US09980105B2

A mobile communications device and a method for controlling a mobile communications device including a radio processing circuit and a baseband processing circuit adapted to interact with the radio processing circuit, the mobile communications device configured to: receive a page, obtain message identification information from the page, process the obtained message identification information, and control an ongoing network connection resulting from the processed message identification information.
US09980103B2

A device receives, from an application server, a message destined for a user equipment, and reformats the message into a non-access stratum (NAS) transparent message. The device also provides, to a home subscriber server, a query for an identification of a mobility management entity serving the user equipment, and receives, from the home subscriber server, the identification of the mobility management entity serving the user equipment. The device further provides the NAS transparent message to the identified mobility management entity, where the mobility management entity forwards the NAS transparent message to the user equipment.
US09980098B2

Feature selection is provided for geometry data in an image-based based location determination. For example, one or more computing devices, may receive information collected at a particular area. The one or more computing devices may identify one or more features and associated locations from the received information. The identified one or more features may be ranked according to relative uniqueness among the identified one or more features. A set of geometry data for locating a mobile device at the particular area is generated based on selected ones of the ranked features and the associated locations.
US09980094B2

A method, device and system for generating position information in a mobile equipment provided with at least two position determination devices. Embodiments of the invention may include allocating to each position determination device at least one stored parameter value, determining a context information, depending on the context information, choosing a corresponding position determination device selection process based on the value of said at least one parameter for each position determination device, selecting a position determination device according to the chosen selection process, and activating said selected position determination device. Application to location based services may provide a better handling of available positioning resources.
US09980091B2

An embodiment provides a method, including: a first electronic device receiving a location signal through a communication module of the first electronic device; the first electronic device storing information of said location signal; the first electronic device transmitting the information of said location signal to a second electronic device in communication with the first electronic device, so that the second electronic device can derive a location of the first electronic device based on the information of said location signal; the first electronic device receiving from the second electronic device, information comprising said location of the first electronic device, via the communication module of the first electronic device; and the first electronic device displaying said location of the first electronic device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09980085B2

According to one embodiment, a memory stores a first information including a positional relationship among a plurality of positional candidates, a second information including an influence on the plurality of positional candidates due to at least any of an attenuation and a reflection of a radio wave by an object located at a periphery of the plurality of positional candidates, and a third information including a first received signal strength indicator of the radio wave transmitted from a first wireless communication device and received by a second wireless communication device. A processor estimates a position of the second wireless communication device from the plurality of positional candidates, based on a first value as the first received signal strength indicator corrected with a first correction value based on the second information, and a plurality of first distances between the first wireless communication device and each of the plurality of positional candidates.
US09980084B2

A communication apparatus starts short distance wireless communication with another communication apparatus while joining a wireless LAN created by an external access point (AP) as a station, determines whether the communication apparatus can concurrently perform a station function and an AP function of the wireless LAN in accordance with the start of the short distance wireless communication, directly connects to the other communication apparatus by the wireless LAN by disconnecting from the external AP when it is not determined that the station function and the AP function can be concurrently performed, reconnects to the external AP as the station when the direct connection fails, and directly connects to the other communication apparatus by the wireless LAN without disconnecting from the external AP when it is determined that the station function and the AP function can be performed concurrently.
US09980078B2

A method including, during a free-viewpoint rendering to a user, where the free-viewpoint rendering comprises rendering of an audio object, and during relative movement between a location of the user and the audio object in the free-viewpoint rendering, detecting a locational conflict abnormality between the audio object and the location of the user; and based upon the detecting of the locational conflict abnormality, changing the rendering of the audio object, where the changing is based upon at least one predetermined abnormality modification parameter.
US09980073B2

A method and apparatus for decompressing a Higher Order Ambisonics (HOA) signal representation is disclosed. The apparatus includes an input interface that receives an encoded directional signal and an encoded ambient signal and an audio decoder that perceptually decodes the encoded directional signal and encoded ambient signal to produce a decoded directional signal and a decoded ambient signal, respectively. The apparatus further includes an extractor for obtaining side information related to the directional signal and an inverse transformer for converting the decoded ambient signal from a spatial domain to an HOA domain representation of the ambient signal. The apparatus also includes a synthesizer for recomposing a Higher Order Ambisonics (HOA) signal from the HOA domain representation of the ambient signal and the decoded directional signal. The side information includes a direction of the directional signal selected from a set of uniformly spaced directions.
US09980072B2

A method generates a sound localization point (SLP) where binaural sound externally localizes to a person during a telephone call. The method determines coordinates of a location of a handheld portable electronic device (HPED) with respect to the person and saves this location as the SLP. During the telephone call, a voice of another person is convolved so the voice externally localizes to the person as the binaural sound at the SLP.
US09980069B2

Various embodiments provide for an acoustically configurable microphone device that can adjust various parameters affecting sensitivity, acoustic overload point, signal to noise ratio, sample rate, and other parametric choices that affect the performance and function of the acoustic sensor based on commands received via acoustic communications. An acoustic analysis engine can analyze acoustic communications received to determine whether or not the acoustic communication contains a command associated with configuring the microphone. If the acoustic communication is determined to contain a configuration command, a controller on the microphone can implement the configuration command. The acoustic communications can be at ultrasonic frequencies in some embodiments so that the acoustic communications are outside the range of human hearing.
US09980053B2

A method of programming a configurable signal processing unit of a hearing aid device comprises Providing a frequency transposition algorithm in the hearing aid device where content from more than one upper-lying source frequency band is copied or moved into one and the same lower lying destination frequency band; Providing a number of frequency transposition configurations, each comprising a specific combination of source regions and a destination region; Providing a weight parameter that specifies the amount of gain applied to a lowered signal resulting from a given frequency transposition configuration; and Providing a prescription algorithm that selects an optimum frequency transposition configuration for an ear of a user taking an audiogram for the ear in question and an amplification capability of the hearing aid device in question into account. A purpose of the disclosure is to provide an improved audibility of high frequency sound for users with severe-to-profound hearing losses.
US09980052B2

A MEMS microphone with reduced parasitic capacitance is provided. A microphone includes a protection film covering a rim-sided area of the backplate.
US09980041B2

An acoustic system includes: a first customer-side microphone; a first counselor-side microphone; a first sound changing unit; a first loudspeaker; a second customer-side microphone; a second counselor-side microphone; and a second loudspeaker. Between the second loudspeaker and the first customer-side microphone, a first sound transmission path is provided. Also, between the second loudspeaker and the first counselor-side microphone, a second sound transmission path is provided. These sound transmission paths have substantially the same length. The first sound signal generated by the first customer-side microphone is made to have a phase substantially opposite to that of the second sound signal generated by the first counselor-side microphone, and the sound signals are added together.
US09980038B2

A surface mount package for a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) microphone die is disclosed. The surface mount package features a substrate with metal pads for surface mounting the package to a device's printed circuit board and for making electrical connections between the microphone package and the device's circuit board. The surface mount microphone package has a cover, and the MEMS microphone die is substrate-mounted and acoustically coupled to an acoustic port provided in the surface mount package. The substrate and the cover are joined together to form the MEMS microphone, and the substrate and cover cooperate to form an acoustic chamber for the substrate-mounted MEMS microphone die.
US09980037B2

A speaker includes: an open-backed speaker unit, a housing, and a fin unit. The housing is disposed so as to cover a rear side of the speaker unit, and forms a back cavity with the speaker unit. The fin unit is disposed in the back cavity, and includes an annular or arc-like fin, which approaches a rear side of the housing as going from a center of the speaker unit toward an outer diameter side thereof, and expands in diameter as separating from the speaker unit.
US09980025B2

The present invention relates to a method for producing a microphone unit, which can be contacted by a plug connector, and a microphone unit, wherein this comprises a housing, a circuit board having a microphone component and contacts, wherein the contacts are embodied on second contact ends as contact pins and wherein the contacts are connected at the first contact ends to the circuit board, wherein a multi-pole plug connector can be connected to the contact pins. The housing is embodied as a one-part injection molded part and the first contact ends are embodied as pressfit contacts.
US09980016B2

Embodiments of a computer-implemented advertisement display system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes a speech recognition component that processes a video clip and produces a corresponding collection of speech recognition data indicative of an audio portion of the video clip. The system also includes a collection of advertising material. An advertisement selection component selects an advertisement from the collection of advertising material based on the corresponding collection of speech recognition data. The system also includes a display. An advertisement presentation component displays an indication of the selected advertisement on the display during a simultaneous display of the video clip.
US09980014B2

An information providing system, reception apparatus, and methods thereof are provided for protected content data. The method for providing the protected content data includes generating or receiving the protected content data, and generating a digital television broadcast signal including at least one data field sync segment and the protected content data. The digital television broadcast signal is provided to a reception apparatus. The at least one data field sync segment carries information necessary to identify a framing structure of the digital television broadcast signal and includes one of security information for accessing the protected content data and a location of the security information.
US09980011B2

The technology relates to sequential or tailored delivery of advertising content across a plurality of media conduits. The invention achieves sequential story telling for advertising campaigns in place of single-series advertising, by delivering over a period of several sessions on a variety of devices. An advertiser can air a campaign on a consumer individual's cell phone device, continue the second portion of the campaign via a desktop browser session, and conclude with the third portion of the campaign on the individual's OTT device. The technology provides advanced controls over targeting and scheduling with high precision.
US09980003B2

Disclosed herein is a receiving device including: a receiver configured to receive broadcast content; a trigger information acquirer configured to acquire trigger information for identifying a command to control an operation of an application program that is run in conjunction with the broadcast content and is delivered via a network; a correspondence table acquirer configured to acquire a correspondence table in which the command is associated with information for identifying the command; and a control section configured to control operations of a subject application program and another application program other than the subject application program in response to the command identified by the trigger information and the correspondence table.
US09980000B2

A method, non-transitory computer-readable medium, and reception apparatus for processing application information. The reception apparatus includes circuitry configured to download application information including at least one parameter and an identifier for each of the at least one parameter. The circuitry is configured to determine whether to download additional data, including an application, based on the application information and download the additional data based on the determination of whether to download the additional data. The circuitry is configured to receive control information, including the identifier for one of the at least one parameter, and retrieve the one of the at least one parameter associated with the identifier from the application information in response to the control information. The circuitry is further configured to cause the application to perform a function based on the retrieved one of the at least one parameter.
US09979997B2

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, computer program product, and system for audio and video synchronization. A plurality of audio and video data streams are received on a computer system through a network. Selected audio and video are synchronized, in response to receiving a user selection input of based on the received plurality of audio data streams and the received plurality of video data streams. The synchronized audio and video is monitored periodically. The synchronized audio and video streams are indexed in a data store, based on a synchronization determination of the monitored audio and video data streams. In response to an error in the monitored synchronization, a time delay value option is communicated, to a computing device, through the network, for display. A time delay value is received, based on a user input. A second synchronization based on the received time delay value is performed.
US09979991B2

There is described a method for generating a frame label for a media frame sampled at a media frame rate at a given time-of-day relative to a day-zero reference. The method comprises: obtaining a calendar day at which the media frame is sampled, the calendar day having a day origin; computing a day-origin phase offset at the day origin based on the day-zero reference and on the calendar day; subtracting the day-origin phase offset from the given time-of-day to get a media frame relative offset which is relative to a first frame of the calendar day; computing the frame label from the media frame relative offset and from the media frame rate; and assigning the frame label to the media frame for time-positioning the media frame with respect to other media frames and with respect to a timescale.
US09979981B2

The present invention relates to an image processing device and method, which realize improvement in encoding efficiency for color difference signals and reduction in address calculations for memory access. In a case where a block size of orthogonal transform is 4×4, and a macroblock of luminance signals is configured of four 4×4 pixel blocks appended with 0 through 1, the four luminance signal blocks are corresponded with one color difference signal 4×4 block appended with C. At this time, there exist four motion vector information of mv0, mv1, mv2, and mv3, as to the four luminance signal blocks. The motion vector information mvc of the one color difference signal 4×4 block is calculated by averaging processing using these four motion vector information. The present invention can be applied to an image encoding device which performed encoding based on the H.264/AVC format, for example.
US09979978B2

Encoded data is decoded based on tile data division information, tile data position information, block line data division information, and block line data position information. The tile data division information indicates whether the encoded data is composed of tile data items that serve as encoded data items of tiles. The tile data position information indicates positions of the tile data items. The block line data division information indicates whether each tile data item is composed of first block line data and second block line data. The first block line data serves as encoded data of a first block line that is a set of blocks arranged linearly. The second block line data serves as encoded data of a second block line next to the first block line. The block line data position information indicates a position of the second block line data.
US09979976B2

The disclosure provides a Light-weight Video Coding system and a decoder for a Light-weight Video Coding system. The decoder includes: a mode decision module and a motion estimation module. The mode decision module, which adopts four flexible types of mode decision, is used for selecting a mode. And, it is used for selecting at least one predetermined block of a current frame according to the mode including plurality pixels. The motion estimation module, which adopts the Partial Boundary Matching Algorithm, is used for selecting partial neighbor pixels of left and top of the block according to the predetermined block in the current frame. And it is used for comparing with corresponding neighbor plurality pixels of left and top with a corresponding predetermined block in reference frame. It is determining whether the corresponding predetermined block in the reference frame copies and pastes to the predetermined block in the current frame.
US09979974B2

A scalable video signal decoding method, according to the present invention, determines a corresponding picture belonging to a lower layer used for an inter-layer prediction of a current picture belonging to an upper layer, performs the inter-layer prediction of the current picture by using the corresponding picture of the determined lower layer, restores the current picture by using a prediction sample acquired through the inter-layer prediction and a residual sample of the current picture, and selectively applies a loop filter to a tile boundary of the restored current picture on the basis of a layer filter flag for the upper layer.
US09979964B2

An image processing method with which occurrence of an error is suppressed is an image processing method for processing an image signal generated by encoding a plurality of pictures. The method includes: obtaining, from the image signal, a parameter indicating restriction on a reference relation between at least one of the plurality of pictures and an other one of the plurality of pictures in the encoding; and performing restriction alleviation processing for alleviating the restriction on the reference relation indicated by the parameter.
US09979957B2

A camera calibration system for a vehicle includes a camera disposed at the vehicle and an image processor operable to process image data captured by the camera. The camera calibration system generates camera calibration parameters at least in part by iteratively refining calibration parameters starting from at least one of (i) an initial estimation and (ii) an intrinsic parameter of the camera. The camera calibration system uses a kinematic model of vehicle motion derived at least in part from image processing of multiple frames of captured image data. Responsive to such image processing, the camera calibration system extracts and matches features determined in multiple frames of captured image data. Responsive to image processing during movement of the vehicle along an arbitrary path, and responsive to generation of camera calibration parameters, the camera calibration system calibrates the camera as the vehicle navigates the arbitrary path.
US09979955B1

An acoustic fingerprint imaging system is disclosed. In one embodiment, a controller can be coupled to a plurality of delay lines, each associated with a particular transducer. The controller can determine an interrogation point to focus acoustic energy. The controller can direct each of the plurality of delay lines to apply a delayed activation pulse to each transducer based, at least in part, on the transducer's distance from the interrogation point.
US09979952B2

A method for creating a parallax video from a still image includes following steps. Image segmentation is performed for separating at least a foreground object within the still image from an image background of the still image. A blank region of the image background is filled, and the blank region corresponds to where the separated foreground object locates within the still image. A virtual three-dimensional (3D) scene consisting of the foreground object and the image background is created. The virtual 3D scene is analyzed for determining a camera path; and, creating the parallax video by observing the virtual 3D scene with a virtual camera moving along the camera path.
US09979947B2

A system is provided for use with a video input signal and a video unit. The video input signal can be one of a two dimensional video signal and a three dimensional video signal. The video unit can display a three dimensional video and a two dimensional video. The system includes a receiver portion, a processing portion, a switching portion and an output portion. The receiver portion can receive the video input signal. The processing portion can output a first signal in a first mode of operation and can output a second signal in a second mode of operation, wherein the first signal is based on the video input signal and the second signal is based on the video input signal. The switching portion can switch the processing portion from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation. The output portion can provide an output signal to the video unit, wherein the output signal is based on the first signal when the processing portion operates in the first mode of operation and wherein the output signal is based on the second signal when the processing portion operates in the second mode of operation. The first signal includes a two dimensional video signal, whereas the second signal includes a three dimensional video signal.
US09979936B2

In a projection system, a nonaxisymmetric aspheric surface is used as a surface that is located in a position where in a pencil of light of video image light that exits from each of two points in different corner regions in an image plane that is a light exiting plane of an image display apparatus, light components that should reach a viewer's eyes do not intersect one another, whereby the size of an optical system can be further reduced and the size of an overall apparatus can therefore be reduced with a variety of types of optical precision, such as the resolution and angle of view, maintained.
US09979924B1

A system includes a processing device and a personal communication device. The processing device may be configured to (i) be mounted in a vehicle, (ii) detect conditions indicative of an accident, (iii) communicate collected data to the personal communication device via a wireless protocol, and (iv) initiate an emergency call using the personal communication device. The personal communication device may be configured to upload at least a portion of the collected data to a remote location in response to the emergency call being initiated.
US09979921B2

Systems and methods for superimposing the human elements of video generated by computing devices, wherein a first user device and second user device capture and transmit video to a central server which analyzes the video to identify and extract human elements, superimpose these human elements upon one another, and then transmit the newly created superimposed video back to at least one of the user devices.
US09979905B2

A multimode interline charge coupled device having an array of light sensitive pixels, each configured to accumulate photocharge responsive to light incident on the pixel, and a controller configured to allocate a first portion of the pixels to accumulate photocharge responsive to light from a scene during a plurality of exposure periods and allocate a second portion of the pixels to store photocharge accumulated by pixels in the first portion to provide a plurality of images of the scene greater than two.
US09979902B2

A non-transitory three-dimensional image signal includes a first image component, a second component for creating a three-dimensional image in combination with the first image component, and a text component that includes text-based subtitles and/or presentation graphics-based bitmap images for including in the three-dimensional image. A shared Z-location component includes Z-location information describing the depth location of the text component within the three-dimensional image. The signal is rendered by rendering the three-dimensional image from the first image component and the second component. The rendering includes rendering the text-based subtitles and/or presentation graphics-based bitmap images in the three-dimensional image. Further, the rendering of the text component includes adjusting the depth location of the text-based subtitles and/or presentation graphics-based bitmap images based on the shared Z-location component. The Z-location for both text-based and presentation-graphics-based subtitles may be the same and only needs to be stored once per stream.
US09979898B2

An imaging apparatus equipped with a flicker detection function and including an image sensor of a rolling shutter type calculates a Fourier spectrum including an amplitude and a phase for each of two captured images acquired by the image sensor and having different imaging timings by performing Fourier spectrum analysis based on a flicker period serving as a detection target, and judges that flicker with the flicker period serving as the detection target has occurred, when the amplitude of a calculated Fourier spectrum and the phases of the two Fourier spectrums satisfy predetermined conditions and a sum of squares of a pixel value difference between the two captured images for each pixel is larger than a predetermined sum of squares.
US09979895B2

Embodiments herein disclose a tone mapping system that generates a base layer by filtering a frame in an HDR video. The tone mapping system then generates a tone curve using a tone mapping parameter derived from the base layer—e.g., a mean or maximum luminance value. Once the tone curve parameter is identified, the system performs temporal filtering to smooth out inconsistencies between the current value of the tone curve parameter and the values of tone curve parameter of at least one previous frame in the HDR video. The tone mapping system applies the temporally filtered tone curve to the base layer to generate a temporally coherent layer. The temporally coherent base layer can be combined with a detail layer derived from the HDR video to generate a frame of a tone mapped video.
US09979889B2

Techniques to improve a digital image capture device's ability to stabilize a video stream are presented. According to some embodiments, improved stabilization of captured video frames is provided by intelligently harnessing the complementary effects of both optical image stabilization (OIS) and electronic image stabilization (EIS). In particular, OIS may be used to remove intra-frame motion blur that is typically lower in amplitude and dominates with longer integration times, while EIS may be used to remove residual unwanted frame-to-frame motion that is typically larger in amplitude. The techniques disclosed herein may also leverage information provided from the image capture device's OIS system to perform improved motion blur-aware video stabilization strength modulation, which permits better video stabilization performance in low light conditions, where integration times tend to be longer, thus leading to a greater amount of motion blurring in the output stabilized video.
US09979887B1

A circuit configured to (i) color correct an input signal having at least one input image and (ii) generate a compressed signal based on said input signal after said input signal undergoes processing. The circuit may have a plurality of re-sampler circuits comprising dedicated hardware circuits that are allocated differently to perform the processing based upon an image type. The processing of the input signal as a video type of the image type and as a still type of the image type involves at least two passes of the input image through at least three of the re-sampler circuits in multiple passes.
US09979884B2

A multiview imaging part includes a plurality of imaging units. An exposure setting section individually sets an exposure value in each of the plurality of imaging units. The exposure setting section sets, in each of the imaging units, an individual reference exposure value and relative exposure values. The relative exposure values are obtained by changing the reference exposure value in a given number of steps in such a manner that the relative exposure values are centered around the reference exposure value. A panoramic image storage section stores captured images having different exposure values captured by the imaging units whose exposure values have been set by the exposure setting section. An HDR synthesis section synthesizes the captured images having different exposure values so as to generate a captured image having an adjusted dynamic range.
US09979883B2

The present disclosure provides an imaging method for an image sensor, an imaging apparatus and an electronic device. The image sensor includes a photosensitive pixel array and a filter arranged on the photosensitive pixel array. The filter includes an array of filter units. Each filter unit and a number of adjacent photosensitive pixels covered by the filter unit in the photosensitive pixel array form a synthesized pixel. The method includes: reading an output of the photosensitive pixel array, extracting pixel values of photosensitive pixels within different synthesized pixels from a read-out single-frame high-resolution image, and combining the pixel values so as to obtain a number of multi-frame low-resolution images; synthesizing the number of multi-frame low-resolution images.
US09979879B2

Disclosed herein is an image monitoring system including: a camera connected to a network; display means for displaying an image captured by the camera; and display control means for controlling display such that, in displaying images by the display means, an image is displayed in a window having a predetermined layout; wherein the display control means presets an allocation database containing a correlation between the window having a predetermined layout and a camera identification code and, when the camera is connected to the network, automatically sets a correlation between the camera identification code in the allocation database and the camera, thereby controlling image display into the window on the basis of the allocation database.
US09979877B2

An image capturing apparatus is provided with: a detection unit configured to detect in-focus positions; a storage unit in which focus cam data is stored that indicates a relationship between an object distance and a focus lens position; a calculation unit configured to calculate object distances at the in-focus positions, based on focus lens positions at the in-focus positions and the focus cam data; an estimation unit configured to estimate an object distance in next in-focus position detection; and a determination unit configured to determine a predetermined range in which the focus lens is moved in the next in-focus position detection, based on an estimated value for the object distance in the next in-focus position detection that was estimated by the estimation unit.
US09979875B2

A focusing method is disclosed, comprising: recording image statistical information corresponding to each position of a focusing lens from the beginning of focusing, wherein the image statistical information comprises a luminance value of image; determining whether the current scene is a point light source scene or not based on the recorded image statistical information; and executing a focusing process based on a regional luminance variance of image when the current scene is determined as a point light source scene. Wherein, the regional luminance variance of image denotes a mean of the square of differences between luminance values of a plurality of regions partitioned from an image and an average luminance value of the image. The method of the present disclosure can effectively improve the stability and accuracy of focusing effect under a point light source scene.
US09979871B2

A radio-frequency trigger signal system apparatus and method for transmitting a radio-frequency signal coordinated with the pulling of a trigger on a weapon such as a firearm, causing cameras on the weapon, the shooter's person, nearby persons or vehicles, and nearby fixed-position cameras to activate, if needed, to flag photographs and videos taken, and optionally to log and notify an appropriate authority of the pulling of the trigger.
US09979859B2

An image forming apparatus includes a color conversion unit, a representative-hue-range acquiring unit, and a color correction unit. In a Voronoi diagram based on a grid point of the color conversion table with respect to one hue range of the two representative hue ranges obtained by the representative-hue-range acquiring unit, when a movement pixel corresponds most to a Voronoi region where the pixels inside the one hue range in the specific part corresponds most, the movement pixel being a pixel inside the other hue range of the two representative hue ranges in the specific part with only the hue of the pixel being moved to the one hue range, the color correction unit corrects color of the image inside the other hue range in the specific part such that the movement pixel does not correspond to the Voronoi region.
US09979854B2

A printer maintenance guide device includes a guide command button for commanding a maintenance guide for a maintenance work, and a moving image memory storing moving images for successively and continuously displaying a whole process of the maintenance guide from start to end at once on a display unit by the operation of the guide command button.
US09979849B2

A hardware processor included in an image processing apparatus establishes a communication path with remote operation devices, selects one of the established communication paths as a valid path, executes a process in accordance with a remote operation command received via the valid path, in response to establishment of new communication paths different from the valid path, sets the new communication paths as waiting paths to which sequence numbers are supplied in a chronological order of establishment of the communication paths, determines whether a same waiting path to which a remote operation device that is the same as a remote operation device connected to the valid path is connected is present, and in the case where the same waiting path is present, in response to disconnection of the valid path, selects the same waiting path as a valid path regardless of the sequence numbers supplied to the waiting paths.
US09979841B2

A mobile terminal transmits a document file to a conversion server. In a case where it is determined that an image forming apparatus is capable of acquiring from the conversion server print data acquired by converting the document file, information for acquisition of the print data from the conversion server by the image forming apparatus is transmitted to the image forming apparatus. In a case where it is determined that the image forming apparatus is not capable of acquiring the print data from the conversion server, the print data is acquired from the conversion server and transmitted to the image forming apparatus.
US09979833B2

A using time control method for electronic device includes the following steps. In a monitoring period, obtain a first usage datum of a first event executed by the electronic device, a second usage datum of a second event executed by the electronic device and a third usage datum of the first event and the second event both executed by electronic device. Obtain a detection value according to a first weighting rule, the first usage datum, the second usage datum and the third usage datum. Selectively limit the part of operation functions of the electronic device according to the detection value and the first threshold value.
US09979826B1

Software and computer processor implemented system and method of providing customized automated responses to different types of incoming electronic messages from various contact sources, particularly useful for preventing distracted driving or distractions at a place of work or at a place of rest and relaxation. Here the invention's software, often in the form of an app, runs on a smartphone or other computerized device configured to automatically connect to various devices, such as automobile associated Bluetooth peripherals or WiFi access points/routers. When operating, the app causes active connections to automatically trigger auto response mode in response to incoming messages. Optionally, different automated responses to be assigned to different connected device identification codes or different incoming message originators. Various prioritization schemes, such as last active connection dominates, and various ways in which different contact specific automated responses may interact with various device specific automated responses, are also discussed.
US09979816B1

A system, method and non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that when read by a processor perform receiving a telephony connection request at a location in a telephony network, the location separated from the intended recipient of the telephony connection request by a target telephony network, determining addressing information regarding the intended recipient, the addressing information including at least routing information or a phone number, accessing a do-not-call list, the do-not-call-list including one or more telephony recipients and recipient addressing information for each telephony recipient, the recipient addressing information including at least routing information or a phone number, and determining whether the target addressing information matches any recipient addressing information.
US09979815B2

A device including a processor and a memory that includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations. The operations include receiving an indication that a plurality of call alert options are authorized by a second device. The operations also include receiving input selecting a call alert option of the plurality of call alert options. The operations further include sending a call request from the first device to the second device, wherein the call request includes data related to the call alert option.
US09979814B2

Systems and methods are included for detecting driving based on user-specific models for driving detection, and restricting access to an application of the user device while a user is driving. A management agent installed on the user device can collect data from sensors in a user device and provide the data to a management server, which can build a user-specific model for driving detection for that user. The management agent can then use that user-specific model for detecting when the user is driving. When the agent determines that the user is driving, it can enforce a driving policy that limits access to applications and delay or modify notifications generated by applications.
US09979804B2

Mobile communications devices having moveable housings are described. In an implementation, a mobile communications device includes a first housing and a second housing. At least one of the first or second housings are moveable between a first configuration in which the first housing substantially covers the second housing so that an outer surface of the second housing is covered and an outer surface of the first housing is viewable, and a second configuration in which said outer surface of the second housing is exposed and positioned such that said outer surface of the second housing is positioned in a substantially similar plane to that of said outer surface of the first housing.
US09979803B2

An electronic device includes: a framework; a number of modules assembled detachably to the framework; and a number of latching portions assembling the modules on the framework. Each latching portion includes a ball spring beam having a first positioning portion and a first contacting beam, a reinforcement beam having a second positioning portion attached to the first positioning portion and a second contacting beam spaced from the first contacting beam, and a screw affixing the first positioning portion and the second positioning portion to the framework. The first contacting beam has a tuber mated with the module.
US09979801B2

In activating a service, a service gateway retrieves a service table entry using a service or server address of the service entry, where the service table entry has an association with another service entry. An association to the service entry is added and a marker value is set to indicate associations with two service entries. After a time duration, the association with the other service entry is removed, and the marker value is changed accordingly. In deactivating a service entry, the service gateway calculates a hash value for the service or server address of the service entry. After matching the hash value to a hash value of another service entry, an association with the other service entry is added. A marker value is set to indicate associations with two service entries. After a time duration, the association with the service entry is removed, and the marker value is changed accordingly.
US09979796B1

A method includes sending to a user device prefetch notifications, which notify the user device of available prefetch updates. Requests are received from the user device for one or more first prefetch updates, selected by the user device in response to the prefetch notifications. Selected prefetch updates are delivered to the user device, including both (i) one or more of the requested first prefetch updates, and (ii) one or more second prefetch updates selected from among the available prefetch updates not in response to any request from the user device.
US09979790B1

A Long Term Evolution (LTE) data communication network to route Vehicle-to-X (V2X) data communications. The LTE communication network includes an LTE network central core and distributed LTE network cores individually connected to LTE network agents. The LTE communication network further includes a wireless base station receiving V2X service data individually associating the distributed LTE network cores and the LTE network agents with multiple V2X service types; and receiving user communication data identifying one of the V2X service types from the vehicle UE. If the identified V2X service type is associated with one of the LTE network agents, then the wireless base station transfers the user communication data to the associated distributed LTE network core for delivery to the associated one of the LTE network agents. If the identified V2X service type is not associated with one of the LTE network agents, then the wireless base station transfers the user communication data to the LTE network central core.
US09979789B2

This invention relates to an Open Wireless Architecture (OWA) unified airborne and terrestrial communications architecture providing optimal high-speed connections with open radio transmission technologies (RTTs) between aircrafts and ground cells, and between different aircrafts in Ad-Hoc or Mesh network group, to construct the multi-dimensional unified information delivery platform across the airborne networks and the terrestrial networks wherein the same OWA mobile device or OWA mobile computer can be used seamlessly and continuously both in the aircrafts and on the ground.
US09979780B1

A processing device of an information processing system is configured to identify different candidate clouds for performing a processing job for a requesting user, to collect respective sets of parameters from the different candidate clouds with each such set of parameters characterizing at least one aspect of a manner in which the processing job would be performed in the corresponding candidate cloud, and to compile information characterizing the collected sets of parameters so as to permit informed selection by the requesting user or another system entity of at least a particular one of the candidate clouds for performing the processing job. The processing device may be further configured to permit the requesting user to monitor and/or control the processing job as it is executing in the selected cloud(s). For example, warnings may be provided to the user if execution of the processing job is not meeting specified user requirements.
US09979771B2

