最新美国发明专利第2016-06-28期 - 专利汇|PatentHub专利检索|专利查询网|发明专利查询分析

Document	Document Title
US09379173B2	Light emitting panel and method for manufacturing same In a light emitting panel, organic EL panels are laminated in a step-like shape in a front-back direction to form organic EL panel groups, and the organic EL panel groups are further laminated in a step-like shape in a left-right direction. Each of the organic EL panels comprises a power feed part at one side of the transparent support substrate in the left-right direction. The power feed part of each of the organic EL panels is aligned with other power feed parts in the front-back direction at one side of the left-right direction, and is disposed at a position that allows the power feed part to overlap with a laminate of an organic EL panel of an adjacent organic EL panel group.
US09379170B2	Organic light emitting diode display device and method of fabricating the same An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device can include a gate line including a gate electrode; an active layer over the gate line with a gate insulating layer interposed therebetween and including an amorphous zinc oxide semiconductor; a first protective layer over color filters on an insulating layer over first source and drain electrodes; second source and drain electrodes on the first protective layer and connected to the first source and drain electrodes; a second protective layer having a third contact hole; a pixel electrode on the second protective layer and connected to the second drain electrode through the third contact hole; a partition partitioning the pixel region; and an organic light emitting layer over the partition. Also, the gate electrode is located to cover a lower portion of the active layer and the second source electrode is extended to cover the channel region of the active layer.
US09379168B2	Touch OLED display panel and display device comprising the same A touch organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panel and a display device comprising the same are disclosed. The touch OLED display panel comprises: a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate; an OLED layer disposed on the TFT substrate; a substrate disposed on the OLED layer; a sensor layer disposed on the substrate; an optical functional layer having a transmittance of 50% to 80%; and a cover plate, wherein the optical functional film is disposed on a surface of the cover plate.
US09379167B2	Light emitting device and method for manufacturing the same There are provided a light emitting device and a method for manufacturing the same, which may effectively improve heat dissipation of the light emitting device and extend service life thereof. The light emitting device comprises a substrate (1) on which a light emitting section (2) is disposed, and the light emitting device further have a semiconductor thermoelectric refrigerating section (3) integrated thereon which is disposed on the light emitting section (2); the semiconductor refrigerating section (3) comprises a cold end (31) close to the light emitting section (2) and a hot end (32) away from the light emitting section (2).
US09379157B2	Image acquisition device, biometric authentication device, and electronic apparatus An image acquisition device includes: an imaging unit which has a plurality of light receiving elements; a condensing unit which condenses light which is input to the light receiving elements, and includes a plurality of microlenses which are arranged one to one with the light receiving elements on a plane; and a band pass filter including amorphous silicon films on a path on which light from an object is input to the light receiving elements.
US09379153B2	Method for forming image sensing device A method for forming an image sensing device is disclosed, including providing a molding apparatus, disposing a lens in the molding apparatus, injecting an injection material into a chamber of the molding apparatus to form a shell which is connected to the lens, opening the chamber of the molding apparatus to remove the lens and the shell connected to the lens, and assembling the shell with an image sensing element.
US09379151B1	Image sensor device with white pixel improvement An image sensor device is provided, and includes pixel units. Each of the pixel units includes a light sensing element, a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor is coupled to the light sensing element. The second transistor is coupled to the light sensing element and the first transistor. The first transistor includes a first gate structure having a first width, and the second transistor includes a second gate structure having a second width, in which a distance between the first gate structure and the second gate structure is substantially greater than the first width and the second width.
US09379150B2	Solid-state image sensing device and method for manufacturing the same The present invention improves the performance of an image sensor. In a planar view, fluorine is introduced into a part overlapping with a channel region in a gate electrode GE1 of an amplification transistor and is not introduced into the interior of a semiconductor substrate 1S. Concretely as shown in FIG. 20, a resist film FR1 is patterned in the manner of opening the part planarly overlapping with the channel region in the gate electrode GE1. Then fluorine is injected into the interior of the gate electrode GE1 exposed from an opening OP1 by an ion implantation method using the resist film FR1 in which the opening OP1 is formed as a mask.
US09379148B2	Array substrate and method of manufacturing the same, and display device Disclosed is method of manufacturing an array substrate, including steps of: forming a thin film transistor on a substrate through a patterning process; and on the substrate on which the thin film transistor has been formed, forming an organic transparent insulation layer including a first via hole and a first transparent electrode layer disposed above the organic transparent insulation layer and including a second via hole through one patterning process, wherein the centers of the first via hole and the second via hole coincide with each other in a thickness direction of the substrate, and a projection of the first via hole on the substrate is within a projection of the second via hole on the substrate.
US09379144B2	Display apparatus Disclosed herein is a display apparatus, including, a panel having a plurality of pixels disposed in a matrix and each including a self-luminous element for emitting light, the panel including first to third conductive layers laminated in order on a supporting substrate, a first contact portion between the first and second conductive layers and a second contact portion between the second and third conductive layers being disposed at the same position in a planar direction.
US09379143B2	Active matrix substrate, display device, and active matrix substrate manufacturing method An active matrix substrate (1) includes a source electrode (32), a drain electrode (33), and a semiconductor layer (31) of oxide semiconductor. A gate insulating layer (42) of silicon oxide is formed on the gate electrode (12a); a source electrode (32), a drain electrode (33), and a semiconductor layer (31) are formed on the gate insulating layer (42); a first protection layer (44) of silicon nitride is formed on the gate insulating layer (42) without covering the semiconductor layer (31); and a second protection layer (46) of silicon oxide is formed on the semiconductor layer (31). The first protection layer (44) covers the signal line (14) and the source connection line (36).
US09379138B2	Imaging device with drive voltage dependent on external light intensity A solid-state imaging device increases the SN ratio of a signal even when external light intensity is low. The solid-state imaging device includes a sensor circuit that includes a light-receiving element, a first transistor that controls connection between a first wiring and a node in which the amount of accumulated charge is determined by the amount of exposure to the light-receiving element, a second transistor whose on or off state is selected in accordance with the potential of the node, and a third transistor that controls connection between a second wiring and a third wiring together with the second transistor; a central processing unit that selects a first driving method or a second driving method in accordance with external light intensity; and a controller that controls a potential supplied to the gate of the first transistor in accordance with the first driving method or the second driving method.
US09379137B2	Array substrate for display panel and method for manufacturing thereof Disclosed are an array substrate and a method of fabricating the same. The array substrate includes an active area including a plurality of pixels defined at an intersection area of a gate line and a data line, a gate driving circuit formed at one side of a non-active area and a signal line extending in parallel with the data line in the non-active area to transfer a signal to the gate driving circuit. The signal line includes a first line with a plurality of segmental lines, and at least one additional line formed of a different material and formed at a different layer than the first line. The at least one additional line electrically connects two segmental lines of the first line adjacent to each other.
US09379135B2	FinFET semiconductor device having increased gate height control A semiconductor device includes a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate having a buried oxide (BOX) layer, and a plurality of semiconductor fins formed on the BOX layer. The plurality of semiconductor fins include at least one pair of fins defining a BOX region therebetween. Gate lines are formed on the SOI substrate and extend across the plurality of semiconductor fins. Each gate line initially includes a dummy gate and a hardmask. A high dielectric (high-k) layer is formed on the hardmask and the BOX regions. At least one spacer is formed on each gate line such that the high-k layer is disposed between the spacer and the hardmask. A replacement gate process replaces the hardmask and the dummy gate with a metal gate. The high-k layer is ultimately removed from the gate line, while the high-k layer remains on the BOX region.
US09379126B2	Damascene conductor for a 3D device A method of forming a conductor structure can result in vertical sidewalls. The method deposits a lining over a plurality of spaced-apart stacks of active layers. An isolation material is formed over the lining, over and in between the spaced-apart stacks. A plurality of trenches in the isolation material is arranged to cross over the plurality of spaced-apart stacks of active strips, leaving at least a residue of the lining on a bottom of the trenches between the stacks of active strips and over a sidewall of the spaced-apart stacks of active strips. The residue of the lining on the bottom of the trenches and the sidewalls of the spaced-apart stacks of active layers is selectively removed. Then the plurality of trenches is filled with conductive or semiconductor material to form the damascene structure.
US09379125B2	Semiconductor device with a pillar-shaped semiconductor layer A semiconductor device includes a pillar-shaped silicon layer including a first diffusion layer, a channel region, and a second diffusion layer formed in that order from the silicon substrate side, floating gates respectively disposed in two symmetrical directions so as to sandwich the pillar-shaped silicon layer, and a control gate line disposed in two symmetrical directions other than the two directions so as to sandwich the pillar-shaped silicon layer. A tunnel insulating film is formed between the pillar-shaped silicon layer and each of the floating gates. The control gate line is disposed so as to surround the floating gates and the pillar-shaped silicon layer with an inter-polysilicon insulating film interposed therebetween.
US09379123B2	Semiconductor memory devices and methods of fabricating the same Provided are a semiconductor memory device and a method of fabricating the same. the semiconductor memory device may include a semiconductor substrate with a first trench defining active regions in a first region and a second trench provided in a second region around the first region, a gate electrode provided on the first region to cross the active regions, a charge storing pattern disposed between the gate electrode and the active regions, a blocking insulating layer provided between the gate electrode and the charge storing pattern and extending over the first trench to define a first air gap in the first trench, and an insulating pattern provided spaced apart from a bottom surface of the second trench to define a second air gap in the second trench.
US09379122B2	Memory device and method of fabricating the same A memory device includes an array of floating gate memory cells. Adjacent memory cells are separated by a plurality of air gaps that electrically decouple respective active regions of adjacent memory cells from one another. Additionally, the air gaps electrically decouple an active region of a memory cell from a floating gate of an adjacent memory cell.
US09379121B1	Split gate non-volatile flash memory cell having metal gates and method of making same A non-volatile memory cell includes a substrate of a first conductivity type, having a first region of a second conductivity type, a second region of the second conductivity type spaced apart from the first region, forming a channel region therebetween. A floating gate is disposed over and insulated from a first portion of the channel region which is adjacent the first region. A select gate is disposed over a second portion of the channel region adjacent to the second region, the select gate being formed of a metal material and being insulated from the second portion of the channel region by a layer of silicon dioxide and a layer of high K insulating material. A control gate is disposed over and insulated from the floating gate. An erase gate is disposed over and insulated from the first region, and disposed laterally adjacent to and insulated from the floating gate.
US09379120B2	Metal control gate structures and air gap isolation in non-volatile memory High-density semiconductor memory utilizing metal control gate structures and air gap electrical isolation between discrete devices in these types of structures are provided. During gate formation and definition, etching the metal control gate layer(s) is separated from etching the charge storage layer to form protective sidewall spacers along the vertical sidewalls of the metal control gate layer(s). The sidewall spacers encapsulate the metal control gate layer(s) while etching the charge storage material to avoid contamination of the charge storage and tunnel dielectric materials. Electrical isolation is provided, at least in part, by air gaps that are formed in the row direction and/or air gaps that are formed in the column direction.
US09379117B2	Semiconductor device with buried bit line and method for fabricating the same A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes etching semiconductor substrate to form bulb-type trenches that define a plurality of active regions in the semiconductor substrate; forming a supporter in each of the bulb-type trenches; dividing each active region, of the plurality of active regions, into a pair of body lines by forming a trench through each active region; and forming a bit line in each body line of the pair of body lines.
US09379115B2	Semiconductor device having a resistor and methods of forming the same In a semiconductor device and a method of making the same, the semiconductor device comprises a substrate including a first region and a second region. At least one first gate structure is on the substrate in the first region, the at least one first gate structure including a first gate insulating layer and a first gate electrode layer on the first gate insulating layer. At least one isolating structure is in the substrate in the second region, a top surface of the isolating structure being lower in height than a top surface of the substrate. At least one resistor pattern is on the at least one isolating structure.
US09379113B2	Programmable logic device and method for manufacturing semiconductor device To provide a programmable logic device in which the number of elements per bit in a memory array can be reduced and with which power consumption or operation frequency can be estimated accurately at a testing stage. Provided is a programmable logic device including a plurality of programmable logic elements and a memory array which stores configuration data that determines logic operation executed in the plurality of programmable logic elements. The memory array includes a plurality of memory elements. The memory element includes a node which establishes electrical connection between the programmable logic element and the memory array, a switch for supplying charge whose amount is determined by the configuration data to the node, holding the charge in the node, or releasing the charge from the node, and a plurality of wirings. Capacitance is formed between the node and the wiring.
US09379111B2	Method of co-integration of strained silicon and strained germanium in semiconductor devices including fin structures A method of forming a semiconductor device that includes forming an at least partially relaxed semiconductor material, and forming a plurality of fin trenches in the partially relaxed semiconductor material. At least a portion of the plurality of fin trenches is filled with a first strained semiconductor material that is formed using epitaxial deposition. A remaining portion of the at least partially relaxed semiconductor material is removed to provide a plurality of fin structure of the first strained semiconductor material.
US09379107B2	FinFET semiconductor devices including dummy structures Provided are a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a first active fin and a second active fin which protrude from a substrate and extend along a first direction, a first gate structure which is on the first active fin to extend along a second direction intersecting the first direction, a second gate structure which is located adjacent to the first gate structure in the second direction and is on the second active fin to extend along the second direction, and a dummy structure which is in a space between the first gate structure and the second gate structure.
US09379100B2	Semiconductor integrated circuit device A semiconductor integrated circuit device comprises I/O cells arranged around a core region. Each of the I/O cells comprises a level shifter circuit, an I/O logic circuit, and an I/O buffer circuit. An I/O logic region in which the I/O logic circuit is arranged and an I/O buffer region in which the I/O buffer circuit is arranged overlap with a region in which a pad for the I/O cell is arranged. The I/O logic region and the I/O buffer region are arranged side by side in a direction parallel to a side of the core region.
US09379097B2	Fan-out PoP stacking process Package on package structures and manners of formation are described. In an embodiment, an array of trenches is formed partially through a fan-out substrate. In an embodiment, a plurality of laterally separate locations thermal interface material is dispensed onto an array of embedded bottom die. In an embodiment a thermal compression tool including an array of cavities corresponding to an array of top packages is brought into contact with the array of top packages and underlying fan-out substrate during PoP joint formation. The fan-out substrate may be secured to a vacuum chuck during several processing operations.
US09379095B2	Photocoupler A photocoupler includes: a support substrate; a MOSFET; a light receiving element; a light emitting element; and a bonding layer. The support substrate includes an insulating layer, input and output terminals. The MOSFET is bonded to the support substrate. The MOSFET has a first surface having an operation region. The light receiving element includes p-n junction and is bonded to the MOSFET. The light receiving element has first and second surfaces. The first surface includes a light reception region, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The light emitting element is connected to the input terminal. The light emitting element has first and second surfaces. The first surface includes first and second electrodes. The second surface has a light emitting region. The bonding layer is configured to bond the light emitting element to the light reception region.
US09379093B2	Method and apparatus for image sensor packaging Methods and apparatus for packaging a backside illuminated (BSI) image sensor or a sensor device with an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) are disclosed. According to an embodiment, a sensor device may be bonded together face-to-face with an ASIC without using a carrier wafer, where corresponding bond pads of the sensor are aligned with bond pads of the ASIC and bonded together, in a one-to-one fashion. A column of pixels of the sensor may share a bond bad connected by a shared inter-metal line. The bond pads may be of different sizes and configured in different rows to be disjoint from each other. Additional dummy pads may be added to increase the bonding between the sensor and the ASIC.
US09379089B2	Electrical system and core module thereof Disclosed is a core module, comprising: a package substrate, having a plurality of pads; a first component, connected to the pads of the package substrate corresponding to the first component with a plurality of first joint parts; a second component, connected to the pads of the package substrate corresponding to the first component with a plurality of second joint parts; and a third component, connected to the pads of the package substrate corresponding to the third component with a plurality of third joint parts, wherein the first component is positioned above the second component relative to the lower package substrate, and the first component, the second component and the third component are all electrically connected via the package substrate, and a main molding material is molding the first component, the second component and the third component.
US09379082B2	Pressure application apparatus and pressure application method A pressure application technique is provided that enables two objects to be pressurized (e.g., objects to be bonded) to be positioned with greater accuracy before having pressure applied thereto. The objects to be pressurized are moved relative to each other in a Z direction such that the objects are brought into contact with each other (step S13). Then, a horizontal positional shift ΔD between the objects to be pressurized is measured in the contact state of the objects to be pressurized (step S14). Thereafter, positioning of the objects to be pressurized is again performed by moving the objects to be pressurized relative to each other in the horizontal direction, as a result of which the positional shift ΔD is corrected (step S17).
US09379081B2	Semiconductor device package and method of the same The invention proposes a semiconductor device package structure, comprising a substrate, an adhesive layer and a die. The substrate has electrical through-holes to inter-connect a first and second wiring circuit on a top surface and a bottom surface of the substrate respectively, wherein a contact conductive bump is formed on the first wiring circuit. The under-fill adhesive layer is formed on the top surface and the first wiring circuit of the substrate except the area of the die. The die has a bump structure on the bonding pads of the die, wherein the bump structure of the die is electrically connected to the contact conductive bump of the first wiring circuit of the substrate.
US09379077B2	Metal contact for semiconductor device A semiconductor device package and packaging method, the semiconductor device packaging method comprising: providing a chip with a bonding pad formed on the chip surface; forming a passivation layer and a bump on the chip surface, wherein the passivation layer has an opening exposing part of the pad, the bump is located in the opening and the size of the bump is less than the size of the opening; forming a solder ball covering the top surface and the side wall of the bump, and the bottom surface of the opening. The formed semiconductor device package is not easy to form a short circuit. The bonding strength between the solder ball and the bump is high and the performance of the semiconductor device is stable.
US09379072B2	Chip package and method for forming the same A chip package including a first substrate is provided. A plurality of first conductive pads is disposed on a first side of the first substrate. A second substrate is attached onto a second side opposite to the first side of the first substrate. The second substrate includes a micro-electric element and has a plurality of second conductive pads corresponding to the plurality of first conductive pads, disposed on a first side of the second substrate and between the first substrate and the second substrate. A redistribution layer is disposed on a second side opposite to the first side of the second substrate. The redistribution layer penetrates the second substrate, second conductive pads and the first substrate and extends into the first conductive pads to electrically connect the first and second conductive pads.
US09379068B2	ESD protection semiconductor device A semiconductor substrate (1) is provided with a source region (2) and a drain region (3) of a first type of electrical conductivity arranged at a surface (10) at a distance from one another, a channel region (4) of a second type of electrical conductivity, which is opposite to the first type of electrical conductivity, arranged between the source region (2) and the drain region (3), and a gate electrode (6) arranged above the channel region (4). A substrate well (7) of the first type of electrical conductivity is arranged in the substrate (1) at a distance from the source region (2). The substrate well (7) is contiguous with the drain region (3), and the distance between the source region (2) and the substrate well (7) is larger than the distance between the source region (2) and the drain region (3).
US09379066B2	Device for detecting a laser attack in an integrated circuit chip A device for detecting a laser attack made on an integrated circuit chip comprises a bipolar transistor of a first type formed in a semiconductor substrate, that bipolar transistor comprising a parasitic bipolar transistor of a second type. A buried region, forming the base of the parasitic bipolar transistor, operates as a detector of the variations in current flowing caused by impingement of laser light on the substrate.
US09379063B2	Semiconductor device and semiconductor chip The present invention is applicable to a semiconductor device having a plurality of chips being stacked with a TSV structure in which adjacent ones of the chips are connected to each other via a plurality of through electrodes. Each of the chips includes a plurality of TSV array portions provided so as to correspond to a plurality of channels. The TSV array portions include a TSV array portion that contributes to an input and an output depending upon the number of the chips being stacked, and a pass-through TSV array portion that is not connected to an input/output circuit.
US09379056B2	Semiconductor structure and method for manufacturing the same The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure, comprising: a) forming metal interconnect liners on a substrate; b) forming a mask layer to cover the metal interconnect liners and forming openings, which expose the metal interconnect liners, on the mask layer; c) etching and disconnecting the metal interconnect liners via the openings, thereby insulating and isolating the metal interconnect liners. The present invention further provides a semiconductor structure, which comprises a substrate and metal interconnect liners, wherein ends of the metal interconnect liners are disconnected by insulating walls formed within the substrate. The structure and the method provided by the present invention are favorable for shortening distance between ends of adjacent metal interconnect liners, saving device area and suppressing short circuits happening to metal interconnect liners.
US09379053B2	Semiconductor device having signal line and power supply line intersecting with each other Disclosed herein is a semiconductor device includes: a plurality of first power supply wirings provided on a first wiring layer and extending in a first direction; a plurality of second power supply wirings provided on a second wiring layer different from the first wiring layer and extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction; a signal wiring provided on the second wiring layer and extending in the second direction; and a plurality of through-hole conductors each electrically connecting an associated one of the first power supply wirings to an associated one of the second power supply wirings. At least a part of the first power supply wirings have a notch in a portion intersecting the signal wiring.
US09379051B2	Semiconductor device According to the present invention, a semiconductor having excellent yield is provided. The semiconductor device (10) of the present invention includes: a base material (die pad) (2), a semiconductor element (3), and an adhesive layer (1) intervening the space between the base material and the semiconductor element (3) to adhere the base material and the semiconductor element. Thermal conductive filler (8) is contained in the adhesive layer (1), and when the content of the thermal conductive filler dispersed in the whole of the adhesive layer is expressed as C, the content of the thermal conductive filler in the region 1 ranging from the interface of the adhesive layer at the side of the semiconductor element to the depth by 2 μm is expressed as C1, and the content of the thermal conductive filler in the region 2 ranging from the interface of the adhesive layer at the side of the base material to the depth by 2 μm is expressed as C2, the following formulae are satisfied: C1
US09379045B2	Common drain power clip for battery pack protection mosfet A first embodiment is a common drain+clip 20. It has a conventional drain contact on its bottom surface and is flip chip mounted on a half-etched leadframe 40 which has external source, gate and drain contacts connected to the sources, gate and common drain of the die 20. Common drain clip 50 connects the drain 30 to external contacts between opposite gate contacts. A second embodiment is a direct drain embodiment+heatslug. The device 80 has a top drain contact 36 that extends to the common drain 30 across the bottom of the die which is flip chip mounted to a half-etched leadframe having external source, gate and drain contacts connected to the sources, gates and common drain of the die 80.
US09379044B2	Package carrier, package carrier manufacturing method, package structure for semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof A package substrate including a dielectric layer, a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer and a bonding pad is provided. The dielectric layer has a top surface and a bottom surface. The first conductive layer is embedded into the dielectric layer, and a first surface of the first conductive layer is exposed from the top surface and has the same plane with the top surface. The second conductive layer is embedded into the dielectric layer and contacts the first conductive layer, and a second surface of the second conductive layer is exposed from the bottom surface and has the same plane with the bottom surface. The bonding pad is partially or completely embedded into the first conductive layer and the dielectric layer, so that the periphery of the bonding pad is confined within a cavity by the sidewalls of both the first conductive layer and the dielectric layer.
US09379040B2	Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing semiconductor device According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first conductor, a second conductor, and an envelope. The first conductor includes a first radiation surface. The second conductor includes a second radiation surface. The envelope includes a first envelope portion which is composed of a first insulative material and is formed such that the first envelope portion seals a semiconductor, and a second envelope portion which is composed of a second insulative material and is formed in contact with the first radiation surface and the second radiation surface.
US09379033B2	Sensor package A sensor package is disclosed. One embodiment provides a sensor device having a carrier, a semiconductor sensor mounted on the carrier and an active surface. Contact elements are electrically connecting the carrier with the semiconductor sensor. A protective layer made of an inorganic material covers at least the active surface and the contact elements.
US09379029B2	Inspection apparatus, inspection system, inspection method of semiconductor devices, and manufacturing method of inspected semiconductor devices An inspection apparatus for inspecting output signal of a semiconductor device is provided with a monitor device configured to sense a signal on the monitor line and a plurality of inspection circuits connected to the monitor line. Each inspection circuit is provided with a semiconductor device support allowing a semiconductor device to be set thereon and including a signal terminal to which a signal is input from the set semiconductor device, a first resistor connected between the signal terminal and the monitor line, a selector terminal, and a first diode connected between the signal terminal and the selector terminal so that a cathode of the first diode is connected to a selector terminal side.
US09379027B2	Method of utilizing trench silicide in a gate cross-couple construct A method of forming a logic cell utilizing a TS gate cross-couple construct and the resulting device are provided. Embodiments include forming active fins and dummy fins on a substrate, the dummy fins adjacent to each other and between the active fins; forming STI regions between and next to the active and dummy fins; forming gate structures in parallel across the active and dummy fins; forming a gate cut region by cutting the gate structures between the dummy fins; forming a TS layer between the gate structures, the TS layer crossing the gate cut region; and forming a contact connecting a gate structure and the TS layer on a first side of the gate cut region and forming a contact connecting a gate structure and the TS layer on a second side of the gate cut region, the TS layer and contacts cross coupling the gate structures.
US09379025B1	Method of forming source/drain contacts in unmerged FinFETs A method of forming field effect transistors (FETs), and forming integrated circuit (IC) chip including the FETs. After forming replacement metal gate (RMG) FinFETs on a surface layer of a silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer, and growing unmerged epitaxially (epi) on the fins, the epi is capped with dielectric and an inter-level dielectric (ILD) layer is formed on the SOI wafer. The said ILD layer is patterned to an upper surface of the epi above encased fins in a timed etch. Then, etching, preferably with an etchant selective to silicon, the epi is opened to, and into, the fins. The resulting orifices are filled with conductive material to form source drain contacts.
US09379024B2	Method for manufacturing a microelectronic device including depositing identical or different metallic layers on the same wafer A method for manufacturing a microelectronic device is provided, including forming a first semiconductor material layer on a first region of a top surface of a substrate; and forming a second semiconductor material layer on a second region of the top surface of the substrate distinct from the first region, forming a first metallic layer above the first layer; forming a first contact layer of a first intermetallic compound or solid solution; forming a first sacrificial layer in an upper portion of the first contact layer; forming a second sacrificial layer in an upper portion of the second layer; removing all of the second sacrificial layer so as to expose a residual portion of the second layer; partially removing the first sacrificial layer; forming a second metallic layer above said residual portion; and forming a second contact layer of a second intermetallic compound or solid solution.
US09379023B2	Semiconductor device with metal gate and high-k materials and method for fabricating the same A semiconductor device includes a substrate including first and second regions. A first gate stack structure containing a first effective work function adjust species is formed over the first region and a second gate stack structure containing a second effective work function adjust species is formed over the second region. A channel region is formed under the first gate stack structure and contains a threshold voltage adjust species.
US09379022B2	Process for forming driver for normally on III-nitride transistors to get normally-off functionality A semiconductor device includes a depletion mode GaN FET and an integrated driver/cascode IC. The integrated driver/cascode IC includes an enhancement mode cascoded NMOS transistor which is connected in series to a source node of the GaN FET. The integrated driver/cascode IC further includes a driver circuit which conditions a gate input signal and provides a suitable digital waveform to a gate node of the cascoded NMOS transistor. The cascoded NMOS transistor and the driver circuit are formed on a same silicon substrate.
US09379020B2	Silicide formation on a wafer A method of selective formation of silicide on a semiconductor wafer, wherein the metal layer is deposited over the entire wafer prior to application of the SiProt mask such that any etching of the mask does not cause any surface deterioration of the silicon wafer.
US09379006B2	Semiconductor apparatus, electronic device, and method of manufacturing semiconductor apparatus A semiconductor apparatus, electronic device, and method of manufacturing the semiconductor apparatus are disclosed. In one example, the semiconductor apparatus comprises a first semiconductor part that includes a first wiring, and a second semiconductor part that is adhered to the first semiconductor part and which includes a second wiring electrically connected to the first wiring. A metallic oxide is formed in at least one of the first wiring and the second wiring.
US09379003B2	Semiconductor structures and methods of manufacturing the same A semiconductor device and methods of forming a semiconductor device are disclosed. In the methods, a layer, such as an insulating interlayer, is formed on a substrate. A first trench is formed in the layer, and a mask layer is formed in the first trench. The mask layer has a first thickness from a bottom surface of the first trench to the top of the mask layer. The mask layer is patterned to form a mask that at least partially exposes a sidewall of the first trench. A portion of the mask adjacent to the exposed sidewall of the first trench has a second thickness smaller than the first thickness. The layer is etched to form a second trench using the mask as an etching mask. The second trench is in fluid communication with the first trench. A conductive pattern is formed in the first trench and the second trench.
US09378999B2	Method for manufacturing SOI wafer A method for manufacturing SOI wafer of forming an oxide film on a bond wafer of a semiconductor single crystal substrate, forming an ion implanted layer into the bond wafer by implanting ions of at least one kind of gas in hydrogen and rare gases through the oxide film, bonding together an ion implanted front surface of the bond wafer and base wafer front surface via the oxide film, thereafter delaminating the bond wafer along the ion implanted layer, and thereby fabricating an SOI wafer. The oxide film is formed on the bond wafer such that on a back surface it is made thicker than the oxide film on a bonded face. The method for manufacturing SOI wafer capable of suppressing scratches and SOI film thickness abnormality caused by warped shapes of the SOI and bond wafers after delamination where it has been delaminated by an ion implantation delamination method.
US09378992B2	High throughput heated ion implantation system and method An ion implantation system has an ion implantation apparatus coupled to first and second dual load lock assemblies, each having a respective first and second chamber separated by a common wall. Each first chamber has a pre-heat apparatus configured to heat a workpiece to a first temperature. Each second chamber has a post-cool apparatus configured to cool the workpiece to a second temperature. A thermal chuck retains the workpiece in a process chamber for ion implantation, and the thermal chuck is configured to heat the workpiece to a third temperature. A pump and vent are in selective fluid communication with the first and second chambers. A controller is configured to heat the workpiece to the first temperature in an atmospheric environment via the pre-heat apparatus, to heat the workpiece to the second temperature via the thermal chuck, to implant ions into the workpiece via the ion implantation apparatus, and to transfer the workpiece between atmospheric and vacuum environments via a control of the pre-heat apparatus, post-cool apparatus, pump, vent, and thermal chuck.
US09378988B2	Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method using processing solution Nozzle arms for holding discharge heads are caused by a pivotal driving part to move between a processing position above a substrate and a standby position outside a processing cup surrounding a substrate. When the nozzle arms having cleaned a substrate is placed at the standby position, a cleaning solution is ejected from a shower nozzle toward the nozzle arms arranged obliquely downward of the shower nozzle. The three nozzle arms are caused to move up and down such that the nozzle arms cut across a jet of a cleaning solution discharged obliquely downward, thereby cleaning the three nozzle arms in order. Then, a nitrogen gas is ejected from a drying gas nozzle and sprayed on the nozzle arms to remove the cleaning solution attached to the nozzle arms, thereby drying the nozzle arms.
US09378987B2	Semiconductor packages including gap in interconnection terminals and methods of manufacturing the same A semiconductor package includes a lower package comprising a lower semiconductor chip mounted on a lower package substrate, an upper package comprising an upper package substrate stacked on the lower package and an upper semiconductor chip mounted on the upper package substrate, interconnection terminals electrically connecting the lower package substrate with the upper package substrate, and a lower molding film molding the lower semiconductor chip between the lower package substrate and the upper package substrate. The lower package substrate comprises a chip region on which the lower semiconductor chip is mounted, an interconnection region enclosing a portion of the chip region, and a mold injection region defined by the chip region and the interconnection region. The interconnection terminals are disposed on the lower package substrate of the interconnection region but not disposed on the lower package substrate of the mold injection region.
US09378984B2	Packaging a semiconductor device having wires with polymerized insulator skin A chip is attached to a substrate with wires spanning from the chip to the substrate is loaded in a heated cavity of a mold. The wire surfaces are coated with an adsorbed layer of molecules of a heterocyclic compound. A pressure chamber of the mold is loaded with a solid pellet of a packaging material including a polymerizable resin. The chamber is connected to the cavity. The vapor of resin molecules is allowed to spread from the chamber to the assembly inside the cavity during the time interval needed to heat the solid pellet for rendering it semi-liquid and to pressurize it through runners before filling the mold cavity, wherein the resin molecules arriving in the cavity are cross-linked by the adsorbed heterocyclic compound molecules into an electrically insulating at least one monolayer of polymeric structures on the wire surfaces.
US09378980B2	Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same A transistor including an oxide semiconductor, which has good on-state characteristics, and a high-performance semiconductor device including a transistor capable of high-speed response and high-speed operation. In the transistor including an oxide semiconductor, oxygen-defect-inducing factors are introduced (added) into an oxide semiconductor layer, whereby the resistance of a source and drain regions are selectively reduced. Oxygen-defect-inducing factors are introduced into the oxide semiconductor layer, whereby oxygen defects serving as donors can be effectively formed in the oxide semiconductor layer. The introduced oxygen-defect-inducing factors are one or more selected from titanium, tungsten, and molybdenum, and are introduced by an ion implantation method.
US09378978B2	Integrated oxide recess and floating gate fin trimming Methods of etching back shallow trench isolation (STI) dielectric and trimming the exposed floating gate without breaking vacuum are described. The methods include recessing silicon oxide dielectric gapfill to expose vertical sidewalls of polysilicon floating gates. The exposed vertical sidewalls are then isotropically etched to evenly thin the polysilicon floating gates on the same substrate processing mainframe. Both recessing silicon oxide and isotropically etching polysilicon use remotely excited fluorine-containing apparatuses attached to the same mainframe to facilitate performing both operations without an intervening atmospheric exposure. An inter-poly dielectric may then be conformally deposited either on the same mainframe or outside the mainframe.
