Document Document Title
US09391217B2 Aluminum-based compositions and solar cells including aluminum-based compositions
The present invention describes an aluminum-based paste composition including an aluminum powder, one or more glass frits, an organo-aluminate compound; and an organic vehicle. The present invention also describes a solar cell including an aluminum-based paste composition applied on a back surface of a silicon wafer.
US09391216B2 Optical coupled sensors for harsh environments
An optical sensor comprising a light source; a sensor substrate, arranged to receive a force to be detected, the sensor substrate including an interference pattern generator, optically coupled to the light source for receiving light from the light source, and generating an interference pattern, and a detector, optically coupled to the sensor substrate for receiving the interference pattern and providing a signal which can be used to determine the force applied to the sensor substrate.
US09391215B2 Device for generating photovoltaic power and method for manufacturing same
Disclosed are a solar cell apparatus and a method of fabricating the same. The solar cell apparatus includes a substrate; a first cell on the substrate; a second cell adjacent to the first cell; a first insulating film covering the first and second cells; and a connection member connecting the first cell with the second cell. The first insulating film includes a first via hole for exposing the first cell and a second via hole for exposing the second cell, and the connection member connects the first cell with the second cell through the first and second via holes.
US09391212B2 Thin film transistor array panel and organic light emitting diode display including the same
A thin film transistor substrate according to an exemplary embodiment includes: a substrate; a gate electrode disposed on the substrate; a gate insulating layer disposed on the gate electrode; an oxide semiconductor disposed on the gate insulating layer; a first interlayer insulating layer disposed on the oxide semiconductor; a data line disposed on the first interlayer insulating layer; a second interlayer insulating layer disposed on the data line; a source electrode disposed on the second interlayer insulating layer and connected with the oxide semiconductor and the data line through a first contact hole through the second interlayer insulating layer; and a drain electrode disposed on the second interlayer insulating layer and connected with the semiconductor through a second contact hole through the second interlayer insulating layer.
US09391210B2 Top gate TFT with polymer interface control layer
A transistor includes a substrate and a polymer layer that is in contact with the substrate. The polymer layer has a first pattern defining a first area. There is an inorganic semiconductor layer over and in contact with the polymer layer that has a second pattern defining a second area. The first area is located within the second area. There is a source electrode in contact with a first portion of the semiconductor layer and a drain electrode in contact with a second portion of the semiconductor layer, and the source electrode and the drain electrode separated by a gap. A gate insulating layer is in contact with the inorganic semiconductor layer in the gap. There is a gate in contact with the gate insulating layer over the gap.
US09391208B2 Electronic device and method of manufacturing the same
An electronic device including at least one electronic component and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The electronic device may include a substrate, a semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate, an insulating layer disposed on the semiconductor layer, and a first metal layer disposed on the insulating layer. The insulating layer may have a pattern corresponding to a pattern of the semiconductor layer or the first metal layer. The flexible layer has a Young's modulus less than 40 GPa and is disposed on the substrate to encapsulate the semiconductor layer. At least one first opening penetrates the flexible layer. At least one second metal layer is disposed on the flexible layer and in the first opening and electrically connected to the semiconductor layer.
US09391204B1 Asymmetric FET
After forming a first-side epitaxial semiconductor region and a second-side epitaxial semiconductor region on recessed surfaces of a semiconductor portion that are not covered by a gate structure, at least one dielectric layer is formed to cover the first-side and the second-side epitaxial semiconductor regions and the gate structure. A second-side contact opening is formed within the at least one dielectric layer to expose an entirety of the second-side epitaxial semiconductor region. The exposed second-side epitaxial semiconductor region can be replaced by a new second-side epitaxial semiconductor region having a composition different from the first-side epitaxial semiconductor region or can be doped by additional dopants, thus creating an asymmetric first-side epitaxial semiconductor region and a second-side epitaxial semiconductor region. Each of the first-side epitaxial semiconductor region and the second-side epitaxial semiconducting region can function as either a source or a drain for a transistor.
US09391197B1 Semiconductor device and operating method thereof
A semiconductor device includes a substrate; a deep well region disposed in the substrate; an element region disposed in the substrate and in the deep well region; a drain region disposed in the substrate, in the deep well region, and surrounding the element region; a gate structure disposed on the surface of the substrate, adjacent to the deep well region, and surrounding the drain region; a well region disposed in the substrate, in the deep well region, and surrounding the gate structure; a source region disposed in the substrate, in the well region, and surrounding the gate structure; a body contact region disposed separately from the source region in the well region and surrounding the source region; and an annular doped region disposed separately from the deep well region in the substrate and surrounding the deep well region.
US09391196B1 High-voltage metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor device and manufacturing method thereof
A high-voltage metal-oxide-semiconductor (HV MOS) transistor device and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The HV MOS transistor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a gate structure, a first sub-gate structure, and a drain region. The gate structure is disposed on the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate has a first region and a second region respectively disposed on two opposite sides of the gate structure. The first sub-gate structure is disposed on the semiconductor substrate, the first sub-gate structure is separated from the gate structure, and the first sub-gate structure is disposed on the first region of the semiconductor substrate. The drain region is disposed in the first region of the semiconductor substrate. The drain region is electrically connected to the first sub-gate structure via a first contact structure disposed on the drain region and the first sub-gate structure.
US09391189B2 Lateral/vertical semiconductor device
A lateral semiconductor device and/or design including a space-charge generating layer and a set of electrodes located on an opposite side of a device channel as contacts to the device channel is provided. The space-charge generating layer is configured to form a space-charge region to at least partially deplete the device channel in response to an operating voltage being applied to the contacts to the device channel.
US09391182B2 Trench insulated-gate bipolar transistor and manufacture method thereof
A Trench Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) and a manufacture method thereof are provided by the present invention, which belongs to the field of IGBT technical field. The manufacture method includes following steps: (1) preparing a semiconductor substrate; (2) forming an epitaxial layer grow on a first side of the semiconductor substrate by epitaxial growth; (3) preparing and forming a gate and an emitter of the Trench Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor on a second side of the semiconductor substrate; (4) thinning the epitaxial layer to form a collector region; (5) metalizing the collector region to form a collector. The cost of the manufacture method is low and the performance of the Trench IGBT formed by the manufacture method is good.
US09391180B2 Heterojunction bipolar transistors with intrinsic interlayers
Heterojunction bipolar transistors are provided that include at least one contact (e.g., collector, emitter, and/or base) formed by a heterojunction between a crystalline semiconductor material and a doped non-crystalline semiconductor material layer. An interfacial intrinsic non-crystalline semiconductor material layer is present at the heterojunction between the crystalline semiconductor material and the doped non-crystalline semiconductor material layer. The presence of the interfacial intrinsic non-crystalline semiconductor material layer improves the surface passivation of the crystalline semiconductor material by reducing the interface defect density at the heterojunction.
US09391178B2 Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
Provided is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device which allows an operation of the semiconductor device to be stabilized without increasing the area occupied thereby. The control gate electrode of a memory cell transistor is formed, and then the memory gate electrode thereof is formed on a lateral side of the control gate electrode. Then, memory offset spacers are formed over the side walls of the memory gate electrode. Then, the memory source region of the memory cell transistor is formed by ion implantation using the memory gate electrode, the memory offset spacers, and the like as a mask. Then, the memory drain region of the memory cell transistor is formed by ion implantation. Then, in the memory cell transistor, sidewall insulating films are formed. The memory offset spacers disappear through cleaning or the like before the sidewall insulating films are formed.
US09391174B1 Method of uniform fin recessing using isotropic etch
Uniform fin recessing for the situation of recessing nonadjacent fins and the situation of recessing adjacent fins includes providing a starting semiconductor structure, the structure including a semiconductor substrate, multiple fins coupled to the substrate, each fin having a hard mask layer thereover and being surrounded by isolation material. The hard mask layer is then removed over some of the fins, at least partially removing the some of the raised structures, the at least partially removing creating openings, and filling the openings with an optical planarization layer (OPL) material.
US09391164B2 Method to improve reliability of replacement gate device
A method of fabricating a replacement gate stack for a semiconductor device includes the following steps after removal of a dummy gate: growing a high-k dielectric layer over the area vacated by the dummy gate; depositing a thin metal layer over the high-k dielectric layer; depositing a sacrificial layer over the thin metal layer; performing a first rapid thermal anneal; removing the sacrificial layer; and depositing a metal layer of low resistivity metal for gap fill.
US09391160B2 Unguarded Schottky barrier diodes with dielectric underetch at silicide interface
One embodiment of the invention relates to an unguarded Schottky barrier diode. The diode includes a cathode that has a recessed region and a dielectric interface surface that laterally extends around a perimeter of the recessed region. The diode further includes an anode that conforms to the recessed region. A dielectric layer extends over the dielectric interface surface of the cathode and further extends over a portion of the anode near the perimeter. Other devices and methods are also disclosed.
US09391159B2 Triple well isolated diode and method of making
A triple well isolate diode including a substrate having a first conductivity type and a buried layer formed in the substrate, where the buried layer has a second conductivity type. The triple well isolated diode including an epi-layer formed over the substrate and the buried layer, where the epi-layer has the first conductivity type. The triple well isolated diode including a first well formed in the epi-layer, where the first well has the second conductivity type, a second well formed in the epi-layer, where the second well has the first conductivity type and surrounds the first well, a third well formed in the epi-layer, where the third well has the second conductivity type and surrounds the second well. The triple well isolated diode including a deep well formed in the epi-layer, where the deep well has the first conductivity type and extends beneath the first well.
US09391154B2 Method of manufacturing a device by locally heating one or more metalization layers and by means of selective etching
A method of manufacturing a device comprises depositing one or more metallization layers to a substrate, locally heating an area of the one or more metallization layers to obtain a substrate/metallization-layer compound or a metallization-layer compound, the compound comprising an etch-selectivity toward an etching medium which is different to that of the one or more metallization layers outside the area, and removing the one or more metallization layers in the area or outside the area, depending on the etching selectivity in the area or outside the area, by etching with the etching medium to form the device.
US09391153B2 III-V compound semiconductor device having metal contacts and method of making the same
A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate; a channel layer of at least a first III-V semiconductor compound above the semiconductor substrate; a gate stack structure above a first portion of the channel layer; a source region and a drain region comprising at least a second III-V semiconductor compound above a second portion of the channel layer; and a first metal contact structure above the S/D regions comprising a first metallic contact layer contacting the S/D regions. The first metallic contact layer comprises at least one metal-III-V semiconductor compound.
US09391150B2 Semiconductor Device
A semiconductor device includes: a p-type semiconductor layer; an n-type semiconductor layer; a first electrode layer; a second electrode layer; and a control electrode layer. The first and second electrode layers are electrically connected such as to each operate at an identical potential. The first electrode layer is connected with a part of a surface of the second electrode layer which is opposite to a surface of the second electrode layer that is in contact with the p-type semiconductor layer. The second electrode layer is connected with a connection line which is a part of a peripheral line of a joint interface between the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type semiconductor layer on an interface side between the second electrode layer and the p-type semiconductor layer, and is formed to be extended to a position on a control electrode layer side of the connection line.
US09391149B2 Semiconductor device with self-charging field electrodes
A semiconductor device includes a drift region of a first doping type, a junction between the drift region and a device region, and a field electrode structure in the drift region. The field electrode structure includes a field electrode, a field electrode dielectric adjoining the field electrode, arranged between the field electrode and the drift region, and having an opening, and at least one of a field stop region and a generation region. The semiconductor device further includes a coupling region of a second doping type complementary to the first doping type. The coupling region is electrically coupled to the device region and coupled to the field electrode.
US09391147B2 Substrate arrangement
A substrate arrangement comprising a substrate having a surface configured to receive, by epitaxy, an epitaxial layer of semiconducting material, the substrate comprising a laminate having a handle layer and a seed layer, the seed layer having a crystal orientation arranged to receive the epitaxial layer and the handle layer having a crystal orientation different to the seed layer.
US09391145B2 Nitride semiconductor element and nitride semiconductor wafer
According to one embodiment, a nitride semiconductor element includes a functional layer and a stacked body. The stacked body includes a GaN intermediate layer, a low Al composition layer, a high Al composition layer, and a first Si-containing layer. The low Al composition layer includes a nitride semiconductor having a first Al composition ratio. The low Al composition layer is provided between the GaN intermediate layer and the functional layer. The high Al composition layer includes a nitride semiconductor having a second Al composition ratio. The high Al composition layer is provided between the GaN intermediate layer and the low Al composition layer. The second Al composition ratio is higher than the first Al composition ratio. The first Si-containing layer is provided between the GaN intermediate layer and the high Al composition layer.
US09391141B2 Method for producing fin structures of a semiconductor device in a substrate
A method for producing fin structures, using Directed Self Assembly (DSA) lithographic patterning, in an area of a semiconductor substrate includes providing a semiconductor substrate covered with a shallow trench isolation (STI) layer stack on a side thereof; defining a fin area on that side of the substrate by performing a lithographic patterning step other than DSA, wherein the fin structures will be produced in the fin area; and producing the fin structures in the semiconductor substrate within the fin area according to a predetermined fin pattern using DSA lithographic patterning. The disclosure also relates to associated semiconductor structures.
US09391133B2 Capacitor and preparation method thereof
A capacitor and a method of fabricating thereof are provided. A structure of low pressure tetraethyl orthosilicate—low pressure silicon nitride—low pressure tetraethyl orthosilicate is used in the capacitor to replace the oxide-nitride-oxide structure of the existing capacitor; the capacitor has a relatively high unit capacitance value. Furthermore, the structure of low pressure tetraethyl orthosilicate—low pressure silicon nitride—low pressure tetraethyl orthosilicate is fabricaited by low pressure chemical vapor deposition method at relatively low temperature; thus the heat produced in the whole process is relatively low, which is insufficient to make the semiconductor device shift or make the gate metal layer or the metallized silicon layer peel off. Accordingly, the capacitor and the method of fabricating the capacitor of the present invention can be well applied in the process of the 0.5 μm PIP capacitor or below 0.5 μm.
US09391132B2 Light emitting device
An electro-optical device for performing time division gray scale display and which is capable of arbitrarily setting the amount of time during which light is emitted by EL elements is provided. From among n sustain periods Ts1, . . . , Tsn, the brightness of light emitted by the EL elements during at least one sustain period is set to be always lower than the brightness of light emitted by the EL elements during the other sustain periods, and the sustain periods are extended by the amount that the brightness has dropped. In accordance with the above structure, the sustain periods can be extended by lowering the setting of the brightness of light emitted by the EL elements.
US09391130B2 Organic light emitting display device and method for manufacturing the same
Disclosed are an organic light emitting display device and a manufacturing method. The organic light emitting display device includes: a data line arranged in a first direction on a substrate; a gate line arranged in a second direction on the substrate; a thin film transistor arranged at a crossing of the gate line and the data line; a pixel electrode connected to a source electrode or a drain electrode of the thin film transistor and corresponding to a white pixel region; a low reflection layer arranged opposite the white pixel region; and a light shield layer arranged opposite to the thin film transistor.
US09391128B2 Light emitting device and electronic device
Color purity of a light emitting element is improved without an adverse effect such as reduction in voltage and luminance efficiency. The light emitting element has a light emitting laminated body including a light emitting layer between a pair of electrodes. A buffer layer is provided to be in contact with at least one of the electrodes. One of the electrodes is an electrode having high reflectance and the other is a translucent electrode. By employing a translucent electrode, light can be transmitted and reflected. An optical distance between the electrodes is adjusted in accordance with a thickness of the buffer layer, and accordingly, light can be resonated between the electrodes. The buffer layer is made of a composite material including an organic compound and a metal compound; therefore, voltage and luminance efficiency of the light emitting element is not affected even if a distance between the electrodes becomes long.
US09391127B2 Display device for controlling light transmittance
A display device that can control light transmittance is disclosed. One aspect is a display device for controlling light transmittance. The display device includes a light-emitting region and a light-transmitting region. The light-emitting region includes a light-emitting unit. The light-transmitting region includes a light-transmitting unit configured to adjust the transmittance of external light, wherein the light-emitting unit and the light-transmitting unit are formed over the same substrate.
US09391124B2 Organic light emitting diode display
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display includes a substrate, a thin film transistor disposed on the substrate, a first electrode disposed on the thin film transistor and electrically connected to the thin film transistor, a first auxiliary layer disposed on the first electrode, an emission layer disposed on the first auxiliary layer, an electron transport layer disposed on the emission layer, a first buffer layer disposed on the electron transport layer, and a second electrode disposed on the first buffer layer.
