit to operate the first organic light emitting diode, the method includes supplying a first gate pulse and a second gate pulse to a first gate line connected to the first driving circuit, and supplying a first data signal and a first compensation signal to a data line connected to the first driving circuit.
US09972248B2
Provided are a pixel structure and driving method thereof, and a display apparatus. The pixel structure comprises a plurality of pixel units and compensation units corresponding to the pixel units. Each of the pixel units comprises two adjacent pixel circuits which are a first pixel circuit and a second pixel circuit. The first pixel circuit comprises a first driving transistor (DTFT1) and a first display device (OLED1), and the second pixel circuit comprises a second driving transistor (DTFT2) and a second display device (OLED2), wherein the first pixel circuit and the second pixel circuit share the compensation unit and are controlled by a same data line (Data). The compensation unit is configured to adjust a gate voltage of the first driving transistor (DTFT1) in the first pixel circuit to eliminate the influence of the threshold voltage of the first driving transistor (DTFT1) on the driving current of the first display device (OLED1), and to adjust a gate voltage of the second driving transistor (DTFT2) in the second pixel circuit to eliminate the influence of the threshold voltage of the second driving transistor (DTFT2) on the driving current of the second display device (OLED2). The pixel structure can reduce the pixel size and obtain higher resolution.
US09972247B2
A power supply device and a display device including the same disclosed. In one aspect, the power supply device includes a DC-DC converter including a power supply having an input voltage and configured to generate a power voltage and a power current based at least in part on the input voltage and a feedback voltage and supply the power voltage to an output line. A detector is configured to detect the power voltage and the power current, a feedback circuit configured to generate the feedback voltage based at least in part on the power voltage and the power current and supply the feedback voltage to the DC-DC converter. A memory is configured to store a power error voltage signal corresponding to a power error voltage including the difference between the power voltage and a reference power voltage.
US09972243B2
A display device and a method of driving the same are disclosed. The display device includes a first driver integrated circuit configured to drive a first pixel array, a second driver integrated circuit configured to drive a second pixel array, a power module integrated circuit configured to receive an enable signal and output a driving voltage, and an AND gate configured to receive an output of the first driver integrated circuit and an output of the second driver integrated circuit and output the enable signal. The driving voltage output from the power module integrated circuit is commonly supplied to the first and second driver integrated circuits.
US09972240B2
A method for driving a display device includes steps of providing a data signal in a first scan period and maintaining a level of the data signal until a second scan period, and providing a scan signal in the first scan period and maintaining a level of the scan signal until the second scan period. A display device is also disclosed herein.
US09972239B2
A system for displaying digital content comprising a display screen, comprising a processor, adapted to display digital content, a structural assembly, secured to the rear face of the display screen, configured to mount the display screen on a vertical surface, and a processing controller within the structural assembly configured to communicate with the display screen processor. The system also comprises power assembly, external to the display screen, configured to connect to an external power supply to power the display screen, a connector cord configured to connect the display screen and the power assembly, and a wall mounting device configured to matingly secure to the structural assembly to hang the display screen on a vertical surface. Finally, the system includes an application, configured to run on a computer with memory and processor, and configured to communicate with the processing controller to control the display of images on the display screen.
US09972237B2
A controller controls the driving frequency and voltages for a display device. If image data corresponds to a moving picture, the controller drives a data driver and a gate driver at a moving picture frequency. If image data corresponds to a still image, drives the data driver and the gate driver at a still image frequency lower frequency than the moving picture frequency. When the still image is to be displayed, the signal controller also controls leakage current of a thin film transistor of a pixel based on a representative value of the image data, such that positive leakage current applied for a positive data voltage is equal to negative leakage current applied for a negative data voltage.
US09972236B2
A data line driving circuit for a display device having a plurality of data lines is provided to include a plurality of data line drivers respectively coupled to the data lines. Each data line driver includes a register unit to store video data having a pixel value, a pulse width modulation unit generating a PWM signal having a pulse width positively correlated with the pixel value, and a charge-discharge unit performing charge-discharge operation to generate a data voltage on a respective one of the data lines according to the PWM signal. A magnitude of voltage variation on the respective data line is positively correlated with the pulse width of the PWM signal during the charge-discharge operation.
US09972227B2
A wind-driven spinner is provided. The wind-driven spinner embodies a rotatable display that enables customizable, holographic effects to capture the eye, while also providing adjustable stability and wind capturing controls. The wind-driven spinner may include a plurality of panel assemblies rotatably mounted to an axis shaft by means of two hub bearings. Each panel assembly may be paraboloid shaped so as to provide a leading edge and a trailing edge. Relative to the axis shaft, the leading edge of each panel assembly has a radial outer diameter greater than the radial outer diameter of its trailing edge and an adjacent panel assembly so as to provide at least one, adjustable wind-driven capture profile. Each panel assembly may include a customizable design sheet for providing graphic display area and holographic fabric.
US09972225B2
One exemplary goal of the disclosed inventions is to reduce the amount of waste matter in a label to be attached to an adherend with part of the label protruding. A label is to be attached to an adherend with part of the label protruding and includes a label base section and an overcoat layer provided on the front surface of the label base section, and the back surface of the label base section is provided with a first adhesive section formed from a coating of a first paste (self-adhesive paste) which remains self-adhesive after coating, and a second adhesive section formed from a coating of a second paste (adhesive paste), which cures when a predetermined time duration elapses.
US09972224B2
Disclosed are fibers which contains identification fibers. The identification fibers can contain a plurality of distinct features, or taggants, which vary among the fibers and/or along the length of the identification fibers of the fibers, a fiber band, or. The disclosed embodiments also relate to the method for making and characterizing the fibers. Characterization of the fibers can include identifying distinct features, combinations of distinct features, and number of fibers with various combinations of distinct features to supply chain information. The supply chain information can be used to track the fibers, fiber band, or yarn from manufacturing through intermediaries, conversion to final product, and/or the consumer.
US09972223B2
A method of labeling telecommunication cable is provided. At least one band including an indicator is provided. The bands are placed around and attach to the cable. The amount of bands or the color of the bands secured to the cable may indicate the type of cable.
US09972215B2
A system for providing visual cues to a welder via an augmented reality display for a sequence of operations. The system includes an imaging device that identifies the orientation of an assembly to be welded. Welding operations are associated with locations on the assembly where the welder is to perform the operation. Based on the current field of view and the orientation of the assembly, the system determines whether the location on the assembly is within the field of view of the welder and provides a visual cue to the welder based on the orientation and the field of view. The power source of the welding device may be varied based on the image data received during the welding process.
US09972209B1
Geographic location data and telematics data may be collected in real-time by a mobile device within a vehicle, or the vehicle itself. The telematics data may indicate vehicle direction, speed, motion, etc., as well as traffic hazards in the surrounding environment. A remote server may receive the location and telematics data from two vehicles. If an anomalous or hazardous condition exists in the vicinity of the first vehicle, a geographic relationship with the second vehicle is determined, and if within a predetermined distance, an alert or alternate route for the second vehicle is determined and transmitted to the second vehicle. As a result, a negative impact or risk of collision caused by the anomalous condition on the second vehicle is alleviated. The amount of the insured's usage of the telematics data-based risk mitigation or prevision functionality may be used to calculate or adjust insurance premiums, rates, or discounts.
US09972200B2
A method and system for estimating traffic signals. The method and system can include constructing trajectories of probe vehicles from GPS data emitted by the probe vehicles, estimating traffic signal cycles, combining the estimates, and computing the traffic signal timing by maximizing a scoring function based on the estimates. Estimating traffic signal cycles can be based on transition times of the probe vehicles starting after a traffic signal turns green.
US09972188B2
There is provided a system for detecting a drowning person within a water body, the system comprising (i) sonar sensors for forming a three dimensional grid of sonar waves within the water body, the grid having three dimensional grid cells; (ii) a movement path tracing unit adapted to be connected to the sonar sensors for tracing a movement path of a person within the water body by determining a sequence of successive grid cells crossed by the person within the grid in the course of said movement path, the determination of the successive grid cells being made based on detected propagation delays of the sonar waves forming the grid; and (iii) a drowning detection unit adapted to be connected to the movement path tracing unit for analyzing the movement path of the person and issuing an alarm when the movement path of the person is indicative of a drowning person movement path. There is also provided a kit and method for detecting a drowning person within a water body.
US09972180B2
A multi-area passive infrared sensor (PIF) produces a two-dimensional image formed of a grid of squares corresponding to adjacent elementary areas of an area to be monitored, with, for each square, a respective heat signal. The squares of the grid are classified into authorized and secured squares, and the device produces, for each square, an indicator of presence/absence of a target. In the presence of a detected target in at least one square, the processor conditionally delivers an alert as a function of i) the position on the grid of the detected target and ii) of the classification into authorized or secured square of the square in which this target is detected. A data memory stores a history of the states of the grid, and the processor performs a tracking of the target by an algorithm based on adjacent squares, based on this history.