US09378975B2	Etching method to form spacers having multiple film layers Methods herein can be used for removing silicon nitride around fins and other structures without damaging underlying silicon structures. Methods herein also include forming dual layer spacers and L-shaped spacers, as well as other configurations. Techniques include a multi-step process of anisotropic etching of low-k material with high selectivity to silicon nitride, followed by isotropic etching of SiN with high selectivity to the low-k material. Such techniques, for example, can be used to form an L-shaped spacer on a 3-D gate structure, as well as providing a method for completely removing silicon nitride without damaging surrounding or underlying materials.
US09378974B2	Method for chemical polishing and planarization A chemical planarization process described herein can be used for planarizing a substrate without using mechanical abrasion. A developable planarization material can be applied to a substrate having a non-planar topography, such that a planar surface results. The resulting planarization layer can cover existing structures on the substrate. A top portion of the planarization layer can be solubilized using a solubility-changing agent, and then the soluble portion can be removed thereby slimming a height of the planarization material to a target value, which can be a top surface of a tallest underlying structure. With the substrate planarized, additional patterning operations can be executed.
US09378968B2	Method for planarizing semiconductor device A method for planarizing a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes steps hereinafter. A substrate is provided with a first dielectric layer covering at least one electrode structure formed thereon. A chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) process is performed on the first dielectric layer until the at least one electrode structure is exposed. A second dielectric layer is deposited covering the at least one electrode structure and the first dielectric layer. An etching-back process is performed on the second dielectric layer until the at least one electrode structure is exposed.
US09378967B2	Method of making a stacked microelectronic package A method of making a stacked microelectronic package by forming a microelectronic assembly by stacking a first subassembly including a plurality of microelectronic elements onto a second subassembly including a plurality of microelectronic elements, at least some of the plurality of microelectronic elements of said first subassembly and said second subassembly having traces that extend to respective edges of the microelectronic elements, then forming notches in the microelectronic assembly so as to expose the traces of at least some of the plurality of microelectronic elements, then forming leads at the side walls of the notches, the leads being in electrical communication with at least some of the traces and dicing the assembly into packages. Additional embodiments include methods for creating stacked packages using substrates and having additional traces that extend to both the top and bottom of the package.
US09378966B2	Selective etching of silicon wafer A method of preparing an etch solution and thinning semiconductor wafers using the etch solution is proposed. The method includes steps of creating a mixture of hydrofluoric acid, nitric acid, and acetic acid in a solution container in an approximate 1:3:5 ratio; causing the mixture to react with portions of one or more silicon wafers, the portions of the one or more silicon wafers are doped with boron in a level no less than 1×1019 atoms/cm3; collecting the mixture after reacting with the boron doped portions of the one or more silicon wafers; and adding collected mixture back into the solution container to create the etch solution.
US09378959B2	Method of manufacturing insulated gate transistor semiconductor device First, a first resist mask for forming an n+ emitter region is formed on the front surface of an n− semiconductor substrate. The first resist mask is left on the surface of the gate electrode. Next, a first ion implantation is performed with the first resist mask to form the n+ emitter region. At this time, as the first ion implantation, both a perpendicular ion implantation is performed at an implantation angle that is perpendicular to the substrate front surface, and an oblique ion implantation at an implantation angle that is tilted relative to the direction perpendicular to the substrate front surface. The oblique ion implantation widens a width of the n+ emitter region in the trench widthwise direction. Next, a second ion implantation is performed with a second resist mask to form a p+ contact region. Thereafter, a heat treatment is used to diffuse and activate the n+ emitter region and the p+ contact region.
US09378957B2	Silicon substrates with doped surface contacts formed from doped silicon based inks and corresponding processes The use of doped silicon nanoparticle inks and other liquid dopant sources can provide suitable dopant sources for driving dopant elements into a crystalline silicon substrate using a thermal process if a suitable cap is provided. Suitable caps include, for example, a capping slab, a cover that may or may not rest on the surface of the substrate and a cover layer. Desirable dopant profiled can be achieved. The doped nanoparticles can be delivered using a silicon ink. The residual silicon ink can be removed after the dopant drive-in or at least partially densified into a silicon material that is incorporated into the product device. The silicon doping is suitable for the introduction of dopants into crystalline silicon for the formation of solar cells.
US09378947B2	Buffer layer deposition for thin-film solar cells Improved methods and apparatus for forming thin-film buffer layers of chalcogenide on a substrate web. Solutions containing the reactants for the buffer layer or layers may be dispensed separately to the substrate web, rather than being mixed prior to their application. The web and/or the dispensed solutions may be heated by a plurality of heating elements.
US09378946B2	Silicon substrates with compressive stress and methods for production of the same A heterostructure including: a substrate having a first primary surface, a second primary surface, and a diffusion layer extending a depth into the substrate from the first primary surface; and an epitaxial layer disposed on the second primary surface of the substrate is disclosed along with methods for production of the same.
US09378944B2	Method and apparatus of forming carbon film According to an embodiment of present disclosure, a method of forming a carbon film on a substrate to be processed is provided. The method includes loading a substrate to be processed with a carbon film formed thereon into a processing chamber of a film forming apparatus (Process 1), and thermally decomposing a hydrocarbon-based carbon source gas in the processing chamber to form a carbon film on the substrate to be processed (Process 2). In Process 2, a film forming temperature of the carbon film is set to a temperature less than a thermal decomposition temperature of a simple substance of the hydrocarbon-based carbon source gas without plasma assistance, the hydrocarbon-based carbon source gas and a thermal decomposition temperature drop gas containing a halogen element are introduced into the processing chamber, and a non-plasma thermal CVD method is performed.
US09378943B2	Method of manufacturing semiconductor device, method of processing substrate substrate processing apparatus and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium An insulating film including characteristics such as low permittivity, a low etching rate and a high insulation property is formed. Supplying a gas containing an element, a carbon-containing gas and a nitrogen-containing gas to a heated substrate in a processing vessel to form a carbonitride layer including the element, and supplying the gas containing the element and an oxygen-containing gas to the heated substrate in the processing vessel to form an oxide layer including the element are alternately repeated to form on the substrate an oxycarbonitride film having the carbonitride layer and the oxide layer alternately stacked therein.
US09378940B2	Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method The present disclosure provides a substrate processing apparatus including: a substrate processing chamber configured to process a substrate on which a target layer to be removed is formed on the surface of an underlying layer; a substrate holding unit provided in the substrate processing chamber and configured to hold the substrate; a mixed liquid supplying unit configured to supply a mixed liquid of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide to the substrate held by the substrate holding unit in a mixing ratio of the hydrogen peroxide and a temperature that does not damage the underlying layer while removing the target layer; and an OH-group supplying unit configured to supply a fluid containing OH-group to the substrate in an amount that does not damage the underlying layer when the mixed liquid and the OH-group are mixed on the substrate.
US09378938B2	Reproducibility of impact-based ionization source for low and high organic mobile phase compositions using a mesh target An ion source is disclosed comprising one or more nebulizers and one or more mesh or grid targets. The one or more nebulizers are arranged and adapted to emit, in use, a stream predominantly of droplets which are caused to impact upon the one or more mesh or grid targets and to ionize the droplets to form a plurality of ions.
US09378936B2	Fast switching, dual polarity, dual output high voltage power supply Systems, devices, circuits, and methods are provided for an improved mass spectrometry detection system that comprises an ion source and a detector that operate at opposite polarities. In some embodiments, the system can comprise a positive and negative multiplier, each of which can be configured to provide voltage to each of the ion source and the detector. In some embodiments, the system can comprise switches that allow the change between positive and negative polarities for the ion source or detector to occur quickly. A variety of embodiments of systems, devices, circuits, and methods in conjunction with the disclosures are provided.
US09378931B2	Pulse plasma apparatus and drive method thereof A pulse plasma apparatus includes a process chamber, source RF generator configured to supply first and second level RF pulse power having first and second duty cycles to an upper electrode of the process chamber, a reflected power indicator configured to indicate reflection RF power, a first matching network, and a controller. The first matching network is configured to match an impedance of the process chamber with an impedance of the source RF generator as a first or second matching capacitance value, respectively when the first level RF pulse power or second level RF pulse power is supplied, respectively. The controller is configured to calculate a third matching capacitance value based on the first and second matching capacitance values and a ratio of the first and second duty cycles, provide the third matching capacitance values to the first matching network, and control the source RF generator and first matching network.
US09378926B2	Electron beam lithography methods including time division multiplex loading An embodiment of a method of lithography includes generating a beam of electrons. A first pixel and a second pixel are each configured to pattern the beam. Using time domain multiplex loading, the first and second pixels are controlled such that the beam is patterned. The patterning includes receiving a first clock signal and using the first clock signal to generate a second clock signal and a third clock signal. The second clock signal is sent to the first pixel and sending the third clock signal is sent to the second pixel.
US09378925B2	TEM sample preparation An improved method of preparing ultra-thin TEM samples that combines backside thinning with an additional cleaning step to remove surface defects on the FIB-facing substrate surface. This additional step results in the creation of a cleaned, uniform “hardmask” that controls the ultimate results of the sample thinning, and allows for reliable and robust preparation of samples having thicknesses down to the 10 nm range.
US09378921B2	Integrated optical and charged particle inspection apparatus The present invention relates to a method for mutually aligning a scanning electron microscope SEM and a light microscope LM by creating a change (61) in the detected light signal of the light microscope LM by illuminating a substrate with an electron beam, correlating the position of the electron beam in the coordinate system of the scanning electron microscope SEM to the position of the observed change in the detected light signal in the coordinate system of the light microscope LM, and relatively shifting the scanning electron microscope SEM and the light microscope LM with respect to one another to a desired relative position of the coordinate systems (60, 62).
US09378919B2	Bonding apparatus and method for manufacturing display device using the same A bonding apparatus bonds one member to another member by using the pressure difference between the pressure between the two members and the ambient pressure. After aligning two members close to each other on a chuck and a supporting member in a vacuum chamber, the chamber is vacuumed to form vacuum between the two members. Then, air is supplied to the vacuum chamber to increase the ambient pressure to normal. The increased ambient pressure pushes the one member on the supporting member to the other member on the chuck, bonding both members together.
US09378915B2	Knob element and slide element of an adjusting apparatus and adjusting apparatus and method for adjusting a position of a thermal tripping shaft Embodiments of the present invention relate to a knob element and a slide element of an adjusting apparatus, to an adjusting apparatus, and to a method for adjusting a position of a thermal tripping shaft as well as to a thermal magnetic trip unit and an electrical switch for interrupting a current flow of an electric current in an electrical circuit in the event of the occurrence of a tripping event, having the adjusting apparatus, which has a rotatably mounted knob element and a tangentially movably mounted slide element. In at least one embodiment, the knob element and the slide element are operatively connected in such a way that the rotary movement of the knob element becomes a tangential movement of the slide element.
US09378914B2	Contact device and electromagnetic contactor using the same A contact device includes a contact mechanism including a pair of fixed contacts disposed to maintain a predetermined distance and a movable contact disposed to be capable of contacting to and separating from the pair of fixed contacts. The movable contact has a conductive plate portion extending in a direction crossing a moving direction of the movable contact in a contact housing case. Each of the pair of fixed contacts includes an inner side conductor plate portion having one end and the other end portion extending toward the outside of the contact housing case in parallel to the conductive plate portion, and an outer side conductor plate portion connected to the other end portion of the inner side conductor plate portion and extending in a direction separating from the movable contact, to form an L-shaped conductor portion to generate a Lorentz force opposing an electromagnetic repulsion force.
US09378912B2	Electronic component assembly structure and electrical junction box An electronic component includes a main body section having a rectangular parallelepiped shape and terminal portions disposed in the main body section. A housing member includes a first housing chamber that guides and accommodates the main body section therein and a second housing chamber that accommodates and holds terminal fittings therein. Each terminal portion includes a fitting portion that droops along a side surface of the main body section with a gap from the side surface and that is fitted to the corresponding terminal fitting. Each terminal fitting includes a spring portion that presses the corresponding fitting portion, and a pressing direction of the spring portion is held to direct to the corresponding wall portion. The electronic component, the terminal fittings, and the housing member are mutually assembled.
US09378908B2	Vacuum switching apparatus and contact assembly therefor A contact assembly for a vacuum switching apparatus includes a contact member and a reinforcing member adapted to structurally reinforce the contact member. The contact member includes first and second opposing sides, and a contact thickness. The reinforcing member has a reinforcement thickness, which is less than the contact thickness. The contact member is made from a first material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion, and the reinforcing member is made from a second different material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion. The first coefficient of thermal expansion is substantially the same as the second coefficient of thermal expansion.
US09378906B2	Electromagnetic contactor manufacturing method An electromagnetic contactor manufacturing method includes a step of forming an arc extinguishing chamber connection portion by simultaneously brazing a fixed terminal and a pipe penetrating and fixed to a tub-shaped arc extinguishing chamber, and a tube portion of a first connection member in communication with an open end portion of the arc extinguishing chamber; a step of forming a cap connection portion having a flange portion extending outward in a radial direction from an open end of a bottomed tubular cap; and a step of disposing a flange portion of the first connection member and a flange portion of a second connection member in close contact with a base plate in which an aperture hole is formed, and welding each of the flange portions to the base plate so that the arc extinguishing chamber connection portion and the cap connection portion are in communication through the aperture hole.
US09378902B2	Composite operating device biased to the neutral position A composite operating device is provided having a small number of components to retain an operating member in a neutral position. A composite operating device includes an operating member that is operable to rotate and to slide a slider and a base. One of the base and the slider includes a flexible portion that is capable of elastic bending deformation relative to the other, the flexible portion including a first engagement portion. The other includes a second engagement portion that retains the slider in the neutral position by engaging with the first engagement portion. The second engagement portion presses against the first engagement portion while being displaced in the sliding direction relative to the first engagement portion to cause bending deformation of the flexible portion. The amount of deformation of the flexible portion increases with the amount of operation of the operating member in the sliding direction.
US09378901B2	Mechanical wear, wipe and stroke measurement system for circuit breakers A contact wear indicator assembly for a circuit breaker assembly is provided. The contact wear indicator assembly includes an interface assembly, an indicator drive assembly, and a user display assembly. The user display assembly includes an output device. The output device is structured to produce a visual indication representative of a measurable contact characteristic. The indicator drive assembly is operatively coupled to the interface assembly, whereby the indicator drive assembly moves between a first position and a second position corresponding to an interface assembly first and second position. The indicator drive assembly is measurably coupled to the user display assembly. The user display assembly is structured to convert the position data of the indicator drive assembly into a quantified output such as, but not limited to, contact characteristics. The user display assembly is further structured to display the indicator drive assembly position data on the output device.
US09378900B2	Solid electrochemical supercapacitor A process for fabricating an electrochemical supercapacitor is disclosed herein. The process comprises depositing a carbon nanotube layer onto a first substrate; depositing a layer of metal oxide material onto the substrate forming a first electrode; depositing an electrolytic material onto the electrode; and joining the electrode to a first face of a solid electrolyte membrane such that the electrolytic material is disposed between the electrode and the electrolytic membrane. The carbon nanotubes, the metal oxide and the electrolytic material comprise distinct layers. An electrochemical supercapacitor fabricated by the above-referenced process is also disclosed.
US09378897B2	Electrode material for aluminum electrolytic capacitor, and process for producing same The present invention provides an electrode material for an aluminum electrolytic capacitor, which does not require any etching treatment and which has improved bending strength.Specifically, the present invention provides an electrode material for an aluminum electrolytic capacitor, which comprises, as constituent elements, a sintered body of a powder of at least one member selected from the group consisting of aluminum and aluminum alloys and an aluminum foil substrate that supports the sintered body thereon, which is characterized in that (1) the powder has an average particle size D50 of 0.5 to 100 μm, (2) the sintered body is formed on one surface or both surfaces of the aluminum foil substrate and has a total thickness of 20 to 1,000 μm, and (3) the aluminum foil substrate has a thickness of 10 to 200 μm and an Si content of 10 to 3,000 ppm.
US09378895B2	Method of manufacturing a winding-type solid electrolytic capacitor package structure using a lead frame A winding-type solid electrolytic capacitor package structure includes a winding capacitor unit, a package body and a conductive unit. The winding capacitor has a winding body enclosed by the package body, a positive conductive lead pin having a cutting surface, and a negative conductive lead pin having a grinding surface. The conductive unit includes a positive conductive terminal electrically connected to the positive conductive lead pin and a negative conductive terminal electrically connected to the negative conductive lead pin. The positive conductive terminal has a first embedded portion enclosed by the package body and a first exposed portion exposed outside the package body. The negative conductive terminal has a second embedded portion enclosed by the package body and a second exposed portion exposed outside the package body. The first and the second exposed portions are extended along the outer surface of the package body.
US09378894B2	Method for producing electrolytic capacitors from valve metal powders A process for producing an anode for an electrolytic capacitor includes pressing a tantalum powder around a tantalum wire, a tantalum ribbon, or a tantalum sheet to form a pressed body. The pressed body is sintered to form a porous sintered body. The porous sintered body is cooled to form a cooled porous sintered body. The cooled porous sintered body is treated with at least one oxidant comprising at least one of a gaseous oxidant and a liquid oxidant to form a treated sintered body. The treated sintered body is anodically oxidized in an electrolyte to form a dielectric layer.
US09378893B2	Capacitor with multiple elements for multiple replacement applications A capacitor provides a plurality of selectable capacitance values, by selective connection of six capacitor sections of a capacitive element each having a capacitance value. The capacitor sections are provided in a plurality of wound cylindrical capacitive elements. Two vertically stacked wound cylindrical capacitance elements may each provide three capacitor sections. There may be six separately wound cylindrical capacitive elements each providing a capacitor section. The capacitor sections have a common element terminal.
US09378892B2	Ceramic multilayer capacitor A ceramic multilayer capacitor includes a first capacitor unit, which comprises a first material, and a second capacitor units, which comprises a second material. The first and the second capacitor unit are electrically connected in parallel. At low applied voltages, the first material has a high dielectric value and, at high applied voltages the second material has a high dielectric value.
US09378891B2	Multilayer ceramic device Disclosed herein is a multilayer ceramic device including a device body having lateral surfaces and circumferential surfaces connecting the lateral surfaces, an internal electrode disposed in a length direction of the device body within the device body, an external electrode having a front portion covering the lateral surface and a band portion extending from the front portion to cover a portion of the circumferential surface, and a reinforcement pattern extending from the lateral surface toward the interior of the device body and having a length longer than a width of the band portion.
US09378883B2	Transformer structure A transformer structure includes a first conductive plate, a second conductive plate, a circuit board and a core assembly. The first conductive plate has a first through hole and two first pins, and the first pins are formed by bending two ends of the first conductive plate respectively. The second conductive plate is installed opposite to the first conductive plate and has a second through hole and two second pins, and second pins are formed by bending the two ends of the second conductive plate respectively. The circuit board includes a winding, a positioning portion and a third through hole. The core assembly is electromagnetically coupled to the first conductive plate, the circuit board and the second conductive plate and passed through the first, second and third through holes to provide a high amperage and low-profile transformer structure.
US09378878B2	Method of manufacturing hexagonal ferrite magnetic particles The method of manufacturing hexagonal ferrite magnetic particles comprises applying, in a water-based solution, an adhering matter comprising a glass component and an alkaline earth metal to iron oxide particles to which a surfactant adheres, and calcining the iron oxide particles to which the adhering matter adheres to obtain a calcined product in which a main component that is detected by X-ray diffraction analysis is hexagonal ferrite.
US09378876B2	Ferromagnetic particles and process for producing the same, and anisotropic magnet, bonded magnet and compacted magnet Ferromagnetic particles including an Fe16N2 compound phase in an amount of not less than 80% as measured by Mössbauer spectrum and each having an outer shell in which FeO is present in the form of a film having a thickness of not more than 5 nm. Ferromagnetic particles may be made by subjecting iron oxide or iron oxyhydroxide having an average major axis diameter of 40 to 5000 nm and an aspect ratio (major axis diameter/minor axis diameter) of 1 to 200 as a starting material to dispersing treatment to prepare aggregated particles; subjecting the iron compound particles passed through a mesh to hydrogen reducing treatment at a temperature of 160 to 420° C.; and then subjecting the resulting particles to nitridation treatment at a temperature of 130 to 170° C.
US09378871B2	Wire harness, wire harness manufacturing method and wire harness manufacturing apparatus A wire harness manufacturing method prevents inadvertent deformation of thermoplastic material and separation of thermoplastic material. A predetermined part of an electric wire 91 is accommodated in a through hole of a tubular body formed by connection between a first and second nest members (123, 124) of a nozzle (12), by integrally connecting first and second case body members (121, 122) of the nozzle (12), with the predetermined part of the electric wire 91 therebetween. An approximately tubular covering member (92) covering the predetermined part of the electric wire (91) is molded integrally with the thermoplastic material, by discharging thermoplastic material plasticized by a material plasticizing unit (11) from thermoplastic material discharge orifices (1213) and (1223) in the nozzle (12) to the outer periphery of the electric wire (91), while moving the electric wire (91) and the nozzle (12) relatively to each other.
US09378870B2	Superconducting joints A superconducting joint and a cooling surface are provided as a combination. The superconducting joint joins superconducting wires each comprising superconducting filaments electrically joined together. The cooling surface comprises a thermally and electrically conductive material. An electrically isolating surface coating is provided on the cooling surface. The superconducting joint, the surface coating and the cooling surface are in thermal contact. The superconducting joint is electrically isolated from the cooling surface by the surface coating. The tails of the superconducting wires are wrapped around the electrically isolating surface coating.
US09378864B1	Stretchable metal wire assembly using elastic tube A stretchable metal wire assembly includes a metal wire positioned within an elastic tube. The form of the metal wire is such that when the elastic tube is in a relaxed, or non-stretched, state the metal wire forms a tortuous path, such as a waveform, along the elastic tube. The tortuous path of the metal wire provides slack such that as the elastic tube is stretched the slack is taken up. Once released, the elastic tube moves from the stretched position to the relaxed, non-stretched position, and slack is reintroduced into the metal wire in the form of the original tortuous path. The metal wire functions as an electrical conductor, thereby providing a device having an extendable length electrical conducting element. In some applications, the metal wire is electrically coupled at each end to an electrical interconnect component.
US09378862B2	Dielectric material A dielectric material which is able to detect a sign of insulation breakdown before use or while in use, and thus is able to predict the insulation breakdown in advance is provided. Such a dielectric material is made of a composite sintered compact in which conductive particles are dispersed in an insulating material, in which in the conductive particles, a particle diameter D10 having a cumulative volume percentage of 10% by volume in a volume particle size distribution is 0.2 μm or less, a particle diameter D90 having a cumulative volume percentage of 90% by volume is 2 μm or less, a ratio (D90/D10) of the particle diameter D90 having a cumulative volume percentage of 90% by volume to the particle diameter D10 having a cumulative volume percentage of 10% by volume is 3.0 or more, and a ratio (D90/D50) of the particle diameter D90 having a cumulative volume percentage of 90% by volume to the particle diameter D50 having a cumulative volume percentage of 50% by volume is 1.4 or more.
US09378860B2	Polyvinyl copolymer, dopant having the same, and conductive polymer composite having the dopant The present disclosure relates to a polyvinyl copolymer in which one or more side-chain sulfonic acids are attached on the hydroxy group of polyvinyl alcohol or a polyvinyl phenol and a preparation method thereof, a dopant including the same, a conductive polymer composite including the dopant with a conductive polymer and a preparation method thereof, wherein the electrical conductivity, dispersibility, solubility, heat-resistance and environment-resistance of the conductive polymer composite can be enhanced by using the dopant including the copolymer.
US09378854B2	Core catcher A core catcher includes a holding surface that catches and holds corium and that introduces a surrounding coolant into the core catcher and cool the core catcher by heat exchange with the introduced coolant. The holding surface and the cooling unit are constructed by arranging blocks which each include a polyhedron having at least one pair of parallel surfaces and having an opening portion formed in a surface located in a lateral direction when a first surface that is one of the parallel surfaces is arranged as a bottom surface and are configured such that the polyhedrons communicate with each other via the opening portion when the polyhedrons are arranged adjacent in the lateral direction. The core catcher can achieve easier installation of the blocks without an increase in installation cost.
US09378853B2	Support structure for a control rod assembly of a nuclear reactor A control rod guide frame comprises a self supporting stack of two or more columnar elements defining a central passage. The columnar elements may include mating features that mate at abutments between adjacent columnar elements of the stack. The control rod guide frame is suitably used in conjunction with a control rod drive mechanism (CRDM) operatively connected with at least one control rod, and a nuclear reactor core, in which the CRDM moves the at least one control rod into and out of the nuclear reactor core under guidance of the control rod guide frame. In another embodiment, a control rod guide frame comprises a stack of two or more columnar elements defining a central passage having a constant cross-section as a function of position along the central passage. In another embodiment, a control rod guide frame comprises an extruded columnar element providing continuous control rod guidance.
US09378852B2	Spacer grids for nuclear reactor A spacer grid includes intersecting straps defining cells with springs and dimples arranged to hold fuel rods passing through the cells. The direction of the springs switches at a switch point in the spacer grid that is not at the center of the spacer grid. The intersecting straps may include a first set of mutually parallel straps including a first transition strap and a second set of mutually parallel straps including a second transition strap, with the second set intersecting the first set. The springs of the first set of mutually parallel straps face away from the first transition strap, and the springs of the second set of mutually parallel straps face away from the second transition strap. The outer straps in some embodiments include dimples but not springs.
US09378847B2	Systems and methods involving managing a problematic memory cell Subject matter described pertains to managing problematic memory cells in a memory array.
US09378845B2	System for simultaneously determining memory test result A system for test plural memories simultaneously includes a pattern generation part which generates a pattern signal for testing and transmits the signal to the memories, a delay part which receives data through a first data line from a first memory device that is disposed in a closest position from the delay part and a second data line from a second memory device that is disposed in a farthest position from the delay part, and a determination part which determines the result of testing by comparing the data from the first memory device and the second memory device. The delay part output the first data and the second data to the determination part simultaneously.
US09378842B2	Bidirectional shift register Disclosed herein is a bidirectional shift register which is capable of preventing multi-outputs from both end stages. The shift register includes a plurality of stages for outputting scan pulses forward or reversely based on a start pulse and a plurality of clock pulses with a phase difference. A last one of the stages includes a forward scan controller for making a set node active and a reset node inactive based on any one of the clock pulses and a scan pulse from an upstream stage, a reverse scan controller for making the set node active and the reset node inactive based on any one of the clock pulses and the start pulse, and an output unit for outputting any one of a corresponding scan pulse and a deactivation voltage based on a voltage at the set node, a voltage at the reset node and any one of the clock pulses.
US09378841B2	Semiconductor fuses and methods of operating the same The semiconductor system includes a controller and a semiconductor device. The controller outputs commands and receives an output datum to discriminate whether at least one of a plurality of fuse cells abnormally operates. The semiconductor device compares logic levels of a plurality of fuse data generated from the plurality of fuse cells with each other, thereby generating a flag signal enabled when at least one of the logic levels of the plurality of fuse data is different from the other logic levels while a boot-up operation is executed according to a combination of the commands. In addition, the semiconductor device outputs the flag signal as the output datum while a read operation is executed according to a combination of the commands.
US09378837B2	Method of providing an operating voltage in a memory device and a memory controller for the memory device A method of providing an operating voltage in a memory device includes applying a read voltage to a selected word line while applying a first pass voltage to at least one unselected word line among word lines adjacent to the selected word line; and while applying a second pass voltage to the remaining unselected word lines (other than the at least one unselected word line to which the first pass voltage is applied). The level of the first pass voltage is higher than the level of the second pass voltage. The level of the first pass voltage may be set based on the level of the read voltage.
US09378835B2	Methods and apparatus for soft data generation for memory devices based using reference cells Methods and apparatus are provided for soft data generation for memory devices using reference cells. At least one soft data value is generated in a memory device by writing a known data to one or more reference cells; reading one or more of the reference cells; obtaining a read statistic based on the read one or more reference cells; and obtaining the at least one soft data value based on the obtained read statistic. The read statistics can optionally be obtained for one or more desired locations of a memory array; or for a given pattern, PATT, in one or more aggressor cells. The read statistic can optionally comprise asymmetric statistics obtained for a plurality of possible values.
US09378832B1	Method to recover cycling damage and improve long term data retention Techniques for reversing damage caused by program-erase cycles in charge-trapping memory to improve long term data retention. A recovery process improves the data retention of a block of memory cells by programming the memory cells to a relatively high threshold voltage and enforcing a time period of several minutes or hours in which the memory cells are inactive and remain at the relatively high Vth levels. Damage such as traps in the memory cells is essentially healed or annealed out during this inactive period. All of the memory cells can be healed at the same time and by relatively equal amounts. At the conclusion of the recovery process, the block is returned to a pool of available blocks. In one approach, an amount of recovery is measured and the period of inactivity is continued for an amount of time which is based on the amount of recovery.
US09378829B2	Non-volatile memory device with an EPLI comparator A non-volatile memory device comprising a memory cell array including memory cells distributed among a plurality of sectors; a controller operable to program, read, and erase memory cells in said memory array, said controller further operable to generate and store EPLI values for programming a number of EPLI bits in one of said plurality of sectors with said stored EPLI values; and a comparator to compare said stored EPLI values with EPLI values programmed in said EPLI bits.
US09378828B2	Memory system and driving method thereof A driving method of a nonvolatile memory device includes receiving a program command and an address. The method includes changing a number of adjacent zones of a plurality of zones formed of unselected word lines according to a location of a selected word line corresponding to the received address. The method further includes applying different zone voltages to the number of adjacent zones and remaining zones. The nonvolatile memory device includes a plurality of strings formed to penetrate word lines stacked on a substrate in a plate shape.
US09378826B2	Nonvolatile memory device, program method thereof, and storage device including the same A nonvolatile memory device includes memory cells stacked in a direction perpendicular to a substrate and further includes a first memory cell string connected between a selected bit line and a selected string selection line, a second memory cell string connected between the selected bit line and an unselected string selection line, and a third memory cell string connected to an unselected bit line. During a bit line setup section of a program operation, a ground voltage is provided to the selected bit line and a power supply voltage provided to the unselected string selection line is changed to the ground voltage.
US09378817B2	Variable resistance nonvolatile memory element writing method and variable resistance nonvolatile memory device A variable resistance nonvolatile memory element writing method of, by applying a voltage pulse to a memory cell including a variable resistance element, reversibly changing the variable resistance element between a first resistance state and a second resistance state according to a polarity of the applied voltage pulse is provided. The variable resistance nonvolatile memory element writing method includes applying a first preliminary voltage pulse and subsequently applying the first voltage pulse to the variable resistance element to change the variable resistance element from the second resistance state to the first resistance state, the first preliminary voltage pulse being smaller in voltage absolute value than the second threshold voltage and different in polarity from the first voltage pulse.
US09378816B2	Variable resistance memory devices and erase verifying methods thereof An erase verifying method includes applying a first voltage to a plurality of word lines connected to a memory cell block, and applying a second voltage less than the first voltage to a plurality of bit lines connected to the memory cell block. The method includes sensing bit line currents flowing through the plurality of bit lines, and comparing the sensed bit line currents with a reference current. The method also includes determining that the memory cell block has been sufficiently erased by a first erase operation if each of the sensed bit line currents is less than the reference current.
US09378813B2	Resistive memory device, method of fabricating the same, and memory apparatus and data processing system having the same A resistive memory device capable of implementing a multi-level cell, a method of fabricating the same, and a memory apparatus and data processing system including the same are provided. The resistive memory device includes a lower electrode, a first phase-change material layer formed over the lower electrode, a second phase-change material layer formed to surround an outer sidewall of the first phase-change material layer, and an upper electrode formed over the first phase-change material layer and the second phase-change material layer.
US09378812B2	Non-volatile memory using bi-directional resistive elements A memory cell includes a first bidirectional resistive memory element (BRME), and a second BRME, a first storage node, and a second storage node. A resistive memory write to the cell includes placing the first BRME and the second BRME in complementary resistive states indicative of the value being written. During a subsequent restoration operation, the value as written in the first BRME and second BRME is written to the first storage node and the second storage node while a wordline connected to the memory cell is deasserted.
US09378811B2	Methods of operating variable resistance memory devices A method of operating a resistive non-volatile memory can be provided by applying a forming voltage across first and second electrodes of a selected memory cell in the variable resistance non-volatile memory device during an operation to the selected memory cell. The forming voltage can be a voltage level that is limited to less than a breakdown voltage of an insulation film included in selected memory cell between a variable resistance film and one of first electrode. Related devices and materials are also disclosed.
US09378808B2	Pulse width modulation device A pulse width modulation device for use in an N-ports random access memory having a plurality of word line sets, wherein a specified word line set comprises N port word lines. The pulse width modulation device comprises a status detecting device and a clock signal generator. The status detecting device is coupled to the N port word lines having a first and a second port word line, and outputs a first control signal when both the voltage values of the first and second port word lines are within a first level range. The clock signal generator is coupled to the status detecting device and the specified word line set, and generates and outputs a first clock signal to the specified word line set, wherein a duration of the first clock signal kept within the first level range is variable in response to the first control signal.
US09378807B2	Non-volatile static random access memory circuits A non-volatile static random access memory (nvSRAM) circuit is provided. The nvSRAM circuit includes first and second switches and a latch circuit. The first switch has a first terminal coupled to a first bit line. The second switch has a first terminal coupled to a second bit line. The latch circuit is coupled to second terminals of the first and second switches. The latch circuit has a first non-volatile memory element. When the nvSRAM circuit is at a writing mode, first input data on the first bit line is written into in the latch circuit, and the first non-volatile memory element has a first state corresponding to the first data. When the nvSRAM circuit is at a reading mode, first readout data is generated according to the first state of the first non-volatile memory element is generated and provided to the first bit line.