US09391118B2 Fault tolerant light emitters, systems incorporating fault tolerant light emitters and methods of fabricating fault tolerant light emitters
There is provided a light emitter comprising light emitting devices (for example, light emitting diodes) which are electrically interconnected to provide an array of at least two serially connected subsets of parallel connected light emitting devices, each subset comprising at least three light emitting devices. In some embodiments, the light emitting devices are from a contiguous region of a wafer. There is also provided a light emitter, comprising light emitting devices, means for mechanically interconnecting the light emitting devices and means for electrically interconnecting the light emitting devices to provide serially connected subsets interconnected in parallel, each subset comprising at least three light emitting devices. Also, methods of fabricating light emitters.
US09391115B1 CMOS image sensor unit and method for fabricating the same
A CMOS image sensor unit and a method for fabricating the same are described. The image sensor unit includes a photodiode, a transfer gate, a reset gate, a source follower gate, a floating drain region between the transfer gate and the reset gate, and a PIP capacitor. The lower poly-Si electrode of the PIP capacitor is electrically connected with the floating drain region and the source follower gate to also serve as an interconnect between the floating drain region and the source follower gate. The fabrication method includes forming contact plugs on the floating drain region and the source follower gate, and then forming a PIP capacitor whose lower poly-Si electrode is connected with each contact plug.
US09391114B2 Semiconductor devices, methods of manufacturing thereof, and image sensor devices
Semiconductor devices, methods of manufacturing thereof, and image sensor devices are disclosed. In some embodiments, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip comprising an array region, a periphery region, and a through-via disposed therein. A guard structure is disposed in the semiconductor chip between the array region and the through-via or between the through-via and a portion of the periphery region. A portion of the guard structure is disposed within a substrate of the semiconductor chip.
US09391104B2 Single-plate color imaging element including color filters arranged on pixels
A color imaging element including color filters arranged on pixels, wherein the color filter array includes a basic array pattern including first filters corresponding to a first color that most contributes to obtaining luminance signals and second filters corresponding to two or more second colors other than the first color, the basic array pattern repeatedly arranged in the horizontal and vertical directions, one or more first filters are arranged in each line in horizontal, vertical, and oblique directions of the color filter array, one or more second filters are arranged in each line in the horizontal and vertical directions of the color filter array in the basic array pattern, and a proportion of the number of pixels of the first color corresponding to the first filters is greater than proportions of the numbers of pixels of each color of the second colors corresponding to the second filters.
US09391103B2 Image pickup element and image pickup device
An image pickup element includes: a photoelectric conversion film provided on a semiconductor substrate and including a chalcopyrite-based compound; an insulating film provided on a light incident surface side of the photoelectric conversion film; and a conductive film provided on the insulating film.
US09391102B2 Imaging device
An imaging device includes pixels each of which includes a photoelectric converter including a p-n junction formed of a first semiconductor region and a second semiconductor region, an amplifying transistor configured to amplify a signal based on signal carriers, and a capacitance including a p-n junction formed of a third semiconductor region having the same conductivity type as the first semiconductor region and a fourth semiconductor region having the opposite conductivity type to the third semiconductor region. A doping impurity concentration of an impurity of the same conductivity type as the conductivity type of the third semiconductor region at the p-n junction interface of the capacitance is higher than a doping impurity concentration of an impurity of the same conductivity type as the conductivity type of the first semiconductor region at the p-n junction interface of the photoelectric converter.
US09391097B2 Thin film transistor, array substrate and method of manufacturing the same and display device
According to embodiments of the present invention, there are provided a thin film transistor, an array substrate and method of manufacturing the same, and a display device. The thin film transistor comprises: a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer, a semiconductor active layer, an etch stop layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode, wherein, the gate insulating layer is interposed between the gate electrode and the semiconductor active layer, the etch stop layer covers the semiconductor active layer, and has a first via hole and a second via hole formed therein which expose a part of the semiconductor active layer, the source electrode of the thin film transistor contacts with the semiconductor active layer through the first via hole, and the drain electrode of the thin film transistor contacts with the semiconductor active layer through the second via hole.
US09391094B2 Thin-film ambipolar logic
An ambipolar electronic device is disclosed. The device may include a field-effect transistor (FET), which may have a handle substrate layer, two contacts and an inorganic crystalline layer between the handle substrate layer and the contacts. The inorganic crystalline layer may have a doped channel region between the contacts. The FET may also have a dielectric layer between the contacts, attached to the inorganic crystalline layer, and a gate layer, attached to the dielectric layer. The FET may conduct current, in response to a first gate voltage applied to the gate layer, using electrons as a majority carrier, along the length of the channel region between the contacts. The FET may also conduct current, in response to a second gate voltage applied to the gate layer, using holes as a majority carrier, along the length of the channel region between the contacts.
US09391088B2 Nonvolatile memory device
The nonvolatile memory device includes a plurality of memory cells being stacked in a direction perpendicular to a substrate. A string select transistor is connected between the memory cells and a bit line. A string select line is connected to the string select transistor. A one directional device is connected between the substrate and the string select line and configured to transmit a bias voltage from the substrate toward the string select line in an erase operation.
US09391086B1 Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device and method of manufacturing nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a stacked body in which a spacer film and an electrode film are alternately stacked each in a plurality of layers, and a pillar member disposed in the stacked body and penetrating the stacked body in a thickness direction. The pillar member includes an inter-electrode insulating film, a charge accumulation film, a tunnel insulating film, and a channel semiconductor film in this order from a side in contact with the stacked body. The stacked body has a taper angle of 90° in a vertical cross section of the stacked body including the pillar member.
US09391084B2 Bandgap-engineered memory with multiple charge trapping layers storing charge
A memory cell includes a gate, a channel material having a channel surface and a channel valence band edge, and a dielectric stack between the gate and the channel surface. The dielectric stack comprises a multi-layer tunneling structure on the channel surface, a first charge storage nitride layer on the multi-layer tunneling structure, a first blocking oxide layer on the first charge storage nitride layer, a second charge storage nitride layer on the first blocking dielectric layer, and a second blocking oxide layer on the second charge storage nitride layer. The multi-layer tunneling structure includes a first tunneling oxide layer, a first tunneling nitride layer on the first tunneling oxide layer, and a second tunneling oxide layer on the first tunneling nitride layer.
US09391077B2 SiGe and Si FinFET structures and methods for making the same
FinFET structures and methods for making the same. A method includes: creating a plurality of Silicon fins on a first region of a substrate, creating a plurality of Silicon-Germanium fins on a second region of the substrate, adjusting a Silicon fin pitch of the plurality of Silicon fins to a predetermined value, and adjusting a Silicon-Germanium fin pitch of the plurality of Silicon-Germanium fins to a predetermined value, where the creating steps are performed in a manner that Silicon material and Silicon-Germanium material used in making the plurality of fins will be on the semiconductor structure at a same time.
US09391075B2 Integrated circuit and method for fabricating the same having a replacement gate structure
An integrated circuit includes a first FET structure and a second FET structure, both of which being formed over a silicon substrate. The first FET structure includes a high-k material layer, a layer of a first workfunction material formed over the high-k material layer, a layer of a barrier material formed over the first workfunction material layer; and a layer of a gate fill material formed over the barrier material layer. The entirety of the barrier material layer and the gate fill material layer are formed above the first workfunction material layer. The second FET structure includes a layer of the high-k material, a layer of a second workfunction material formed over the high-k material layer, a low-resistance material layer formed over the second workfunction material layer and a layer of the barrier material formed over the low-resistance material layer.
US09391074B1 Structure for FinFET fins
A design structure for fins in a fin array that can be included in a fin field effect transistor (FinFET), the design structure including: a semiconductor fin being on a substrate and having a semiconductor fin height and a first side; a dielectric fin having a dielectric fin height and a second side facing the first side, the dielectric fin extending in a first direction substantially parallel to the first semiconductor fin; a first conformal liner lining a first trough, the first conformal liner extending across the substrate between the first side and the second side and up to approximately the dielectric fin height on the first side and on the second side; and a fill material filling the first trough to approximately the dielectric fin height.
US09391069B1 MIM capacitor with enhanced capacitance formed by selective epitaxy
An on-chip capacitor with enhanced capacitance and a method of forming the same are provided. An epitaxial process is employed to selectively form semiconductor material nodules on portions of a semiconductor material nodule nucleation layer that is present atop a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor material nodules have an increased surface area for forming a capacitor structure thereon. A metal-insulator-metal capacitor structure is then formed surrounding each semiconductor material nodule. The resultant semiconductor structure (i.e., on-chip capacitor) has enhanced capacitance without increasing the size of the chip or the fabrication cost.
US09391066B2 Semiconductor device
To provide a technique capable of reducing the chip size of a semiconductor chip and particularly, a technique capable of reducing the chip size of a semiconductor chip in the form of a rectangle that constitutes an LCD driver by devising a layout arrangement in a short-side direction. In a semiconductor chip that constitutes an LCD driver, input protection circuits are arranged in a lower layer of part of a plurality of input bump electrodes and on the other hand, in a lower layer of the other part of the input bump electrodes, the input protection circuits are not arranged but SRAMs (internal circuits) are arranged.
US09391062B2 Apparatuses, circuits, and methods for protection circuits for dual-direction nodes
Apparatuses, circuits, and methods are disclosed for biased protection circuits for dual-direction nodes. In one such example apparatus, a protection circuit is coupled to a dual-direction node, and includes a positive protection component and a negative protection component. The protection circuit is configured to protect the dual-direction node during an over-limit electrical condition. The protection circuit is configured to control a turn-on condition of the protection circuit.
US09391061B2 Uni-directional transient voltage suppressor (TVS)
A unidirectional transient voltage suppressor (TVS) device includes first and second NPN transistors that are connected in parallel to each other. Each NPN transistor includes a collector region, an emitter. The first and second NPN structures are formed on a common substrate. The first NPN transistor has a floating base and the second NPN transistor has a base shorted to an emitter.
US09391059B2 Solid-state power controller channel protection systems and methods
A scalable solid-state power controller system is provided with channel protection features. A plurality of output channels may be combined to provide a combined channel output. The current provided at the combined channel output is sourced from the plurality of output channels and each channel is protected from faults such as overcurrent events.
US09391058B2 Transient voltage suppressor and its manufacturing method
A transient voltage suppressor and its manufacturing method are provided, which can easily control voltage withstanding characteristics of a Zener diode by analogizing growth of a buried layer by forming a portion of the buried layer by performing ion implantation on a first epitaxial layer and then forming the other portion of the buried layer while depositing a second epitaxial layer having the same impurity concentration with the first epitaxial layer, and which can improve a current distribution characteristic by forming a doping region in a ring shape to increase a current pass region by increasing a PN junction area of a Zener diode in a small area.
US09391054B2 Method of making the light source structure in flexible substrate
Light emitting diode (LED) package structures employing large area substrates are described. Panel or reel-to-reel substrate processing is utilized in the manufacture of such LED package structures. In some embodiments, electrochemically deposited metal patterns and through substrate vias (TSuVs) are formed through glass substrates and/or interposers. In some embodiments, the metal deposited into the TSuVs offer high thermal conductivity a low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that is to closely match the CTE of the glass. Singulated LED package structures including a plurality of LEDs arrayed for displays, such as, but not limited to, liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and LED displays or for general purpose LED light sources are described, as are LED package structures including active devices (e.g., ICs) and/or passive devices (e.g., capacitors, inductors, resistors, etc.) integrated with LEDs at the package level.
US09391047B2 3-D stacked and aligned processors forming a logical processor with power modes controlled by respective set of configuration parameters
Processor devices are provided which operate in one of multiple power operating modes. A processor device comprises first and second processor chips connected in a stacked configuration, and which respectively include first and second processors that operate as a single logical processor. A mode control circuit generates control signals and different sets of configuration parameters. A first control signal is generated to input a first set of configuration parameters to the single logical processor, which is utilized to operate the single logical processor in a first power operating mode wherein the first processor is turned on and the second processor is turned off. A second control signal is generated to input a second set of configuration parameters to the single logical processor, which is utilized to operate the single logical processor in a second power operating mode wherein both the first processor and the second processor are turned on.
US09391044B2 Printed wiring board and method for manufacturing printed wiring board
A printed wiring board includes a first insulation layer, an electronic component built into the first insulation layer, a second insulation layer having a via conductor and formed on a first surface of the first insulation layer, and a conductive film formed on the first insulation layer on the opposite side with respect to the first surface of the first insulation layer such that the conductive film is positioned to face a back surface of the electronic component. The first insulation layer has a coefficient of thermal expansion which is set higher than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the second insulation layer.
US09391043B2 Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor device including a relatively thin interposer excluding a through silicon hole and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The method includes forming an interposer on a dummy substrate. The forming of the interposer includes, forming a dielectric layer on the dummy substrate, forming a pattern and a via on the dielectric layer, and forming a seed layer at the pattern and the via of the dielectric layer and forming a redistribution layer and a conductive via on the seed layer. A semiconductor die is connected with the conductive via facing an upper portion of the interposer, and the semiconductor die is encapsulated with an encapsulant. The dummy substrate is removed from the interposer. A bump is connected with the conductive via facing a lower portion of the interposer.
US09391042B2 Micro device transfer system with pivot mount
Systems and methods for transferring a micro device from a carrier substrate are disclosed. In an embodiment, a micro pick up array mount includes a pivot platform to allow a micro pick up array to automatically align with a carrier substrate. Deflection of the pivot platform may be detected to control further movement of the micro pick up array.
US09391040B2 Planarity-tolerant reworkable interconnect with integrated testing
A structure includes an electrical interconnection between a first substrate including a plurality of protrusions and a second substrate including a plurality of solder bumps, the plurality of protrusions includes sharp tips that penetrate the plurality of solder bumps, and a permanent electrical interconnection is established by physical contact between the plurality of protrusions and the plurality of solder bumps including a metallurgical joint.
US09391039B2 Solder balls and semiconductor device employing the same
A solder ball and a semiconductor device using the same are provided. In a Sn-based solder ball in which a first plating layer and a second plating layer are sequentially formed on a core ball, the second plating layer includes a Sn—Ag—Cu alloy, and Ag3Sn intermetallic compound (IMC) nanoparticles or Ag—Sn compound nanoparticles exist in the second plating layer. The solder balls have high sphericity and stand-off characteristics and connection reliability so that a semiconductor device having a high degree of integration may be implemented.
US09391037B2 Semiconductor device including a protective film
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip having a wire and a passivation film formed on the outermost surface with an opening partially exposing the wire. A resin layer is stacked on the semiconductor chip and provided with a through-hole in a position opposed to a portion of the wire facing the opening. A pad is formed on a peripheral portion of the through-hole in the resin layer and in the through-hole so that an external connection terminal is arranged on the surface thereof. The peripheral portion of the resin layer is formed more thickly than the remaining portion of the resin layer other than the peripheral portion.
US09391036B2 Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor electronic component which includes a pad electrode, a solder bump, and a metal layer between a pad and solder that is configured to have an underlying metal layer formed between the pad electrode and the solder bump and connected to the pad electrode, and a main metal layer formed on the underlying metal layer, and in which the main metal layer has an eave portion at an outer edge portion thereof.
US09391032B2 Integrated circuits with internal pads
An embodiment includes an integrated circuit, comprising: a substrate; a first circuit formed on the substrate and coupled to a plurality of first pads on the substrate; and a second circuit formed on the substrate and coupled to a plurality of second pads on the substrate. The first pads are formed on a perimeter of the substrate; and the second pads extend from the perimeter of the substrate towards an interior of the substrate.
US09391031B2 Method for manufacturing electronic device and electronic device
A method for manufacturing an electronic device, the method includes: applying an adhesive film on a package board; placing an electronic component on the package board with a bump therebetween; applying a first load to the electronic component while heating the electronic component to a first temperature higher than a reaction start temperature of the adhesive film and lower than a melting point of the bump; reducing the first load to a second load lower than the first load while maintaining the first temperature; and heating the electronic component to a second temperature higher than or equal to the melting point of the bump while maintaining the second load.
US09391030B1 On-chip semiconductor device having enhanced variability
A physical unclonable function (PUF) semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate extending along a first direction to define a length and a second direction opposite the first direction to define a thickness. At least one pair of semiconductor structures is formed on the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor structures include a first semiconductor structure and a second semiconductor structure. The first semiconductor structure includes a first gate dielectric layer having a first shape that defines a first threshold voltage. The second semiconductor structure includes a second gate dielectric layer having a second dielectric shape that is reversely arranged with respect to the first shape and that defines a second threshold voltage different from the first threshold voltage.
US09391029B2 Electronic device
According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, an electronic component and a first shield. The first substrate includes a first surface, a second surface, and an aperture. The second substrate includes a third surface fixed to the second surface. The electronic component is mounted on the third surface, passes through the aperture and protrudes from the first surface. The first shield includes a first portion facing the component protruding from the first surface, and second portions which extend from the first portion, are fixed to the first surface and face corner portions of the third surface respectively.