US09972179B2
A system for noise detection. Aspects of the system include a detection unit for detecting and responding to a predetermined noise such as a gunshot. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the unit may be utilized both within a confined space, such as a room in a building, or inside a machine, and in large environments such as outdoors. The detection unit may comprise a digital computing device, a digital-to-analog converter, a speaker acoustic output, a microphone acoustic input, an analog-to-digital converter, and a transmitter.
US09972177B1
A wireless router configured to detect an intruder. In one embodiment, a method may include monitoring received signal strength in a wireless router and creating a profile of the received signal strength as monitored during a learn mode. The method may also include comparing activity of the received signal strength in the wireless router, during an intruder detection mode, to the profile and issuing a notification, based on the comparing.
US09972173B2
An electronic apparatus of the present invention includes an apparatus body which is provided with an operation section, and a tray member which is slidably provided on the apparatus body and projects from a rear surface of the apparatus body on a side opposite to an operation side of the operation section so that a written announcement can be posted.
US09972172B2
A Self-Service Terminal (SST) transaction is denied over an SST network. Transaction details for the transaction are sent over a second network to an assistant. The transaction details are evaluated to determine whether to override the transaction on the second network or whether to provide assistance to a customer associated with the transaction to successfully reprocess the transaction at the SST.
US09972167B2
On a network of electronic gaming machines, data regarding the performance of the machines or the players of the machines is collected and processed to make predictions of future jackpots and recommendations of games to play. The predictions and recommendations are delivered via at least one virtual persona that communicates with players or potential players via displays in a casino or on a web browser, via smartphone. Players can conduct conversations with the persona using cellular telephone, text messaging, or other types of Internet communications.
US09972166B2
A gaming system includes a plurality of input devices for operating a wagering game feature. A level of adoption is determined and dynamically modified for one or more input devices based upon player interaction during the feature. A tailored level of messaging is presented to the player corresponding to the level of adoption. A level of adoption may be maintained separately for each feature of the wagering game and for each input device. The level of adoption may be based on determined player familiarity, proficiency, desirability, usage, etc., of the input device, during one or more features of the wagering game. The level of adoption for a player, the one or more input devices, and all available feature contexts of the wagering game may evolve during a single gaming cycle session, starting at a predetermined default value and changing in response to player interaction with the input devices and operation of the gaming features. An optional player account allows information to remain persistent over multiple gaming cycles.
US09972165B2
A network distributed gaming system is disclosed. The system includes a real world engine connected to a game world engine, the real world engine constructed to provide a randomly generated payout of real world credits. The system also includes an entertainment software engine connected to the game world engine by a network, the entertainment software engine configured to execute a multiplayer entertainment game. The system also includes the game world engine constructed to: receive gameplay gambling event occurrences; communicate a trigger of the wager in the gambling game; detect a substitution request; evaluate whether the substitution request involves a substitution of the player by the human player that satisfies at least one substitution standard; and perform a player substitution in accordance with the substitution request when the substitution request satisfies the at least one substitution standard.
US09972156B1
Currency bills are transported past an image scanner to one or more output receptacles. Each of the bills is imaged to produce image data from which a visually readable image of each bill can be reproduced. The serial number, denomination, and/or secondary identifiers of a bill is attempted to be extracted and/or determined from the image data associated with the bill. The serial number of the bill has an integer number, X, of characters. One or more of the X characters of the serial number of the currency bill is not extracted with a predetermined confidence. In response to failing to extract all of the X characters of the serial number of the bill with the predetermined confidence, a serial number field in an electronic record associated with the bill is populated with a serial number snippet image. The electronic record is stored in a non-transitory memory.
US09972144B2
Physical access to secure areas is automatically performed based on presence or detection of a wireless device. A unique identifier of a wireless cellular device, for example, may be pre-authorized for occupants, employees, and tenants of a building. Contractors and vendors may also have their wireless cellular devices pre-approved for access. When the wireless cellular device is detected by a network serving the secure area, its unique identifier may be compared to databases or lists of approved cellular devices. Physical access may thus be automatically granted, based on possession of a recognized cellular device.
US09972141B2
A device and methods of using the device to provide timing and detection of the finish line for a sporting event are described. The device makes use of a Doppler radar transducer to detect the user as they approach and pass the finish line. In some embodiment the device further includes sensors that detect false starts and measure physiological parameters of the user during the event.
US09972140B1
A method of generating a three-dimensional consumer product image includes: distilling one or more objects of a three-dimensional model of a consumer product to corresponding three-dimensional geometric representations; applying a visual attribute to the geometric representations of the objects; rendering a plurality of two dimensional images from the geometric representations of the objects with applied visual attributes; defining one or more stacking orders of at least a portion of the plurality of two dimensional images; and delivering to a user the two-dimensional images and the defined stacking orders in a form that is importable into a computer-executable image editing program, the computer-executable image editing program capable of enabling user selection of one or more of the defined stacking orders and capable of producing a three-dimensional image of at least a portion of the consumer product based on the user-selected one or more defined stacking orders and the imported two-dimensional images.
US09972133B2
A wearable augmented reality overlay device for use with a tool displays information to a user relating to the status or operation of the tool, to the forming of a work piece for a project, or to safety information related to the tool. The displayed information may include a highlight projected onto a portion of the tool, onto a wearer's body part, or onto a work piece. The displayed information may include a virtual control for the tool or another tool, an operating manual, or a maintenance, assembly or operating guide. The wearable display permits the user to control the tool and potentially other tools in the work shop. The display may instead include a projector to project adjustment information as a tool is adjusted. A virtual image of a tool may be projected to locating a tool in a work area.
US09972132B2
An augmented reality display system comprises a passable world model data comprises a set of map points corresponding to one or more objects of the real world. The augmented reality system also comprises a processor to communicate with one or more individual augmented reality display systems to pass a portion of the passable world model data to the one or more individual augmented reality display systems, wherein the piece of the passable world model data is passed based at least in part on respective locations corresponding to the one or more individual augmented reality display systems.
US09972129B2
The invention notably relates to a computer-implemented method for compressing a three-dimensional modeled object. The method comprises providing a mesh of a three-dimensional modeled object, parameterizing (u,v) the mesh on a two-dimensional plane, converting the parameterized mesh into an image I, defining a grid of cells from the image I, each cell being defined by a set of control points, computing a relevance of each cell of the grid, determining at least one cell having a relevance lower than a pre-determined threshold, resizing the at least one determined cell and computing a resulting grid, computing a transformation for each pixel of the image from the resulting grid, and applying the computed transformation to the image I.
US09972118B2
The present disclosure discloses an animation playback method and apparatus, and relates to the field of computer technologies. The method includes: acquiring a first location and a first offset angle of an object in a first period, the first period being before a current period; acquiring a second location of the object in the current period according to the first location and the first offset angle; and drawing an image of the object in a preset region in a web page according to the second location if the second location is in the preset region in the web page. The apparatus includes: a first acquisition module, a second acquisition module, and a first drawing module. The present disclosure can reduce traffic required by a terminal for acquiring web page data, and shorten a time used by the terminal to acquire the web page data.
US09972112B2
There is provided an information processing apparatus, including a display control section which determines which display layers out of a plurality of mutually overlapping display layers information is to be displayed on based on parameters associated with the information.
US09972106B2
The present disclosure is directed towards systems, methods and devices for tamper proofing documents by embedding data in a biometric identifier. The biometric identifier may be a real or synthetic fingerprint. In one non-limiting exemplary embodiment, a method for embedding data in a biometric identifier includes determining data to embed in the biometric identifier, determining at least one control parameter, and generating at least one biometric identifier feature. The method further includes including the at least one generated biometric identifier feature in the biometric identifier such that the determined data is embedded in the biometric feature. The determined data is based on a variable data stream. The control parameter controls the generation of at least one biometric identifier feature. The control parameter is based on the determined data. The generated biometric identifier feature is based on the determined control parameter.
US09972091B2
Provided is a system for detecting an object from a depth image. The system includes a communication module, a memory, and a processor. By executing the object detection program, the processor extracts a first object area and a second object area from the depth image, based on a predetermined floor plane and an outer plane which is set with respect to the predetermined floor plane. The processor extracts a target area including pixels of the second object area which are spaced apart from the first object area by a predetermined interval. The processor samples a pixel, which is not included in the target area, to extract a floor area from the second object area, calculates a boundary value of an object and a floor, based on the floor area and the target area, and extracts a foreground pixel from the target area, based on the calculated boundary value.
US09972082B2
A surgical instrument navigation system is provided that visually simulates a virtual volumetric scene of a body cavity of a patient from a point of view of a surgical instrument residing in the cavity of the patient, wherein the surgical instrument, as provided, may be a steerable surgical catheter with a biopsy device and/or a surgical catheter with a side-exiting medical instrument, among others. Additionally, systems, methods and devices are provided for forming a respiratory-gated point cloud of a patient's respiratory system and for placing a localization element in an organ of a patient.
US09972081B2
The present teaching relates to surgical procedure assistance. In one example, a first volume of air inside a lung is obtained based on a first image of the lung captured prior to a surgical procedure. The lung has a first shape on the first image. A second volume of air deflated from the lung is determined based on a second image of the lung captured during the surgical procedure. A second shape of the lung is estimated based on the first shape of the lung and the first air volume inside the lung and second volume of air deflated from the lung. A surgical plan is updated based on the estimated second shape of the lung.