An adaptive variable fidelity media provision system and method are provided herein.
US09979768B2

A computer system receives a content-transition indication to provide a second decompressed media stream to a presentation device instead of providing a first decompressed media stream. In response to receiving the content-transition indication, the computer system ceases to receive a first compressed media stream corresponding to the first decompressed media stream and continues to provide the first decompressed media stream to the presentation device using first buffered data. The computer system selects a transition point for a second compressed media stream, corresponding to the second decompressed media stream, based on a quantity of data of the second compressed media stream to be buffered. While continuing to provide the first decompressed media stream to the presentation device using the first buffered data, the computer system receives and buffers the second compressed media stream starting at the transition point. The computer system provides the second decompressed media stream to the presentation device.
US09979767B2

This invention concerns the transmitting and receiving of digital media packets, such as audio and video channels and lighting instructions. The network (104) is comprised of at least a transmitter device (110) and a receiving device (112). The controllers (122) and (126) of these devices handle the exchanging of configuration messages between the devices (110) and (112). Using the invention, the user is not required to manually configure the processor to receive media packet streams. Instead, a controller (126) of a receiving device (112) operates to receive information on a user selection of media channels and automatically configure the processor of the transmitter device. Further, the receiving device (112) is able to receive media channels using both unicast and multicast protocols. Media channels can be given textual labels which are unique on the unique (104) and easily identify to the user the actual source of the media channel. Media channels of different formats to be sent on the same net work simultaneous. Further, redundant media channels are easily accommodated.
US09979761B2

Apparatus and methods for using a second display with a network-enabled television. In one implementation, this feature allows the user to conveniently affiliate their IPTV devices with various service providers and manage such affiliations directly from a second display device instead of going to a separate affiliation website. The second display could be a smart phone that can often be found beside the user, a laptop or tablet PC, a desktop PC, or the like.
US09979760B1

Secure, controlled, interactive virtual visitation for confinement institution inmates is provided using computing devices connected through a network by managing the scheduling of visitation sessions and use of shared visitation session resources, ensuring the identities of the inmate and the person with whom the inmate is to interact in the virtual visitation session, and by monitoring the interactions and communications during the virtual visitation sessions to detect prohibited activities. Another embodiment of the invention uses a virtual desktop shared from a remote server to ensure that an inmate does not have access to prohibited applications or content during a virtual visitation session.
US09979752B1

Selective regulation of information transmission from mobile applications to a third-party privacy compliant target system. A privacy policy is configured for and mapped to each of a multiplicity of mobile application concerns, with each privacy policy comprising rules regulating the transmission of information to a third-party privacy compliant target system. Instrumentation instructions can be integrated with a mobile application and provided to a mobile device. The instrumentation instructions direct the mobile application to submit a privacy policy request comprising a mobile application identifier from the mobile device to a third-party privacy compliance system and enable sending information from the mobile device to the third-party privacy compliant target system, subject to the privacy policy. The privacy policy request is received at the third-party privacy compliance system which selects the privacy policy based on an application identifier and sends the privacy policy to the mobile device for implementation.
US09979748B2

Domain classification based on lexical and semantic processing of target domains is provided. A target domain name or URL may undergo a lexical analysis to identify language indicating a potential association with malware. In response to a positive identification, the system may identify the domain name as potentially malicious and/or perform additional analysis. A semantic analysis of content associated with the target domain name may be performed. A corpus of information for content associated with malware is provided. The content of the webpage associated with the target domain name may be analyzed and compared to the corpus to identify potential similarity with malicious content. If the content for the target domain name meets a threshold similarity with malicious content from the corpus, the domain name may be flagged as malicious and added to a block list, for example.
US09979744B1

Various embodiments of the present invention generally relate to identity authentication and/or recognition. Some embodiments provide a method for determining when a user may engage in a restricted activity, including engaging in an initial contact with a user via a medium for exchange, receiving a request to engage in an activity, determining an activity trust threshold required for the activity, determining an initial identity trust score for the user, and comparing the initial identity trust score with the activity trust threshold. Based on the comparison, the user is either allowed to engage in the activity, rejected from engaging in the activity, or additional identifying information is collected.
US09979731B1

Apparatus and method for providing unique device identification values for a network accessible device. In accordance with some embodiments, a unique device identifier value is generated in response to a data exchange operation with a network accessible device. The identifier value is subsequently transmitted by the device as a unique device identifier value in conjunction with the transmitting of a request for a subsequent data exchange operation with the device.
US09979729B2

A method for controlling access to a system for supporting home control activities includes hierarchical authorization of the user. Access in an online mode, in which there is a connection between a central platform and a home control device, is granted by the central platform, in particular user rights are derived, and the user only has the right of access to the home control device if the right of access to the central platform is in place. In an offline mode, rights stored locally on the home control device control access. Access to the applications is granted by the home control device, in particular application-specific user rights are derived, and a user only has the right of access to the applications if the right of access to both the home control device and also to the central platform is in place.
US09979723B1

Obtaining and/or validating user credentials at client devices is described. A phrase may be generated based on one or more index values determined according to a function of time and a credential identifier identifying a user credential. The phrase may be output by the client device for validating the user credential.
US09979722B2

Systems and methods of processing a real-time communication in web-browsers (RTCWEB) authentication by a first server are disclosed. These include receiving a message from a first user equipment including a first identity of a first user, a first fingerprint of the first user equipment and a first signature generated from a first Identity provider (IdP), sending a call offer message including the first identity, the first fingerprint and the first signature to a second server associated with a second user equipment, receiving from the second server a first challenge message that request an authentication for the first identity, and redirecting the first user equipment to access the second server.
US09979721B2

Disclosed are a method, server, client and system for verifying a verification code. The method includes: sending a verification picture to a client according to a verification request from the client; acquiring from the client voice information that is input by a user according to the verification picture; and processing the voice information and performing verification according to acquired voiceprint information and/or text information. The server includes a sending module, an acquiring module and a verifying module. The client includes a receiving module, an acquiring module and a sending module. The system includes a server and a client. It may be effectively distinguished as whether the verification code is submitted by the user or by others, such that the problem of manual coding is effectively solved, and the operating cost of the server side is reduced and the overhead is saved.
US09979717B2

A technique for hardening the entry of user credentials in web sites is described. A headless web browser authenticates the user to a target web site with credentials previously stored in a secure database, and generates a session cookie. The headless browser provides the session cookie to the user's web browser, allowing the user to continue the session established by the headless browser.
US09979713B2

Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for scored factor-based authentication. A verification service can receive an authentication request from a requestor, wherein the authentication request identifies a transaction. The verification service can determine a risk associated with the transaction, an authentication score based upon the risk, and a number of groups of authentication factors, each of which can satisfy the authentication score. The verification service can provide factor group data identifying the number of groups of authentication factors to the requestor.
US09979712B2

Disclosed are various embodiments for synchronizing authentication sessions between applications. In one embodiment, a first authentication token is received from a first application in response to determining that the first application is authenticated with a service provider. A second authentication token is requested from a token exchange service associated with the service provider. The second authentication token is requested using the first authentication token. The second application is configured to use the second authentication token in order to access a resource of the service provider.
US09979711B2

A first network device configured as a first Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) Tunnel Endpoint (VTEP) may receive a packet from a second network device. The first VTEP may determine that the second network device is a second VTEP and has not been established as a peer VTEP to the first VTEP. The first VTEP may maintain a status for the second network device as authentication pending, receive an authentication packet from the second network device and authenticating the second network device as a peer VTEP using the authentication packet.
US09979708B2

In some examples, a device may include at least one communication interface configured to exchange signals with another device, and a pairable component configured to: assure the another device of mutual proximity by exchange of at least two progressively increasing locator signals and corresponding acknowledgement signals, receive executable validating code from the another device, execute the validating code, output a self-validating result of executing the validating code, verify pairing with the another device, and generate a secret key to ensure a private exchange of data between the mutually proximate, paired, and validated device and another device.
US09979701B2

Disclosed is a content management system comprising: a server; a content database, configured within the server, within which are stored one or more channels, each channel comprising one or more stories, each story comprising a title and one or more files; and one or more user devices connected to the network, each user device being associated with a user, each user device being configured to allow the associated user to view one or more stories from a channel to which the associated user has viewing rights. The title of each story and the names of the files contained in the story are stored obfuscated in the content database, and the files are stored encrypted in the content database.
US09979699B1

A system for establishing a trusted end-to-end communication link between different NFV networks is disclosed. The system comprises a server operating in a trusted security zone and configured to generate and send a trust ticket, a communication request, and disable communication with the first NFV network. The system further comprises a virtual machine executing virtualized network functions and a session border controller. The session border controller is configured to receive the trust ticket, request, and trusted data from the first server; transmit the trust ticket and request to a second session border controller, wherein the trust ticket and request are transmitted to a second server associated with a second NFV network, and receive a response and second trust ticket from the second NFV network, compare the first and second trust ticket for compatibility, and transmit the trusted data if the trust tickets are compatible.
US09979698B2

Local internet functionality may allow host devices positioned in branch office locations to securely communicate outgoing internet traffic directly over the internet. Local internet functionality may also allow said host devices to securely receive incoming internet traffic through the creation and tracking of local internet sessions. Local internet functionality is achieved by forwarding egress internet traffic over a local internet virtual pathway extending to a WAN interface/port of a local host device. The WAN interface/port is configured to communicate traffic received over the local internet virtual pathway directly over the internet, while communicating all other egress traffic over secure tunnels of the virtual edge router. The WAN interface/port is further configured to monitor outgoing local internet traffic to create and track local internet sessions.
US09979688B2

Control pertaining to a notification and so on is performed without a user needing to carry out a troublesome operation prior to a notification. A notification control device includes an image analyzing unit that makes a first determination of determining whether a user is present in a predetermined location by analyzing image data of an image captured by an imaging unit, and a notification control unit that gives a predetermined notification to the user in a case in which it is determined in the first determination that the user is present in the predetermined location and refrains from giving the predetermined notification to the user in a case in which it is determined that the user is not present in the predetermined location.
US09979687B2

A system, method and apparatus for executing scripts to provide offline prompts in a social networking application are provided. A social networking application operating on a mobile device in an offline mode receives an input comprising a sequence of characters from a user of the mobile device. The social networking application executes a script that was received by the mobile device while being operated in an online mode. The script analyzes each character of the user input as each character is received by the mobile device, and generates a prioritized list of social network contact identifiers, wherein the prioritized list is a prediction of social network contact identifiers associated with the content of the user input and data associated with the script. The social networking application further causes the prioritized list of social network contact identifiers to be provided to the user in response to the user input.
US09979679B2

A method and system are provided for enabling applications on a mobile device to utilize a peer-to-peer platform on the mobile device. The method comprises providing an interface between an application and a peer-to-peer (P2P) platform on the mobile device; obtaining data from the application; using the P2P platform to include the data from the application in a P2P message; and sending the P2P message to another mobile device to enable a complementary application on the other mobile device to utilize the data from the application.
US09979664B2

A method for data communication between a first node and a second node over a data paths coupling the first node and the second node includes transmitting messages between the first node and the second node over the data paths including transmitting at least some of the messages over a first data path using a first communication protocol, and transmitting at least some of the messages over a second data path using a second communication protocol and determining that the first data path is altering a flow of messages over the first data path due to the messages being transmitted using the first communication protocol, and in response to the determining, adjusting a number of messages sent over the data paths including decreasing a number of the messages transmitted over the first data path and increasing a number of messages transmitted over the second data path.
US09979658B2

When a proxy device is used between a transmission terminal and a reception terminal, receives final data from the transmission terminal, and fails immediately thereafter, a situation is avoided where transmission is completed in the transmission terminal, but reception is not completed in the reception terminal. There is provided a means for not returning ACK when a data packet is received in a state in which there is no data which waits for ACK and transmission of which is in progress, and there is no data which waits for arrangement and reception of which is in progress in the proxy device, for returning ACK for data received one step before when a data packet is received in a state in which there is data which waits for ACK and transmission of which is in progress, or there is data which waits for arrangement and reception of which is in progress.
US09979657B2

Offloading traffic to edge data centers in a content delivery network (CDN). It is determined that traffic at the edge data center should be offloaded to the other edge data centers. A priority level is determined for requesting the offloading of traffic to the other edge data centers. An offload request is sent to each of the other edge data centers, each offload request indicating the determined priority level. One or more replies are received from one or more of the other edge data centers, including one or more replies indicating that resources are available for use by the load balancer agent. The one or more replies are sorted to identify at least one edge data center for offloading traffic, and traffic is offloaded to the at least one identified edge data center.
US09979651B2

A method and apparatus of a device that determines a match for a destination address using an exact match table and a longest prefix match table of a network element is described. In an exemplary embodiment, the network element receives a data packet that includes a destination address. The network element generates a key for the destination address, wherein the key represents more addresses than the destination address. The network element further performs an address lookup using the key in an exact match table. Furthermore, a match in the address lookup indicates a first transmitting interface of the network element. The network element additionally performs an address lookup using the destination address with a longest prefix match table, wherein a match in the address lookup indicates a second transmitting interface of the network element. In addition, the network element determines a resulting transmitting interface based on results from the exact match table address lookup and the longest prefix match address lookup. The network element forwards the data packet using the transmitting interface.
US09979648B1

Entropy in routing tables may be increase to perform packet forwarding. Hash tables that store forwarding routes may be divided into multiple hash table segments. Forwarding routes may be stored across the hash table segments in different route segments. When looking up route segments to identify a forwarding route for a destination address of a network packet, digest values generated for previous route segments may be used to determine hash key values to identify hash table entries in a different hash table segment. The forwarding route may be identified according to the hash table entries located based on the digest values for previous route segments.
US09979632B2

Data traffic loss in a an Ethernet Ring that is multihomed, in an active-standby manner, to a VPLS transport network (such as a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) multihomed Ethernet Ring, an MC-LAG multihomed Ethernet Ring, or some other type of active-standby multihomed Ethernet Ring, etc.) (ring) is avoided. The exemplary multihomed ring running Ethernet Ring Protection (ERP) protocol includes a Ring Protection Link (RPL), a first node and a second node linked with a designated border router and a standby border router of the network, respectively. The data traffic loss in the multihomed ring is avoided by (i) receiving an indication that the link between the first node and the designated border router has failed; and (ii) invoking, responsive to the received indication, an ERP Media Access Control (MAC)-flush in the ring, even in the absence of a failed link in the ring and without activating the specified RPL. The ERP MAC-flush causes subsequent data packets from each of the plurality of nodes in the ring to be forwarded to the standby border router via the second node.
US09979629B2

A method and system are disclosed for distributing (advertising) segment identifiers in network functions virtualization and/or software defined networking environments. An exemplary method includes receiving a route advertisement that includes a prefix with a forwarding address for a first network element and receiving a segment identifier (SID) advertisement that includes a prefix SID for the prefix. The route advertisement may be received from a second network element proxying control plane functions for the first network element. Reachability information for the first network element is updated based on the route advertisement and the SID advertisement.
US09979625B2

A uniform protocol can facilitate secure, authenticated communication between a controller device and an accessory device that is controlled by the controller. An accessory and a controller can establish a pairing, the existence of which can be verified at a later time and used to create a secure communication session. The accessory can provide an accessory definition record that defines the accessory as a collection of services, each service having one or more characteristics. Within a secure communication session, the controller can interrogate the characteristics to determine accessory state and/or modify the characteristics to instruct the accessory to change its state.
US09979615B2

In one embodiment, a monitoring device (or module) monitors messages exchanged between nodes in a communication network. The monitoring device further determines, based on time stamp data associated with each message, one or more latency distributions of paired response times between the nodes, and determines a node topology consistent with each of the one or more latency distributions of paired response times between the nodes. In some embodiments, the monitoring device also generates a graph of the node topology showing one or more communication links between the nodes, and annotates each communication link of the one or more communication links with at least one of a mean response time or a median response time based on at least one of the latency distributions.
US09979613B2

Provided is a method of analyzing network traffic in a computer network. An Internet Protocol (IP) flow record of an IP flow in a computer network is selected. The selected IP flow record and additional IP flow records corresponding to the IP flow of the selected IP flow record are analyzed to obtain information related to the network traffic in the computer network.
US09979607B2

A method for diagnosing system anomalies and presenting recommended solutions is described. The method comprises receiving current component performance data and historical component performance data regarding performance of a component of a multi-tier system. A baseline tier performance for each tier and a baseline component performance is determined. A cause of an anomaly in the performance of the component is determined by discovering deviations in current component performance data and current tier performance in compared to their baseline values. Based on these deviations, a recommended procedure for addressing the cause of the anomaly is determined. A display is formatted within a user interface of the recommended procedure for addressing the cause of the anomaly in the performance of the component.
US09979604B2

Providing integrated LTE-B network and service management is disclosed. Changes to an LTE or LTE-B network can be propagated in real-time, or near-real-time, to a mapping profile representative of the LTE or LTE-B network. This mapping profile can be employed in updating the LTE or LTE-B network. Further, the mapping profile can be employed in establishing a new LTE-B session, adapting an existing LTE-B session, maintaining an existing LTE-B session, etc. Access to a reporting rule can enable the LTE or LTE-B network to proactively report changes to the LTE or LTE-B network. Integrated LTE-B network and service management can be integrated and/or centralized, such as, at a carrier-network, core-component. Moreover, integrated LTE-B network and service management can be virtualized.
US09979601B2

A system and method are disclosed for generating segment routing (SR) segment lists. In one embodiment, a node receives information that identifies a path from a first node to a second node. Based on the received path, a set of segment identifiers that encodes the path is generated. A packet that is forwarded along the set of segment identifiers travels the received path.
US09979599B2

A data communication architecture delivers a wide variety of content, including audio and video content, to consumers. The architecture employs channel bonding to deliver more bandwidth than any single communication channel can carry. In some implementations, the communication architecture communicates content according to an initial bonding configuration. The communication architecture may adjust the bonding configuration to adapt to bonding environment changes affecting the communication capabilities or requirements associated with transmitting the content.
US09979598B2

A description of IT assets of the IT system is retrieved. The description of the IT assets includes an indication of characteristics of each IT asset and an indication of relations among the IT assets. The IT assets are grouped into asset groups by verifying the characteristics and the relations of the IT assets against affinity criteria in decreasing order of an affinity level of corresponding affinity criteria. A description of target platforms eligible to host the IT assets is retrieved. At least part of the IT assets of the asset groups is mapped onto selected one or more of the target platforms by verifying the characteristics and/or the relations of the IT assets of the asset groups. A proposed configuration of the IT system is generated. The proposed configuration hosts each mapped IT asset on the corresponding selected target platform.
US09979597B2

The present methods and apparatus relate to managing interference associated with a configuration of a self-organizing network (SON) during wireless communication, comprising receiving, at a first radio access technology (RAT) entity, measurement information from a user equipment (UE) for assisting with interference management at a second RAT entity, wherein the first RAT entity is collocated with the second RAT entity; and configuring the second RAT entity based at least in part on the measurement information received by the first RAT entity. In a further aspect, the present methods and apparatus comprise embedding, by a first RAT entity, RAT entity-specific information of a second RAT entity in a management indication, wherein the first RAT entity and the second RAT entity are collocated; and transmitting the management indication to one or both of a UE and another first RAT entity.
US09979596B2

Configuration items of an environment for a client of a configuration discovery service are identified. A view category is selected for the target environment. A set of configuration items for which information regarding recent configuration changes is to be provided is identified. Data which can be used to display a graphical representation of at least a portion of the environment and the configuration changes is transmitted.
US09979579B2

A method and an apparatus for receiving broadcast signals thereof are disclosed. The apparatus for receiving broadcast signals, the apparatus comprises a receiver to receive the broadcast signals, a demodulator to demodulate the received broadcast signals by an OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex) scheme, a frame parser to parse a signal frame from the demodulated broadcast signals, wherein the signal frame includes service data corresponding to each of a plurality of physical paths, a time deinterleaver to time deinterleave service data in each physical path by a TI (Time Interleaving) block, wherein the time deinterleaver further performs inserting at least one virtual FEC block into at least one TI block of the service data, wherein each TI block includes a variable number of FEC blocks of the service data, wherein a number of the at least one virtual FEC block is defined based on a maximum number of FEC blocks of a TI block and a decoder to decode the time deinterleaved service data.
US09979573B1

A method may generate a demodulated sine component for a sequence of samples of a servo burst window of a position error signal using a sine weight look up table and generate a demodulated cosine component for the sequence of samples of the servo burst window of the position error signal using a cosine weight look up table. The sine weight and the cosine weight look up tables may have indexes representing a phase range. The method may generate a demodulated phase component signal and a demodulated amplitude component signal for the sequence of samples of the servo burst window of the position error signal based on the demodulated sine component and the demodulated cosine component using a Coordinate Rotation Digital Computer at least in part by iteratively rotating a vector based on the demodulated sine component and the demodulated cosine component and summing angular changes in the vector.
US09979566B2

Disclosed herein are high performance systems with low latency error correction as well as related devices and methods. In some embodiments, high performance systems may include: central processing units, adapter chips, and switch chips connected via channels, each chip including link level forward error correction and link level replay, where errors at or below a threshold level are corrected by forward error correction and remaining errors are corrected using replay. In some embodiments, high performance systems may include: central processing units, adapter chips, and switch chips connected via channels, each chip including link level forward error correction, link level replay, and a multiplexer for determining which error correction technique to use based on the number of errors and an error threshold level.
US09979563B2

The present invention relates to wireless network technologies, and particularly to a chain-type wireless sensor network-oriented hybrid media access control (MAC) method. The present invention fully considers features of a chained or linear topology of a wireless sensor network applied in power transmission line monitoring and the like, adopts different access policies at different periods of the network, and proposes a method of time division access control Pipelined TDMA during busy periods and contention access control S-XMAC during idle periods. During busy periods, a pipelined scheduling transmission method is used to avoid the problem of hidden terminals so as to improve transmission reliability and resource utilization. During idle periods, different MAC parameters are set for cluster head members and ordinary cluster members, so that the cluster head members can respond to requests in a more timely manner, and meanwhile, the ordinary cluster members save energy as much as possible, thereby meeting requirements for network real-time quality of the application system while saving energy of the network.
US09979557B2

An apparatus is disclosed for delivering layer-2 services over a layer-3 network. The apparatus includes a layer-2 module for transmitting and receiving layer-2 packets over a first communication network, and a layer-3 module for converting the layer-2 packet into a format that can be transmitted over a conventional layer-3 network. The converted layer-2 packet is transmitted with sufficient information to allow reconstruction of the original layer-2 packet at the destination device. The apparatus can also be configured to simultaneously transmit and receive layer-2 packets and layer-3 packets over the layer3 network.
US09979553B2

Disclosed are various examples of securely distributing certificates to client devices. A uniform resource locator (URL) is sent to a client device, wherein the URL represents an address from which the client device can request a user certificate. A certificate for a registration authority is sent to the client device, wherein the certificate comprises a first public key and a first private key. A certificate signing request (CSR) received from the client device at the URL is decrypted, wherein the CSR is encrypted with the first public key. The CSR is validated based at least in part on the URL sent to the client device. The user certificate is then sent to the client device.
US09979549B2

There is provided an information processing apparatus including a key selection section configured to select one out of a plurality of different secret keys, in a public key authentication scheme or a digital signature scheme in which each of the plurality of secret keys exists for one public key registered in a verifier, and a process execution section configured to execute, by using the secret key selected by the key selection section, an authentication process with the verifier by the public key authentication scheme or a digital signature generation process to the verifier by the digital signature scheme.
US09979542B2

Embodiments relate to deduplication and compression on data performed downstream from where the data is encrypted. Confidentiality of data is maintained, and the ability of storage systems to perform data reduction functions is supported. Encrypted data to be written to a storage system is separated into one or more data chunks. For a data chunk, a master encryption key for an owning entity associated with the data chunk is retrieved. The data chunk is decrypted into plaintext, and the plaintext is transformed by performing one or more advanced data functions. A private key is created and used to encrypt the transformed plaintext, which is stored as a first encryption unit. A wrapped key is created by encrypting the private key with the master key, limits data access to the owning entity, and is stored as metadata for the encryption unit.
US09979540B2

A storage device contains a smart-card device and a memory device, both connected to a controller. The storage device may be used in the same manner as a conventional smart-card device, or it may be used to store a relatively large amount of data in various partitions. One of these partitions may be a read-only partition that is normally accessible only for read accesses. However, it may sometimes be necessary to update or supplement the data stored in the read-only partition. This is accomplished by a host issuing an appropriate command to the storage device, which may be accompanied by an identifier for an appropriate level of authorization. The controller then changes the attribute of the read-only partition from “read-only” to “read/write” to allow data to be written to the partition. Upon completion, the controller changes the attribute of the partition back to read-only.
US09979536B2

An encryption device 200 outputs a ciphertext ct including a ciphertext c and a ciphertext c˜. The ciphertext c has been set with one of attribute information x and attribute information v related to each other. The ciphertext c˜ has been set with one of attribute information y and attribute information z related to each other. A decryption device 300 outputs a re-encryption key rk including a decryption key k*rk, a decryption key k˜*rk, and encrypted conversion information ϕrk. The decryption key k*rk is obtained by converting the decryption key k* which is set with the other one of attribute information x and attribute information v, with conversion information W1,t. The decryption key k˜*rk has been set with the other one of the attribute information y and the attribute information z. The encrypted conversion information ϕrk is obtained by encrypting the conversion information W1,t by setting one of attribute information x′ and attribute information v′ related to each other. A re-encryption device 400 outputs a re-ciphertext ret including a ciphertext crenc and a decryption key k*renc. The ciphertext crenc is obtained by setting one of additional information H and additional information Θ to the ciphertext ct. The decryption key k*renc is obtained by setting the other one of the additional information H and the additional information Θ to the re-encryption key rk.
US09979516B2

It is intended to provide a transmission device, a reception device and a communication system capable of improving transmission characteristics by performing packet combining by HARQ in MU-MIMO transmission using non-linear precoding.In a case of receiving NAK from any of terminal devices (400), a base station device (100) retransmits a packet, in which an error occurs, addressed to this terminal device. The base station device (100) transmits the data to be retransmitted together with other transmission data addressed to a different terminal device or addressed to the own terminal device by spatial multiplexing transmission with MU-MIMO. At this time, for the retransmission data, precoding is performed such that a perturbation term same as a perturbation term which has been added to this data by non-linear precoding at the time of initial transmission is added.
US09979510B2

The SACK scoreboard is used in slow recovery and the SACK scoreboard and an application programmed timeout are used to determine the initial CWND in slow recovery. The CWND is calculated so that all packets will be recovered before the application times out. A new socket option is provided for an application to program an application timeout (say APP_TO). This value is used in conjunction with the RTT (round trip time) to determine the initial CWND value to insure completion before timeout. Along with the timeout, the application can also set the mode as “soft,” where the CWND value is set to “1” as conventional but when that packet is ACKed, the CWND value is increased immediately to a modified calculated value to allow timely recovery.
US09979494B2

A system for testing electromagnetic compatibility of electrical devices includes a plurality of mobile-ground-planes and a fixed-ground-plane. Each of the plurality of mobile-ground-planes is individually customizable to provide a test-fixture for testing a selected instance of an electrical device. The fixed-ground-plane is configured to receive an instance of the plurality of mobile-ground-planes to overlay the fixed-ground plane and form a direct electrical contact between a bottom-side of the instance of the plurality of mobile-ground-planes and a top-side of the fixed-ground-plane. Optionally, the system includes an air-nozzle used to generate an air-gap between the instance of the plurality of mobile-ground-planes and the fixed-ground-plane while the instance of the plurality of mobile-ground-planes is being placed onto the fixed-ground-plane when gas passes through the air-nozzle.
US09979493B2

Transport of differential signals is provided. In one aspect, a telecommunications system includes a first unit and a second unit. The first unit can calculate a differential signal from an original signal. The differential signal can represent a change in signal levels between constant time intervals in the original signal. The second unit can estimate the original signal from the differential signal received from the first unit over a communication medium.
US09979490B2

An optical data transmission method comprising partitioning an optical signal into a plurality of frequency sub-bands, generating a signal frequency mapping that rearranges the plurality of frequency sub-bands, choosing a plurality of frequency components based on the signal frequency mapping to form a set of frequency components, and transmitting the set of frequency components using frequency diversity transmission. An optical data receiving method comprising obtaining a signal frequency mapping for an original signal, receiving an optical signal that comprises a plurality of frequency sub-bands, re-arranging the plurality of frequency sub-bands using the signal frequency mapping to generate a restored original signal, and processing the restored original signal to recover an original data sequence.
US09979482B2

An optical source (10) comprising: a first laser (12) arranged to generate a first optical signal (14) having a first state of polarization and a first optical frequency; a second laser (16) arranged to generate a second optical signal (18, 48, 78) having a second state of polarization, substantially orthogonal to the first state of polarization, and having a second optical frequency, different to the first optical frequency by a preselected frequency difference, Δν; a polarization beam coupler (20) arranged to combine the first optical signal and the second optical signal into a composite optical signal comprising both the first optical signal and the second optical signal having said substantially orthogonal states of polarization; and an output (22) arranged to output the composite optical signal (24).
US09979479B2

A communications cable is disclosed. The cable includes a first circuit configured to receive electrical data signals from a data source via an input connector, and convert the electrical data signals into optical signals for transmission by way of one or more optical fibers. The cable includes a second circuit configured to convert the optical signals received via the one or more optical fibers back to electrical data signals for providing to a data sink via an output connector. The cable includes a third circuit for applying pre- and post-signal conditioning to bi-directional control data for transmission to and received from the data sink via wires. The cable includes a fourth circuit for applying pre- and post-signal conditioning to bi-directional control data for transmission to and received from the data source via wires. The pre- and post-signal conditioning compensate for capacitance and/or resistance effects on the signals introduced by the wires.
US09979474B2

An information transmission system includes a transmission apparatus and a reception apparatus and uses visible lights as transmission media. The transmission apparatus includes a generating unit and a first replace unit. The generating unit generates a multi-value symbol stream. The first replace unit replaces the multi-value symbol stream generated by the generating unit to a discontinuous symbol stream. The discontinuous symbol stream is a symbol stream without a sequence of identical symbol values. The number of identical symbol values in the sequence is equal to or greater than a predetermined number. The reception apparatus includes an acquiring unit and a second replace unit. The acquiring unit acquires the discontinuous symbol stream. The second replace unit replaces the discontinuous symbol stream acquired by the acquiring unit to the multi-value symbol stream according to a predetermined rule.
US09979468B2

It is difficult in an optical network to achieve fault recovery in case of multiple failures without decreasing the usage efficiency of the optical network; therefore, an optical communication system according to an exemplary aspect of the present invention includes an optical network management device including an optical path setting means for setting, to a physical route differing from each other, a backup path corresponding to each of a plurality of active paths on an identical physical route, and a failure-case optical path setting means for setting a failure-case backup path with a compressed band of the backup path, to a physical route without a failure in a case where failures arising on more than one physical route among the physical routes; and an optical node device including an optical transceiver means for transmitting and receiving optical signals using failure-case backup path information resulting from setting by the failure-case optical path setting means.
US09979460B2