US09391025B2 Reliable microstrip routing for electronics components
Reliable microstrip routing arrangements for electronics components are described. In an example, a semiconductor apparatus includes a semiconductor die having a surface with an integrated circuit thereon coupled to contact pads of an uppermost metallization layer of a semiconductor package substrate by a plurality of conductive contacts. A plurality of discrete metal planes is disposed at the uppermost metallization layer of the semiconductor package substrate, each metal plane located, from a plan view perspective, at a corner of a perimeter of the semiconductor die. Microstrip routing is disposed at the uppermost metallization layer of the semiconductor package substrate, from the plan view perspective, outside of the perimeter of the semiconductor die.
US09391023B2 Method for producing salicide and a carbon nanotube metal contact
A method for producing a metal contact in a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method comprises depositing a catalyst layer in a via hole, forming a catalyst from the deposited catalyst layer, and growing a carbon nanotube structure above the catalyst in the via hole. The method further comprises forming salicide from the catalyst, applying a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process to the carbon nanotube structure to remove top layers of catalyst and nanotube material, and depositing metal material above the carbon nanotube structure. Growing a carbon nanotube structure comprises absorbing a precursor on a surface of the catalyst formed in the via hole, forming a metal-carbon alloy from the catalyst and the precursor, and growing a carbon nanotube structure vertically from the via bottom. The carbon nanotube structure comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes wherein the diameters of the carbon nanotubes are limited by the catalyst size.
US09391014B2 Physical unclonable interconnect function array
A method for fabricating an interconnect function array includes forming a first plurality of conductive lines on a substrate, forming an insulator layer over the first plurality of conductive lines and the substrate, removing portions of the insulator layer to define cavities in the insulator layer that expose portions of the substrate and the first plurality of conductive lines, wherein the removal of the portions of the insulator layer results in a substantially random arrangement of cavities exposing portions of the substrate and the first plurality of conductive lines, depositing a conductive material in the cavities, and forming a second plurality of conductive lines on portions of the conductive material in the cavities and the insulator layer.
US09391006B2 Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a functional block unit, external terminals and, and an external resin sealing body. The functional block unit includes an internal resin sealing body having an edge and an opposite edgeb. The edge side of the internal resin sealing body covers a first end of an internal terminal, but does not cover a second end of the internal terminal. The edge side of the internal resin sealing body covers a first end of an internal terminal, but does not cover a second end of the internal terminal. The external resin sealing body covers the root portion and a portion of the middle portion of the external terminal, but does not cover the terminal portion of the external terminal. The functional block unit and the external terminals and are integrally connected together and sealed by the external resin sealing body.
US09391004B2 Power semiconductor package with conductive clip and related method
A semiconductor package that includes a conductive can, a power semiconductor device electrically and mechanically attached to the inside surface of the can, and an IC semiconductor device copackaged with the power semiconductor device inside the can.
US09391003B2 Semiconductor package with conductive clip
A semiconductor package that includes a conductive can, a power semiconductor device electrically and mechanically attached to the inside surface of the can, and an IC semiconductor device copackaged with the power semiconductor device inside the can.
US09391001B2 Semiconductor constructions
Some embodiments include semiconductor constructions having first and second electrically conductive lines that intersect with one another at an intersection. The first line has primarily a first width, and has narrowed regions directly against the second line and on opposing sides of the second line from one another. Electrically conductive contacts are along the first line and directly electrically coupled to the first line, and one of the electrically conductive contacts is directly against the intersection. Some embodiments include methods of forming intersecting lines of material. First and second trenches are formed, and intersect with one another at an intersection. The first trench has primarily a first width, and has narrowed regions directly against the second trench and on opposing sides of the second trench from one another. Material is deposited within the first and second trenches to substantially entirely fill the first and second trenches.
US09390995B2 Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
An object is to provide a fin integrated type semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same, which are provided with a simple structure and good heat dissipation characteristics. The semiconductor device includes: a base plate on which fins arranged in a standing condition are formed on a first main face; an insulating layer formed on a second main face of the base plate, the second main face being opposite to the first main face of the base plate; a circuit pattern fixed to the insulating layer; and a semiconductor element joined to the circuit pattern. The fins are formed with slits that pass through in the thickness direction of the fins.
US09390992B2 Semiconductor packages including a metal layer between first and second semiconductor chips
Semiconductor packages are provided. A semiconductor package may include a wiring board and a first semiconductor chip on the wiring board. Moreover, the semiconductor package may include a metal layer on the first semiconductor chip and a second semiconductor chip on the metal layer. The metal layer may be between the first and second semiconductor chips.
US09390980B1 III-V compound and germanium compound nanowire suspension with germanium-containing release layer
A device that includes: a substrate layer; a first set of source/drain component(s) defining an nFET (n-type field-effect transistor) region; a second set of source/drain component(s) defining a pFET (p-type field-effect transistor) region; a first suspended nanowire, at least partially suspended over the substrate layer in the nFET region and made from III-V material; and a second suspended nanowire, at least partially suspended over the substrate layer in the pFET region and made from Germanium-containing material. In some embodiments, the first suspended nanowire and the second suspended nanowire are fabricated by adding appropriate nanowire layers on top of a Germanium-containing release layer, and then removing the Germanium-containing release layers so that the nanowires are suspended.
US09390978B2 Method for producing semiconductor device and semiconductor device
A SGT production method includes a step of forming first and second fin-shaped silicon layers, forming a first insulating film, and forming first and second pillar-shaped silicon layers; a step of forming diffusion layers by implanting an impurity into upper portions of the first and second pillar-shaped silicon layers, upper portions of the first and second fin-shaped silicon layers, and lower portions of the first and second pillar-shaped silicon layers; a step of forming a gate insulating film and first and second polysilicon gate electrodes; a step of forming a silicide in upper portions of the diffusion layers formed in the upper portions of the first and second fin-shaped silicon layers; and a step of depositing an interlayer insulating film, exposing and etching the first and second polysilicon gate electrodes, then depositing a metal, and forming first and second metal gate electrodes.
US09390975B2 Methods for producing a tunnel field-effect transistor
A method for producing a tunnel field-effect transistor is disclosed. Connection regions of different doping types are produced by means of self-aligning implantation methods.
US09390970B2 Method for depositing a diffusion barrier layer and a metal conductive layer
We disclose a method of applying a sculptured layer of material on a semiconductor feature surface using ion deposition sputtering, wherein a surface onto which the sculptured layer is applied is protected to resist erosion and contamination by impacting ions of a depositing layer, A first protective layer of material is deposited on a substrate surface using traditional sputtering or ion deposition sputtering, in combination with sufficiently low substrate bias that a surface onto which the layer is applied is not eroded away or contaminated during deposition of the protective layer. Subsequently, a sculptured second layer of material is applied using ion deposition sputtering at an increased substrate bias, to sculpture a shape from a portion of the first protective layer of material and the second layer of depositing material. The method is particularly applicable to the sculpturing of barrier layers, wetting layers, and conductive layers upon semiconductor feature surfaces.
US09390967B2 Method for residue-free block pattern transfer onto metal interconnects for air gap formation
A selective wet etching process is used, prior to air gap opening formation, to remove a sacrificial nitride layer from over a first region of an interconnect dielectric material containing a plurality of first conductive metal structures utilizing a titanium nitride hard mask portion located over a second region of the interconnect dielectric material as an etch mask. The titanium nitride hard mask portion located over the second region of the interconnect dielectric material is thereafter removed, again prior to air gap opening formation, utilizing another wet etch process. The wet etching processes are used instead of reactive ion etching.
US09390964B2 Methods for fabricating dual damascene structures in low temperature dielectric materials
Methods for fabricating dual damascene structures are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for fabricating a dual damascene interconnect structure may include patterning a first mask layer atop a substrate disposed in a process chamber, wherein the substrate includes one or more low temperature dielectric layers to define a first etch pattern, and wherein the one or more low temperature dielectric layers are formed atop the substrate at a temperature below about 180 degrees Celsius; etching the first etch pattern into the one or more low temperature dielectric layers; patterning a second mask layer atop the substrate to define a second etch pattern, wherein the first etch pattern and the second etch pattern are aligned; and etching the second etch pattern into the one or more low temperature dielectric layers to form a dual damascene pattern in the substrate.
US09390962B1 Methods for fabricating device substrates and integrated circuits
Methods for fabricating device substrates are provided where the device substrates have rounded trench corners in medium voltage (MV) and high voltage (HV) regions thereof to minimize interference with performance of MV or HV devices adjacent thereto. The fabricating methods involve thermally oxidizing a trench-forming area in an MV or HV region on a semiconductor substrate to form a silicon oxide layer having narrowed birds beak edges that create rounded trench shoulders semiconductor substrate. An isolation trench is then formed through the silicon oxide layer, into the semiconductor substrate, removing portion of the silicon oxide layer and leaving the birds beak edges. After removing the birds beak edges, an oxide layer is formed lining the trench and shoulders to create rounded trench corners in the MV or HV region. Trenches having rounded corners may be formed simultaneously with forming trenches in low voltage regions that don't have rounded trench corners.
US09390949B2 Wafer debonding and cleaning apparatus and method of use
This description relates to a wafer debonding and cleaning apparatus including an automatic wafer handling module. The automatic wafer handling module loads a semiconductor wafer into a wafer debonding module for a debonding process. The automatic wafer handling module removes the semiconductor wafer from the debonding module and loads the semiconductor wafer into a wafer cleaning module for a cleaning process.
US09390945B2 Semiconductor device and method of depositing underfill material with uniform flow rate
A semiconductor device has a substrate and insulating layer formed over a surface of the substrate. A first conductive layer is formed over the surface of the substrate. A second conductive layer is formed over an opposing surface of the substrate. A conductive via is formed through the substrate. An opening is formed in the insulating layer while leaving the first conductive layer intact. The opening narrows with a non-linear side or linear side. The opening can have a rectangular shape. A semiconductor die is mounted over the surface of the substrate. An underfill material is deposited between the semiconductor die and substrate. The opening in the insulating layer reduces a flow rate of the underfill material proximate to the opening. The flow rate of the underfill material proximate to the opening is substantially equal to a flow rate of the underfill material away from the opening.
US09390943B2 Substrate processing apparatus
A substrate processing apparatus generates an electric field in a processing space between a lower electrode to which a high frequency power is supplied and an upper electrode facing the lower electrode and performs plasma processing on a substrate mounted on the lower electrode by using a plasma generated by the electric field. Distribution of a plasma density in the processing space is controlled by a magnetic field generated by controlling a plurality of electromagnets provided at a top surface of the upper electrode which is provided to be opposite to the processing space.
US09390941B2 Sample processing apparatus, sample processing system, and method for processing sample
There is provided a VUV light processing apparatus that can apply vacuum ultraviolet light to the entire surface of a wafer in excellent reproducibility and can process the wafer with VUV (vacuum ultraviolet) light in excellent reproducibility. A VUV light processing apparatus includes: a chamber connected with a gas supply apparatus and an evacuation apparatus, the chamber being capable of reducing the pressure inside the chamber; a plasma light source that generates VUV light including a wavelength of 200 nm or less, the plasma light source including a plasma generating unit that generates plasma in the chamber; and a VUV transmission filter provided between a stage on which a sample to be processed is placed and the sample in the chamber, the VUV transmission filter transmitting the VUV light including a wavelength of 200 nm or less and not transmitting electrons, ions, and radicals in plasma, the VUV transmission filter having the outer diameter size larger than that of the sample.
US09390940B2 Methods of etching films comprising transition metals
Provided are methods for etching films comprising transition metals. Certain methods involve activating a substrate surface comprising at least one transition metal, wherein activation of the substrate surface comprises exposing the substrate surface to heat, a plasma, an oxidizing environment, or a halide transfer agent to provide an activated substrate surface; and exposing the activated substrate surface to a reagent comprising a Lewis base or pi acid to provide a vapor phase coordination complex comprising one or more atoms of the transition metal coordinated to one or more ligands from the reagent. Certain other methods provide selective etching from a multi-layer substrate comprising two or more of a layer of Co, a layer of Cu and a layer of Ni.
US09390938B2 Polishing composition
To provide a means by which polishing rate can further be improved in a polishing composition to be used for an application of polishing an object to be polished containing a metal element or a semimetal element. Oxo acid containing a metal element or a semimetal element, and water are contained in a polishing composition to be used for an application of polishing an object to be polished containing a metal element or a semimetal element.
US09390932B2 Electropositive metal containing layers for semiconductor applications
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods for forming layers that comprise electropositive metals through ALD (atomic layer deposition) and or CVD (chemical vapor deposition) processes, layers comprising one or more electropositive metals, and semiconductor devices comprising layers comprising one or more electropositive metals. In embodiments of the invention, the layers are thin or ultrathin (films that are less than 100 Å thick) and or conformal films. Additionally provided are transistor devices, metal interconnects, and computing devices comprising metal layers comprising one or more electropositive metals.
US09390928B2 Anisotropic dielectric material gate spacer for a field effect transistor
Capacitive coupling between a gate electrode and underlying portions of the source and drain regions can be enhanced while suppressing capacitive coupling between the gate electrode and laterally spaced elements such as contact via structures for the source and drain regions. A transistor including a gate electrode and source and drain regions is formed employing a disposable gate spacer. The disposable gate spacer is removed to form a spacer cavity, which is filled with an anisotropic dielectric material to form an anisotropic gate spacer. The anisotropic dielectric material is aligned with an electrical field such that lengthwise directions of the molecules of the anisotropic dielectric material are aligned vertically within the spacer cavity. The anisotropic gate spacer provides a higher dielectric constant along the vertical direction and a lower dielectric constant along the horizontal direction.
US09390926B2 Process sheet resistance uniformity improvement using multiple melt laser exposures
Embodiments described herein relate to apparatus and methods of thermal processing. More specifically, apparatus and methods described herein relate to laser thermal treatment of semiconductor substrates by increasing the uniformity of energy distribution in an image at a surface of a substrate.
US09390923B2 Methods of removing residual polymers formed during a boron-doped amorphous carbon layer etch process
Methods for removing residual polymers formed during etching of a boron-doped amorphous carbon layer are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of etching a feature in a substrate includes: exposing a boron doped amorphous carbon layer disposed on the substrate to a first plasma through a patterned mask layer to etch a feature into the boron doped amorphous carbon layer, wherein the first plasma is formed from a first process gas that reacts with the boron doped amorphous carbon layer to form residual polymers proximate a bottom of the feature; and exposing the residual polymers to a second plasma through the patterned mask layer to etch the residual polymers proximate the bottom of the feature, wherein the second plasma is formed from a second process gas comprising nitrogen (N2), oxygen (O2), hydrogen (H2), and methane (CH4).
US09390917B2 Closed-space sublimation process for production of CZTS thin-films
In one embodiment, a method includes depositing a CZT(S, Se) precursor layer onto a substrate, introducing a source-material layer comprising Sn(S, Se) into proximity with the precursor layer, and annealing the precursor layer in proximity with the source-material layer in a constrained volume.
US09390916B2 Method of manufacturing semiconductor device, substrate processing apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device can enhance controllability of the diameters of grains of a film containing a predetermined element such as a silicon film when the film is formed. The method includes (a) forming a seed layer containing a predetermined element and carbon on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, the cycle including alternately performing supplying a first source gas containing the predetermined element, an alkyl group and a halogen group to the substrate and supplying a second source gas containing the predetermined element and an amino group to the substrate, or by performing supplying the first source gas to the substrate a predetermined number of times; and (b) forming a film containing the predetermined element on the seed layer by supplying a third source gas containing the predetermined element and free of the alkyl group to the substrate.
US09390915B1 Methods and systems for improved uniformity of SiGe thickness
A process is used to form a protective layer to cover a divot between two regions of a semiconductor material. During etching processes, the protective layer protects the divot to be etched away and reduces material loss of a Silicon (Si)-shallow trench isolation (STI) substrate. A selective coverage is provided to protect the height of the Si-STI substrate and an Si-STI interface. A desirable geometry can be obtained for forming a silicon germanium (SiGe)layer with uniform thickness near the divot.
US09390914B2 Wet oxidation process performed on a dielectric material formed from a flowable CVD process
Methods of performing a wet oxidation process on a silicon containing dielectric material filling within trenches or vias defined within a substrate are provided. In one embodiment, a method of forming a dielectric material on a substrate includes forming a dielectric material on a substrate by a flowable CVD process, curing the dielectric material disposed on the substrate, performing a wet oxidation process on the dielectric material disposed on the substrate, and forming an oxidized dielectric material on the substrate.
US09390910B2 Gas flow profile modulated control of overlay in plasma CVD films
Methods for modulating local stress and overlay error of one or more patterning films may include modulating a gas flow profile of gases introduced into a chamber body, flowing gases within the chamber body toward a substrate, rotating the substrate, and unifying a center-to-edge temperature profile of the substrate by controlling the substrate temperature with a dual zone heater. A chamber for depositing a film may include a chamber body comprising one or more processing regions. The chamber body may include a gas distribution assembly having a blocker plate for delivering gases into the one or more processing regions. The blocker plate may have a first region and a second region, and the first region and second region each may have a plurality of holes. The chamber body may have a dual zone heater.