US09972077B2
A method and system for automated visual analysis of a dipstick using standard user equipment (UE) are disclosed herein. The method may include the following steps: capturing, using an arbitrary UE having specified image capturing and processing capabilities, an image of a dipstick having colored test reagents, and a calibration array having a plurality of colored calibration elements which are tailored specifically to the test reagents; deriving, based on the captured image, illumination parameters associated with the dipstick and the calibration array; determining whether the illumination parameters are within predefined illumination boundary conditions sufficient for interpreting the test reagents, given the specified image capturing and processing capabilities of the UE; applying image enhancement operations to the captured image, based on predefined mapping between the derived illumination parameters and the required adjustments; and interpreting the colored test reagents, based on the colored calibration elements, in the enhanced captured image.
US09972074B2
A technique to remove fog from an image more appropriately has been called for. An image processing system is provided, including: a high saturation pixel extracting unit that extracts, from one frame among a plurality of frames included in a moving image, a high saturation pixel having a saturation higher than a predetermined threshold; a high saturation pixel rate deriving unit that derives a high saturation pixel rate indicative of a percentage of the high saturation pixels in the one frame; and a scene change judging unit that judges whether or not a scene change is included in the moving image based on different criteria depending on whether or not the high saturation pixel rate in the one frame is higher than a predetermined threshold.
US09972073B2
Enhanced vectorization of raster images is described. An image vectorization module converts a raster image with bitmapped data to a vector image with vector elements based on mathematical formulas. In some embodiments, spatially-localized control of a vectorization operation is provided to a user. First, the user can adjust an intensity of a denoising operation differently at different areas of the raster image. Second, the user can adjust an automated segmentation by causing one segment to be split into two segments along a zone marked with an indicator tool, such as a brush. Third, the user can adjust an automated segmentation by causing two segments to be merged into a combined segment. The computation of the vector elements is based on the adjusted segmentation. In other embodiments, semantic information gleaned from the raster image is incorporated into the vector image to facilitate manipulation, such as joint selection of multiple vector elements.
US09972070B2
Low spatial frequencies of an original image and an upscaled filtered image are analyzed. Differences will be observed in the low frequency components of the two images in the general case since the pixel art upscaler filter as a side effect introduces low frequency changes. A modification to images produced by the PAU is applied to attempt to match the brightness of the original images in the low frequency spectrum. From a viewer perspective (e.g., based on typical blurring visual effects), the original image and the modified filtered image will look the same—demonstrating that there is no low frequency brightness creep or resulting increased photosensitivity concerns.
US09972067B2
A method for three-dimensional point cloud registration includes generating a first upsampled three-dimensional point cloud by identifying at least one missing point in the three-dimensional point cloud, determining an intensity of neighboring pixels, filling the at least one missing point in the three-dimensional point cloud with a filler point using depth information from depth values in the three-dimensional point cloud that correspond with the neighboring pixels, generating a second upsampled three-dimensional point cloud by determining at least one local area of the first upsampled three-dimensional point cloud, determining entropies of pixels in the two-dimensional image that correspond with the at least one local area, adding at least one point to the at least one local area based on the entropies of pixels in the two-dimensional image and a scaled entropy threshold, and registering the second upsampled three-dimensional point cloud with a predetermined three-dimensional model.
US09972063B2
A method for optimization of machine learning (ML) workloads on a graphics processor unit (GPU). The method includes identifying a computation having a generic pattern commonly observed in ML processes. An optimized fused GPU kernel is employed to exploit temporal locality for inherent data-flow dependencies in the identified computation. Hierarchical aggregation spanning a memory hierarchy of the GPU for processing for the identified computation is performed. GPU kernel launch parameters are estimated following an analytical model that maximizes thread occupancy and minimizes atomic writes to GPU global memory.
US09972050B2
A system and method for displaying a plurality of profit and risk related indicators are described. A graphical interface displays and dynamically updates a plurality of profit/loss (P/L) indicators including a realized, net, and open indicator. The net and open indicators are based on a trader's net position and a current market level, while the realized indicator is based on trader's buys and sells associated with a tradeable object. In one embodiment, the plurality of indicators are displayed in relation to a plurality of money management regions defining a maximum order quantity and a maximum net position controlling the trader's trades, so that a trader can quickly determine his current as well as potential money management parameters. The graphical interface may also display a plurality of potential risk/gain indicators in relation to a realized profit indicator so that a trader, before entering an order having a predetermined order quantity, can view a potential risk/gain in entering into a predetermined net position in view of potential market movements.
US09972048B1
Methods and systems are disclosed that identify and locate debt settlement candidates based on credit data associated with the consumer. For example, candidacy may be based on a debt score, generated by an assessment of the consumer's credit data. Credit data may include the consumer's credit score rank, credit score, revolving credit to debit ratio, credit available, delinquent accounts, negative accounts, instances of negative information on their credit report, public record data, average account age, debit, or a combination thereof.
US09972045B2
A system includes N location indicators and a mobile scanning device. The N location indicators are configured to be arranged throughout a store that includes a plurality of stocked items for picking according to one or more electronic customer orders. Each of the N location indicators is configured to transmit a different location signal. The mobile scanning device includes a display. The mobile scanning device is configured to wirelessly receive an electronic customer order comprising a plurality of ordered items indicating which of the stocked items are to be picked, detect at least one of the N location signals, and arrange at least some of the plurality of ordered items on the display based on which of the at least one of the N location signals is detected.
US09972041B2
Systems and methods of the present invention provide for one or more server computers communicatively coupled to a network and configured to: generate a list of suggested available domain names and an associated user interface control; receive, from a client computer, a selection of a favorite domain name; store the selection in a repository of favorite domain name data; synchronize the repository with local favorite domain name data on the client; and identify, via machine learning, an aggregate or individual trend within the repository of domain name data.
US09972039B2
Examples of a method and system for collaborative and private sessions are provided. A request from a user of a collaborative shopping session is received. The user is associated with a private shopping session that allows access to an item at a special price, the special price being unavailable to non-participants of the private shopping session. Criterion is designated for the private session, the criterion indicating a completion of the private shopping session. User interactions received from a device of the user are processed. Satisfaction of the criterion is determined as a result of the processing. The private shopping session for the user is concluded based on the determination.
US09972030B2
Systems and methods for the semantic modeling of advertising creatives included in targeted search advertising campaigns in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment, an advertising creative generation device includes a processor, an advertising creative generation application, at least one semantic model and performance data, wherein the an advertising creative generation application configures the processor to obtain a set of existing advertising creatives, where at least one of the existing advertising creatives comprises an existing concept, identify at least one existing advertising strategy pattern, determine performance data for the at least one existing advertising strategy pattern based on the performance data, identify at least one performance pattern based on the performance data for the at least one existing advertising strategy pattern, and generate at least one recommended advertising strategy.
US09972027B1
Systems and methods are provided to measure the effectiveness of viewing resources, such as web-based advertisements or web pages, on electronic devices in causing transaction activity to subsequently occur at a physical location associated with the resources. A first set of data records is provided that includes a uniform resource identifier (URI) of a resource that was viewed by an electronic device, one or more physical locations, each physical location representing a physical location of the merchant associated with the URI, a date/time that the resource was viewed by the electronic device, and payment instrument indicia regarding a payment instrument which has been used for completion of a previous web-based transaction by an electronic device having the same UDID that viewed the URI of the resource. A second set of data records is provided that includes payment instrument indicia regarding a payment instrument which has been used for completion of a previous transaction at a physical location of a merchant, a physical location of the merchant, and a date/time that the previous transaction at the physical location of the merchant occurred. Data records in the two sets are compared to identify data records that have matching payment instrument indicia, matching physical locations and a date/time in the data record of the first set which is a predetermined amount of time prior to the date/time in the data record of the second set.
US09972025B2
An embodiment of a system and method of surveying users on a social networking system is described which limits the frequency in which any one user is surveyed. Users are assigned into a multi-layered survey pool based on a hash value derived from a user identification number for the online social network that is assigned to the user. Users are randomly offered the opportunity to take a survey, and the subject matter of the survey is at least partially determined by the layer from which the survey obtains its sample populace.
US09972021B2
In one aspect, a computing apparatus is configured to receive an input specifying a set of users, identify a set of triggers, each of which corresponds to a set of one or more conditions which when satisfied cause transmission of a message to the set of users, rank the triggers based at least in part on transaction data of the users that was recorded by a transaction handler, and generate a ranked list of the triggers based on the ranking.
US09972016B2
Systems and methods for automated interpretation of legal regulations are described. The described systems implement a method that includes receiving a plurality of legal regulations and deconstructing the plurality of legal regulations based on at least one of a regulatory rule model and Minsky's frames to form a computer interpretable regulation repository. The method also includes identifying rule intents applicable to each of the deconstructed plurality of legal regulations; and classifying the plurality of legal regulations into at least one rule act based at least on the identified rule intents.