An antenna system includes a donor antenna sub-system, a server antenna sub-system, and a processor to optimize the gain of the repeater in the system. The gain in the antenna system is increased by optimizing the isolation between the donor and/or server antenna sub-systems according to a cost function.
US09979457B2

A method and apparatus for performing a beamforming training for a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) operation in a wireless local area network is provided. The apparatus assigns at least one of a plurality of sector groups with respect to each of a plurality of array antennas. The apparatus determines a sector used for a data transmission during a sector sweep by transmitting a plurality of sector sweep messages in the plurality of sector groups through the plurality of array antennas to responders simultaneously.
US09979439B2

An apparatus and a method are provided for efficiently transmitting emergency information in a wireless charging network. The method includes receiving wireless charging power from a wireless power transmitter; detecting an occurrence of an emergency situation; generating an emergency signal including information of the emergency situation; and transmitting the generated emergency signal to the wireless power transmitter.
US09979438B2

Techniques for automatically configuring and controlling a digital media device are described. A digital media device can be configured or controlled by a mobile device, e.g., a smart mobile phone. When the digital media device is being configured, the digital media device can broadcast a signal, indicating that the digital media device is requesting configuration information from a mobile device. A mobile device located in proximity of the digital media device, upon detecting the signal, can perform various security checks to determine that the request is legitimate, and then open a communication channel with the digital media device. The mobile device can provide user preferences of the mobile device, as well as credentials for accessing and downloading remote content, to the digital media device through the communication channel. Upon receiving the configuration information, the digital media device can use parameters in the configuration information as its settings.
US09979434B2

An apparatus comprising a blanker configured to provide a plurality of blanked signals, each blanked signal corresponding to a respective correlator channel signal of a plurality of correlator channel signals. The correlator channel signal is obtainable based on the respective blanked signal and a respective signal replica of a plurality of signal replicas, the signal replicas being shifted with respect to each other. The blanker is configured to obtain each blanked signal based on applying a respective thresholding scheme to a respective signal component of a plurality of signal components derived from a received spread-spectrum signal. The respective thresholding scheme is based on the respective signal component and the signal replica based on which the correlator channel signal corresponding to the respective blanked signal is obtainable. A receiver comprising such an apparatus is provided as is a method comprising providing a plurality of blanked signals.
US09979428B2

A hand strap for an electronic apparatus is provided with a first gripper, which is attached to a rear surface of an electronic apparatus in a removable manner, and a second gripper. The first gripper has a main body and an accommodation portion. The second gripper includes a fixed portion and an extra-long portion, one end of which is a free end. The extra-long portion is accommodated inside the accommodation portion, and can adjust the entire length of the second gripper. A finger accommodation space in which a finger other than a thumb is disposed between the first gripper and the second gripper, is defined. By gripping the first gripper with the pad and the tip end of a finger other than a thumb, it is possible to perform operation with a thumb over a wide area of a touch panel while holding an electronic apparatus with one hand.
US09979426B2

A watch-type mobile terminal including an antenna is provided. The watch-type mobile terminal may include a body configuring an external appearance of a watch and operating as a loop antenna, a plurality of feeding units applying each of a plurality of communication signals to the loop antenna, and a ground part connected to a ground of the watch. In this case, the body may include a metal housing connected to the ground part and corresponding to an outer loop, a metal bezel connected to the plurality of feeding units and corresponding to the inner loop, and a slot member disposed between the metal housing and the metal bezel to electrically disconnect the metal housing from the metal bezel. An antenna for providing a plurality of communication services may be provided.
US09979424B2

A signal detection method includes: retrieving a first period component of a signal and at least one second period component adjacent to the first period component; squaring a subtraction result of the first period component and each of the at least one second period component to calculate at least one first square value to further obtain a first detection parameter; squaring an addition result of the first period component and each of the at least one second period component to calculate at least one second square value to further obtain a second detection parameter; dividing the second detection parameter by the first detection parameter to obtain a detection function; determining that the signal is detected when the value of the detection function is greater than or equal to a threshold, or else determining that the signal is not detected.
US09979411B1

An exemplary circuit includes a tracking circuit, a current estimator, a switch control logic, and a switching load circuit. The tracking circuit tracks a digital output signal of a delta-sigma modulator (DSM) and provides a tracking signal representing an average of the digital output signal during a time period. The current estimator determines an amount of loading to be applied to positive and negative reference voltages based on the tracking signal. The switching load circuit is coupled to positive and negative reference voltages of the DSM, the switching load circuit connects a selected amount of loading to the positive and negative reference voltages in response to a control signal to balance a reference load current applied to the DSM. The switch control logic provides the control signal to the switching load circuit based on the determined amount of loading to be applied to the positive and negative reference voltages.
US09979405B1

A digital PLL is disclosed. In one embodiment, the digital PLL includes a TDC coupled to receive a reference clock signal and feedback signal. The TDC includes a chain of serially-coupled delay elements. An oscillator in the PLL is configured to generate a periodic output signal. A divider is coupled to receive the periodic output signal and generate the feedback signal provided to the TDC. The digital PLL also includes a control circuit. During a phase-locking procedure, each of the serially-coupled delay elements is enabled for fast phase capture. However, once phase-lock has been detected by observing TDC output code, the control circuit is adaptively configured to disable all but a subset of the delay elements for saving power.
US09979399B2

A circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes eight MOD transistors and a capacitor, the first MOS transistor having a source coupled to a first predetermined supply voltage (VDDM), a second MOS transistor having a source coupled to a first predetermined supply voltage VDDM, a third MOS transistor having a source coupled to a drain of the first MOS transistor, a fourth MOS transistor having a source coupled to a drain of the second MOS transistor, a fifth MOS transistor having a source coupled to a drain of the third MOS transistor and a gate of the second MOS transistor, and a gate coupled to a gate of the third MOS transistor and an input node, and a drain coupled to ground, a sixth MOS transistor having a source coupled to a drain of the fourth MOS transistor and a gate of the first MOS transistor and an output node.
US09979396B1

An analog multiplexer includes inputs and one output. A switching circuit is coupled between each input and the output. Each switching circuit includes an NMOS switching module, having an on state and an off state, and a control module supplied by a first supply voltage and operating to reduce leakage currents of the NMOS switching module when in the off state. The control module further operates to make the first NMOS switching module bidirectional irrespective of voltages present at the input and at the output.
US09979393B2

The invention relates to a logic cell for an integrated circuit including at least one first variable-capacitance capacitor having first and second main electrodes separated by an insulating region, and a third control electrode capable of receiving a control voltage referenced to a reference node of the cell to vary the capacitance between the first and second main electrodes, the third electrode being coupled to a node of application of a first logic input signal of the cell, and the first and second electrodes being respectively coupled to a node of application of a cell power supply voltage and to a node for supplying a logic output signal of the cell.
US09979391B2

The invention relates to an operating unit (10) for an electrical apparatus, in particular a vehicle component such as, for example, a heating, ventilation and/or air conditioning installation, which is provided with a housing (12) having a front wall (14), with an operating strip (18) that projects beyond the front wall (14), which has an elongated operating surface (20) with a plurality of adjacently arranged operating fields (22, 24, 26, 28, 30), and with a support element (32) for the operating strip (18), which is arranged in the housing (12). The operating strip (18) is connected to the support element (32) by means of connecting webs (48) which protrude in the respective areas between the operating panels (22, 24, 26, 28, 30) of the operating strip (18). Flexible webs (50), which protrude from the operating strip (18) for each operating field and are connected to the support element (32), are arranged between the connecting webs (48), namely in an elastic manner and more flexible than the connections of the operating strip (18) to the support element (32) via the connecting webs (48). At least one operating field actuation sensor (70, 72) for detecting a local bending of the operating strip (18), when a manual actuating force is exerted on a operating field (22, 24, 26, 28, 30) of the operating strip (18), is arranged on the support element (32) for each flexible web (50). In addition, the operating unit (10) comprises an evaluation and operating unit (78) for receiving the signals of the operating panel actuating sensors (70, 72) and for determining, on the basis of said signals, the operating field (22, 24, 26, 28, 30) on which, upon manual actuation of the operating strip (18), the finger of one hand is applied, and for triggering an apparatus function that is associated with the respective operating field (22, 24, 26, 28, 30) corresponding to the determined operating field (22, 24, 26, 28, 30).
US09979388B2

The invention provides a bond wire arrangement comprising a signal bond wire (1) for operably connecting a first electronic device (6) to a second electronic device (8), and a control bond wire (2) being arranged alongside the signal bond wire at a distance so as to have a magnetic coupling with the signal bond wire (1), and having a first end (11) coupled to ground, and a second end (12) coupled to ground via a resistive element (14). The proposed solution allows the control of the Q factor (losses) of wire bond inductors during assembly phase, which will save time and reduce overall design cycle as compared to known methods.
US09979381B1

Methods and systems for clock gating are described herein. In certain aspects, a method for clock gating includes receiving an input signal of a flip-flop and an output signal of the flip-flop, and passing a clock signal to an input of a gate in the flip-flop if the input signal and the output signal have different logic values or both the input signal and the output signal have a logic value of zero. The method also includes gating the clock signal if both the input signal and the output signal have a logic value of one.
US09979380B2

A method for optimizing processor operation in a processing system including one or more digital filters is provided according to the invention. The method includes generating initial filter coefficients for the one or more digital filters of the processing system, determining one or more initial filter coefficients for at least one digital filter of the one or more digital filters that can be dropped and dropping the one or more initial filter coefficients. Dropping the one or more initial filter coefficients reduces a total number of filter coefficients to be used by the processing system.
US09979373B2

A filter circuit is provided having multipath interference mitigation. The filter includes a signal path extending from an input to an output. The signal path includes a conductive path and a ground. A pass band filter is disposed along the signal path between the input and the output. The pass band filter passes a first frequency spectrum in a provider bandwidth, and attenuates a second frequency spectrum in a home network bandwidth. The filter circuit further includes a multipath interference mitigation leg operatively branched from the signal path. The multipath interference mitigation leg increases a return loss of the home network bandwidth. A frequency response of the filter circuit is characterized by an insertion loss characteristic between the input and the output being less than 3 dB in the provider bandwidth, and more than 20 dB in the home network bandwidth.
US09979368B1

A method for automatically lowering the playing volume is disclosed. The method includes the following steps of: obtaining a first value according to a first playing volume and a first accumulated playing time of a sound player; determining whether the first value reaches a first threshold value; if yes, then lowering the first playing volume of the sound player to a second playing volume; obtaining a second value according to the second playing volume and a second accumulated playing time of the sound player; determining whether the second value reaches a second threshold value; if yes, then lowering the second playing volume of the sound player again, wherein the second threshold value is less than the first threshold value.
US09979366B2

The invention relates to the measurement and control of the perceived sound loudness and/or the perceived spectral balance of an audio signal. An audio signal is modified in response to calculations performed at least in part in the perceptual (psychoacoustic) loudness domain. The invention is useful, for example, in one or more of: loudness-compensating volume control, automatic gain control, dynamic range control (including, for example, limiters, compressors, expanders, etc.), dynamic equalization, and compensating for background noise interference in an audio playback environment. The invention includes not only methods but also corresponding computer programs and apparatus.
US09979365B2

The embodiments described herein include amplifiers that are typically used in radio frequency (RF) applications. The amplifiers described herein use a buffer that is implemented inside the device package. Specifically, the amplifiers can be implemented with a gate bias modulation buffer inside the device package, where the gate bias modulation buffer is configured to provide a modulated bias signal to a transistor gate of the amplifier.
US09979364B2

In a semiconductor device, a first variable gain amplifier and a second variable gain amplifier constitute a switched capacitor type variable gain amplifier. A selection switch switches connection among the first variable gain amplifier, the second variable gain amplifier, and a load circuit such that the first variable gain amplifier and the load circuit are connected to each other when an amplification factor of the first variable gain amplifier is a predetermined gain or less, and the second variable gain amplifier is connected between the first variable gain amplifier and the load circuit when the amplification factor of the first variable gain amplifier is larger than the predetermined gain.
US09979363B2

A source driver includes a buffer device including a plurality of buffers corresponding to a plurality of data lines, each of the plurality of buffers respectively including an amplifier configured to amplify an input signal and an output driver configured to output a driving signal to a corresponding data line among the plurality of data lines; and a switch device including a charge sharing switch configured to electrically connect the plurality of data lines to one another during a charge sharing operation, each of the amplifiers including a first current mirror having a reference current path including a first node and an output current path including a second node, and the first node of the reference current path and the second node of the output current path are electrically connected to each other during the charge sharing operation.
US09979362B2

A power amplifier include an amplifier including at least one field effect transistor (FET) that operates in an amplifying stage configured to amplify an input signal, and a body controller configured to control a bias voltage of a body terminal of the FET based on a power of the input signal. The body controller performs controlling so that the bias voltage of the body terminal is reduced in response to the power of the input signal being increased. Accordingly, such a power amplifier exhibits improved linearity.
US09979361B1

A packaged RF amplifier device includes a transistor, a first input circuit, and a second input circuit. The first input circuit includes a first series inductance coupled between an input lead and a first node, a second series inductance coupled between the first node and the transistor's control terminal, and a first shunt capacitance coupled between the first node and a ground reference. The second input circuit includes a first shunt inductance and a second shunt capacitance coupled in series between the input lead and the ground reference. The first input circuit and the second input circuit create a fundamental frequency match for the device. The second series inductance and the first shunt capacitance present a short circuit to the ground reference for RF energy at a second harmonic frequency.
US09979353B2

Aspects of the present disclosure are generally directed to a power supply for generating an output supply voltage. The power supply generally includes a variable voltage supply configured to generate an intermediate supply voltage based on a reference signal, a correction circuit configured to generate an error signal based on the output supply voltage or the intermediate supply voltage, and a combiner configured to combine the intermediate supply voltage and the error signal to provide the output supply voltage.
US09979350B2

An operational amplifier based circuit has an operational amplifier, a feedback circuit, and a compensation circuit block. The feedback circuit is coupled between an output port and an input port of the operational amplifier. The compensation circuit block has circuits involved in stability compensation of the operational amplifier, wherein there is no stability compensation circuit driven at the output port of the operational amplifier.
US09979348B2

A low voltage crystal oscillator (XTAL) driver with feedback controlled duty cycling for ultra low power biases an amplifier for an XTAL in the sub-threshold operating regime. A feedback control scheme can be used to bias the amplifier for an XTAL biased in the sub-threshold operating regime. The amplifier of a XTAL oscillator can be duty cycled to save power, e.g., the XTAL driver can be turned off to save power when the amplitude of the XTAL oscillation reaches a maximum value in range; but be turned back on when the amplitude of the XTAL oscillation starts to decay, to maintain the oscillation before it stops. In addition or alternatively, a feedback control scheme to duty cycle the amplifier of a XTAL oscillator can be used to monitor the amplitude of the oscillation.
US09979343B2

The disclosure provides a proportional control signal circuit (PCSC), an HVAC controller employing the same and an HVAC system including the HVAC controller. In one embodiment, the PCSC includes: (1) a signal input configured to receive a pulse width modulated signal, (2) a control input configured to receive an integration signal, (3) a signal output and (4) control circuitry, coupled to the signal input, the control input and the signal output, configured to provide either the pulse width modulated signal or a DC signal to the signal output based on the integration signal.
US09979339B2

A system includes one or more synchronous generators mechanically coupled to an excitation system. The excitation system is configured to output an excitation signal to excite the synchronous generator to produce a voltage and a current at an output of the synchronous generator. During startup of the synchronous generator, the excitation system may also output pulses of the excitation signal to initiate synchronism of one or more non-rotating electric motors electrically coupled to the synchronous generator. In addition, the pulses may be output to urge rotation of the non-rotating electric motors into rotational electrical alignment with the synchronous generator and each other.
US09979337B2

A method of controlling operation of a variable speed, constant frequency generator system is disclosed. During operation, loads may be added to or removed from the output of the generator system. A controller monitors the power output by the generator system and detects a change in the output power exceeding a predefined threshold. The change indicates the addition of a large electrical load. The controller quickly detects the change in power output and activates a relay to disconnect the load from the generator system. The controller then accelerates the engine of the generator system to maximum speed and reconnects the load to the output of the generator system.
US09979326B1

A device, system and method for starting a single-phase induction motor. The method includes: i) energizing the start winding (50b) and continuously estimating an operating rotation (R1) of the motor throughout its operation; ii) measuring a first phase shift level (D1) between at least two electrical quantities along a first stability stage (E1); iii) monitoring the variation of the first phase shift level (D1) according to the increase of the operating rotation of the motor along the first stability stage; iv) detecting an inflection stage (Einf) from the first phase shift level to a second phase shift level (D2), when the operating rotation is close to a regime rotation (R2); v) measuring the second phase shift level (D2) between at least two electrical quantities of the motor along a first stability stage (E2); and vi) de-energizing the start winding when the operating rotation reaches the regime rotation.
US09979320B2

A first driver portion comprises a set of first components mounted on or associated with a first circuit board. A second circuit board is spaced apart from the first circuit board. A second driver portion comprises a set of second components mounted on or associated with the second circuit board, where the first driver portion and the second driver portion collectively are adapted to provide input signals to the control terminal of each semiconductor switch of an inverter. A first edge connector is mounted on the first circuit board. A second edge connector is mounted on the second circuit board. An interface board has mating edges that mate with the first edge connector and the second edge connector.
US09979313B2

According to one aspect, embodiments of the invention provide a power supply system comprising an input configured to receive input AC power from an input power source, an output configured to provide output AC power to a load, a converter coupled to the input and configured to convert the input AC power into converted DC power, a first DC bus coupled to the converter and configured to receive the converted DC power, an inverter coupled to the first DC bus and the output and configured to convert DC power from the first DC bus into the output AC power, a first DC switch circuit coupled between the first DC bus and neutral and a controller coupled to the first DC switch circuit and configured to operate the first DC switch circuit such that voltage on the first DC bus is zero during switching operation of the converter and the inverter.
US09979311B2

Disclosed is a matrix converter that directly converts input three-phase AC power into three-phase AC power and outputs the converted three-phase AC power to a load. The matrix converter includes: a bidirectional switch circuit that switches on or off the supply of the three-phase AC power to the load; and a controller that performs different virtual AC/DC conversion processes according to a plurality of modes which are divided depending on magnitude correlation between respective phase voltages in the input three-phase AC power, with respect to the input three-phase AC power, selects two phases from the input three-phase AC power, and generates switching patterns of the bidirectional switch circuit so as to perform the different DC/AC conversion processes according to the plurality of modes with respect to line voltages of the two selected phases.
US09979299B2

In one example, a method includes activating, by a controller of a power converter, a switch of the power converter that controls an amount of energy provided by the power converter; receiving, by an input of the controller, a signal that represents an amount of current flowing through the switch; responsive to determining that the amount of current flowing through the switch is greater than or equal to a threshold amount of current, deactivating, by the controller, the switch; and responsive to determining that an amount of time elapsed since activation of the switch is greater than a threshold amount of time, deactivating, by the controller, the switch.
US09979292B2

A control circuit for driving a power switch in a switching power supply can include: a start-up transistor having a drain coupled to a drain of the power switch, and a source coupled to a drain voltage detecting circuit; a gate voltage detecting circuit configured to detect a gate voltage of the power switch, to compare the gate voltage against a first threshold voltage, and to change an on drive current and an off drive current in response thereto; and the drain voltage detecting circuit being configured to detect a drain voltage of the power switch, to compare the drain voltage against a second threshold voltage, and to change the on drive current and the off drive current in response thereto.
US09979291B2

An inverter apparatus is provided for converting direct current to alternating current. The inverter apparatus includes a boost converter coupled between a power source and a bypass circuit, and a power inverter coupled between the bypass circuit and a load to generate an output voltage. The output voltage is powered by the power source directly via the bypass circuit without activating the boost converter when the output voltage is smaller than a threshold voltage. The output voltage is powered by the power source boosted by the boost converter when the output voltage is larger than the threshold voltage. High efficiency is achieved by bypassed the boost converter.
US09979286B2

A power converting device, in one possible configuration, includes a chopper circuit with a first semiconductor switching device, a fast recovery diode, and an inductor of which one end is connected to a connection point connecting between the first semiconductor switching device and fast recovery diode; a series circuit, connected in parallel with the fast recovery diode, including a rectifying diode with a greater reverse recovery loss and a smaller forward voltage drop than those of the fast recovery diode, and a second semiconductor switching device. The second semiconductor switching device has a lower breakdown voltage and a smaller forward voltage drop than those of the first semiconductor switching device, is configured to turn on when the first semiconductor switching device is turned off, and is configured to turn off at a timing before the first semiconductor switching device shifts from an off-state to an on-state.
US09979280B2

A distributed power system wherein a plurality of power converters are connected in parallel and share the power conversion load according to a prescribed function, but each power converter autonomously determines its share of power conversion. Each power converter operates according to its own power conversion formula/function, such that overall the parallel-connected converters share the power conversion load in a predetermined manner.
US09979279B2

In electrical systems with DC-DC converters having synchronous rectification (SR) on the output stage, the input voltage can be monitored. When a potentially destructive transient occurs, the SR is rapidly turned on in a non-synchronous manner to “crowbar” the main power transformer. The resulting short circuit is reflected back to the DC input under current-limited pulse width modulation (PWM) control. In effect, the entire surge rating of the power train is applied to the potentially destructive input transient. The clamping capacity can be controlled accurately and is significantly more than what is available in prior art components and systems. When the input voltage is pulled down to safe levels, the clamp circuit disengages and the DC-DC converter returns to normal operation. DC output voltage regulation to the connected load is not maintained during this clamping event, but maintaining output voltage regulation during such destructive transients is not required.
US09979269B2

A micromechanical component includes a mount; a drive body on which at least one coil device is disposed and which is connected to the mount by way of at least one spring such that the drive body can be set into a driving motion by an interaction of a current conducted through the at least one coil device and a magnetic field present at the at least one coil device; and a control element connected to the drive body such a manner that a setting of the drive body into a driving motion causes the control element to be set into a deflection motion with at least one motion component directed about a rotation axis. At least one connecting element disposes the drive body and control element relative to each other such that the rotation axis extends at a spacing from a center of gravity of the drive body.
US09979265B2

A flat wire (36) that forms a stator coil (16) has an insertion portion (22) that is inserted into a slot (14), and a coil end portion (30) that protrudes from an end portion of the stator coil (16). An insulating layer of an adjacent portion (38) that is adjacent to a flat wire (36) of a different phase at the coil end portion (30) is thicker than an insulating layer in another region. Setting the thickness of the insulating layer of each part according to the required insulation performance in this way makes it possible to make the overall insulating layer thinner, and improve the in-slot space factor of the stator coil while ensuring insulation performance.
US09979264B2

A method for manufacturing a laminated rotor core comprises a first step of positioning and mounting a laminated core body 14 on a mounting table 17 of a carrying tray 16, a second step of positioning and arranging the laminated core body 14 mounted on a mounting table 17 on a lower die 28, the laminated core body 14 having permanent magnets 15 inserted into respective magnet insertion holes 11 and 12, and clamping the laminated core body 14 mounted on the mounting table 17 by an upper die 29 and a lower die 28, and a third step of pushing resin out of resin reservoir pots 42 provided in the lower die 28 and filling the respective corresponding magnet insertion holes 11 and 12 of the laminated core body 14 with the resin through resin passages 43 formed in the mounting table 17.
US09979261B2

In a brush holder accommodating part 26d of a gear housing 26, paired flat surface parts 26c and paired curved parts 26b are alternately disposed so as to be formed into an elliptical shape, one of the paired flat surface parts is formed with first heat sinks 26i, and two brushes 20 and 20 mounted on a brush holder unit 19 accommodated in the brush holder accommodating part 26d are disposed near the first heat sinks 26i.
US09979251B2

The present invention provides a substrate provided with a land to which the tip of a magnetic wire is to be soldered and a resin wall formed around and higher than the land. The resin wall has an inclined surface inclined at an angle greater than 90° with respect to the land.
US09979250B2

A stator includes a stator core and an insulator installed on an axial-direction end surface of the stator core. The stator core has a cylindrical part, a plurality of teeth, and a plurality of windings. The windings are wound around the teeth. Each winding has a first end and a second end. The insulator has a plurality winding grooves to support the second ends. Each winding groove has a first space and a second space. The first space includes an opening. The second space includes a tip part to catch the second end, and communicate with the first space via a bent part.
US09979249B2

A bus bar unit may include a bus bar; and a bus bar holder comprising a resin material and configured to hold the bus bar, wherein the bus bar includes a plurality of members comprising a metal. The plurality of members may include a bent member including a radial branch, a circumferential branch, and a bent portion between the radial branch and the circumferential branch. The radial branch may include a terminal portion provided at a second end portion. The circumferential branch may include a first connection portion provided at a second end. A connection portion may be configured by connecting the first connection portion and a second connection portion provided in a second one of the plurality of members, and at least a portion of the connection portion of the bus bar is held in the bus bar holder.
US09979247B2

A motor for a surgical instrument includes a rotor and a stator. The rotor includes a shaft and a magnet. The stator includes (i) a cavity in which the rotor is disposed, and (ii) a coil assembly. The coil assembly includes multiple phase sets. The phase sets include multiple sets of wires. Each of the phase sets includes multiple coils and corresponds to a respective one of the sets of wires. The coils in each of the phase sets are at respective positions about the rotor. One of the sets of wires includes at least three wires. The stator causes the rotor to axially rotate a surgical tool of the surgical instrument based on current received at the sets of wires.
US09979239B2

A wireless power transfer system includes a transmitter transducer, a signal generator and one or more power receivers. The signal generator may receive a first power signal from a power source and generate an alternating current transmission signal. The signal generator transmits the transmission signal to the transmitter transducer. The transmitter transducer may produce a magnetic field in a power transfer region during conduction of a transmission signal. The one or more power receivers may include a receiver transducer and a power processor. The receiver transducer may inductively receive a varying magnetic flux transmitted from the transmitter transducer when the receiver transducer is located in the power transfer region. The receiver transducer converts the received magnetic flux to a second power signal. The power processor converts the second power signal to a third power signal appropriate for a respective one or more loads.
US09979234B2

A resonant contactless electric energy transmitter configured to contactlessly supply electric energy to an electric energy receiver, can include: (i) a high frequency power supply configured to generate a high frequency AC power with a frequency that is the same as a leakage inductance resonant frequency, where the leakage inductance resonant frequency is obtained by detection of an output current of the high frequency power supply that corresponds to the high frequency AC power of a sequence of different frequencies during a frequency sweeping time period; and (ii) a transmitting resonant circuit comprising a transmitting coil, and being configured to receive the high frequency AC power from the high frequency power supply.
US09979233B2

The embodiment relates to an apparatus and a method for receiving wireless power. The apparatus for receiving the wireless power according to the embodiment includes: a coil to receive the power; and a metal member to be detected by the apparatus for transmitting wireless power, wherein the coil has an empty central region, the metal member is disposed in the empty central region of the coil, and the metal member includes a stainless steel plate.
US09979225B2

Wearable electronic devices and methods for powering wearable electronic devices are provided. A wearable electronic device includes a communication transponder, a processor, at least one storage unit and a kinetic energy system. The communication transponder wirelessly communicates with a further electronic device over a communication channel. The processor controls the communication transponder such that information is passed between the wearable electronic device and the further electronic device according to a predetermined operation mode involving interaction of the wearable and further electronic devices. The kinetic energy system converts kinetic energy collected from motion of the wearable electronic device to electrical energy, and distributes the electrical energy among the at least one energy storage unit and one or more other electrical components of the wearable electronic device based on a charge state of the at least one energy storage unit and the predetermined operation mode of the wearable electronic device.
US09979222B2

A method and device for wireless power transfer. The device includes a first sensor, a second sensor, and an electronic controller. The method includes determining, by the electronic controller, whether the first sensor senses a magnetic field. The method further includes determining, by the electronic controller, whether the second sensor senses the magnetic field. The method further includes determining, by the electronic controller, that the portable electronic device is in use when only the first sensor senses the magnetic field. The method further includes determining, by the electronic controller, that the portable electronic device is in storage when both the first and second sensors sense the magnetic field.
US09979216B1

A high-power charging plug is disclosed. The charging plug comprises a case body having an installation cavity disposed therein, installation holes disposed at both sides thereof, front terminal holes disposed on a front side thereof, and back terminal holes disposed on a back side thereof; a terminal set including a plurality of independent terminals having one-piece front terminals and back terminals, a pull ring component including a pull ring, rivets, and rivet sleeves. The charging plug is not only a plug but also a socket. Another charging plug can be plugged into the socket on the charging plug in use to charge multiple products at the same time. It is convenient and practical.
US09979215B2

A portable energy storage and power supply system includes a first housing member, a second housing member coupled to the first housing member, a gasket coupling the first housing member with the second housing member, a battery, and a connector assembly coupled to the battery. The first housing member and the second housing member define an internal space. The battery is disposed within the internal space and configured to store electrical power. The connector assembly includes a shield having an open end and a closed end, a grommet disposed around an outer surface of the shield, and a cap disposed over the closed end of the shield and coupled to the grommet. The grommet is configured to reduce moisture penetration into the internal space of the first housing member and the second housing member.
US09979209B2

A battery management system for a battery module string includes battery modules. The battery modules are electrically connectable to poles of the battery module string and individually electrically disconnectable. The battery module string is configured to generate an AC voltage by disconnecting and connecting the battery modules. The battery management system is configured to assign a respective first time period to each first battery module of the battery modules based on position of each first battery module in a battery module list. Each of the first battery module is electrically connected within a half-cycle of the AC voltage during the respective first time period.
US09979208B2

A tool discharges one battery pack and a charger simultaneously charges another battery pack to provide for continuous and circular operation of the tool. Tool system includes a tool and a lithium based battery pack having a nominal voltage of at least 56 volts for supplying power to the tool. A heat absorbing device is associated with the battery pack and includes a phase-change material.
US09979186B2

The present disclosure provides a three dimensional integrated circuit having a plurality of dies. Each die includes a trigger line common to the other dies, and an ESD detection circuit coupled to the common trigger line and to a first power line common to the other dies, wherein when the ESD detection circuit of one of the plural dies detects an ESD event, the ESD detection circuit is configured to generate a control signal to the common trigger line to control a power clamp in each of the plural dies to clamp an ESD event to the common first power line or a second power line.
US09979183B2

An overvoltage protection circuit is disclosed. The overvoltage protection circuit includes an input voltage port, an output voltage port, a low pass filter coupled to the input voltage port and a voltage regulator coupled to the low pass filter. The overvoltage protection circuit also includes a transistor having a gate, a drain and a source. The transistor is coupled to the input voltage port and the output voltage port and the gate is coupled to the voltage regulator.
US09979180B2

According to an example, a device is suggested, said device comprising a switching element, an integrated sensor providing a signal and an electronic fuse that is arranged to determine a fuse condition based on the signal and based on at least one fuse characteristic and to trigger a fuse event in case the fuse condition is met.
US09979178B2

An AFCI protective system includes a MOV circuit that has a plurality of line terminals comprising at least one phase conductor, a neutral conductor or a ground conductor. A MOV is coupled to a pair of line terminals through a low impedance circuit, and a response circuit configured to activate a human readable indicator when the MOV is experiencing an end of life condition.
US09979176B2