US09390909B2 Soft landing nanolaminates for advanced patterning
Methods for depositing nanolaminate protective layers over a core layer to enable deposition of high quality conformal films over the core layer for use in advanced multiple patterning schemes are provided. In certain embodiments, the methods involve depositing a thin silicon oxide or titanium oxide film using plasma-based atomic layer deposition techniques with a low high frequency radio frequency (HFRF) plasma power, followed by depositing a conformal titanium oxide film or spacer with a high HFRF plasma power.
US09390905B2 Method for manufacturing silicon substrate and silicon substrate
A method for manufacturing a silicon substrate, including: performing a rapid heat treatment to a silicon substrate with a rapid-heating and rapid-cooling apparatus by maintaining the silicon substrate at a temperature that is higher than 1300° C. and not greater than a silicon melting point for 1 to 60 seconds, the silicon substrate being sliced from a silicon single crystal ingot grown by the Czochralski method; performing a first temperature decrease process down to a temperature in the range of 600 to 800° C. at a temperature decrease rate of 5 to 150° C./sec; and performing a second temperature decrease process in such a manner that a cooling time of X seconds and a temperature decrease rate of Y° C./sec meet Y≦0.15X-4.5 when X<100 and meet Y≦10 when X≧100.
US09390904B2 Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method
A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding part, a substrate rotating mechanism, and a chamber. The substrate rotating mechanism incudes an annular rotor part disposed in an internal space of the chamber and a stator part disposed around the rotor part outside the chamber. The substrate holding part is attached to the rotor part in the internal space of the chamber. In the substrate rotating mechanism, a rotating force is generated about a central axis between the stator part and the rotor part. The rotor part is thereby rotated about the central axis, being in a floating state, together with a substrate and the substrate holding part. In the substrate processing apparatus, the substrate can be easily rotated in the internal space having excellent sealability. As a result, it is possible to easily perform single-substrate processing in a sealed internal space.
US09390903B2 Method and apparatus for wafer backgrinding and edge trimming on one machine
A workpiece processing apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a rotary turntable having one or more spindles thereon, the turntable being configured to rotate about a turntable axis. Each of the spindles is configured to receive and secure thereon a workpiece to be processed by the apparatus. Each of the spindles can rotate about their own independent axes. The apparatus includes one or more grind spindles that overlay the turntable and are configured to communicate with the workpieces. The apparatus processes the workpieces by transitioning between first and second operational states. The first operational state centers the spindles and the workpieces thereon under the grind spindle to condition an entire top surface of the workpieces. The second operational state offsets the spindles from the center of the grind spindle to condition a perimeter edge of the workpieces. A controller can govern the transition between first and second operational states.
US09390902B2 Method and system for controlling convective flow in a light-sustained plasma
A system for controlling convective flow in a light-sustained plasma includes an illumination source configured to generate illumination, a plasma cell including a bulb for containing a volume of gas, a collector element arranged to focus illumination from the illumination source into the volume of gas in order to generate a plasma within the volume of gas contained within the bulb. Further, the plasma cell is disposed within a concave region of the collector element, where the collector element includes an opening for propagating a portion of a plume of the plasma to a region external to the concave region of the collect element.
US09390898B1 System and method for fusing chemical detectors
Two complementary approaches to the science of IMS technology, IMS and differential IMS (DIMS), are combined into a single instrument to provide improvements in interference rejection without sacrificing detection sensitivity. The technology is applicable to, inter alia, the analysis of trace quantities of toxic or otherwise dangerous organic chemical materials. The approach improves both sensitivity and specificity (interference rejection) of field detection instrumentation.
US09390890B2 High-energy ion implanter
A high-energy ion implanter includes a high-energy multi-stage linear acceleration unit that accelerates an ion beam so as to generate a high-energy ion beam, a deflection unit that changes the direction of the high-energy ion beam toward a semiconductor wafer, and a beam transportation unit that transports the deflected high-energy ion beam to the wafer. The beam transportation unit includes a beam shaper, a high-energy beam scanner, a high-energy electric field type beam collimator, and a high-energy electric field type final energy filter.
US09390887B2 Non-invasive charged particle beam monitor
An electromagnetic wakefield detector placed in close proximity to a design trajectory of a non-relativistic charged particle beam produces an optical signal in response to passage of the charged particle beam without interrupting the charged particle beam. A photon detector receives the optical signal and produces a corresponding output. The wakefield detector may be based on the electro optic effect. Specifically, the detector may measure the effect of the charged particle beam a beam of radiation on the phase of radiation travelling parallel to the beam in a nearby electro optic waveguide. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
US09390880B2 Method for driving multi electric field emission devices and multi electric field emission system
Provided is a method of driving multi electrical field emission devices. The method includes: respectively connecting first current control circuit devices for current path formation to a plurality of electric field emission devices; commonly connecting a second current control circuit device to the first current control circuit devices to commonly control the first current control circuit devices; and driving the first current control circuit devices at different timings when the second current control circuit device is driven.
US09390876B2 Laminate-type actuator
A laminate-type actuator including a laminate wherein an electrostrictive material layer is wound and laminated in a form of a tube together with first and second electrodes sandwiching the electrostrictive material layer therebetween is provided with high volume efficiency and high reliability. The tubular laminate includes a pair of flat portions facing each other and a pair of curved portions interconnecting the pair of flat portions circumferentially and specifying spaces inside the curved portions. In a cross-section perpendicular to an axis of the laminate, an outer width formed by the pair of flat portions is smaller than an outer width of each of the curved portions, and a distance between the pair of flat portions is smaller than an inner width of each of the curved portions.
US09390873B2 Green switchgear apparatuses, methods and systems
This disclosure relates to switchgear equipment for electrical power systems. A switchgear comprises a switchgear body housing, having an upper boot and a lower boot, the upper boot having an insulating material and the lower boot having an insulating material, a vacuum interrupter having at least one stationary electrical contact, a moveable contactor coupled to a moveable electrical contact, and at least two bushings having conductor material passing therethrough, the switchgear further comprising at least one of a bushing boot having at least one of a helical groove and an array of heat-removal fins, a flexible, insulating cover enclosing at least a portion of the vacuum interrupter and an adjacent bushing, a helical groove in the upper boot, and a finned connector constrained within a channel in the moveable contactor.
US09390870B2 Wiring device with toggle spring cup
The present disclosure provides techniques or an electrical wiring device with symmetric and robust actuation. An electrical wiring device includes a toggle assembly comprising a compression spring and a spring cup disposed at one end of the compression spring. The spring cup includes a lower portion and an upper portion. The lower portion includes an outer diameter at most as large at the inner diameter of the compression spring and is disposed within the end of the compression spring. The upper portion has a recess therein and is configured to receive a spring seat of a toggle, and allows the spring seat to rotate within the recess when the toggle is actuated.
US09390869B2 Keyframe modules for a flexible keyboard
Embodiments provide a flexible keyboard including a flexible skin layer and a set of key frame modules coupled to one side of the flexible skin layer. The flexible skin layer can be made of at least one of polyurethane or polyester. The keyframe module can include a metal support plate for conducting a signal and a key structure situated over the metal support plate for providing tactile feedback when the key frame module is actuated. A plastic key cap structure can be situated over the dome structure. The flexible skin layer can be coupled to the plastic key cap. The key structure can be a dome structure where the flexible skin layer is a rubber or a fabric skin layer. The key structure can be a scissors key structure where the flexible skin layer is a rubber skin layer. Flexible key caps can be molded to the flexible skin layer.
US09390867B1 Timer assembly with slim contacts
A timer is configured with an electrical contact assembly with a thin construction, which provides a thinner and more compact timer assembly. In particular a thinner and more compact timer assembly is achieved by implementing various features of the present invention, including but not limited to, recessed contact arm channels, contact arms positioned wholly on a single side, contact arms oriented with a length parallel to the baseplate and a thickness parallel with the baseplate thickness, and a slim profile actuator which moves in the direction of the length.
US09390866B2 Three-dimensional network aluminum porous body for current collector, and current collector, electrode, nonaqueous electrolyte battery, capacitor and lithium-ion capacitor, each using aluminum porous body
It is an object of the present invention to provide a current collector including an aluminum porous body suitable for an electrode for a nonaqueous electrolyte battery and an electrode for a capacitor electrode, and an electrode using the current collector. In the three-dimensional network aluminum porous body for a current collector of the present invention, when a sheet-shaped three-dimensional aluminum porous body is divided in the width direction into a central region and two end regions with the central region situated therebetween, the weight per unit area of aluminum in the aluminum porous body at the two end regions is larger than the weight per unit area of aluminum in the aluminum porous body at the central region.
US09390865B2 Device and method for the friction-stir welding of an assembly for storing electricity
The invention relates to a method for connecting two energy storage assemblies (10) together, each energy storage assembly including a sealed metal housing, in which: a connector strip (30), which is sized so as to contact the end surface of each of the housings, is positioned on the end surfaces (24) of two housings arranged side by side; and the strip is friction-stir welded to each of the housings.
US09390860B2 Multilayer ceramic electronic component, method of manufacturing the same, and board having the same mounted thereon
A multilayer ceramic electronic component may include a ceramic body including dielectric layers and internal electrodes, electrode layers connected to the internal electrodes, and a conductive resin layer formed on the electrode layers and including a first conductor, a second conductor containing carbon nanotubes, and a base resin. When the multilayer ceramic electronic component is heat-tested by raising a temperature of the multilayer ceramic electronic component from room temperature to about 900° C. at a rate of about 10° C./min, a weight of the multilayer ceramic electronic component decreases by about 0.33% to about 2.19%.
US09390858B2 Electronic component, method of manufacturing the same, and mount structure of electronic component
An electronic component includes a main body, first and second external electrodes, and a water-repellent film. The first and second external electrodes are provided on a portion of a surface of the main body. The water-repellent film is provided on another portion of the surface of the main body and on a surface of the first external electrode. The water-repellent film contains a non-cross-linked silicone resin. An angle of contact of water of about 25° C. with the water-repellent film is not less than about 100° and not greater than about 160°.
US09390855B2 Monolithic ceramic capacitor containing perovskite compound
In a monolithic ceramic capacitor, ceramic layers defining inner layers are mainly composed of a perovskite compound containing Ba and Ti. A portion of an electrically effective section in the ceramic layers near a connecting portion between the inner electrodes and an outer electrode undergoes mapping analysis by an energy-dispersive method. In regions of the resulting mapping image, the regions extending from the interfaces between the inner electrodes and a corresponding one of the ceramic layers to positions about ⅓ of the thickness of the ceramic layer in the stacking direction, ((L2−L3)/L1)×100≧50 is satisfied, where L1 represents the total length of grain boundaries, L2 represents the total length of grain boundaries where a rare-earth element is present, and L3 represents the total length of portions where the grain boundaries where the rare-earth element is present are overlapped with grain boundaries with a specific element present.
US09390850B2 Power transmitting device, power feeding system, and power feeding method
Provided is a power transmitting device, a power feeding system, and a power feeding method in which power loss is cut by increasing power use efficiency and power can be supplied to a power feeding user (a power receiving device) with high power transmission efficiency. Depending on a power feeding state (e.g., resonant frequency of a power transmitting resonance coil is not the same as that of a power receiving resonance coil, or the influence of their positional relation), power transmitted from a power source portion of the power transmitting device is reflected to the power transmitting coil side by the power transmitting resonance coil. Further, a power recovering function (circulation function) for power reflected to the power transmitting device is provided to recover the power reflected to the power transmitting coil side and to reuse it for power transmission.
US09390849B2 Magnetic element for wireless power transmission and power supply device
In the disclosed magnetic element (1) for wireless power transmission, in a cross section that matches the direction of magnetic coupling, a conductor section (2) and a magnetic material section (3) that abuts the conductor section (2) are disposed in parallel in a direction perpendicular to the direction of magnetic coupling, and one of either the conductor section (2) or the magnetic material section (3) has a protruding region (61) that protrudes in the direction of magnetic coupling more than the other does.
US09390848B2 Integrated magnetics transformer assembly
The present invention relates to an integrated magnetics transformer assembly comprising a first magnetically permeable core forming a first substantially closed magnetic flux path and a second magnetically permeable core forming a second substantially closed magnetic flux path. A first input inductor winding is wound around a first predetermined segment of the first magnetically permeable core and a second input inductor winding is wound around a first predetermined segment of the second magnetically permeable core. The integrated magnetics transformer assembly further comprises a first output inductor winding comprising series coupled first and second half-windings wherein the first half-winding is wound around a second predetermined segment of the first magnetically permeable core and the second half-winding is wound around a second predetermined segment of the second magnetically permeable core. A second output inductor comprises series coupled first and second half-windings wherein the first half-winding is wound around a third predetermined segment of the first magnetically permeable core and the second half-winding is wound around a third predetermined segment of the second magnetically permeable core. The second half-winding of the first output inductor winding and the second half-winding of the second output inductor winding are configured to produce oppositely directed magnetic fluxes through the second substantially closed magnetic flux path and the first half-winding of the first output inductor winding and the first half-winding of the second output inductor winding are configured to produce aligned, i.e. in the same direction, magnetic fluxes through the first substantially closed magnetic flux path. The integrated magnetics transformer assembly is well-suited for use in a broad range of single input or multiple-input isolated power converter topologies.
US09390846B2 Magnetic fluid suitable for high speed and high resolution dot-on-demand inkjet printing and method of making
A magnetic fluid composition include a suspension of nano-particles including cross-crystallized multi-metal compounds dispersed in a solvent, the cross-crystallized multi-metal compounds including at least two or more metals having different valencies or oxidation states, the metals selected from the group consisting of a monovalent metal (Me+), a divalent metal (Me2+), a trivalent metal (Me3+), a quadrivalent metal (Me4+) and a rare earth metal. The magnetic fluid having a viscosity and surface tension that permits dispensing from an inkjet printer at a rate of at least 2.5 m/s, at a resolution of at least 600 dpi, supporting jetting pulse frequencies of at least 15 KHz per nozzle (enabling high speed inkjet printing applications of at least 0.6 m/sec per individual nozzle row per print head), and enabling uninterrupted, industrial level print output of magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) code lines suitable for high speed magnetic data scanning per established industry regulations (ANSI X9).
US09390839B2 Composite conductive cable comprising nanotubes and nanofibers, coaxial microstructure including a copper matrix and said nanotubes and nanofibers, and method for manufacturing said microstructure
A conductive composite wire includes at least one external jacket made of copper, a first tube including a first metallic material (M1) contacting and located inside the copper jacket; a second tube including a second metallic material (M2) contacting and located inside the first tube; and a fiber including a third metallic material (M3) contacting and located inside the second tube. The copper and the first metallic material are immiscible with each other, the first and second metallic materials are immiscible with each other, and the second and third metallic materials are immiscible with each other. A copper-based coaxial microstructure includes a copper sheath containing an array of nanotubes and nanofibers according to a process for manufacturing the microstructure.
US09390838B2 Shielded cable with UTP pair environment
A cable includes a spacer surrounding a cable core. The cable core includes four twisted pairs. A separator is disposed amongst the twisted pairs. The separator may be formed with three layers, wherein a middle layer is conductive and outer layers are nonconductive. A jacket surrounds the spacer, and a shielding layer may reside between the jacket and the spacer. The spacer may be formed of plural fibers or a polymer. Preferably, the spacer presents a lower dielectric constant per unit volume than the jacket. The separator may have a tape shape or a plus shape.
US09390837B2 Wire harness
A wire harness includes one or a plurality of high voltage conduction paths, each having a high voltage conduction path main body, and a terminal which is provided at an end of the high voltage conduction path main body. The high voltage conduction path main body is formed into a cylindrical shape by spirally winding a metal wire rod and an insulating wire rod, and side end surfaces, which face each other, of the metal wire rod and the insulating wire rod positioned to be adjacent to each other alternately, contact each other.
US09390832B2 Method for fabricating a conductive paste
The present invention provides a method for fabricating a conductive paste comprising the following steps: (a) preparing an organic medium and a mixed powder, wherein the organic medium contains an organic solvent, a resin and a first anionic surfactant, and the mixed powder contains a carbide and a doped-polyaniline, wherein the doped-polyaniline is produced by co-doping a polyaniline with a second anionic surfactant in an acid; and (b) mixing the organic medium and the mixed powder to obtain the conductive paste, which has a significantly improved conductivity.
US09390821B2 Gripper mechanism
A gripper mechanism for moving an object having a surface cavity, the gripper mechanism comprising an actuation end moveable in an axial direction and a rotary body. A first mechanism is configured such that movement of the actuation end in an axial direction rotates the rotary body. A gripper is moveable between an engaged position and a disengaged position. In the engaged position the gripper is capable of engaging an object and in the disengaged position the gripper is capable of being received into and removed from a cavity of an object. The gripper is connected to the rotary body by a second mechanism. The second mechanism is configured such that rotary motion of the body moves the gripper between the engaged position and the disengaged position.