US09972015B2
Methods and systems are provided for integrating social media channels into a customer service management (CRM) portal. The method includes receiving data for a consumer post, parsing the data into a social post object and a social persona object, creating a case from the objects, and displaying the case in the CRM portal.
US09972014B2
A system for automatically automatic workflow triggering using real-time analytics, comprising an analytics server that receives and analyzes interaction information and a workflow server that produces workflow events based on the analysis, sends workflow events to handlers for processing, retrieves workflow-related data, and produces workflow reports for review, and a method for automatically automatic workflow triggering using real-time analytics.
US09972013B2
A system for identification by a payment cardholder of phishing and/or deceptive Websites is provided. The system includes an electronic storage device having a database of merchant or financial institution Website registration with a payment card network information stored therein. The system includes an access path for allowing access to the merchant or financial institution Website registration with a payment card network information. The system includes a processor for assembling the merchant or financial institution Website registration with a payment card network information in the database, and for communicating the assembled merchant or financial institution Website registration with a payment card network information to a payment cardholder that has been granted access to the database.
US09972008B2
Verifying the integrity of a received binary object by calculating a first displayable authenticator derived from an input binary object. The first authenticator is then attached to the input binary object, producing a first composite binary object, which is sent to a remote receiver. A second composite binary object is received back from the remote receiver, wherein the second composite binary object includes a received binary object, a received first displayable authenticator, and a second displayable authenticator. A third displayable authenticator is calculated, derived from the second composite binary object, then a display of the first displayable authenticator is compared to a display of the third displayable authenticator, and verification of the integrity of the received binary object is indicated by an exact match between displays of the first and third displayable authenticators.
US09972005B2
Techniques for enhancing the security of a communication device when conducting a transaction using the communication device may include using a limited-use key (LUK) to generate a transaction cryptogram, and sending a token instead of a real account identifier and the transaction cryptogram to an access device to conduct the transaction. The LUK may be associated with a set of one or more limited-use thresholds that limits usage of the LUK, and the transaction can be authorized based on at least whether usage of the LUK has exceeded the set of one or more limited-use thresholds.
US09972002B2
The specification and drawing figures describe and illustrate a point-of-sale payment system. The point-of-sale payment system includes a mobile wireless communications instrument having at least one data processor. The data processor is capable of automatically selecting a payment instrument for transmitting a payment sum across a mobile wireless communications network and, if necessary, a credit network. The point-of-sale payment system may also include a data transmission subsystem for receipt, storage, processing, and transmittal of data across the wireless communications network and/or the data transmission subsystem.
US09972000B2
A method and system for generating a document is provided. The method includes generating a metadocument configured to retain multiple components of different data types. A component editor directory of a component editor server is queried and a list of component editors compatible with metadocument is retrieved. A first component editor of the list of component editors is selected from a remote location. The first component editor is associated with a first defined data type. A first document component comprising the first defined data type is generated within the metadocument resulting in a single document comprising the first document component. A user interface is updated with the single document comprising the first document component.
US09971999B2
A method includes receiving a signal associated with a two dimensional code where the two dimensional code is associated with a set of data. The method further includes generating and transmitting a currentness signal associated with the set of data. Another embodiment includes the currentness signal being associated with at least one of currentness information, supplement information and a print date of supplement information, wherein the currentness information comprises a statement regarding currentness of the set of data and the supplement information comprises a statement regarding an existence of a supplement. Yet another embodiment includes receiving a download signal associated with a purchase transaction, the set of data and an electronic file and then generating and transmitting a delivery signal associated with the electronic file.
US09971993B2
Techniques for analyzing a social graph of a social network service to identify and then present connection paths connecting various entities are described. With some embodiments, subsequent to a user selecting or otherwise identifying a person to whom a message is to be communicated, a social graph is analyzed to identify connection paths connecting the message sender, or an entity on whose behalf the message sender is acting, to the message recipient. The social graph is implemented with a graph data structure having nodes and edges representing entities and associations between entities, respectively. With some embodiments, the nodes represent people, companies, educational institutions (e.g., schools, universities, etc.), and groups. After identifying the connection paths, the connection path having the highest path score, as derived by aggregating edge scores assigned to the edges, may be presented.
US09971977B2
An approach for managing much information of many of controllers at multiple locations. A configuration map regarded as a dataset may be used for identifying and retrieving a group of data being sought in the form of instances of the dataset. The instances may be stored. A report may be used to select certain instances of the data according to a format of the report. The report may be manually or automatically provided. A profile may be developed to obtain instances of a dataset that match the profile and show instances that do not necessarily match the profile. The instances that do not match the profile may be reset to settings of the profile or be noted as approved exceptions and should not be reset.
US09971971B2
Technology is described for determining computing instance placement. A request to launch a computing instance in a computing service environment may be received. Estimated launch times for the computing instance to launch on individual physical hosts in a group of physical hosts may be identified. A physical host in the group of physical hosts that can provide placement of the computing instance may be selected based in part on the estimated launch times for the computing instance and additional factors related to placement of the computing instance.
US09971963B1
A system, device, and method for printing N-up documents with background forms, by receiving an instruction to print an N-up document, obtaining a document to be printed as the N-up document and a background form, receiving matchings of logical surfaces of the N-up document to the background form, decomposing the logical surfaces of the N-up document into raster images, generating tags, wherein each tag is associated with a pixel of a logical surface of the N-up document and identifies the logical surface, combining raster images of the logical surfaces into an N-up raster image, merging, using the tags, the background form with the N-up raster image to generate a merged N-up raster image, and printing the merged N-up raster image.
US09971960B2
A method for providing gesture recognition services to a user application, comprising: storing sets of training data in a database at a server, the training data received from a sensor associated with the user application, the training data being indicative of characteristics of a gesture, the user application running on a client device; training a gesture recognition algorithm with the sets of training data to generate a trained gesture recognition algorithm, the output of the trained gesture recognition algorithm being an indication of the gesture; storing the trained gesture recognition algorithm in a client library at the server; receiving raw data from the sensor via the user application and storing the raw data in the client library; applying the trained gesture recognition algorithm to the raw data; and, when the trained gesture recognition algorithm recognizes the gesture, sending the indication of the gesture from the client library to the user application.
US09971959B2
In one embodiment of the present invention, a graphics processing unit (GPU) is configured to detect an object in an image using a random forest classifier that includes multiple, identically structured decision trees. Notably, the application of each of the decision trees is independent of the application of the other decision trees. In operation, the GPU partitions the image into subsets of pixels, and associates an execution thread with each of the pixels in the subset of pixels. The GPU then causes each of the execution threads to apply the random forest classifier to the associated pixel, thereby determining a likelihood that the pixel corresponds to the object. Advantageously, such a distributed approach to object detection more fully leverages the parallel architecture of the parallel processing unit (PPU) than conventional approaches. In particular, the PPU performs object detection more efficiently using the random forest classifier than using a cascaded classifier.
US09971955B2
A photographing method includes acquiring to-be-photographed first content, acquiring an image composition relationship between a second subject in the first content and the first subject after determining a first subject with which a user is concerned in the first content, where the second subject is another background subject in the first content except the first subject, matching the image composition relationship between the second subject and the first subject with a preset image composition template to obtain a matching evaluation degree, and providing an image composition adjustment suggestion on the first content for the user according to the matching evaluation degree and the image composition template, where the adjustment suggestion is a tip on how to adjust the image composition relationship in the first content such that the image composition relationship completely matches the preset image composition template.
US09971952B2
Systems and methods for segmenting a nerve in a three-dimensional image volume obtained with a magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) system are provided. A three-dimensional image volume that depicts a nerve and surrounding anatomical structures is provided and from that image volume the nerve is segmented. In general, a curved multiplanar reformatting (“CMPR”) process is utilized to mark, segment, and then display the nerve in three dimensions.
US09971949B2
An imaging processing system includes one or more image capturing apparatuses, a reading unit configured to read biometric information from an authentication object person, a similarity calculation unit configured to calculate similarity based on a result of comparing biometric information read by the reading unit with true biometric information of the authentication object person, an authentication unit configured to perform authentication based on a comparison between the similarity calculated by the similarity calculation unit and a preliminarily set threshold, and a control unit configured to control, if the authentication performed by the authentication unit is successful, imaging processing, which is performed by the image capturing apparatus, based on the similarity calculated by the similarity calculation unit.
US09971948B1
Imaging apparatus includes an image capture device, which includes an optical transmitter, which is configured to emit one or more pulses of infrared radiation toward an area containing a body surface of a living subject, and an optical receiver, which is configured to receive the pulses reflected from the body surface and to generate an output indicative of a modulation of the pulses by tissue below the body surface. A processor is configured to generate, based on the modulation of the pulses, an image of blood vessels located beneath the body surface within the area.