The molded part-equipped electrical cable is provided with a terminal-equipped electrical cable including an insulated electrical cable with a core and an insulation coating and a terminal connected to an end part of the insulated electrical cable, a recess being formed on the insulation coating, an adhesive provided in the recess of the insulation coating, and a molded part configured to cover from a part where the adhesive is provided in the insulation coating of the terminal-equipped electrical cable to a connected part of the insulated electrical cable and the terminal.
US09979173B2

A bus bar assembly includes a first main conductor, a second main conductor, and an insulator member provided between the main conductors. The insulator member includes: (i) an insulator component, (ii) a first conductor layer provided on the top surface of the insulator component, and (iii) a second conductor layer provided on the bottom surface of the insulator component, wherein the first conductor layer includes an outer edge around a perimeter thereof, wherein the outer edge is located at least a certain distance from the outer edge around the perimeter of the insulator component, wherein the second conductor layer includes an outer edge around a perimeter thereof, wherein the outer edge is located at least the same certain distance from the outer edge of the insulator component, and wherein the certain distance is sufficient to cause the bus bar assembly to satisfy the creepage requirement of the assembly.
US09979171B2

The invention relates to a tubular part, an embeddable electrical box and kits formed by both. The tubular part is characterized by a rib that runs helically along its external surface, and by internal support means. The electrical box comprises the tubular part and a cup which fits together with the tubular part and which has break points and external projections. The kits facilitate the assembly of the tubular part and of the electrical box.
US09979169B1

A junction box includes a first cover plate that covers a first open side defined by a main body, and a second cover plate that covers a second open side defined by the main body. The second cover plate includes a mounting pad to attach an electrical component thereto. The electrical component is disposed in an inner cavity defined by the main body when the second cover plate is in a closed position. Further, the junction box includes a fastening device that retains the first cover plate and the second cover plate in the closed position and operates without interfering with a mounting structure in which the junction box is disposed. Furthermore, the junction box includes chamfer walls and wire traps disposed thereon to receive and pass electrical wiring cables into the junction box therethrough.
US09979166B2

In order to reduce service procedure time and labor costs, while increasing overall uptime, the electrical equipment cabinet of the invention includes a main service door that is integrated with the dead front. The dead front panel is fixed to and movable with the main service door, and therefore access to high voltage equipment situated behind the dead front is achieved by simply opening the main service door, without the need to first unlock and open the main service door and then unlock, open, and/or remove the dead front panel. Controls on the front side of the dead front are easily and safely accessible, when the main service door is closed, through a dead front control access door positioned within an opening of the main service door.
US09979158B1

A vertical cavity surface emitting laser comprising a first reflector, a second reflector comprising a layer stack of semiconductor or isolating layers, an active region arranged between the first and second reflectors, and an additional layer on top of the layer stack at the light output side, said additional layer forming an output interface of the laser, wherein the refractive index of the additional layer is smaller, equal to or larger than the smallest refractive index of the refractive indices of said layer stack.
US09979156B2

A semiconductor laser device that enables flip-chip assembly by having an embedding section around a mesa section, and that has an improved emission lifetime, as well as a photoelectric converter and an optical information processing unit each having such a semiconductor laser device. The semiconductor laser device includes: a mesa section including an active layer, and having a first electrode on a top surface; an embedding section covering the mesa section, and having a first connection aperture that reaches the first electrode; and a first wiring provided on the embedding section overlaying the first connection aperture, the first wiring being electrically connected to the first electrode through the first connection aperture.
US09979155B2

A drive circuit of a light emitting element, the drive circuit includes: an input terminal configured to receive an input signal; an output terminal configured to output a signal based on the input signal as a drive signal to the light emitting element; and a main body circuit configured to generate the drive signal by carrying out timing correction to reduce a difference from a standard delay value for rising or falling of a plurality of signal patterns of the input signal regarding a timing of rising of a first signal subsequent to a first signal pattern in the plurality of signal patterns or a timing of falling of a second signal subsequent to a second signal pattern in the plurality of signal patterns.
US09979151B2

Crimping tool including a first tool part having a first crimping die and a plurality of first crimping elements, a second tool part having a second crimping die and a plurality of second crimping elements, a first actuator being movable relative to the first crimping die along an actuation axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis, wherein the first actuator actuates the first crimping elements moving the first crimping elements in a radial direction, and a second actuator being movable relative to the second crimping die along the actuation axis, wherein the second actuator actuates the second crimping elements moving the second crimping elements in a radial direction, wherein a subset of the first crimping elements and a subset of the second crimping elements are moved consecutively by moving the first actuator and second actuator.
US09979148B2

The invention relates to an electric device, especially to an output of a transformer, said output comprises a connecting portion, said connecting portion comprises a connecting rod, which partly inserts into said connecting portion and has an interference fit with said connecting portion, said connecting rod comprises a conductive first column portion that has an interference fit with a busbar, said first column portion axially arranges a conductive second column portion which has an interference fit with said first column portion, said second column portion is located inside of said first column portion, a thermal expansion coefficient of said second column portion is greater than that of said first column portion. Said transformer has such advantageous effects, 1. the same overlapping length increases more conductive surface for reducing a current density to achieve low temperature rising of connecting part; 2. amount of material is reduced and save the social source; 3. the electric clearance or safety distance is increased, an electric safety of device is also increased; 4. a width of a connecting part is reduced, an occupation space of transformer is also reduced.
US09979147B1

A multi-functional USB hub includes a casing including U-shaped first openings, grooved rails alternating with the first openings, grooves each being inward of a corresponding grooved rail, each groove having a T-shaped cross-section and communicating with the corresponding grooved rail, and second, third, and fourth openings on a front end; a cover including inverted U-shaped openings, grooved rails alternating with the inverted U-shaped openings, and transverse top troughs, each interconnecting two opposite grooved rails and communicating therewith so that the casing and the cover are fastened together; a PCB in the casing and the cover and including USB ports on either side, each USB port being in both the first opening and its corresponding inverted U-shaped opening, LEDs on either side and alternating with the USB ports; and inverted U shaped sliding members, each including two vertical parts on two sides respectively, a horizontal part, and two inner slides.
US09979140B2

A conductive spring plate fixing element is used to limit a live wire spring plate and a live wire conductive plate from contacting with each other, as well as a neutral wire spring plate and a neutral wire conductive plate from contacting with each other. The width of the limited part of the live wire spring plate is T1, the width of the limited part of the neutral wire spring plate is T2, and the live wire spring plate is separated from the neutral wire spring plate by an insulation distance L. The conductive spring plate fixing element includes a first limiting end and a second limiting end; whereas, the distance between the first limiting end and the second limiting end, M, is equal to T1+T2+L.
US09979136B1

A transmission module of a high speed connector includes an insulating core, two shielding members, two first differential signal terminals, two first grounding terminals, two second differential signal terminals, and two second grounding terminals, the latter four of which are fixed on the insulating core. The two shielding members respectively include a first metallic coating layer connected to the two first grounding terminals and a second metallic coating layer connected to the two second grounding terminals. The first metallic coating layer and the second metallic coating layer are respectively arranged at an upper side and a lower side of the first and second differential signal terminals, so that the first and second metallic coating layers can shield the first and second differential signal terminals in a height direction.
US09979134B2

An electrical connector includes an insulating housing, contacts, a shielding plate disposed in the housing and a metallic shell. The housing includes a base and a mating tongue, the base includes a retaining portion and a supporting portion extending downwards beyond the retaining portion. The contacts have contacting portions exposing to the mating surface and legs extending downwards from the supporting portion. The shielding plate defines a pair of side latches thereof. The metallic shell is retained on the retaining portion of the base and surrounds the mating tongue to define a mating cavity between the shell and the mating tongue. The connector further includes a front shielding member covering a front face of the supporting portion and a rear shielding member covering on a rear face of the supporting portion for shielding the legs of the contacts in a front and rear direction.
US09979132B1

Coaxial connectors with a grounding tube for altering a ground path with a conductor of the coaxial connector are disclosed. The coaxial connector comprises a grounding tube mounted within the connector housing and around at least a portion of a first conductor to initially establish and subsequently disconnect a grounding path between the first conductor and a housing of the coaxial connector. After contacting the mating connector, the first conductor moves, along with a first conductor housing, which moves a plurality of fingers of the grounding tube from the closed position to the open position. This disconnects the grounding path between the first conductor and the connector housing and establishes an electrical path between the first conductor and the mating connector. Thus, the coaxial connector is grounded before establishing an electrical connection between the coaxial connector and a mating connector.
US09979123B2

An engagement member mounted to a first housing with a fitting detection member located at a complete engagement position is located at a correct position with a terminal correctly housed in the first housing and is located at an incorrect position with the terminal incorrectly housed in the first housing. The engagement member located at the correct position does not interfere with the fitting detection member and allows a movement of the fitting detection member from the complete engagement position to a temporary engagement position. The engagement member located at the incorrect position interferes with the fitting detection member and prevents the movement of the fitting detection member from the complete engagement position to the temporary engagement position.
US09979116B2

A modular power supply for connecting to a power cord includes a housing defining an interior, a cover releasably engaged to the housing to enclose the interior, and a carrier plate within the interior including opposed primary channels configured to receive the power cord. A control assembly is within the interior and includes a logic controller electrically coupled to spikes extending outside of the control assembly and through the primary channels, as well as a charging port electrically coupled to the spikes via the logic controller. The cover is applicable to the carrier plate so as to define a hold that captures the power cord on the spikes in the primary channels when the power cord is applied to the primary channels.
US09979109B2

A product, according to one embodiment, includes a support portion, the support portion being elongated in a first direction; and an insertion portion extending from the support portion in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the insertion portion having dimensions allowing insertion of the insertion portion in a card connector of a circuit board. At least an exterior of the insertion portion is electrically insulating. The support portion is wider than the insertion portion in a third direction orthogonal to each of the first and second directions.
US09979108B2

The electrical connector assembly includes an electrical connector and a module spacer. The electrical connector is installed on a circuit board and defines a mating space. The module spacer includes a cover covering on the mating space in a vertical direction and four side walls extending downwardly from the cover. The cover and the side walls defines a receiving space for retaining the electrical connector. The side walls are supported on the circuit board.
US09979106B2

A field device connection unit has a main body, on which a plurality of connection elements for connection of connecting lines to field devices and a plurality of slots each intended for receiving a respective plug-in unit are arranged. The plug-in unit has a first group of field-side plug contact devices which are connected by the connection elements for connection of connecting lines to field devices, and a second group of system-side plug contact devices which are connected to a higher-level arrangement. For testing of the field device connection unit when the field wiring is disconnected, the plug-in units have a resilient latching cam, which latches switchably in a recess in the main body, the contacts of the second group of system-side plug contact devices being closed and the contacts of the first group of field-side plug contact devices being opened.
US09979102B2

An electrical connector assembly includes a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector. The first electrical connector includes a first insulative housing having a receiving room, a number of conductive terminals affixed to the first insulative housing, and a metal shell enclosing the first insulative housing. The insulative housing defines a top wall and a bottom wall separated from the top wall. The conductive terminals are arranged in an upper row and a lower row. The second electrical connector includes a second insulative housing having a tongue portion extending forwardly and a number of mating terminals disposed on the tongue portion. The first electrical connector is located in an electrical device. The tongue portion of the second electrical connector is received in the receiving room of the first insulative housing. The tongue portion is sandwiched between the top wall and the bottom wall.
US09979101B2

Corrosion within a flangeless connector, or at an associated connection of a device or medium (e.g., cable), used in a wireless base station may be reduced by incorporating a seating member, e.g., an O-ring, between the connector and a connector port. Conductive plating selectively applied within the connector port may provide a low-resistance ground connection between the port and the connector, while a non-conductive coating selectively applied to a surface against which the seating member is seated may form a weather-tight seal. The connection between the connector and the connector port is thereby protected from moisture, while exposed surfaces of the connector port re protected by the non-conductive coating.
US09979097B2

The present disclosure is directed toward methods for forming an expanding lattice notch array antenna that includes a plurality of notch antenna elements extending from a surface of a base plate. The properties and dimensions of the notch antenna elements can be manipulated in order to provide an expanding notch array antenna whereby an area of a base portion of the array is different from an area of a top portion of the array, without increasing an overall height of the notch array antenna. The method includes coupling a first plurality of notch elements to a first surface of a base plate in a first orientation, expanding a second plurality of notch elements from a first state to a second state and coupling the second plurality of notch elements in the second state to the first surface of the base plate in a second orientation.
US09979096B2

Embodiments are provided for an efficient antenna design and operation method to adjust or add frequency bands at mobile devices using the available limited antenna size. The embodiments include electrically coupling to the antenna elements at a mobile or radio device a tuning stub or element through a printed circuit board (PCB) or a metal chassis. The PCB is placed between the antenna elements and the tuning stub and is connected to the antenna elements. The tuning stub, e.g., at a corner of the PCB, is connected or disconnected via a switch from the PCB, and hence the antenna elements, to shift the radiation of the antenna at different frequencies and also provide an additional mode of radiation. The tuning stub can also be switched to vary the radiation pattern of the antenna.
US09979086B2

An exemplary embodiment of an multiband antenna assembly includes a printed circuit board having a plurality of elements thereon. The plurality of elements may include a radiating element, a matching element, a feed element configured to be operable as a feeding point for the multiband antenna assembly, and a shorting element configured to be operable for electrically shorting the radiating element to ground. The antenna assembly may be operable within at least a first frequency range and a second frequency range different than the first frequency range without requiring any matching lump components coupled to the printed circuit board.
US09979084B2

Methods and apparatus to calibrate an array by sequentially calibrating elements in a subarray with respect to each other using a satellite. The satellite is repeatedly illuminated for calibrating the elements using reference elements to determine plane fronts from which active elements can be calibrated with respect to each other.
US09979083B2

A device, a method, a system, and a computer program product for installation, positioning and/or repositioning of a radio device are disclosed. Using a positioning device, an identification information of the radio device and at least one first positioning parameter associated with the radio device are received for positioning of the radio device on an installation surface. The positioning device determines at least one second positioning parameter of the radio device. The first and second positioning parameters are compared and the radio device is positioned based on at least one of the following: the first positioning parameter and the second positioning parameter.
US09979082B2

In one embodiment, an antenna assembly is described. The antenna assembly includes and antenna and an antenna positioner coupled to the antenna. The antenna positioner includes a single drive interface and a plurality of gears. The plurality of rotate in a first manner in response to a first drive direction applied through the single drive interface, and rotate in a second manner in response to a second drive applied through the single drive interface. The antenna positioner also includes a threaded rod that moves in a first rod direction and a second rod direction in response to rotation of the plurality of gears in the first manner and the second manner respectively. The antenna positioner also includes a tilt plate contacting the threaded rod. The tilt plate tilts about a pivot line in response to movement of the threaded rod to move a beam of the antenna in a spiral pattern.
US09979080B2

An apparatus includes a radio-frequency (RF) path that includes an antenna tuner. The apparatus also includes calibration circuitry coupled to the antenna tuner. The calibration circuitry is configured to selectively isolate an antenna from a component of the RF path.
US09979079B2

In one example, an antenna radome may have at least a first face that includes a plurality of surface features, where the plurality of surface features may include at least a first ridge and at least a first depression, and where the plurality of surface features may be oriented longitudinal along the antenna radome. In another example, an antenna radome may have at least a first face that includes a plurality of surface features, where the plurality of surface features may include at least a first ridge and at least a first depression, and where the plurality of surface features may be oriented transverse along the antenna radome.
US09979077B2

This invention discloses a design and implementation of an X-band antenna optimized for a moving vehicle to communicate with a stationary orbit satellite. The new antenna design employs unique circuit boards that contain dipole elements, power dividers, pin diode switches and digital phase shifters. The circuit boards perform together as an array to produce high gain beams. Depending on the antenna performance needs, several antenna boards may be required. The circuit boards' dimensions are all identical containing round disks of equal diameters. The dipole radiating elements are located near the outer edge of the board. They are designed to perform circular type polarization. By increasing the diameter of the board and a number of boards, or a combination of the two, one can achieve any desired beam shape that may be required. The disclosure design approach is unique and flexible; for this reason, an eight circuit board vehicle antenna has been configured. The disclosure antenna body is a cylindrical shaped structure which is having a 4.25 inch in diameter and 8.50 inch in height. This design approach is also applicable to frequencies other than X-band. Outstanding characteristics of the disclosure antenna are high performance, rigid body and low cost.
US09979074B2

A mobile device includes a ground plane, a first antenna, a second antenna, a first metal element, and a second metal element. The first antenna has a first feeding point coupled to a first signal source. The second antenna has a second feeding point coupled to a second signal source. The first metal element has a connection end and an open end. The connection end of the first metal element is coupled to the ground plane, and is adjacent to the first feeding point. The second metal element has a connection end and an open end. The connection end of the second metal element is coupled to the ground plane, and is adjacent to the second feeding point.
US09979072B2

Provided is a transmitting/receiving antenna, including: an array antenna including a plurality of element antennas; and a feeding part transmitting a transmitting signal to the plurality of element antennas and receiving a signal received through the array antenna, in which the plurality of element antennas each include a radiation patch and a transmitting port and a receiving port positioned between the feeding part and the radiation patch.
US09979069B2

An antenna system. The antenna system includes a central antenna, and a plurality of peripheral antennas positioned symmetrically around the central antenna. A first coupler provides a first radio connection and a second radio connection. A first 180 degree hybrid coupler is coupled to a first two diametrically opposed antennas of the plurality of peripheral antennas. A second 180 degree hybrid coupler is coupled to a second two diametrically opposed antennas of the plurality of peripheral antennas. A third 180 degree hybrid coupler coupled to the first and second 180 degree hybrid couplers, and having a third radio connection and a fourth radio connection. The first, second, third, and fourth radio connections are decoupled from each other, and the first, second, and third system radio connections are also decoupled from the central antenna.
US09979064B2

A tunable dual-band resonator and a tunable dual-band band-pass filter using the tunable dual-band resonator. The dual-band resonator is structured such that a stub is added to each half-wavelength resonator provided with half-wavelength resonator protrusions (capacity-component adjust parts). The dual-band resonator is made up of an odd-number mode resonator in a shape including a ground conductor disposed on the back surface of a dielectric body, and a strip conductor disposed on the top surface thereof, and an even-number mode resonator in such a shape as to be formed when the stub is connected to an end face on the opposite side of the open-end of the strip, characterized in that a dielectric rod having a circular cross section is provided in the space above the respective stubs and another dielectric rod having a circular cross section is provided in the space above the half-wavelength resonator protrusions.
US09979043B2

A three dimensional (“3D”) secondary battery includes an electrolyte layer and an anode active material layer that are sequentially stacked on a plurality of first trenches that are provided in a cathode active material layer where, in the anode active material layer, a plurality of second trenches having similar shape to that of the first trenches is provided and the plurality of second trenches are filled with an elastic member and where the elastic member absorbs expansion of the anode active material layer during charging and discharging the 3D secondary battery, and thus, the degradation of the 3-dimensional secondary battery is prevented.
US09979042B2

A fuel cell stack includes bonding members for joining projecting sections of adjacent frames in cell modules, an inter-cell module seal member forming a seal between the cell modules, and supporting members disposed between adjacent frames in the cell modules. As viewed from above in the direction in which the cell modules are layered, the supporting members overlap at least a part of a section of the inter-cell module seal member that contacts the cell modules.
US09979040B2

A redox device, in particular a hydrogen-oxygen redox device, includes at least one redox unit which is provided for carrying out at least one redox reaction with consumption and/or production of a first gas, in particular hydrogen gas, and/or of a second gas, in particular oxygen gas. The redox device includes at least one gas purification unit for freeing the hydrogen gas of contamination by oxygen gas and/or freeing the oxygen gas of contamination by hydrogen gas.
US09979039B2

Disclosed are novel configurations of Direct Carbon Fuel Cells (DCFCs), which optionally comprise a liquid anode. The liquid anode comprises a molten salt/metal, preferably Sb, and a fuel, which has significant elemental carbon content (coal, bio-mass, etc.). The supply of fuel is continuously replenished in the anode. In addition, a stack configuration is suggested where combining a large number of planar or tubular fuel elements.
US09979035B2

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell; and a control unit that is configured to set a target current value of the fuel cell based on an output request for the fuel cell, predict that a voltage drop of the fuel cell occurs in a high current region of the fuel cell, based on an output voltage value of the fuel cell in a low current region of the fuel cell, if an output current value of the fuel cell is in the low current region and the target current value is above a current threshold that is set in the high current region, reset the target current value to a current value that is smaller than the set target current value, if it is predicted that the voltage drop occurs, and change the output current value of the fuel cell to the reset target current value.
US09979031B2

A kit for forming a bipolar plate of a fuel cell, the kit comprising two half-plates (1A, 1B) adapted to be assembled one against the other, each of the two half-plates (1A, 1B) having grooves (11A, 12A, 11B, 12B) formed by embossing and extending in a longitudinal direction (X-X), and being adapted to form reagent flow channels (5A, 5B) on either side of the half-plates (1A, 1B), together with heat transfer fluid flow ducts (6) between the two half-plates (1A, 1B), the kit being characterized in that the half-plates (1A, 1B) are identical, each having at least one pair of complementary indexing elements (2A1, 2A2, 2B1, 2B2, 3A1, 3A2, 3B1, 3B2) made by embossing and adapted to center said half-plates (1A, 1B) relative to each other when they are assembled together.
US09979016B2

A negative electrode active material for an electric device according to the present invention includes crystalline metal having a structure in which a size in a perpendicular direction to a crystal slip plane is 500 nm or less. More preferably, the size in the perpendicular direction to the crystal slip plane is controlled to become 100 nm or less. As described above, a thickness in an orientation of the slip plane is controlled to become sufficiently small, and accordingly, micronization of the crystalline metal is suppressed even if breakage occurs from the slip plane taken as a starting point. Hence, a deterioration of a cycle lifetime can be prevented by applying the negative electrode active material for an electric device, which is as described above, or a negative electrode using the same, to an electric device, for example, such as a lithium ion secondary battery.
US09979014B2

A composite cathode active material including a core comprising a lithium compound, and a coating layer formed on at least one portion of the core and including at least two oxide phases having different structures, a cathode and a lithium battery including the same, and a method of preparing the composite cathode active material.
US09979012B2

A lithium ion secondary battery includes a positive electrode; a negative electrode; a separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; and a non-aqueous electrolyte, wherein the positive electrode contains, as a positive electrode active material, a lithium-containing transition metal compound that belongs to space group Fd3-m and that contains lithium and transition metal M (M represents Mo, or Mo and at least one selected from the group consisting of Mn, Co, Ni, W, and V), a molar ratio of the lithium to the transition metal M is 2.7 or more and 3.3 or less, and a ratio of a mass of the lithium-containing transition metal compound to a total mass of the positive electrode active material in the positive electrode is 0.8 or more.
US09979007B2

The present invention relates to a negative electrode material for a lithium secondary battery, a method for producing same, and a lithium secondary battery comprising same as a negative electrode. The present invention provides a negative electrode material for a lithium secondary battery, the material comprising a complex in which a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) carbon coating film is formed on an amorphous carbon material comprising a silicon material that has been surface treated by a silane coupling agent.
US09979001B2

A battery explosion-proof device battery explosion-proof device includes a valve body, a rupture plate, and a protecting cover. The valve body includes a base portion and a shaft portion connected with the base portion. The shaft portion may be formed with threads on an external circumferential surface thereof and with a venting passage. The rupture plate may be disposed inside a concaved portion of the base portion for sealing the venting passage. The protecting cover covers the concaved portion.
US09978998B2

Disclosed is a battery module array which has high space utilization and is easy to fabricate. The battery module array includes a plurality of battery modules, end plates, tension bars, a front sensing unit, a rear sensing unit, an under-base bar, a front cover, and a rear cover.
US09978989B2

First rib layers made of an inorganic material are formed in first frame regions of a first glass substrate. First resin layers are formed in first product regions after the first rib layers are formed. First functional layers which include light emitting element layers as a result of luminance of each of unit pixels forming an image being controlled and sealing layers covering the light emitting element layers are formed on the first rib layers and the first resin layers. The first rib layers and the first functional layers are cut along lines passing through the first frame regions while avoiding the first product regions in order to separate the first product regions from each other. In the step of cutting the first rib layers and the first functional layers, the first rib layers and the sealing layers are cut.
US09978986B2

A light emitting apparatus (10) includes a substrate (100), an insulating layer (160), a light emitting element (102), a coating film (140), and a structure (150). The insulating layer (160) is formed over one surface of the substrate (100), and includes an opening (162). The light emitting element (102) is formed in the opening (162). The coating film (140) is formed over the one surface of the substrate (100), and covers a portion of the light emitting element (102), the insulating layer (160), and the one surface of the substrate (100). The coating film (140) does not cover another portion of the substrate (100) (for example, a portion of an end portion: hereinafter, referred to as a first portion). The structure (150) is located between the first portion of the substrate (100) and the insulating layer (160). The coating film (140) also covers the insulating layer (160).
US09978985B2

A display device includes a first substrate including a display region arranged with a plurality of pixels arranged with a light emitting element, a second substrate including a light shielding layer having an aperture part corresponding to the pixel and a color filter being arranged in at least the aperture part and including a pigment layer, a seal component including glass, the seal component bonding the first substrate and second substrate, the display region and color filter facing each other, and being arranged on the exterior side of the color filter, and an inorganic insulation layer covering at least an upper surface and end part of the color filter.
US09978981B2

A highly reliable light-emitting device and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. A light-emitting element and a terminal electrode are formed over an element formation substrate; a first substrate having an opening is formed over the light-emitting element and the terminal electrode with a bonding layer provided therebetween; an embedded layer is formed in the opening; a transfer substrate is formed over the first substrate and the embedded layer; the element formation substrate is separated; a second substrate is formed under the light-emitting element and the terminal electrode; and the transfer substrate and the embedded layer are removed. In addition, an anisotropic conductive connection layer is formed in the opening, and an electrode is formed over the anisotropic conductive connection layer. The terminal electrode and the electrode are electrically connected to each other through the anisotropic conductive connection layer.
US09978977B2

A light-emitting element with high reliability that can keep favorable characteristics after long-time driving is provided. In addition, a light-emitting device having a long lifetime including the light-emitting element is provided. Moreover, an electronic device and a lighting device having a long lifetime are provided. In a light-emitting element including an EL layer between a pair of electrodes, a light-emitting layer included in the EL layer has a stacked-layer structure which is different from the conventional structure, whereby the light-emitting element can keep favorable characteristics after long-time driving even in the case where carrier balance is changed over time due to driving of the light-emitting element or a light-emitting region is shifted due to the change.
US09978968B2

Disclosed herein are processes for fabricating organic photosensitive optoelectronic devices with a vertical compositionally graded organic active layer. The processes use either a single-stamp or double-stamp printing technique to transfer the vertical compositionally graded organic active layer from a starting substrate to a device layer.
US09978965B2

A rollable display includes a frontplane having multiple OLED pixels and a backplane having a flexible substrate. The flexible substrate has a perimeter and a thin film transistor array operably connected to the OLED pixels. At least one rigid band of drivers is operably connected to the backplane and positioned along an edge of the substrate perimeter. The flexible substrate includes a material having a glass transition temperature of less than 200 degrees Celsius. A method of fabricating a rollable display is also disclosed.
US09978963B2

Provided are an organic electroluminescent device (organic EL device) that is improved in luminous efficacy, sufficiently secures driving stability, and has a simple construction, and a material for organic EL devices to be used in the organic EL device. The material for organic EL devices is a material for organic EL devices formed of an ortho-carborane compound having a structure in which a silyl group (—SiR3) is bonded to a divalent ortho-carborane group represented by C2B10H10 through an aromatic group. In addition, the organic electroluminescent device is an organic electroluminescent device having a structure in which an anode, an organic layer, and a cathode are laminated on a substrate, the device having an organic layer containing the ortho-carborane compound, and the organic layer being a light-emitting layer, an electron-transporting layer, a hole-blocking layer, or an exciton-blocking layer.
US09978955B2

An organic light-emitting device including a first electrode; a second electrode; and an organic layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the organic layer includes at least one first material and at least one second material, the first material being represented by one of Formulae 1-1 and 1-2, below, and the second material being represented by Formula 2, below: (A21)n21-(A22)n22-(A23)n23-(A24)n24.  
US09978954B2

A benzobis(thiadiazole) derivative represented by the following general formula (1): in which R1 represents a linear or branched alkyl group, or any one of the groups of the following formula (2): in which R represents a linear or branched alkyl group; R2 represents a hydrogen atom; and R3 represents a hydrogen atom, a linear or branched alkyl group, or any one of the groups of the formula (2); with the proviso that at least one of R1 and R3 represents any one of the groups of the formula (2); and two R1 groups, two R2 groups, and two R3 groups may be the same as, or different from each other.
US09978946B2

A compound represented by Formula (I) or (II). wherein A is a single bond or a divalent residue of biphenyl, triphenyl,  in each of which one or more hydrogen atoms attached in the carbon atoms may be replaced by a substituent other than hydrogen, wherein Z is any one selected from N, O, S, and SiR, Y is N—R, O, S, Si(R)2 where R is C1-20 alkyl or aryl, R1 and R2 are independently selected from hydrogen or C1-20 alkyl; X1 to X4 are independently selected from substituents other than spirobifluorenyl, A, B1 or B2 l, p and q are integers of from 0 to 4; m is an integer of from 0 to 3, wherein B1 and B2 are independently selected from hydrogen and a heterocyclic group; r is an integer of from 0 to 3; and X1 to X4, m, p, and q are as defined in Formula (I), with the proviso that B1 and B2 are not hydrogen simultaneously. The use of such compounds in OLEDs is also claimed.
US09978944B2

The present invention relates to organic electronic devices, and more specifically to organic field effect transistors, comprising a dielectric layer that comprises a polycycloolefinic polymer with an olefinic side chain.
US09978942B2

Subject matter disclosed herein may relate to devices formed from correlated electron material.
US09978935B2

A method of making a spin-torque transfer magnetic random access memory device (STT MRAM) device includes forming a tunnel barrier layer on a reference layer; forming a free layer on the tunnel barrier layer, the free layer comprising a cobalt iron boron (CoFeB) alloy layer and an iron (Fe) layer; and performing a sputtering process to form a metal oxide layer on the Fe layer.
US09978931B2

Robust magnetoelectric junctions (MEJs) are disclosed. In one embodiment, an MEJ includes: a first fixed layer; a free layer; a seed layer; a cap layer; and a dielectric layer disposed between the first fixed layer and the free layer; where: one of the seed layer and the cap layer is disposed adjacently to a ferromagnetic layer; the first fixed layer is magnetized in a first direction; the free layer can adopt a magnetization direction that is either substantially parallel with or substantially antiparallel with the first direction; when a potential difference is applied across the MEJ, the coercivity of the free layer is reduced for the duration of the application of the potential difference; and at least one of the seed layer and the cap layer includes one of: Molybdenum, Tungsten, Iridium, Bismuth, Rhenium, and Gold.
US09978928B2

An apparatus includes a substrate, a dielectric elastomer transducer electrically coupled to the substrate, and a compliant electrically conductive housing coupled to the dielectric elastomer transducer. A portion of the compliant electrically conductive housing projects through an opening defined in a housing. A method is disclosed for making the apparatus.
US09978923B2