US09390817B2 Fuel assembly for a pressurized water reactor
A fuel assembly for a pressurized water nuclear reactor includes a multiplicity of fuel rods which extend in a longitudinal direction and are guided in a plurality of spacers that are spaced apart from one another axially. The spacers of an upper region have a lower flow resistance in a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, than the spacers of a lower region.
US09390815B1 Semiconductor system and method for testing semiconductor device
A semiconductor system includes a semiconductor device comprising: a plurality of first input pins suitable for receiving a plurality of command/address signals; a plurality of multi-purpose registers; and a parity check unit suitable for determining a parity check result as a pass when the number of first logic values in the command/address signals corresponds to a logic value of a parity bit, determining the parity check result as a fail when the number of the first logic values does not correspond to the logic value of the parity bit, and controlling the command/address signals to be stored in the multi-purpose registers; and a function test device suitable for applying the command/address signals to the first input pins during a function test, and controlling the command/address signals such that the number of the first logic values does not correspond to the logic value of the parity bit.
US09390814B2 Fault detection and prediction for data storage elements
A circuit, configured to detect faults in an array of data storage elements, comprises: a resistor network; a switching network for selectively coupling a specified portion of the resistor network to the array of data storage elements; a current monitoring module, where the current monitoring module is operable to monitor current flow through the specified portion of the resistor network; and a control module coupled to the switching network and the current monitoring module. The control module is operable to control the switching network, so as to couple the specified portion of the resistor network to the array of data storage elements, and to determine whether one or more predefined characteristics of the output of the current monitoring module meet predetermined fault criteria. The control module is further operable to initiate one or more remedial actions, when the one or more predefined characteristics meet the predetermined fault criteria.
US09390813B2 Shift register including unit circuits connected in multistage manner, and display device
A unit circuit (11) includes: a transistor (T2) having its drain terminal to be supplied with a clock signal (CK) and its source terminal connected to an output terminal (OUT); a transistor (T9) which, when supplied with an active all-on control signal (AON), outputs an ON voltage to the output terminal (OUT), and which, when supplied with a nonactive all-on control signal (AONB), stops outputting the ON voltage; a transistor (T1) which supplies the ON voltage to a control terminal of the transistor (T2) in accordance with an input signal (IN); a transistor (T4) which, when supplied with the active all-on control signal (AON), supplies an OFF voltage to a control terminal of the transistor (T2). This makes it possible to provide a shift register of a simple structure that can prevent a malfunction from occurring after all-on operation, and to provide a display device.
US09390812B2 E-fuse test device and semiconductor device including the same
An e-fuse test device is provided. The e-fuse test device may include a first transistor, and a fuse array connected to a source/drain terminal of the first transistor. The fuse array may include n fuse groups, each of the fuse groups may include one end, the other end, and m first fuse elements connected in series to each other between the one end and the other end, the one end of each of the fuse groups may be connected to each other, and the other end of each of the fuse groups may be connected to the source/drain terminal of the first transistor, and the n and m are natural numbers that are equal to or larger than two.
US09390808B1 Semiconductor memory device
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell transistor and a word line connected to the memory cell transistor. A threshold voltage of the memory cell transistor is shifted to a negative voltage side by applying an erase pulse to the memory cell transistor. When the erase pulse is applied, if the threshold voltage of the memory cell transistor is higher than or equal to a first voltage, a second voltage is applied to the word line. If the threshold voltage of the memory cell transistor is lower than the first voltage and higher than or equal to a third voltage which is lower than the first voltage, a fourth voltage which is higher than the second voltage is applied to the word line.
US09390805B2 Memory systems and operating methods of memory controllers
A memory system is provided which includes a nonvolatile memory; and a controller configured to control the nonvolatile memory, wherein the controller comprises a voltage detector configured to detect a level of a power supply voltage; and wherein when a level of the power supply voltage is lower than a first threshold value, the controller issues a reset command to the nonvolatile memory and then performs a reset operation.
US09390804B2 Flash memory counter
A method of updating a counter in a flash memory includes a first phase where a set of values capable of being taken by the counter are programmed in at least one page of the flash memory. A second phase of updating the counter programs a state zero in the flash memory each time the counter is incremented/decremented.
US09390802B2 Semiconductor memory device which stores plural data in a cell
A memory cell array is configured to have a plurality of memory cells arranged in a matrix, each of the memory cells being connected to a word line and a bit line and being capable of storing n values (n is a natural number equal to or larger than 3). A control circuit controls the potentials of the word line and bit line according to input data and writes data into a memory cell. The control circuit writes data into the memory cell to a k-valued threshold voltage (k<=n) in a write operation, precharges the bit line once, and then changes the potential of the word line an i number of times to verify whether the memory cell has reached an i-valued (i<=k) threshold voltage.
US09390797B2 Driving method of variable resistance element and non-volatile memory device
A method of driving a variable resistance element comprises: before a first write step is performed, applying an initial voltage pulse of a first polarity to change a resistance value of a metal oxide layer from a resistance value corresponding to an initial state of the metal oxide layer to another resistance value; wherein when the resistance value corresponding to the initial state is R0, the resistance value corresponding to a write state is RL, the resistance value corresponding to an erase state is RH, another resistance value is R2, a maximum value of the current flowing when the initial voltage pulse is applied is IbRL, a maximum value of the current flowing when the write voltage pulse is applied is IRL, and a maximum value of the current flowing when the erase voltage pulse is applied is IRH, R0>RH>R2≧RL, and |IRL|>|IbRL| are satisfied.
US09390793B1 Leakage current compensation with reference bit line sensing in non-volatile memory
A non-volatile memory includes a sense amplifier that uses a reference bit line. The sense amplifier includes a first capacitor coupled to a selected bit line and a second capacitor coupled to a reference bit line. The reference capacitor compensates for displacement currents in the selected bit line during sensing. Both plates of the capacitors are utilized to cancel leakage currents. The top plates of the capacitors are precharged then discharged during a sense phase. The selected bit line capacitor is discharged based on the selected cell current and the leakage current. The amount of discharge is transferred to the bottom plate of each capacitor, followed by discharging the bottom plates. The capacitor for the selected bit line is discharged based on the leakage current. In this manner, the correction phase facilitates a compensation based on the leakage current so that the selected cell current can be determined.
US09390791B2 Resistance change non-volatile storage memory device and method
A data recording method includes recording data in memory cells on the basis of whether each memory cell is in an initial state or a variable state. The recording step includes (A) applying a forming stress to a selected memory cell in the initial state, and (B) setting a resistance value of the selected memory cell to within a first resistance range by (b1) applying a first correction signal to the selected memory cell if the resistance value of the selected memory cell is greater than a first reference value, and (b2) applying a second correction signal to the selected memory cell if the resistance value of the selected memory cell is smaller than a second reference value.
US09390784B2 Semiconductor memory device and semiconductor package
A semiconductor memory device includes: a memory unit including a first memory sub region including a first memory cell and a second memory sub region including a second memory cell; a temperature information obtaining unit that obtains temperature information; a temperature estimation unit that estimates a first temperature of the first memory sub region and a second temperature of the second memory sub region based on the temperature information; a first sub region control unit that controls the first memory sub region based on the first temperature; and a second sub region control unit that controls the second memory sub region based on the second temperature.
US09390773B2 Shiftable memory
A shiftable memory is employed in a system and a method to shift a contiguous subset of stored data within the shiftable memory. The shiftable memory includes a memory having built-in shifting capability to shift a contiguous subset of data stored by the memory from a first location to a second location within the memory. The contiguous subset has a size that is smaller than a total size of the memory. The system further includes a processor to provide an address and the length of the contiguous subset. The method includes selecting the contiguous subset of data and shifting the selected contiguous subset.
US09390764B2 Storage apparatus and production method thereof
A storage apparatus including a storage element and a fitting member is provided. The storage element includes a body, a first pad set and a second pad set. The first and the second pad sets are exposed out of the body and located at opposite sides of the body. The fitting member comprises a first terminal set and a second terminal set electrically connected to each other. The storage element is detachably assembled to the fitting member. The first terminal set electrically connected to the first pad set and the second terminal set located between the first pad set and the second pad set, the second terminal set and the second pad set form a connecting interface of the storage apparatus that the storage apparatus is used for being electrically connected to an external apparatus. A production method of the storage apparatus is further provided.
US09390763B2 Slim profile, rear docking tape drive canister
In one embodiment, an automated tape library includes an array of tape drive canister bays, each tape drive canister bay being configured for insertion of a tape drive canister therein, each tape drive canister supporting a tape drive. The library also includes a power system, a communications system, and a robotic accessor configured to access tape cartridges in tape drives in the array of tape drive canister bays. Each tape drive canister bay includes a latching mechanism configured to secure a tape drive canister into the tape drive canister bay. A library docking connector is configured to connect a docking connector of the tape drive canister to the power system and the communications system when the latching mechanism is in the latched close position.
US09390761B2 Data storage device with wear level identification
A transducing head may be connected to a controller and positioned proximal a data storage medium. The controller can be connected to a wear level identification circuit and configured to identify a first data region of the data storage medium having a first wear level and a second data region of the data storage medium having a second wear level. The first and second wear levels can respectively correspond to different amounts of component degradation of the data storage device.
US09390756B2 Dynamic audio file generation system and associated methods
A dynamic sound file generation system and method for using same is provided. The system is comprised of a controller, a plurality of databases, a rules engine, a control DSP module, and a combiner to alter and combine audio tracks into an output file. The sound file generation system may apply rules to dynamically generate audio files. The audio file generation system may advantageously and automatically create original, on-demand custom media file content by mixing and layering multiple media file sources from a source library to create a single composite file for delivery to a client device.
US09390751B1 Reducing overcounting of track-level damage caused by adjacent-track and far-track interference
A technique implemented by a processor may include controlling a write head to write data to at least one partition of a data track of a magnetic data storage medium. The data track may include a plurality of partitions. The technique also may include determining, for each partition of the at least one partition, whether the partition has been previously written to by inspecting a partition overlap register associated with the data track. The partition overlap register stores a respective entry for each partition indicating whether the partition has been previously written to. The technique also may include, in response to determining that at least one respective partition of the at least one partition has been previously written to, incrementing a damage counter of at least one adjacent track and resetting each entry of the partition overlap register to indicate that each respective partition has not been previously written to.
US09390750B1 Tape volume overwrite protection during error recovery
In one embodiment, a method includes detecting an error while writing data to a tape volume. The method further includes repositioning the tape volume for recovering from the error, and receiving, after the repositioning, at least a portion of the data for rewriting the at least a portion of the data to the tape volume. Further, the method includes determining, after the repositioning, a current position of the tape volume. Additionally, the method includes determining, based on the current position of the tape volume, whether the rewrite to the tape volume is allowed.
US09390745B2 Data archive system
A data archive system includes a data library apparatus and a server. The data library apparatus includes recording media having recording surfaces on both surfaces, a recording media storage unit for storing the recording media, a recording/reproducing unit for the surface for recording/reproducing the data on/from the surface of the recording media, a recording/reproducing unit for the rear surface for recording/reproducing the data on/from the rear surface, and a recording media transporting unit for transporting the recording media between the recording media storage units. The server includes a data configuration unit for allocating the data for recording on the surface and the rear surface of the recording media and a controller for controlling the data library apparatus. The data configuration unit of the server alternately allocates the recording data on the surface and the rear surface of the recording media different from each other.
US09390743B2 Tape recording medium, information recording/reproducing device, and method of manufacturing tape recording medium
Provided is an optically recordable or reproducible tape recording medium including tracking pattern groups and non-tracking pattern areas. The tracking pattern groups are repeatedly provided along a longitudinal direction of the tape, and each of the groups includes a plurality of tracking patterns. The non-tracking pattern areas are respectively provided between the tracking patterns. In addition, the non-tracking pattern areas have different lengths along the longitudinal direction of the tape.
US09390742B2 Hologram recording device and hologram recording method
Appropriate recording with respect to a hologram recording medium is to be realized. After a region recording process of arranging holograms in which information is recorded at a predetermined interval in a first predetermined region of the hologram recording medium, and before a post-curing with respect to the first predetermined region is performed, signal light and reference light are applied onto a region different from the first predetermined region to perform information recording.
US09390740B2 Vibration control in data storage devices
A storage device has a device body and a read/write head for reading and writing data in a data track of a storage medium. An actuator system is mounted on the device body for effecting movement of the read/write head relative to the data track to align the head with the data track. The actuator system has a plurality of degrees of freedom, and a controller controls the actuator system to effect the movement. A body vibration sensor provided on the device body generates a signal indicative of vibration of the body. An actuator vibration sensor generates a signal indicative of vibration of the actuator system. The controller is adapted to process the signals from the sensors to derive a coupling signal indicative of vibration coupling between the degrees of freedom, and to control the actuator system dependent on the coupling signal and the signal from the body vibration sensor.
US09390739B1 Piezoelectric microactuator with restraining layer for control of bending
A PZT microactuator such as for use in a hard disk drive has a restraining layer bonded on its side that is opposite the side on which the PZT will be mounted. The restraining layer comprises a stiff and resilient material such as stainless steel. The restraining layer can cover all of the top of the PZT, or most of the top of the PZT with an electrical connection being made to the PZT where it is not covered by the restraining layer. The restraining layer reduces bending of the PZT as mounted and hence increases effective stroke length, or reverses the sign of the bending which increases the effective stroke length of the PZT even further.
US09390737B1 Method of manufacturing a magnetic recording head slider comprising bond pad having a probe contact area and a solder contact area
A method for manufacturing a magnetic recording head slider is disclosed. A plurality of bond pads are formed in a linear arrangement adjacent one another on a trailing edge of a slider body. Each of the plurality of bond pads comprises a probe contact area and a soldering contact area with each area being laterally bounded in a width dimension, along the trailing edge, by respective edges of the pads wherein a width of the probe contact area is greater than a width of the soldering contact area of each respective pad whereby the probe contact area is larger than the soldering contact area.
US09390736B1 Magnetic head separator connected to a ramp
A magnetic hard disk drive apparatus includes a first slider with a magnetic head for recording to the disk, the first slider supported by a first suspension arm, and a second slider having a magnetic head, the second slider supported by a second suspension arm. The apparatus further includes a ramp configured to guide and hold the first and second suspension arms in place when parked, and a separator configured to be suspended beyond leading edges of the first and second sliders, such that the first and second sliders are suspended between the separator and the ramp.
US09390733B2 Microwave-assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) head with an inclined and recessed main pole structure
In one embodiment, a magnetic head includes a main pole configured to emit a recording magnetic field for affecting a magnetic medium, the main pole configured to serve as a first electrode and having a front portion at an air bearing surface (ABS) of the magnetic head and a rear portion extending from the front portion in an element height direction perpendicular to the ABS, wherein an upper surface of the front portion of the main pole is angled with respect to a plane of deposition at a first angle of inclination of greater than 0°, and wherein at least a portion of an upper surface of the rear portion of the main pole is angled at a first angle of declination greater than 0° with respect to the plane of deposition, an upper shield positioned above the main pole, the upper shield configured to serve as a second electrode, and a microwave oscillator positioned between the main pole and the upper shield at the ABS.
US09390731B2 Magnetic recording head and magnetic recording apparatus
The magnetic recording head according to an embodiment includes an air bearing surface configured to face a magnetic recording medium, a main magnetic pole including a main magnetic pole distal end, a first spin injection layer disposed on a leading side of the main magnetic pole, a field generation layer disposed on a trailing side of the main magnetic pole, and an intermediate layer configured to connect electrically the field generation layer to the first spin injection layer. The main magnetic pole is configured to apply a recording magnetic field to the magnetic recording medium.
US09390730B2 Reduced friction retention of a data storage cartridge within a storage cell
Described are embodiments of an invention for a textured interface between a notch of a data storage cartridge and a retention tab of a storage cell. The textured surface reduces the contact surface between the retention tab and the notch of the data storage cartridge. The reduced contact surface between the retention tab and notch of the data storage cartridge reduces the amount of friction between the retention tab and the notch of the data storage cartridge. The data storage cartridge can thus be removed from the storage cell with less force than that required by the prior art having a generally smooth interface between the notch of the data storage cartridge and the retention tab of the storage cell.
US09390728B2 Voice analysis apparatus, voice synthesis apparatus, voice analysis synthesis system
A speech analysis apparatus is provided. An F0 extraction part extracts a pitch value from speech information. A spectrum extraction part extracts spectrum information from the speech information. An MVF extraction part extract a maximum voiced frequency and allows boundary information for respectively filtering a harmonic component and a non-harmonic component to be obtained. According to the speech analysis apparatus, speech synthesis apparatus, and speech analysis synthesis system of the present invention, speech that is closer to the original voice and is more natural may be synthesized. Also, speech may be represented with less data capacity.