US09971947B2
A vision system for a vehicle includes a camera, a power supply, a power filter and a microcontroller. The camera is configured to be disposed at a vehicle so as to have a field of view interior or exterior of the vehicle. The power supply is operable to supply a voltage for powering the camera. The power filter is in communication with the power supply and the camera and is operable to supply a voltage to the camera. The microcontroller is operable to measure a voltage level supplied to the power filter. Responsive to the determination that the measured voltage level is one of (i) a threshold amount above a nominal operating voltage of the camera and (ii) a threshold amount below the nominal operating voltage of the camera, the microcontroller adjusts the power supply to the camera.
US09971945B2
A method for determining a wet surface condition of a road. An image of a road surface is captured by an image capture device of the host vehicle. The image capture device is mounted on a side of the host vehicle and captures an image in a downward direction. Identifying in the captured image, by a processor, a region of interest. The region of interest is in a region sideways to a face of the wheel. The region of interest is representative of where sideways splash as generated by the wheel occurs. A determination is made whether water is present in the region of interest. A wet road surface signal is generated in response to the identification of water in the region of interest.
US09971944B2
A method for determining a road region may include: obtaining a color image; selecting a candidate road region within the color image according to a road model; identifying a seed pixel from the candidate road region; obtaining a brightness threshold and a color threshold, where the brightness threshold and the color threshold are determined according to brightness distances and color distances from pixels in the candidate road region to the seed pixel; and performing road segmentation by determining whether the pixels in the candidate road region belong to a road region based on the brightness threshold and the color threshold.
US09971929B2
A fingerprint classification system and method for extracting the dominant singularity from a fingerprint image are described. The fingerprint classification system and method receive as an input a digital fingerprint image and the image is preprocessed to generate an enhanced and more accurate image. Feature pattern calculations are performed on the updated image to generate an Orientation Feature Vector. The Orientation Feature Vector is processed using a Regular Expression Machine classifier prediction model to generate a class label for the digital fingerprint image that was input.
US09971928B2
Embodiments of apparatus, computer program product, and method for verifying fingerprint images are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of verifying fingerprint images includes receiving an inquiry fingerprint image of a user, identifying pattern characteristics of the inquiry fingerprint image, identifying minutiae characteristics of the inquiry fingerprint image, determining a weighted combination of the pattern characteristics of the inquiry fingerprint image and the minutiae characteristics of the inquiry fingerprint image, where the weighted combination comprises a pattern matching weight and a minutiae matching weight derived in accordance with a separation of a first empirical probability density function of genuine fingerprints from a second empirical probability density function of impostor fingerprints, and verifying the inquiry fingerprint image based on a set of fused scores computed using the weighted combination of the pattern characteristics of the inquiry fingerprint image and the minutiae characteristics of the inquiry fingerprint image.
US09971925B2
The present invention generally relates to a method for acquiring a fingerprint image using a fingerprint sensing system. Advantages with the invention include improved acquisition of fingerprint images of e.g. wet (sweaty) fingers. The invention also relates to a corresponding fingerprint sensing system and to a computer program product.
US09971924B2
A two-substrate fingerprint recognition device includes a first substrate and a second substrate. A plurality of electrodes, a plurality of connection pads and a plurality of connection traces are deployed on one surface of the first substrate. A plurality of conductive connection pads, a plurality of connection pads, a plurality of connection traces and a plurality of switch circuits are deployed on one surface of the second substrate that faces the first substrate. At least one electrode connection pad of the second substrate is electrically connected to a corresponding electrode of the first substrate.
US09971914B2
A simulation environment for running a process simulation used to validate an industrial control program. The simulation environment exposes the I/O module configurations defined in the control program and retrieves module configuration information therefrom. This I/O module configuration information is combined with generic, module-specific I/O module profiles to create a pool of available controller I/O points, which can be selectively associated with I/O points in the simulation to create an I/O point mapping. During control program validation, simulated I/O data is exchanged between the process simulation and the I/O module instances in the controller in accordance with the I/O point mapping.
US09971913B1
A circuit may be configured to adaptively combine two or more waveforms into a single waveform. The circuit can generate weighting factors based on received error signals, and can apply the weighting factors to the two or waveforms to be combined. In some examples, a circuit can be configured to receive input signals, receive error signals, generating a weighting coefficient based on at least some of the error signals, and determine an output signal based on the weighting coefficient and the input signals.
US09971903B2
Systems and methods for masking content of different types are described. The system may implement the method comprising receiving a request to mask input content that includes sensitive and non-sensitive data. The method also comprises parsing the input content to create a content specific structure (CSS) to organize the input content in a structured format. The CSS includes a plurality of CSS nodes. The method analyses each CSS node against a pre-defined privacy policy and identifies sensitivity of the each CSS node. The method also creates a generalized masking structure (GMS) by creating a GMS node corresponding to each CSS node. Each GMS node contains sensitivity information related to corresponding CSS node. Data represented by GMS is masked based upon the sensitivity information stored in it.
US09971899B2
A method for securely removing data from a storage system is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes receiving, by a storage system, instructions to erase logical units from the storage system. In response to receiving the instructions, the storage system maps the logical units to physical extents on the storage system. The storage system then initiates, using at least one of hardware and software embedded in the storage system, a secure data removal process that securely erases data from the physical extents by overwriting the data thereon, while leaving intact data stored on other physical extents of the storage system. The storage system is configured to process I/O to the other physical extents during execution of the secure data removal process. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.
US09971898B2
The invention relates to a method for providing an anonymized value for a data element stored with an original value in a database of a database system, wherein the method comprises the following steps: (i) producing a supplementary data element for the data element stored in the database; (ii) determining the anonymized value of the data element from the original value on the basis of a mapping rule for ascertaining anonymized values that is stored in the database system, and storing the anonymized value in the supplementary data element; and (iii) linking the supplementary data element to the data element such that, based on the reception of an access command relating to the data element from a user connected to the database system, the supplementary data element is read and the anonymized value contained therein is transmitted to the user.
US09971893B2
A method and associated system. A first computer executes at least two text blocks of code derived from a script of a web page in response to a request for the web page from a client computer. The text blocks are executed sequentially in a sequential order. The script is a first text block of the at least two text blocks. The execution of one text block of the at least two text blocks by the first computer generates a new text block of code.
US09971885B2
Systems, apparatus, methods, and computer program products are provided for determining a user's authentication requirements/credentials for a specific network access session based on the current location of the user in comparison to predetermined boundaries of location that have altered authentication requirements, in the form of, increased or decreased authentication requirements/credentials that differ from the standard authentication requirements.
US09971882B2
A system and method for multimedia content protection on elastic cloud infrastructures is presented. The system can be used to protect various multi-media contents, including regular 2D videos, new 3D videos, animated graphics, images, audios clips, songs, and music clips. The system can run on private clouds, public clouds, or any combination of public-private clouds. The system is scalable and cost effective.
US09971879B2
An authorized user obtains a packaging license that grants permission to use a particular recording device to generate multimedia content in accordance with specified license terms. The packaging license includes a content key that is used to encrypt the multimedia content at the point of capture on the recording device. The encrypted multimedia content can be transmitted via unsecure channels (for example, via electronic mail) to a networked content repository or an intended recipient. For playback, an authorized user obtains a playback license that grants permission to decrypt and playback the multimedia content using a particular playback device. An authorization server and a key management server are used to manage which users are entitled to receive a license, and to define the terms of the granted licenses. A record of the granted authorizations and licenses is maintained, thereby allowing access to a given content item to be audited.
US09971868B2
Mobile clinicians conduct in-home patient visits utilizing on-site diagnostic and treatment equipment, where service is enhanced by the use of portable computing and communications equipment. A mobile care entity provides mobile clinicians preprogrammed portable computers. Each portable computer updates patient data in the local storage utilizing a wireless communications device to download updates from a central storage facility. The entity selects a mobile clinician and dispatches him/her to the patient's premises. The clinician visits the patient's premises accompanied by an assortment of electronic diagnostic and treatment devices. The mobile clinician utilizes various diagnostic devices to prepare machine-readable reports of related aspects of the patient's condition. The clinician directs the portable computer to perform follow-up tasks including: (1) electronically collecting the prepared reports and graphically presenting them in human-readable form, (2) storing a machine-readable medical record, and (3) utilizing the wireless device to transmit the reports and records.
US09971865B2
A method that may be used to operate a hybrid vehicle in a mountainous or other environment where roads have significant grades or inclines. In this kind of setting, standard methods for managing power within the hybrid vehicle may be insufficient when driving the hybrid vehicle up and down substantial inclines and declines; this can be particularly true if the driver attempts to maintain the hybrid vehicle at higher speeds. Thus, this method may use a power management scheme that is specifically adapted to address this kind of situation and can adjust or change target values accordingly, such as those that pertain to a state-of-charge (SOC) for the hybrid vehicle battery.
US09971864B2
A system may include an input engine and a symmetry verification engine. The input engine may access an electronic circuit design of an electronic design automation (EDA) tool as well as identify a particular net in the electronic circuit design. The a symmetry verification engine may identify a pair of differential signal vias in the electronic circuit design corresponding to the particular net and determine a verification area surrounding the pair of differential signal vias. The symmetry verification engine may also verify that a particular ground via within the verification area satisfies symmetry criteria with respect to the pair of differential signal vias.