A light emitting device includes a substrate, a light emitting element, a sealing member, a light transmissive member and a heat dissipation terminal. The substrate includes an insulating base material which has a concave portion with an inner curved surface. The sealing member is in contact with at least a part of a side surface of the light emitting element and is formed substantially in the same plane as the substrate on a mounting surface. The light transmissive member covers an upper surface of the light emitting element and a part of an upper surface of the sealing member, side surfaces of the light transmissive member being covered with the sealing member. The heat dissipation terminal is arranged generally in the center on a second main surface of the substrate and that has a recess portion as viewed along a direction normal to the second main surface.
US09978920B2

A package includes a plurality of electrode pairs, each electrode pair including a first electrode on one side and a second electrode on another side in a plan view. The first electrode is electrically connected to the second electrode included in an electrode pair adjacent to a first or second lateral side of the one electrode pair, and is not electrically connected to the first electrode included in the electrode pair adjacent to the first or second side of the one electrode pair. The second electrode is electrically connected to the first electrode included in an electrode pair adjacent to a lower side of the one electrode pair, and is not electrically connected to the second electrode included in the electrode pair adjacent to the first or second lateral side of the one electrode pair.
US09978919B2

Disclosed is a light emitting device. The light emitting device comprises: a first lead and a second lead which are spaced apart from each other; a body part comprising a base, a reflector, and a cavity; and a light emitting diode which is disposed in the cavity, wherein the first lead includes a first bottom lead and a first top lead located on the first bottom lead, and the second lead includes a second bottom lead and a second top lead located on the second bottom lead, and wherein a separation region between the first top lead and the second top lead has a different shape than the separation region between the first bottom lead and the second bottom lead, the separation region between the first top lead and the second top lead having a shape bent at least once.
US09978915B2

The instant disclosure relates to a flip-chip LED package module and a method of manufacturing thereof. The method of manufacturing flip-chip LED package module comprises the following steps. A plurality of LEDs is disposed on a carrier. A packaging process is forming a plurality of transparent lens corresponding to LEDs and binding each other by a wing portion. A separating process is proceeding to form a plurality of flip-chip LED structures without the carrier. A bonding process is proceeding to attach at least one flip-chip LED structure on the circuit board.
US09978905B2

Semiconductor structures include an active region between a plurality of layers of InGaN. The active region may be at least substantially comprised by InGaN. The plurality of layers of InGaN include at least one well layer comprising InwGa1−wN, and at least one barrier layer comprising InbGa1−bN proximate the at least one well layer. In some embodiments, the value of w in the InwGa1−wN of the well layer may be greater than or equal to about 0.10 and less than or equal to about 0.40 in some embodiments, and the value of b in the InbGa1−bN of the at least one barrier layer may be greater than or equal to about 0.01 and less than or equal to about 0.10. Methods of forming semiconductor structures include growing such layers of InGaN to form an active region of a light-emitting device, such as an LED. Luminary devices include such LEDs.
US09978902B2

A method for manufacturing a passivation stack on a crystalline silicon solar cell device. The method includes providing a substrate comprising a crystalline silicone layer such as a crystalline silicon wafer or chip, cleaning a surface of the crystalline silicon layer by removing an oxide layer at least from a portion of one side of the crystalline silicon layer, depositing, on at least a part of the cleaned surface, a layer of silicon oxynitride, and depositing a capping layer comprising a hydrogenated dielectric material on top of the layer of silicon oxynitride, wherein the layer of silicon oxynitride is deposited at a temperature from 100° C. to 200° C., and the step of depositing the layer of silicon oxynitride includes using N2O and SiH4 as precursor gasses in an N2 ambient atmosphere and depositing silicon oxynitride with a gas flow ratio of N2O to SiH4 below 2.
US09978897B2

A thermoplastic composition including a mixture of three particular and different polyolefins, including one of a polyamide-grafted polyolefin having particular polyamide grafts (type and quantity), for example, a polyamide-grafted polymer having a polyolefin trunk containing a residue of at least one unsaturated monomer and a plurality of polyamide grafts. Also, a thermoplastic film and, more specifically, a film for encapsulating a photovoltaic module incorporating the polyamide-grafted polyolefin composition.
US09978892B2

A method of manufacturing a transparent pane, in particular a glass pane, which includes on at least one of its main surfaces a surface structure including an assembly of specified individual motifs in relief, in particular pyramids, cones, or truncated cones, created by embossing or by rolling. A structure is created on the surface of the pane constituted by individual motifs, based on one or more basic motifs but which are distinguished from each other by their depth, their height, and/or the perimeter of their base area, and/or by the position of their peak with respect to their base. With this variation, formation of intensity peaks of the reflected light is prevented and at the same time a high quality of light trapping is obtained by panes suitable, for example, for solar applications.
US09978889B2

Conductive contacts for solar cells and methods of forming conductive contacts for solar cells are described. For example, a solar cell includes a substrate. A conductive contact is disposed on the substrate. The conductive contact includes a layer composed of a first metal species having a plurality of pores. The conductive contact also includes a second metal species disposed in the plurality of pores. Portions of both the first and second metal species are in contact with the substrate.
US09978883B2

Integrated circuits and methods of producing the same are provided. In an exemplary embodiment, an integrated circuit includes a substrate with an active layer overlying a buried insulator layer that in turn overlies a handle layer, where the active layer includes a first active well. A first source, a first drain, and a first channel are defined within the first active well, where the first channel is between the first source and the first drain. A first gate dielectric directly overlies the first channel, and a first gate directly overlies the first gate dielectric, where a first capacitor includes the first source, the first drain, the first channel, the first gate dielectric, and the first gate. A first handle well is defined within the handle layer directly underlying the first channel and the buried insulator layer.
US09978876B2

A thin film transistor and a manufacturing method thereof, an array substrate and a manufacturing thereof are disclosed. The thin film transistor includes a gate electrode, an insulating layer, an active layer and a source/drain electrode layer, and further includes a light shielding layer, and the light shielding layer is configured to block light from entering the active layer via the insulating layer, and the light shielding layer and the gate electrode are arranged in a same layer and electrically unconnected with each other. The thin film transistor can reduce the light irradiated to the active layer and thus reduce the adverse impact thus incurred.
US09978874B2

A gate-all around fin double diffused metal oxide semiconductor (DMOS) devices and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The method includes forming a plurality of fin structures from a substrate. The method further includes forming a well of a first conductivity type and a second conductivity type within the substrate and corresponding fin structures of the plurality of fin structures. The method further includes forming a source contact on an exposed portion of a first fin structure. The method further comprises forming drain contacts on exposed portions of adjacent fin structures to the first fin structure. The method further includes forming a gate structure in a dielectric fill material about the first fin structure and extending over the well of the first conductivity type.
US09978873B2

The present invention provides a method of fabricating a FinFET, comprising the following steps: first, a substrate having a plurality of fin structures disposed thereon is provided, an STI disposed between adjacent fin structures and a gate structure crossing the fin structures. Next, the fin structures not covered by the gate structure and the STI not covered by the gate structure are etched, until the STI is removed entirely and a first recessed and protruding profile is formed on the substrate, wherein the first recessed and protruding profile includes a first recess and a plurality of second recesses, and the position of the second recesses corresponds to the position of the fin structures, and an epitaxial layer is formed on the first recessed and protruding profile.
US09978868B2

The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device in accordance with some embodiments. The semiconductor device includes a substrate; a gate stack over the substrate. The gate stack includes a ferroelectric layer; a first dielectric material layer; and a first conductive layer. One of the first dielectric material layer and the ferroelectric layer is electrically charged to form a charged layer with fixed charge. The semiconductor device further includes source and drain features formed on the substrate and disposed on sides of the gate stack.
US09978853B2

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a gate strip including a dummy electrode and a TiN layer. The method includes removing a first portion of the dummy electrode to form a first opening over a P-active region and an isolation region. The method includes performing an oxygen-containing plasma treatment on a first portion of the TiN layer; and filling the first opening with a first metal material. The method includes removing a second portion of the dummy electrode to form a second opening over an N-active region and the isolation region. The method includes performing a nitrogen-containing plasma treatment on a second portion of the TiN layer; and filling the second opening with a second metal material. The second portion of the TiN layer connects to the first portion of the TiN layer over the isolation region.
US09978851B2

A power semiconductor device having a semiconductor body configured to conduct a load current is disclosed. In one example, the device includes a source region having dopants of a first conductivity type; a semiconductor channel region implemented in the semiconductor body and separating the source region from a remaining portion of the semiconductor body; a trench of a first trench type extending in the semiconductor body along an extension direction and being arranged adjacent to the semiconductor channel region, the trench of the first trench type including a control electrode that is insulated from the semiconductor body. The semiconductor body further comprises: a barrier region and a drift volume having at least a first drift region wherein the barrier region couples the first drift region with the semiconductor channel region.
US09978847B2

An integrated MOS transistor is formed in a substrate. The transistor includes a gate region buried in a trench of the substrate. The gate region is surrounded by a dielectric region covering internal walls of the trench. A source region and drain region are situated in the substrate on opposite sides of the trench. The dielectric region includes an upper dielectric zone situated at least partially between an upper part of the gate region and the source and drain regions. The dielectric region further includes a lower dielectric zone that is less thick than the upper dielectric zone and is situated between a lower part of the gate region and the substrate.
US09978843B2

An embodiment of a silicon carbide semiconductor device includes one or more inner cells each having a MOSFET and one or more outer peripheral cells that does not have a MOSFET structure, and the area (surface area) of the p+ contact region of each of the outermost peripheral cells is less than the surface area of an p+ contact region of each of the inner cells, for example, so that a unit total resistance of p+ contact regions of the outermost peripheral cells, as measured in a depth direction of the semiconductor substrate with respect to a unit area in a surface of the semiconductor substrate, is greater than a unit total resistance of the p+ contact regions of the inner cells, as measured in the depth direction of the semiconductor substrate with respect to the unit area in the surface of the semiconductor substrate.
US09978821B2

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a display device including a first substrate, a display element layer, a second substrate opposite to the first substrate, a gray film disposed on the second substrate, and a light absorbing layer disposed on the second substrate is provided. The display element layer disposed on the first substrate includes at least one pixel structure including a light-emitting layer and having a light-emitting region. An orthogonal projection area of the gray film on the second substrate overlaps an orthogonal projection area of the opening of the light absorbing layer on the second substrate. An area of the pixel structure is P, an area of the light-emitting region is W. An area of the opening is AR. W
US09978818B2

The present disclosure discloses a display panel, a display device and a manufacturing method of a display panel. The display panel includes: a substrate; a pixel definition layer disposed on the substrate, with a plurality of pixel regions being defined in the pixel definition layer; and an organic common layer disposed on the pixel regions and the pixel definition layer; wherein, a thickness of at least one portion of the organic common layer corresponding to the pixel definition layer is less than that of at least one portion of the organic common layer corresponding to the pixel region; or at least one recess is disposed in a portion of the pixel definition layer between adjacent pixel regions or in every pixel definition layer between two adjacent pixel regions, and the organic common layer covers the recess.
US09978815B2

A self-light emitting display unit capable of improving manufacturing yield is provided. Sizes of color pixel circuits corresponding to pixels for R, G, and B are respectively set unevenly within a pixel circuit according to a magnitude ratio of drive currents which allow color self-light emitting elements in the pixel to emit with a same light emission luminance. Thereby, the pattern densities of color pixel circuits respectively corresponding to the pixels for R, G, and B become even to each other, and the pattern defect rate as the whole pixel circuit is decreased.
US09978801B2

In various embodiments, image sensors and methods of making images sensors are disclosed. In an embodiment, an image sensor includes a first pixel region having a pixel electrode, an optically sensitive material of a first thickness, and a counterelectrode. The images sensor also includes a second pixel region comprising a pixel electrode, an optically sensitive material of a second thickness, and a counterelectrode. The first pixel region is configured to detect light in a first spectral band and the second pixel region is configured to detect light in a second spectral band. The first and second spectral bands include an overlapping spectral range. The second spectral band also includes a spectral range that is substantially undetectable by the first pixel region. Other image sensors and methods of making images sensors are also disclosed.
US09978799B2

There is provided a solid-state image sensor including a semiconductor substrate in which a plurality of pixels are arranged, and a wiring layer stacked on the semiconductor substrate and formed in such a manner that a plurality of conductor layers having a plurality of wirings are buried in an insulation film. In the wiring layer, wirings connected to the pixels are formed of two conductor layers.
US09978798B2

Recording photons incident on an image sensor; and storing the recorded photons on the image sensor in varying densities, wherein the photons are recorded in varying densities by storing electrons non-linearly. Key words include a sensor and storing non-linearly.
US09978790B2

An image sensor is provided including a substrate, an array of photosensitive units, a grid and a plurality of color filters. In the image sensor, the grid has a first portion and a second portion disposed on the first portion. The second portion of the grid can cause reflection or refraction of incident lights targeted for one image sensor element back into the same image sensor element, so as to avoid crosstalk occurred. Further, a method for manufacturing the image sensor also provides herein.
US09978789B2

An image-sensing device includes a semiconductor substrate, a passive layer, and a light-collecting element. The semiconductor substrate includes a photo-sensing element, and the passive layer is disposed over the semiconductor substrate. The light-collecting element is disposed over the passive layer, and includes first, second and third loops. The first loop has a first width. The second loop surrounds the first loop and has a second width that is less than the first width. The third loop surrounds the first and second loops, and has a third width that is less than the second width. The light-collecting element aligns with the photo-sensing element, and the first, second, and third loops include different refractive indices.
US09978784B2

A device includes a semiconductor substrate, which has a front side and a backside. A photo-sensitive device is disposed on the front side of the semiconductor substrate. A first and a second grid line are parallel to each other, and are disposed on the backside of, and overlying, the semiconductor substrate. A stacked layer includes an adhesion layer, a metal layer over the adhesion layer, and a high-refractive index layer over the metal layer. The adhesion layer, the metal layer, and the high-refractive index layer are substantially conformal, and extend on top surfaces and sidewalls of the first and the second grid lines.
US09978776B2

A pixel portion and a driver circuit driving the pixel portion are formed over the same substrate. At least a part of the driver circuit is formed using an inverted staggered thin film transistor in which an oxide semiconductor layer is used and a channel protective layer is provided over the oxide semiconductor layer serving as a channel formation region which is overlapped with the gate electrode. The driver circuit as well as the pixel portion is provided over the same substrate to reduce manufacturing costs.
US09978771B2

There are provided a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device. A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device includes forming a preliminary source stack structure including a first source layer, a first protective layer, a sacrificial layer, a second protective layer, and a second source layer, which are sequentially stacked in the recited order, forming channel layers extending through the second source layer and partially inside the first source layer, and growing a first region of an interlayer source layer from each channel layer, the first region of the interlayer source layer surrounding each channel layer in a region between the first and second protective layers.
US09978769B2

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a substrate; a stacked body; a columnar portion; a plate portion; and a sidewall insulating film. The thermal expansion coefficient of the substrate is α1. The stacked body includes a plurality of electrode layers and a memory cell array. The columnar portion includes a semiconductor body and a charge storage film. The plate portion includes a first layer and a second layer. The thermal expansion coefficient of the first layer is the α2 being different from the α1. The thermal expansion coefficient of the second layer is the α3 being different from the α2. The value of the α3 is in a direction from the value of the α2 toward the value of the α1. The second layer faces the major surface of the substrate continuously in the memory cell array.
US09978759B2

A method comprises forming a memory gate structure adjacent to a control gate structure over a substrate, wherein a charge storage layer is between the memory gate structure and the control gate structure and a top surface of the memory gate structure is covered by a gate mask layer, forming a first spacer along sidewalls of the memory gate structure and the gate mask layer, wherein a sidewall of the memory gate structure is fully covered by the first spacer, applying an etching process to the charge storage layer to form an L-shaped charge storage layer and forming a first drain/source region adjacent to the memory gate structure and a second drain/source region adjacent to the control gate structure.
US09978755B2

A device includes a source/drain region, a gate electrode, and an intra-connection structure. The gate electrode has a top surface, a bottom surface that is opposite to the top surface thereof, and a sidewall that extends between the top and bottom surfaces thereof. The intra-connection structure is coupled electrically to the source/drain region and the sidewall of the gate electrode. A method for fabricating the device is also disclosed.
US09978743B1

Embodiments of the present invention provide methods for balancing voltages during voltage division. More specifically, circuit performance is enhanced (i) balancing out the voltage drops across two field effect transistors (FETs); (ii) powering inverters through a voltage divider containing two voltage input pins during normal operation of the circuit; and (iii) powering inverters through a FET during electrostatic discharge.
US09978741B2

An ESD protection device includes a semiconductor substrate, first and second fins, first and second doped regions adjacent to each other and having different conductivity types. The first doped region includes a first portion of the substrate and a first region of the first fin. The second doped region includes a second portion of the substrate and a second region of the first fin. The device also includes a first gate structure on a portion of first and second regions of the first fin, a first highly doped region in the first region of the first fin and having a same conductivity type as the first doped region, and a dopant concentration higher than the first doped region, and a second highly doped region in the second fin and having a same conductivity type as the second doped region, and a dopant concentration higher than the second doped region.
US09978734B2

A light-emitting arrangement includes a radiation-emitting semiconductor chip that, during operation, emits primary radiation at least from a main emission surface, a first conversion element that absorbs part of the primary radiation and emits secondary radiation, and a deflection element that causes a direction change for part of the primary radiation, wherein the first conversion element is arranged in a lateral direction next to the radiation-emitting semiconductor chip, the deflection element guides part of the primary radiation onto the first conversion element, and the light-emitting arrangement, in operation, emits mixed light including the primary radiation and the secondary radiation.
US09978729B2

The invention provides a semiconductor package assembly. The semiconductor package assembly includes a first semiconductor package including a first semiconductor die. A first molding compound surrounds the first semiconductor die. A first redistribution layer (RDL) structure is disposed on a bottom surface of the first molding compound. The first semiconductor die is coupled to the first RDL structure. A second redistribution layer (RDL) structure is disposed on a top surface of the first molding compound. A passive device is coupled to the second RDL structure.
US09978724B2

Flip chip LEDs comprise a transparent carrier and an active material layer such as AlInGaP bonded to the carrier and that emits light between about 550 to 650 nm. The flip chip LED has a first electrical terminal in contact with a first region of the active material layer, and a second electrical terminal in contact with a second region of the active material layer, wherein the first and second electrical terminals are positioned along a common surface of the active material layer. Chip-on-board LED packages comprise a plurality of the flip chip LEDs with respective first and second electrical terminals interconnected with one another. The package may include Flip chip LEDs that emit light between 420 to 500 nm, and the flip chip LEDs are covered with a phosphorus material comprising a yellow constituent, and may comprise a transparent material disposed over the phosphorus material.
US09978718B2

A light-emitting device is provided. The light-emitting device includes a substrate having a long edge and a short edge, at least one electrode pad assembly, and at least one light-emitting element. The at least one electrode pad assembly is disposed on the substrate and includes a first electrode pad and a second electrode pad. The at least one light-emitting element has a plurality of electrodes electrically connected to the first electrode pad and the second electrode pad of the at least one electrode pad assembly. The first electrode pad and the second electrode pad are arranged along a direction parallel to the short side.
US09978717B2

The invention relates to a multilayer semiconductor integrated circuit device which is provided with a smaller space for a three-dimensional multilayer configuration at a lower cost and with a sufficient power supply quality. A first semiconductor integrated circuit device is provided with a first penetrating semiconductor region that penetrates through the first semiconductor body in the thickness direction and that is connected to the first power supply potential, and a second penetrating semiconductor region that penetrates through the first semiconductor body in the thickness direction and that is connected to the second power supply potential. A second semiconductor integrated circuit device having a first electrode and a second electrode is layered on top of the first semiconductor integrated circuit device so that the first electrode and the second electrode are respectively connected to the first penetrating semiconductor region and the second penetrating semiconductor region.
US09978715B2

The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor package structure and semiconductor process. The semiconductor package includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a die, a plurality of interconnection elements and an encapsulation material. Each of the interconnection elements connects the first substrate and the second substrate. The encapsulation material encapsulates the interconnection elements. The encapsulation material defines a plurality of accommodation spaces to accommodate the interconnection elements, and the profile of each accommodation space is defined by the individual interconnection element, whereby the warpage behavior of the first substrate is in compliance with that of the second substrate during reflow.
US09978705B2

A semiconductor package structure includes a substrate, a semiconductor chip, and a solder material. The substrate includes an insulating layer, a conductive circuit layer, and a conductive bump. The conductive circuit layer is recessed from a top surface of the insulating layer. The conductive circuit layer includes a pad, and a side surface of the pad extends along a side surface of the insulating layer. The conductive bump is disposed on the pad. A side surface of the conductive bump, a top surface of the pad and the side surface of the insulating layer together define an accommodating space. A solder material electrically connects the conductive bump and the semiconductor chip. A portion of the solder material is disposed in the accommodating space.
US09978704B2

A semiconductor device includes a contact region over a substrate. The semiconductor device further includes a metal pad over the contact region. Additionally, the semiconductor device includes a post passivation interconnect (PPI) line over the metal pad, where the PPI line is in contact with the metal pad. Furthermore, the semiconductor device includes an under-bump-metallurgy (UBM) layer over the PPI line. Moreover, the semiconductor device includes a plurality of solder balls over the UBM layer, the plurality of solder balls being arranged at some, but not all, intersections of a number of columns and rows of a ball pattern.
US09978702B2

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for a resurfaceable contact pad that uses an epoxy to encapsulate contact pads so that the epoxy and encapsulated contact pads are coplanar on a silicon redistribution interposer. These redistribution interposers electrically connect a wafer semi-conductor to a probe card where it is necessary to convert the course pad arrangement of one with a fine pad arrangement of the other through the use of an interposer board. The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method creates resurfaceable contact pads which may be resurfaced one or multiple times with an abrasive sanding operation to recreate a coplanar surface should any contact pad surfaces become damaged, allowing for a more cost-effective repair.
US09978696B2

Isolators for providing electrical isolation between two circuits operating at different voltages are described, in which multiple semiconductor dies including the isolator components and the components of the two circuits are stacked on top of each other to provide a laterally-compact arrangement. An isolation barrier electrically separates the two circuits, and the isolator may provide a communication channel for transfer of information and/or power between the two circuits. The isolator may be included in an integrated device having a stacked die configuration where a first semiconductor die includes the isolator and components of the first of the two circuits, and a second semiconductor die positioned over the first semiconductor die includes components of the second of the two circuits. Two components of the isolator may be formed in separate layers of the first semiconductor die.
US09978693B2

An integrated circuit package includes at least one first chip mounted in a first region of a mounting surface of a printed circuit board, a molding unit covering the mounting surface and surrounding the at least one first chip, an electromagnetic shielding film covering a surface of the molding unit and surrounding the at least one first chip, and a second chip mounted in a second region of the mounting surface. The second chip is exposed outside the electromagnetic shielding film and is spaced apart from the printed circuit board, with the molding unit being between the second chip and the printed circuit board.
US09978692B2

An integrated circuit is provided. The integrated circuit includes a control circuitry, a plurality of pins, and a plurality of driving units coupled to the pins. The control circuitry provides a plurality of control signals according to data to be transmitted. The pins are coupled to a device via a plurality of conductive traces of a printed circuit board (PCB). The control signals control each of the driving units to selectively provide the data or one specific shielding pattern via the corresponding pin and the corresponding conductive trace of PCB to the device.
US09978689B2

An embodiment of an Ion Sensitive Field Effect Transistor (ISFET) structure includes a substrate, source and drain regions formed within the substrate and spatially separated by a channel region, a gate dielectric and a gate formed over the channel region, multiple conductive structures overlying the surface of the substrate, and one or more protection diode circuits coupled between one or more of the multiple conductive structures and the substrate. The multiple conductive structures include a floating gate structure and a sense plate structure. The floating gate structure is formed over the gate dielectric and includes the gate. The sense plate structure is electrically coupled to the floating gate structure and is configured to sense a concentration of a target ion or molecule in a fluid adjacent to a portion of the sense plate structure.
US09978679B2

A fuse structure may include an anode pattern, a cathode pattern and a connection member. The anode pattern may be formed on a semiconductor substrate. The cathode pattern may be formed on the anode pattern. The connection member may be electrically connected between the anode pattern and the cathode pattern. The connection member may have different widths.
US09978676B2

An interconnect is described that comprises an interconnect channel, and two channel couplers coupled to the two ends of the interconnect channel through respective stoppers that provide a gap between the channel couplers and the interconnect channel. Each channel coupler can comprise a coplanar waveguide, a microstrip line, and a patch-antenna based coupler. The interconnect can enable communication between integrated circuits using signal waves having a frequency between 100 GHz and 3 THz.
US09978674B2

Provided are a chip-on-film (COF) semiconductor package capable of improving connection characteristics and a display apparatus including the package. The COF semiconductor package includes a film substrate, a conductive interconnection located on at least one surface of the film substrate and an output pin connected to the conductive interconnection and located at one edge on a first surface of the film substrate, a semiconductor chip connected to the conductive interconnection and mounted on the first surface of the film substrate, a solder resist layer on the first surface of the film substrate to cover at least a portion of the conductive interconnection, and at least one barrier dam on the solder resist layer between the semiconductor chip and the output pin.
US09978673B2

A package structure is provided, including a carrier, an electronic component disposed on the carrier and having a sensing area, an encapsulant formed on the carrier and encapsulating the electronic component and the sensing area, and a conductive layer formed on the encapsulant with the sensing area of the electronic component free from being covered by the conductive layer. The encapsulant prevents a user's finger from being in direct contact with the sensing area so as to protect the sensing area from being damaged and hence ensure normal operation of the electronic component.
US09978669B2

A method of making a packaged integrated circuit device includes forming a lead frame with leads that have an inner portion and an outer portion, the inner portion of the lead is between a periphery of a die pad and extends to one end of openings around the die pad. The outer portion of the leads are separated along their length almost up to an opposite end of the openings. Leads in a first subset of the leads alternate with leads in a second subset of the leads. The inner portion of the first subset of the leads is bent. The die pad, the inner portion of the leads, and only a first portion of the openings adjacent the inner portion of the leads are encapsulated. A second portion of the openings and the output portions of the leads form a dam bar for the encapsulating material.
US09978662B2

In the present invention, a heat spreader has a sagging surface or a C surface being a chamfered portion at an outer peripheral end portion of a back surface thereof. A plurality of power elements formed into chips are mounted on a surface of the heat spreader with a solder therebetween, and an insulating sheet portion is located on the back surface side of the heat spreader. The insulating sheet portion has a laminated structure of an insulating layer and a metal foil, and the insulating layer being the upper layer is closely bonded to the back surface of the heat spreader. A space region between the sagging surface and the insulating sheet portion is filled with a molding resin.
US09978660B2

An integrated circuit package and a method of fabrication of the same are introduced. An opening is formed in a substrate. An embedded heat dissipation feature (eHDF) is placed in the opening in the substrate and is attached to the substrate using a high thermal conductivity adhesive. One or more bonded chips are attached to the substrate using a flip-chip method. The eHDF is thermally attached to one or more hot spots of the bonded chips. In some embodiments, the eHDF may comprise multiple physically disconnected portions. In other embodiments, the eHDF may have a perforated structure.
US09978654B2

A semiconductor device has a substrate including first and second conductive layers formed over first and second opposing surfaces of the substrate. A plurality of wire studs or stud bumps is formed over the substrate. A semiconductor die is mounted to the substrate between the wire studs. A first encapsulant is deposited around the semiconductor die. A first interconnect structure is formed over the semiconductor die and first encapsulant. A second encapsulant is deposited over the substrate, semiconductor die, and first interconnect structure. The second encapsulant can be formed over a portion of the semiconductor die and side surface of the substrate. A portion of the second encapsulant is removed to expose the substrate and first interconnect structure. A second interconnect structure is formed over the second encapsulant and first interconnect structure and electrically coupled to the wire studs. A discrete semiconductor device can be formed on the interconnect structure.
US09978653B2

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: processing a substrate by operating a processing apparatus included in a substrate processing apparatus, based on a first process setting; acquiring apparatus data of the processing apparatus when processing the substrate; generating first evaluation data of the processing apparatus based on an evaluation factor corresponding to the first process setting and the apparatus data; determining one or more recipe items executable in the processing apparatus based on the first evaluation data; and notifying the one or more recipe items.
US09978643B2

The invention relates to a method for producing chips (13) by dividing a wafer along dividing lines (11, 12) defining dimensions of the chip, wherein a focus (18) of a preferably pulsed laser radiation (16) is moved along the dividing lines on a first and at least a second path (25, 26) within the wafer body, wherein the laser radiation is applied to the wafer from a rear side (17) of the wafer, and the power density for producing the defects (28) on the first path (25) is lower than the power density for producing the defects (29) on the second path (26), and/or the number of defects on the first path is smaller than the number of defects on the second path.
US09978632B2

The present disclosure provides a substrate support assembly includes a substrate pedestal having an upper surface for receiving and supporting a substrate, a cover plate disposed on the substrate support pedestal, and two or more lift pins movably disposed through the substrate support pedestal and the cover plate. The cover plate includes a disk body having a central opening. The two or more lift pins are self supportive. Each of the two or more lift pins comprises one or more contact pads, and the contact pads of the lift pins extend into to the central opening of the cover plate to receive and support a substrate at an edge region of the substrate.
US09978631B2

A wafer pick-and-place method and system is provided. During the wafer pick-and-place operation, the distance between the fork of the robot and the target wafer is detected to determine whether the robot will collide with the target wafer. Furthermore, the tilted angle of the target wafer relative to the fork is calculated to determine whether the wafer will slip off. If collision or wafer slippery may occur, the pick-and-place operation is stopped. Therefore, wafer damages due to unexpected contact between the fork and the wafer can be avoided, and wafer handling safety can be improved.
US09978630B2

An apparatus for and a method of forming a semiconductor structure is provided. The apparatus includes a substrate holder that maintains a substrate such that the processing surface is curved, such as a convex or a concave shape. The substrate is held in place using point contacts, a plurality of continuous contacts extending partially around the substrate, and/or a continuous ring extending completely around the substrate. The processing may include, for example, forming source/drain regions, channel regions, silicides, stress memorization layers, or the like.
US09978628B2

A method of wafer bonding includes bonding a wafer to a carrier in a bonding system. The method further includes measuring thickness profile of the bonded wafer. The method further includes modifying surface contours of at least one of an upper plate or a lower plate of the bonding system during a bonding operation to improve planarity of bonded wafers based on the measured thickness profile, wherein modifying the surface contours of at least one of the upper plate or the lower plate comprises modifying the surface contours using a plurality of height adjusters.
US09978623B2

A substrate processing system including a processing section arranged to hold a processing atmosphere therein, a carrier having a shell forming an internal volume for holding at least one substrate for transport to the processing section, the shell being configured to allow the internal volume to be pumped down to a predetermined vacuum pressure that is different than an exterior atmosphere outside the substrate processing system, and a load port communicably connected to the processing section to isolate the processing atmosphere from the exterior atmosphere, the load port being configured to couple with the carrier to pump down the internal volume of the carrier and to communicably connect the carrier to the processing section, for loading the substrate into the processing section through the load port.
US09978615B2