US09390723B1 Efficient dereverberation in networked audio systems
Features are disclosed for performing efficient dereverberation of speech signals captured with single- and multi-channel sensors in networked audio systems. Such features could be used in applications requiring automatic recognition of speech captured with sensors. Dereverberation is performed in the sub-band domain, and hence provides improved dereverberation performance in terms of signal quality, algorithmic delay, computational efficiency, and speed of convergence.
US09390721B2 Speech decoding device and speech decoding method
The present invention pertains to a speech decoding device that is capable of preventing degradation in sound quality associated with an adjustment of the slope of a spectrum of an output signal (a decoding signal), making it less likely that a loss of bandwidth sensitivity due to the attenuation of a higher band region is perceived. For each frame of the bandwidth extension layer decoding signal, a filter assessment unit (304) determines whether or not to apply a low-pass filter to the bandwidth extension layer decoding signal on the basis of a change in energy in the bandwidth extension layer decoding signal. A low-pass filtering unit (306) filters the bandwidth extension layer decoding signal of the frames to which the low-pass filter is to be applied, as determined by the filter assessment unit (304), using the low-pass filter.
US09390719B1 Interest points density control for audio matching
Systems and methods are provided herein relating to audio matching. The density and quality of interest points can be controlled to assure a small but uniform number of high quality interest points. By scoring interest points based on quality and comparing them over time, those interest points that maintain a high quality when compared with a varying number of neighboring interest points can be retained, while those interest points that do not maintain a high quality can be discarded. Thus, the scalability of an audio matching system can be improved while retaining accuracy.
US09390717B2 Encoding device and method, decoding device and method, and program
The present technology relates to an encoding device and method, a decoding device and method, and a program that enable audio of a high audio quality to be obtained with a smaller code amount.The encoding device multiplexes low frequency encoding data obtained by encoding a low frequency component of an input signal and high frequency encoding data obtained by encoding data including an estimation coefficient to acquire a high frequency component of the input signal by estimation and outputs multiplexed data. When the input signal is encoded, a calculation unit calculates pseudo high frequency subband power to be an estimation value of power of the high frequency component from an estimation coefficient selected in a frame immediately before a frame of a processing target and the high frequency component of the input signal. In addition, a determination unit determines whether reuse of the estimation coefficient of the immediately previous frame is enabled in the frame of the processing target, on the basis of a comparison result of the calculated pseudo high frequency subband power and actual high frequency component power. The present invention can be applied to the encoding device.
US09390713B2 Systems and methods for filtering sound in a defined space
Methods and systems are provided for filtering sound. A position sensor determines positions of a plurality of occupants in a defined space. Multiple microphones receive sound and generate corresponding audio signals. A processor in communication with the microphones and the position sensor receives the positions of the occupants and the audio signals. The processor determines which of the occupants are engaging in speech and applies a temporal-spatial filter to the audio signals to generate a plurality of output signals corresponding respectively to each occupant of the defined space.
US09390709B2 Voice recognition device and method, and semiconductor integrated circuit device
A semiconductor integrated circuit device for voice recognition includes: a signal processing unit which generates a feature pattern representing a state of distribution of frequency components of an input voice signal; a voice recognition database storage unit which stores a voice recognition database including a standard pattern representing a state of distribution of frequency components of plural phonemes; a conversion list storage unit which stores a conversion list including plural words or sentences to be conversion candidates; a standard pattern extraction unit which extracts a standard pattern corresponding to character data representing the first syllable of each word or sentence included in the conversion list, from the voice recognition database; and a matching detection unit which compares the feature pattern generated from the first syllable of the voice signal with the extracted standard pattern and thus detects the matching of the syllable.
US09390707B2 Automatic accuracy estimation for audio transcriptions
Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach for estimating the accuracy of a transcription of a voice recording. Specifically, in a typical embodiment, each word of a transcription of a voice recording is checked against a customer-specific dictionary and/or a common language dictionary. The number of words not found in either dictionary is determined. An accuracy number for the transcription is calculated from the number of said words not found and the total number of words in the transcription.
US09390702B2 Acoustic metamaterial architectured composite layers, methods of manufacturing the same, and methods for noise control using the same
An acoustic metamaterial layered composite for noise control may include a plurality of micro-perforated plates alternately and periodically arranged with a plurality of absorbent layers and optional air gaps. The plurality of micro-perforated plates may be in a form of a periodically arranged stack and include perforations extending therethrough. Each of the plurality of absorbent layers is formed of a poroelastic material. The metamaterial layered composite noise control device is designed using the metamaterial acoustics transformation approach for optimized noise control.
US09390700B1 Laminate acoustic panel
Described herein is a laminate acoustic panel comprising a first layer and a second layer, as well as a ceiling system that includes the laminate acoustic panel.
US09390698B2 Audio remastering system
A system to remaster an audio recording by processing selected frequency bands and reducing the volume of each frequency band at selected points during processing.
US09390694B2 Adaptable drum practice device
An adaptable drum practice device includes an attachment mechanism, including a clip or a clamp; a sliding rail; a telescoping shaft; and a device practice pad; such that the device practice pad is rotationally connected to the shaft, which allows a drummer to set the device practice pad to preferred height and rotational, vertical, and horizontal angles, and longitudinal position. The adaptable drum practice device can further include a ball joint with a locking mechanism, and the telescoping shaft can further include upper and lower shafts. The adaptable drum practice device allows a practicing drummer to attach the adaptable drum practice device to an existing conventional training drum, quickly and securely, thereby allowing the drummer to have two drumming surfaces that resemble a drum and a hi-hat, cymbal, or additional drum.
US09390684B2 Three-dimensional image display apparatus
A three-dimensional image display apparatus includes a display panel configured to display an image and including gate lines, data lines, and pixels connected to the gate lines and the data lines, a data driver configured to drive the data lines, a gate driver configured to drive the gate lines, a lens panel configured to refract light of the image displayed by the display panel, a lens driver configured to drive the lens panel, a lens controller configured to control the lens driver, and a timing controller configured to control the data driver, the gate driver, and the lens driver in response to an image signal and a control signal. The lens controller and the timing controller are mounted on the same control board.
US09390683B2 Mobile information apparatus and display control method
Multiple displays are arranged such that their display surfaces are arrayed side by side. A measurement section measures orientation information about apparatus orientation. A control section determines the display surface a user is viewing from among multiple displays, based on the orientation information measured by the measurement section. The control section causes the display surface of displays, other than the display surface determined as being viewed by the user, to become darker than the display surface of the display determined as being viewed by the user.
US09390682B2 Adjustment of display intensity
Methods and systems effective to implement adjusting of display intensity are described. In some examples, a processor may receive display instructions. The display instructions may include instructions that relate to display of first output data. The first output data may be effective to produce a first intensity when rendered by a display. The processor may apply a technique at a first level to the display instructions to generate second output data. The second output data may be effective to produce a second intensity when rendered by the display. The second intensity may be less than the first intensity. The processor may apply the technique at a second level to the display instructions to generate third output data. The third output data may be effective to produce a third intensity when rendered by the display. The third intensity may be less than the second intensity.
US09390681B2 Temporal filtering for dynamic pixel and backlight control
Systems, methods, and devices are provided for temporal filtering of tone mapping slopes used in adjusting the power consumed by a backlight of an electronic display. One such method involves computing a current first target slope of an intermediate tone mapping function based at least in part on characteristics of a current image frame and temporally filtering the current first target slope to obtain a current first transition slope. A current backlight intensity of the display and a current final tone mapping function may be determined based at least in part on the current first transition slope. The current final tone mapping function may be applied to the current image frame or a subsequent image frame.
US09390680B2 Liquid crystal display device
An organic light emitting display device is disclosed which includes: a memory in which gamma setting data is stored; a data driver configured to include a gamma voltage generator; a timing controller configured to download the gamma setting data from the memory and apply a select signal to the gamma voltage generator; and a power supplier configured to apply reference voltages to the gamma voltage generator, wherein the select signal is used to vary a gamma curve by enabling the reference voltages to be adjusted in their levels.
US09390674B2 GOA circuit based on LTPS semiconductor TFT
The present invention provides a GOA circuit based on LTPS semiconductor TFT, comprising a plurality of GOA units which are cascade connected, and N is set to be a positive integer and an Nth GOA unit comprises a pull-up control part (100), a pull-up part (200), a first pull-down part (400), a pull-down holding part (500) and a transfer part (600); the pull-down holding part (500) utilizes a high/low voltage reverse design and comprises a first, a second and a third DC constant low voltage levels (VSS1, VSS2, VSS3) which are sequentially abated and a DC constant high voltage level (H), the influence of electrical property of the LTPS semiconductor TFT to the GOA driving circuit, and particularly the bad function due to the electric leakage issue can be solved; meanwhile, the existing issue that the second node voltage level the pull-down holding circuit part in the GOA circuit based on the LTPS semiconductor TFT cannot be at higher voltage level in the functioning period can be solved to effectively maintain the first node (Q(N)) and the output end (G(N)) at low voltage level.
US09390667B2 Method for driving input-output device, and input-output device
Accuracy of photodetection is improved. A method for driving an input-output device which includes a light unit, a display circuit, and Y (Y is a natural number of 2 or more) photodetectors is provided. The same photodetection control signal is input to the Y photodetectors. The light unit is lit while the Z light-emitting diodes are sequentially switched and emit light in a frame period set by the display selection signal. In a cycle that is longer than a cycle of switching the lighting states of the light unit, Y pieces of data based on the illuminance of light incident on the Y photodetectors are generated in a period during which the light unit is lit.
US09390659B2 Circuit configuration and method for controlling particularly segmented LED background illumination
A circuit arrangement for controlling a segmented LED backlight in particular, comprises a generator (50) with a first input (10) to be supplied with a synchronizing signal (SYNC) that comprises image frequency information and/or line frequency information of a display unit, a second input (20) to be supplied with a data signal (DATA) that comprises image information of the display unit, and with an output (30) for providing a modulated signal (MOD).
US09390658B2 Apparatus and method for displaying image, apparatus and method for driving light emitting device
An apparatus and a method for displaying an image, and an apparatus and a method for driving a light emitting device are provided. The light emitting device of the image display is controlled in accordance with a periodic signal relating to the image and a sensing signal reflecting an operating state of the light emitting device.
US09390657B2 LED driving apparatus, LED driving method and display apparatus using the same
A display apparatus is provided. The display apparatus includes a display panel configured to display an image, an LED module configured to provide backlight to the display panel, an LED driving unit configured to apply a driving voltage to the LED module using an external power, an exterior unit configured to support the LED driving unit and the LED module and include a ground terminal provided separately from the external power, and an LED driving control unit which causes an operation of the LED driving unit to be stopped based on a current flowing in from the ground terminal.
US09390655B2 Organic light emitting diode display, driving method thereof, and manufacturing method thereof
An organic light emitting diode display includes a semiconductor pattern which includes a plurality of channel regions. A first gate insulating layer is on the semiconductor pattern, a first gate conductive layer is on the first gate insulating layer, a second gate insulating layer is on the first gate conductive layer, and a second gate conductive layer is on the second gate insulating layer. The channel regions include a first channel region that overlaps the first gate conductive layer and a second channel region that does not overlap the first gate conductive layer. The first channel region and the second channel region have different doping concentrations.
US09390650B2 Night vision compatible display
An aspect of the disclosure relates to an OLED display compatible for operation in both a day mode and a night mode and methods of operating such a display. In one embodiment, a display comprises a screen, a plurality of sub-pixels including red, green, blue and red-orange pixels. The display also comprises an arrangement scheme for the sub-pixels.
US09390636B2 Advertising panel
An advertising panel is disclosed which is a lightweight, portable, and foldable substrate which accepts and retains high quality graphics and photographic advertising images. The advertising panel can be used for providing advertising on the inner surface of the windshield of a vehicle. The advertising panel includes a substrate with an advertising image printed on the substrate and a light source. The light source illuminates the advertising panel from behind. A viewer exterior to the vehicle is able to see the advertising image at night because a portion of the light emitted from the light source is transmitted through both the advertising panel substrate and the advertising image.
US09390628B2 Vehicle data and driver association for transportation management
A portable wireless data transfer and display device comprises a user interface, a communication module, a display, and a short-range wireless communication module configured to wirelessly receive vehicle data from a data acquisition device mounted inside a vehicle when in close proximity to the data acquisition device. The device is configured to accept inputs of driver information from a user via the user interface. The device is configured to associate the inputs of driver information with the vehicle data, and further includes a long-range wireless communication module configured to send the vehicle data and the driver information, and the association of the vehicle data and the driver information through the communication module to a remote network device via a long-range wireless network. The device is further configured to present at least one of: the vehicle data, the driver information, processed data, driver communications to a user via the display.
US09390625B2 System and method for automatic traffic accident determination and notification
A vehicle status awareness system includes one or more devices which are plugged into a cigarette lighter socket for a vehicle to receive power and are thereby fixed in position relative to the vehicle. The devices include movement sensors which indicate changes in movement of the vehicle, a position sensor which indicates a position of the vehicle, a communications device to send and receive data to and from a remote device, and a control unit. The control unit is programmed to receive and store program parameters, determine a location of the vehicle, determine a movement status of the vehicle based on a plurality of status criteria further comprising accident threshold settings, and transmit one or more of the program parameters, vehicle location, and movement status to the remote device. Where multiple devices are included, each device may have an RF transceiver or equivalent for bidirectional communications with the other device.
US09390624B2 Vehicle-installation intersection judgment apparatus and program
A vehicle-installation intersection judgment apparatus determines whether a target object such as a pedestrian is located ahead and to one side of the vehicle, and if so, judges whether the object is moving laterally to intersect with the advancement of the vehicle. Successive amounts of lateral displacement of the object are periodically derived, each amount is compared with a displacement threshold, a count is made of the number of times that the displacement threshold is exceeded, and the count is compared with a predetermined count threshold. The judgment concerning the target object is made based upon whether the count threshold is attained.
US09390620B2 System for providing traffic data and driving efficiency data
Current and predicted traffic information is provided from incident data, traffic flow data, and media related to traffic received from multiple sources. The crowd sourced data may be provided passively by applications on remote mobile devices or actively by users operating the remote mobile devices. An application on a mobile device may receive the multiple data types, aggregate and validate the data, and provides traffic information for a user. The traffic information may relate to the current position and route of the user or a future route. The present technology may also provide driving efficiency information such as fuel consumption data, carbon footprint data, and a driving rating for a user associated with a vehicle.
US09390619B1 Accessory for controlling activation of a device
An accessory for a device includes an actuator that is configured to be activated to operate a switch on the device when the accessory is physically engaged with the device. The switch is operable to cause the device to switch between on and off modes in which the device is configured to function. The off mode is a mode in which the device consumes less energy than when in the on mode. A controller is communicatively coupled with the actuator and is configured to activate the actuator to operate the switch when power is applied to the actuator.
US09390616B2 Method and apparatus for determining maintenance needs and validating the installation of an alarm system
A system for determining maintenance needs and validating the installation of an alarm system are provided. The system may include a central monitoring station configured to receive operational measurements and apply maintenance rules to the operational measurements and a maintenance history for the alarm system to determine maintenance needs of the alarm system. Additionally, the central monitoring station may be configured to receive points and status updates and apply installation rules to the points and status updates to determine whether the installation of the alarm system if valid.
US09390614B2 System and method for automated response to distress signal
A system for facilitating automated response to a distress signal includes an attachment for a multifunction mobile computing device. In some embodiments, the attachment removably articulates to a sensor location coupled to a housing of the multifunction mobile computing device. In some embodiments, the system includes a computer program product in a non-transitory computer-readable medium. In some embodiments, the program instructions are computer-executable by the multifunction mobile computing device to implement detecting a disarticulation of the attachment from the sensor location on the multifunction mobile computing device, and, responsive to the detecting the disarticulation of the attachment from the sensor location on the multifunction mobile computing device, transmitting to a distress signal response receiver over a radio-frequency network from a radio-frequency transmitter located within a housing of the multifunction mobile computing device the distress signal.
US09390613B1 Computer implemented system for locating users and a method thereof
A computer implemented system and method for locating a user have been envisaged. The system, in accordance with the embodiments herein includes a handheld device configured to identify the present location of the user, along with the audiovisual information corresponding to the identified location of the user. The handheld device transmits that location information and the audiovisual information to a centralized server, only in the event that the user performs a predetermined gesture. Subsequently, the centralized server processes the location information and the corresponding audiovisual information, and identifies at least one electronic communication device accessible to at least one of rescue personnel, and subsequently transmits the location information and the audiovisual information, to the identified electronic communication device, preferably along with an SOS message.