US09971861B2
Aspects include techniques for selective boundary overlay insertion for hierarchical circuit design. A method may include determining, by a processing device, a block type of a child block. The method may further include electively inserting, by the processing device, at least one of an instantiated boundary overlay and a merged boundary overlay into the hierarchical circuit design based on the block type of the child block. The instantiated boundary overlay enables a parent block to pass a testing at an out-of-context level, and the merged boundary overlay enables the parent block to continue to pass the testing when the child block is inserted into the parent block associated with the child block.
US09971857B2
A hybrid computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach is provided for modeling a bounded domain by processing the domain to automatically locate a viscous region(s) by: dividing the domain into cells and determining flow characteristic values for cells; defining characteristic cutoff values using multiple cutoff percentiles of cells and the flow characteristic values, and defining ranges between cutoff values, and respective χ values, where one χ value is a highest χ value R; assigning χ values to cells based on the determined flow characteristic values in comparison to the cutoffs; selectively increasing the assigned χ value of a cell(s) sharing a border with a seed cell having χ value R; identifying a viscous region where multiple contiguous cells have assigned χ values equal or above a threshold; evaluating the viscous region(s) by performing viscous domain solve; and providing a model of the domain using results of the viscous domain solve.
US09971852B2
A modular industrial robotics (MIR) connector object module has a graphical image property for a 3D solid model program. It also includes a component identifier property configured to identify a component in the 3D solid model program and an abstract data type property having a coordinate transform matrix describing a 3D position and orientation of the MIR connector object module relative to a coordinate system of the component in the 3D solid model program. The MIR connector object module is configured to be attachable to one of multiple components in the 3D solid model program.
US09971847B2
Embodiments of the present invention includes systems and methods for grouping into a visual container open browser tabs based on an analysis of uniform resource locators, content, or other information relating to the plurality of open browser tabs. The analysis may include calculating a similarity score. Based on a comparison of the similarity score to one or more thresholds, a visual container is provided displaying groups of tiles corresponding to each of the pages open in the browser tabs. The visual container may be formatted as a set of browser tabs, each containing active tiles for each web page of a particular group. The visual container may be a screen showing piles of tiles, each pile corresponding to a particular group.
US09971837B2
Methods, systems and programming for providing query suggestions based on user's previous search query. In one example, an input including a prefix of a first query is received from a user in a user session. At least a second query that was previously received from the user in the user session is then obtained. A third query is obtained based on the second query and the prefix of the first query. One or more query suggestions are provided to the user as a response to the input. The one or more query suggestions include the third query.
US09971835B2
Disclosed are systems and methods for conducting a personalized data search including selecting, by a cloud server, one of a plurality of data servers that is allocated to a desired user, the selecting being in response to a search request that is received via a cloud service platform from the desired user; conducting a search, by the cloud server, using the selected data server; and providing, by the cloud server, a search result based on the conducted search to the desired user via the cloud service platform.
US09971831B2
A first query is detected. The first query is for a storage device, and pulls a result set from the storage device using a set of predicates. The first query satisfies a size criterion. A new set of predicates of the result set is identified. The new set of predicates does not include any predicates of the original set of predicates. A second query which is the same as the first query is detected. The new set of predicates is used to determine the result set.
US09971822B1
A transaction request is received at a journal-based state management system. The transaction request includes a register processing section indicating an operation to be performed at a journal register allocated to the transaction submitter to store state information of an application. Based on the results of a conflict detection operation performed with respect to the transaction request and on the result of the operation on the journal register, the transaction request is accepted for commit. The value of the journal register is stored at a node of the state management system and provided to the transaction submitter.
US09971811B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for dynamic topology generation. One of the methods includes receiving, from a user, a query that specifies a search criterion and a post-processing function prototype. A topology definition is generated from the query that specifies one or more source nodes and at least one processing node, wherein the processing node is specified in the topology to output a stream of data objects corresponding to the data object identifiers and a post-processing node according to the post-processing function prototype, wherein the post-processing node is specified in the topology to receive a stream of data objects output by the processing node, and is specified in the topology to output one or more modified data objects. The topology definition is then provided to a real-time stream computing system for execution.
US09971805B2
In one embodiment, a method for improving cardinality estimation of a join predicate between a fact table and an overloaded dimension table is provided. The method includes receiving a dimension table and a fact table in a join predicate of one or more SQL statements. The method further includes identifying a majority of records in the fact table that refer to a subset of records in the dimension table. The method further includes computing a filter factor of the join predicate between the dimension table and the fact table. The method further includes creating a statistical view using one or more relevant portions of the dimension table that are referred to by the fact table.
US09971801B2
Systems and methods are provided to improve the efficiency and productivity of using a remote server to display data in a grid. In one embodiment, a method for managing data in a grid displayed on a client device comprises, responsive to receiving a data request from the client device, returning to a cell or cells in the grid a cached calculation result corresponding to the data request if the data request is stored in a cache, and otherwise processing a calculation corresponding to the data request. In this way, a relational database may efficiently handle numerous data requests that would normally be handled by an online analytic processing server.
US09971798B2
Processing data in a computing system includes receiving a plurality of records that each have one or more values for respective fields of a plurality of fields. Data type information associates each of one or more data types with at least one identifier. Processing a plurality of data values from the records includes: generating a plurality of data units from the records, each data unit including a field identifier that uniquely identifies one of the fields and a binary value from one of the records, the binary value extracted from the field of that record identified by the field identifier; aggregating information about binary values from a plurality of the data units; generating a list of entries for each of one or more of the fields, at least some of the entries each including one of the binary values and information about that binary value aggregated from a plurality of the data units; retrieving a data type associated with a first identifier from the data type information, and associating the retrieved data type with at least one binary value included in an entry of one of the lists; and generating profile information for at least one of the fields based at least in part on a retrieved data type of a particular binary value appearing in the field, after aggregating information about binary values from a plurality of the data units.
US09971797B1
According to one embodiment, analytics module of a storage system receives a request for analyzing a data stream stored in the storage system. In response to the request, the analytics module identifies a sparse disk file stored in the storage system representing the requested data stream. The sparse disk file includes payload blocks sparsely located and intertwined with metadata of the sparse disk file. A converter converts the sparse disk file into multiple native disk files based on the payload blocks of the sparse disk file, using a fast-copy method without having physically copying data content of the payload blocks. A block-based accessing interface is provided to allow multiple clients to concurrently access the native disk files, respectively. Each block of content represented by the native disk is accessed based on a block identifier and an offset indicating a location of the block within the native disk file.
US09971793B2
A database management system receives a new data table input to a database; and executes unique constraint determination processing of determining whether each comparison-subject value as each value registered in a target column in the new data table is different from each comparison reference value as each value registered in a target column in a stored data table in the database, and stores the new data table in a second database area different from a first database area storing the stored data table in the database when a determination result obtained in the unique constraint determination processing is true.
US09971791B2
A method for clustering product media files is provided. The method includes dividing each media file corresponding to one or more products into a plurality of tiles. The media file include one of an image or a video. Feature vectors are computed for each tile of each media file. One or more patch clusters are generated using the plurality of tiles. Each patch cluster includes tiles having feature vectors similar to each other. The feature vectors of each media file are compared with feature vectors of each patch cluster. Based on comparison, product groups are then generated. All media files having comparison output similar to each other are grouped into one product group. Each product group includes one or more media files for one product. Apparatus for substantially performing the method as described herein is also provided.
US09971789B2
Systems and methods create virtual disks for access by a virtual machine. The virtual disk can be created from marked folders such that files and folders containing sensitive data or data not necessary for the purpose of a virtual machine using the virtual disk can be omitted from the virtual disk.
US09971781B2
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, a computer program product, and a computer system for suspending and activating a database index. A computer determines a quantity of changes for a number of rows of a database that are to be made by an update of the database. The computer determines whether to suspend an index of the database based, at least in part, on a comparison between the quantity of changes and a pre-determined threshold value. The computer suspends the index of the database based on a result of the comparison that indicates the quantity of changes at least meet the pre-determined threshold value. A suspension of the index of the database initiates a rebuilding of the index.
US09971777B2
A method for archiving monitoring data by enabling real-time analysis within a live database. A processor receives a set of parameters, which is selected based on monitoring data of a system application. The processor determines a historical schema of monitoring data and a retention period for a current schema of monitoring data, based on the set of parameters. The processor performs an impact analysis of the historical schema and retention period of the monitoring data. Upon acceptance of the impact analysis, the processor generates the historical schema which is applied to a table of monitoring data, populated by copying monitoring data from the current schema to the historical schema, within the live database. The processor removes monitoring data exceeding the rolling retention period from both the current schema and historical schema, based on the rolling retention period of the current schema.
US09971761B2
In an approach for parallelizing document processing in an information handling system, a processor receives a document, wherein the document includes text content. A processor extracts information from the text content, utilizing natural language processing and semantic analysis, to form tokenized semantic partitions, comprising a plurality of sub-documents. A processor schedules a plurality of concurrently executing threads to process the plurality of sub-documents.