The present disclosure relates to a microelectronics package with an inductive element and a magnetically enhanced mold compound component, and a process for making the same. The disclosed microelectronics package includes a module substrate, a thinned flip-chip die with an upper surface that includes a first surface portion and a second surface portion surrounding the first surface portion, the magnetically enhanced mold compound component, and a mold compound component. The thinned flip-chip die is attached to the module substrate and includes a device layer with an inductive element embedded therein. Herein, the inductive element is underlying the first surface portion and not underlying the second surface portion. The magnetically enhanced mold compound component is formed over the first surface portion. The mold compound component is formed over the second surface portion, not over the first surface portion, and surrounding the magnetically enhanced mold compound component.
US09978608B2

Methods for fabricating fins for a fin-type field-effect transistor (FinFET) and fin structures for a FinFET. A conformal layer is formed that includes respective first portions on sidewalls of first hardmask sections previously formed on a substrate, a recess between the first portions on the sidewalls of each adjacent pair of the first hardmask sections, and a second portion between the substrate and the recess. The conformal layer is constituted by a second material chosen to etch selectively to the first material constituting the first hardmask sections. A spacer is formed in each recess and masks the respective second portion of the conformal layer. The conformal layer is then etched to form second hardmask sections each comprised of one of the second portions of the conformal layer. The substrate is etched with the first and second hardmask sections masking the substrate to form a plurality of fins.
US09978605B2

Provided herein are methods of depositing fluorine-free tungsten by sequential CVD pulses, such as by alternately pulsing a chlorine-containing tungsten precursor and hydrogen in cycles of temporally separated pulses, without depositing a tungsten nucleation layer. Methods also include depositing tungsten directly on a substrate surface using alternating pulses of a chlorine-containing tungsten precursor and hydrogen without treating the substrate surface.
US09978604B2

A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming a gate stack over a first portion of a source and a first portion of a drain. The method includes depositing a first cap layer comprising silicon over a second portion of the source and depositing a second cap layer comprising silicon over a second portion of the drain. The method includes depositing a metal layer over the gate stack, the first cap layer and the second cap layer. The method includes annealing the semiconductor device until all of the silicon in the first and second cap layers reacts with metal from the metal layer, wherein the annealing causes metal from the metal layer to react with silicon in the first cap layer, the second cap layer, the source, and the drain. Annealing the semiconductor device includes forming a salicide layer having a germanium concentration less than 3% by weight.
US09978601B2

A method and structure for providing a pre-deposition treatment (e.g., of a work-function layer) to accomplish work function tuning. In various embodiments, a gate dielectric layer is formed over a substrate, and a work-function metal layer is deposited over the gate dielectric layer. In some embodiments, a first in-situ process including a pre-treatment process of the work-function metal layer is performed. By way of example, the pre-treatment process removes an oxidized layer of the work-function metal layer to form a treated work-function metal layer. In some embodiments, after performing the first in-situ process, a second in-situ process including a deposition process of another metal layer over the treated work-function metal layer is performed.
US09978598B2

A silicon carbide semiconductor device includes a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate; a nickel silicide film provided on a surface of the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate and functioning as an ohmic contact; and an extraction electrode contacting the ohmic contact on a side different from a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate side. The silicon carbide semiconductor substrate side of the ohmic contact is mainly formed from a NiSi phase and an extraction electrode side thereof is mainly formed from a Ni2Si phase. The ohmic contact includes carbon on the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate and includes no carbon on the extraction electrode side.
US09978589B2

Methods and structures for forming epitaxial layers of semipolar III-nitride materials on patterned sapphire substrates are described. Semi-nitrogen-polar GaN may be grown from inclined c-plane facets of sapphire and coalesced to form a continuous layer of (2021) GaN over the sapphire substrate. Nitridation of the sapphire and a low-temperature GaN buffer layer is used to form semi-nitrogen-polar GaN.
US09978587B2

A technique includes forming a film containing a first element, a second element and carbon on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times. The cycle includes non-simultaneously performing supplying a first precursor having chemical bonds between the first elements to a substrate, supplying a second precursor having chemical bonds between the first element and carbon without having the chemical bonds between the first elements to the substrate, and supplying a first reactant containing the second element to the substrate.
US09978582B2

A method to improve the planarity of a semiconductor wafer and an assembly made from the method. In a preferred embodiment of the method, a compressive PECVD oxide layer such as SiO2 having a predetermined thickness or pattern is deposited on the second surface of a semiconductor wafer having an undesirable warp or bow. The thickness or pattern of the deposited oxide layer is determined by the measured warp or bow of the semiconductor wafer. The compressive oxide layer induces an offsetting compressive force on the second surface of the semiconductor wafer to reduce the warp and bow across the major surface of the semiconductor wafer.
US09978575B2

Sample molecules are ionized producing a beam of ions using an ion source. A plurality of ion extractions are performed on the beam of ions using a TOF mass spectrometer. Electrical detections from each extraction are measured using an ADC, producing a mass sub-spectrum for each extraction. An ion m/z from the plurality of mass sub-spectra is selected. For each mass sub-spectrum, the amplitude and m/z of an ion within a m/z tolerance of the ion m/z is assigned to the corresponding amplitude band of a plurality of predetermined amplitude bands, producing a plurality of amplitude and m/z values for the each amplitude band. For each amplitude band of the plurality of predetermined amplitude bands, the plurality of amplitude and m/z values are combined into a peak, resulting in a plurality of peaks corresponding to the plurality of predetermined amplitude bands.
US09978574B2

Mass spectrometry systems include a core featuring an ion source, an ion trap, and an ion detector connected along a gas path, a pressure regulation subsystem connected to the gas path and configured to regulate a gas pressure in the gas path, a sample pre-concentrator connected to the gas path, where the sample pre-concentrator includes an adsorbent material, and a controller connected to the sample pre-concentrator, where during operation of the system, the controller is configured to heat sample particles adsorbed on the adsorbent material to desorb the particles from the adsorbent material and introduce the desorbed particles into the gas path, and a pressure difference between a gas pressure in the sample pre-concentrator and a gas pressure in at least one of the ion source, the ion trap, and the ion detector when the desorbed particles are introduced into the gas path is 50 mTorr or less.
US09978573B2

Processing a capillary distal end into acute-angle, an electrophoretic liquid passing hole through which electrophoretic liquid pass is opened in a flexible insulating plate. An electrodialysis-membrane is bonded covering the electrophoretic liquid passing hole; the capillary is securely bonded to the insulating plate portion with no gap therebetween, the portion excluding electrophoretic liquid passing hole on the electrodialysis top-membrane. A crack forms at the capillary portion at the electrophoretic liquid passing hole, with the capillary entirely secured to the insulating plate except portion at the electrophoretic liquid passing hole. The capillary is securely bonded to the insulating plate; reservoir stores electrophoretic liquid on the insulating plate-side to which the capillary is unsecured. An electrode insertion hole into which an electrode is inserted opened in the reservoir upper portion; the electrode is securely inserted into the electrode insertion hole. By this, high-sensitivity measurement is using a spray device for sheathless CE-MS.
US09978572B2

A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed comprising providing a first device and a second device disposed downstream of the first device. The method further comprises introducing a potential difference between the exit of the first device and the entrance of the second device and reducing the total potential drop across the first and second devices by applying a reverse axial electric field to the first device and/or the second device. Ions are driven through the first device and/or the second device against the reverse axial electric field.
US09978565B2

In one embodiment, a plasma processing device may include a dielectric window, a vacuum chamber, an energy source, and at least one air amplifier. The dielectric window may include a plasma exposed surface and an air exposed surface. The vacuum chamber and the plasma exposed surface of the dielectric window can cooperate to enclose a plasma processing gas. The energy source can transmit electromagnetic energy through the dielectric window and form an elevated temperature region in the dielectric window. The at least one air amplifier can be in fluid communication with the dielectric window. The at least one air amplifier can operate at a back pressure of at least about 1 in-H2O and can provide at least about 30 cfm of air.
US09978555B2

An ion source has an arc chamber having a body defining and interior region. A liner defined an exposure surface of the interior region that is exposed to a plasma generated within the arc chamber. An electrode has a shaft with a first diameter that passes through the body and the liner. The electrode is electrically isolated from the body where the liner is a plate having a first surface with an optional recess having a second surface. A hole is defined through the recess for the shaft to pass through. The hole has a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter, and an annular gap exists between the plate and the shaft. The plate has a lip extending from the second surface toward the first surface that surrounds the hole within the recess and generally prevents particulate contaminants from entering the annular gap.
US09978546B2

A rotary switch (4) comprising a switch body (8) which identifies an inner space (10) which rotatably houses a shaft (12) operatively connected to an actuator device external to the switch (4), a distribution valve (32) positioned outside said inner space (10), a pneumatic connector (36) and at least one control means (40), such as a solenoid, operatively connected to the pneumatic connector (36), arranged in the inner space (10). The control means (40) is operatively connected to the external device, the distribution valve (32) is operatively connected to the control means (40) by means of the pneumatic connector (36). Advantageously, the pneumatic connector (36) defines at least one connection channel (44) placing the distribution valve (32) in fluidic connection with the control means (40), wherein inside the connection channel (44) at least one anti-explosion means (52) is inserted, positioned coaxially to the connection channel (44) so as to reduce the through cross-section (56) thereof by a predefined length of the connection channel (44), said through cross-section (56) being confined on an outer circular crown of the connection channel (44), delimited between an inner side wall (60) of the connection channel (44) and an external lateral wall (64) of the anti-explosion means (52).
US09978545B2

A switch unit has a display part configured to display an image, and an operation part provided on the display part in a stacked manner. The operation part includes a plurality of press buttons each having a pressable top surface formed to be transparent, a transparent base having a plurality of openings which are formed so as to be spaced from each other in positions corresponding to a display region of the display part, while avoiding a peripheral edge of the display region, a transparent substrate provided below the base and mounted with an electronic component, and a top plate having openings in positions corresponding to the press buttons and provided on the base, with the press buttons mounted thereon, so as to cover the base.
US09978544B2

A keyboard apparatus of an electronic apparatus includes a key-switch structure including a membrane switch having contact points, keycaps for operating the contact points of the membrane switch, and actuators configured to urge the keycaps upwardly upon the keycaps being pressed down, and an upper cover configured to be part of a housing of the electronic apparatus and having a mount part, the mount part supporting the key-switch structure that is placed on an upper surface of the mount part, wherein the mount part is formed integrally with the upper cover.
US09978542B2

Circuit breaker lockout devices are disclosed that effectively lock one or more circuit breakers in a circuit breaker panel in a safe or open circuit position. Embodiments of the circuit breaker lockout devices are robust, utilize few loose parts, and are easily installed. The devices are also short in profile, thereby allowing them to be installed in a circuit breaker panel having minimal clearance between the circuit breakers and a closed panel door cover.
US09978539B1

An extractor for at least partially extracting a bushing central conductor from a bushing insulator. The extractor comprises a supporting member, a movable member and lifting means. The supporting member is configured to be rigidly secured to the bushing insulator. The movable member is configured to be rigidly secured to the bushing central conductor. The lifting means are configured to move the movable member along the supporting member.
US09978538B2

In a power supply switch which switches plural paths for supply of power from a power source to connected states or disconnected states by fixed contacts provided on the plural paths and a movable contact, the fixed contacts includes a power-source-side fixed contact which connects to the power source, an electricity-storage-element-side fixed contact which connects to an electricity storage element, and an another path side fixed contact which connects to power supply destinations via a another path which are provided so as to be separate from and independent of each other. When the power supply switch is switched to disconnected states, the electricity storage path and the another path are disconnected from each other and a current flow from the electricity storage element to the another path is thereby shut off.
US09978535B2

A composite material of an electrode unit includes: a porous electrode material being 50˜95 wt % of the composite material; an electret material being greater than 0 wt % and less than 15 wt % of the composite material; a dispersant material being 0˜15 wt % of the composite material; an adhesive material being 0˜15 wt % of the composite material; an electric conduction auxiliary agent being greater than 0 wt % and less than 30 wt % of the composite material. The porous electrode material includes porous particles and the electret material is distributed among the porous particles.
US09978533B2

An energy storage device includes a middle section (610) including a plurality of double-sided porous structures (500), each of which contain multiple channels (511) in two opposing surfaces (515, 525) thereof, an upper section (620) comprising a single-sided porous structure (621) containing multiple channels (622) in a surface (625) thereof, and a lower section (630) including a single-sided porous structure (631) containing multiple channels (632) in a surface (635) thereof.
US09978528B2

A capacitor having at least two side-by-side anodes with a cathode current collector disposed between the anodes and housed inside a casing is described. Cathode active material is supported on the opposed major faces of the current collector and the current collector/cathode active material subassembly is housed in a first separator envelope. The first separator envelope is positioned between the side-by-side anodes and this electrode assembly is then contained in a second separator envelope. The two anodes can be connected in parallel inside or outside casing, or they can be unconnected to each other. There is also cathode active material supported on inner surfaces of the casing in a face-to-face alignment with an adjacent one of the anodes. That way, the second separator envelope also prevents direct physical contact between the anode pellets and the cathode active material supported on the casing sidewalls.
US09978523B1

A multilayer capacitor includes a capacitor body including a dielectric layer and a plurality of first and second internal electrodes, the capacitor body having a first surface and a second surface opposing each other, the capacitor body having a third surface and a fourth surface connected to the first surface and the second surface and opposing each other, and first and second band portions extended from the first and second connection portions to portions of the first surface and the second surface of the capacitor body and portions of a fifth surface and a sixth surface of the capacitor body, respectively, an insulating layer covering the first and second band portions, and a first terminal electrode and a second terminal electrode covering the first and second external electrodes, and portions of the insulating layer disposed on the first surface of the capacitor body and spaced apart from each other.
US09978521B2

A multilayer electronic component includes an element body having an internal electrode layer and a dielectric layer. These layers are substantially parallel to a plane including a first axis and a second axis and are alternately laminated along a third axis direction. A pair of side surfaces facing each other in the first axis direction of the element body is respectively equipped with an insulating layer. A pair of end surfaces facing each other in the second axis direction of the element body is respectively equipped with an external electrode electrically connected to the internal electrode layer. The insulating layer has a mountain portion formed on a peripheral edge of the side surface and a plane portion of a central portion of the side surface.
US09978508B2

A surface mount swing-type inductor component is configured to establish a non-uniform gap when assembled. The non-uniform gap produces swing-type inductor functionality in a compact package for higher current applications while being manufacturable at relatively low cost.
US09978507B2

A coil device comprising a winding coil including Cu and having a winding part and an extension line part which is pulled out from said winding part, a pair of electrodes made of a conductive material having a base part provided with a mounting base face at one of the face, and a connecting wire part having a connecting wire face connected with the extension line part and said connecting wire part projects out towards an opposite side of said mounting base face with respect to the base part, a magnetic part including a magnetic material and said magnetic part uncovering said mounting base and covering at least said winding part and said connecting wire face, wherein Sn amount per unit area of said connecting wire face is less than Sn amount per unit area of said mounting base.
US09978490B2

A low-loss compact and a method for producing the compact are provided.A method for producing a compact by using coated soft magnetic powder that includes coated soft magnetic particles constituted by soft magnetic particles and insulating coatings coating outer peripheries of the soft magnetic particles includes a raw material preparation step and an irradiation step. In the raw material preparation step, a raw compact is prepared by press-forming coated soft magnetic powder. In the irradiation step, part of a surface of the raw compact is irradiated with a laser. Irradiating a part of a surface of a raw compact with laser increases the number of disrupted portions of conductive portions where constituent materials of the soft magnetic particles at the surface of the raw compact have become conductive to each other, and the loss of the compact can be decreased.
US09978488B2

A steel slab having a chemical composition including C: not more than 0.005 mass %, Si: not more than 4 mass %, Mn: 0.03-2 mass %, P: not more than 0.2 mass %, S: not more than 0.004 mass %, Al: not more than 2 mass %, N: not more than 0.004 mass %, Se: not more than 0.0010 mass % and the balance being Fe and inevitable impurities is subjected to hot rolling, cold rolling and recrystallization annealing up to 740° C. at an average heating rate of not less than 100° C./s to produce a semi-processed non-oriented electrical steel sheet being high in the magnetic flux density and low in the iron loss after stress relief annealing.
US09978481B2

An oxide superconducting thin film wire includes a metal substrate, a laminate, and a Cu stabilizing layer. The metal substrate includes a supporting base material and a conductive layer located on the supporting base material. The conductive layer includes a Cu layer serving as an internal layer and a biaxially orientated surface layer. The laminate includes a buffer layer, an oxide superconducting layer, and a Ag stabilizing layer stacked on the metal substrate in this order from the metal substrate. The Cu stabilizing layer is formed so as to surround the laminate and the metal substrate. At least one of the Cu stabilizing layer and the Ag stabilizing layer is formed so as to be in contact with at least a portion of the conductive layer of the metal substrate and be electrically conductive with the conductive layer of the metal substrate.
US09978477B2

The present invention relates to dielectric fluids and esters, particularly to ester compositions suitable for use in dielectric fluid compositions as well as to dielectric fluid compositions, methods of manufacturing ester compositions and dielectric fluid compositions, and to electrical apparatus containing the dielectric fluids.
US09978464B2

This invention relates to a system for regulating a liquid in a circuit able to reverse the direction of the circulation, with the system comprising: a regulating valve comprising at least one inlet and one outlet and comprising a movable obturator the position of which makes it possible to adjust the flow rate of the liquid through the valve, an expansion reservoir in communication with the liquid flowing in the circuit and intended to contain liquid and a compensating gas, characterized in that: the expansion reservoir is connected to the circuit by the intermediary of the valve and in such a way that the expansion reservoir communicates with at least one from among the inlet and the outlet of the valve regardless of the position of the obturator, with the position of the obturator being independent of the pressure of the fluid in the expansion reservoir. The invention also relates to a circuit integrating this system as well as a use of this system.
US09978461B2

Embodiments are described that leverage variability of a chip. Different areas of a chip vary in terms of reliability under a same operating condition. The variability may be captured by measuring errors over different areas of the chip. A physical factor that affects or controls the likelihood of an error on the chip can be varied. For example, the voltage supplied to a chip may be provided at different levels. At each level of the physical factor, the chip is tested for errors within the regions. Some indication of the error statistics for the regions is stored and then used to adjust power used by the chip, to adjust reliability behavior of the chip, to allow applications to control how the chip is used, to compute a signature uniquely identifying the chip, etc.
US09978458B2

A data read operation method of a memory device includes applying a read voltage having a first preparation level and a first target level to a word line of a selected cell in the memory device to read a program state of the selected cell, applying a first read pass voltage having a second preparation level and a second target level to at least one word line of first non-selected cells not adjacent to the selected cell and in the same string as the selected cell, and applying a second read pass voltage having a third target level to a word line of at least one second non-selected cell adjacent to the selected cell.
US09978455B2

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a semiconductor having high security. A semiconductor device includes: a memory region having a plurality of memory cells capable of storing data; a read circuit capable of switching a reference current reading method of reading data by comparing current flowing a memory cell to be read in the memory region with a reference current, and a complementary reading method of reading data by comparing currents flowing in first and second memory cells in which complementary data to be read in the memory region is stored; a register setting a security state; a mode controller setting a mode; and a control circuit controlling the reference current reading method and the complementary reading method of reading the data in the read circuit on the basis of a signal of setting a mode from the mode controller and a value of the register.
US09978454B2

A nonvolatile memory includes a plurality of memory blocks and an address decoder. The address decoder is configured to activate a block word line corresponding to the memory blocks in common when one memory block is selected among the memory blocks, supply voltages to word lines of the selected memory block among the memory blocks, and float word lines of an unselected memory block among the memory blocks.
US09978451B2

The presented connection processes a stream data by a computer. The data is split into blocks called packets and the task is to search for a match of the data in packets with specified patterns—regular expressions, useful in the field of telecommunication technology and services. The connection may be formed within a semiconductor circuit, which serves for receiving, processing, and sending packets. This semiconductor circuit may be implemented by an FPGA-type circuit. In this way, instead of one circuit implementing the automaton with a total data width Sc, a set of simultaneously operating circuits is implemented forming several identical automata at a smaller data width Sn. This eliminates the exponential rise in the number of symbols in the automaton and at the same time it allows achieving a high throughput of the entire connection.
US09978450B2

A semiconductor memory cell and arrays of memory cells are provided In at least one embodiment, a memory cell includes a substrate having a top surface, the substrate having a first conductivity type selected from a p-type conductivity type and an n-type conductivity type; a first region having a second conductivity type selected from the p-type and n-type conductivity types, the second conductivity type being different from the first conductivity type, the first region being formed in the substrate and exposed at the top surface; a second region having the second conductivity type, the second region being formed in the substrate, spaced apart from the first region and exposed at the top surface; a buried layer in the substrate below the first and second regions, spaced apart from the first and second regions and having the second conductivity type; a body region formed between the first and second regions and the buried layer, the body region having the first conductivity type; a gate positioned between the first and second regions and above the top surface; and a nonvolatile memory configured to store data upon transfer from the body region.
US09978447B2

Described is an apparatus and system for improving write margin in memory cells. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises: a first circuit to provide a pulse signal with a width; and a second circuit to receive the pulse signal and to generate a power supply for the memory cell, wherein the second circuit to reduce a level of the power supply below a data retention voltage level of the memory cell for a time period corresponding to the width of the pulse signal. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a column of memory cells having a high supply node and a low supply node; and a charge sharing circuit positioned in the column of memory cells, the charge sharing circuit coupled to the high and low supply nodes, the charge sharing circuit operable to reduce direct-current (DC) power consumption.
US09978440B2

A method of managing a semiconductor memory is provided which includes sampling a row address from an access stream on a memory cell array according to a sampling period; determining whether the sampled row address is an address corresponding to a target row which is most frequently accessed, based on probability information; and executing a refresh operation on rows adjacent to the target row.
US09978434B2

Method for programming a magnetic device including a plurality of magnetic logical unit MLU cells using a single programming current, each MLU cell includes a storage magnetic layer having a storage magnetization that is pinned at a low threshold temperature and freely orientable at a high threshold temperature. A programming line is physically separated from each of the plurality of MLU cells and configured for passing a programming current pulse for programming any one of the plurality of MLU cells. The method includes: passing the programming current in the field line for heating the magnetic tunnel junction of each of the plurality of MLU cells at the high threshold temperature such as to unpin the second magnetization; wherein the programming current is further adapted for generating a programming magnetic field adapted for switching the storage magnetization of each of the plurality of MLU cells in a programmed direction.
US09978433B2

In some examples, a memory device is configured with non-volatile memory array(s) having one or more associated volatile memory arrays. The memory device may include a non-destructive write mode configured to prevent access to the non-volatile memory array(s) during an initiation or calibration sequence performed by the memory device or an electronic device associated with the memory device to calibrate read and write access timing associated with the memory device.
US09978420B2

Methods, apparatuses and systems for detecting defective sectors on a recording medium, the method including calculating a servo gain for each servo sector of a track of a recording medium of a storage device; determining whether the servo gain of each servo sector exceeds a threshold value; and upon determining that the servo gain of a servo sector exceeds the threshold value, determining data sectors included in the servo sector to be defective sectors.
US09978405B1

A slider configured for heat-assisted magnetic recording comprises an air bearing surface (ABS), a writer, and a close point of the writer. A plurality of heat producing or dissipating components are situated a predetermined distance from a vertical plane that is normal to the ABS and aligned with the close point. A location of the writer close point remains substantially consistent irrespective of which of the plurality of heat producing or dissipating components are energized.
US09978403B1

Data is written to a recording medium via a read/write head. Subsequent to the writing, the data is read via a read transducer of a read/write head. An instability indicator is derived based on measurements performed while the reading the data. If the instability indicator exceeds a threshold, a current applied to a write coil of the read/write head is changed for subsequent write operations.
US09978402B2

A magnetic head includes a head slider. The head slider includes a contact surface corresponding to a disk body, and the contact surface is a flat surface. The contact surface is coated with at least one smooth atomic-scale coating formed by a two-dimensional atomic crystal material. The head slider atomically contacts with the disk body.
US09978400B2

The present document discloses a method and apparatus for compensating for a lost frame in a transform domain, comprising: calculating frequency-domain coefficients of a current lost frame using frequency-domain coefficients of one or more frames prior to the current lost frame, and performing frequency-time transform to obtain an initially compensated signal; and performing waveform adjustment, to obtain a compensated signal. Alternatively, extrapolation is performed for all or part of frequency points of the current lost frame using phases and amplitudes of corresponding frequency points of a plurality of previous frames to obtain phases and amplitudes of the corresponding frequency points of the current lost frame, to obtain frequency-domain coefficients of the corresponding frequency points, and frequency-time transform is performed to obtain a compensated signal. The above methods can be selected through a judgment algorithm to compensate for the current lost frame, thereby achieving a better compensation effect.
US09978397B2

Embodiments include a wearable device, such as a head-worn device. The wearable device includes a first microphone to receive a first sound signal from a wearer of the wearable device; a second microphone to receive a second sound signal from the wearer of the wearable device; and a processor to process the first sound signals and the second sound signals to determine that the first and second sound signals originate from the wearer of the wearable device.
US09978396B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for analyzing mobile device usage. During the course of a conversation, a graphical display is generated on a mobile device which depicts entity nodes, conversation nodes, and a voice channel boundary. New nodes can be generated in response to the conversation nodes in order to reduce the tension of the conversation, reduce topic diversion, respond to received user gesture, and answer queries. Furthermore, embodiments of this invention describe a color-coded graphical display which depicts emotional sentiments during a conversation.
US09978392B2

Traditionally known classification methods of non-stationary physiological audio signals as noisy and clean involve human intervention, may involve dependency on particular type of classifier and further analyses is carried out on classified clean signals. However, in non-stationary audio signals a major portion may end up being classified as noisy and hence may get rejected which may cause missing of intelligence which could have been derived from lightly noisy audio signals that may be critical. The present disclosure enables automation of classification based on auto-thresholding and statistical isolation wherein noisy signals are further classified as highly noisy and lightly noisy through continuous dynamic learning.
US09978386B2

A voice processing method and device, the method comprising: detecting a current voice application scenario in a network (S1); determining the voice quality requirement and the network requirement of the current voice application scenario (S2); based on the voice quality requirement and the network requirement, configuring voice processing parameters corresponding to the voice application scenario (S3); and according to the voice processing parameters, conducting voice processing on the voice signals collected in the voice application scenario (S4).
US09978385B2

An encoding system (400) encodes an N-channel audio signal (X), wherein N≥3, as a single-channel downmix signal (Y) together with dry and wet upmix parameters (C, P). In a decoding system (200), a decorrelating section (101) outputs, based on the downmix signal, an (N−1)-channel decorrelated signal (Z); a dry upmix section (102) maps the downmix signal linearly in accordance with dry upmix coefficients (C) determined based on the dry upmix parameters; a wet upmix section (103) populates an intermediate matrix based on the wet upmix parameters and knowing that the intermediate matrix belongs to a predefined matrix class, obtains wet upmix coefficients (P) by multiplying the intermediate matrix by a predefined matrix, and maps the decorrelated signal linearly in accordance with the wet upmix coefficients; and a combining section (104) combines outputs from the upmix sections to obtain a reconstructed signal (X) corresponding to the signal to be reconstructed.
US09978381B2

A device includes an encoder and a transmitter. The encoder is configured to determine a mismatch value indicative of an amount of temporal mismatch between a reference channel and a target channel. The encoder is also configured to determine whether to perform a first temporal-shift operation on the target channel at least based on the mismatch value and a coding mode to generate an adjusted target channel. The encoder is further configured to perform a first transform operation on the reference channel to generate a frequency-domain reference channel and perform a second transform operation on the adjusted target channel to generate a frequency-domain adjusted target channel. The encoder is also configured to estimate one or more stereo cues based on the frequency-domain reference channel and the frequency-domain adjusted target channel. The transmitter is configured to transmit the one or more stereo cues to a receiver.
US09978379B2

A method comprising: receiving input signals for multiple channels; and parameterizing the received input signals into parameters defining multiple different object spectra and defining a distribution of the multiple different object spectra in the multiple channels.
US09978378B2

An apparatus for decoding an audio signal is provided, having a receiving interface, configured to receive a first frame having a first audio signal portion of the audio signal, and configured to receive a second frame having a second audio signal portion of the audio signal; a noise level tracing unit, wherein the noise level tracing unit is configured to determine noise level information depending on at least one of the first audio signal portion and the second audio signal portion; a first reconstruction unit for reconstructing, in a first reconstruction domain, a third audio signal portion of the audio signal depending on the noise level information; a transform unit for transforming the noise level information to a second reconstruction domain; and a second reconstruction unit for reconstructing, in the second reconstruction domain, a fourth audio signal portion of the audio signal depending on the noise level information.
US09978377B2

An apparatus for decoding an encoded audio signal to obtain a reconstructed audio signal is provided, having: a receiving interface for receiving one or more frames, a coefficient generator, and a signal reconstructor. The coefficient generator is configured to determine one or more first audio signal coefficients, and one or more noise coefficients. Moreover, the coefficient generator is configured to generate one or more second audio signal coefficients, depending on the one or more first audio signal coefficients and depending on the one or more noise coefficients. The audio signal reconstructor is configured to reconstruct a first portion of the reconstructed audio signal depending on the one or more first audio signal coefficients and the audio signal reconstructor is configured to reconstruct a second portion of the reconstructed audio signal depending on the one or more second audio signal coefficients, if the current frame is not received by the receiving interface or if the current frame being received by the receiving interface is corrupted.
US09978375B2

A method for transmitting and receiving a communication is provided. The method of receiving a communication includes detecting a selection of a phonetic function which requests or causes inclusion of at least one phonetic data file in the communication, and receiving, in the communication, the one or more phonetic data file.
US09978370B2

One embodiment provides a method, including: receiving, from an audio capture device, speech input; converting, using a processor, the speech input to machine text; receiving, from an alternate input source, an input comprising at least one character; identifying, using a processor, a location associated with the machine text to insert the at least one character; and inserting, using a processor, the at least one character at the location identified. Other aspects are described and claimed.
US09978357B2

Methods and apparatuses for headphones are disclosed. In one example, a noise cancelling signal is generated with an active noise cancelling system, and the noise cancelling signal is output at a headphones speaker. An undesirable user effect resulting from the noise cancelling signal output at the headphones speaker is mitigated with a noise cancelling adverse effect counteraction signal output simultaneously with the noise cancelling signal.
US09978355B2

A system and method for acoustic management that includes improving the sound quality of two or more audio processing modules in an acoustic environment may receive first control parameters from a first audio processing module. Receiving second control parameters from a second audio processing module. An audio processing interaction may be derived between with the first audio processing module and the second audio processing module determined from the first control parameters and the second control parameters. The first control parameters and the second control parameters may be modified responsive to the derived audio processing interaction. The modified first control parameters may be sent to the first audio processing module and the modified second control parameters may be sent to the second audio processing module where the first audio processing module and the second audio processing module may perform any one or more of processing audio captured from an acoustic environment and processing audio to be reproduced in the acoustic environment.
US09978350B1