US09390612B2 Using audio signals in personal emergency response systems
A personal emergency response (PER) device may include an audio sensor that is used to enhance the operation of the PER device. The audio sensor may obtain audio data that can be used to verify whether a fall event that is detected by the PER device is a false positive signal and/or enhance the reliability of a detected fall event. In some implementations, the audio data may be used in the detection of vehicle crashes in which a user of the PER device is involved.
US09390611B1 Smart alert system in electronic device
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, computer program product, and computer system for dynamically controlling an alert function on an electronic device. The method includes determining whether a user is engaged in a conversation with at least one other person. Voice and facial recognition technology determine whether the other person is an important person. If it is determined that the other person is an important person the alert function on the device will be disabled.
US09390610B2 Techniques for determining movement of a device away from a preferred location
Techniques for determining movement of a device away from a preferred location which provide notification. An example method includes receiving a signal from a beacon, determining a measure of a characteristic of the signal, performing a comparison of the measure of the characteristic to a predetermined threshold which is based upon a distance from the preferred location, determining that the device has moved at least the distance from the preferred location based upon the comparison, and issuing an alert.
US09390605B2 Auxiliary device for a hazard alarm constructed as a point type detector for function monitoring of the hazard alarm, and an arrangement and method of monitoring using a device of this kind
An auxiliary device for a hazard alarm constructed as a point type detector, in particular for a smoke alarm or smoke gas alarm. The device is a separate unit that can be attached to the hazard alarm and is provided to monitor the function thereof. It has a transmitting unit and/or a receiving unit for the detection of objects in the vicinity of the hazard alarm. The auxiliary device monitors smoke inlet openings of the hazard alarm. An arrangement containing the hazard alarm and the auxiliary device attached thereto and matched thereto in terms of construction and/or connections is also provided. The auxiliary device of this kind is used for monitoring the vicinity of the hazard alarm for current-shielding objects, for monitoring an inlet opening of the hazard alarm for contamination and optionally for monitoring the function of an acoustic alarm signaling device of the hazard alarm.
US09390604B2 Fire detection system
Detecting an extreme temperature event. A method includes collecting raw data from a high resolution sensor. The method further includes identifying in the raw collected data one or more changing data point values. The method further includes identifying, in the raw collected data that the one or more changing data point values have reached a determined threshold that indicates with a high level of probability that an extreme temperature event has occurred. Alternatively, the method may include identifying in the raw collected data a sudden extreme increase in one or more data point values that cross a threshold which indicates with a high level of probability that an extreme temperature event has occurred. As a result, the method includes issuing an alert indicating that an extreme temperature event has occurred.
US09390602B2 Systems and methods for verification of security tag detachment
Systems (100) and methods (1400) for verifying a detachment of a security tag (108) from an article. The methods comprise: producing by a detaching unit (106) a first signal at a first frequency and a second signal at a second frequency when the security tag is in proximity thereto; generating, by a non-linear electrical circuit (504) of the security tag, a third signal from the first and second signals applied thereto; ceasing generation of the third signal by the non-linear electrical circuit when at least a first portion (306) of the security tag is moved a certain distance from the detaching unit; and determining by the detaching unit that the first portion of the security tag has been decoupled from a second portion (318) of the security tag when the third signal is no longer being generated by the non-linear electrical circuit.
US09390601B2 Anti-tampering protection assembly
An anti-tampering protection assembly for sensing tampering with at least one conductor, the anti-tampering protection assembly including unpredictably varying signal generating circuitry, connected to the at least one conductor, for providing unpredictably varying signals on the at least conductor and tampering sensing circuitry for sensing tampering with the at least one conductor.
US09390600B1 Remote power state detector
The power state monitor addresses the risks described above. The power state monitor monitors the power status of one or more appliances and alerts the user when the power status of the appliance may not be what the user desires. The power state monitor comprises a one or more sensors and a centralized alarm device. Each sensor is attached to a selected appliance to monitor the power consumption of the selected appliance. Each sensor communicates with the centralized alarm device. When a sensor detects power consumption from its assigned appliance, the sensor transmits this power status to the centralized alarm device. The centralized alarm device monitors the status of the one or more appliances and, when certain thresholds are reached, generates an alarm to the user. In addition, the centralized alarm device can be configured to activate a relay that disconnects the appliance from the electrical power source.
US09390591B2 Online lottery scratcher system
The embodiments disclose an apparatus including at least one device configured for registering, recognizing, and authenticating a player/user of an online lottery scratcher system, at least one device configured for communications between the online lottery scratcher system and at least one digital programmable online lottery scratcher application, at least one player/user wireless touch screen device for interactively interfacing with the at least one digital programmable online lottery scratcher application to display a digital scratch off ticket, and at least one functional system configured for virtual scratching off of a digital scratch off ticket.
US09390590B2 Products and processes for operations management of casino, leisure and hospitality industry
In various embodiments of this invention, a suite of customized computer software applications, a linked or wireless computer network and accessory components cooperate to enhance and extend customer and employee resource management in the casino/gaming environment.
US09390588B2 Systems and methods for determining and outputting outcomes for an event instance of a game
In accordance with some embodiments, methods, systems and articles of manufacture provide for populating a plurality of game symbol positions with primary game symbols affecting a first aspect of the game such that a single primary game symbol is placed in each game symbol position; overlaying, on a randomly selected game symbol position, a special symbol affecting a second aspect of the game, such that the special symbol hides from view the single primary game symbol in the randomly selected game symbol position; outputting a game interface to a player which shows the game symbol positions as populated with the placed primary game symbols and overlaid with the special symbol; and removing the special symbol from the game interface, thereby revealing the single game symbol hidden from view by the special game symbol.
US09390587B2 Gaming system and method for providing a cascading symbol game with multiple symbol display position symbols
A gaming system including a cascading symbol or tumbling reel game which utilizes zero, one or more multiple symbol display position symbols. Each multiple symbol display position symbol is configured to occupy or span a plurality of symbol display positions of a symbol display position matrix. For a generated multiple symbol display position symbol to be removed from the symbol display matrix, each of the individual symbols of the multiple symbol display position symbol must individually qualify to be removed from the symbol display matrix.
US09390586B2 Video game apparatus, program, and control method for video game apparatus
In a video game apparatus, a game picture that shows conditions of plural token coins on a field and a pusher table, and a token coin array picture that shows in line plural token coins that are able to be fed to the field, are displayed in a viewing area. If a position of a touch operation detected by the detector lies on the token coin array picture, a processor in the video game apparatus determines a number of the token coins to be fed based on the position of the touch operation and feeds the number being determined of the token coins to the field.
US09390583B2 System and method of conducting games of chance
A system and a method of conducting games of chance with enhanced payouts based on a cash in or initial investment amount are described. In response to a player's initial investment or cash in amount, a payout schedule is selected. The larger the initial investment the better the selected payout schedule for the player. Live games of chance, games of chance facilitated by electronic gaming machines or devices and server-based games may utilize the method shown here. Players may also receive enhanced awards such as enhanced player points based on the amount of the initial investment, or based on other parameters and factors. Awards and bonuses may also be provided to players who exhaust an initial investment exceeding a threshold amount. Other different variations and combinations of the games and winnings are also explained in details.
US09390582B2 Customization of game play through personal gaming device
Gaming systems and methods for customizing game play on a gaming machine with custom media are described herein. The gaming machine includes a cabinet, a display, a user input mechanism, an interface configured to wirelessly communicate with a portable electronic device controlled by a player, and a game controller. The game controller is configured to provide a default game play session of a wager-based game, facilitate a data connection between the gaming machine and the portable electronic device through the interface, and receive custom game media and customization settings. The game controller is further configured to store the custom game media and customization settings and to provide a customized game play session of the wager-based game according to the customization settings and the custom game media.
US09390581B2 Information generation device, information provision system, and information storage medium
An information generation device includes an adjustment section that adjusts a selection probability of a game medium that is provided to a second player based on a game status of a first player, the game medium being displayed in a game, and an information generation section that generates indication information corresponding to the selection probability adjusted by the adjustment section, the indication information indicating the selection probability of the game medium in a lottery event to the second player, the lottery event being an event for providing the game medium.
US09390577B2 System and method for optimizing utilization of inventory space for dispensable articles
A system and method for optimizing the utilization of inventory space for articles dispensable from an article dispensing machine is provided. A subset of articles in the article dispensing machine may be targeted for removal for various purposes. Based on a list of the subset of articles, the article dispensing machine may move the subset of articles from a storage unit to a predetermined area, such as a merchandising zone of the storage unit or a separate article removal bin. The subset of articles may be removed from the predetermined area, followed by loading of new articles to the predetermined area.
US09390568B2 Driver identification based on driving maneuver signature
A system for driver identification comprises a processor and a memory. The processor is configured to receive a driving maneuver signature and to determine a driver identification based at least in part on the driving maneuver signature. The memory is coupled to the processor and is configured to provide the processor with instructions.
US09390567B2 Self-monitoring and alert system for intelligent vehicle
System, method, and computer program product to perform an operation, by, responsive to receiving a vehicle event notification by a computing system in a vehicle, switching the computing system from a sleep mode to an active mode, sending, to a user, a user notification generated responsive to the vehicle event notification, and returning the computing system to the sleep mode.
US09390565B2 Leak verification and detection for vehicle fuel containment systems
An off-board vehicle fuel containment tester that utilizes a vacuum/pressure pump to change the pressure in the vehicle's fuel handling and containment system. A microprocessor is programmed to control the vacuum/pressure pump system and through the reading produced by a pressure transducer will determine, by the pressure changes occurring in the containment system, if a leak is present and the size of the leak. Once a leak is determined to be present, a gas analyzer that can detect carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons is used to find the point of leakage in the vehicle containment system.
US09390564B2 Method for processing addresses at a very fast rate
A mail processing method for franking mail items, which franking machine is connected to a first server that is itself connected to a second server in communication with a sorting machine, the franking method including scanning the destination addresses borne on the mail items as the mail items are inserted, storing the digital images of the addresses scanned in this way, in association with respective unique identification numbers, and periodically transferring the digital images as indexed in this way to a first server. The first or second server extracts determined data from the digital images, which data, associated with the unique identification numbers, is suitable for enabling the sorting machine to be controlled automatically on receiving the franked mail items.
US09390562B2 Multiple perspective video system and method
Subject viewpoint data and external viewpoint data are collected, such as via cameras, and separate virtual or synthetic video views are generated, one from the subject viewpoint and one from an external viewpoint. The subject video view is presented to the subject, such as via a headset, while the external video view is presented to at least one other person. At least the subject video view is presented sufficiently close in time to permit the subject to react to it. A model is referenced so the video views may include a virtual or synthetic setting, or at least partial replacement of the subject with a character, or both.
US09390559B2 Aircraft flight deck displays and systems and methods for enhanced display of obstacles in a combined vision display
Systems and methods for enhanced display of obstacles in a combined vision display are provided. The system comprises a display unit and an enhanced vision system configured to generate first signals representative of enhanced vision images. Data storage device contains obstacle data representative of obstacles. Synthetic vision system is configured to selectively retrieve obstacle data from data storage device and generate second signals representative of synthetic vision images of one or more obstacles. Processor is in operable communication with display unit and coupled to receive first and second signals and configured, in response thereto, to: overlay the synthetic vision images of the one or more obstacles over the enhanced vision images and command display unit to display the synthetic vision images of the one or more obstacles overlaid over the enhanced vision images. The overlaid synthetic vision images of the one or more obstacles may be visually highlighted.
US09390558B2 Faux-transparency method and device
A method and a device for producing faux-transparency of an object are disclosed and claimed wherein an ikon display device (IDD) is interposed between a viewer and object, which obstructs a background view from the viewer, and wherein an ikon acquiring device (IAD) acquires an ikon of the background, and wherein the ikon of the background is displayed by the IDD. The invention includes means and methods for editing the background ikon to produce an occluding background icon (OBI), which is a representation of the portion of the background view obstructed by the object, wherein the OBI is displayed by the IDD and the viewer sees the OBI instead of the object.
US09390551B2 Method for estimation of information representative of a pixel of a virtual object
The invention relates to a method for estimating information representative of a pixel of a virtual object. In order to improve the rendering while minimizing the required calculation time, the method comprises defining a first surface element associated with the pixel according to a direction of observation of the virtual object, the first surface element belonging to a representation of the virtual object according to a first level of detail; associating a second surface element with the first surface element, the second surface element being determined by intersection between the direction of observation and a first parametric surface representing the virtual object according to a second level of detail; estimating the information representative of the pixel according to the second surface element and information associated with the second surface element enabling the virtual object to be represented according to a third level of detail.
US09390549B2 Shape data generation method and apparatus
A shape data generation method relating to this invention includes: first generating first three-dimensional voxel data that represents a target object by using first tomographic images, in which a first region occupied by the target object is designated, among plural tomographic images; extracting, from the first tomographic images, brightness values of voxels included in the first region; second generating a function for calculating a probability that a voxel is included in the first region by using the extracted brightness values; calculating, for each voxel among voxels in a voxel space that includes the plural tomographic images, a probability by using a brightness value of the voxel and the function; and third generating second three-dimensional voxel data that represents the target object by using the first three-dimensional voxel data and probabilities calculated for the voxels in the voxel space.
US09390543B2 Graphics processing subsystem and method for computing a three-dimensional clipmap
A graphics processing subsystem and method for computing a 3D clipmap. One embodiment of the subsystem includes: (1) a renderer operable to render a primitive surface representable by a 3D clipmap, (2) a geometry shader (GS) configured to select respective major-plane viewports for a plurality of clipmap levels, the major-plane viewports being sized to represent full spatial extents of the 3D clipmap relative to a render target (RT) for the plurality of clipmap levels, (3) a rasterizer configured to employ the respective major-plane viewports and the RT to rasterize a projection of the primitive surface onto a major plane corresponding to the respective major-plane viewports into pixels representing fragments of the primitive surface for each of the plurality of clipmap levels, and (4) a plurality of pixel shader (PS) instances configured to transform the fragments into respective voxels in the plurality of clipmap levels, thereby voxelizing the primitive surface.
US09390540B2 Deferred shading graphics processing unit, geometry data structure and method of performing anti-aliasing in deferred shading
A deferred shading GPU, geometry data structure and method. One embodiment of the geometry data structure is found in a graphics processing subsystem operable to render a scene having a pixel represented by samples. The graphics processing subsystem includes: (1) a memory configured to store a geometry data structure associated with the pixel containing surface fragment coverage masks associated with the samples, and (2) a GPU configured to employ the surface fragment coverage masks to carry out deferred shading on the pixel.
US09390537B2 Disparity setting method and corresponding device
The invention relates to a method for transmitting an information representative of a disparity setting of a stereoscopic image, the stereoscopic image comprising a first image and a second image representative of a same scene according to two different viewpoints. The method comprises a transmission step of said setting information at a given time, the transmission time being determined according to a time period associated with a transition time between the sequential display of the first and second images. The invention also relates to a disparity setting method according to the disparity information received as well as a device configured for the transmission of an information representative of a disparity setting.
US09390533B2 Method and apparatus for displaying an additional information related to measured value of object
Provided is a method of displaying additional information related to a measured value of an object, which includes acquiring measurement item information of the object; acquiring at least one of a measurement point and a measurement direction for the object; determining a reference value for a measurement based on the acquired measurement item information; acquiring the measured value of the object based on the at least one of the measurement point and the measurement direction; and displaying additional information including the determined reference value and the acquired measured value.
US09390532B2 Object removal from an image
A method including digitally processing a first image of a scene from a first perspective, to identify a first obscured portion of the scene at an imaging plane that is obscured by a forward object in the scene; digitally processing a second image of the scene from a second perspective, to identify a second obscured portion of the scene at the imaging plane that is obscured by the forward object in the scene; and outputting, if the first obscured portion of the scene and the second obscured portion of the scene are overlapping at the imaging plane, an indication that the first image and the second image cannot be processed successfully to produce a third composite image of the scene without the forward object.
US09390531B2 Movable body display device and movable body display method
A movable body display device includes an acquisition component, a memory component, an input component, a length adjuster, and a display controller. The acquisition component acquires position and speed of a movable body. The memory component stores a plurality of display ranges, a number of range rings for each display range, and a reference speed. The input component receives input designating one of the display ranges. The length adjuster adjusts length of a speed vector on a screen such that length of a speed vector indicating the reference speed on the screen is the same as a spacing of the range rings on the screen based on the display range. The display controller displays the movable body on the screen according to the position, and displays adjacent to the movable body a speed vector for which heading and length have been set based on the length and the speed.