US09971739B2
As may be implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments, aspects of the present disclosure are directed to methods and apparatuses involving the presentation of media content as follows. Different types of media content data having disparate formats and corresponding to respective sets of media content received from disparate content providers, are reformatted into media content data in a common format type. Analytics data providing information characterizing a plurality of users is accessed and utilized in restructuring portions of the media content data in the common format type into renditions having an article-oriented structure defined by the common format type. In various implementations, device-indeterminate ID linking data is generated, which links respective portions of each rendition with corresponding portions of the media content data from which the respective portions were generated.
US09971738B2
As may be implemented in accordance with one or more embodiments, respective sets of media content data, having disparate formats, are received from disparate content providers. The content is reformatted into a common format type and restructured into renditions having an article-oriented structure. Reformatted assets are generated for each rendition based upon characteristics of devices by which the renditions are to be accessed. Device-indeterminate ID linking data is generated for linking portions of each rendition with the media content data received from the content providers.
US09971734B2
A device and a method for determining a rough component of a latitude or longitude position of a moving craft. The position is reconstructed cyclically by combining the rough component with a corresponding fine component. The device determines the sign of a difference between the fine component for an acquisition cycle and the fine component for a preceding acquisition cycle. The device then computes the rough component corresponding to the given acquisition cycle of the fine component, as a function of the sign of the difference and of the sign and of the value of the speed of the craft. The device and the corresponding method make it possible to extrapolate an unrefreshed rough component as a function of the trend of the fine component and of the sign of the speed of the moving craft to reduce error associated with the computation of the latitude or longitude position.
US09971726B2
A system and method of implementing SLR for a USB device of an information handling system is disclosed herein. An OS may load a disk driver stack and a volume driver stack for the USB device, where the USB device is being enumerated by a first driver. The OS may load a second driver on the disk driver stack. The OS may also load second driver on the volume driver stack. The OS may restrict an access to the USB device at the second driver as loaded on the disk driver stack. Furthermore, the OS may restrict an access to a volume of the USB device at the second driver as loaded on the volume driver stack.
US09971723B2
A device and a system for bridging electrical signals between a SIM card and a mobile device and providing a service to the mobile device are disclosed. The system includes: a SIM card interface, for electrically connecting with contacts of a SIM card; a mobile device interface, for electrically linking to a circuit of a mobile device, further connecting to a processor of the mobile device; and a secure element, for bridging electrical signals between the SIM card interface and the mobile device interface, and providing an application corresponding to a request from the processor of the mobile device.
US09971709B1
Described are techniques for migrating data. A source data storage system includes a source device and a target data storage system includes a target device. A passive path and an active path are provided for a host to access data of a logical device. The host recognizes the passive path and the active path as paths to the logical device. The passive path is between the host and the source data storage system. The active path is between the host and the target data storage system and used in connection with proxying at least some requests directed to the logical device received from the host through the target data storage system while migrating data for the logical device from the source device to the target device. Migrating is performed to migrate data for the logical device from the source device to the target device. Migrating is controlled by a migration module executing on the target data storage system that copies data from the source device to the target device.
US09971706B2
Systems and methods for providing object versioning in a storage system may support the logical deletion of stored objects. In response to a delete operation specifying both a user key and a version identifier, the storage system may permanently delete the specified version of an object having the specified key. In response to a delete operation specifying a user key, but not a version identifier, the storage system may create a delete marker object that does not contain object data, and may generate a new version identifier for the delete marker. The delete marker may be stored as the latest object version of the user key, and may be addressable in the storage system using a composite key comprising the user key and the new version identifier. Subsequent attempts to retrieve the user key without specifying a version identifier may return an error, although the object was not actually deleted.
US09971693B2
Various embodiments provide for a system that prefetches data from a main memory to a cache and then evicts unused data to a lower level cache. The prefetching system will prefetch data from a main memory to a cache, and data that is not immediately useable or is part of a data set which is too large to fit in the cache can be tagged for eviction to a lower level cache, which keeps the data available with a shorter latency than if the data had to be loaded from main memory again. This lowers the cost of prefetching useable data too far ahead and prevents cache trashing.
US09971679B2
The method includes identifying a test report log for a regression test. The method further includes identifying one or more errors in the identified test report log. The method further includes determining a severity category for the one or more identified errors in the identified test report log. The method further includes determining a severity category for the identified test report log based on the determined severity category for the one or more identified errors in the identified test report log.
US09971665B2
A method of tracking and reporting data associated with a component of a system is provided. The method includes: creating a subscription that is associated with a component of a system based on subscription parameters; receiving component data associated with the component of the system; and generating reporting data based on the subscription and the component data.
US09971652B2
A method and a computing system for performing the method. At least two microstates of at least two components of a computing system are organized into at least two macrostates of the computing system. Each microstate represents a state that a component of the computing system is able to individually enter. Each macrostate represents a state that the computing system is able to enter as a whole. The macrostates are organized into attractors. Each attractor is a stable state in which the computing system is stable. An attractor separation map is constructed. The attractor separation map indicates how the attractors are separated from one another by at least two hamming distances. Each hamming distance is a number of bits that differ between two attractors.
US09971646B2
A storage device includes a memory that includes storage circuitry and a memory including multiple memory cells. The storage circuitry is configured to store in a group of the memory cells data that was encoded using an error correcting code (ECC) consisting of multiple component codes, to define multiple threshold settings, each specifying positions of one or more reading-thresholds, to read the data from the memory cells in the group using the threshold settings and decode the read data using the component codes, to calculate for the component codes respective component-code scores that are indicative of levels of confidence in the decoded data of the component-codes, to select, based on the component-code scores, a threshold setting that is expected to result in a best readout performance among the multiple threshold settings, and to read data from the memory using the selected threshold setting.
US09971641B2
This invention relates to a system, method, and computer program product for providing diagnostic data for execution of a program, the program executable in a virtual machine having a program stack for individual program elements, the system comprising: a historical event buffer comprising historical execution data associated with at least one runtime error; an event buffer for saving each program element from the program stack as each program element is executed and updated with a new program element in the program stack; a buffer similarity engine for determining a similarity of the event buffer with any one of the loaded historical event buffers; and a diagnostic engine for requesting diagnostic information with the execution of the program in the event buffer when the similarity of the event buffer and a loaded historical event buffer is more than a threshold similarity.
US09971639B2
Methods and devices are provided in which generation of an error is identified while a function of a program is performed. A message is displayed relating to existence of a solution corresponding to the error.
US09971637B1
A data distribution computer system. The system comprises a data store, a non-transitory memory, a processor, and a data propagation application stored in the non-transitory memory. When executed by the processor, the application initiates execution of a plurality of data propagation agents in a restricted runtime environment and provides information to the agents identifying data that is available in the data store via a discovery application programming interface (API). The application further provides data from the data store to the agents via a data access API, where the data propagation application manages the scheduling of the agents and restricts the data in the data store that is propagated to the agents based on an access policy for each agent.
US09971635B2
A hierarchical barrier synchronization of cores and nodes on a multiprocessor system, in one aspect, may include providing by each of a plurality of threads on a chip, input bit signal to a respective bit in a register, in response to reaching a barrier; determining whether all of the plurality of threads reached the barrier by electrically tying bits of the register together and “AND”ing the input bit signals; determining whether only on-chip synchronization is needed or whether inter-node synchronization is needed; in response to determining that all of the plurality of threads on the chip reached the barrier, notifying the plurality of threads on the chip, if it is determined that only on-chip synchronization is needed; and after all of the plurality of threads on the chip reached the barrier, communicating the synchronization signal to outside of the chip, if it is determined that inter-node synchronization is needed.
US09971633B1
Disclosed aspects relate to operation efficiency management in a shared pool of configurable computing resources. A first set of processing operations of a first application may be detected. A second set of processing operations of a second application may be detected. The first set of processing operations of the first application may be compared with the second set of processing operations of the second application. A substantial match of the first and second processing operations of the first and second applications may be determined. A single set of processing operations for both the first and second applications may be compiled.
US09971611B2
The present technology allows for a mobile device operating system to be modified in order to better monitor the performance of the mobile device applications. A mobile device file, such as a dex file for android operating system, may be extracted from an APK file for an application. The mobile device file may be analyzed, and a new mobile device file may be generated in addition to the analyzed mobile device file. The modifications may include identifying methods that should be monitored during execution of the corresponding application on a mobile device. The mobile device file, may be modified at a remote server, provided back to the mobile device, and then loaded by the mobile device at a later time.
US09971610B2
A computing device supports distributed application execution by receiving an application definition that identifies a plurality of platform-independent device functions to be performed by an application, and mapping the platform-independent device functions to corresponding code modules stored in a code module repository. The computing device distributes the corresponding code modules to a plurality of remote devices for distributed execution of the application by the remote devices according to device-specific support for the platform-independent device functions by the remote devices. The distributing includes sending a given code module to different remote devices that have different device-specific support for the platform-independent device function corresponding to the given code module.