An electronic percussion instrument for suppressing sound source noise is described. The instrument includes a percussion pad, a metal plate disposed below the percussion pad, at least one damping element disposed in a ring-like manner below the metal plate, a resonance conductive member disposed below the damping element, a sensor disposed at a central region below the resonance conductive member, and a noise suppressing mechanism disposed at a peripheral annular region below the resonance conductive member. The noise suppressing mechanism includes, in an order from top to bottom, a foam ring and a metal ring. The metal ring has a plurality of cushioning elements thereon. Accordingly, the instrument can effectively suppress or otherwise eliminate interference on and noise sensed by the sensor caused by vibration of a casing when the percussion pad is percussed. This can greatly improve the sound effect and performance of the instrument.
US09978338B2

The present invention discloses a method and a system of showing colors for a mosaic display device, in which sending the reference control signal to the first LCD to control the first pixel unit in the first LCD to show the reference colors; determining the reference three stimulus values of the reference colors; determining the calibration three stimulus values closest to the reference three stimulus values; and then sending the calibration control signal to the second LCD to control the second pixel unit in the second LCD to show the calibration colors corresponding to the calibration three stimulus values. Accordingly, the consistency calibration process of the color display for different LCDs is accomplished, and thus, to make the display result of the second LCD and the display result of the first LCD come close to the same.
US09978333B2

The present disclosure discloses a timing sequences generation circuit and a LCD. The timing sequences generation circuit includes a PWM chip, N number of voltage input ends, N number of voltage output ends, N number of switch circuits, and N number of time delay circuits, and N is an integer larger than or equals to 2. The PWM chip includes N number of PWM output pins, and each of the PWM output pins respectively connects to one switch circuit and one time delay circuit to respectively control turn-on sequences of the N number of switch circuits. The N number of switch circuits respectively connects to the N number of voltage input ends and N number of voltage output ends.
US09978324B2

A driver applied to a display apparatus is disclosed. The driver includes 2(N+1) source channels, M display lines, and an output polarity control module. N and M are positive integers. Polarity outputs of the M display lines are independently controlled and have no dependencies between each other. The output polarity control module provides (N+1) polarity inversion control signals. A K-th polarity inversion control signal of the (N+1) polarity inversion control signals controls polarities outputted by the (2K−1)-th source channel and the 2K-th source channel of the 2(N+1) source channels. K is a positive integer and 1≤K≤(N+1).
US09978316B2

A display apparatus including a drive control section that performs control to repeatedly switch between a drive time period during which a backlight emits light and a rest time period during which the backlight does not emit light, in an alternating manner with a prescribed period. The drive control section controls a ratio between the drive time period and the rest time period, and controls the amount of drive current supplied to the backlight during the drive time period. The drive control section sets the rest time period to be a prescribed time period and controls the amount of the drive current for a range where an adjustment value is less than a prescribed value, and sets the drive current to a prescribed value and makes the rest time period shorter than the prescribed time period for a range where the adjustment value is greater than the prescribed value.
US09978301B2

A display apparatus includes pixels connected to gate lines and data lines. Among the pixels arranged in k-th and (k+1)th columns between j-th and (j+1)th data lines, the pixels arranged in the k-th column are connected to one data line of the j-th and (j+1)th data lines, the pixels arranged in the (k+1)th column are connected to the other data line of the j-th and (j+1)th data lines, and the pixels arranged in the k-th and (k+1)th columns are alternately connected to the j-th and (j+1)th data lines in a unit of two pixels.
US09978288B2

A system for providing interaction between a virtual human and a user, the system comprising: a tangible interface providing a physical interface between the user and the virtual human, an imaging system directed towards the physical interface to provide images of the user interacting with the tangible interface; a tracking system tracking at least one position or the user; a microphone capturing speech from the user; a simulation system receiving inputs from the tangible interface, the imaging system, the tracking system and the microphone, the simulation system generating output signals corresponding to the virtual human; and a display presenting the output signals to the user.
US09978283B2

A process for dynamic talk group formation in a wireless communication system as a function of subscriber unit movement relative to a defined incident location includes receiving, at an infrastructure controller device from one of a third subscriber unit and a dispatch console, a request for forming a new talk group relative to a defined incident location. The infrastructure controller device determines a direction of movement of a plurality of subscriber units relative to the defined incident location. The infrastructure controller device then forms a talk group including a first subscriber unit from the plurality of subscriber units determined to be moving towards the defined incident location and not including a second subscriber unit from the plurality of subscriber units determined to not be moving towards the defined incident location.
US09978271B2

An automated roadway marker system that illuminates and provides warning and lane demarcation under poor visibility conditions utilizing IR beam-break transceivers where no deployment considerations need to be made for the first in a sequence, because each marker operationally establishes its linkage condition in an intermittently activated asynchronous pseudo-network. The devices are designed for extremely low power consumption, so that solar energy can be utilized as a power source. The markers can additionally be linked through radio frequency signals, and to provide a warning to mobile and stationary radio frequency receivers. Additionally, the markers can be illuminated via transmissions from mobile and stationary transmitters.
US09978269B2

A device for site-specific traffic analysis includes: a radar sensor at a traffic space; and an evaluation unit configured to (i) ascertain object trajectories from chronological sequences of object positions of respective objects detected by the radar sensor and moving in the traffic space, (ii) identify the location of at least one traffic path based on a concentration of object trajectories, and (iii) assign further detected objects to a respective traffic path whose location has been identified.
US09978268B2

Traffic information is provided to an in-vehicle unit of a vehicle located in a shadow portion of a large-sized vehicle and to an in-vehicle unit of a vehicle at a location separated from an intersection 193. A UHF beacon unit 112 is installed at the intersection 193, thereby distributing the traffic information using a UHF beacon signal having a diffraction characteristic. The UHF beacon unit 112 transmits, to a plurality of concentric zones, UHF beacon signals with different traffic information set therein for the different zones, by time division. At this time, the UHF beacon unit 112 transmits the UHF beacon signals with the different traffic information set therein, with different transmission output powers.
US09978265B2

A modular garage door opener system includes an accessory device including a first electronic processor, a first memory, and a load, and includes a garage door opener including an accessory port, a second memory, and a second electronic processor. The accessory port is configured to be removably coupled to the accessory device. The second electronic processor receives new status data from the accessory device indicating a change in a status of the accessory device to a new status, sends the new status data to a remote server to update an accessory data set, receives new settings data from the remote server indicating a requested change in a setting of the accessory device, and sends the new settings data to the accessory device to update the setting of the accessory device. The first electronic processor controls the load of the accessory device based on the new settings data.
US09978264B2

A method is provided for device interaction and identification by detecting similar or synchronous movements of two or more electronic devices using two or more Movement Data from two or more involved electronic devices to interact with each other and detect when the movement or motion of involved devices corresponds with certain multi-device gestures or activities.
US09978263B2

A system and method for enabling set up of a controlling device capable of controlling a plurality of appliances, via an interactive instruction set and associated programming. The programming is accessible by a STB or other controllable appliance and is configured to appropriately display interactive instructions and prompts to a user during a user initiated set up procedure for configuration of another controllable device (e.g., DVD, VCR, DVR, etc) available to the user. Appropriate set up data, generally in the form of command library codes, is displayed to the user by the interactive instruction set and associated programming for entry and trial by the user in set up of the desired appliance(s).
US09978261B2

A remote controller and an information processing method and system, which relate to the field of electronic technologies and can improve user experience, where the remote controller is easy to carry. The remote controller includes a remote control main body, where the remote control main body is a wearable ring body; a sensor configured to detect a signal generated by an operation gesture input by a user; a processor, where the processor is connected to the sensor, and is configured to analyze the signal generated by the operation gesture, and generate a corresponding control signal according to an analysis result; and a first wireless communications module, connected to the processor, and configured to send the control signal to a terminal device, so that the terminal device performs a corresponding operation according to the control signal.
US09978257B1

Techniques are described for handling an event where a control panel or an alarm signaling device is tampered with or destroyed by a disablement tactic, e.g., a “crash and smash intrusion”.
US09978253B2

An electric fence monitoring unit and an integrated energizer/monitoring unit with remote control and communication capability using GSM based cellular technology, and a method for the use thereof, is provided. A simple set of commands can be used and sent, such as through text messaging (SMS) or a smartphone application, to control and/or receive information from the monitoring unit including alerts sent to the user in the case of faults or changes in fence loading. The monitoring unit includes a safety mode that uses time dependent voltage detection to detect when a sudden and significant drop in fence voltage has occurred, as may result when an animal becomes trapped or entangled in the fence. When such a large and rapid voltage drop is detected and the safety mode is enabled, the unit automatically de-energizes the electric fence and an alert is sent to the user advising that the fence should be looked at without delay.
US09978247B2

Various technologies described herein pertain to smart fabric that includes a sensor array, which includes sensor nodes arranged at respective sites in the fabric. The sensor nodes are configured to output signals indicative of detected conditions at the respective sites in the fabric. The fabric can further include a transmitter and a control unit. The control unit can be configured to receive the signals indicative of the detected conditions at the respective sites in the fabric from the sensor nodes, and transmit, using the transmitter, data specifying the detected conditions at the respective sites in the fabric. The data can be transmitted to a computing system for analyzing a state of the fabric to detect an occurrence of an event. The event can be a tear of the fabric, a torsion in the fabric greater than a threshold torsion, a strain in the fabric greater than a threshold strain.
US09978232B2

A power strip for use in an anti-theft security system and an anti-theft security system for electrical appliances includes a socket-outlet for receiving a power plug that is electrically connected to a power cord for an electrical appliance. The power strip comprises an electronic circuit configured to measure a first electrical characteristic of the power cord and/or the electrical appliance when the power plug is inserted into the socket-outlet and to measure a second electrical characteristic of the power cord and/or the electrical appliance while the power plug is inserted. A change between the first measurement result and the second measurement results in triggering an alarm.
US09978230B2

A break-in alarm assembly for emitting an audible alarm when a window is opened includes a rod unit that may be positioned to extend between a lower pane of a window and a frame of the window. An alarm unit is coupled to the rod unit. The alarm unit emits an audible alarm when the lower pane is opened.
US09978225B1

A flashlight capable of operating with its head removed in a candle mode is combined with a wand which has two inner zones to receive either the head of the flashlight or the barrel of the flashlight.
US09978223B2

A financial device includes: an insertion part to which a medium is inserted; a random number generation unit configured to generate an signal including information on a copying prevention number for preventing copying of a medium according to an on signal; a detection unit installed near the insertion part and configured to generate a detection signal by detecting the existence of the medium; a determination unit configured to determine whether the medium is completely inserted or is being removed based on the detection signal; a controller configured to generate the on signal to make the random number generation unit operate, wherein the controller generates an off signal to make the random number generation unit not operate when it is determined that the medium is completely inserted and generates the on signal to make the random number generation unit operate again when it is determined that the medium is being removed; and a card reader unit installed at one position of a movement path of the inserted medium and configured to recognize information included in the medium.
US09978222B2

A gaming system is disclosed that comprises a symbol selector arranged to select a plurality of symbols for display in a respective plurality of display positions in a plurality of display position groups, a condition determiner arranged to determine whether a defined condition exists based on the displayed symbols, and a special symbol determiner arranged to determine whether a special symbol is displayed. The gaming system is arranged to add at least one display position to at least one display position group in response to existence of the defined condition. The gaming system is also arranged to cause a particular symbol to be displayed in all display positions of a display position group when the special symbol is displayed in the display position group.
US09978210B2

A method in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is provided, the method comprising the steps of generating a first outcome of a game of chance, determining a target outcome, receiving a first wager, generating a second outcome based on the first outcome, and repeating the step of generating the second outcome until the second outcome matches the target outcome, before receiving any second wager.
US09978204B2

A gaming machine includes a controller and a spinnable reel having a plurality of symbols. The controller determines a symbol to be displayed when the reel stops and determines a spinning manner of the reel displaying the symbol when stopped based on the symbol. The controller spins the reel in the determined spinning manner and stops the reel so that the determined symbol is displayed.
US09978200B2

Game wagers are received without designating the hand used to resolve the game wager. At least two hands are dealt. A portion of the playing cards among those dealt to the hands are exposed. The exposed playing cards may come entirely from one hand or may come from multiple hands. After exposing a portion of the cards, a designation wager is received along with a designation of one of the hands for resolution of the designation wager and game wager. Hands are completed according to the rules of baccarat or a baccarat variation. After the hands are completed, a determination is made whether the designated hand is a winning hand and wagers are resolved. Optionally, designation wagers are paid and game wagers are returned when the designated hand is a winning hand.
US09978197B2

In a banknote handling apparatus capable of dealing with a depositing/dispensing process by a banknote cassette and a manual depositing/dispensing process, the banknote handling apparatus enables a depositing process without dispensing a reject banknote, which has been deposited from the banknote cassette, to the outside. A banknote accounting apparatus 22 capable of receiving a banknote from banknote feeding units (a banknote receiving unit 201a, a banknote cassette 30a) includes: a transport unit 230a configured such that the banknote feeding unit is connected thereto, the transport unit configured to transport a received banknote; a recognition unit 240a configured to recognize the banknote being transported; an apparatus-internal reject unit 224a configured to store a reject banknote inside the apparatus; an apparatus-external reject unit 22a configured to dispense a reject banknote outside the apparatus; a unit deciding part configured to decide the banknote feeding unit for feeding a banknote; and a control unit configured to decide, when the recognition unit recognizes a banknote having been received from the banknote feeding unit as a reject banknote, to which one of the apparatus-internal reject unit 224a and the apparatus-external reject unit 222a the reject banknote is transported, based on the banknote feeding unit having fed the banknote.
US09978190B2

A wheel nut or axle nut for vehicles, having a body, having a central threaded hole, having a peripheral wall, having an abutment face at a lower side, wherein the nut also has a plurality of wrench faces on the peripheral wall of the nut body for tightening or releasing the nut by a tool which cooperates with the wrench faces. In the body at least one recess is provided in which a sensor element is arranged, wherein the sensor element is connected to a wireless interface which is configured to transmit a sensor signal of the sensor element wirelessly to an external reception unit.
US09978189B2

An electronic device checks the pressure of an aircraft landing gear oleo by means of a camera capturing and processing an image of the oleo. An image recognition module processes the oleo image to extract a measure of the amount of extension of the oleo. This measure is then processed together with a measure of oleo temperature to calculate a pressure value representative of the expected pressure of the gas within the oleo, which can then be compared with another measurement of oleo pressure to determine whether the two are consistent or whether the oleo might be under- or over-filled with gas. The electronic device may be in the form of a hand-held smart phone or tablet device appropriately programmed with software.
US09978187B2

An electronic control device (ECU) reserves a transmission of a requested diagnosis data that is requested by a management center when an external device is connected to a dedicated connector, and when IGSW is turned ON. In such scheme, a delay of an off-board diagnosis process in the ECU is prevented when a diagnosis tool connected to the dedicated connector performs an off-board diagnosis. Further, after turning OFF of IGSW, the ECU, which is no longer due for a request from the external device connected to the dedicated connector, transmits the requested diagnosis data to the center, enabling the center to perform a remote diagnosis service. Therefore, the remote diagnosis service is performable when a commercially-available external device is connected to the dedicated connector by a user of a vehicle.
US09978185B1

Systems and methods which provide for activation of postage indicia at a point of sale are shown. In operation according to embodiments, unassigned (e.g., not yet activated or not yet representing postage value) tokens (e.g., IBI barcodes) suitable for later use as postage indicia are distributed to various point of sale locations, such as retail locations, consumer kiosks, vending machines, etc. and made available for purchase by users. Upon purchase, at a point of sale, such unassigned tokens are preferably activated as valid or “live” postage indicia. Thereafter, the postage indicia may be used to post mail items.
US09978179B2

A data processing unit generates graphics data that are sent to a display screen of a head-mountable structure worn by a user. Thereby, the user can observe the image data, which reflect a virtual reality environment implemented by the data processing unit, namely image data representing a field of view as seen by the user from a particular position and in a particular direction in the virtual reality environment. The head-mountable structure includes a first light source projecting a well-defined light pattern on a light-reflecting surface. The data processing unit is associated with an image registering unit recording image data representing the first well-defined light pattern. The data processing unit calculates the graphics data based on the image data.
US09978178B1

When sharing visible content on multiple display surfaces associated with different users, the hand of a user may be detected and analyzed when placed over the user's display surface. Characteristics of the user's hand, including things such as position, orientation, color, shape, and texture, may be shared with other users. Based on these characteristics, a representation of the user's hand may be depicted over the shared content on the display surfaces of the other users.
US09978174B2

An application generates instructions to a wearable device to remotely activate a sensor in the wearable device and to receive sensor data from the sensor. A query related to a physical object is received. Instructions to wearable devices are generated to remotely activate at least one sensor of the wearable devices in response to the query. Sensor data is received from at least one of the wearable devices in response to that wearable device being within a range of the physical object.
US09978168B1

A method for indicating a weather threat to an aircraft is provided. The method includes inferring a weather threat to an aircraft and causing an image to be displayed on an aviation display in response to a determination by aircraft processing electronics that the inferred weather threat to the aircraft is greater than a measured weather threat to the aircraft.
US09978153B2

An image of a test receptacle is received, which includes a color of a reaction between a test substance and at least one reagent in the test receptacle, an alignment code having test receptacle identification information, and at least one color calibration block. An array of pixels of RGB values for each pixel in the image is collected. A captured color of the color calibration block is evaluated. An offset is determined for the captured color in the one color calibration block if the evaluation of at the color calibration block in the image determines that the captured color deviates from a baseline color. The offset is applied to each pixel in the image to correct the captured image. A colorimetric analysis is performed on the reaction between the test substance and the at least one reagent.
US09978151B2

A system and method for the tracking of target objects in motion includes observing targets, determining, recursively, a target type of the targets, tracking, recursively, movements of the targets, and determining whether a target is concealed. The tracking and the determining whether a target is concealed are deployed in consideration of the target type of the targets.
US09978150B2

Spatial segmentation of lymph nodes in a 3-D medical image is automatically determined, based on a set of inputs provided by a user which define a low number of initial conditions for segmentation. In some embodiments, the automation comprises producing a lymph node segmentation from the 3-D image based on a 2-D image slice and a representative line segment on that slice. In some embodiments, segmentation comprises a two tiered approach (2-D segmentation, followed by 3-D segmentation) based on adaptation of the level set framework to the particular conditions of lymph node segmentation.
US09978148B2

A motion sensor device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes an image sensor and LED light sources. Using three images captured by the image sensor when only the LED light source is turned ON, when only the LED light source is turned ON, and when only the LED light source is turned ON, respectively, the motion sensor device estimates the distance to an object based on the luminance ratio of the object.
US09978144B2

A biological information measurement apparatus includes: a plurality of first pixels configured to generate a first imaging signal based on received light; a plurality of second pixels configured to generate a second imaging signal based on the received light; a time series signal generation unit configured to generate a first time series signal by connecting representative values of first imaging signals in time series and generate a second time series signal by connecting representative values of second imaging signals in time series; a signal component separation unit configured to separate a plurality of signal components from each of the first and second time series signals; and a biological information component selector configured to select a signal component in accordance with the biological information, among the plurality of signal components separated by the signal component separation unit.
US09978143B2

An MR apparatus 1 comprising an image producing unit 101 for producing axial images D1 through D10; a binarizing unit 102 for executing binarization processing for binarizing the axial images; a separating unit 103 for executing separation processing for separating a left-arm region HL and a right-arm region HR from a torso region HB; an extracting unit 104 for executing extraction processing for extracting the torso region HB from the images obtained by the separating unit 103; and a unit for locating a centerline of a body of a subject by executing first removal processing on an extracted region HE2 extracted by the extraction processing, and locating a centerline of the body of the subject based on the first-removal-processed extracted region.
US09978138B2

An image comparison device includes: a storage in which a model image is stored, the model image including a position of a feature point of a comparison object and a luminance gradient direction at the position of the feature point; a feature amount acquisition unit configured to acquire the position of the feature point and the luminance gradient direction at the position of the feature point from an input image; and an image comparison unit configured to compare the model image and the input image. The image comparison unit performs image comparison by providing an allowable range in both the position of the feature point and the luminance gradient direction at the position of the feature point position.
US09978137B2

A method can include generating image data of an interior of a fuel tank disposed within a wing of an aircraft, and determining, by a processing device, an amount of wing bending of the wing of the aircraft based on the generated image data of the interior of the fuel tank. The method can further include producing, by the processing device, a fuel measurement value representing an amount of fuel contained in the fuel tank based on the amount of wing bending of the wing of the aircraft, and outputting, by the processing device, an indication of the fuel measurement value.
US09978128B2

An image processing apparatus includes a degree-of-degradation detector, a degree-of-degradation estimation unit, a correction system selector and a gradation correction unit. The degree-of-degradation detector detects a degree of degradation of an image data. The degree-of-degradation estimation unit estimates a dispersion of the degree of degradation in the image data. The correction system selector selects either a first gradation correction system or a second gradation correction system in accordance with the dispersion of the degree of degradation. The gradation correction unit performs gradation correction of the image data based on either the selected first or second gradation correction system.
US09978121B2

A method for sharpening of an image. The method combines edge sharpening and noise reduction on image and video data to eliminated artifacts, thereby creating natural looking output images and video without increased noise. The algorithm uses one dimensional look-up tables not requiring complex spatial frequency processing of input image and video data. The look-up tables reduce differences for small input differences which are likely noise, increase differences for mid-level input differences to increase edge slope and sharpness, and maintain high-level input differences to maintain sharp edges without noise increase on those edges that are already sharp. A device for sharpening an image is also disclosed, comprising of a processor in communication with a non-transitory computer readable medium storing the sharpening algorithm communicable to and executable by the processor.
US09978119B2

A method for automatic facial impression transformation includes extracting landmark points for elements of a target face whose facial impression is to be transformed as well as distance vectors respectively representing distances of the landmark points, comparing the distance vectors to select a learning data set similar to the target face from a database, extracting landmark points and distance vectors from the learning data set, transforming a local feature of the target face based on the landmark points of the learning data set and score data for a facial impression, and transforming a global feature of the target face based on the distance vectors of the learning data set and the score data for the facial impression. Accordingly, a facial impression may be transformed in various ways while keeping an identity of a corresponding person.
US09978098B1

A method for correcting a payroll error in a payroll of an employee includes calculating a value range of a payroll component based on the payroll of the employee for a pre-determined number of prior payroll periods, comparing a current value of the payroll component for a current payroll period and the value range to generate a difference, identifying an irregularity parameter associated with the payroll component in response to the difference exceeding a pre-determined threshold, wherein the irregularity parameter relates to a pre-determined mechanism capable of causing the payroll error, analyzing the difference using a pre-determined rule based on the irregularity parameter to determine whether the payroll error exists, and in response to determining that the payroll error exists, and correcting the payroll error prior to releasing the payroll for the current payroll period.
US09978092B2

At least one pattern matching character string matching a predetermined pattern is extracted from target product information on a target product in a target store (S11, S12), the number of products in the target store of products hit in a range of product information on products sold in the target store is found, with each pattern matching character string as a search keyword, for each pattern matching character string (S13), and among the one or more pattern matching character strings, a pattern matching character string of which the number of products in the target store is the smallest is determined as a product specific character string for specifying the target product (S15).
US09978087B2

A method for managing payments made as part of an employee-liable expense reimbursement program is described. A plurality of employees are enrolled in the program and submit requests for reimbursement for expenses related to a service provided to the employees by a service provider for which the employees are liable. The method includes receiving, by the computer system, requests for reimbursement and aggregating the requests for reimbursement scheduled for payment within a predefined time period and associated with the service provider. The method also includes generating an invoice that includes a payment amount to be paid to the employee for subsequent payment to the service provider. The method also includes automatically requesting funds from an employer of the plurality of employees for the payment amount included in the invoice and electronically transferring funds associated with the employer to the service provider or alternatively, to the employee for subsequent payment to the service provider.
US09978080B2

A system for providing reminder alerts including a host computer and a client device is disclosed. The system includes the client device for receiving a registration code associated with an item provided to a client, the item associated with a company brand of a company providing the item, transmitting the registration code from the client device to the host computer, receiving a branded alert from the host computer, and outputting the branded alert; and the host computer for registering the client device based on the registration code, determining an alert event, and transmitting to the client device the branded alert, the branded alert including information related to the alert event and information identifying the company.
US09978079B1

Methods, systems, and apparatus include computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium for providing content. A method includes: receiving a first request for an advertisement to be presented in a slot on a web resource that is to be displayed by an access device; identifying an advertisement to serve; determining an amount of time required to deliver the advertisement to the access device including determining a connection speed; storing connection information including at least the connection speed; subsequent to the storing, receiving a second request for a second advertisement from the access device; using the stored connection information to determine one or more of an advertisement eligibility, an advertisement type, or an advertisement size, including selecting a second advertisement responsive to the second request that meets at least one of the determined eligibility, size or type; and providing the second advertisement responsive to the second request.
US09978071B2

Systems and methods for customer relationship management are disclosed. In one example, a customer relationship management system can receive, from a customer device, a customer location and a request for a sales representative. In response, the customer relationship management system can send, for display to a sales representative device, the customer location and then receive, from the sales representative device, a request for customer profile information. In response to this request, the customer relationship management system can send, for display to the sales representative device, at least some of the customer profile information.
US09978068B2

One or more embodiments described herein include methods and systems for remitting funds via a social networking system. More specifically, systems and methods described herein provide users the ability to remit funds to co-users utilizing social network profiles and notifications. Additionally, systems and methods described herein determine one or more risk levels for a remittance request based on a variety of social network factors.
US09978064B2

A methods and system of hosted thin-client payment authorization and authentication services for processing payments for value-added service (VAS) providers is described. A method, performed by a host server operating a thin-client device, includes receiving transaction request data at a host server computer from a thin-client device, where the transaction request data can include financial account data and biometric data. The host-server transmits a verification request message to a VAS provider and receives an indication that it is a valid merchant. The host-server transmits an authorization request message comprising the biometric data to a payment processing network (PPN), where the PPN communicates with an authentication server computer to validate the biometric data, sends the authorization request message to an issuer and receives an authorization response message from the issuer. The host-server receives the authorization response message from the PPN and sends a service fulfillment request to the VAS provider.
US09978058B2

A dynamic transaction card that includes a number of layers, each of which may be interconnected to one another. For example, a dynamic transaction card may include an outer layer, a potting layer, a sensor layer, a display layer (including, for example, LEDs, a dot matrix display, and the like), a microcontroller/microprocessor storing firmware, Java applets, Java applet integration, and the like, an EMV processor, an energy storage component, one or more antenna (e.g., Bluetooth antenna, NFC antenna, and the like), a power management component, a flexible printed circuit board (PCB), a chassis, and/or a card backing layer. A display layer may include enhanced features such as the use of display components as a barcode generator.
US09978057B2

A method and a system convert the value of a gift card for use with a mobile device. The value of the gift card is determined from an issuer of the gift card. The value of the gift card is stored in a digital payment account in a storage device. The digital payment account stores values of gift cards from issuers. A financial transaction corresponding to the issuer of the gift card is performed on the digital payment account. The value of a first gift card from a first issuer of a first digital payment account is exchanged with the value of a second gift card from a second issuer of a second digital payment account.
US09978054B2

A method may include requesting payment infrastructure data from a payment device reader. The method may further includes receiving payment infrastructure data from the payment device reader. The payment infrastructure data that is received may be indicative of a country in which the payment device reader is installed. In addition, the method may include selecting data for transmission to the payment device reader based at least in part on the received payment infrastructure data.
US09978043B2

Some embodiments provide a method for creating a new appointment for an electronic calendar. The method receives a set of proposed attendees for the new appointment. The method retrieves and analyzes calendars of the proposed attendees. The method proposes a time for the new appointment at which all proposed attendees, including an organizer of the appointment, are available to attend the new appointment. In some embodiments, the proposed time is an earliest future time at which all proposed attendees are available to attend the new appointment. In some embodiments, the method also proposes a second time for the new appointment at which a subset of the proposed attendees are available to attend the new appointment.
US09978042B2

A method, apparatus, and system are directed towards seeding a user's contacts for their online social network. The invention is arranged to automatically recommend to the user a set of seed contacts that the user may employ to invite to join their social network. The set of seed contacts may be harvested from the user's existing portal activities, as well as other sources. In one embodiment, the invention analyzes portal activity, such as email exchanges with the user, and the like, to determine a frequency of contact with the user. Other sources may include but not be limited to emails, names within an address book of the user, names within an address book of another person, a buddy list, an instant messaging list, an activity, a mailing list, an online discussion group, a membership in a category, chat group, and the like.
US09978041B2

A method, apparatus, and system are directed towards seeding a user's contacts for their online social network. The invention is arranged to automatically recommend to the user a set of seed contacts that the user may employ to invite to join their social network. The set of seed contacts may be harvested from the user's existing portal activities, as well as other sources. In one embodiment, the invention analyzes portal activity, such as email exchanges with the user, and the like, to determine a frequency of contact with the user. Other sources may include but not be limited to emails, names within an address book of the user, names within an address book of another person, a buddy list, an instant messaging list, an activity, a mailing list, an online discussion group, a membership in a category, chat group, and the like.
US09978038B2

Disclosed embodiments provide systems and techniques for mass execution of analytical models across multiple dimensions of client, collateral, deal structure, third party, and other data relevant to predicting optimal decisions in real-time. In some embodiments, disclosed systems and techniques increase decisioning speed through the reduction of computational loads on disclosed decisioning systems. Further disclosed systems and techniques may scale-out analytical modeling computations through, among other technological solutions, advanced execution environments that are asynchronous and non-blocking in nature so as to allow the execution of a plurality of analytical models in parallel and optimizing the results.
US09978037B2

Methods, systems, apparatus, and machine-readable media enable managing information about products. In a device associated with a user, a method is implemented to receive data identifying a product acquired by the user, configure the device to receive product support content for the acquired product based on the identifying data, the product support content having been curated from a plurality of content servers on behalf of the user, including product recall information received from a product recall server, receive a notification that curated product support content for the product is available, and present the curated product support content to the user. The method may further include organizing an inventory of the products, including generating folders to contain the data identifying the products, receiving user input to manipulate the data identifying the products into the folders, and presenting the data contained in the folders in a personal inventory report. Corresponding methods, systems, apparatus, and machine-readable media for managing information about products can be implemented in servers supporting the user device.
US09978034B1

Systems and methods are disclosed for processing information related to a terminal operating system. In one exemplary implantation, there is provided a method for providing information of terminal operating system management. The method may include processing information related to an input to manage the terminal operating system management. Other exemplary implementations may include processing to generate a result such that an output of a result of the managed terminal operating system management functionality is produced.
US09978029B2

A system and method for generating a custom revenue cycle model with automated lead movement are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a computer-implemented method comprises receiving user input, wherein the user input comprises at least one of data related to a stage, data related to a success path definition, and data related to transition rules for lead movement, wherein the stage is a revenue stage or a detour stage; generating a custom revenue cycle model based on the user input; storing the custom revenue cycle model; providing for automated lead movements based on the transition rules; and providing for automated tracking of lead movements in the custom revenue cycle model.
US09978027B2

A method for monitoring productivity may include monitoring performance of a medical procedure at a local device. Medical procedure data may be received at the local device from a management device. The medical procedure data may include relative value units (RVUs) associated with the medical procedure. Medical professional productivity data related to the medical procedure may be provided for display at the local device based on the monitoring of the performance of the medical procedure and the medical procedure data. A procedure completion notification may be transmitted from the local device to the management device when the medical procedure is completed.
US09978023B2