US09378805B2	Stable memory source bias over temperature and method Random access memory having a plurality of memory cells, each of the plurality of memory cells having a memory element and a first electrical characteristic being variable based, at least in part, on temperature and a bias circuit operatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of memory cells, the bias circuit being configured to generate a bias voltage for the at least one of the plurality of memory cells. The bias circuit has a second electrical characteristic being variable based, at least in part, on temperature. The first electrical characteristic is approximately proportional to the second electrical characteristic over a predetermined range of temperatures, the predetermined range of temperatures being greater than zero. The bias voltage on each of the plurality of memory cells is approximately proportional with variations in the first electrical characteristic over the predetermined range of temperatures.
US09378803B2	System and method to regulate operating voltage of a memory array A method includes measuring a temperature of a sensor associated with a memory array. The method also includes calculating, at a voltage regulating device, an operating voltage based on the temperature and based on fabrication data associated with the memory array. The method further includes regulating, at the voltage regulating device, a voltage provided to the memory array based on the operating voltage.
US09378800B2	Memory controller and associated signal generating method The invention is directed to a memory controller and an associated signal generating method. By appropriately arranging a sequence according to which command signals are generated and expanding a latching interval of a part of address signals, not only the memory controller is enabled to control the DDR memory modules in a functional manner to further overcome issues of conventionally small latching intervals, but also system stability and access performance are reinforced as the memory access clock speed continue to increase.
US09378798B2	Method of writing to a spin torque magnetic random access memory A spin-torque magnetoresistive memory includes array read circuits and array write circuits coupled to an array of magnetic bits. The array read circuits sample magnetic bits in the array, apply a write current pulse to the magnetic bits to set them to a first logic state, resample the magnetic bits, and comparing the results of sampling and resampling to determine the bit state for each magnetic bit. For each of the magnetic bits in the page having the second logic state, the array write circuits initiate a write-back, wherein the write-back includes applying a second write current pulse having opposite polarity in comparison with the first write current pulse to set the magnetic bit to the second state. A read or write operation may be received after initiation of the write-back where the write-back can be aborted for a portion of the bits in the case of a write operation. The write-back may be performed such that different portions of the magnetic bits are written back at different times, thereby staggering the write-back current pulses in time. An offset current may also be used during resampling.
US09378785B2	Resistive random-access memory devices A resistive random-access memory device includes a memory array, a read circuit, a write-back logic circuit and a write-back circuit. The read circuit reads the data stored in a selected memory cell and accordingly generates a first control signal. The write-back logic circuit generates a write-back control signal according to the first control signal and a second control signal. The write-back circuit performs a write-back operation on the selected memory cell according to the write-back control signal and a write-back voltage, so as to change a resistance state of the selected memory cell from a low resistance state to a high resistance state, and generates the second control signal according to the resistance state of the selected memory cell.
US09378784B1	Security device using high latency memory to implement high update rate statistics for large number of events A security device includes a controller configured to determine a flow identifier and an event counter associated with a received data packet and a counter memory including multiple memory banks where each memory bank stores a partial counter value for one or more event counters. The counter memory is indexed by a counter identifier associated with the event counter. A memory controller selects a memory bank in the counter memory that was not the memory bank last selected and the partial counter value associated with the counter identifier in the selected memory bank is updated, the updated partial counter value being written back to the selected memory bank. In one embodiment, the partial counter value is updated and written back within the latency window of the memory bank last selected.
US09378782B1	Apparatus with write-back buffer and associated methods An apparatus comprises a source to communicate data, and a storage circuit to store data communicated by the source. The apparatus further comprises a write-back buffer to store data communicated by the source in a misaligned write operation in order to improve throughput between the source and the storage circuit.
US09378778B1	Package including a plurality of stacked semiconductor devices including a capacitance enhanced through via and method of manufacture A plurality of semiconductor memory devices on a multi-chip package is disclosed. Each semiconductor device may include a plurality of through vias and a plurality of capacitance enhanced through vias. The through vias may provide an electrical connection for signals that may transition between logic states. The capacitance enhanced through vias may provide an electrical connection from a first side to a second side of the respective semiconductor device for transmission signals that remain substantially stable such as reference voltages, power supply voltages or the like. In this way, noise may be reduced and a reservoir of charge for circuits that provide a load for reference voltages and/or power supply voltages may be provided.
US09378775B2	Semiconductor device including plural chips stacked to each other Such a device is disclosed that includes first and second chips stacked to each other, and a third chip controlling the first and second chips, stacked on the first and second chips, and including first, second and third output circuits. The first output circuit supplies a first command signal to the first chip. The second output circuit supplies the first command signal to the second chip. The third output circuit supplies a second command signal to the first and second chips.
US09378768B2	Methods and systems for media file management Methods and systems for media file management are provided. A music file is provided. The music file is analyzed to obtain a frequency spectrum corresponding to the music file, and at least one beat point on the time line is detected for the music file based on the frequency spectrum. Media data is generated for a plurality of media files in the electronic device based on the music file and a theme defining effects or transitions between the media files, wherein the sequence of the respective effects or transitions, and the corresponding media files which are selected for the respective effects or transitions are determined according to the at least one beat point of the music file.
US09378764B2	Method and device for verifying a servo pattern in tape media A system and method for verifying a servo pattern in tape media include a tape drive unit which moves the tape media lengthwise across a read head. The tape drive unit is adapted to use a tape comprising at least one servo band, each servo band including at least one servo pattern. The tape drive unit scans the read head across the servo band in a widthwise direction relative to the tape media. The system and method also include an electronic control unit that is adapted to verify the servo pattern.
US09378763B1	Track offset compensation in shingled recording Systems and methods are disclosed for positioning of a reader element in a data storage device employing shingled recording. In an embodiment, an apparatus may comprise a processor configured to receive a read command to retrieve data from a data storage medium having data stored in a shingled manner where at least one track is partially overlapped by an adjacent track, and retrieve the data by adjusting a position of a read element according to a track offset compensation value based on a measured parameter. In another embodiment, a method may comprise determining a track offset compensation value for a first area of a data storage medium based on a measured parameter for the area, adjusting a position of a read head based on the track offset compensation value, and reading data from the first area using the read head.
US09378762B1	Thermally-assisted magnetic recording head including a waveguide and two plasmon generators A thermally-assisted magnetic recording head includes a waveguide, a first plasmon generator, and a second plasmon generator. The waveguide includes a core and a cladding. The first plasmon generator is located on the leading side of the core. The second plasmon generator is located on the trailing side of the core. The cladding includes a first interposition section and a second interposition section, the first interposition section being interposed between the core and the first plasmon generator, the second interposition section being interposed between the core and the second plasmon generator.
US09378759B2	Spin torque oscillator with low magnetic moment and high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy material Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a magnetic disk device employing a MAMR head. The MAMR head includes an STO. The STO comprises an underlayer, an SPL, an interlayer, an FGL, and a capping layer. The SPL is comprised of a high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy material. The SPL has a large effective perpendicular magnetic anisotropy field, and the SPL has a lower magnetic moment than the FGL. An applied current is adapted to flow in a direction from the FGL to the SPL resulting in the magnetization direction of the SPL being almost perpendicular to the FGL and anti-parallel to a head-gap magnetic field due to a relation between a first spin torque directed from the SPL to the FGL and a second spin torque directed from the FGL to the SPL.
US09378755B2	Detecting a user's voice activity using dynamic probabilistic models of speech features Method of detecting voice activity starts with by generating probabilistic models that respectively model features of speech dynamically over time. Probabilistic models may model each feature dependent on a past feature and a current state. Features of speech may include a nonstationary signal presence feature, a periodicity feature, and a sparsity feature. Noise suppressor may then perform noise suppression on an acoustic signal to generate a nonstationary signal presence signal and a noise suppressed acoustic signal. An LPC module may then perform residual analysis on the noise suppressed data signal to generate a periodicity signal and a sparsity signal. Inference generator receives the probabilistic models and receives, in real-time, nonstationary signal presence signal, periodicity signal, and sparsity signal. Inference generator may then generate in real time an estimate of voice activity based on the probabilistic models, nonstationary signal presence signal, periodicity signal, and sparsity signal. Other embodiments are also described.
US09378751B2	Method and system for digital gain processing in a hardware audio CODEC for audio transmission In a hardware audio CODEC which processes audio signals from a plurality of inputs, voltage and/or power levels of the input audio signals may be adjusted such that the digitally adjusted levels are approximately equal for each of the plurality of inputs. The digital adjustment may comprise, for each audio sample of one of the input audio signals, adding the audio sample to one or more right shifted versions of the audio sample and selecting a portion of a summed audio signal resulting from the addition. The portion of the summed audio that is selected may be determined based on the type of audio content being processed. The one or more right shifted versions of the audio sample may be selected via one or more switching elements which may be controlled via a digital control word which may be dynamically generated.
US09378747B2	Method and apparatus for layout and format independent 3D audio reproduction A method for encoding audio signals, for later reproduction in arbitrary three-dimensional loudspeaker layouts, based on the generation of an intermediate channel-independent representation, which enables the creation, manipulation and reproduction of sounds with complex apparent size and shape, including multiple disconnected shapes.
US09378745B2	MDCT-based complex prediction stereo coding The invention provides methods and devices for stereo encoding and decoding using complex prediction in the frequency domain. In one embodiment, a decoding method, for obtaining an output stereo signal from an input stereo signal encoded by complex prediction coding and comprising first frequency-domain representations of two input channels, comprises the upmixing steps of: (i) computing a second frequency-domain representation of a first input channel; and (ii) computing an output channel on the basis of the first and second frequency-domain representations of the first input channel, the first frequency-domain representation of the second input channel and a complex prediction coefficient. The method comprises applying independent bandwidth limits for the input channels.
US09378738B2	System and method for advanced turn-taking for interactive spoken dialog systems Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for advanced turn-taking in an interactive spoken dialog system. A system configured according to this disclosure can incrementally process speech prior to completion of the speech utterance, and can communicate partial speech recognition results upon finding particular conditions. A first condition which, if found, allows the system to communicate partial speech recognition results, is that the most recent word found in the partial results is statistically likely to be the termination of the utterance, also known as a terminal node. A second condition is the determination that all search paths within a speech lattice converge to a common node, also known as a pinch node, before branching out again. Upon finding either condition, the system can communicate the partial speech recognition results. Stability and correctness probabilities can also determine which partial results are communicated.
US09378733B1	Keyword detection without decoding Embodiments pertain to automatic speech recognition in mobile devices to establish the presence of a keyword. An audio waveform is received at a mobile device. Front-end feature extraction is performed on the audio waveform, followed by acoustic modeling, high level feature extraction, and output classification to detect the keyword. Acoustic modeling may use a neural network or a vector quantization dictionary and high level feature extraction may use pooling.
US09378731B2	Acoustic model training corpus selection The present disclosure relates to training a speech recognition system. One example method includes receiving a collection of speech data items, wherein each speech data item corresponds to an utterance that was previously submitted for transcription by a production speech recognizer. The production speech recognizer uses initial production speech recognizer components in generating transcriptions of speech data items. A transcription for each speech data item is generated using an offline speech recognizer, and the offline speech recognizer components are configured to improve speech recognition accuracy in comparison with the initial production speech recognizer components. The updated production speech recognizer components are trained for the production speech recognizer using a selected subset of the transcriptions of the speech data items generated by the offline speech recognizer. An updated production speech recognizer component is provided to the production speech recognizer for use in transcribing subsequently received speech data items.
US09378729B1	Maximum likelihood channel normalization Features are disclosed for applying maximum likelihood methods to channel normalization in automatic speech recognition (“ASR”). Feature vectors computed from an audio input of a user utterance can be compared to a Gaussian mixture model. The Gaussian that corresponds to each feature vector can be determined, and statistics (e.g., constrained maximum likelihood linear regression statistics) can then be accumulated for each feature vector. Using these statistics, or some subset thereof, offsets and/or a diagonal transform matrix can be computed for each feature vector. The offsets and/or diagonal transform matrix can be applied to the corresponding feature vector to generate a feature vector normalized based on maximum likelihood methods. The ASR process can then proceed using the transformed feature vectors.
US09378727B2	Method and apparatus for audio playing A method and apparatus for audio playing is provided. The method includes receiving an audio conversion request carrying a first text identifier, and obtaining a first electronic text corresponding to the first text identifier; obtaining the audio data corresponding to the characters in the first electronic text according to a correspondence between characters and audio data which is stored in advance; and playing the audio data in the order of corresponding characters in the first electronic text. By applying the present disclosure, it is possible to improve the efficiency of obtaining information from electronic text.
US09378725B2	Ultrasonic transducer and ultrasonic flow meter including ultrasonic transducer An ultrasonic transducer comprises a metal plate; an acoustic matching member fastened to one of surfaces of the metal plate, a piezoelectric substrate which is fastened to the other surface of the metal plate and generates a vibration; and an insulating damping member covering a surface of the piezoelectric substrate which surface is on an opposite side of a surface fastened to the metal plate; wherein a thickness of the insulating damping member is set to a length which is n/2 of a wavelength of the vibration propagating through the insulating damping member.
US09378723B2	Apparatus and method for acquiring configuration data A method includes detecting an accessory device at a master device. The method also includes receiving, at the master device, active noise cancellation (ANC) coefficients associated with the accessory device in response to detecting the accessory device. The method also includes modifying audio content, at the master device, based on the ANC coefficients.
US09378721B2	Low frequency acoustic attenuator and process for making same A method of manufacturing an acoustic attenuation device includes three-dimensionally printing a pair of sheets and webs that cooperate with the sheets to define attenuation chambers. Each chamber has at least one opening through which excited air resonates.
US09378717B2	Synchronized multiple device audio playback and interaction A musical playback amusement system is disclosed. A primary audio track defined by a plurality of time-sequence audio data elements and associated synchronization identifiers are loaded and played back on a first interactive device. A second interactive device is in communication with the first interactive device to receive playback synchronization commands that coordinates playback of a secondary track loaded on the second interactive device. The synchronization identifiers in the primary track are transmitted from the first to the second interactive device as the playback synchronization commands in coordination with the playback of the primary audio track.
US09378714B1	Electronic drum A percussion instrument includes a drum shell, a batter head maintained under tension by a rim secured to the top of the drum shell, a flexible member supported at the bottom end of the drum shell, a contact microphone retained on a central section of the flexible member, an acoustic transmission structure in contact with the batter head, and a drive foot coupled to a lower end of the acoustic transmission structure. The contact microphone can be coupled to the flexible support member with a first double-sided adhesive tape member. A foam cushion disposed between the drive foot and the contact microphone can be coupled to the drive foot on a top side with a second double-sided adhesive tape member and on the opposite bottom side with a third double-sided adhesive member to reduce unwanted microphonics or feedback, and allow rapid reversion of the signal from the contact microphone.
US09378712B2	Drum beater pedal apparatus utilizing proximal actuation A drum beater pedal apparatus for driving a pedal driven drum beater with manual pressure from the heel comprises a pedal member, a frame, a spring, a sliding member, a chain and a drum beater. The pedal member is movably mounted on the frame such that it can be moved between a base position and an actuated position. In this regard, when manual pressure in the actuating direction is placed on the proximal end of the pedal member, the sliding member moves to its substantially horizontal position and causes the chain to move the drum beater to its actuated position. Conversely, when this manual pressure is removed, the spring moves the pedal member back to its base position, causing the sliding member to move to its substantially vertical position, resulting in the chain moving the drum beater 16 to its retracted position.
US09378710B2	Display device Provided is a display device capable of improving the display quality by suppressing the influence of a difference in hold voltage in a pixel circuit occurring between forward scanning driving and backward scanning driving. The display device includes: a data signal line; a plurality of pixel circuits; a plurality of gats signal lines; a gate signal line driving circuit for performing any one of forward scanning driving and backward scanning driving and performs gate overlapping driving; a data signal line driving circuit; and a reference voltage line driving circuit for supplying a reference voltage. The reference voltage line driving circuit selects and supplies a reference voltage for forward direction and a reference voltage for reverse direction, during the forward scanning driving and the backward scanning driving, respectively.
US09378705B2	Conversion system and method for converting RGB data to RGBW data A conversion system for converting RGB data to RGBW data includes a four-color determination unit configured to determine outputted RGBW values according to inputted RGB values and a color saturation value calculated from the inputted RGB values; and an output unit configured to output the outputted RGBW values. A conversion method for converting RGB data to RGBW data is also disclosed. The conversion system and method for converting RGB data to RGBW data of the present invention can appropriately decrease the outputted W value and appropriately increase the outputted RGB values at the same time. Comparing to the conversion system of the display device of the conventional technology based on four-color subpixels, the brightness of the display device of the present invention can be maintained in the same degree, and increase the color saturation of the display device of the present invention.
US09378703B2	KVM switch and computer readable medium A KVM switch that is connected between servers, and at least one set of a keyboard, a mouse and a monitor, comprising: an acquiring portion that acquires information showing a screen resolution to which the monitor is capable of adapting, from the monitor; an analysis portion that analyzes a screen resolution of a video signal output from a corresponding server, based on a horizontal synchronizing signal and a vertical synchronizing signal received from each of the servers; a determination portion that determines whether the analyzed screen resolution exceeds the screen resolution shown by the acquired information; a conversion portion that, when the analyzed screen resolution exceeds the screen resolution shown by the acquired information, converts the analyzed screen resolution into the screen resolution shown by the acquired information; and an output portion that outputs the video signal having the converted screen resolution to the monitor.
US09378702B2	Electronic device using method, electronic device and electronic apparatus adapted to switch operating modes An electronic device using method is provided. First, an electronic device and a display device are provided. Then, detecting whether the electronic device is electrically connected to the display device. If the electronic device is electrically connected to the display device, then a tilting angle of the electronic device is sensed. An operating mode of the electronic device corresponding to the display device is determined according to the tilting angle of the electronic device. In addition, an electronic device and an electronic apparatus having the electronic device is also provided.
US09378701B2	Backlight driving apparatus A backlight driving apparatus that drives a backlight unit having a plurality of LEDs is provided, which includes a rectifying unit rectifying an AC voltage and generating a driving voltage for the plurality of LEDs, a plurality of connection changing units changing connection relations between the plurality of LEDs depending on a level of the driving voltage, and a light output compensation unit generating a compensation voltage using the driving voltage and selectively supplying the compensation voltage to the plurality of LEDs.
US09378692B2	Gate driving circuit and method, and liquid crystal display The present disclosure provides a gate driving circuit, a gate driving method and a liquid crystal display. Said gate driving circuit includes shift registers at a plurality of stages, wherein the shift register at each stage includes a pull-up driving unit, a pull-up unit, a reset unit, a pull-down unit and a supplementary unit; said pull-up unit is used for making a clock signal at a first clock terminal an output signal of the shift register at the present stage when being turned on; said supplementary unit, connected to said pull-up unit, is used for making a clock signal at a second clock terminal the output signal of the shift register at the present stage when being turned on. With the supplementary unit, the present disclosure can reduce voltage jump of a pixel, achieve the MLG function and enhance the picture quality of the LCD.
US09378691B2	Display device and method for driving display device A display device includes: an image display unit that includes a plurality of main pixels in an image display region, the image display unit including sub-pixels; a light source that irradiates the image display region; a light source control unit that controls luminance of the light source; and a color information correction processing unit that corrects first color information that is obtained based on the luminance of the light source and an input video signal to second color information, when color information of at least one of a red pixel, a green pixel, and a blue pixel included in the first color information exceeds a predetermined threshold, the second information is corrected by degenerating color information of the red pixel, the green pixel, and the blue pixel, and by adding color information of the white pixel included in the first color information based on the degenerated color information.
US09378686B2	Display circuit incorporating data feedback loop This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for providing pixel circuits for controlling the state of operation of light modulators in a display device. The state of operation of the light modulator can be controlled by the pixel circuit based on a data voltage stored in a data storage element of the pixel circuit. The pixel circuit includes an actuation circuit for providing an actuation voltage to the light modulator and a feedback circuit for providing a positive feedback voltage from an output node of the actuation circuit to an input node of the actuation circuit. In some implementations, the feedback circuit includes the data storage element connected between the input node and the output node.
US09378682B2	Organic light emitting diode display having function for controlling peak luminance using weighted average picture level and method for driving the same Provided is an organic light emitting diode display including a display panel having data lines, gate lines, and pixels disposed in a matrix form in a crossing region of the data lines and the gate lines, a gamma reference voltage adjustment unit that calculates a weighted average picture level of digital video data, adjusts gamma reference voltages so that peak luminance of the display panel is reduced as the weighted average picture level is increased, and outputs the adjusted gamma reference voltages, a data driving circuit converting the digital video data into analog data voltages by using the gamma reference voltages, and supplying the data voltages to the data lines, and a gate driving circuit sequentially outputting gate pulses to the gate lines.
US09378671B2	Large scale LED display A large scale LED display has a number of display panels each having a cable and spacer support structure for a number of LED modules. Adjacent display panels are connected together by a number of seam links that snap onto one cable of one of the display panels and one cable of the adjacent display panel. The cables may include a number of seam link engagement members spaced along the length of the cable and onto which the seam links snap wherein each of the seam link engagement members locates an LED module on the support structure. The LED modules include top and bottom housing sections that snap together, wherein one of the housing sections includes a seat for an electrical connector. The seat locates the connector and a printed circuit assembly within the LED module.
US09378664B1	Providing financial data through real-time virtual animation One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that provides data associated with a financial instrument through real-time virtual animation anchored to the financial instrument in a video stream. During operation, the system receives at a computer system a video stream, wherein the video stream includes an image of a financial instrument, and wherein a financial instrument is a physical object that is associated with at least one of a financial account and financial data. Next, the system identifies the financial instrument in the video stream. The system then retrieves data associated with the financial instrument from a data source. Next, the system creates an animation which displays the data. Once the animation is created, the system anchors the animation to the financial instrument in the video stream. Finally, the system displays the video stream which includes the animation to a user.
US09378663B2	Method and system for mapping terrain using machine parameters A system for mapping terrain using at least one machine traveling along the terrain includes at least one controller. The at least one controller is configured to determine a plurality of machine parameters of the at least one machine as the at least one machine travels along the terrain. The plurality of machine parameters include a steering parameter and a speed of a component of the at least one machine. The at least one controller is also configured to determine, based on the determined machine parameters, a geometry and a grade of at least one path on the terrain along which the at least one machine travels. The at least one controller is further configured to create, based on the determined geometry and grade, a map indicating the at least one path.
US09378661B2	Spinal injection trainer and methods therefor A model for anatomical training includes a visibly clear thermoplastic elastomer matrix formed with at least one contoured surface, the contoured surface simulating at least a portion of a human body. The visibly clear thermoplastic elastomer matrix provides visible needle tracks upon needle penetration that may be fused closed upon heating the thermoplastic elastomer matrix such that the needle tracks are no longer visible. The model includes a skeletal structure embedded within the thermoplastic elastomer matrix at the same location, relative to the contoured surface, as the corresponding skeletal structure is located in a human body, the skeletal structure producing a fluoroscopic image representative of human bone corresponding to the skeletal structure.
US09378657B1	Mobile computing weight, diet, nutrition, and exercise management system with enhanced feedback and goal achieving functionality An illustrative mobile computing device executing weight, nutrition, health, behavior and exercise application software serves as a simulated combination personal trainer and dietician/nutritionist for the user using comprehensive databases storing personalized health, nutrition and exercise information. A mobile computing device, such as a smartphone, executing such software monitors, tracks and/or adjusts caloric intake, energy expenditure taking into account nutritional information and behavioral factors. The mobile computing device receives food consumption, exercise-related, behavior and other input using speech input and the device's GPS subsystem to ease data entry burden on users and to promote continued long-term usage. The system rewards user goal achievement in an automatic, seamless manner, through, for example, downloading music, books, or other media. In illustrative implementations, the system assists users to make healthy food and exercise choices by using a comprehensive color code system to identify good choices, bad choices and those in between.
US09378656B2	Electronic exercise monitor with human facsimile and audible feedback An interactive electronic exercise software program and mobile electronic device application with audible feedback resides in a human facsimile apparatus used as a dance partner during aerobic exercises. The interactive software program creates the illusion of working out with a friend, companion or personal trainer, providing interactive visual and auditory stimulus designed to make the workout enjoyable so that the user will continue to work out on a regular basis. The interactive software program is also designed to motivate the user to exercise and to continue exercising for an optimal duration. The interactive software program monitors the user's workout and provides audible feedback to the user regarding workout practices and results, and may respond to user input, such as speech or keypad entry, or may be equipped with sensors to provide feedback on the workout itself.
US09378655B2	Associating user emotion with electronic media Systems, methods, devices, and apparatuses for associating a user emotion with electronic media are described. Contact between a user of a device and a biopotential electrode array that is integrated with the device is detected. Electrodermal data of the user is acquired via the biopotential electrode array. The user emotion is derived based at least in part on the acquired electrodermal data. The user emotion is then associated with the electronic media.
US09378651B2	Audio book smart pause A user device that plays back audio books for a user can include a dynamic pause that provides a user with greater flexibility in when to pause playback of an audio book. Dynamic pause includes initiating playback of an audio book using a user device; receiving a pause request as input to the user device, the pause request received at an input time index during playback of the audio book; retrieving a subset of candidate pause points, each candidate pause point comprising a time index within the audio book that corresponds to a break point located within an eBook corresponding to the audio book; selecting one of the candidate pause points from the subset, the time index of the selected candidate pause point determining a pause time index when playback is to be paused; and pausing the playback at the pause time index.
US09378647B2	Automated course deconstruction into learning units in digital education platforms An educational course is automatically deconstructed into discrete learning units. Content related to the course that has been stored by an integrated education platform is analyzed, and distinct concepts are extracted from the content. In addition, the learning activities in which users engage while accessing integrated learning services from the platform are recorded. These activities can generally be divided into passive, active, and recall activities. By deconstructing educational courses into individual concepts, a general model of learning is then applied that connects concepts to the activities undertaken by students to learn those concepts. As a result, a model of learning is developed where courses are atomized into individual learning units, each of which comprises a concept and at least one learning activity. The learning units then can be delivered independently or aggregated as desired.
US09378644B2	System and method for warning a driver of a potential rear end collision A system for indicating braking intensity to a main vehicle has an observational device monitoring positional and speed data of at least one vehicle proximate the main vehicle. A control unit is coupled to the observational device. The control unit processes the positional and speed data monitored by the observational device and generates graphical representations of the at least one vehicle proximate the main vehicle and graphical representations of a braking intensity level of the at least one vehicle proximate the main vehicle.
US09378643B2	Driver assistance system and method for operating a driver assistance system A driver assistance system for a vehicle including: a detection device for detecting the vehicle surroundings, a position determination device for determining a vehicle position relative to the vehicle surroundings, a database having an ontological data structure in which traffic rules are implemented, a linker for linking the detected vehicle surroundings and the vehicle position to the ontological data structure to form a linked data structure, and an evaluator for evaluating the linked data structure. Also described is a method for operating a driver assistance system for a vehicle.
US09378637B2	System and method for adapting alarms in a wearable medical device According to another example, a wearable medical device controller is provided. The device controller includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to determine a correlation between a phenomenon identifiable by the wearable medical device controller and at least one response pattern associated with a patient and store, responsive to detecting the correlation, an adaptation path to address the at least one response pattern, the adaptation path specifying an adaptation of at least one characteristic of an alarm. The at least one response pattern may include a plurality of response patterns and the adaptation path may reflect adaptations made to address at least some of the plurality of response patterns.
US09378631B2	Soccer goal securement monitor A device indicates a ready and/or upset condition of a ground supported goal such as a soccer goal that has at least one bar that lies in contact with the ground. An indicator arm is movable relative to the contact arm between a ready position and an upset position. A contact arm cooperates with. A biasing element biases the indicator arm to the upset position. When the bar of the goal is no longer in contact with the ground the indicator arm moves from the ready position to the upset position.
US09378627B2	Method of gaming, a game controller and a gaming system A method of gaming at a gaming machine. The method includes designating a symbol display position of a plurality of symbol display positions as having a bonus symbol set applying to it for a game round, and selecting and displaying a symbol from the bonus symbol set at the designated symbol display position. The method also includes selecting symbols for display at the other symbol display positions from a base symbol set independently of the selection of the symbol from the bonus symbol set, and evaluating the symbols displayed at the plurality of symbol display positions to determine whether to make an award for the game round.
US09378625B2	Gaming machine with sound output for specific symbol and control method thereof A slot machine has a display on which symbols are rearranged in partitioned regions arranged in multiple columns and rows. The display has multiple display windows corresponding to the respective columns for each unit game. In each of the display windows, symbols are rearranged by executing video display in which a symbol column having multiple symbols is scrolled in an arrangement direction of the symbols. When a symbol rearranged in at least one partitioned region in at least one of the symbol columns already stopped from scrolling forms a pattern just before winning combination establishment in which the rearranged symbol requires a specific symbol in at least one other symbol column in scrolling, a passing sound of the specific symbol is outputted from a speaker in synchronization with a timing at which the specific symbol in the symbol column in scrolling passes through the display window.
US09378623B2	Gaming system A ticket management system (10) for a gaming system is disclosed. The ticket management system comprises at least one gaming machine (12) and is arranged to allocate tickets (22) to at least one gaming machine (12) in accordance with at least one allocation criterion (36). An award is provided to a player of a gaming machine (12) when a ticket allocated to the gaming machine corresponds to a winning outcome.
US09378619B2	Gaming system, gaming device and method for normalizing different features of an on-demand bonus game In various embodiments, the gaming system, gaming device, and gaming method disclosed herein provides a bonus game which enables players to combine different, independent features without introducing any significant advantage or significant disadvantage to players for combining certain features over other features. The gaming system utilizes one or more bonus game supplemental awards to insure that the average expected payout per selected feature remains the same or substantially the same regardless of which bonus game features or combinations of features are employed for a play of a bonus game.
US09378617B2	Gaming system and method having configurable bonus game triggering outcomes A gaming system and method which provides for one or more gaming device triggered bonus games to be skipped or otherwise not provided to the players at the gaming devices which triggered such bonus games. The average expected payouts of skipped gaming device triggered bonus games are contributed to a bonus accumulation pool or fund. The accumulation pool is subsequently utilized to provide one or more gaming system triggered bonuses to one or more players at one or more of the gaming devices in the gaming system. A player's accumulated triggering symbols determine, at least in part, the player's probability of winning part of the bonus accumulation pool and/or the player's portion of the bonus accumulation pool.
US09378614B2	Gaming machines players' communications Communication networks are established involving gaming machines, preferably slot machines. Each gaming machine has a card reader for obtaining player identity-related information using player identification cards and also has a number of communication related devices including a video screen. In forming a network, identity-related information from two or more player identification cards are accessed using the card reader of one of the machines. A menu and a number of screens are displayable using the machine's video screen to facilitate the establishment of communication networks, as well as control elements being displayed for use in controlling communications using the communication-related devices.
US09378611B2	Automated adjustment of audio effects in electronic game A machine and method of adjusting audio effects of a game played on an electronic gaming machine. The machine and method featuring an electronic audio file format having a plurality of audio files, a plurality of text markers and a plurality of script files, with each audio file having an audio property that can provide a different acoustic effect. During processing and play of the audio file, a text marker associated with a predetermined script file can be identified. The text marker can stop the audio filed being played and play a second audio file with a different audio property different from the prior audio file.
US09378607B1	Dynamic product presentation system and commerce platform Methods, techniques, and systems for the live presentation of products and services to potential consumers in a manner that levels the playing field for suppliers/providers of different sizes, capabilities and with differing resources are provided. Examples provide a Dynamic Product Presentation System (“DPPS”), which enables suppliers and/or vendors to advertise and place new or replacement products before consumers according in a new commerce stream and enables potential consumers to interact on a personalized level with products including goods and/or services that may interest them before they buy them, to engage specialized services, return or exchange goods or other things, be presented with products and/or services that are automatically targeted to their buying habits and predicted needs, etc., all in the comfort of their own residence or location without the inconveniences of traditional shopping models or online environments.
US09378605B2	Gaming machine and gaming system using chips Gaming chips 30 have an IC tag 34 which is embedded therein, and a special bar code 101 invisible to the naked eye, which is printed thereon. A server calculates the number of gaming chips 30 based on individual information of the IC tag 34 that was read out by a reader 38, based on individual information of the special bar codes 101 read out by a bar code scanner 102, based on weight data acquired at a weighing device 40 and based on image data processed in a camera 103. Further, the server checks a partial number or the total number of gaming chips 30 thus calculated, and outputs the check results from a display or speaker.
US09378601B2	Providing home automation information via communication with a vehicle Methods and systems of providing home automation information via communication with a vehicle. A home automation system can determine a state of the home and determine when occupants enter a home. The home automation system can identify an occupant and monitor the status and location of the occupant in the home and determine a status change for the occupant, such when the occupant leaves or is scheduled to leave the home, the occupant going to sleep, experiencing a health crisis, or entering an area of the home the occupant is not authorized to enter. The home automation system can send alerts and information to a vehicle operation system of a vehicle and to a communication device of a user. The alerts can include information related to the identity and the status of the occupant and information related to the state of the home.
US09378597B2	Door access control system with a cloud function A door access control system (9) with a cloud function includes a door lock (10) mounted to a door (435). A door lock controller (611) is mounted in the door (435) and is electrically connected to the door lock (10). A wireless charging device (511) is electrically connected to the door lock controller (611). A main control unit (659) is provided for operating the door lock controller (611). The door access control system (9) further includes a cloud server (711) that can be connected to the door lock controller (611). The main control unit (659) can be connected to and log in the cloud server (711).