US09971608B1
A control circuit configured to conserve battery in a mobile device is described. The control circuit upon receiving an input signal from an input sensor sends a suspend signal to the power management integrated circuit (PMIC), which may turn off power in the rest of device and keep the processor and PMIC powered on, thereby transitioning the mobile device into a suspend mode. After a predetermined period of time, the mobile device saves all processes running on the processor and registry content of the memory in a non-volatile memory on the device and shuts off the PMIC and the processor to transition into a hibernate mode. The input sensor and control circuit which receive power directly from the battery management can turn on the PMIC and the processor upon receiving an awake signal from the input sensor, thereby transitioning the device back to an awake mode.
US09971604B2
An approach is provided in which a mapper control unit receives dispatch information corresponding to a dispatching instruction that targets some of the register fields in a register. The mapper control unit selects, in a history buffer, an available history buffer entry that includes multiple field sets, each including an itag field. In turn, the mapper control unit modifies some of the history buffer field sets, including the itag fields, based on the existing content stored in the targeted register fields.
US09971596B2
Aspects include extensible change set conflict and merge gap detection in a record-based configuration management system. A method includes instructing the record-based configuration management system to create a change set. The method also includes instructing the record-based configuration management system to add one or more version mappings to a given configuration and to indicate specific concepts which should be flagged as not participating in a process that includes change set conflict and merge gap detection. The record-based configuration management system is instructed to deliver the change set to a requestor.
US09971594B2
A computer system, method, or non-transitory computer-readable medium provides an authoritative name source for files within an ecosystem. Files in the ecosystem which have identical contends and similar contents to each other are merged into the same supercluster, to capture possibly incremental changes to the files over time in one of the superclusters. For each supercluster which has files with identical and similar contents, the supercluster is broken down into package clusters, based on packages to which the files belong, each of the package clusters has the files from a same package. The package cluster which has most change frequency across versions, is identified as the authoritative package. The authoritative name for the files is resolved, based on the authoritative packages that are determined, across the plurality of superclusters which have files with identical and similar contents, and the authoritative name is generated. Any authoritative name collision is resolved.
US09971591B2
A mobile terminal, a power adapter, and an upgrade method are disclosed. The method includes: downloading upgrade information of the power adapter by a mobile terminal, the upgrade information being upgrade firmware of the power adapter; and transmitting the upgrade information to a processor of the power adapter by the mobile terminal through a data line in a charging port when the mobile terminal is electrically coupled to the power adapter through the charging port to facilitate the processor to upgrade the firmware of the power adapter according to the upgrade information. The mobile terminal downloads the upgrade information, and the most updated upgrade information is transmitted to the power adapter during the process that the mobile terminal connects to the power adapter, the power adapter is upgraded to solve the problem that the power adapter is difficult to upgrade.
US09971589B2
Disclosed aspects relate to upgrade management for a shared pool of configurable computing resources having a set of logical partition (LPAR) nodes which includes a set of established members. Performance of a live kernel update (LKU) operation may be initiated with respect to a first original LPAR node. Generation of a first surrogate LPAR node to succeed the first original LPAR node may be initiated. The first surrogate LPAR node may be identified as a new original LPAR node. The first surrogate LPAR node may be joined with the set of LPAR nodes. In response to the first surrogate LPAR node joining the set of LPAR nodes, the first surrogate LPAR node may be identified as a new surrogate LPAR node. The first surrogate LPAR node may be established as a first established member, thereby removing the first original LPAR node from the set of established members.
US09971587B2
A computer implemented method for validating the identity of a controller for an automated banking machine based on displayed indicia. The method includes detecting access to a secure compartment of an automated banking machine, displaying a security indicia visible from the secure compartment, receiving the security indicia at an input device and a first controller accessible from outside of the secure compartment, and validating the identity of the controller based on the received security indicia.
US09971563B2
Techniques described and suggested herein include systems and methods for logging execution of code using thread-local output buffers. For example, one or more output buffers are allocated to one or more threads executing on a computing system. A global declaration list containing information relating to log types (e.g., verbose log descriptions, templates for specific variables, and the like) may be implemented, and the global declaration list may be generated as part of an initialization process for some or all of the threads. Log events from executing threads may be stored in the output buffers in a fashion conforming to the global declaration list, and may be retrieved asynchronously relative to the executing threads.
US09971546B2
A method for scheduling read and write commands, performed by a processing unit, including at least the following steps: the processing unit obtains more than one read commands from a read queue successively and executes the obtained read commands until a first condition is met. After the first condition is met, the processing unit obtains more than one write commands from a write queue successively and executes the obtained write commands until a second condition is met.
US09971537B1
A method for tracking and transitioning flash memory modes, performed by a storage system, is provided. The method includes tracking memory modes of a plurality of portions of flash memory, on a per portion basis, in a data structure in a first memory and determining, based on the data structure, whether the tracked memory mode of a portion of flash memory matches a memory mode for an I/O (input/output) command relating to the flash memory. The method includes sending at least one command to the flash memory to change the memory mode of the portion of flash memory, responsive to determining the tracked memory mode does not match the memory mode for the I/O command, and performing the I/O command with the memory mode of the portion of flash memory changed to match the memory mode for the I/O command.
US09971527B2
A storage management apparatus includes an acquiring unit and a control unit. When a first storage apparatus is active and a second storage apparatus is on standby and backup data corresponding to a plurality of data stored in the first storage apparatus are stored in the second storage apparatus, the acquiring unit acquires frequency information from the first storage apparatus, which shows frequency of access from a host apparatus to individual data in the plurality of data. Based on the frequency information, the control unit executes a deciding process that decides in which out of a plurality of storage regions with different access performance provided by the second storage apparatus respective data in the backup data are to be placed, and transmits instruction information to the second storage apparatus, which has the respective backup data placed in the storage regions decided by the deciding process.
US09971521B2
During a command/address calibration mode, a memory controller may transmit multiple cycles of test patterns as signals to a memory device. Each cycle of test pattern signals may be transmitted at an adjusted relative phase with respect to a clock also transmitted to the memory device. The memory device may input the test pattern signals at a timing determined by the clock, such as rising and/or falling edges of the clock. The test pattern as input by the memory device may be sent to the memory controller to determine if the test pattern was successfully transmitted to the memory device during the cycle. Multiple cycles of test pattern transmissions are evaluated to determine a relative phase of command/address signals with respect to the clock for transmission during operation of the system.
US09971519B2
A network interface controller (NIC) for use in a server controlling a plurality of storage devices provides remote access to a plurality of clients each accessing one or more storage devices of the plurality of storage devices. The NIC is configured to receive from at least a client device an input/output (I/O) request for a storage device of the plurality of storage devices and store the I/O request in a secondary memory thereof. The I/O request is sent to the storage device and a response respective of the I/O request intended for the primary processing unit of the server is received by the NIC. The client device is sent an indication that the I/O request is completed. In some exemplary embodiments, the NIC determines if the client device has appropriate I/O permissions to access a specific data block.
US09971515B2
In general, a storage device may perform an incremental background media scan. The storage device includes a data storage portion comprising a plurality of blocks. The storage device also includes a controller configured to perform the scan to determine whether to perform maintenance on the page. As such, the controller may scan a first page of a first block of a set of blocks. Each block has multiple pages. The controller may, for each respective remaining block of the set, scan a respective first page of the respective remaining block, the first page having a same first index as the respective first page. The controller may further scan a second page of the first block. The controller may then, for each respective remaining block of the set, scan a respective second page of the respective remaining block, the second page having a same second index as the respective second page.
US09971513B2
A method for caching a data block stored on a first storage device and onto a second storage device including determining whether a data block being requested contains a first type of data, upon a condition in which the data block contains the first type of data, writing the data block to the second storage device and upon a condition in which the data block does not contain the first type of data, determining whether a correspondingly mapped block on the second storage device contains the first type of data, and only writing the data block to the second storage device upon a condition in which the correspondingly mapped block does not contain the first type of data.
US09971508B2
Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for invoking Input/Output (I/O) threads on processors to demote tracks from a cache. An Input/Output (I/O) thread, executed by a processor, processes I/O requests directed to tracks in the storage by accessing the tracks in the cache. After processing at least one I/O request, the I/O thread determines whether a number of free cache segments in the cache is below a free cache segment threshold. The I/O thread processes a demote ready list, indicating tracks eligible to demote from the cache, to demote tracks from the cache in response to determining that the number of free cache segments is below the free cache segment threshold. The I/O thread continues to process I/O requests directed to tracks from the storage stored in the cache after processing the demote ready list to demote tracks in the cache.
US09971504B2
A management method of a hybrid storage unit and an electronic apparatus of the hybrid storage unit are provided. The electronic apparatus includes a hybrid storage unit. The hybrid storage unit includes a first storage unit and a second storage unit. The second storage unit includes a first storage area and a second storage area. If a relationship between the electronic apparatus and an external apparatus is detected as being an undocked relationship, the first storage unit is disabled by a controller of the hybrid storage unit, and the second storage area serves to simulate and replace the first storage unit. The controller reports a storage unit status change notification to an operating system, so as to allow the operating system to re-enumerate the hybrid storage unit.