A method for detection and use of device identifiers to enhance the security of data transfers between electronic devices. A first electronic device can transmit access data to a second electronic device. The access data can be associated with a first access code that can be generated based at least in part on data representing a device identifier of the first electronic device. A device identifier can uniquely identify the first electronic device from a plurality of electronic devices. Transferring the access data can involve transforming the first access code into a second access code that can include data representing a device identifier associated with the second electronic device. Transforming the first access code into the second access code can facilitate access to a resource associated with the access data for a second user, but not for a first user.
US09978021B2

A system for database management and presentation processing of a graphical user interface includes a network interface interfacing with multiple data sources comprising internal systems and external systems, one or more processors, and an application service integration and communication layer to receive data including a live data feed. A data storage device stores schemas of data structures, and the data structures may include tables based on types and fields. The application service integration and communication layer normalizes and formats the live data feed according to the predetermined schemas, and stores the normalized and formatted procurement data in the database. A graphical user interface of true conditions assigned to procurement data in the live data feed is displayed.
US09978009B1

An RFID tag device with an RFID antenna assembly that increases transmission range of the RFID tag device when adhesively coupled to a mobile device. The RFID tag device includes a RF interface that operates at a first RF frequency, a controller coupled to the RF interfaces, and the RFID antenna assembly. The RFID antenna assembly includes a first and a second dipole elements, each shaped as a half rectangle with an additional segment joining the respective element to a tuning element. The RFID antenna also includes a tuning element, which is a loop antenna, connecting the RF interface to the controller. A structure of the RF antennal assembly, when the RFID tag device is coupled to a mobile device, causes the mobile device to function as a reflector to increase gain of the RFID antenna assembly thereby improving transmission range.
US09978002B2

System and method for determining a classifier to discriminate between two classes—object or non-object. The classifier may be used by an object detection program to detect presence of a 3D object in a 2D image. The overall classifier is constructed of a sequence of classifiers, where each such classifier is based on a ratio of two graphical probability models. A discreet-valued variable representation at each node in a Bayesian network by a two-stage process of tree-structured vector quantization is discussed. The overall classifier may be part of an object detector program that is trained to automatically detect different types of 3D objects. Computationally efficient statistical methods to evaluate overall classifiers are disclosed. The Bayesian network-based classifier may also be used to determine if two observations belong to the same category.
US09978001B2

Techniques for separating shareable images from non-shareable images. In various implementations, image metadata and feature analysis may be used to evaluate the “shareability” of a photograph associated with a particular user. In some implementations, single photos may be determined to be shareable. In another implementation, an event associated with multiple photos may be determined to be shareable. In some implementations, a photo may be determined to be shareable with a single recipient. In another implementation, a photo may be determined to be shareable with multiple recipients. In yet another implementation, these techniques may be assisted by supervised machine learning. In still yet another implementation, photos determined to be shareable may be suggested to a user for sharing, or automatically shared, per an opt-in feature.
US09977994B2

Embodiments relate to a histogram-of-oriented gradients (HOG) module. The HOG module is implemented in hardware rather than software. The HOG module applies an algorithm to an image to identify gradient orientation in localized portions of the image. The HOG module creates a histogram-of orientation gradients based on the identified gradient orientations.
US09977993B2

Systems and methods are provided for constructing a statistical shape model from a set of training shapes. In one embodiment, two shapes in the training set can be parameterized to a common base domain. Correspondence between the shapes can be evaluated using shape-specific data, such as, for the case of anatomical shapes, anatomical curves and/or anatomical landmarks. In evaluating correspondence, the shape-specific data about the second shape can be mapped to the shape-specific data about the first shape, and the mapping can be optimized based at least in part on a deformation energy of the mapping.
US09977986B2

A method of vehicle monitoring includes: obtaining a frame of an image before exposure; outputting a luminance value of each partition of the image, accumulation number of pixels lower than a first set threshold, accumulation number of pixels higher than a second set threshold, to generate an evaluation data; generating eigenvalues of a plurality of illuminance evaluation areas based on the evaluation data and the preset illuminance evaluation area distribution table; estimating the illuminance of an environment of a vehicle according to the eigenvalues of the plurality of illuminance evaluation areas and differentiation characteristics between normal illuminance and low illuminance; switching the region of interest of a current exposing image based on the estimating results, generating a weight table based on the content of the current exposing image and the switched region of interest, controlling the exposing of the region of interest based on the weight table.
US09977983B2

A processing for specifying a correspondence relationship of feature points between two sets of optical data can be highly precise and efficiently carried out. The correspondence relationship of the perpendicular edges is obtained based on the assumption that the object is a building, in the processing for integrating the three-dimensional model obtained from the point cloud position data and the three-dimensional model obtained from the stereophotographic image. In this case, one perpendicular edge is defined by the relative position relationship with the other perpendicular edge, and the correspondence relationship is high-precisely and rapidly searched.
US09977980B2

A “Food Logger” provides various approaches for learning or training one or more image-based models (referred to herein as “meal models”) of nutritional content of meals. This training is based on one or more datasets of images of meals in combination with “meal features” that describe various parameters of the meal. Examples of meal features include, but are not limited to, food type, meal contents, portion size, nutritional content (e.g., calories, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, protein, salt, etc.), food source (e.g., specific restaurants or restaurant chains, grocery stores, particular pre-packaged foods, school meals, meals prepared at home, etc.). Given the trained models, the Food Logger automatically provides estimates of nutritional information based on automated recognition of new images of meals provided by (or for) the user. This nutritional information is then used to enable a wide range of user-centric interactions relating to food consumed by individual users.
US09977979B2

A method for image processing includes obtaining a mask of an image; identifying, in the mask, a first stroke segment and a second stroke segment for possible merging, wherein the first stroke segment and the second stroke segment do not overlap; calculating a plurality of merger eligibility scores for the first stroke segment and the second stroke segment; calculating an aggregate merger eligibility score for the first stroke segment and the second stroke segment based on the plurality of merger eligibility scores; and merging the first stroke segment and the second stroke segment based on the aggregate merger eligibility score.
US09977975B2

Described herein is a device for traffic light detection. The device comprises a memory and a traffic light detection module. The memory may store information, the information comprising first traffic light data of a first traffic light and second traffic light data of a second traffic light. The traffic light detection module may receive an image comprising a first candidate and a second candidate; determine a first region of interest based, at least in part, on the first traffic light data, the first region of interest comprising the first candidate; determine a second region of interest based, at least in part, on the second traffic light data, the second region of interest comprising the second candidate; and determine a confidence score for a first state of the first candidate, the confidence score based, at least in part, on a spatial relationship factor between the first candidate and the second candidate.
US09977973B2

A vehicle driving assist apparatus executes a vehicle collision prevention control when a target object distance from a vehicle to a target object is equal to or smaller than a predetermined distance. The apparatus acquires the target object distance on the basis of a position of the target object in a camera image taken by a camera and a height of the camera in a situation that a movable load of the vehicle is a maximum load capacity.
US09977971B2

A method for surveilling a monitored environment includes classifying an individual detected in the monitored environment according to a role fulfilled by the individual within the monitored environment, generating a trajectory that illustrates movements and locations of the individual within the monitored environment, and detecting when the trajectory indicates an event that is inconsistent with an expected pattern for the role.
US09977969B1

Generally discussed herein are systems and apparatuses that are configured to and techniques for matching track fragments. According to an example, a technique can include receiving data indicating a first and second actual ToA of first and second SIGINT signals at a collector, estimating first and second sets of estimated ToAs of the first and second SIGINT signals at a collector, respectively, each of the first and second sets of estimated ToAs based on a different track fragment of a first plurality of track fragments active at the first time and a different track fragment of a second plurality of track fragments active at the second time, respectively, or matching a track fragment of the first plurality of track fragments with a track fragment of the second plurality of track fragments based on the first and second sets of estimated ToAs and the first and second actual ToAs.
US09977968B2

A method and system for identifying content relevance comprises acquiring video data, mapping the acquired video data to a feature space to obtain a feature representation of the video data, assigning the acquired video data to at least one action class based on the feature representation of the video data, and determining a relevance of the acquired video data.
US09977963B1

A system and method for tracking the growth of large-area wildland fires. The technique includes monitoring wind conditions in and around a wildfire using near-surface-sited sensors deployed by a high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), such as the Global Hawk. The deployed sensors measure a localized wind vector at multiple locations within and surrounding the wildfire, and transmit the wind data back to the UAV for relaying to a command center operated by fire management authorities, where the wind data are used to assist decision-making, including as input into wildfire growth prediction models. The sensors may provide additional data such as local altitude/elevation, pressure, temperature and relative humidity. The UAV may also carry sensors that provide additional data to be used by the fire management authorities or the wildfire growth prediction models—such as infrared images defining actively flaming areas, and visual images which indicate vegetation type and density.
US09977959B2

Provided are systems, methods, and computer-readable media for determining a salient region of a geographic map. Geographic areas corresponding to viewports are determined using map coordinates corresponding to perimeters of those viewports. Grid points, and the geographic areas, are overlaid on a portion of the geographic map. Each point is assigned a score based at least on the number of geographic areas overlaying that point. A polygon defined by a subset of the grid points is determined based on the scores, and the polygon is identified as defining a salient region of the geographic map.
US09977949B2

A detector in embodiments includes a processor. The processor acquires an image including a face of a person. The processor acquirer depth information of the face in the image from a distance measuring module. The processor sets a deficient area indicating an area where the depth information fails to be acquired. The processor detects the face area from the image. The processor acquires a reference image generated based on a probability set to the deficient area in the image, and calculates a degree of similarity between the face area where the deficient area is set and the reference image. The processor determines whether the image is impersonation based on the degree of similarity.
US09977947B2

A fingerprint identification method is provided. The method includes steps as follows: having a finger press on a photoelectronic sensor module; respectively emitting an invisible light beam reflected to a photoelectronic sensor module after passing through the finger and a visible light beam reflected to the photoelectronic sensor module via a surface of the finger; generating, by the photoelectronic sensor module, photocurrent signals based on the visible light beam and the invisible light beam; respectively generating, by an analog/digital converter module, a first digital signal and a second digital signal based on the photocurrent signals; and outputting, by a processor module, the first digital signal as a gray-scale fingerprint image and a second digital signal as a colored fingerprint image. The invention also provides a fingerprint identification device performing the fingerprint identification method.
US09977944B2

A photography subsystem is configured to be operated in fingerprint scanning mode and a normal mode. An autofocus module may be initialized to control a lens with an initial focal length set according to received instructions indicating one of the modes of operation. An image signal processor associated with the photography subsystem may process images received from the photography subsystem and, if necessary, process the images to form a candidate digital fingerprint for use in an authentication process.
US09977934B2

A reading device includes an antenna having a signal radiating surface and configured to output a linearly polarized wave from the radiating surface, a movable and rotatable stage supporting the antenna and configured to move the antenna along a first direction parallel to the radiating surface of the antenna and rotate the antenna on an axis that is normal to the radiating surface of the antenna, and a tag reader connected to the antenna and configured to supply signals to the antenna for reading information from a wireless tag and to receive signals from the antenna including information read from the wireless tag.
US09977930B2

An apparatus, system, and method for wireless communication with remote devices that reduce or eliminate interference from zero-mean noise and deterministic signals within the operating system frequency band are provided. An interrogator uses dithering of the initiation time of sequential transmitted signals or sets of transmitted signals with synchronous accumulation of the resulting received signals to reduce the relative strength of interfering signals while increasing the relative strength of the desired signal. The apparatus, system, and method are particularly advantageous when used to extract identification and/or sensor data from passive wireless sensors and tags.
US09977927B2

A card reader (data read-out device) causes an image display section to display an image that indicates a predetermined portion on a display surface of a display panel, as a portion where a non-contact IC card (recording medium) is to be close. An antenna for making communications with a non-contact IC card is arranged at a portion located at the rear side of the predetermined portion on a rear surface of the display panel. In a case where a user brings a non-contact IC card close to the predetermined portion on the display surface presented as an image, the card reader reads out data from a non-contact IC card wirelessly by using an antenna. A user can identify a portion where a recording medium is to be brought close without turning his/her gaze away from the display surface of the card reader. Therefore, it is possible to bring a recording medium close to a proper position so as to enable reading out data.
US09977908B2

This disclosure relates generally to information security, and more particularly to implementation and management of information security of a Big Data environment of an organization. In one embodiment, security related inputs are received from a user and are converted into security requirement. Thereafter, a security policy template is identified from plurality of pre-defined security policy templates based on security reference architecture and the security requirement. The security policy template represents a plurality of security controls. Thereafter, one or more security controls are selected from the security controls based on the security requirement. Further, one or more existing security controls implemented in Big Data environment are identified. Thereafter, the selected security controls are compared with the existing security controls for determining a security control that is not implemented in the Big Data environment. Subsequently, the security control is implemented in the Big Data environment to provide security to the Big Data of the organization.
US09977899B2

In an aspect, a method can include generating a cyclic redundancy check code for a binary data item, using a generator polynomial; and masking, using polynomial addition, the binary data item with a binary mask. The method can also include at least one of: storing, by a microcircuit, the masked binary data item in a memory of an electronic device; or transferring, by the microcircuit, the masked data item to another device. The cyclic redundancy check code for the binary data item can be generated from the masked binary data item to prevent discovery of the binary data item by a side-channel attack during the generating the cyclic redundancy check. The binary mask can be a multiple of a random number and the generator polynomial, such that respective cyclic redundancy check code of the masked data item and the binary data item have a same result.
US09977891B2

An anonymous authentication method is implemented by an authentication device that has a key array. The key array has multiple array dimensions each having multiple device keys. The method includes: receiving ciphertexts from a chip that has multiple chip keys; acquiring authentication keys by: for each of the ciphertexts, performing trails of decryption using the device keys of one of the array dimensions that corresponds to one of the chip keys used to generate the ciphertext one by one until obtaining one of the device keys that successfully decrypts the ciphertext to serve as one of the authentication keys; and obtaining, for authentication, information associated with the chip according to the authentication keys.
US09977884B2

An authentication server, an application device and a probability-based user authentication system and method are disclosed. To simplify authentication while keeping a high level of security, the authentication server comprises at least an authentication probability evaluation module for determining a probability of requestor identification. The authentication server is configured to at least receive an authentication request from an authenticator, said authentication request comprises at least user identification data. The authentication probability evaluation module is configured upon reception of said user identification data to receive user behavior information, corresponding to the received user identification data from a user information database; and to determine a user probability value by comparing at least said user behavior information with authenticator application data. The requestor is authenticated in dependence of said determined user probability value.
US09977880B2

A virtualization system supports secure, controlled execution of application programs within virtual machines. The virtual machine encapsulates a virtual hardware platform and guest operating system executable with respect to the virtual hardware platform to provide a program execution space within the virtual machine. An application program, requiring license control data to enable execution of the application program, is provided within the program execution space for execution within the virtual machine. A data store providing storage of encrypted policy control information and the license control data is provided external to the virtual machine. The data store is accessed through a virtualization system including a policy controller that is selectively responsive to a request received from the virtual machine to retrieve the license control data dependent on an evaluation of the encrypted policy control information.
US09977878B2

Methods and apparatus for accessing licensable items unique to a geographic area via a wireless device are provided. The method and apparatus may include obtaining access to licensable items available in a first location of the wireless device. The methods and apparatus may further include downloading a licensable item. The licensable item is associated with a license providing the wireless device with a right to distribute the licensable item. The methods and apparatus may also include leaving a virtual copy of the licensable item in a second location of the wireless device different from the first location using the right to distribute.
US09977872B2

There is disclosed a dispensing system for pharmaceutical products, the dispensing system comprising: a plurality of individually lockable storage bins for storing respective pharmaceutical products, each storage bin comprising a lock coupled to an actuator; a database which associates respective bin identifiers with respective product codes of the pharmaceutical products; and a dispensing server comprising a dispensing module which is configured to: receive a selection of one of said pharmaceutical products; receive scan data indicative of a product code for the selected product; determine, from said database, a bin identifier associated with the product code; and send an unlock signal to the actuator of a storage bin corresponding to said bin identifier.
US09977869B2

A method for vascular assessment is disclosed. The method includes receiving a plurality of medical images of a portion of a vasculature of a subject and processing the medical images to produce a model of the vasculature. The method further includes obtaining a flow characteristic of the model and calculating an index indicative of vascular function, based, at least in part, on the flow characteristic in the model.
US09977868B2

An apparatus configured to quantify and display a time buffer for at least one patient during a blood treatment session is described. A blood treatment apparatus which includes such an apparatus or is in signal communication therewith, and a method for quantifying and presenting the time buffer for at least one patient at a blood treatment session are also described, as well as a computer program, a computer program product and a digital storage medium.
US09977861B2

The present disclosure provides methods and systems for determining and/or characterizing one or more haplotypes and/or phasing of haplotypes in a nucleic acid sample. In particular, the disclosure provides methods for determining a haplotype and/or phasing of haplotypes in a nucleic acid sample by incorporating synthetic polymorphisms into fragments of a nucleic acid sample and utilizing the synthetic polymorphisms in determining one or more haplotypes and/or phasing of haplotypes.
US09977849B2

A method and apparatus for calculating delay timing values for at least a part of an integrated circuit design. The method comprises applying a first Negative/Positive Bias Temperature Instability compensation margin to delay values for elements within the at least part of the IC design, identifying at least one lower-rate switching element within the at least part of the IC design, and applying at least one further, increased N/PBTI compensation margin to the delay value(s) for the at least one identified lower-rate switching element.
US09977846B2

A real-time release testing capable of constantly ensuring quality, a method for quality testing of a product using real-time release testing, a method for quality testing of an in-process product and/or an end product by real-time release testing, comprising the step of assessing the quality from design space established with only material attributes as inputs, and a manufacturing parameter-independent method for quality testing of a product using real-time release testing.
US09977844B2

Example systems and methods for virtual visualization of a three-dimensional (3D) model of an object in a two-dimensional (2D) environment. The method may include projecting a planar projection from the 3D model while positioning the 3D model within the 2D environment. In one aspect, the method may include aligning a first 3D object and a second 3D object in the 2D environment about an alignment axis by selecting the alignment axis, generating a plane projection along the alignment axis from the first object, and positioning the second object corresponding to the plane projection. In another aspect, the method may comprise projecting an elevated 3D object wherein the projection may be demonstrated as crosshairs, such that crosshairs on the ground plane may be used for placing the second 3D object in the 2D environment.
US09977841B1

A method for determining virtually a set of design allowables for a composite material is disclosed. The method includes receiving information about the composite material and a given set of architectures, available test data of the composite material, and a test matrix identifying desired tests to be performed virtually on the composite material and different set of architectures. Using the material information and available test data, a reverse engineering process is used to determine micromechanical material properties. Finite element models of relevant test specimens are generated according to the test matrix and integrating the micromechanical material properties, and are analyzed. A set of allowables and associated properties is generated based on the finite element analyses results.
US09977835B2

Computer-readable media, computer systems, and computing devices for initiating a queryless search is provided. In this regard, a search can be initiated without a user inputting a query. In one embodiment, the method includes recognizing a search indication provided by a user to indicate a desire to view one or more search results related to content being presented. Such a search indication can be performed without accessing a web page associated with a search engine. In accordance with the search indication, contextual information related to the content being presented can be automatically captured. Thereafter, the captured contextual information is provided to initiate a search for information corresponding with the contextual information. Search results corresponding with the contextual information are received and presented.
US09977831B1

A method (and concomitant apparatus and computer-readable medium comprising software) for providing personalized advertising to users of internet web pages comprising providing an index server maintaining a dynamic index to internet web pages and employing a hierarchical plurality of topic categories whose contents are maintained and updated by the index server, permitting a user to specify any subset of the plurality of topic categories, and serving to the user an advertisement based upon the subset specified by the user.
US09977823B2

A content control method according to the present disclosure includes: obtaining first content file information including attribute information items each on one of first content files which belong to a first content file group; obtaining second content file information including attribute information items each on one of second content files which belong to a second content file group; narrowing down the first content files, the narrowed-down first content files each having an attribute information item satisfying a condition which is set based on the first content file information and the second content file information; and identifying a first content file and a second content file which are partially or entirely same by matching entity information items each on one of the second content files and entity information items each on one or more of the narrowed-down first content files as matching targets.
US09977819B2

System, methods and articles of manufacture for replicating relational data on multiple nodes. An embodiment comprises receiving an update request message from a node, wherein the update request message comprises a node identification and an application identification, accessing an application schema based on the application identification, identifying a partition residing in the application schema based on the node identification, accessing a server schema, identifying a second partition residing in the server schema based on the application identification, determining at least one data change stored in the second partition that changes data associated with the first partition, retrieving at least one data change from the second partition, formatting data change in an update response message, and transmitting the update response message to the node.
US09977818B2

A computing device sorts a plurality of data points in a first dimension. A first data point has a first value, a second data point has a second value, and a third data point has a third value defined in a second dimension. (a) The second value is compared to the first and third values. (b) When the second value is less than the first value and greater than the third value, or the second value is greater than the first value and less than the third value, the data point is deleted. (c) The first data point is defined as the second data point. (d) The second data point is defined as the third data point. (e) The third data point is defined as a next data point. (a)-(e) are repeated until each of the plurality of data points is defined as the third data point to define a plurality of sampled data points as remaining data points of the plurality of data points.
US09977812B2

A computer-navigable trie structure used in order to represent predicates for matching foreign keys to primary rows in a primary table. The predicates may be wide ranging, and each may be represented by a corresponding descendant path of the trie structure, and defines which foreign keys are to be mapped to the particular row. The trie structure is built by incrementally augmenting the trie structure as each predicate is analyzed. During later use of the trie structure, each foreign key that is a candidate for mapping to one or more parent rows are evaluated. The foreign key is used to navigate through a set of one or more descendant paths of the computer-navigable trie structure. Matching parent rows may then be identified based on the identity of the navigated descendant paths. The foreign key may then be mapped to each of the one or more matching parent rows.
US09977810B2

A multi-user search system with methodology for personal searching. In one embodiment, for example, a system for personal searching includes a plurality of index servers storing a plurality of index shards. Each index shard of the plurality of index shards indexes a plurality of documents. Each document of the plurality of documents belongs to one of a plurality of document namespaces assigned to the index shard. The system further includes a front-end server computer for receiving a search query from an authenticated user; an access control server for determining an authorized document namespace the authenticated user is authorized to access; and a query processor for answering the search query and restricting, based on an identifier of the authorized document namespace, an answer to the search query to identifying only documents satisfying the search query and belonging to the authorized document namespace.
US09977806B2

A skyline query is a query on a set of tuples which are not dominated by other tuples. The skyline query system includes a sky quad tree generator that generates a quad tree from data, and marks a leaf node, which cannot include a local skyline, as being dominated; a local skyline calculator that computes a local skyline of each leaf node, which is not marked as being dominated, in the sky quad tree; and a global skyline calculator that computes a global skyline by using the local skyline. A quad tree is a tree where each internal node has exactly four children. The skyline query is a query for calculating a skyline, a dynamic skyline, or a reverse skyline from the data, where a dynamic skyline includes dynamic attributes and a reverse skyline identifies queries corresponding to certain skyline results.
US09977804B2

A method can include receiving a request to execute a database command identifying a target table; identifying a plurality of rows to insert into the target table based in part on the database command; writing rows, from the plurality of rows, into a data page until the data page is full; determining, by an index thread manager, a number of threads to use for updating indexes defined for the target table; and upon determining the data page is full, updating, in parallel, the indexes defined for the target table using the number of threads.
US09977803B2

A search interface is displayed in a table format that includes a plurality of columns, each column including data items of an event attribute, the data items being of a set of events, each column being selectable by a user, and a plurality of rows forming cells with the one or more columns, each cell comprising one or more of the data items of the event attribute of a corresponding column. Based on the user selecting one or more of the columns, a list of options is displayed corresponding to the selected one or more columns, and one or more commands are added to a search query that corresponds to the set of events. The one or more commands are based on at least an option that is selected from the list of options and the event attribute of each of the selected one or more columns.
US09977788B2

Methods and systems are provided for managing files in an on-demand system. One exemplary method involves a server obtaining an input value from a data input field of an electronic file that was generated based on a template that maintains an association between the data input field and a field of an object in a database. The method continues with the server storing the input value in the field of the object in the database based on the association. In one or more embodiments, an input value indicated by a graphical user interface element within an electronic file is mapped to a column of an object table in the database that corresponds to the field of the object associated with the data input field that corresponds to the graphical user interface element.
US09977781B2

A technique for translating a portion of a website includes receiving a language set of a user indicating a primary language of the user is received. A content feed to be displayed to the user is received and parsed to identify a text portion of a user generated content. The original language of the text portion is determined and compared with the one or more languages in the language set. When the original language of the text portion does not match the languages in the language set: (i) the text portion, the original language, and the primary language are provided to a translation engine, (ii) a translated version of the text portion is received from the translation engine, (iii) the translated version of the text portion is inserted into the content feed to obtain a modified content feed, and (iv) the modified content feed is displayed to the user.
US09977780B2

A computer implemented method of generating a language section from tabular data in an electronic document may include identifying, in a first tabular portion of the electronic document, a set of categories used to organize tabular data. The method may include identifying a content characteristic for each category of the set of categories in the first tabular portion. And the method may include generating a first language section from at least two distinct categories of the set of categories, wherein a format of the first language section is based on the content characteristics for the at least two distinct categories.
US09977767B2

There is provided a client device including a memory storing a web browser and a database of disabled hyperlinks. The client device further includes a processor executing the web browser to receive a selection of a hyperlink from a user for navigating to a web page addressed by the hyperlink, and query the database to determine, after the selection, if the hyperlink is one of the disabled hyperlinks stored in the database. If the query determines that the hyperlink is not one of the disabled hyperlinks stored in the database, request the web page from a web page server hosting the web page, receive, in response to the request, an error code from the web page server hosting the web page, store the hyperlink in the database of the disabled hyperlinks, in response to receiving the error code, and disable the hyperlink, in response to receiving the error code.
US09977762B2

A hierarchical array computer architecture comprised of a master computer connected to a plurality of node computers wherein each node has a memory segment. A high speed connection scheme between the master computer and the nodes allows the master computer or individual nodes conditional access to the node memory segments. The resulting architecture creates an array computer with a large distributed memory in which each memory segment of the distributed memory has an associated computing element; the entire array being housed in a blade server type enclosure. The array computer created with this architecture provides a linear increase of processing speed corresponding to the number of nodes.
US09977755B2

An interface unit of a mobile device coupled to an auxiliary device, the interface unit including: a first plurality of switches configured for power delivery to the auxiliary device; at least one isolation unit coupled to the first plurality of switches, the at least one isolation unit configured to isolate the multiple signals and to prevent disruption of data communication between the mobile device and the auxiliary device; and a second plurality of switches configured for the data communication between the mobile device and the auxiliary device, the second plurality of switches configured to bypass the at least one isolation unit.
US09977744B2

A memory system includes a memory device of lower read operation speed; a memory cache of higher read operation speed; and a controller suitable for: setting one of access patterns to the memory device defined by pairs of former and latter addresses provided to the memory system within a set input time interval as a prefetch pattern; performing a prefetch operation of caching data corresponding to the latter address from the memory device to the memory cache according to the prefetch pattern; and reading the cached data from the memory cache in response to a read command provided with the latter address of the prefetch pattern.
US09977743B2

A processing device includes a first counter having a first count value of a number of child pages among a plurality of child pages present in an enclave memory of a first virtual machine (VM). The plurality of child pages are associated with a parent page in the enclave memory. The processing device includes a second counter having a second count value of a number of child pages among the plurality of child pages not present in the enclave memory and being shared by a second VM, wherein the second VM is different from the first VM. A non-zero value of at least one of the first counter or the second counter prevents eviction of the parent page from the enclave memory.
US09977733B2

When a data utilization ratio R which is a utilization ratio of sectors in one page is not lower than a threshold value Rth1 and when write data is not frequently-rewritten data, a flash memory is controlled such that the write data is stored into the flash memory. When the data utilization ratio R which is the utilization ratio of sectors in one page is lower than the threshold value Rth1 or when the write data is frequently-rewritten data although the data utilization ratio R is not lower than the threshold value Rth1, a ReRAM is controlled such that the write data is stored into the ReRAM. This suppresses deterioration of the flash memory.
US09977732B1

The disclosure is related to systems and methods of nonvolatile data caching. In some embodiments, circuits or methods may be configured to store selected data to a nonvolatile data cache based on selection criteria. The selection criteria may be based on previous data access commands. The selection criteria may relate an amount of resources, such as time or power, needed to retrieve the selected data from a data storage medium. The selected data may be retrieved from the data storage medium and stored at the nonvolatile data cache during an idle state.
US09977723B2

Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems receive characteristics of a plurality of input/output (I/O) requests from a workload, including logical address distance values between I/O requests and data lengths of the plurality of I/O requests. Based upon the characteristics, a data length value representative of the data lengths of the plurality of I/O requests is determined and an access pattern of the plurality of I/O requests is determined. A notification that the first workload is suitable for a virtual storage area network environment is generated based upon the characteristics. The first workload is selected as suitable in response to determining the data length value for the data lengths of the plurality of I/O requests is less than a data length threshold and/or the access pattern of the plurality of I/O requests is more random than an access pattern threshold on the spectrum from random access to sequential access.
US09977722B2

The present disclosure illustrates a cabinet type on-site monitoring device, which comprises a monitoring module and a positioning mechanism, and monitoring method thereof. The monitoring module can automatically detect an electric apparatus installed inside a cabinet for monitoring, and a main body can be combined on a casing structure, or the casing structure is movably pivoted on a cabinet door by using a positioning component and hang holes or a through hole on a support. Manager can watch the monitoring device via window or directly to look over current operation status of respective electric apparatus without opening the cabinet door. A sound or visible warning action is performed when the monitoring module automatically detects and gets real-time status data of any of electric apparatus exceeding a setting normal range, so as to increase convenience and flexibility of on-site immediate management, and keep the electric apparatus operate more efficiently.
US09977720B2

A method includes: causing at least three processors to perform a same process; extracting, when one of the at least three processors outputs different operational information generated by performing the same process, majority processors with which outputted operational information are the same and a minority processor with which different operational information is outputted; and controlling one of the two redundant processors to output a result of the same process.
US09977719B1

A system and method to create a clone of a source computing system, the system including the steps of selecting a memory space coupled to the source computing system, retrieving uncoded data from the selected memory space, encoding the uncoded data by use of a bit-marker-based encoding process executing on a backup server, storing encoded data in a protected memory coupled to the backup server, wherein the protected memory is protected from a power interruption, retrieving the encoded data from the protected memory; and decoding the encoded data onto a target computing system, wherein the target computing system is separate from the source computing system.
US09977715B2

Techniques to manage collaborative documents are described. An application program may comprise a document render component to render a first document instance of a collaborative document, a document share component to receive a document update list comprising a set of change records for a second document instance of the collaborative document, and modify properties of one or more constructs for the first document instance based on the change records to form a merged document instance of the collaborative document, and an undo manager component to manage a local undo stack for the first document instance, the local undo stack comprising a set of undo records, and determine whether to preserve one or more of the undo records of the local undo stack after formation of the merged document instance based on one or more of the change records. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
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