US09378593B2	Garment simulation using thread and data level parallelism Techniques for three-dimensional garment simulation using parallel computing are presented herein. An access module can be configured to access a three-dimensional garment model of a garment. The garment model can include garment points that represent a surface of the garment. A processor, having a plurality of cores, can be configured by a garment simulation module to calculate one or more exerted forces on a subset of garment points. Additionally, the garment simulation module can generate cross pairs and apportion the generated cross pairs among the plurality of cores. Moreover, the garment simulation module can determine, using the plurality of vector execution units in parallel based on an organized data layout, whether boundaries of the first subgroup of cross pairs are overlapping based on the one or more exerted forces. Subsequently, the garment simulation module can calculate one or more simulated forces acting on the garment points based on the determination.
US09378590B2	Augmented reality auction platform An augmented reality submission includes a hologram to virtually augment a world space object and a compensation offer for presenting the hologram to a viewer of the world space object. The augmented reality submission is selected as a winning submission if the submission satisfies a selection criteria.
US09378586B2	Method of smart grading based on parameterized draft An automatic garment grading is provided. A retargeting technique is used with the mediator and the correspondence function. The mediator is a parameterized draft. Local coordinates systems are used for making correspondence. The mean value coordinates system (MVC) are improved so that the weights would have positive values, which is omitted mean value coordinates (OMVC). The mediator is parameterized draft, and correspondence function is the OMVC in the method. Smart grading can minimize designer's specialized know-how and save performing time for the grading of real garment and virtual garment.
US09378582B2	Rendering of design data Computer assisted design data is rendered in the cloud. A client-server relationship is provided for 3D rendering. To reduce the burden on the server, the 3D rendering adapts based on the client capabilities. Where possible, some of the 3D rendering is performed by the server and some by the client machine. The 3D rendering by the client machine may be limited to avoid transfer of geometrical data of the CAD data. Different textures or shaders are used for rendering images associated with motion. Dictionary information is accumulated by the client machine to reduce the number of coefficients later transferred to the client machine for 3D rendering. The model represented by the CAD data is used to predict rendered images so that video compression may be performed. The server sparsely renders an image and compressive sensing is used by the client machine to generate the complete image.
US09378561B1	Layer switching in an H.264 scalable video decoder An apparatus comprising a decoder circuit, a memory circuit and a processing circuit. The decoder circuit may be configured to generate a first intermediate signal having a plurality of coefficients of a target layer and a plurality of coefficients of a base layer, in response to an input bitstream. The memory circuit may be configured to (i) store the first intermediate signal and (ii) present (a) a second intermediate signal comprising the plurality of coefficients of the target layer or (b) a third intermediate signal comprising the plurality of coefficients of the base layer. The processing circuit may be configured to (i) switch a plurality of times between the coefficients of the target layer and the coefficients of the base layer while reading a frame from the memory circuit, (ii) transform the coefficients of the base layer into base layer information, (iii) buffer the base layer information, where the base layer information buffered at any time comprises at most a subset of macroblock rows of the frame and (iv) generate an output signal comprising a plurality of target layer samples in response to the second intermediate signal and the base layer information as buffered.
US09378558B2	Self-position and self-orientation based on externally received position information, sensor data, and markers An information processing apparatus includes a self-position/self-orientation calculation unit calculating self-position and/or self-orientation in the predetermined coordinate system based on a marker in acquired imaged image data when it is determined that the marker exists within a predetermined area and the marker is imaged in the imaged image data and based on received position information and physical amounts measured by sensors for measuring the physical amounts to be used for autonomous navigation when the marker does not exist within the predetermined area or the marker is not imaged in the imaged image data.
US09378552B2	Image processing apparatus and image processing method An image processing apparatus including: an examination image obtaining unit obtaining an examination image of an examination subject; a shift-invariant feature quantity calculating unit calculating, for each pixel, a shift-invariant feature quantity represented by predetermined base vectors, from the examination image obtained by the examination image obtaining unit; a selecting unit selecting, on the examination image, a pixel having a matching degree lower than or equal to a predetermined threshold, between (i) a relative positional relationship of classes in normal images each of which does not include a lesion site and (ii) a relative positional relationship of the classes to which shift-invariant feature quantities respectively belong in the examination image, the classes being obtained by clustering the shift-invariant feature quantities: calculated from pixels included in the normal images; and represented by the predetermined base vectors; and an output unit outputting a result of the selection performed by the selecting unit.
US09378549B2	Estimation of confidence limits for measurements derived from image data A medical image processing apparatus comprises an image data processing unit configured to determine a result by processing image data using an algorithm, a confidence interval (CI) evaluation unit configured to determine a confidence interval for the result from at least two initial results, and an output unit configured to provide the confidence interval to a user.
US09378548B2	T2 spectral analysis for myelin water imaging Apparatus, methods, and other embodiments associated with the spectral analysis of T2 spectral data are described. One example magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method includes accessing a data set comprising T2 spectral data associated with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signal received from an object. The T2 spectral data is decomposed with multi-exponential functions to determine T2 spectra. The T2 spectral amplitude is regularized with a regularized constant. The regularized constant is sufficiently large to smooth the T2 spectra so adjacent pixels of the T2 spectral data have similar characteristics. The T2 spectral data is weighted so that the regularization is uniformly weighted for the spectral amplitudes. The T2 spectra is partitioned into intervals corresponding to myelin water fraction (MWF), tissue water fraction (TWF), Long T2 water fraction (LWF), and cerebrospinal fluid fraction (CSF). Parametric maps are generated based, at least in part, on the T2 spectral data.
US09378544B2	Image processing apparatus and method for panoramic image using a single camera Provided is an apparatus and method for generating a three-dimensional (3D) panoramic image using a single camera. The image processing apparatus may generate a two-dimensional (2D) reference panoramic image using a central area of each of a plurality of input image frames, and may extract a left-eye strip and a right-eye strip of when a similarity calculated in the plurality of input image frames based on the 2D reference panoramic image has a maximum value.
US09378534B2	Image stream pipeline controller for deploying image primitives to a computation fabric According to some embodiments, an image pipeline controller may determine an image stream having a plurality of image primitives to be executed. Each image primitive may be, for example, associated with an image algorithm and a set of primitive attributes. The image pipeline controller may then automatically deploy the set of image primitives to an image computation fabric based at least in part on primitive attributes.
US09378533B2	Central processing unit, GPU simulation method thereof, and computing system including the same A central processing unit (CPU) according to embodiments of the inventive concept may include an upper core allocated with a main thread and a plurality of lower cores, each of the plurality of the lower cores being allocated with at least one worker thread. The worker thread may perform simulation operations on operation units of a graphic processing unit (GPU) to generate simulation data, and the main thread may generate synchronization data based on the generated simulation data.
US09378532B2	Safety monitoring method and system Embodiments of the present invention may include systems and methods for monitoring a person's activities. A system may receive an input and may contact a designated party to ensure they are safe or perhaps even confirm they are at a specified location at a specified time. A system may also provide an escalation response in those circumstances where a primary contact is not reached or perhaps where it is directed by a primary contact. Further, a system may provide communications to a primary contact or a user including a plausible excuse for the primary contact to leave an agenda location.
US09378529B2	Arranging stories on newsfeeds based on expected value scoring on a social networking system A social networking system generates a newsfeed for a user to view when accessing the social networking system. Candidate stories associated with users of the social networking system are selected and an expected value score for each candidate story is determined. An expected value score is based on the probability of a user performing various types of interactions with a candidate story and a numerical value for each type of interaction. The numerical value for a type of interaction represents a value to the social networking system of the type of interaction. Based on the expected value scores, the candidate stories are ranked and the ranking used to select candidate stories for the newsfeed.
US09378528B2	Method and apparatus for improved cognitive connectivity based on group datasets An approach is provided for allocating radio resources based on social distance information for one or more social groups. The coexistence platform determines social distance information for at least one group of a plurality of one or more users, one or more devices associated with the one or more users, or a combination thereof. The coexistence platform causes, at least in part, at least one allocation of the one or more radio resources to the one or more devices based, at least in part, on the social distance information for the at least one group or a subset of the at least one group. The coexistence client causes an initiation of a request for at least one allocation of one or more radio resources. The coexistence client determines the one or more radio resources based, at least in part, on social distance information.
US09378524B2	Object-oriented time series generator In one embodiment, an expression comprising a left-hand side and a right-hand side is received. The left-hand side specifies one or more market instruments, and the right-hand side specifies a method that is to be applied based on the left-hand side of the expression. The expression is parsed. A time series is generated by applying the method based on one or more sets of data values associated with the one or more market instruments. The generated time series is stored in computer data storage.
US09378518B2	Electronic signature security system One embodiment of the invention enhances the security of electronic signatures during transmission. A peripheral device, which may be located remotely and separate from a host processing system, captures the signature. The peripheral device then binds the signature to the particular transaction record and transmits it to the host processing system. The host processing system validates or confirms the received signature before accepting the transaction. Binding the signature and record data together at the point-of-use reduces the likelihood that someone may be able to hack into the transmission medium, encrypted or not, and obtain the raw signature data. By binding or associating the signature and transaction record data together at the point-of-use, each transaction has a unique key, further foiling attempts at hacking. In various implementations, rather than associating the whole signature with the transaction record data, signature sample points or segments are encrypted with transaction record data.
US09378517B2	Methods and systems for providing potential search queries that may be targeted by one or more keywords Systems and methods for providing potential search queries that may be targeted by a given keyword. The method includes receiving, from a third-party content provider, a request to identify one or more search queries that match a given keyword. A table corresponding to the given keyword is identified. The table includes one or more search queries with which at least one third-party content item was selected for display. The selected third-party content item was selected responsive to a bid for the given keyword. The method determines from the identified table, one or more search queries that correspond to the given keyword. The determined search queries that correspond to the given keyword are those search queries that can be targeted by the given keyword. The method provides for display, the determined search queries that correspond to given keyword.
US09378515B1	Proximity and time based content downloader Methods and systems for transmitting content to a device. In some embodiments, methods include receiving location information relating to a device, the location information usable to identify an approximate location of the device; comparing the approximate location of the device with a location of a venue, wherein the venue is associated with at least one feature; and transmitting content to the device if the approximate location of the device is within a pre-determined range of the location of the venue, wherein at least a portion of the content relates to the at least one feature. In certain embodiments, the user receives the content without the need for the user to be aware of and seek out that content. In certain embodiments, the content may have a relationship to the particular venue, or in other words, the content may be applied for use at that venue. In certain embodiments the transmission of content to the device depends not only on the user's location, but also on the particular time of transmission. In other embodiments content is selected based upon whether the approximate location of the device is within a portion of a pre-determined range of the location of the venue.
US09378513B2	Electronic shelf label controlling system, electronic shelf label installing method and electronic shelf label updating method An electronic shelf label controlling system, an electronic shelf label installing method and an electronic shelf label updating method are provided. The electronic shelf label controlling system of the electronic shelf label includes at least an electronic shelf label, a controlling device, a deploying device, and a communication gateway device. The electronic shelf label is disposed on a shelf. The controlling device stores a label location table. The label location table records a relationship between a label identifying information and a label location information of the electronic shelf label. The deploying device is used for obtaining the label identifying information. The communication gateway device is used for communicating the controlling device, the deploying device and the electronic shelf label.
US09378510B2	Automatic determination of account owners to be encouraged to utilize point of sale transactions According to some embodiments, account owner information associated with account owners of payment accounts (e.g., credit card accounts) may be retrieved from an account owner database. The retrieved account owner information may be analyzed to automatically identify a set of account owners primarily associated with automated teller machine device transactions in connection with the payment accounts. From the set of account owners primarily associated with automated teller machine device transactions, a sub-set of account owners to be encouraged to utilize point of sale transactions in connection with the payment accounts may be automatically created. Moreover, a potential transaction spend value associated with the sub-set of account owners may be calculated and output.
US09378508B2	System and method for content pre-positioning determination Systems and methods for determining or “predicting” which media content files are popular or will be popular, and based on that determination, pre-delivering or “pre-positioning” media content files to user devices automatically and without intervention from users so that the media content will be already stored on users' devices when they later select the media content for viewing. The determination of a media content file's popularity may be based on one or more combinations of content statistics (e.g., view count, viewing rate, etc.). The decision to pre-position a media content file may also be based on user profile information (e.g., viewing history). The pre-positioning may be accomplished using transport technology that avoids further burdening the network, such as delivering in real-time using available surplus network capacity.
US09378505B2	Automated multivariate testing technique for optimized customer outcome Novel tools and techniques to optimize, from a merchant's perspective, the outcomes of interactions between the merchant and its customers (whether existing, new, or potential customers). In an aspect, certain embodiments allow for multiple variations of options (multivariate or A/B testing) and outcomes which can be statistically applied and then measured and analyzed for best economic impact or preferred outcome.
US09378499B2	Software PIN entry A card reader configured to read a smart card can be detachably connected to a mobile computing device. When the card reader is attached to the mobile device, an application installed on the mobile computing device permits the mobile device to communicate with the card reader in order to process transactions.Security measures can be used on the mobile device to prevent theft of a PIN during software PIN entry of a payment transaction. The mobile device can prevent the keypad or other input interface from displaying feedback. The mobile device can also prevent passcodes from being stolen by displaying media encoded with digital rights management (DRM) and by managing the media and user inputs at a secure server.A mobile device can securely communicate with a card reader for a payment transaction using asymmetric or symmetric encryption.
US09378496B1	System and method for providing contactless payment with a near field communications attachment A system and method in accordance with exemplary embodiments may include an attachment with a near field communication antenna, a secure element, a plug capable of connecting the attachment to an audio jack on a mobile device. Further, a system and method in accordance with exemplary embodiments may include receiving a payment initiation instruction from a customer, using a near field communication antenna, sending payment information to a point of sale device, using one or more computer processors, encoding data related to the payment as audio data, and transmitting the data related to the payment through an audio jack.
US09378492B1	System, method, and computer program for automatically resolving non-sufficient funds (NSF) errors in a network A system, method, and computer program product are provided for automatically resolving non-sufficient funds (NSF) errors in a network. In use, it is automatically detected that a non-sufficient funds (NSF) error has occurred in a network, the NSF error being associated with a transaction of a consumer of the network while attempting to charge a first account. Additionally, it is automatically determined that the consumer has designated at least one alternative second account. Further, it is automatically determined that at least one of the at least one alternative second account has sufficient funds to complete the transaction. Furthermore, the at least one of the at least one alternative second account is automatically charged to complete the transaction.
US09378491B1	Payment transfer by sending E-mail Described is a technology for seamless initiation of a transfer of payment from a sender to a recipient by sending email, without requiring any account creation and/or login procedure. The technology can involve sending payment from one mobile device to another. In one aspect, the technology includes receiving a payment amount from a sender via the sender's mobile device, causing an email with pre-populated information to be generated using a native email application on the mobile device, and initiating the process to transfer the payment amount upon sending of the email. The technology enables a simplified payment transaction system for ordinary consumers without the hassle of having to sign up, to remember a user account and a password, and to login for sending or receiving every payment transaction, while not sacrificing the essential security feature of authenticating the user for every payment transaction.
US09378490B2	System and method for image depositing, image presentment and deposit taking in a commercial environment A method and system provides for scanning a check and/or cash to create an electronic image of the front and the back of the check and/or cash. The image is then processed and transmitted electronically to a central location. The image may be recreated into a paper form at the central location, resembling the original paper check or cash, including a machine-readable regeneration of the MICR code line data captured from the original instrument. Paperless processing of checks and cash is thus provided, including local voiding and storage of the check without requiring immediate pickup, while still allowing the transaction to be process.
US09378489B2	System and method for registering of refuse collection The invention shows s system (1) and a method for registering a collection of refuses from a refuse bin (19) to a refuse collection lorry (3). The refuse bin is provided with an information carrier (21) which is adapted to send information upon reception of an electromagnetic signal. An interrogator (9) and a registering unit (4) are provided on a holder (15), which is attachable to a person (23) who collects the refuse. The interrogator (9) is adapted to send an electromagnetic signal and to receive information from the information carrier (21). The registering unit (4) is connected to the interrogator (9) and is able to register information received from the interrogator (9).
US09378485B2	Systems and methods for applying geolocation to workflows using mobile medical clients Certain examples provide systems, methods, and apparatus for healthcare configuration based on location information. An example method for location-driven configuration of a healthcare system includes receiving location information from a location device; predicting a destination of the location device based on the location information and one or more parameters associated with the location device; and communicating with a healthcare system at the destination to configure the healthcare system based on the one or more parameters associated with the location device.
US09378484B1	Management of inventory items In some examples, a reader system is provided for managing inventory items in an inventory system. The reader system may be configured to read tags associated with items stowed in an inventory holder. The inventory holder may be detachably coupled to a mobile drive unit. The mobile drive unit may move the inventory holder to a first position near an antenna of the reader system and the tags may begin to be read. While reading or at other times in the reading process, the mobile drive unit may move the inventory holder relative to the antenna. The identified tags may be compared to a manifest list of items expected to be stowed in the inventory holder.
US09378481B2	System and methods for inventory management of data center equipment contained in server racks Implementations described and claimed herein provide a system and method for inventory management of data center equipment contained in server racks. In one implementation, the system and method include generating an identifying code that includes location information, hardware specific information, and equipment history of the equipment to be managed. The ID code is applied to the equipment or a portion thereof. A code scanner or reader is positioned within scanning range of the ID code when the equipment is positioned in the server rack. The code reader scans for ID codes and communicates the information associated with the codes to a communication device, which communicates the codes to a user or network device in a network environment. The information may then be analyzed, sorted, and displayed in a graphical user interface such that a user may evaluate, locate, and track the equipment.
US09378479B2	Last mile logistics A logistics facility, systems and methods for the provision of goods and/or services are disclosed. According to some embodiments, the logistics facility comprises a counter or checkout for purchasing goods and/or services offered for sale at the facility and a drive through or drive up area for the collection of goods from the facility and/or for the ordering of services from the facility. The logistics facility also comprises a storage facility for receiving, consolidating and/or cross-docking goods ordered from the facility or ordered from a plurality of vendors by customers over a communications network via the customers' respective communication devices. The logistics facility also comprises a delivery service for the delivery of goods to destinations specified for the customers. The goods can include perishable goods and/or non-perishable goods and/or higher value goods and the goods are ordered for same day or subsequent delivery or collection.
US09378475B2	Apparatus and method for call center service level prediction and action An apparatus, method and non-transitory computer readable medium for predicting a service level of a call center are disclosed. The method performs operations for predicting a service level of a call center. The operations include collecting call data, agent topic skill data, agent skill level data, agent schedule data and agent attrition rate data, building a discrete event simulation model based on the call data, the agent topic skill data, the agent skill level data, the agent schedule data and the agent attrition rate data, predicting the service level of the call center at a future time based on the discrete event simulation model and recommending a number of agents and a skill mix of agents for each queue in the call center at the future time based on the service level that is predicted based on the discrete event simulation model to achieve a call center service objective.
US09378471B2	Multiple user resource scheduling Generally, an airline operations computing system accomplishes rule checking in an efficient and useful manner and provides functionality that allows multiple different users to accomplish schedule changes in a manner that minimizes conflicts between different schedulers. In addition, an airline operations computing system includes a common rules engine that is used by multiple different optimizer and decision support systems of the airline operations computing system.
US09378464B2	Discriminative learning via hierarchical transformations A system and an article of manufacture for discriminative learning via hierarchical transformations, which includes obtaining a model of a first set of data, two or more data transformations, and a second set of data, evaluating the two or more data transformations to determine which data transformation will most effectively modify the second set of data to match the model, and selecting the data transformation that will most effectively modify the second set of data to match the model based on the evaluation.
US09378462B2	Probability mapping system A processor-based system for generating a probability map may include at least one processor. The at least one processor may be configured to receive data associated with a quantity to be mapped and apply a processor-based mapping algorithm to generate a first map of values for the quantity within an area of interest. The processor may also be configured to modify at least one or more of data provided as input to the mapping algorithm or one or more input parameters associated with the mapping algorithm and generate at least a second map of values for the quantity within the area of interest; and generate a probability map associated with the quantity based on the first and second maps.
US09378456B2	Task completion The concepts relate to task completion and specifically to aiding a user to complete an unfinished task at a subsequent time and/or on another device. One example can identify that a user is working on a task on a computing device associated with the user. In an instance when the user stops using the computing device without completing the task, the example can predict a likelihood that the user will subsequently resume the task on a second computing device associated with the user. In an instance where the likelihood exceeds a threshold, the example can attempt to aid the user in completing the task on the second computing device.
US09378455B2	Systems and methods for a computer understanding multi modal data streams Systems and methods for understanding (imputing meaning to) multi modal data streams may be used in intelligent surveillance and allow a) real-time integration of streaming data from video, audio, infrared and other sensors; b) processing of the results of such integration to obtain understanding of the situation as it unfolds; c) assessing the level of threat inherent in the situation; and d) generating of warning advisories delivered to appropriate recipients as necessary for mitigating the threat. The system generates understanding of the system by creating and manipulating models of the situation as it unfolds. The creation and manipulation involve “neuronal packets” formed in mutually constraining associative networks of four basic types. The process is thermodynamically driven, striving to produce a minimal number of maximally stable models. Obtaining such models is experienced as grasping, or understanding the input stream (objects, their relations and the flow of changes).
US09378452B2	Radio IC device A radio IC device includes a flexible dielectric base, a radiation element that is a metal film or a metal foil wrapped around the dielectric base, and a radio IC element mounted on the radiation element. The radiation element includes, in a portion other than a portion where the radio IC element is disposed, a bonded portion that is bonded to the dielectric element and a non-bonded portion that is not bonded to the dielectric element. The radio IC element is arranged to be directly opposed to the dielectric element with the portion of the radiation element where the radio IC element is disposed not bonded to the dielectric base.
US09378451B2	RFID labels with digitally printed indicia for matching merchandise appearance characteristics RFID labels blend with a branding color, a branding pattern or a branding color and pattern of an item of merchandise or packaging to which it is attached in order to provide inventory control and security functions, which are digitally printed onto a label substrate having an RFID inlay. When desired, the printed label has UV ink dots applied in a useful orientation and can provide a glowing code attribute to the label. Defined label shaping can be provided by digital cutting. Digital adhesive application can be included on the label substrate, which can be combined with digital cutting to provide for self-adhesion of the label, and the digital cutting and digital adhesive placement can be arranged so as to include dry tab characteristics to the label.
US09378444B2	Encoded micro pattern In embodiments, an encoded micro pattern includes segments of encoded bits that can be optically-imaged by a digitizer. The position of each segment in the encoded micro pattern can be determined from the encoded bits in a segment. Each of the segments of the encoded micro pattern also includes a fiducial marker that indicates an orientation of a segment in the encoded pattern. The encoded bits of the encoded micro pattern can be integrated into a display surface of a display device, or integrated in a display screen that is positioned over the display surface of a display device.
US09378441B2	Information processing apparatus, method for controlling the same, and program If an event that requires reboot of an image forming apparatus has occurred, a time remaining until a shutdown time set for an automatic shutdown function is compared against a threshold value, and if the time remaining is shorter than the threshold value, the image forming apparatus shuts down without rebooting.
US09378439B2	Image forming apparatus for printing an original image and an image indicating sheet reuse According to an embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit and a controller. The image forming unit prints an original image and a specific image in a recording medium. In a case where it is determined that the recording medium is a reused recording medium, the controller controls the image forming unit to newly print the specific image at a position different from a print position of the previously-printed specific image.
US09378438B2	Calculation of trapping parameters This disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for implementing a trapping operation on a digital image during image processing and prorating the size of trap color filter with respect to local irregularity in shape of any target object. Some examples of the present disclosure calculate a plurality of prorated trapping parameters to be applied to portions of an object in a printing process, the calculation being based on repeated generation and application of a 2D Gaussian mask to a binarized object to identify disappeared portions of the object. The calculated plurality of prorated trapping parameters may be applied to the object during the printing process.
US09378437B2	Sending print jobs using trigger distances In one example, a printer address for a network-connected printer, a printer location, and an identifier for a mobile computing device are received. Responsive to receiving a message that is sent to the printer address and that includes a print job, the print job is stored. The identifier is sent to a tracker computing device. A mobile device location is received from the tracker device. Responsive to determining a calculated distance between the mobile device and the printer is less than or equal to a trigger distance, the print job is sent to the printer.
US09378430B2	Image processing device, image processing method, and non-transitory computer-readable medium for extracting note image An image processing device includes a color extractor, an area cutout unit, a receiver, and a sticky image cutout unit. The color extractor extracts, from image information that includes multiple sticky notes, pixels of a color used for the sticky notes. The area cutout unit cuts out an area that is a set of pixels extracted by the color extractor. The receiver receives input of a dividing line with respect to an area to be cut out by the area cutout unit. The sticky image cutout unit splits an area cut out by the area extractor along a dividing line received by the receiver, and cuts out an area having a surface area within a predetermined range from among the split area as a sticky image.
US09378429B2	Image processing device and image processing method A device includes a processor configured to execute a process including extracting a pixel value of each of a plurality of areas of a same color that are arranged at different positions on a color chart that is captured in an image, and specifying by using the extracted pixel values of the areas and arrangement positions of the areas of the same color an area that has a pixel value that corresponds to a function that expresses fluctuation of pixel values according to a position due to non-uniformity of an illumination environment that fluctuates the pixel values at a constant rate in one direction, and correcting a pixel value of a correction target area between the areas of the same color according to the pixel value of the specified area.
US09378428B2	Incomplete patterns A method for recognizing characters in an image includes receiving the image containing characters to be recognized and analyzing the received image. A first portion of the received image is compared to a set of patterns to determine a first coincidence value for each pattern in the set of patterns and a first series of hypotheses is generated based at least on the determined first coincidence values. A second portion of the received image is compared to a set of selected patterns to determine a second coincidence value for each pattern in the set of selected patterns, where the set of selected patterns is selected based at least on the generated first series of hypotheses. Recognition of the characters is based on the first and second series of hypotheses, and an identified sequence of characters.
US09378427B2	Displaying handwritten strokes on a device according to a determined stroke direction matching the present direction of inclination of the device According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a display processor, a determiner and a storage processor. The display processor displays on a screen a plurality of strokes input by handwriting. The determiner determines a top-and-bottom direction for each of the plurality of strokes. The storage processor is configured to store in a storage medium handwritten data. The handwritten data includes a plurality of stroke data corresponding to the plurality of strokes, and a plurality of pieces of direction information relating to a top-and-bottom direction each of the plurality of strokes.
US09378420B1	System for detecting an object of interest in a scene The present invention relates to a system for detecting an object of interest in a scene. The system operates by receiving an image frame of a scene and extracting features from the image frame, the features being descriptors. The descriptors are quantized to generate PHOW features. A sliding window protocol is implemented to slide a window over the image and analyze the PHOW features that fall inside the window. Finally, the system determines if the PHOW features represent the object of interest and, if so, then designates the window as a location in the image with a detected object of interest.
US09378419B2	Classifying images Methods, and apparatus for performing methods, for classifying an image. Methods include determining a corresponding set of metrics for each region of two or more regions of a pattern of regions of an image, and classifying the image in response to at least the corresponding set of metrics for each of the two or more regions of the pattern of regions.
US09378415B2	Recognition method and recognition device for sheet-type medium The present invention relates to a recognition method and a recognition device for a sheet-type medium. The method comprises: step 1, collecting image information; step 2, splitting from the image information collected image information of an object-to-be-recognized; step 3, reconstructing image data of a feature area, extracting a feature on the reconstructed image data, and forming an eigenvector; and, step 4, sending the eigenvector into a standard data-trained classifier, and acquiring a recognition result. The method has an image reconstructed on the basis of feature area prior information, improves image quality, facilitates increased recognition accuracy, and, because only the image area that requires feature extraction is reconstructed, reduces storage space consumption. This not only saves large amounts of storage space and time and increases resource utilization rate, but also increases recognition accuracy and achieves an improved balance between resource and efficiency.
US09378414B2	Chinese, Japanese, or Korean language detection Disclosed are systems, computer-readable mediums, and methods for determining a text contains Chinese, Japanese, or Korean characters. A document image is received and binarized. The binarized document image is searched for connected components. A plurality of fragments is identified based on the connected components. A language hypothesis for each fragment of the plurality of fragments is determined. The language hypothesis has a probability rating. A subset of fragments from the plurality of fragments having the highest probability ratings is selected. The language hypothesis of each fragment in the subset of fragments is verified. A determination of the presence of Chinese, Japanese, or Korean characters is made based at least on the verification of the language hypothesis of the subset of fragments.
US09378411B2	Method for extracting impact time in golf swing A method for extracting impact time in a golf swing includes acquiring at least one chronological waveform among chronological waveforms of an angular velocity about x-axis, an angular velocity about y-axis, and an angular velocity about z-axis obtained when a golf ball is hit by a golf club attached with a sensor that measures angular velocities about three axes, when the x-axis is orientated along a toe-heel direction of a golf club head, when the y-axis is orientated so as to follow along a direction in which a ball is hit, and when the z-axis is orientated to match an axial direction of a shaft; acquiring timing at which laser light, disposed immediately in front of where the golf club head impacts the ball, is shielded by the golf club head or the shaft; and determining an impact time using the at least one chronological waveform and the timing.
US09378408B2	Assisted photo-tagging with facial recognition models Embodiments of the invention perform assisted tagging of images, including tagging of people, locations, and activities depicted in those images. A batch of images is received comprising images of faces, including at least some faces that have not yet been tagged. A facial recognition algorithm is applied to the faces to determine matching data comprising possible tags for each untagged face. A logic engine applies logic rules to reduce the likelihood that certain matches are correct. The most likely match from among the possible matches is selected for suggestion to the user for verification. Once verified, the metadata of the image indicating the recognized people within the image is updated.
US09378406B2	System for estimating gender from fingerprints A method for detecting the gender only from a person's fingerprint data in real time. Testing consists of determining if the fingerprint is taken from the right hand or the left hand, taking a core point as reference from a selected fingerprint, analyzing the size of an obtained fingerprint part, drawing a diagonal line, then automatically determining ridge lines crossed by the diagonal line, calculating the ridge counts, determining ridge thicknesses, determining the numbers of black and white pixel from the obtained values, determining average fingerprint ridge counts for men and women, combining these parameters for applying them to intelligent system, preparing the structure of the system, training and testing the system, and performing these processes automatically on a computer or a web-based intelligent system which consists of different modules.
US09378404B2	Machine-readable symbols A variety of forms of machine-readable symbols are disclosed, as well as methods and systems of constructing machine-readable symbols, methods and systems of acquiring machine-readable symbols, and methods and systems of decoding machine-readable symbols.
US09378402B2	Optical information reader and illuminating method A barcode reader, as an optical information reader which reads information indicated with a symbol having a light reflectance different from an ambient light reflectance, is provided with a linear sensor as a light receiving sensor, an image pickup lens to image-form light on the linear sensor, an LED as a light emitting device, a projection lens to project light emitted from the LED, a parting portion to regulate a light projection range of the light emitted from the LED, having a first opening and a second opening to shield light out of a predetermined range, a central position of the predetermined range being shifted from position of an optical axis of the projection lens to a side of an optical axis of the image pickup lens.
US09378398B2	System and method for presenting information about an object on a portable electronic device Systems and methods are provided for enabling a portable electronic device to retrieve information about an object when the object's symbology, e.g., a barcode, is detected. According to one embodiment a method is providing in which symbology associated with an object is detected and decoded to obtain a decode string. The decode string is sent to one or more visual detection applications for processing, wherein the one or more visual detection applications reside on the portable electronic device, and receiving a first amount of information about the object from the one or more visual detection applications. The method also includes sending the decode string to a remote server for processing and receiving a second amount of information about the object from the remote server. The first amount of information is combined with the second amount of information to obtain cumulative information which is displayed on the portable electronic device.
US09378397B2	Portal data reader indicator light control An automated checkout system and method including a conveyor system that automatically transports objects along an item path through a read zone of a data reader (such as a portal data reader, tunnel scanner or other type of automated reader) and to an exit zone, an indicator system disposed in or along the exit zone that provides indication as to whether an item has been identified by the portal data reader. In one example, the indicator system includes lights at an indicator location that are selectively alighted a given color for the duration of the item passing the indicator location depending upon whether the reader successfully read the item (e.g., color green) or unsuccessfully read the item (e.g., color red).
US09378396B2	Storage device and memory controller thereof A memory controller controlling a nonvolatile memory is provided. The memory controller includes an encryption key feeder configured to feed a cipher key according to a logical address transferred from a host; and an encryption engine configured to perform an encryption operation on data transferred from the host or a decryption operation on data transferred from the nonvolatile memory device, using the cipher key provided from the encryption key feeder.
US09378393B2	Systems and methods for multiple photo fee stories In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a designation of one or more items of digital media; receiving a communication regarding the one or more items of digital media; associating the one or more items of digital media with the communication based on the designation; and setting a privacy level for the communication and the one or more items of digital media on a social-networking system based on a privacy setting of a user on the social-networking system.
US09378391B2	Method and apparatus for creating switchable desktops with separate authorizations A system and method for creating switchable desktops each with its own authorization. The system provides a custom authentication and authorization data store that defines permission sets called roles, and lists which roles each user may assume. The system also provides a custom virtual desktop manager that creates new virtual desktops using the permissions defined by the roles. When a user requests a new virtual desktop and role from the desktop manager, the manager requests new virtual desktop components from the operating system. The desktop manager intercepts a request by the operating system to the Local Security Authority module for permissions to grant the new virtual desktop. The manager substitutes the user's requested role permissions for the permissions granted by the LSA module. The LSA module and operating system grant those role permissions in a newly created virtual desktop.
US09378390B2	Method and apparatus for policy adaption based on application policy compliance analysis An approach is provided for policy adaption based on application policy compliance analysis. The compliance platform processes and/or facilitates a processing of one or more policy compliance logs associated with at least one application to determine one or more policy compliance profiles associated with the at least one application. The compliance platform determines one or more contexts under which the at least one application operates. The compliance platform causes, at least in part, an association of the one or more policy compliance profiles with the one or more contexts. The compliance platform then processes and/or facilitates a processing of user contextual information, user application use information, or a combination thereof against the association, the one or more policy compliance profiles, the one or more contexts, or a combination thereof to determine one or more adaptions to one or more policies associated with the at least one application.
US09378384B2	Secure endpoint file export in a business environment Embodiments for preventing data loss in a business environment are provided. In some embodiments, a secure endpoint file export application assigns users to different classes having different permissions for accessing and writing data. In an embodiment, the system and method are configured to identify a plurality of users in a business environment; classify the plurality of users according to business needs; assign the users to one of at least two classes based on the classification; determine that the first user is permitted to access the data; transmit the secure file to a second user who is permitted to write the data in the secure file to removable media; write the data in the secure file to the removable media; and track a location of the removable media.
US09378383B2	Location based disk drive access Methods, apparatuses, systems, and devices are described for providing data security. In one method, data security is provided for a computing device having a data storage drive. A predetermined geographical area within which access to the data storage drive of the computing device is permitted may be identified. A geographical location of the computing device also may be identified. When the identified geographical location of the computing device is outside of the identified geographical area, access to at least a portion of the data storage drive may be denied. When the identified geographical location of the computing device is within the identified geographical area, access to the portion (or all) of the data storage drive may be allowed.
US09378382B1	Methods and systems for encrypting private datasets using cryptosets Methods and systems for generating an encrypted representation of a private dataset for comparison with a second encrypted representation of a second private dataset to determine the overlap between the private dataset and the second private dataset are disclosed. More specifically, methods and systems for generating and comparing cryptosets that include histograms of the frequency of occurrence of public identifiers generated using private identifiers from the private dataset are disclosed. Each public identifier may be generated from a private identifier using a degenerate mapping rule such as a hash value or code. Cryptosets generated in this manner retain sufficient information to estimate the overlap between the private databases associated with the cryptosets, but maintain the privacy of the respective private databases by virtue of the many-to-one relationship between all private and public identifiers used to generate the cryptosets.
US09378381B2	Systems and methods for queue level SSL card mapping to multi-core packet engine The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for distributed operation of a plurality of cryptographic cards in a multi-core system. In various embodiments, a plurality of cryptographic cards providing encryption/decryption resources are assigned to a plurality of packet processing engines in operation on a multi-core processing system. One or more cryptographic cards can be configured with a plurality of hardware or software queues. The plurality of queues can be assigned to plural packet processing engines so that the plural packet processing engines share cryptographic services of a cryptographic card having multiple queues. In some embodiments, all cryptographic cards are configured with multiple queues which are assigned to the plurality of packet processing engines configured for encryption operation.
US09378379B1	Method and apparatus for the protection of information in a device upon separation from a network Systems, methods and consumer-readable media for providing an system implementing an information lock box. Sensitive files may be identified by the system prior to engagement of the protection system. One method according to the invention may preferably include hiding and/or encrypting sensitive files upon detecting changes of the network status. The information lock box may utilize a file-system driver to control access to files. The system may communicate with administrative serve and communicating messages to a user.
US09378378B2	Stateful data geofencing An apparatus includes a boundary module that determines if a mobile device is within a secure area. The mobile device includes a computing device capable of connecting to a wireless network. The apparatus includes a download module that downloads a latest version of a file from a secure server to the mobile device in response to the boundary module determining that the mobile device has entered the secure area. The apparatus includes a copy module that copies the file from the mobile device to the secure server in response to the boundary module determining that the mobile device has left the secure area and a deletion module that deletes the file from the mobile device in response to the boundary module determining that the mobile device has left the secure area and in response to the copy module completing copying the file from the mobile device to the secure server.
US09378371B2	Systems and methods for account recovery using a platform attestation credential Described herein is technology for restoring access to a user account. In particular, systems and methods for account recovery using a platform attestation credential are described. In some embodiments, the platform attestation credential is generated by an authentication device in a pre boot environment. A first copy of the platform attestation credential may be bound by an account management system to a user account. Access to the user account may subsequently be restored using a second copy of the platform attestation credential.
US09378369B1	Detection of file modifications performed by malicious codes File modifications performed by malicious codes are detected by detecting a file modification for an original file before the file modification is performed on the original file. In response to detecting the file modification, a corresponding shadow file is created. The shadow file represents the original file as modified by the file modification. Before allowing the file modification to be performed on the original file, the original file is compared to the shadow file to determine if the file modification is being performed by malicious codes. The file modification may be deemed to be performed by malicious codes when the file modification involves, for example, entry point append, entry point prepend, entry point obfuscation, cavity, overwriting, or mal-tattoo.
US09378368B2	System for automatically collecting and analyzing crash dumps A system for automatically collecting and analyzing crash dumps to determine if a security exploit was unsuccessful and generating a report.
US09378359B2	Gateway for controlling mobile device access to enterprise resources A system is disclosed that includes components and features for enabling enterprise users to securely access enterprise resources (documents, data, application servers, etc.) using their mobile devices. An enterprise can use some or all components of the system to, for example, securely but flexibly implement a BYOD (bring your own device) policy in which users can run both personal applications and secure enterprise applications on their mobile devices. The system may, for example, implement policies for controlling mobile device accesses to enterprise resources based on device attributes (e.g., what mobile applications are installed), user attributes (e.g., the user's position or department), behavioral attributes, and other criteria. Client-side code installed on the mobile devices may further enhance security by, for example, creating a secure container for locally storing enterprise data, creating a secure execution environment for running enterprise applications, and/or creating secure application tunnels for communicating with the enterprise system.
US09378358B2	Password management system A password management system includes a character string conversion unit that converts an input character string to a character string different from the input character string using a predetermined arithmetic expression, the predetermined arithmetic expression being capable of giving a same converted result for a same character string and capable of converting a character string such that a plurality of original character string candidates exist for a converted character string; a password data storage unit that stores, for each user, a converted past password character string CPP that is a converted state of a past password character string PP of the user using the predetermined arithmetic expression and is different from the past password character string PP; and a strength determining unit that determines strength of a password.
US09378349B2	Enabling secure transactions between spoken web sites Techniques for enabling a secure transaction with a remote site that uses voice interaction are provided. The techniques include authenticating a remote site to enable a secure transaction, wherein authenticating the remote site comprises using a dynamically generated audio signal.
US09378347B2	Computer terminals biometrically enabled for network functions and voice communication The invention provides a handset that includes a finger-image sensor that provides finger-image-related signals or data for authentication purposes and functions as a telephone handset for use with a computer terminal. A system, including handsets and computer terminals, enables the terminal and/or the handset to access or otherwise participate in at least one network-related function and voice communication in response to authentication of finger-image data provided by the handset. The handset includes an elongated housing having opposed major sides and opposed ends. A speaker is positioned in the vicinity of a first end of the handset to transmit sound from a first major side of the handset, and a microphone is positioned in the vicinity of a second end of the handset to receive sound from a first major side of the handset. A finger-image sensor is positioned in the vicinity of and spaced from the second end of the handset to sense a finger-image from a second major side of the handset, and a contoured surface is provided leading to the finger-image sensor. Circuitry for performing voice functions and finger-image functions are associated with separate USB ports, which are coupled to a USB hub of the handset.
US09378343B1	Automatic detection of required network key type Methods and apparatuses in automatic detection of a required network key type are described. In one embodiment, a client device prompts a user for a pass phrase, receives a pass phrase and automatically determines the encryption type for the pass phrase to connect to a network. The client device then communicates with a server to authenticate the client device.
US09378340B2	Methods and systems for upgrade and synchronization of securely installed applications on a computing device Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for upgrades and synchronization of applications installed on a device, such as a mobile device. In one embodiment, a device may include applications purchased and downloaded via a content management system. The device maintains a list or database of applications that are authorized for each device. This list is also replicated in a remote cache that is maintained by an archive host. The device may then synchronize and upgrade these applications across multiple platforms, such as one or more computers that can be coupled to the device or the archive host. The archive host allows for files of the application be provided back to the device. Upon installation, the device can then confirm the authorization and identity of the newly installed application.
US09378337B2	Data item deletion in a database system Example systems and methods of deleting data stored in a database system are presented. In one example, a plurality of data items is received from an application and stored at the database system. Also received from the application and stored at the database system is deletion timing information for each of the data items. The deletion timing information for a data item may indicate when the data item is to be deleted from the database system. At least one of the data items may be deleted at the database system at a time indicated by its corresponding deletion timing information without assistance from the application.
US09378334B2	Medical pump providing customizable programming permissions A method and apparatus for delivering intravenous drugs to a patient provides for remote loading and programming of IV pumps that may be shipped in a loaded and programmed configuration to a remote site for use with the patient. A special carrier may be provided for pneumatic delivery of the preloaded pump. Password enabled customizing of pump features according to specific user's need may be provided to prevent undesired changing of the pump parameters at the remote site.
US09378325B2	Method and apparatus for performing integrated circuit layout verification A method of performing layout verification for an integrated circuit (IC) layout is described. The method comprises receiving layout information for the IC layout, identifying at least one IC component within the IC layout, extracting localized layout information for the at least one IC component from the received layout information, defining the localized layout information for the at least one IC component within at least one component instance parameter therefor, and performing at least one layout verification check for the at least one component based at least partly on the at least one component instance parameter.
US09378322B1	Preparing layouts for semiconductor circuits According to a method of preparing a layout of semiconductor circuit elements, a computer processor determines a first value of a distance metric that describes a separation between at least one well of a first type and at least one well of a second type in a first layout of a circuit design represented in a memory coupled to the computer processor. The at least one well of the first type and the at least one well of the second type are rearranged into a second layout. The method determines a second value of the distance metric that describes separation between the at least one well of the first type and the at least one well of the second type in the second layout. The second layout is stored in response to the second value of the distance metric being greater than the first value of the distance metric.
US09378314B2	Analytical model for predicting current mismatch in metal oxide semiconductor arrays A system and method for designing integrated circuits and predicting current mismatch in a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) array. A first subset of cells in the MOS array is selected and current measured for each of these cells. Standard deviation of current for each cell in the first subset of cells is determined with respect to current of a reference cell. Standard deviation of local variation can be determined using the determined standard deviation of current for one or more cells in the first subset. Standard deviations of variation induced by, for example, poly density gradient effects, in the x and/or y direction of the array can then be determined and current mismatch for any cell in the array determined therefrom.
US09378313B2	Methods for enhanced energy efficiency via systematic hybrid inter-processes integration Methods for systematically providing enhanced energy efficiency of mega industrial sites and synergy with the adjacent community through advanced hybrid inter-systems energy integration targeting and solutions generation to achieve desired best levels of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions reduction, are provided. An exemplary method includes identifying a plurality of possible inter-processes integration energy consumption targets for a plurality of possible inter-processes energy integration combinations between a plurality of functional areas of a mega industrial site, selecting an energy-efficient inter-processes integration energy consumption target, identifying the combination of the plurality of possible inter-processes energy integration combinations providing for the energy efficient inter-processes integration energy consumption target, generating a plurality of technically viable industrial site inter-processes heat exchange system design alternatives, and identifying the technically viable industrial site inter-processes heat exchange system design substantially providing for optimal total waste heat recovery between the respective functional areas.
US09378309B2	Pattern-independent and hybrid matching/tuning including light manipulation by projection optics Described herein are methods for matching the characteristics of a lithographic projection apparatus to a reference lithographic projection apparatus, where the matching includes optimizing illumination source and projection optics characteristics. The projection optics can be used to shape wavefront in the lithographic projection apparatus. According to the embodiments herein, the methods can be accelerated by using linear fitting algorithm or using Taylor series expansion using partial derivatives of transmission cross coefficients (TCCs).
US09378308B2	Method and clamping fixture for the producing of a dental drilling template A method for producing a dental drilling template from a blank comprising a pilot borehole and a contact surface using a fabricating device and a virtual 3D drilling template model of the drilling template, said virtual 3D drilling template model comprising a virtual pilot borehole extending along a pilot borehole axis and a virtual contact surface. The method comprises virtually disposing said virtual 3D drilling template model within a 3D blank model of the blank to machine the drilling template from the blank in accordance with the shape and position of said virtual 3D drilling template model within said 3D blank model and applying a mark at a penetration point relevant to said pilot borehole axis on an external surface of said 3D blank model.
US09378303B1	Representing compound relationships in a graph database In order to facilitate efficient storage and extraction of data, a system may represent a compound relationship in a graph stored in a graph database. In particular, the system (or a user) may define the compound relationship based on two or more predicates associated with two or more edges between two or more nodes in the graph. Then, the system may generate, in the graph, a hub node that corresponds to the compound relationship and that has an identifier that is hidden from users of the graph so that the identifier of the hub node is not visible external to the graph database. Moreover, the identifier of the hub node may be specified in a query using the two or more predicates, thereby allowing data associated with the compound relationship to be readily identified, modified and/or extracted.
US09378301B2	Apparatus, method, and computer program product for searching structured document A structured document searching apparatus that stores structured document data each including hierarchized elements stores a data stream in which the elements included in the structured document data are arranged in the order of the syntactic analysis result, and stores while at least one index stream in which the elements included in the structured document data and serving as an index in a structured document data search are arranged in the order of the syntactic analysis. The structured document searching apparatus creates a scanning plan that instructs the scanning of the data stream and the index stream, based on a search criterion for the structured document data search, and executes the scanning of at least either one of the data stream and the index stream instructed by the scanning plan.
US09378296B2	Virtual world construction A mechanism is provided for generating a customized virtual world. A set of entities to be rendered within the customized virtual world is identified. An entity is a location within the customized virtual world. A representation associated with a target style for each entity in the set of entities is selected to form a set of selected representations. A customized virtual world is constructed using the set of selected representations. The set of representations are rendered within the customized virtual world.
US09378294B2	Presenting source regions of rendered source web pages in target regions of target web pages A target web page may embed resources hosted by a source server. However, this embedding may result in compatibility and/or security issues; e.g., the dimensions of the embedded resource may skew the layout of the target web page. Instead, a source web page may be rendered separately from a target web page, and a source region of the source web page (e.g., a region defined by a set of coordinates) may be extracted from the source web page and may be presented in a target region of the target web page. The elements of the source region may be displayed and executed in isolation within the source web page, and may operate within a source domain (e.g., communicating with the source server and accessing cookies stored by the source server), yet may not interact with the elements of the target web page, thereby alleviating many compatibility and security problems.
US09378290B2	Scenario-adaptive input method editor An input method editor (IME) described herein couples scenarios of the input of the user with specific network services to offer more relevant and richer candidates for higher input productivity. Data relating to a computer application in which the input candidates are to be input and/or context relating to a user-submitted query is collected and analyzed to determine a scenario. The input candidates may include text candidates and rich candidates. The IME may select a scenario-tuned and type specific engine to identify the text candidates and/or rich candidates. The scenario-tuned text candidate engines leverage scenario-tuned language models and lexicons, and the scenario-tuned rich candidate engines leverage scenario-relevant web services, such as image, mapping, and video search, when available and appropriate.
US09378289B2	Translating search strings into physical locations This description provides tools and techniques for translating search strings into physical locations. These tools may provide methods that include retrieving search strings, and requesting translation of the search strings to one or more corresponding physical locations. These methods may also receive representations of the corresponding physical locations, and provide the representations of the physical locations as input to a navigation engine.
US09378288B1	Refining search results Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for refining search results. In one aspect, a method includes presenting search results that are responsive to a search query on a search engine results page and each search result includes a snippet. The method also include receiving a refinement to the search query through the search engine results page and generating a request to update one or more of the snippets based on the refinement. The method also includes receiving one or more updated snippets in response to the request and updating one or more of the search results presented on the search engine results page using the one or more updated snippets.
US09378287B2	Enhanced search system and method based on entity ranking Enhanced search system and method based on entity ranking that accepts votes for online and offline users and calculates rankings for user attributes that are used to provide highly valued search results. An input is received from a user indicating an opinion of another user or plurality of other users. In one embodiment, reputation scores are weighted by the reputation scores of voters. In another embodiment, weights are derived from voter reputation scores in the domain in which the voting took place. In another embodiment, reputation scores are adjusted according to a plurality of factors, including, but not limited to, user demographics or user behavior.
US09378285B2	Extending keyword searching to syntactically and semantically annotated data Methods and systems for extending keyword searching techniques to syntactically and semantically annotated data are provided. Example embodiments provide a Syntactic Query Engine (“SQE”) that parses, indexes, and stores a data set as an enhanced document index with document terms as well as information pertaining to the grammatical roles of the terms and ontological and other semantic information. In one embodiment, the enhanced document index is a form of term-clause index, that indexes terms and syntactic and semantic annotations at the clause level. The enhanced document index permits the use of a traditional keyword search engine to process relationship queries as well as to process standard document level keyword searches. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract, and it is submitted with the intention that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
US09378283B2	Instant search results with page previews Methods, systems, and programming for providing search previews is disclosed. At least one input is received. At least one query suggestion is generated based on the at least one input. The at least one query suggestion is displayed in a first display area. At least one web page preview is generated based on the at least one input. The at least one web page preview is displayed in a second display area. Each web page preview is viewable and actionable.
US09378273B2	System and method for question answering by reformulating word problems A computer-implemented method of answering questions. A word problem is received into a user interface of a question-answering (QA) system operating on a computerized device having a processor. The word problem comprises a question and contextual phrases providing context for the question. The question is parsed from the word problem, using a parsing function of the processor. The contextual phrases are parsed from the word problem, using the parsing function of the processor. A type is identified for the question, using a typing function of the processor. A phrase is identified in the question having the same type as the question. A reformulated question is produced by replacing the phrase in the question having the same type as the question with a contextual phrase. The reformulated question is input to the QA system. Answers to the reformulated question are received from the QA system.
US09378272B1	Determining correction of queries with potentially inaccurate terms Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for correcting potentially inaccurate terms in queries. In an aspect, a search system determines that an original query includes a potentially inaccurate term. The determination is made on the basis that the term of the original query meets an inaccuracy criterion. Derivative queries are generated from the original query. Each derivative query does not include the potentially inaccurate term. For each derivative query resources that are determined to be responsive to the derivative query are determined, and from the resources, a corrected term is determined. The corrected term is substituted for the potentially inaccurate term, and a search operation that uses the corrected query as input is performed.
US09378269B1	Method and computing device for maintaining dependencies among reference elements The disclosure is generally directed to a method and computing device for maintaining dependencies among multiple reference elements (e.g., formulas of a table or spreadsheet). In various embodiments, prior to a reevaluation operation carried out on the reference elements, a computing device receives an input of a reference element via a user interface (e.g., receives a user's input of a formula), assigns the reference element to a group based on the dependency between the reference element and one or more other reference elements, and assigns the reference element to a location within a dependency graph to which the other reference elements are assigned. In response to an event that requires at least one of the reference elements to be reevaluated, the computing device reevaluates each group of reference elements in sequence a group at a time.
US09378264B2	Removing group-by characteristics in formula exception aggregation In one embodiment, a method receives a query for analyzing data in a database. The query includes a first level calculation that is performed before a second level calculation. The method determines an operator in the query configured to explicitly remove group by information for a reference characteristic in the first level calculation where the group by information is specified for the reference characteristic in the second level calculation. The first level calculation is performed by removing the group by information for the reference characteristic for the first level calculation to determine a first level calculation result and the second level calculation is performed using the first level calculation result using the group by information for the reference characteristic to determine a second level calculation result.
US09378263B2	Method and system for creating indices and loading key-value pairs for NoSQL databases Systems and methods are provided for creating indices and loading key-value pairs for NoSQL databases. Attributes are created that correspond to records in a NoSQL database based on corresponding record fields. An index is created based on the attributes. A memory is loaded with attributes that correspond to a subset of the index as keys in a key-value pair and identifiers that correspond to records that correspond to the attributes as values in the key-value pair. The attributes that correspond to the subset of the index are sorted in the memory. Any duplicate attributes are identified from the sorted attributes in the memory. Any identifiers that correspond to any duplicate attributes also identify records in the NoSQL database to be evaluated as potential duplicate records.
US09378261B1	Unified synchronous replication for block and file objects A technique for performing synchronous replication on both block and file-based objects provides a data storage system that internally stores data objects (e.g., LUNs, file systems, block-based vVOLs (virtual volumes), file-based vVOLs, VMDKs, etc.) in the form of respective files, such that each file provides a realization of a data object. The data storage system maps each such file to a respective logical volume, and each logical volume provides a block-based interface. As the data storage system receives IO requests specifying data to be written to a data object, the data storage system renders the IO requests as block-based requests, regardless of whether the IO requests are themselves block-based or file-based. A block-based replication splitter intercepts the block-based requests directed to the logical volumes and performs block-based, synchronous replication on the requests, thereby achieving synchronous replication of both block-based objects and file-based objects in a single, unified architecture.
US09378254B2	Data migration in a database management system An approach is provided to copy records between tables in a relational database. In the approach, a Structured Query Language (SQL) table COPY statement is received with the COPY statement identifying a source table and a target table. Table column names are retrieved from a metadata that corresponds to the source table. The retrieved table column names are used to generate an SQL statement that includes an INSERT INTO clause pertaining to the target table and a SELECT clause pertaining to the source table, wherein the INSERT INTO clause includes a set of target column names and wherein the SELECT clause includes a set of corresponding source column names.
US09378249B2	Providing actionable content to a computing device based on user actions Methods and apparatus related to identifying content accessed on a computing device that is likely actionable on another computing device. Some implementations are directed to methods and apparatus for identifying a computing device of a user, identifying content accessed on another computing device by the user, determining content that is actionable on the computing device, determining a confidence level that the actionable content is of interest to the user, and providing the actionable content for use on the computing device if the confidence level satisfies a threshold. The confidence level may be based on an indication of time passage between the user accessing the content on the other computing device and the identified use of the computing device.
US09378248B2	Retrieval apparatus, retrieval method, and computer-readable recording medium A similar document is retrieved by performing a search using diagram information within documents, without being influenced by the description language within documents or the wording of complex sentences. First, feature data (feature amounts) of images is extracted from diagrams that are dotted throughout a document, with respect to a designated document that is designated by a person doing the search. Thereafter, the similarity between documents is evaluated, by comparing the feature amounts of diagrams in the designated document with the feature amounts of diagrams in a document group serving as a search target that are extracted in advance. Ranking of similar documents to the designated document is realized, based on the evaluation result.
US09378245B2	Name database server, name resolution system, entry search method and entry search program A node information storage means stores an entry of node information in which at least an address and a record type are associated with a host name. A search target record deciding means decides a record type of an entry of a search target from a received virtual record type based on a search rule that is a rule specifying a record type of a search target according to a virtual record type. An entry searching means searches the node information storage means, and specifies an entry that corresponds to the entry specifying information received from the terminal device and has the record type decided by the search target record deciding means. A search result transmitting means transmits node information included in the entry specified by the entry searching means to the terminal device.
US09378242B1	Source code search engine A source code search comprises a two-pass search. The first pass comprises a topological measure of similarity. The second pass comprises a semantic measure of similarity. The query source code is a user-selected portion of source code. The results may be ranked and output to an I/O device.
US09378234B2	Management of updates in a database system A method, system, and computer program product to efficiently maintain a database is disclosed. The method, system, and computer program product may include structuring the database to have a table, an index associated with the table, and a log associated with the index. The method, system, and computer program product may include receiving a maintenance request related to the index. The method, system, and computer program product may include accounting for the maintenance request when the index is being searched. The method, system, and computer program product may include adding the maintenance request to the log when the index is not being searched.
US09378230B1	Ensuring availability of data in a set being uncorrelated over time A computing resource monitoring service receives an executable command to redundantly store a metric pertaining to computing resources provided to the customer by a computing resource service provider. The executable command may comprise a hash key and a hash value for the metric. Based on the hash key included in the executable command, the computing resource monitoring service may select one or more data zones, each of the data zones comprising one or more storage nodes for storing metrics. The computing resource monitoring service may be configured to obtain a schedule of storage nodes from the data zones in order to determine the active storage nodes based at least in part on the hash key. Accordingly, the computing resource monitoring service may identify a storage node from the one or more active nodes based at least in part on the hash key and store the metric in the identified node.
US09378229B1	Index selection based on a compressed workload A first workload that contains logged predicates contained in database queries is received. A subset of the predicates is selected based on costs associated with the predicates. A compressed workload is formed using the selected subset of the predicates. Indexes are then selected based on the compressed workload.
US09378228B2	Enterprise resource planning running on multiple databases A system and method for running an application on multiple databases is described. A selection of data stored in a database to be used in conjunction with an in-memory database is identified. A selection of a storage mode corresponding to a dual system storage mode or a source system storage mode is received. The selection of data is initialized in the in-memory database. An entry corresponding to the selection of data is generated in a lookup table when the dual system storage mode is selected.
US09378226B1	Method and system for a user-defined field type A computer-implemented method for adding user-configurable data fields to an existing database table is provided. The method is implemented using a computing device including a processor communicatively coupled to a database. The method includes receiving, from a user, a data structure definition defining a custom data type. The method also includes storing the data structure definition as a custom data type record in a custom data types table within the database. The method further includes creating a first values record in a custom values table within the database. The values record includes a first field that includes a series of bytes formatted using at least the custom data type. The method also includes linking the values record to the custom data type record. The method further includes identifying a target record in the existing database table and linking the target record to the first values record through a reference field.
US09378218B2	Apparatus and method for enabling clients to participate in data storage in distributed file system Disclosed herein are an apparatus and method for enabling clients to participate in data storage in a distributed file system. The client device of a distributed file system according to the present invention includes a storage determination unit and a file reading unit. The storage determination unit determines whether first metadata information, including a global generation number of the chunk corresponding to a file to be read, has already been stored in the local storage. The file reading unit performs a read operation on the file using local data corresponding to the first metadata information if, as a result of the determination, it is determined that the first metadata information has already been stored.
US09378212B2	Methods and systems for providing file data and metadata The Shared Internet Storage Resource provides Internet-based file storage, retrieval, access, control, and manipulation for a user. Additionally, an easy-to-use user interface is provided both for a browser or stand-alone application. The entire method provides means by which users can establish, use, and maintain files on the Internet in a manner remote from their local computers yet in a manner that is similar to the file manipulation used on their local computers. A high capacity or other storage system is attached to the Internet via an optional internal network that also serves to generate and direct metadata regarding the stored files. A web server using a CGI, Java®-based, or other interface transmits and retrieves TCP/IP packets or other Internet information through a load balancer/firewall by using XML to wrap the data packets. File instructions may be transmitted over the Internet to the Shared Resource System. The user's account may be password protected so that only the user may access his or her files. On the user's side, a stand-alone client application or JavaScript object interpreted through a browser provide two means by which the XML or other markup language data stream may be received and put to use by the user. Internet-to-Internet file transfers may be effected by directly downloading to the user's account space.
US09378206B2	Methods and systems for data interchange A method for data interchange includes summing up data associated with an electronic document to provide summed up data, representing the summed up data as one or more bar codes, and returning the one or more bar codes for display and data capture via a bar code scan from either a video display or a printed version of the one or more bar codes. The electronic document may be of any number of formats. The summing up may include taking data from multiple information fields to create the summed up data. The data may include data tags or a step of adding data tags to the data to assist in data interchange may be performed.
US09378202B2	Semantic clustering Semantic clustering techniques are described. In various implementations, a conversational agent is configured to perform semantic clustering of a corpus of user utterances. Semantic clustering may be used to provide a variety of functionality, such as to group a corpus of utterances into semantic clusters in which each cluster pertains to a similar topic. These clusters may then be leveraged to identify topics and assess their relative importance, as for example to prioritize topics whose handling by the conversation agent should be improved. A variety of utterances may be processed using these techniques, such as spoken words, textual descriptions entered via live chat, instant messaging, a website interface, email, SMS, a social network, a blogging or micro-blogging interface, and so on.
US09378201B2	Computer processes for analyzing and suggesting improvements for text readability Computer-based processes are disclosed for analyzing and improving document readability. Document readability is improved by using rules and associated logic to automatically detect various types of writing problems and to make and/or suggest edits for eliminating such problems. Many of the rules seek to generate more concise formulations of the analyzed sentences, such as by eliminating unnecessary words, rearranging words and phrases, and making various other types of edits. Proposed edits can be conveyed, e.g., through a word processing platform, by changing the visual appearance of text to indicate how the text would appear with (or with and without) the edit.
US09378193B2	Web management device, web management method, web management program, computer readable recording medium for recording said program, and web system A web management device is capable of displaying a web page containing an object in a display area of an input device having the display area and detecting physical contact with the display area. The device includes a generating means for generating the web page with an embedded detectable range for acquiring a position of physical contact with the object displayed in the display area, an acquiring means for acquiring a position of physical contact made within the detectable range of the web page generated and displayed in the display area as a selected position of the object corresponding to the range and acquiring position information indicating the selected position, a storing means for storing the acquired position information, and an adjusting means for compiling the stored position information and adjusting a display target in the display area based on the compiled position information.
US09378190B2	Word processor data organization A computer-implemented word processing presentation method is disclosed. The method includes obtaining an unformatted data structure containing a series of characters representing content for a word processing document, accessing a series of first records in a file associated with the unformatted data structure, wherein each first record contains data correlating a location of one or more characters in the unformatted data structure to a location for the one or more characters in the word processing document, and generating a display of the word processing document by applying the correlating data from the series of records to the series of characters in the unformatted data structure.
US09378183B2	Monitoring diagnostic device and monitoring diagnostic method An abnormality monitoring process milt (2) divides sensor data collected from a monitoring-target apparatus (8) into sensor data for each of a plurality of condition modes based on a condition-mode transition point detected by a condition-mode transition point detecting process unit (21), and sorts the divided sensor data into a plurality of groups. Next, for each condition mode and each group, each piece of sensor data is compared with past statistic data, thereby detecting an abnormality. A causal diagnosis process unit (3) diagnoses an abnormality cause using link models before and after an abnormality is detected built based on a correlation coefficient between two pieces of sensor data in each group.
US09378181B2	Scalable computing array A method and apparatus for providing a scalable computing array are provided herein. The method includes determining a width of a processor based on a software program, and a specified policy. The processor may be configured to comprise a number of lanes based on the width, and a thread of the software program may be executed using the configured processor.
US09378180B1	Unified SCSI target management for starting and configuring a service daemon in a deduplication appliance Systems and methods are described that manage service daemons using a unified small computer system interface (SCSI) target management daemon. SCSI target management daemon SCSI target management daemon manages each service daemon operating in a SCSI target device with consideration and knowledge of each other service daemon. This unified system eliminates potential conflicts during service daemon setup and shutdown as SCSI target management daemon is aware of these potential conflicts.
US09378176B2	Data interface with variable bit clock for changing the number of time slots in a frame The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for data transfer. A data interface is described with at least a first data terminal for either outputting or receiving a data signal. In bi-directional embodiments there may be one terminal for receiving data and one terminal for outputting data. A bit clock terminal outputs or receives a bit clock signal; and a frame clock terminal for outputs or receives a frame clock signal. Interface control circuitry is configurable to associate data outputted or received in each frame with time slots (1-8) of a predetermined number of bits (x, y, z) wherein the control circuitry is adapted such that the frequency of the bit clock signal can be changed at any time so as to vary the number of time slots in a frame.
US09378173B2	Apparatus and method to maximize buffer utilization in an I/O controller An apparatus and method for maximizing buffer utilization in an I/O controller using credit management logic contained within the I/O controller. The credit management logic keeps track of the number of memory credits available in the I/O controller and communicates to a chipset connected to the I/O controller the amount of available memory credits. The chipset may then send an amount of data to the I/O controller equivalent to or less than the communicated available amount of memory credits to reduce the occurrence of a “retry” event. The amount of available memory credits is determined by comparing the available memory in each buffer within the I/O controller and designating that the “available” amount of memory for the I/O controller is an amount equivalent to the amount of memory contained in the buffer with the least amount of available memory. This “available” amount of I/O controller memory may then be converted into memory credits and communicated to the chipset.
US09378172B2	Identifying devices in a topology of devices for audio/video streaming Resources may be managed in a topology for audio/video streaming. The topology includes audio/video sources and sinks and intervening branch devices. Messages between these sources, sinks, and branch devices may be used for resource management.
US09378164B2	Interrupt return instruction with embedded interrupt service functionality An instruction pipeline implemented on a semiconductor chip is described. The semiconductor chip includes an execution unit having the following to execute an interrupt handling instruction. Storage circuitry to hold different sets of micro-ops where each set of micro-ops is to handle a different interrupt. First logic circuitry to execute a set of said sets of micro-ops to handle an interrupt that said set is designed for. Second logic circuitry to return program flow to an invoking program upon said first logic circuitry having handled said interrupt.
US09378163B2	Method to accelerate message signaled interrupt processing Methods to accelerate a message signaled interrupt (MSI) are described herein. An embodiment of the invention includes an interrupt controller to receive a messaged signaled interrupt (MSI) request from a device over a bus, and an execution unit coupled to the interrupt controller to execute an interrupt service routine (ISR) associated with the device, the execution unit to retrieve interrupt data from a predetermined memory location specifically allocated to the device and to service the MSI using the interrupt data, without having to obtain the device interrupt data via an input output (IO) transaction.
US09378161B1	Full bandwidth packet handling with server systems including offload processors A rack server system for a packet processing is disclosed. The system can include a plurality of servers mountable in a rack; a top of rack (TOR) unit having connections to each of the servers; and a plurality of offload processor modules, each offload processor module having at least one input-output (IO) port and multiple offload processors, including at least a first offload processor module connected directly to a second offload processor module through their respective IO ports.
US09378154B2	Secure reservation mode for logical unit numbers and persistent reservations A mapping system and method that enables a secure reservation mode for a plurality of logical unit numbers of a storage system, generates a plurality of secret reservation keys, and instructs a distributed client to utilize at least one of the secret reservation keys to register with the storage system and to issue secure persistent reserves to the plurality of logical unit numbers.
US09378153B2	Early write-back of modified data in a cache memory A level of cache memory receives modified data from a higher level of cache memory. A set of cache lines with an index associated with the modified data is identified. The modified data is stored in the set in a cache line with an eviction priority that is at least as high as an eviction priority, before the modified data is stored, of an unmodified cache line with a highest eviction priority among unmodified cache lines in the set.
US09378151B2	System and method of hinted cache data removal The disclosure is directed to a system and method of cache management for a data storage system. According to various embodiments, the cache management system includes a hinting driver, a priority controller, and a data scrubber. The hinting driver generates pointers based upon data packets intercepted from data transfer requests being processed by a host controller of the data storage system. The priority controller determines whether the data transfer request includes a request to discard a portion of data based upon the pointers generated by the hinting driver. If the priority controller determines that data transfer request includes a request to discard a portion of data, the data scrubber locates and removes the portion of data from the cache memory so that the cache memory is freed from invalid data (e.g. data associated with a deleted file).
US09378147B2	Extended fuse reprogrammability mechanism An apparatus includes a semiconductor fuse array, disposed on a die, into which is programmed configuration data. The semiconductor fuse array has a first plurality of semiconductor fuses and a second plurality of semiconductor fuses. The first plurality of semiconductor fuses is configured to store the configuration data in an encoded and compressed format. The second plurality of semiconductor fuses is configured to store first fuse correction data that indicates locations and values corresponding to a first one or more fuses within the first plurality of fuses whose states are to be changed from that which was previously stored.
US09378142B2	Apparatus and method for implementing a multi-level memory hierarchy having different operating modes A system and method are described for integrating a memory and storage hierarchy including a non-volatile memory tier within a computer system. In one embodiment, PCMS memory devices are used as one tier in the hierarchy, sometimes referred to as “far memory.” Higher performance memory devices such as DRAM placed in front of the far memory and are used to mask some of the performance limitations of the far memory. These higher performance memory devices are referred to as “near memory.” In one embodiment, the “near memory” is configured to operate in a plurality of different modes of operation including (but not limited to) a first mode in which the near memory operates as a memory cache for the far memory and a second mode in which the near memory is allocated a first address range of a system address space with the far memory being allocated a second address range of the system address space, wherein the first range and second range represent the entire system address space.
US09378137B2	Storage and programming method thereof A program method of a storage device which includes at least one nonvolatile memory device and a memory controller to control the at least one nonvolatile memory device, the program method comprising: performing a first normal program operation to store first user data in a memory block; detecting, at the memory controller, a first event; performing a dummy program operation to store dummy data in at least one page of the memory block in response to the detection of the first event; and performing a second normal program operation to store second user data in the memory block after the dummy program operation, dummy program operations being operations in which random data is programmed into the memory block, normal program operations being operations in which data other than random data is programmed in the memory block.
US09378132B2	System and method for scanning flash memories A system and method for providing memory device readiness to a memory controller is disclosed. One example system includes a channel controller operably connected to a memory controller and a group of flash memory devices. The channel controller may receive, from the memory controller a request for a status of one or more memory devices in the group of flash memory devices. The channel controller may determine the status of the one or more memory devices, the status being determined while the memory controller is permitted to execute one or more other commands related to one or more other memory devices in a different group of memory devices. On determining that the one or more memory devices are in a ready status, the channel controller may provide the ready status to the memory controller.
US09378131B2	Non-volatile storage addressing using multiple tables The non-volatile storage solid state drive (SSD) has non-volatile memory (NVM), random access memory (RAM) capable of being accessed at a higher speed than this NVM, and a control unit for controlling accesses to the NVM and to the RAM. The control unit stores in the NVM an address translation table that translates a logical address given to access this NVM to a physical address after dividing it into multiple tables, and stores in the RAM the multiple address translation tables-sub on RAM that have been divided into multiple tables.
US09378129B2	Information processing apparatus, control method, and storage medium for memory management and dump processing based on memory usage The present information processing apparatus compares a size of a used memory that is currently used for execution of an application with a stored maximum size of a memory used by the application. Dump processing for writing memory contents to an external storage device is not executed when the result of the comparison shows that the size of the used memory is smaller than or equal to the maximum size, and is executed when the result of the comparison shows that the size of the used memory is larger than the maximum size.
US09378128B2	Dynamic address translation with fetch protection in an emulated environment What is provided is an enhanced dynamic address translation facility. In one embodiment, a virtual address to be translated is first obtained and an initial origin address of a translation table of the hierarchy of translation tables is obtained. Based on the obtained initial origin, a segment table entry is obtained. The segment table entry is configured to contain a format control and access validity fields. If the format control and access validity fields are enabled, the segment table entry further contains an access control field, a fetch protection field, and a segment-frame absolute address. Store operations are permitted only if the access control field matches a program access key provided by any one of a Program Status Word or an operand of a program instruction being emulated. Fetch operations are permitted if the program access key associated with the virtual address is equal to the segment access control field or the fetch protection field is not enabled.
US09378123B2	Testing of transaction tracking software In a method for generating test transactions across computing systems, a first test function of a first program on a first computing system of a plurality of computing systems receives a plurality of instructions, wherein a first instruction of the plurality of instructions is to invoke a first transaction between a second function of the first program and a second program on a second computing system of the plurality of computing systems. The first test function of the first program causes the transaction between the second function of the first program on the first computing system and the second program on the second computing system. The first test function of the first program sends the plurality of instructions to a second test function on a third computing system of the plurality of computing systems, based on a second instruction of the plurality of instructions.
US09378121B2	Item-level restoration and verification of image level Systems and methods for item-level restoration from and verification of an image level backup without fully extracting it. The method receives backup parameters and selection of an image level backup to restore or verify and initializes virtual storage. The method attaches the virtual storage to a hypervisor to launch a virtual machine (VM) to test and restore data objects. The method stores VM virtual disk data changes resulting from restoration and verification in a changes storage. The method optionally reconfigures VMs to use an isolated network. The method optionally uses a routing appliance to provide access to VMs running in the isolated network from a production network. The method determines if the VM operating system (OS) is able to start using restored copies of selected data objects and tests applications associated with selected data objects. The method displays restoration and test results in an interface and automatically delivers the results.
US09378120B2	Automated test execution plan derivation system and method A system and method is disclosed that has the ability to automatically derive a test execution plan for parallel execution of test cases, while considering the complex dependencies across the test cases and preserving the semantics of test execution. The execution plan, so generated, provides for balanced workload distribution and scheduling of the test cases for improving the test execution cycles of the test suites in a cost effective manner.
US09378119B2	Release template A project change control record in a release template controls the release of a code change from a change control platform into a test environment. The change control platform receives the code change from a developer. The change control platform applies the code change to the test environment only if the corresponding project change control record exists in the release template and a project corresponding to the code change has an approved status in a project management platform.
US09378113B2	Tracing of a data processing apparatus A trace unit, diagnostic apparatus and data processing apparatus are provided for tracing of conditional instructions. The data processing apparatus generates instruction observed indicators indicating execution of conditional instructions and result output indicators indicating output by the data processing apparatus of results of executing respective conditional instructions. The instruction observed indicators and result output indicators are received by a trace unit that is configured to output conditional instruction trace data items and independently output conditional result trace data items enabling separate trace analysis of conditional instructions and corresponding conditional results by a diagnostic apparatus. The instruction observed indicator is received at the trace unit in a first processing cycle of the data processing apparatus while result output indicator is received at in a second different processing cycle.
US09378110B2	Communication device and method of detecting a communication partner There is provided a communication device including a transmission unit configured to transmit a modulated signal obtained by performing frequency conversion to convert a baseband signal output by a first electronic device into a signal with a higher frequency band than the baseband signal, using a waveguide as a transmission path, and a detection target mechanism corresponding to a mechanism included in a second electronic device that receives the baseband signal output by the first electronic device, the detection target mechanism being configured to be connected to the first electronic device and to be detected by the first electronic device when the first electronic device and the second electronic device are connected.
US09378108B2	Implementing performance-dependent transfer or execution decisions from service emulation indications A system, method, computer program product, and carrier are described for obtaining data from a first emulator and from a first emulation environment hosting software and signaling a decision whether to transfer any of the data to a second emulator at least partly as a result of the first emulation environment hosting the software.
US09378106B1	Hash-based replication In one aspect, a method includes sending a short hash handle from a production site to a replication site, the short hash handle being generated using a hash signature and being smaller than the hash signature, determining at the replication site whether the short hash handle exists at the replication, reading and sending the hash signature associated with the short hash handle if the short hash handle exists at the replication site, determining at the replication site whether the hash signature exists at the replication and emulating a write operation by associating the hash signature to an address in a second storage volume at the replication site if the hash signature exists at the replication site. The hash signature is generated using a data block from a first storage volume at the production site.
US09378102B1	Safety hardware and/or software fault tolerance using redundant channels A system on a chip (SoC) for providing safety hardware fault tolerance and/or safety software fault tolerance includes a first safety sub-system having a first safety channel; a second safety sub-system having a second safety channel; and a third sub-system. The first safety sub-system is independent of the second safety sub-system to allow the second safety sub-system to communicate through the second safety channel when the first safety sub-system or the third subsystem fails, and further to allow the first safety sub-system to communicate through the first safety channel when the second safety sub-system or the third subsystem fails.
US09378101B2	Automatic failure recovery using snapshots and replicas In one embodiment, a method of data recovery in a storage system includes, upon failure to fulfill an I/O request for requested data to a primary volume, consulting a change set to determine whether the requested data are current in a snapshot or replica. Further, such an embodiment includes providing the requested data using the snapshot or replica without further accessing the change set, if the requested data are current in the snapshot or replica, or issuing an error or failure status, if the requested data are not current.
US09378099B2	Instant data center recovery Facility for providing backup and restore of all data center components including physical machines, virtual machines, routers, networks, sub-networks, switches, firewall, directory lookup, DNS, DHCP and internet access. Virtual or physical machines are associated to data center components and a software defined network, storage, and compute infrastructure is provided.
US09378097B1	Selective copy-back Information associated with a neighborhood is obtained based at least in part on a source location. It is determined, based at least in part on the information associated with the determined neighborhood, whether to perform a copy back operation using a specified set of one or more read thresholds. In the event it is determined to perform the copy back operation using the specified set of read thresholds, the copy back operation is performed on the source location using the specified set of read thresholds.
US09378096B1	System and method for cache management A method, computer program product, and computing system for receiving an indication of an intent to restore at least a portion of a data array based upon a historical record of the data array. One or more changes made to the content of that data array after the generation of the historical record may be identified, thus generating a differential record. One or more data entries within a cache memory system associated with the at least a portion of a data array may be invalidated based, at least in part, upon the differential record.
US09378093B2	Controlling data storage in an array of storage devices Methods, apparatus and computer programs have been provided for mitigating a problem of non-optimal recovery from storage device failures. A method involves determining a required write performance for rebuilding data of a failed device, based at least partly on the potential read performance of storage devices in a data rebuild; and allocating a virtual storage area within available storage, which allocation of virtual storage is based at least partly on the required write performance. Data is rebuilt by writing to the allocated virtual storage area, and data recovery is completed by migrating this rebuilt data to at least one data storage device such as a spare physical storage device within the array.
US09378091B2	System and method for accessing a data object stored in a distributed storage network A user device includes a browser module, a DSN interface to a local or external DSN memory and a DS processing module coupled to the DSN interface for storing and retrieving the data object from the DSN memory, wherein the data object is divided into a plurality of data segments and wherein each of the plurality of data segments is stored in the DSN memory as a plurality of encoded data slices that are generated based on an error encoding dispersal function. The browser module is operable to interpret a user input as a request to display a data object, determine the data object is stored in the DSN memory, request the DS processing module to retrieve the data object from the DSN memory and request an application program to open the data object for display.
US09378090B2	Cell-to-cell program interference aware data recovery when ECC fails with an optimum read reference voltage An apparatus comprising a memory and a controller. The memory may be configured to process a plurality of read/write operations. The memory may comprise a plurality of memory modules each having a size less than a total size of the memory. The controller may be configured to recover data stored in the memory determined to exceed a maximum number of errors after performing a first read operation using a first read reference voltage. The controller may perform a second read operation using a second read reference voltage. The controller may identify a victim cell having a threshold voltage in a region between the first read reference voltage and the second read reference voltage. The controller may perform a third read operation on aggressor cells of the victim cell. The controller may perform a fourth read operation using the first read reference voltage with bit-fixed values on the victim cell based on a type of interference from the aggressor cells.
US09378084B2	Erasure coding across multiple zones In various embodiments, methods and systems for erasure coding data across multiple storage zones are provided. This may be accomplished by dividing a data chunk into a plurality of sub-fragments. Each of the plurality of sub-fragments is associated with a zone. Zones comprise buildings, data centers, and geographic regions providing a storage service. A plurality of reconstruction parities is computed. Each of the plurality of reconstruction parities computed using at least one sub-fragment from the plurality of sub-fragments. The plurality of reconstruction parities comprises at least one cross-zone parity. The at least one cross-zone parity is assigned to a parity zone. The cross-zone parity provides cross-zone reconstruction of a portion of the data chunk.
US09378078B2	Controlling method, information processing apparatus, storage medium, and method of detecting failure A controlling method executed by a processor included in an information processing apparatus, the controlling method includes storing identifiers of information processing apparatuses and identifiers of groups, each of the information processing apparatuses belonging to at least one of the groups, a group among the groups storing replications of one or more identifiable data; and detecting, by the information processing apparatus, a failure of other information processing apparatus belonging to one or more groups among the groups to which the information processing apparatus executing the detecting of the failure belongs, based on the identifiers of information apparatuses and the identifiers of groups.
US09378076B2	Serial communication test device, system including the same and method thereof A serial communication test device, a system including the same, and a method thereof are provided, which relate to a technology that allows a master chip and a slave ship for Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) communication to double-check data to increase reliability. The serial communication test device includes an interface that is configured to transmit and receive data to and from an external chip. A controller is configured to store data to be error-checked in a register to output the stored data to the external chip through the interface and to store data received from the external chip through the interface in a data storage unit. The controller compares the data stored in the register with the data stored in the data storage unit and determines whether the data stored in the register is substantially similar to data to be error-checked.
US09378074B2	Server system A server system includes a system on chip (SOC), a baseboard management controller (BMC), a first switch and a connector. The SOC has a hardware debugging test (HDT) interface to generate a HDT signal. The BMC has a programming interface to generate a programming signal. The first switch receives the HDT signal and the programming signal. The connector couples with the first switch. A first control signal controls the first switch to select one of the HDT signal and the programming signal to output to the connector. When the connector receives the HDT signal, a debugging apparatus debugs the SOC according to the HDT signal. When the connector receives the programming signal, a programming apparatus performs a programming process for the BMC according to the programming signal.
US09378073B2	Remote procedure call for a distributed system A distributed system includes first-tier entities, and a master entity in communication with each first-tier entity. The master entity provides a single access point through which an administrator can submit commands to manage all entities. The master entity maintains a table of virtual slots. Each virtual slot points to one of the first-tier entities, and each first-tier entity is pointed to by at least one virtual slot. The processor runs an RPC (remote procedure call) client to submit RPC requests to the first-tier entities, and determines a destination first-tier entity for a given RPC request in response to which virtual slot the administrator submits a command. The distributed system can include second-tier entities, each indirectly communicating with the master entity through a first-tier entity. The table has a virtual slot for each second-tier entity, which points to the first-tier entity acting as proxy for the second-tier entity.
US09378070B2	Generic distributed processing unit for multi-agent systems Generic Distributed Processing Unit (DPU) for Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) is disclosed. The DPU based system is a Machine 2 Machine (M2M) interface that is fast, flexible, redundant and scalable. It allows the handling of unlikely edge cases that Human Machine Interfaces (HMI) can not. It also allows the processing of excessive amounts of ancillary data that are not processed easily with an HMI arrangement. In the digital ecosystem, any like DPU can back up any other making the system exceedingly robust.
US09378067B1	Automated load balancing across the distributed system of hybrid storage and compute nodes A distributed storage system that performs automated load balancing is described. In an exemplary embodiment, a storage controller server determines if there is duplicative data in a distributed storage system. In this embodiment, the storage controller server detects a load balancing event in the distributed storage system, where the distributed storage system includes a plurality of virtual nodes distributed across a plurality of physical nodes. In response to detecting the load balancing event, the storage controller server determines that a current virtual node is to move from a source physical node to a destination physical node. In addition, the current virtual node is one of the plurality of virtual nodes and the source and destination physical nodes are in the plurality of physical nodes. The storage controller server further moves the current virtual node from the source physical node to the destination physical node.
US09378061B2	Method for prioritizing tasks queued at a server system An algorithm for assigning priorities to tasks queued for processing by users based on how heavily each task's user used the system resources in the past, including the number of tasks queued by the user in the past, the volume of these tasks, and the amount of processor time used. In the OCR context, the tasks are graphic files placed on servers and chosen for processing in accordance with the assigned priorities.
US09378059B2	Multi-threaded, lockless data parallelization In general, techniques are described for parallelizing a high-volume data stream using a data structure that enables lockless access by a multi-threaded application. In some examples, a multi-core computing system includes an application that concurrently executes multiple threads on cores of the system. The multiple threads include one or more send threads each associated with a different lockless data structure that each includes both a circular buffer and a queue. One or more receive threads serially retrieve incoming data from a data stream or input buffer, copy data blocks to one of the circular buffers, and push metadata for the copied data blocks to the queue. Each of the various send threads, concurrent to the operation of the receive threads, dequeues the next metadata from its associated queue, reads respective blocks of data from its associated circular buffers based on metadata information, and offloads the block to a server.
US09378056B2	Management server, and virtual machine move control method A program that performs a virtual machine move control predicts a resource shortage, predicted to occur for a predetermined time period, of a physical server that includes multiple virtual machines and that is included in a management server; specifies a virtual machine that eliminate the resource shortage by moving, at a time point at which the predicted resource shortage occurs, among the virtual machine included in the physical server, for which the resource shortage is predicted, to another physical server; and moves the specified virtual machine to the other physical server on the basis of the resource usage of the specified virtual machine for the predetermined time period and on the basis of a time point that is associated with the resource usage.
US09378049B1	Servicing I/O requests in an I/O adapter device Server computers may include one or more input/output (I/O) adapter devices for communicating with a network and/or direct-attached device. The I/O adapter device may have limited physical resources, such as memory. Large I/O transactions may occupy all available memory on the I/O adapter device, thus causing other I/O transactions to experience intermittent and excessive delays. The I/O adapter device can be configured to issue one or more transactions for a large I/O request. Each transaction transfers a portion of the data requested by the large I/O request. When all the transactions have completed, the client that requested the large I/O request is informed that the I/O request has completed.
US09378048B2	Interruption of chip component managing tasks Embodiments include receiving, at a microcontroller of a chip, a request to execute a first task having a first priority. Embodiments further include determining that a second task having a second priority is currently executing. Embodiments further include determining that the first priority is higher than the second priority. Embodiments further include determining whether a value in a register indicates that the second task can be interrupted. If it is determined that the second task can be interrupted, embodiments further include triggering execution of the second task. If it is determined that the second task cannot be interrupted, embodiments further include waiting for lapse of a time period since receipt of the request to execute the first task, and interrupting the second task upon detecting lapse of the time period, or detecting, prior to the lapse of the time period, that the second task can be interrupted.
US09378047B1	Efficient communication of interrupts from kernel space to user space using event queues Techniques are provided for routinely enqueuing events onto event queues by direct operation of an interrupt service routine (ISR) in kernel space when possible. Only when the event queue is unavailable does the ISR resort to offloading the enqueuing process to another kernel space thread. Unavailability can further be made uncommon by using separate event cores for different processing cores.
US09378041B2	Method and system for integrating and implementing virtual service packages across different service virtualization tools A method and system for integrating and implementing virtual service packages across different service virtualization tools is provided. Data is generated for performing a search on multiple virtual service package interfaces based on request received from a service virtualization tool. Virtual service package interfaces are fetched based on the search using the generated data. Each of the fetched virtual service package interfaces is assigned a selection priority value and a weight value. Further, an execution criticality value is computed for the fetched virtual service package interfaces based on the selection priority value and the weight value. Furthermore, a virtual service package interface with highest execution criticality value is selected. The selected virtual service package interface is invoked for execution. Finally, a response generated based on the execution is sent to the service virtualization tool. The selected virtual service package interface is integratable and implementable across different service virtualization tools.
US09378038B2	Methods, devices and computer readable storage devices for emulating a gyroscope in a guest operating system from a host operating system A guest operating system, launched by executing an application associated with a host operating system, is provided with access to a gyroscope associated with a computing device including a processor executing the host operating system. A first application associated with the guest operating system generates a request for gyroscope data. The request is received at a hardware abstraction layer associated with the guest operating system, and the request is sent from the hardware abstraction layer to a second application associated with the host operating system. The request is sent from the second application to a driver executing within a kernel of the host operating system. The driver retrieves the requested gyroscope data from the gyroscope. The retrieved gyroscope data is provided to the first application via the second application and the hardware abstraction layer.
US09378035B2	Systems and methods for repurposing virtual machines Software, firmware, and systems repurpose existing virtual machines. After a virtual machine is created, the system stores data associated with the virtual machine to permit its later repurposing. Repurposing data includes data associated with the virtual machine when the virtual machine is in a generic state from which it may be configured for use by two or more users/applications. When the system receives a request to create a new virtual machine, rather than create a brand new virtual machine, the system repurposes an existing virtual machine. The system identifies a virtual machine to repurpose, deletes data associated with the identified virtual machine, and loads a saved copy of repurposing data. The system may then load user data or otherwise customize the database and virtual machine.
US09378032B2	Information processing method, information processing apparatus, recording medium, and system An information processing method including calculating, for migration of a first virtual machine between a migration-source computer coupled to a network and a migration-destination computer coupled to the network, a difference between a first resource allocated to the first virtual machine in the migration-source computer and a second resource to be allocated to a second virtual machine to be executed based on the virtual machine in the migration-destination computer, estimating a bandwidth for the network to be used by the second virtual machine based on the difference and a bandwidth for the network used by the first virtual machine in the migration-source computer.
US09378031B2	Method, terminal and head unit for automatically providing application services using templates The present invention relates to a method for automatically providing an application service by an interaction with a head unit at a terminal. The method includes steps of: (a) the terminal receiving a request for running of a specific application, if the specific application is selected by a user of the head unit from a list including information on one or more runnable applications, which are installed in the terminal, to be interacted with the head unit; and (b) the terminal running the specific application by interacting with a template application run by the head unit.
US09378028B2	Headset computer (HSC) with docking station and dual personality An example embodiment of the present invention includes a headset computing device (HSC) having a port for docking. When worn on a user's head, the HSC operates in a “headset” mode and behaves as a hands-free computing device. When docked with a docking station, the HSC operates in a “docked” mode and behaves as a conventional PC using a conventional PC monitor as a display output and keyboard and/or mouse input devices. Operating in the headset mode, the HSC can use automatic speech recognition and head-tracking features to recognize verbal and head-motion commands and presents to the user a specific set of hands-fee applications or application features. When in the docked mode, the headset computing device makes available a different set of applications or application features more suited to keyboard and mouse operation. A common data set stored in the headset memory supports both/all sets of applications.
US09378022B2	Performing predecode-time optimized instructions in conjunction with predecode time optimized instruction sequence caching A method for performing predecode-time optimized instructions in conjunction with predecode time optimized instruction sequence caching. The method includes receiving a first instruction of an instruction sequence and a second instruction of the instruction sequence and determining if the first instruction and the second instruction can be optimized. In response to the determining that the first instruction and second instruction can be optimized, the method includes, preforming a pre-decode optimization on the instruction sequence and generating a new second instruction, wherein the new second instruction is not dependent on a target operand of the first instruction and storing a pre-decoded first instruction and a pre-decoded new second instruction in an instruction cache. In response to determining that the first instruction and second instruction can not be optimized, the method includes, storing the pre-decoded first instruction and a pre-decoded second instruction in the instruction cache.
US09378021B2	Instruction and logic for run-time evaluation of multiple prefetchers A processor includes a cache, a prefetcher module to select information according to a prefetcher algorithm, and a prefetcher algorithm selection module. The prefetcher algorithm selection module includes logic to select a candidate prefetcher algorithm determine and store memory addresses of predicted memory accesses of the candidate prefetcher algorithm when performed by the prefetcher module, determine cache lines accessed during memory operations, and evaluate whether the determined cache lines match the stored memory addresses. The prefetcher algorithm selection module further includes logic to adjust an accuracy ratio of the candidate prefetcher algorithm, compare the accuracy ratio with a threshold accuracy ratio, and determine whether to apply the first candidate prefetcher algorithm to the prefetcher module.
US09378017B2	Apparatus and method of efficient vector roll operation A machine readable storage medium containing program code is described that when processed by a processor causes a method to be performed. The method includes creating a resultant rolled version of an input vector by forming a first intermediate vector, forming a second intermediate vector and forming a resultant rolled version of an input vector. The first intermediate vector is formed by barrel rolling elements of the input vector along a first of two lanes defined by an upper half and a lower half of the input vector. The second intermediate vector is formed by barrel rolling elements of the input vector along a second of the two lanes. The resultant rolled version of the input vector is formed by incorporating upper portions of one of the intermediate vector's upper and lower halves as upper portions of the resultant's upper and lower halves and incorporating lower portions of the other intermediate vector's upper and lower halves as lower portions of the resultant's upper and lower halves.
US09378014B2	Method and apparatus for porting source code A method of porting source code for use in a runtime environment including a tool chain with a compiler for building the source code, in which the method comprises obtaining a source code fragment associated with a build error during the source code build in the runtime environment; creating a signature of the source code fragment; automatically comparing the signature with entries in an error database constructed from a history of previous build errors in the runtime environment and their fixes in the form of source code and/or tool chain modifications; using the comparison to find one or more similar previous build errors to the build error and thus to identify one or more of the source code and/or tool chain modifications as candidate solutions to the build error; compiling the source code with each of the candidate source code and/or tool chain modifications in turn until the source code compiles without reproducing the build error; and storing the build error in the error database and storing the modification with which the source code compiles without reproducing the build error as its fix.
US09378008B2	Method and system for creating, applying, and removing a software fix Embodiments of the present disclosure involve a method for creating, applying, and removing a software fix for an application without terminating the application. To create the fix, the system converts an unresolved internal reference in a source code section to an external imported reference, generates a header file which includes a re-definition of the external imported reference, and generates a binary representation for the fix by compiling the source code section using the generated header file and linking the complied object. To apply the fix, the system loads the binary representation into a virtual address space, places a long jump operator in a compiler-generated padding prior to the start of an affected function, and replaces a no-operation prologue at the start of the function with a short jump operator in an atomic write operation. To remove the fix, the system replaces the short jump operator with the no-operation prologue, removes the long jump operator, and unloads the software fix.
US09378007B2	Pre-heated software installation Some embodiments of a method and an apparatus for pre-heated software installation have been presented. In one embodiment, packages of updates to software are downloaded from a remote source to a computing system in a background operation of a computing environment in the computing system. Then installation of the packages of the updates is initiated automatically in the background operation in an isolated manner without committing to the software updates.
US09378004B1	Downloading data to a mobile device Methods and apparatus, including computer systems and program products, for downloading data to a mobile device. A method includes receiving, via a user interface, at a computer system independent of the mobile device, information identifying the mobile device to receive the application; receiving, at the computer system, information identifying the application to be installed on the mobile device; wirelessly transmitting, from the computer system to the mobile device, information related to the application; and in response to receiving the information related to the application, the mobile device installing the application on the mobile device independent of user input on the mobile device. The mobile device may be a mobile phone. The method may further include transmitting a download-assistance tool to the mobile device, where the download-assistance tool can receive the information related to the application to be installed and assist the mobile device in installing the application.
US09378001B2	Matching program sections through feature extraction A method includes organizing a program into blocks based on control flow. The method also includes calculating a plurality of features for each block. The method further includes comparing the calculated features for each block with other blocks and creating a list of equivalent blocks. The method also further includes constructing a list of equivalent program sections utilizing the list of equivalent blocks.
US09377999B2	Semantic content accessing in a development system A development system comprises, in one example, a development module configured to receive user development inputs to develop elements of a computer system. The elements comprise types modeled in the computer system. The development system comprises a user interface module configured to generate a user interface display with user input mechanisms that receive a user search query for searching the elements of the computer system. The development system comprises a search module configured to identify a type-based search parameter for the user search query and to obtain a set of search results by performing an element search based on the user search query and the type-based search parameter.
US09377996B2	Parameterized digital divider A method of performing digital division includes right-shifting a divider to provide a temporary divider, subtracting the temporary divider from a temporary dividend to provide a difference, determining the temporary dividend based on at least one of a dividend and the difference, and left-shifting a quotient based on the difference. A corresponding computer-readable medium and device are provided. A system to perform digital division includes a counter and a division circuit. The counter provides a count, and the division circuit is operatively coupled to the counter. The division circuit divides a dividend by a divider to provide a quotient in response to the counter. At least one of the counter and division circuit is configured to accept at least one of the count, dividend, divider, and quotient with a configurable bit-width.
US09377995B2	Comparing event data sets An apparatus for comparing event data sets. A system and computer program for comparing event data sets comprising: calculating one or more derivatives for each event in a first and second set of events; classifying each event by the calculated derivatives; and evaluating a similarity of the first and second sets of events based on the classifications of the respective events.
US09377993B2	Method of sampling and storing data and implementation thereof Embodiments of methods that are useful to avoid overflow in fixed-length buffers. In one embodiment, the methods dynamically adjust parameters (e.g., sample time) and reconfigure data in the buffer to allow new data samples to fit in the buffer. These embodiments allow data collection to automatically adapt, e.g., by adjusting the sample rate to allow the data to fit in the limited buffer size. These embodiments can configure hardware and/or software on a valve positioner of a valve assembly to improve data collection for use in on-line valve diagnostics and other data processing techniques.
US09377991B1	System for applying privacy settings in connection with creating, storing, distributing, and editing mixed-media collections A system for managing collections having multiple content types can include a screen data capture module to capture screen data in a window having a window privacy setting presented to a user on a display device, a mixed-media collection (MMC) managing module configured to manage an MMC incorporating the captured screen data, and an MMC storage module configured to store the MMC. The MMC managing module can alter the captured screen data based on the window privacy setting.
US09377990B2	Image edited audio data This specification describes technologies relating to editing digital audio data. In some implementations, a computer-implemented method is provided. The method includes displaying a visual representation of audio data, receiving an image, positioning the image as overlapping a portion of the displayed visual representation of the audio data, and editing the audio data corresponding to the portion of the displayed visual representation of the audio data overlapped by the image to form edited audio data, the editing including applying a variable editing effect according to the image content. In other implementations a computer-implemented method is provided that includes receiving an image, converting the image into a display of a visual representation of audio data using a specified conversion mode, and storing audio data corresponding to the display of audio data.
US09377985B2	Method and apparatus for utilizing personal computing resources for mobile print conversion and routing A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and apparatus for mobile print conversion and routing are disclosed. For example, the method receives at a mobile print server a print job request from a mobile endpoint device, determines at the mobile print server that a personal computing resource is available to convert the print job request, determines at the mobile print server to send the print job request to the personal computing resource and sends by the mobile print server the print job request to the personal computing resource for conversion of a document in the print job request that is to be printed.
US09377977B2	Control device, control method of a control device, and a storage medium A feature of the recording device is used to shorten the length of time that a wireless communication link with a recording device is not established for a control device that communicates wirelessly with a recording device when a wireless communication link can be established. A communication control unit 15b of a host computer 10 detects and reports to a recording control unit 15a that printer 11 power was turned off. After receiving this report that the printer 11 power is off from the communication control unit 15b, the recording control unit 15a requests the communication control unit 15b to establish a wireless communication link with the printer 11 and open a virtual COM port during the period until a new wireless communication link with the printer 11 is established.
US09377974B2	Image forming apparatus, control method and non-transitory storage medium for performing a predetermined process and an adjustment process in parallel An image forming apparatus that forms an image based on image data generated by executing an image process includes a first determination unit configured to determine whether a predetermined process causing a delay in the image process being executed has occurred, a second determination unit configured to determine whether a condition for an adjustment unit to perform an adjustment for maintaining the image formation has been satisfied based on condition information indicating the condition, and an instructing unit configured, in a case where the first determination unit determines that the predetermined process causing a delay in the image process being executed has occurred and the second determination unit determines that the condition has been satisfied, to instruct the adjustment unit to perform the adjustment.
US09377973B2	Method and system for improving printing efficiency in the production printing environment A method and system for improving printing efficiency in a production printing environment, which includes a plurality of printers is disclosed, the method including: monitoring the plurality of printers via at least one server, wherein each of the plurality of printers are configured to provide a print job status to the at least one server; receiving an error message from at least one of the plurality of printers; selecting an operator from a list of operators assigned to the at least one of the plurality of printers, wherein each operator on the list of operators is capable of fixing an error associated with the error message on the at least one of the plurality of printers; and notifying the selected operator to investigate the error message via a client device.
US09377969B2	Information processing device, information processing method, and information storage medium, including storage of information indicating which medium among plural media has a recording failure area and a position in the medium of the recording failure area Recording failure area information includes information indicating an optical disk having a recording failure area in which data is missing, and indicating a position of the recording failure area in the optical disk, out of the optical disks constituting a disk array. A controller (110) includes a recording controller (121) which records data in data blocks of the optical disks by striping the data, and records, in at least one parity block, at least one parity data for use in recovering data in a data block in which the data is missing, out of the data blocks; and a management information updater (125) which records recording failure area information in a management information area of at least one of the optical disks, in the case where data is missing in at least one of optical disk drives at the time of data recording.
US09377968B2	Method and system for using templates to communicate with non-volatile memory Systems and methods implemented therein are disclosed for communicating data between a memory controller and a first flash device. The system comprises a memory controller having a flash interface module. The memory controller is adapted to be communicatively coupled to a host system. The memory controller configured to receive a template. The template comprises a first set of resources for communicating data between the memory controller and the flash device and based on the template. The memory controller is adapted to configure the first set of resources for communicating data between the memory controller and the first flash device. The flash interface module is communicatively coupled to the memory controller. The flash interface module is configured to communicate data between the memory controller and the first flash device via the first set of resources.
US09377964B2	Systems and methods for improving snapshot performance Techniques for improving snapshot performance are disclosed. In one embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for improving snapshot performance comprising initiating change block tracking for each unit of storage associated with each of a plurality of virtual machines, creating backup images of each unit of storage associated with each of the plurality of virtual machines, quiescing each of the plurality of virtual machines, and creating snapshots of each unit of storage associated with each of the plurality of virtual machines. The techniques may include identifying one or more changed blocks in at least one of the backup images using the change block tracking, editing the at least one of the backup images by replacing the identified one or more changed blocks using corresponding blocks from at least one snapshot of the snapshots, and releasing the at least one snapshot based upon a determination that editing has completed.
US09377961B2	System and method for calculating data compression ratio without writing data to media An information handling system includes a host processor and a tape drive, which in turn includes a controller and a compression buffer. The controller is in communication with the host processor, and is configured to receive a diagnostic command from the host processor, to switch the tape drive from a normal mode to a diagnostic mode in response to the diagnostic command, and to send a compression ratio for data associated with a write command to the host processor. The compression buffer is in communication with the controller, the compression buffer configured to receive the write command, to compress data associated with the write command while in the diagnostic mode, to calculate the compression ratio for the data associated with the write command, and to delete the compressed data while the tape drive is in the diagnostic mode.
US09377960B2	System and method of using stripes for recovering data in a flash storage system A data storage method, comprising, receiving host data to be written to a plurality of flash storage devices, allocating the host data to one or more data units of a plurality of data units, allocating pad data to one or more data units of the plurality of data units that have not been filled with host data and generating redundant data in a redundant data unit based on the plurality of data units. The method further comprises steps for writing the plurality of data units and the redundant data unit to a stripe across the plurality of flash storage devices, wherein each of the plurality of data units and the redundant data unit is written in the respective flash storage devices at a common physical address.
US09377959B2	Data storage method and apparatus Implementation manners of the present invention provide a data storage method and apparatus. A fixed-length key and a value thereof are stored into a first data block, where the storing a fixed-length key includes: uniformly storing a common prefix of each fixed-length key, and separately storing a remainder part of each fixed-length key after the common prefix is removed; and a variable-length key and a length thereof are stored into a second data block, where the storing a variable-length key includes: storing a variable-length key of a base-key type in a full storage manner, and performing prefix compression on a variable-length key of a prefix-compressed key type.
US09377958B2	Allocation of read/write channels for storage devices Channel performance can be improved in a storage device, such as a flash memory or a flash-based solid state drive, by dynamically provisioning available data channels for both write and read operations. In one aspect, a set of available data channels on a storage device is partitioned into a set of write channels and a set of read channels according to a read-to-write ratio. Next, when an incoming data stream of mixed read requests and write requests arrives at the storage device, the allocated read channels process the read requests on a first group of memory blocks, which does not include garbage collection and write amplification on the first group of memory blocks. In parallel, the allocated write channels process the write requests on a second group of memory blocks, which does include garbage collection and write amplification on the second group of memory blocks.
US09377955B2	Electronic device including a semiconductor memory unit that includes cell mats of a plurality of planes vertically stacked An electronic device includes a semiconductor memory. The semiconductor memory includes a plurality of planes vertically stacked over a substrate. Each plane includes one or more cell mats. Each cell mat includes lower lines, upper lines crossing the lower lines, and variable resistance elements positioned in intersection regions of the lower lines and the upper lines, respectively. Lower contacts are coupled to the lower lines, respectively, and, in a plan view, overlap with a boundary region between half of the upper lines and the other half number of the upper lines. Upper contacts are coupled to the upper lines, respectively, and overlap with a boundary region between a half number of the lower lines and the other half number of the lower lines. One cell mat of an upper plane is vertically stacked over a lower plane to overlap with two adjacent cell mats of the lower plane.
US09377954B2	System and method for memory allocation in a multiclass memory system A system for memory allocation in a multiclass memory system includes a processor coupleable to a plurality of memories sharing a unified memory address space, and a library store to store a library of software functions. The processor identifies a type of a data structure in response to a memory allocation function call to the library for allocating memory to the data structure. Using the library, the processor allocates portions of the data structure among multiple memories of the multiclass memory system based on the type of the data structure.
US09377952B2	Input/output port rotation in a storage area network device In one aspect of the present description, in an input/output (I/O) device having multiple CPUs and multiple I/O ports, a cycle of I/O port rotations is initiated in which each port rotation of the cycle includes rotating an assignment of at least one I/O port from one CPU to a different CPU of a plurality of the CPUs. In the illustrated embodiment, an I/O port assignment for each CPU of the plurality CPUs is rotated for at least a portion of the cycle. Other features and aspects may be realized, depending upon the particular application.
US09377951B2	Handheld electronic device providing confirmation of input, and associated method A letter confirmation system is provided on a handheld electronic device. The letter confirmation provides highlighting of various letters that have been input to the handheld electronic device during a string of member input actuations. The letter confirmation system can additionally provide predictive linguistic elements that would be appropriate next inputs. Various types of highlights can be provided in various combinations to provide various indications to a user.
US09377949B2	Method and terminal device for selecting character The present disclosure discloses a method and a terminal device for selecting a character. The method includes: detecting a touch point of a user gesture acting on the touch screen, wherein the touch point falls into a touch point node; searching a plurality of nodes of the contents to find a nearest text node to the touch point, when the touch point node is not a text node; and selecting a nearest character to the touch point within the nearest text node. Therefore, by taking the nearest character to the touch point in the nearest text node as the character selected by the touch point, even if the touch point of a user gesture does not fall on a character, it is still possible to obtain the character selected by the user gesture, thereby repeated selecting operations may be avoided, so as to provide convenience for the user.
US09377943B2	Method and apparatus for outputting display data based on a touch operation on a touch panel An apparatus includes a touch panel display including one or more sensors for detecting an input operation by an instruction object. The apparatus includes circuitry that acquires one or more coordinates corresponding to one or more positions of the instruction object on the touch panel display, and determines whether a current condition of the instruction object during the input operation is an up condition or a down condition. The circuitry determines, when the current condition is the down condition, based on one or more previous conditions of the instruction object stored in a memory, whether the previous condition immediately preceding the current condition is the up condition and if so, converts the immediately preceding previous condition to the up condition. The circuitry controls the touch panel display to output a continuous line corresponding to the acquired one or more coordinates at which the instruction object is in the down condition.
US09377942B2	Drag and drop quoting mechanism for use with discussion forums A method of quoting content from a post in a discussion forum can include selecting content within a source post of the discussion forum and performing a drag operation. A representation of the selected content can be dragged in coordination with motion of an onscreen pointer. The method further can include inserting the selected content within an open reply form in the discussion forum upon termination of the drag operation.
US09377935B2	System and method for predicting preferred data representation A system for redesigning a graphical user interface (GUI) including: a computer readable medium (CRM) having instructions; and a screen in communication with the CRM and that displays the GUI. The GUI includes at least one first portion containing first data represented in a first form; and at least one second portion containing second data represented in a second form. The instructions of the CRM direct monitoring interactions between a user and the GUI.
US09377933B2	Displaying social networking system entity information via a timeline interface A social networking system displays information about a user via a timeline included in a profile page. Narrative data about a user stored in a social networking system, including data about the user and social network activities related to the user is accessed. Timeline units summarizing information about the user are generated from the narrative data. When a viewing user requests a profile page, timeline units are displayed based information related to the viewing user and interactions with the profile page by other users connected to the viewing user. Users that administer the profile page are presented with additional information when viewing the profile page, allowing the administering users to modify appearance of the timeline or to identify actions for an administering user to take to increase interaction with the profile page.
US09377932B2	Flipping through content Systems and methods for enabling users to rapidly flip through displayed pages of content in an intuitive manner are provided. Graphical animations for transitioning from one page to another can be executed so that portions of three or more pages can be simultaneously viewed. This enables a user to make snap judgments as to whether she wishes to explore anyone of those pages in more detail as she rapidly flips through the pages.
US09377930B2	Emoticon input method for mobile terminal An emoticon input method and mobile terminal are provided. A message writing display is provided for a user. A character input menu for inputting characters and an emoticon input menu for inputting emoticons are displayed along with the message writing display. When the user selects the emoticon input menu, an emoticon input mode is entered. A plurality of emoticon groups is displayed in the emoticon input mode. Each of the plurality of emoticon groups includes a plurality of emoticons. When an emoticon group is selected from among the plurality of emoticon groups, a plurality of emoticons included in the selected emoticon group is displayed. When at least one emoticon is selected from among the plurality of emoticons included in the selected emoticon group, the at least one emoticon selected by the user is displayed as part of a message.
US09377928B2	Location and time based unlocked action A mobile electronic device is provided that comprises a display unit and a control unit configured to display at least a first and a second keylock icon associated with a unlock function on the mobile electronic device. The control unit may be configured to activate the display unit when unlocking the mobile electronic device and presenting a first start page in response to the first keylock icon being selected and a second start page in response to the second keylock icon being selected.
US09377925B2	GUI window with portal region for interacting with hidden interface elements A computer is operated by displaying a window on a display device, where the window is an opaque window overlaid on the entirety of a system desktop that includes graphical representations of system controls and application controls. The window displays user interface elements of an application program executing on the computer, and also includes a portal region displaying an image of the system desktop including counterparts of the system controls and application controls. The computer provides user-controlled operation of the system controls and application controls based on simulated user interaction with the counterparts of the system controls and application controls in the portal region. The application program can effectively coordinate the use of the display by itself and by the system and other applications using the system desktop, relieving the user of this task.
US09377919B1	Driver integrated circuit and display apparatus including the same Disclosed are a driver IC and a display apparatus including the same, which supply a touch auxiliary signal, having the same phase and potential difference as those of a touch signal supplied to a touch electrode which is also used as a common electrode, to a plurality of supply lines disposed in a non-display area during a touch sensing period. The driver IC includes a common voltage supply element, a touch sensing unit, and a common voltage switching unit. The common voltage switching unit connects the common voltage supply element to a plurality of touch electrode lines connected to the plurality of touch electrodes during an image display period, and during a touch sensing period, the common voltage switching unit connects the plurality of touch electrode lines to the touch sensing unit.
US09377918B2	Method and apparatus for forming patterns in coatings on opposite sides of a transparent substrate A method of forming patterns in coatings on opposite sides of a transparent substrate by direct write laser patterning comprising the steps: a) providing a first transparent coating on a first side of the substrate, the first coating being formed of a material having a relatively high laser ablation threshold energy density; b) mounting the substrate on a stage or locating the substrate on a chuck, c) using a first laser beam to form a first pattern in the first transparent coating by laser ablation; d) providing a second transparent coating on the second side of the substrate after formation of said first pattern, the second coating being formed of a material having a relatively low laser ablation or modification threshold energy density; using a second laser beam to form a second pattern in the second transparent coating by laser ablation or modification, the energy density of the second laser beam being lower than that of the first laser beam such that ablation of the second transparent coating is carried out without causing appreciable damage to the first transparent coating. Apparatus arranged to carry out this method and a product formed by the method are also described.
US09377911B2	Input device An operation surface includes a pressing operation area and a sliding operation area. When a single operation body is detected in the pressing operation area by an operation position detection unit, an operation process is not performed if a first sliding movement amount of the operation body is equal to or less than a first threshold, and the operation process is performed if the first sliding movement amount is greater than the first threshold. When there is a plurality of operation bodies and at least one of them is detected in the pressing operation area, the operation process is not performed if a second sliding movement amount of the operation body is equal to or less than a second threshold, and the operation process is performed if the second sliding movement amount is greater than the second threshold. At this time, the second threshold is greater than the first threshold.
US09377910B2	Touch sensing apparatus and touch sensing method using the same A touch sensing apparatus includes a touch screen panel including first electrodes along a first direction and second electrodes along a second direction crossing the first direction to form capacitances with the first electrodes, a driving circuit configured to supply a driving signal to the first electrodes; and a sensing circuit configured to detect output sensing signals from the second electrodes and recognize a touch input based on the output sensing signals. The sensing circuit includes a switching unit configured to modulate the output sensing signals by providing codes as respective input sensing signals to the second electrodes, an amplifying unit configured to amplify the modulated sensing signals, an analog-digital conversion unit configured to convert the amplified sensing signals into digital sensing signals, and a controller configured to demodulate the digital sensing signals and detect a touch input and its position from the demodulated sensing signals.
US09377904B2	Display device with integrated touch screen panel and fabricating method thereof A display device with an integrated touch screen panel includes upper and lower substrates each divided into a display area and a non-display area, which is provided outside of the display area and includes a sealing area. Pixels may be formed in the display area between the upper and lower substrates. A black matrix is formed on a bottom surface of the upper substrate and disposed in the display area and the non-display area. The black matrix is open in the sealing area. Sensing patterns may be formed in the display area on a top surface of the upper substrate. Sensing lines may be formed in the non-display area on the top surface of the upper substrate and connected to the sensing patterns along a first or second direction. A light-shielding pattern is formed to cover the sealing area of the non-display area on the top surface of the upper substrate.
US09377898B2	Method of calibrating sensitivity of a touch input device and touch input device employing the same A method of calibrating sensitivity of a pressure based touch input device is disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes generating continuous input signals each having a value that is based on the magnitude pressure applied to the touch input device and sampling the continuous input signals at a predetermined rate to generate sampling signals. The method also includes determining whether to perform a sensitivity calibration of the touch input device based on a first threshold range and the sampling signals and selecting a sensitivity calibration parameter to be applied to the sensitivity calibration from among a plurality of pre-stored parameters. The selecting is based on the absolute values of the sampling signals. The method further includes performing the sensitivity calibration based on the sensitivity calibration parameter.
US09377896B2	Optical touch system and hovering identification method thereof An optical touch system including a touch surface, a plurality of image sensors, a calculation unit and an identification unit is provided. The touch surface is for interactive operation with an object. Each of the image sensors is configured to capture an image frame looking across the touch surface. The calculation unit is configured to calculate a coordinate of the object and an operating depth of the object corresponding to each of the image sensors according to the image frame. The identification unit is configured to increase a count value when the coordinate is within an operable range of one of the image sensors and the operating depth corresponding to the image sensor exceeds a depth threshold to accordingly perform hovering identification according to the count value.
US09377893B2	Touchscreen device with grip sensor and control methods thereof Apparatus and methods for controlling operations of a touchscreen terminal having grip sensors are disclosed. A grip signal is detected when the terminal is gripped. A touch-inactive area is established in the touchscreen area based at least upon the grip signal. Touches occurring within the touch-inactive area are designated as non-executable gripping touches. Accordingly, unintentional touch executions due to an overlapping grip are prevented.
US09377892B2	Portable device and method for controlling the same A portable device and a method for controlling the same are discussed. The portable device comprises a double sided display unit including a first display screen on a front side and a second display screen on a back side; a first touch sensor unit and a second touch sensor unit configured to respectively sense a first touch input for the first display screen and a second touch input for the second display screen; and a processor configured to: switch the second touch sensor unit to a ready-to-active state activating temporarily the second touch sensor unit for a predetermined period when the first touch input for the first display screen is sensed, and switch the second touch sensor unit to an active state when the second touch input for the second display screen is sensed within the predetermined period.
US09377886B2	Optical touch display apparatus An optical touch display apparatus including a backlight module, a display panel, and at least an optical detector is provided. The backlight module is capable of providing a visible beam and an invisible beam. The display panel is disposed at one side of the backlight module. A sensing space is located in front of the display panel, and the display panel is located between the backlight module and the sensing space. The visible beam and the invisible beam are capable of passing through the display panel and then being transmitted to the sensing space. The optical detector is disposed outside the display panel for sensing the invisible beam from the sensing space.
US09377882B2	Display device with an integrated touch screen and method of driving the same A display device with an integrated touch screen and a method of driving the same are provided. In a method of driving a display device including an integrated touch screen, including a panel including a plurality of electrodes that are divided into n number of groups, where n is an integer greater than or equal to two, and a touch sensing unit, the method includes: applying data voltages to a plurality of pixels of the panel, during a high logic period of a horizontal sync signal, and applying, by the touch sensing unit, a touch scan signal to one of the n groups every n or more low logic periods of the horizontal sync signal, the touch scan signal being applied to each of the n groups at least one time, during one frame.
US09377881B2	Position indicator A position indicator is provided, which includes a chassis that accommodates a holder therein, wherein the holder in turn accommodates various elements therein. The holder includes a core body engaging portion configured to hold a core body, a component disposing portion in which one or more pressure-sensitive components are disposed in an axial direction so as to receive a pressing pressure applied to the core body, and a printed wiring board mounting portion for being engaged with and mounting a printed wiring board with a longitudinal direction of the printed wiring board as the axial direction. The core body and the one or more pressure-sensitive components are held by the core body engaging portion and the component disposing portion in such a way that their central positions are aligned with each other in a predetermined position.
US09377880B2	Position indicator A position indicator includes: a core body disposed within a casing such that a tip thereof projects from one opening of the casing; a printed board on which a circuit element for detecting pressing force applied to the tip is disposed; and a pen pressure detecting module formed by arranging, in an axial direction, plural parts for detecting a displacement corresponding to the pressing force. The plural parts are arranged within a hollow portion of a cylindrical holder portion housed within the casing. The holder portion has an opening portion in a side circumferential surface thereof. The opening portion is opened in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. At least one of the parts is/are housed into the hollow portion through the opening portion. The holder portion includes a locking portion configured to prevent the at least one of the parts from falling out through the opening portion.
US09377871B2	System and methods for determining keyboard input in the presence of multiple contact points System and methods are provided for interpreting multiple contact events detected on a virtual keyboard of a computing device to determine an intended key press. The systems and methods utilize event data collected from each of the multiple contact events on a touchscreen in order to provide a general confidence level at which each contact event is deemed to be an intended key press. The confidence level is based on a probabilistic/algorithmic assessment of various criteria for each contact event detected. The criteria may be variable and rely on other events detected on the virtual keyboard even though each contact event is considered a physically independent action from one another. Once an intended key is determined, that key may be input to a word predication application also stored on the computing device. The word prediction application may use the intended key to predict at least one word for the user.
US09377868B2	Sliding control method and terminal device thereof The present disclosure discloses a sliding control method and the device thereof, falling into the field of human-computer interaction (HCI). The method comprises: displaying a slidable trajectory containing a current touch point; detecting a trigger signal being applied to the slidable trajectory; upon detection of the trigger signal, re-determining a current touch point; changing a corresponding first trajectory on the slidable trajectory to a second trajectory according to the re-determined current touch point; wherein, the first trajectory is entire or part of the slidable trajectory, the length of the second trajectory is longer than that of the first trajectory.
US09377866B1	Depth-based position mapping Approaches to analyze image data to detect a blob corresponding to a user's hand (or other feature) and analyze the depth information associated with the blob to determine a location on a display screen. For example, the user may be pointing one or more fingers towards a particular location on the screen and the computing device may analyze the depth information associated with the user's finger and hand to compute the corresponding location on the screen that finger should be mapped to. Additionally, the computing device may track the movement of the user's finger with respect to other portions of the user's hand (e.g., center of the hand) and adjust the mapped location on the screen based on the tracked movement.
US09377865B2	Zoom-based gesture user interface A method includes arranging, by a computer, multiple interactive objects as a hierarchical data structure, each node of the hierarchical data structure associated with a respective one of the multiple interactive objects, and presenting, on a display coupled to the computer, a first subset of the multiple interactive objects that are associated with one or more child nodes of one of the multiple interactive objects. A sequence of three-dimensional (3D) maps including at least part of a hand of a user positioned in proximity to the display is received, and the hand performing a transverse gesture followed by a grab gesture followed by a longitudinal gesture followed by an execute gesture is identified in the sequence of three-dimensional (3D) maps, and an operation associated with the selected object is accordingly performed.
US09377860B1	Enabling gesture input for controlling a presentation of content Approaches are described for providing input to a portable computing device, such as a mobile phone. A user's hand can be detected based on data (e.g., one or more images) obtained by at least one sensor of the device, such as camera, and the images can be analyzed to locate the hand of the user. As part of the location computation, the device can determine a motion being performed by the hand of the user, and the device can determine a gesture corresponding to the motion. In the situation where the device is controlling a media player capable of playing media content, the gesture can be interpreted by the device to cause the device to, e.g., pause a media track or perform another function with respect to the media content being presented via the device.
US09377858B2	Three-dimensional space interface apparatus and method A three-dimensional (3D) space interface apparatus and method are provided. The 3D space interface apparatus provides an interface in which a user may directly touch and transform a 3D virtual object of a 3D space, which is shown in various ways depending on a position of the user. The 3D space interface apparatus may provide for manipulation of the 3D virtual object by the user using a sensing signal that senses the position and movement of a manipulation object the user. Specifically, an interface unit of the apparatus verifies, using the sensing signal, whether a predetermined movement of the manipulation object has occurred or whether a contact between the 3D virtual object and the manipulation object has been made, and generates a predetermined reaction corresponding to the predetermined movement or the contact.
US09377857B2	Show body position A capture device may capture a user's motion and a display device may display a model that maps to the user's motion, including gestures that are applicable for control. A user may be unfamiliar with a system that maps the user's motions or not know what gestures are applicable for an executing application. A user may not understand or know how to perform gestures that are applicable for the executing application. Providing visual feedback representing instructional gesture data to the user can teach the user how to properly gesture. The visual feedback may be provided in any number of suitable ways. For example, visual feedback may be provided via ghosted images, player avatars, or skeletal representations. The system can process prerecorded or live content for displaying visual feedback representing instructional gesture data. The feedback can portray the deltas between the user's actual position and the ideal gesture position.
US09377854B2	Technologies for remotely controlling a computing device via a wearable computing device Technologies for remotely controlling a separate computing device includes a wearable computing device to receive sensor data from an optical sensor of the wearable computing device. The sensor data comprises data is indicative of a skin surface of a forearm of a user of the wearable computing device. The wearable computing device generates control data based on the received sensor data. The generated control data is transmitted to the separate computing device. In some embodiments, an x-coordinate is generated based on detection of longitudinal movement of the wearable computing device relative to the skin surface of the forearm of the user and a y-coordinate is generated based on detection of rotational movement of the wearable computing device relative to the skin surface of the forearm of the user.
US09377853B2	Information processing apparatus and information processing method An information processing apparatus includes: a memory, and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to: identify an end position of a last line of a plurality of lines in an object for reading displayed on a display screen, the object being subjected to determination of whether the object has been finished reading by a user based on detecting movement of a gaze position of the user on a display screen, determine a display position at which movement of the gaze position that is greater than or equal to a given distance from the identified end position is detected, and display a display object at the determined display position on the display screen, the display object being destination of the gaze point after the object has been finished reading.
US09377851B2	Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer program There is provided an information processing apparatus including an operation detection unit configured to detect an orientation of a user's face and operations performed by the user, and an area selection unit configured to, when the operation detection unit detects that the user has performed a first operation, select an area on a screen based on the orientation of the user's face during the first operation.
US09377845B2	Frame buffer power management For frame buffer power management, a frame buffer includes a write circuit and a read circuit, and drives a display. A power management module terminates power to the frame buffer in response to a power reduction policy being satisfied.
US09377838B2	Data processing apparatus and power saving control method when transiting to a power saving state Reception of data by an operating system via a network is monitored outside of the operating system. When reception of a packet to which the operating system of a data processing apparatus should respond is detected, transition to a power saving state is deferred.
US09377832B1	Data center in a rack A server rack comprises a battery string connected to a controller and rectifier, server slots, a server load located in a first server slot of the server slots, a second server load stored in a second server slot of the server slots, a first AC power supply circuit supplying power to the first server load, a second AC power supply circuit supplying power to the second server load, a first DC power supply circuit supplying power to the first server load, a second DC power supply circuit supplying power to the second server load, a DC power distribution circuit connecting the rectifier to the first DC power supply circuit and the second DC power supply circuit, and an AC power distribution circuit connecting an incoming AC power supply to the first AC power supply circuit and the second AC power supply circuit.
US09377830B2	Data processing device with power management unit and portable device having the same A data processing device includes a plurality of central processing unit (CPU) cores; a plurality of first switches connected between a power line and each of the plurality of CPU cores, respectively; a power management unit; and a dynamic voltage/frequency scaling control circuit configured to scale at least one of a voltage and a frequency of a clock signal which are supplied to each of the CPU cores according to a control of the power management unit, wherein the power management unit is configured to decrease at least one of the voltage and the frequency which are supplied to each of the CPU cores and generate each of first control signals controlling a switching operation of each of the plurality of first switches, according to a control of one of the CPU cores.
US09377829B2	Information processing system includes an operating unit and main element and reboot unit that reboots only operating unit in asynchronization with main element An information processing system includes an operating unit that receives an input in response to a user operation and that runs under a first operating system; and a main body that runs under a second operating system and operates in response to the input received by the operating unit. The main body includes a generation unit that generates a command to direct rendering of a screen corresponding to an application being executed, and a command transmission control unit that provides control to transmit the command to the operating unit. The operating unit includes a receiving unit that receives the command from the main body, a screen rendering unit that renders the screen in accordance with the command received by the receiving unit, a display unit that displays the screen rendered by the screen rendering unit, and a reboot unit that reboots the operating unit in asynchronization with the main body.
US09377828B2	Adjustable heat sink supporting multiple platforms and system configurations An adjustable heat sink which allows factory, service, or customers to adjust the width of the heat sink to take advantage of some or all available unpopulated DIMM space to optimize cooling and performance. Such an adjustable heat sink addresses many of the limitations of other heat sinks and is advantageous for reducing part numbers within a platform and across platforms. Such an adjustable heat sink also simplifies field upgrades when either adding or removing populated DIMMs to an information handling system thus enhancing performance without a need to change CPU Heat sinks.
US09377823B2	Touch panel module and manufacturing method thereof A touch panel module includes an integrated panel and a casing. The integrated panel defines a transparent region and a non-transparent region around the transparent region. The integrated panel has a covering substrate, a decorating layer disposed on the inner surface of the covering substrate and arranged in the non-transparent region, a sensing electrode layer disposed on the inner surface of the covering substrate and arranged in the transparent region, a circuit layer disposed on the decorating layer and electrically connected to the sensing electrode layer, and a protective layer at least covering par of the decorating layer and part of the circuit layer. The casing is formed by injection molding, wherein one portion of the casing is arranged in the non-transparent region and formed on the protective layer, and another portion of the casing covers a circumferential lateral edge of the integrated panel.
US09377820B2	Foot cushion mechanism and electronic device therewith A foot cushion mechanism with lifting function is disclosed. The foot cushion mechanism includes a foot cushion member, a holding base and at least one shape memory material member. The foot cushion member is installed on a housing and abuts against a supporting surface. The holding base and the foot cushion member are respectively installed on opposite sides of the housing. The at least one shape memory material member selectively connects the housing and the holding base or connects the holding base and the foot cushion member. The at least one shape memory material member deforms when being heated due to a shape memory effect, and the housing is driven by the shape memory effect to move away from the foot cushion member such that a distance between the housing and the supporting surface is increased.
US09377818B2	Detachable displays Technologies for utilizing a plurality of displays include a computing device and a plurality of detachable display units physically coupled to the computing device. The computing device executes an application of the computing device and assigns the application to a detachable display unit of the plurality of detachable display units. The detachable display unit monitors for detachment of the detachable display unit from the computing device and maintains execution of the assigned application in response to detachment of the detachable display unit.
US09377816B2	Docking device and electronic system therewith A docking device including a casing and an extension supporting mechanism is disclosed. The extension supporting mechanism includes a sliding member, a transmission member, a supporting member and a clamping member. The sliding member is slidably disposed on the casing. The transmission member, the supporting member and the clamping member are pivoted to the casing, respectively. The transmission member is coupled to the sliding member. The supporting member is coupled to the transmission member. The clamping member further abuts against the sliding member and is for sliding the sliding member as rotating, such that the sliding member drives the transmission to rotate. Accordingly, the transmission member is driven to activate the supporting member to stretch an extension portion of the supporting member out of the casing.
US09377802B1	Dynamic configuration of equivalent series resistance In one embodiment, an integrated circuit (IC) includes a power distribution network having a first set of power distribution lines connected to a source voltage and a second set of power distribution lines connected to a ground voltage, and a first capacitor. A first variable resistive element is electrically coupled in series with the first capacitor between the first and second sets of power lines of the power distribution network. A control circuit is coupled to the variable resistive element and is configured and arranged to adjust a level of resistance of the first variable resistive element in response to an input signal. The adjustment of the level of resistance adjusts an equivalent series resistance of the power distribution network.
US09377801B2	Low-dropout regulator and method for regulating voltage In one embodiment a low-dropout regulator comprises a first differential amplifier (Nmos1) to receive an input voltage (Vin), a power transistor (T1) coupled to the first differential input pair (Nmos1), the power transistor having an output (OUT) forming an output terminal of the low-dropout regulator to provide an output voltage (Vout) as a function of the input voltage (Vin), a second differential amplifier (Pmos1) coupled to the first differential amplifier (Nmos1), and a switching element (Mncut1, Mncut2) coupled between first and second differential amplifier (Nmos1, Pmos1), said switching element (Mncut1, Mncut2) being operated as a function of a feedback signal (Sfb) derived from the output voltage (Vout). The second differential amplifier (Pmos1) is complementary to the first differential amplifier (Nmos1). The low-dropout regulator is operated in one of two modes such that in a first mode the second differential amplifier (Pmos1) is enabled and in the second mode the first differential amplifier (Nmos1) is enabled and the second differential amplifier (Pmos1) is disabled by means of the switching element (Mncut1, Mncut2).
US09377799B2	Voltage generating apparatus capable of recovering output voltage A voltage generating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a voltage regulator determining a pass voltage at a pass node by comparing an output voltage at an output node with a reference voltage, and generating the output voltage by transferring an external power supply voltage to the output node in response to the pass voltage at the pass node, and a voltage stabilizer controlling a first current flowing from the pass node and a second current flowing from the output node in response to the output voltage.
US09377798B2	Dual mode low dropout voltage regulator with a low dropout regulation mode and a bypass mode A dual mode low dropout voltage regulator has a low dropout regulation mode and a bypass mode and provides a smooth transition between mode transitions taking place under load. When an accessory requires a larger voltage level, a bypass signal commands the dual mode low dropout voltage regulator to go into bypass mode and transfer voltage level of the unregulated input voltage source to the output of the dual mode low dropout voltage regulator. The dual mode low dropout voltage regulator provides a smooth transition to the bypass to prevent the output of the dual mode low dropout voltage regulator from decreasing or having a “brown out” until a pass transistor is forced to turn on fully to provide the voltage level of the unregulated input voltage source to fully bypass the low dropout regulating mode of operation.
US09377796B2	Interference suppression for switched mode power supply The invention relates to a switched mode power supply comprising at least one switch and at least one inductor, the at least one switch being arranged to connect one terminal of the at least one inductor to one of a plurality of supply voltages, the other terminal of the at least one inductor providing a supply output, and further comprising a capacitor connected in parallel with the at least one inductor.
US09377795B1	Temperature correction of an on-chip voltage reference In an example, a temperature-corrected voltage reference circuit for use in an integrated circuit (IC) includes a voltage reference circuit, a programmable gain amplifier, and a digital control circuit. The programmable gain amplifier includes a first input coupled to the voltage reference circuit, a second input coupled to receive a control signal, and an output coupled to provide a temperature-corrected voltage reference. The digital control circuit includes an input coupled to receive a temperature signal indicative of temperature of the IC and an output coupled to the second input of the programmable gain amplifier, the digital control circuit generating the control signal in response to the temperature signal.
US09377793B2	Adaptive voltage scaling mechanism based on voltage shoot measurement A device for controlling a power supply for a functional block in an integrated circuit, the device comprising: a signal generator configured to provide a clock signal to the functional block, an antenna comprising a transistor, and being located proximate to the functional block, the antenna being configured to receive the clock signal from the signal generator, and wherein the transistor of the antenna receives electrical power from the same power source that delivers power to the functional block, means to measure the clock signal output from the antenna, and output a control signal, and feedback means to control the voltage of the power supply to the functional block on the basis of the control signal.
US09377789B2	Thermostat A thermostat apparatus may include a thermostat case where a first passage may be formed, a first valve that may be disposed in the thermostat case to open or close the first passage, wherein a mounting protrusion may be formed along an inner circumference of the first valve, a drive portion that may be disposed to penetrate the first valve and moves the first valve depending on temperature to open or close the first passage, and a rubber cap that a first side interior circumference thereof contacts an exterior circumference of the mounting protrusion of the first valve and a second side interior circumference thereof slidably contacts an exterior circumference of the drive portion.
US09377787B2	Pressure reducing valve A pressure reducing valve has a valve rod with a valve element member fitted over the valve rod. A fluid discharging structure is defined in an outer wall surface of the valve rod, or in an inner wall surface of the valve element member that surrounds the outer wall surface of the valve rod, for thereby discharging a fluid that has entered between the valve rod and the valve element member, into a valve hole.
US09377786B2	Odor generator The present invention provides an odor generator capable of providing a wide range of odors including the odor of a low volatile fragrance ingredient. The odor generator comprises a plurality of electroosmotic flow pumps, each of which typically includes a storage section for storing a liquid containing a volatile fragrance ingredient, and an outlet section having a porous material arranged for discharging the stored liquid through the porous material when a voltage is applied to the porous material and a surface acoustic wave (SAW) or other element for atomizing or vaporizing the liquid discharged from the outlet section.
US09377785B2	Device for reliable filling level control in a quenching chamber that is arranged downstream of entrained-flow gasification and has inert-gas flushing of the pressure-recording measuring location A device for the reliable measurement and control of the filling level in the quencher sump of a quenching chamber arranged downstream of the gasifying chamber is provided. The device has a differential-pressure transmitter. The measuring location recording the pressure of the gas chamber is flushed with inert gas. The device unproblematically senses the pressures in the quenching chamber and at the bottom of the quencher sump. The difference between which is used as a controlled variable for the filling level.
US09377784B2	Adaptable automatic nacelle conversion for tilt rotor aircraft Systems and methods for displaying to a tilt rotor aircraft pilot an optimum nacelle position and/or automatically controlling movement of the nacelles for the pilot. An automatic nacelle conversion function employs an active flight director speed mode to provide a current desired speed and a final speed. When the automatic nacelle conversion function is in a passive (uncoupled) mode of operation, the pilot follows visual cues, manually achieving the commanded nacelle position by rotating a thumbwheel. When in an active (coupled) mode of operation, the automatic nacelle conversion function provides a fully automatic nacelle controller requiring no pilot input. This automatic nacelle controller provides a variable nacelle rate along with several angle versus speed schedules tailored for different guidance speed modes and a wide range of aircraft configurations. The automatic nacelle conversion function is improved though the inclusion of altitude, rate of climb, and deceleration rate commands.
US09377783B2	Method for securing a ground speed used an algorithm for guiding landing of an aircraft, associated computer program and device A method for securing a ground speed used for guiding landing of an aircraft by determining a ground speed of the aircraft and determining a landing guidance instruction based on the determined ground speed. Next, estimate the vertical speed of the aircraft and limit, during guidance along a glide path having a descent angle, the determined ground speed as a function of the estimated vertical speed. The guidance instruction is based on the limited ground speed. Further, measure the height of the aircraft and compare it with a threshold height. If the measured height is greater than the threshold height, limit the ground speed as a function of acceleration measurements. If the measured height is below the threshold height, limiting the ground speed as a function of the estimated vertical speed and as a function of acceleration measurements of the aircraft taken once threshold height has been crossed.
US09377782B2	Method for assisting in the piloting of an aircraft during a landing and piloting assistance system suitable for implementing this method A method for assisting in the piloting of an aircraft during a landing on a landing area on the ground. The method includes the following steps: (1) during a landing phase, while the landing area on the ground is visible from the aircraft: displaying, on a screen of the cockpit of the aircraft, a target corresponding to this landing, overlaid on a view outside the aircraft; receiving from a pilot a command to modify this target and displaying the duly modified target; and receiving a command to validate a value of the target by a pilot; (2) automatically determining an aircraft flight trajectory as a function of the aircraft's current position and of the value of the target validated by the pilot and storing this trajectory; and (3) guiding the aircraft along the stored trajectory. Also a piloting assistance system suitable for implementing this method is disclosed.
US09377778B2	Integration of manufacturing control functions using a multi-functional vision system A manufacturing control system comprises a vision system for viewing operations within a manufacturing area and for producing vision data representing the viewed operations. A systems control analyzes the vision data, and controls at least two control functions related to the manufacturing operations based on the analyzed vision data.
US09377774B2	Controller for machine tool including main shafts A controller for a machine tool includes a converter converting AC power on the power supply side to DC power, a feed-shaft motor inverter converting DC power on a DC link side and AC power on a feed shaft motor side, first and second main-shaft-motor inverters converting DC power on the DC link side and AC power on first and second main shaft motors side, a power failure detection unit detecting a power failure on the power supply side, a voltage detection unit detecting a DC link voltage value, a feed-shaft-motor command unit outputting a deceleration command to the feed-shaft-motor inverter upon a power failure, and a main-shaft-motor command unit outputting an acceleration/deceleration command to the first main-shaft-motor inverter in accordance with the DC link voltage value and a power shutoff command to the second-main-shaft-motor inverter upon a power failure.
US09377773B2	Motor controller for performing correction when direction of rotation is reversed A motor controller is configured to judge whether or not the amount of displacement of a driven body after the direction of movement of the driven body is reversed, exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and whether or not the amount of displacement of a motor after the direction of movement of the motor is reversed, exceeds another predetermined threshold value. When the amount of displacement of the driven body exceeds the threshold value, or the amount of displacement of the motor exceeds a second threshold value, the correction of the commands to the motor is terminated.
US09377770B2	Numerical control system using I/O unit for time measurement In a numerical control system in which a numerical controller and an I/O unit perform serial data communication through a communication line, a counter of the I/O unit starts time measurement with an input signal from an in-machine measurement device as a trigger and stops counting at the start of transmission of DI data. The I/O unit transmits a flag indicative of input of the input signal as a trigger and a value in the stopped counter to the numerical controller. Based on a time value measured by a timer and the counter value, the numerical controller calculates the time of input of the input signal.
US09377768B2	Memory recovery scheme and data structure in a heating, ventilation and air conditioning network A method for updating a parameter in a device in an HVAC network includes, in one embodiment, sending, by an interface to the device, 1) a parameter value change message, and 2) a new value of an installer parameter. The device determines if the new value is within an allowed range. The parameter is updated with the new value in a memory of the device if the parameter update is within the allowed range. The device sends the parameter to the interface. The parameter is relayed by the interface to an active subnet controller of the HVAC network.
US09377764B2	Plug lock device A plug lock device includes a release switch arranged in a vehicle and a lock mechanism switched between a lock state and an unlock state. The lock mechanism restricts removal of a power plug from an inlet of the vehicle when in the lock state and permits removal of the power plug from the inlet when in the unlock state. The lock mechanism is switched from the lock state to the unlock state when the release switch is operated and wireless communication is established between the vehicle and an authentic electronic key. The lock mechanism is switched to the unlock state even though the wireless communication between the vehicle and the electronic key is not established when the release switch is operated as long as an ignition of the vehicle is activated and a particular switch arranged in the vehicle is operated.
US09377758B1	Incoherent digital holographic adaptive optics In one embodiment, generating an aberration-compensated image of an object field includes generating a full-field complex hologram of the object field, generating a guide star complex hologram of a guide star selected from the object field, performing mathematical correlation between the guide star complex hologram and the full-field complex hologram, and generating from the correlation an aberration-compensated image of the object field from the correlation.
US09377757B2	Methods for improving performance of holographic glasses The improvement of the performance of holographic glasses with recorded holograms as measured by a figure of merit of the holographic glasses is disclosed. The improvement in the figure of merit of the holographic glasses is obtained at least in part with the addition of arsenic in the formation of the holographic glasses. The presence of arsenic increases the figure of merit as measured at a wavelength of interest of a holographic glass with a recorded hologram as compared to a holographic glass with a recorded hologram that does not contain arsenic.
US09377752B2	Image forming apparatus with image bearing member protection An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a developer carrying member, and a moving member movable between an inside position inside of a main body of the image forming apparatus and an outside position outside of the main body in a state of supporting the image bearing member and the developer carrying member. A protection member is provided on the moving member and protects a surface of the image bearing member. In addition, a holding mechanism holds the protection member at a first position at which the protection member protrudes above a portion of the image bearing member exposed at an exposing portion when the moving member is located at the outside position and holds the protection member at a second position at which the protection member is located below a transfer member when the moving member is located at the inside position.
US09377751B2	Image forming apparatus having developer cartridge rotatable between first and second positions An image forming apparatus is provided with: a main body; a photosensitive member, and a developing cartridge having a developer carrier that rotates about an axis line. The main body includes: an urging member configured to urge the developing cartridge; and a first guide configured to guide the developing cartridge. The developing cartridge includes an end portion in the axis line, the end portion having a guided part configured to be guided by the first guide of the main body. The developing cartridge is configured to rotate about the guided part between a first position at which the urging member cannot urge the developing cartridge and a second position at which the urging member can urge the developing cartridge. The developer carrier is spaced apart from the photosensitive member when the developing cartridge is located at the second position.
US09377743B2	Power transmitting device and image forming apparatus having the same A power transmitting device having a structure to allow a photoconductor to stably form a visible image on a printing medium. The power transmitting device interconnects a rotator and a drive motor, the drive motor generating drive power to drive the rotator. The power transmitting device includes at least one gear to be rotated upon receiving power from the drive motor, a rotating shaft having one end penetrating the gear and a coupler to interconnect the other end of the rotating shaft and the rotator. An outer diameter of the coupler, an outer diameter of the rotator and an outer diameter of the gear satisfy the following relation: 0.7D1
US09377741B2	Image forming apparatus having a transferring bias adusting part adjusting a transferring bias according to a surrounding environment An image forming apparatus includes a development device, an electrostatic transfer device, a stopping period measuring part, a driving period measuring part, a toner consumption amount measuring part, an environment measuring part and a transferring bias adjusting part. The driving period measuring part measures a driving period in which the development device is driven in order to form the toner image. The transferring bias adjusting part adjusts the transferring bias on the basis of the stopping period measured by the stopping period measuring part, the driving period measured by the driving period measuring part, the toner consumption amount measured by the toner consumption amount measuring part and the condition of the surrounding environment measured by the environment measuring part.
US09377737B2	Image forming apparatus, control method of image forming apparatus, and storage medium for controlling image formation on a sheet An image forming apparatus can create various output products using a transparent sheet as intended by a user.
US09377734B2	Fixing member, fixing device, and image forming apparatus A fixing member, including a releasing layer, wherein the releasing layer contains a fluoropolymer and a polysiloxane having a cross-linked structure, and wherein the fixing member is used in a process for heating a toner image on a recording medium to thereby fix the toner image onto the recording medium.
US09377733B2	Image fixing device A fixing device configured to fix an image on a recording material, includes: a rotary member including an electroconductive layer; a coil which has a spiral shaped portion and is disposed in the inside of the rotary member; and a core disposed in the spiral shaped portion; with magnetic resistance of the core being, with an area from one end to the other end of the maximum passage region of the image on the recording material regarding the generatrix direction, equal to or smaller than 30% of combined magnetic resistance made up of magnetic resistance of the electroconductive layer and magnetic resistance of a region between the electroconductive layer and the core.
US09377732B2	Fixing apparatus On a second surface of a contact member opposite to a first surface in contact with an endless film, a plurality of sheets, each having a thermal conductivity in a planar direction higher than in a thickness direction and having a thickness of less than 100 μm, are superposed.
US09377731B1	Image forming apparatus An image forming apparatus includes: a fixing unit configured to include at least a first and second radiation heaters capable of heating printing medium; a power supply unit configured to supply power to the first and second radiation heaters; and a controller configured to select either one of the first and second radiation heaters and control to light or turn off the selected radiation heater, wherein a heating width of the printing medium of the second radiation heater is wider than that of the first radiation heater, and the controller determines whether to preheat the second radiation heater based on the number of times of lighting of the first and second radiation heaters and controls to light and turn off the second radiation heater when the controller has determined that it is necessary to preheat the second radiation heater.
US09377730B1	Image forming apparatus and image forming method An image forming apparatus includes a fixing member to fix toner to a recording medium, a heating control part to heat the fixing member to a specified temperature, a measuring part to measure a temperature of the fixing member, and a calculation part to calculate an arrival time required until the temperature of the fixing member reaches a target temperature based on a difference between the target temperature at a warming-up end time of the fixing member and the temperature measured by the measuring part. If the arrival time is shorter than a rise time required to warm up the image forming apparatus, the heating control part starts to heat the fixing member after a specified time passes from a time when warming-up of the image forming apparatus is started.
US09377729B1	Image forming apparatus that corrects a temperature of a heater An image forming apparatus includes a transport unit that transports a recording medium, a forming unit that forms a toner image including a test pattern, a fixing unit that heats the toner image formed on the recording medium by the forming unit and fixes the toner image on the recording medium, and a controller that controls an amount of heat to be applied to the toner image by the fixing unit, on the basis of a difference between an amount of toner of the test pattern formed by the forming unit and a predetermined reference amount of toner.
US09377728B2	Fixing device and image forming apparatus A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring member, a heating member, a voltage applying part, a current detecting part, a moving member, a driving mechanism and a controlling part. The voltage applying part applies a heating voltage for heating the fixing belt to the heating member. The current detecting part detects current flowing through the heating member. The moving member is movable between a first position where the current becomes a first value and a second position where the current becomes a second value. The driving mechanism moves the moving member from the first position to the second position in conjunction with a rotation stop of the fixing belt. The controlling part stops the voltage applying part from applying the heating voltage to the heating member in conjunction with a change of the current from the first value to the second value.
US09377727B2	Image forming apparatus and image forming method The image forming apparatus includes an image processing section that converts image data into pixel data, an image forming section that forms a toner image based on the pixel data, and a fixing section that fixes the toner image to the recording material by heating the recording material with the toner image formed thereon while conveying the recording material through a nip portion. The image processing section divides the pixel data corresponding to one recording material into a plurality of areas each formed of a predetermined number of pixels and acquires density information on some of the pixels within each of the areas as representative values. The fixing section carries out a process of fixing the toner image for which the density information has been acquired, under a fixing condition according to a maximum value of the representative values.
US09377724B2	Image forming apparatus and method using decolorable ink An image forming apparatus includes: a first image forming unit which forms a first image on a first recording medium with a first material which is not thermally decolorized; a second image forming unit which forms a second image on a second recording medium with a second material which is thermally decolorized; a fixing unit which is on a common carrying path shared by the first recording medium and the second recording medium and fixes the first image to the first recording medium; and a control unit which controls the fixing unit so that the temperature of the second recording medium passing through the fixing unit becomes lower than a decolorizing temperature of the second material.
US09377721B2	Image forming apparatus An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a transfer belt facing a surface of the image carrier, forming a nip serving as a transfer position with the image carrier, and configured to transfer a toner image formed on the surface of the image carrier to a recording paper sheet with a transfer bias of opposite polarity to the surface of the image carrier; a fixing section configured to heat the sheet having the transferred toner image thereon to fix the toner image; and a static eliminator disposed downstream of the transfer position in a direction of conveyance of the sheet and configured to expose a back surface of the sheet opposite to the surface having the transferred toner image thereon to a DC discharge having the same polarity as the transfer bias and directed toward a position where the sheet separates from the transfer belt.
US09377720B2	Apparatus for electrophotographic printing including a wetting device and method for using the same Disclosed herein is a method for electrophotographic printing, the method comprising: transferring, separately, from a photo imaging plate, a plurality of images formed from different colored electrostatic ink compositions to an intermediate transfer member to form a print image on the intermediate transfer member; providing a print substrate that has been wetted with a protic solvent; transferring the print image to the print substrate. Also disclosed herein is an apparatus for electrophotographic printing.
US09377719B2	Developing device and image forming apparatus A developing device includes a developer container; a developer carrier; a first transport member having a rotation shaft and a transport blade; a second transport member having a rotation shaft and a transport blade; a partition member; a guide member; a first inflow portion; a second inflow portion; and a movement portion. The rotation shaft of the first transport member is located within a projection area of the developer carrier projected from above. A second imaginary tangent line extending vertically and touching an outer end of the transport blade of the first transport member is farther from the image carrier than a first imaginary tangent line extending vertically and touching an outer surface of the developer carrier. A first distance between the first and second imaginary tangent lines is smaller than a second distance between a rotation center of the image carrier and an inner surface of the developer container.
US09377716B2	Unit and image forming apparatus A unit for use with an image forming apparatus includes: a frame; a developer accommodating portion; a sheet member, contact to a rotatable member and provided on the frame along a longitudinal direction of the rotatable member; a first end portion seal member for preventing, at a longitudinal end portion, the developer from leaking out from between the frame and the rotatable member; and a second end portion seal member for preventing the developer from leaking out from among the first end portion seal member, the sheet member and the frame. The second end portion seal member is formed by injecting, on the frame, a resin material having an elastic modulus smaller than an elastic modulus of the frame so as to contact with the first end portion seal member and the sheet member.
US09377715B2	Developing unit and process cartridge The present invention relates to a developing unit including a developer container accommodating a developer; a developer bearing member bearing the developer supplied from the developer container; a magnetic-field generation member disposed in the developer bearing member, the magnetic-field generation member having a magnetic-field generation area generating a magnetic field for attracting the developer to the developer bearing member; and a sealing member disposed at the developer container, the sealing member preventing the developer from leaking from a gap between a longitudinal end of the developer bearing member and the developer container. An end of the magnetic-field generation area of the magnetic-field generation member is disposed inside an inner end of the sealing member in the longitudinal direction of the developer bearing member. The developer bearing member develops a latent image formed on the image bearing member with the developer while keeping in contact with the image bearing member.
US09377713B2	Custom color toner production systems and methods A custom color toner production system includes a toner delivery system, a cartridge sealing system, a mixing system, and a packaging system. The toner delivery system includes selectively engageable fluid delivery lines for delivering toner of particular color to a cartridge as need for producing a custom color toner in response to an electronically submitted user request. Cartridge containing the unmixed delivered toner may be sealed by a sealing system, and blended using a resonant mixer to produce a custom color toner. The cartridge containing the mixed custom color toner may be packaged using a packaging system.
US09377707B2	Toner, developer, and image forming apparatus A toner including a crystalline polyester and an amorphous polyester is provided. When the binder resin is extracted from the toner with tetrahydrofuran to obtain an extracted solution, and the extracted solution is heated to remove the tetrahydrofuran and obtain a deposit, the deposit contains spherical domains of the crystalline polyester having an average particle diameter of 7.0 μm or less.
US09377703B2	Toner for developing electrostatic latent image and manufacturing method thereof According to one implementation, a toner includes a toner mother particle and a convex portion on a surface of the toner mother particle. The toner mother particle includes at least a resin (1). The convex portion is formed from a resin particle including at least a resin (2). An average value of a length of a long side of the convex portion is within a range of 0.1 to 0.5 μm. A ratio between a Young's modulus of a non-convex portion of the toner mother particle (ER (1)) and a Young's modulus of a convex portion of the toner mother particle (ER (2)) is a value (ER (1)/ER (2)) within the range of 1.2 to 2.0.
US09377702B2	Patterning method, lithography apparatus and system, and article manufacturing method A method of performing patterning of a substrate includes: obtaining, based on first alignment measurement with respect to first patterning, a first compensation value for second alignment measurement, with respect to the first patterning, in which number of alignment marks to be measured is smaller than number of alignment marks to be measured in the first alignment measurement; performing the second alignment measurement with respect to second patterning different from the first patterning; generating, based on a condition with respect to the second patterning and the first compensation value, a second compensation value for the second alignment measurement; and performing the second patterning of a substrate based on the second alignment measurement and the second compensation value.
US09377700B2	Determining position and curvature information directly from a surface of a patterning device Position and curvature information of a patterning device may be determined directly from the patterning device and controlled based on the determined information. In an embodiment, a lithographic apparatus includes a position determining system operative to determine a relative position of the patterning device. The patterning device may be configured to create a patterned radiation beam from a radiation beam incident on a major surface of the patterning device. The patterning device may have a side surface having an edge in common with the major surface. The position determining system may include an interferometer operative to transmit light to the side surface and to receive the transmitted light after the transmitted light has been reflected at the side surface. The position determining system is operative to determine a quantity representative of the relative position of the patterning device from the received reflected transmitted light.
US09377698B2	Movable body drive method and movable body drive system, pattern formation method and apparatus, exposure method and apparatus, device manufacturing method, and calibration method A controller measures positional information of a stage within an XY plane using three encoders which at least include one each of an X encoder and a Y encoder of an encoder system, and the stage is driven in the XY plane, based on measurement results of the positional information and positional information (p1, q1), (p2, q2), and (p3, q3) in a surface parallel to the XY plane of a head (an encoder) used for measurement of the positional information. Accordingly, it becomes possible to control the movement of the stage with good precision, while switching the head (the encoder) used for control during the movement of the stage using the encoder system which includes a plurality of heads.
US09377695B2	Grazing incidence reflectors, lithographic apparatus, methods for manufacturing a grazing incidence reflector and methods for manufacturing a device A grazing incidence reflector (300) for EUV radiation includes a first mirror layer (310) and a multilayer mirror structure (320) beneath the first mirror layer. The first mirror layer reflects at least partially EUV radiation incident on the reflector with grazing incidence angles in a first range, and the first mirror layer transmits EUV radiation in a second range of incidence angles, which overlaps and extends beyond the first range of incidence angles. The multilayer mirror structure reflects EUV radiation that is incident on the reflector with grazing incidence angles in a second range that penetrates through the first mirror layer. A grazing incidence reflector can be used in a lithographic apparatus and in manufacturing a device by a lithographic process.
US09377690B2	Compositon for forming metal oxide-containing film and patterning process The invention provides a composition for forming a metal oxide-containing film comprising, as a component (A), a metal oxide-containing compound A1 obtained by hydrolysis and/or condensation of one or more kinds of hydrolysable metal compounds shown by the following general formula (A-1), as a component (B), an aromatic compound shown by the following general formula (B-1), the compound generating a hydroxyl group by thermal and/or an acid. There can be provided a composition for a resist lower layer film, which has high etching selectivity, capable of subjecting to stripping under mild conditions than the conventional process, has excellent pattern adhesiveness, and fine pattern formation can be performed.
US09377687B2	Method for manufacturing pattern using chemically amplified resist A method of manufacturing a pattern includes forming a pattern material layer on a substrate, forming a protective layer on the pattern material layer, forming a resist layer on the protective layer, selectively exposing the resist layer to light, and developing the selectively exposed resist layer.
US09377683B2	Imprint template with optically-detectable alignment marks and method for making using block copolymers A method using directed self-assembly of block copolymers (BCPs) for making an imprint template has the required patterns for both the features in the template's active area and the optically-detectable alignment marks in the template's non-active area. A chemical contrast pattern defined by a lithographic technique forms patterns of lines in both the active area and non-active area, as well as patterns of featureless gap regions in the non-active area. The pattern of lines has the BCP components aligned as lamellae perpendicular to the substrate, while the pattern of featureless gap regions has the BCP components aligned as lamellae parallel to the substrate. The patterns of lines and featureless gap regions in the non-active area define the optically detectable alignment marks. One of the BCP components is removed, leaving the other BCP component as an etch mask to fabricate the imprint template.
US09377674B2	Image display device A projector includes a first light source group having a plurality of solid-state light sources, a second light source group having a plurality of solid-state light source, and emitting light having a peak wavelength on a longer wavelength side of that of the first light source group, a first regulation section adapted to cool the first light source group, a second regulation section adapted to cool the second light source group, and a control device adapted to control the first regulation section and the second regulation section, and the first regulation section and the second regulation section are controlled so as to approximate the peak wavelengths of the lights emitted respectively from the first light source group and the second light source group to each other when forming a two-dimensional image, or to make the peak wavelengths get further from each other when forming a three-dimensional image.
US09377673B2	Closed loop verification of rendered content An electronic display device provides closed-loop verification that specific content has been displayed by the display device. When desired digital image content is rendered as an image or video by the electronic display device, a confirmation signal is generated by one or more components of the display device to verify that the image content has been successfully displayed. The confirmation signal may include performance measurements of the one or more components of the display device and/or a signature output that is associated with a signature code embedded in the image content. The signature output uniquely identifies the digital image content.
US09377667B2	Cascaded optical harmonic generation Cascaded optical harmonic generators and methods for cascaded optical harmonic generation are disclosed. Relative disposition of individual harmonic generators of a cascaded harmonic generator in an optical path of the fundamental optical beam may be reversed. In a third harmonic generator, the fundamental optical beam may enter the third harmonic crystal first, and the second harmonic crystal second. When the fundamental optical beam enters the third harmonic crystal first, the fundamental light may remain non-depleted by second harmonic generation process.
US09377665B2	Optical modulator having a 2×2 coupler An optical modulator includes: a substrate that has electrooptical effect and has a Mach-Zehnder modulator that has a 2×2 coupler acting as a splitter, two intermediate waveguides coupled to outputting waveguides of the splitter and another 2×2 coupler acting as a combiner coupled to the two intermediate waveguides; and a suppresser that suppresses a power of an output light from an uncoupled waveguide and an input light into the uncoupled waveguide of at least one of the 2×2 couplers in an extending direction of the Mach-Zehnder modulator.
US09377664B2	Photocromic composition Provided is a photochromic composition which can function as an adhesive layer for bonding optical sheets made from a polycarbonate resin or the like and a laminated article using said composition exhibits excellent tight adhesion, heat resistance and photochromic properties. In particular, provided is a photochromic composition which can prevent an elution of the composition from the optical sheets when embedding and polymerizing in a polymerizable monomer. The photochromic composition comprises a polyurethane resin (A) having an isocyanurate structure and a photochromic compound (B).
US09377655B2	Liquid crystal display A liquid crystal display includes: a first insulation substrate; a first gate conductor disposed on the first insulation substrate and in a same layer as a gate line and a second gate conductor disposed on the first insulation substrate and in the same layer as the gate line; a gate insulating layer disposed on the first gate conductor and the second gate conductor; a data conductor disposed on the gate insulating layer and in a same layer as a data line; a thin film transistor disposed on the first insulation substrate; a first spacer disposed on the first insulation substrate; and a second spacer disposed on the first insulation substrate, where heights or widths of the first and second spacers are different from each other and having different heights or widths, and the second spacer overlaps the first gate conductor and the second gate conductor.
US09377654B2	System for display images A system for displaying images including a display panel is provided. The display panel has a display area and a peripheral area. The display panel includes a metal layer disposed on a first substrate. A second substrate is disposed opposite to the first substrate. A seal is disposed at the peripheral area and between the first and the second substrates and at the peripheral area. A patterned planarization layer is disposed on the first substrate. A passivation layer disposed between the seal and the first substrate, wherein the seal is in contact with a sidewall of the passivation layer.
US09377651B2	Cholesteric liquid display and method for preparing the same Embodiments of the invention comprise a cholesteric liquid display and a method for preparing the same. The cholesteric liquid display comprises a first substrate; an electrode substrate opposite to the first substrate; and a cholesteric liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the electrode substrate, wherein the cholesteric liquid crystal layer comprises at least one layer of cholesteric liquid crystal, and the same layer of cholesteric liquid crystal has different pitches in different regions so as to be capable of reflecting light of different colors, respectively.
US09377646B2	Capacitive touch sensor having oblique electrode matrix Electrode matrices for capacitive touch-sensing are provided. An electrode matrix may include a plurality of column conductors having a first end and a second end formed along a central longitudinal axis. The column conductor may further include a column zigzag structure extending between the first end and the second end. The electrode matrix may further include a plurality of row conductors having a first end and a second end formed along a lateral axis. The row conductor may further include a row zigzag structure extending between the first end and second end. The zigzag structure of each of the plurality of column conductors may cross the zigzag structure of each of the plurality of row conductors in respective crossing regions that are formed at an intersection of the longitudinal axis of each column conductor and lateral axis of each row conductor.
US09377644B2	Display device A TFT 1 is formed on a glass substrate 11, and a flattening resin film 17 covering the TFT 1 is formed. Furthermore, a moisture-proof protective film 18 covering the entire surface of the flattening resin film 17 is formed. For the protective film 18, a SiO2 film, a SiN film, a SiON film, or a stacked film thereof is used. The edge surfaces of the flattening resin film 17 are disposed on the inner side of or under a seal 4, and are formed in a tapered shape. By this, the entry of moisture into the flattening resin film 17 is prevented, preventing display degradation. This effect becomes noticeable in a display device including an oxide semiconductor TFT.
US09377643B2	Electro-optical device and electronic equipment An electro-optical devices includes: a first substrate; a second substrate having one surface opposite to the first substrate; a support member configured to hold the first and second substrates with the second substrate located outside the first substrate, and to include a frame portion surrounding the first and second substrates; a first conductive film formed on the other surface of the second substrate; and a conductor layer placed between the frame portion and the first and second substrates, and electrically connected to the first conductive film. The first conductive film is held at a constant potential via the conductor layer.
US09377641B2	Tape package and display panel module having the same A tape package includes a body portion including a flexible material, a driving circuit disposed on the body portion, a first sub-connection portion extending from the body portion in a first direction, a first main-connection portion extending from the first sub-connection portion in the first direction, a first lead line including a first end electrically connected to the driving circuit and a second end extending in the first direction, the first end being opposite to the second end and a protrusion extending from the first sub-connection portion in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction on a same plane with the first sub-connection portion. Accordingly, a crack of the lead line may be reduced or effectively prevented.
US09377637B2	Laser irradiation apparatus and bright point correction method for liquid crystal display panel using the same The present invention is a laser irradiation apparatus which is capable of selecting a laser light of a wavelength among a plurality of laser lights having different wavelengths according to a purpose of irradiation and irradiating an object to be irradiated with the laser light having the wavelength. The laser irradiation apparatus includes, on an optical path of a mixed light beam of the plurality of laser lights having different wavelengths, a slit having a width corresponding to a diffraction limit of the laser light having the shortest wavelength among the plurality of laser lights having different wavelengths, and an objective lens for focusing a laser light that has passed through the slit on the object to be irradiated.
US09377632B2	Lens driving device with 3D elastic support structure A lens driving device includes a lens holder for holding a lens having an optical axis; a focusing coil disposed at a periphery of the lens with respect to the optical axis; an optical image stabilizer (OIS) coil structure including a plurality of coils; a circuit structure connected electrically to the OIS coil structure and taking control thereof; a plurality of magnets; and an elastic support structure, having an upper plate spring portion and a plurality of suspension wires, wherein each suspension wire is disposed substantially parallel with the optical axis and integrally formed with the upper plate spring portion at one end and connected electrically to the circuit structure at the other end.
US09377628B2	Laser game marker The laser game marker comprises a battery compartment, flexible tube, and laser compartment. A reversible spike in the battery compartment allows the device to securely attach to a tree, wood, or other porous surface. The flexible tube allows the laser to point or mark the freshly killed game while hunting. The laser game marker is a device for marking the exact position of the first shot or freshly killed game.
US09377620B2	Optical scanning device, image forming apparatus, aperture fixing method An optical scanning device includes a cylindrical aperture, a support member, and a base portion. In the aperture, an opening portion restricts a beam path width of a laser beam emitted from a light source. The support member includes a cylinder supporting portion that pivotably supports the aperture. To the base portion, the support member is fixed by adhesion fixing. The base portion includes a pass-through portion that passes through between front and rear surfaces of the base portion and allows the support member to move in direction perpendicular to a pivoting axis of the aperture. The support member has a length such that its lower end portion projects from a rear surface of the base portion in the state where the support member has been inserted in the pass-through portion to such a position where laser beam is incident in the opening portion of the aperture.
US09377617B2	Plasmonic plate for generating optical vortices A plasmonic plate for generating optical vortices, formed by electrically conducting material and defining a plurality of slots that convert a first electromagnetic field having a non-null spin angular momentum into a second electromagnetic field having a non-null orbital angular momentum.
US09377614B2	Active space telescope with suspended mirror An active space telescope intended to be mounted on a satellite and comprising at least one mirror, a mechanism for servo-controlling the mirror according to at least three degrees of freedom which comprises actuators and a support fixed to the actuators, an interface for fixing the mirror to the servo-control mechanism. The interface is a suspension system of predetermined stiffness which allows dynamic displacements of the mirror relative to the servo-control mechanism, and the telescope comprises means for limiting these dynamic displacements in the form of elastic abutments and means of cooperation with these elastic abutments.
US09377611B2	Light-source including a planar array of diode-laser bars A light-source includes a planar array of diode-laser bars and a plurality of turning-mirrors arranged to stack beams from the diode-laser bars in the fast-axis direction to provide a first combined beam. Six plane mirrors are arranged to divide the combined beam into three beam-slices, each having one-third the slow-axis width of the first combined beam, and add the beam-slices in the fast-axis direction to provide a second combined beam having about one-third the slow-axis width and three-times the fast-axis length of those of the first combined beam. A spherical mirror and a cylindrical mirror focus the second combined beam into an optical fiber.
US09377610B2	External beam delivery system for laser dark-field illumination in a catadioptric optical system A catadioptric objective configured to inspect a specimen is provided. The catadioptric objective includes a Mangin element having one surface at a first axial location and an extension element positioned together with the Mangin element. The extension element provides a second surface at a second axial location. Certain light energy reflected from the specimen passes to the second surface of the extension element, the Mangin element, and through a plurality of lenses. An aspheric surface may be provided, and light energy may be provided to the specimen using diverting elements such as prisms or reflective surfaces.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10