US09390525B1 Graphical representation of frame instances
The following graphical representations, of frame instance data, are presented: Instance Graph and Instance Plot. An Instance Graph is a kind of directed graph that represents directed relationships between items, as established by frame instances. An example frame is the Preference Frame, as applied to online opinion data. The degree or “influence” of a node can be graphically indicated. Multiple edges, between two nodes, can be represented as a compound edge. Each node can be modeled as having a field, causing it to repel all other nodes, which each edge can be modeled as producing an attractive force. The “net preference” of a node is the difference between its outdegree and indegree. From the “influence” and “net preference” values, for nodes of an Instance Graph, an Instance Plot can be produced. One axis of an instance plot is based on “influence” and another axis is based on “net preference.”
US09390524B2 Method and apparatus for setting a basal rate profile for an insulin pump
Methods for setting a basal rate profile for an insulin pump, wherein the basal rate profile defines a basal rate delivery for a selected time interval and has a pre-defined number of profile segments each of which define the basal rate delivery for a subset of the selected time interval, include providing a curve representing the basal rate as a continuous function of time as an input for an input unit and generating the basal rate profile from the curve by a calculation unit by assigning curve values at selected time instances to the pre-defined number of profile segments.
US09390516B2 Asynchronous streaming of data for validation
The present invention relates to computer capture of object motion. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to capturing of facial movement or performance of an actor. Embodiments of the present invention provide a head-mounted camera system that allows the movements of an actor's face to be captured separately from, but simultaneously with, the movements of the actor's body. In some embodiments of the present invention, a method of motion capture of an actor's performance is provided. A self-contained system is provided for recording the data, which is free of tethers or other hard-wiring, is remotely operated by a motion-capture team, without any intervention by the actor wearing the device. Embodiments of the present invention also provide a method of validating that usable data is being acquired and recorded by the remote system.
US09390509B2 Medical image processing device, medical image processing method, program
Provided is a medical image processing device capable of notifying the diagnosis personnel that a segmentation error has occurred or may have occurred during tissue segmentation processing. This medical image processing device specifies a gray matter image of a subject, smoothes the gray matter image, and, in accordance with an elevation function for calculating an absolute Z score, calculates an elevation value. Next, the medical image processing device compares the evaluation value with a pre-defined threshold value and determines the segmentation result, and, if the separation result is determined to be abnormal, warns that segmentation result is abnormal and displays a segmentation result display screen showing the segmentation result.
US09390507B2 Apparatus and method for hierarchical stereo matching
An apparatus and a method for hierarchical stereo matching are provided. In the method, a reduced image is formed by reducing left and right images, and a first Trellis is performed on the reduced image. Then, a magnified image is generated by magnifying the size and the brightness of the reduced image, and a second Trellis is performed on the magnified image.
US09390499B2 Methods and apparatus for image processing, and laser scanning ophthalmoscope having an image processing apparatus
A laser scanning ophthalmoscope obtains images of a retina. An image is processed by (i) mapping an image along a one dimensional slice; (ii) computing a wavelet scalogram of the slice; (iii) mapping ridge features from the wavelet scalogram; repeating steps (i), (ii) and (iii) for one or more mapped image slices. The mapped ridge features from the slices are superimposed. Textural information is derived from the superimposed mapped ridge features. The analysis can be tuned to detect various textural features, for example to detect image artifacts, or for retinal pathology classification.
US09390494B2 Delta die intensity map measurement
With an optical inspection tool, images of a plurality of patches of a plurality of dies of a reticle are obtained. The patch images are obtained so that each patch image is positioned relative to a same reference position within its respective die as another die-equivalent one of the patch images in each the other ones of the dies. For each patch image, an integrated value is determined for an image characteristic of sub-portions of such patch image. For each patch image, a reference value is determined based on the integrated values of the patch image's corresponding die-equivalent patch images. For each patch image, a difference between that patch image's integrated value and an average or median value of its die-equivalent patch images is determined whereby a significant difference indicates a variance in a pattern characteristic of a patch and an average or median pattern characteristic of its die-equivalent patches.
US09390489B1 Method and system for assessing damage to infrastructure
A method and system may assess the damage to infrastructure using aerial images captured from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a manned aerial vehicle (MAV) or from a satellite device. Specifically, an item of infrastructure may be identified for assessing damage. The UAV, MAV, or satellite device may then capture aerial images within an area which surrounds the identified infrastructure item. Subsequently, the aerial images may be analyzed to determine a condition and the extent and/or severity of the damage to the infrastructure item. Furthermore, the aerial images along with indications of the extent of the damage may be displayed on a computing device.
US09390483B2 Processing method of pressure-sensitive light and shadow imaging system and formed footprint image
The pressure-sensitive light and shadow imaging system is comprised of carrier medium (1), inductive surface (2), photo source (3), photocell (5) and imaging surface (6), wherein the said carrier medium (1) is set on the top of the pressure-sensitive light and shadow imaging system, and the lower end contacts with the inductive surface (2) whose lower end is closely integrated with upper surface of the photocell (5). The imaging surface (6) is set underneath the photocell (5). Texture substance (7) contacts the carrier medium (1), which can form the pressure-sensitive image. The image can reflect the pressure distribution of the substance and compression sequence. With the processing method of footprint image formed by such pressure-sensitive light and shadow imaging system, several single-frame footprint images are processed as a complete footprint image containing all footprint features, which can eliminate background noise.
US09390479B2 Image processing device and image processing method
An image processing device includes a first production part configured to apply a first smoothing process to an original image data by using a first edge-preserving smoothing filter to produce first image data that include a low-frequency image and an edge image, a second production part configured to apply a second smoothing process to a differential image between the original image data and the first image data to produce second image data that include a high-frequency image, and a synthesis part configured to synthesize the first image data and the second image data.
US09390478B2 Real time skin smoothing image enhancement filter
System, apparatus, method, and computer readable media for on-the-fly captured image data enhancement. An image or video stream is enhanced with a filter in concurrence with generation of the stream by a camera module. In one exemplary embodiment, HD image frames are filtered at a rate of 30 fps, or more, to enhance human skin tones with an edge-preserving smoothing filter. In embodiments, the smoothing filter is applied to an image representation of reduced resolution, reducing computational overhead of the filter. The filtered image is then upsampled and blended with a map that identifies edges to maintain an edge quality comparable to a smoothing filter applied at full resolution. A device platform including a camera module and comporting with the exemplary architecture may provide enhanced video camera functionality even at low image processing bandwidth.
US09390477B2 Image processing apparatus, image pickup apparatus, image processing method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for image restoration using blind deconvolution
An image processing apparatus (804) includes a function obtaining portion (804a) configured to obtain a first optical transfer function which is different depending on a shooting condition and on a position in an image, a corrected image generating portion (804b) configured to generate a corrected image from the image using the first optical transfer function, and an image restoration portion (804c) configured to perform blind deconvolution processing using the corrected image to generate a restored image.
US09390472B2 Systems and methods for generating an interactive mosaic comprising user visual content data on a portable terminal and an image sharing platform
There is disclosed an image processing method for generating a mosaic of images. The method includes selecting a cover image from a plurality of images and dividing the cover image into a number of grid blocks. For each grid block, the average color (or other parameter) is calculated and each grid block is assigned a sub-content based on the color matching. Mosaic generation information is transmitted to a server, the mosaic generation information including a list of sub-content to be displayed in the mosaic, each sub-content including corresponding grid block location information. A server verifies whether each of the sub-content exists on the server and transmits sub-content not present on the server, to the server. The mosaic is displayed on a display of a portable terminal the sub-content using the mosaic generation information so that the cover image is reproduced to form of a mosaic of sub-content that represents the cover image and each sub-content includes additional information specific to each sub-content.
US09390470B2 Method and apparatus for performing interpolation based on transform and inverse transform
Provided are a method and apparatus for interpolating an image. The method includes: selecting a first filter, from among a plurality of different filters, for interpolating between pixel values of integer pixel units, according to an interpolation location; and generating at least one pixel value of at least one fractional pixel unit by interpolating between the pixel values of the integer pixel units by using the selected first filter.
US09390463B2 Techniques for reducing memory bandwidth for display composition
Various embodiments are generally directed to an apparatus, method and other techniques to determine color information for multiple graphical layers of a graphical display at a location of a pixel, and to determine a pixel color information for the pixel at the location based on the color information for each of the multiple graphical layers.
US09390460B2 System and method for dynamic generation of embedded security features in a document
A system for dynamically generating a digital image comprising a security feature for a document. The system includes a processor 222 configured to receive data indicative of a security feature to be embedded in the document. The processor 222 generates a digital image having content at least partially specified by the received data. The processor 222 transmits a signal indicative of the generated digital image. The generated digital image has a foreground and a background, at least one of which includes a line screen pattern. The foreground and the background of the digital image are configured such that a scanned reproduction of an original printed version of the digital image is reproduced in an altered form relative to the original printed version.
US09390459B2 Method and system for user based routing
A system and method for providing route information to a user, in which paths provided to the user are automatically selected based on personal information of the user, so that in following the provided paths, the user passes things in which the user may have particular interest.
US09390455B2 Method and system for calculating importance of communication participants
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for evaluating contact priority for a user. During operation, the system collects statistical information associated with interactions between the user and the user's contacts across multiple communication channels, and evaluates the contact priority for a contact based at least on the collected statistical information.
US09390453B2 Activity list filters for a financial and social management system
Embodiments of the invention comprise systems, computer program products, and methods for a financial and social management system that provides improved tracking and management related to how, where, when, and with whom a user enters into activities. The financial and social management system captures activity information and images from various sources of information, including but not limited to social networking accounts, e-receipts, contact lists, calendars, and the like, and associates the activity information and images with the activities. The financial and social management system may determine locations, social relationships, entities, categories, or the like from the various sources of information and tag the activities with location tags, social relationship tags, entity tags, category tags, or the like. The tags allow the user to easily filter the activities based on the location, social relationship, entity, category, or other activity information and display the activities and activity information in customized interfaces.
US09390452B1 Risk unit based policies
Methods, computer-readable media, systems and apparatuses for determining and implementing risk unit based insurance policies are presented. A user may receive a plurality of risk units associated with an insurance policy. The risk units may be stored in a risk unit account associated with the user, the vehicle, etc. During operation of the vehicle, sensor data may be received. The sensor data may provide information associated with driving behaviors of the user, environmental conditions in which the vehicle is being operated, and the like. A consumption rate of the risk units may be determined based, at least in part, on the received sensor data. If a number of risk units in a risk unit account is below a predetermined threshold, a notification may be transmitted to the user and/or a predetermined number of risk units may be automatically added to the risk unit account.
US09390450B1 Social file storage
The present disclosure provides for determining whether object accesses that occur in a file system qualify as relevant events, and displaying information about relevant events in a social file storage interface. A social file storage interface can provide a news feed of recent relevant events, a subscription list that displays information about relevant events performed by colleagues, and an access map that displays a visual representation of relevant events and relevant objects in the file system. An object access qualifies as a relevant event if an attribute of the object access satisfies relevance criteria defined by a user. If a user is not authorized to access an object, a relevant event pertaining to that object will not be displayed to the user in the social file storage interface. An object can also be accessed and opened from within the social file storage interface.
US09390448B2 System and methods to present a personal shopping experience
A method and a system to present a personal shopping experience are provided. A plurality of items assigned to a category inputted by a user is identified. The plurality of items is available for sale at a plurality of corresponding locations within a pre-defined geographical area. A selection of at least one item of the plurality of items, the category, or a region within the pre-defined geographical area is received from a user. A path from a first location corresponding to a first item of the plurality of items to a second location corresponding to a second item of the plurality of items is determined. The path is within the pre-defined geographical area where the system is located. Discount information for the first item and discount information for the second item are identified. A path from the first location to the second location is displayed to the user. Discount information for the first item and the second item are provided to the user.
US09390447B1 Insertion of media recommendations
Disclosed are various embodiments for a recommendation insertion application. Instances of abandonment for media content are aggregated. A recommendation insertion point is calculated as a function of the instances of abandonment. A recommendation for suggested content is inserted into the media content at the recommendation insertion point.
US09390446B2 Consumer centric online product research
Embodiments of the invention relate to providing online product research. Data related to an activity performed by a consumer at a first electronic commerce website is collected. The collected data includes information about a first product, and the information about the first product is stored as product research data. The product research data is associated with the consumer. It is detected that the consumer is accessing a location in a second electronic commerce website that includes information about a second product. The product research data is searched for data related to the information about the second product. The information about the first product is located in response to searching the product research data for data related to the information about the second product, and the consumer is presented with the information about the first product along with the information about the second product.
US09390445B2 Authentication using biometric technology through a consumer device
Embodiments of the invention provide strong user authentication on a consumer device without requiring the user to go through a formal registration process with the issuer or processing network. Certain embodiments allow the use of any biometric technology (e.g., fingerprint scan, iris scan, voice recognition, etc.) supported by their consumer device (e.g., smart phone, tablet computer, personal computer) to authenticate the user. Additionally, the consumer device provides unforgeable evidence of the biometric match in the form of a biometric digital artifact to provide proof to a processing network that the match occurred. The processing network maintains a history of these authenticated transactions and biometric digital artifacts and as more and more non-fraudulent authenticated transactions occur over time, a higher level of trust (i.e., lower risk) is associated with the consumer device, biometric registration process, and the user.
US09390444B2 Method, medium, and system for providing a subset of products
A product adaptor of a server receives a request from an interface application associated with the product adaptor. The request includes a request for a subset of all available products that are offered by a communication service provider. The subset of the products includes particular products that a user is permitted to purchase. The product adaptor determining whether a cache of the product adaptor stores a response that satisfies the request based on information in the request. The response includes information about the subset of the products. The product adaptor retrieves the response from the cache of the product adaptor when the cache of the product adaptor stores the response. The product adaptor further transmits the information about the subset of the products to the interface application. The interface application utilizes the information about the subset of the products to offer one or more of the particular products to the user.
US09390437B2 Method and system for monitoring advertisement displays
Embodiments of the present application relate to a method for monitoring advertisement displays, a system for monitoring advertisement displays, and a computer program product for monitoring advertisement displays. A method for monitoring advertisement displays is provided. The method includes acquiring advertisement request information in an advertisement request of a page to be monitored. encoding and generating an advertising space view for loading in the to-be-monitored page based on the advertisement request information, acquiring a page view of the to-be-monitored page, dissecting the page view to acquire advertising space display information, and analyzing the advertising space display information to determine whether an advertisement display of the to-be-monitored page is consistent with the advertisement request information.
US09390435B2 Mixed-mode interaction
A user of a wireless device, such as a mobile phone, can make purchases or obtain information via a network, such as the Internet, using both voice and non-verbal methods. Users can submit voice queries and receive non-verbal replies, submit non-verbal queries and receive voice replies, or perform similar operations that many the voice and data capabilities of modern mobile communication devices. The user may provide notification criteria indicating under what conditions a notification should be sent to the user's wireless device. When purchasing opportunities matching the selected notification criteria become available, the user is notified. The user can respond to the notification, and immediately take advantage of the purchasing opportunity if he so desires. Mixed-mode interactions can also be used by sellers to more advantageously control the marketing of distressed, time sensitive, or other merchandise/services.
US09390432B2 Email marketing campaign auditor systems
The present invention relates to a method and system that audits email marketing campaigns. The system may include an audit SMTP server and an audit processor. The audit SMTP server may be configured to receive and store email messages transmitted over a public network and addressed to a designated email inbox at the audit SMTP server established for performing quality diagnostics. The received email messages were generated at a source email SMTP server and include a plurality of parts. The audit processor may be configured to parse the individual received email messages into parts and apply a group of different performance processes to the different parts. The audit processor may be further configured to produce and store output data generated from the performance processes that identifies quality characteristics in the different parts that represent faults that will occur from the use of the template in an email marketing campaign.
US09390431B2 System and method for rewarding commuters
This invention provides for tracking and rewarding commuters according to their contribution to unclogging roads by opting for alternative transport forms and improving their health and the health of the environment. In particular, the invention relates to commuters who travel under human power to and from their place of work and who sign up as subscribers to a managed system that tracks their travel events, compares data gathered about the event with other events and determines whether or not the event qualifies as a commute, in which case an account of the user is credited. When the accumulated credit in the account reaches a threshold amount, the user qualifies for receiving a reward such as by means of a value token.
US09390430B2 Method and system for sales strategy optimization
A method for identifying a payment card holder preference for a certain sales technique. The method involves retrieving, from one or more databases, a first set of information including purchasing and payment activity information attributable to one or more payment card holders; retrieving, from one or more databases, a second set of information including merchant information associated with the purchasing and payment activity; retrieving, from one or more databases, a third set of information including sales technique information; analyzing the first set of information and the second set of information to generate one or more predictive payment card holder profiles; and correlating the one or more predictive payment card holder profiles with the sales technique information to identify payment card holder preference for the certain sales technique. A system for identifying payment card holder preference for a certain sales technique is also provided.
US09390429B2 System and method for making weather based activity recommendations
A system for correlating customer payment card purchases and contemporaneous weather conditions. The system comprises a first data storage device containing payment card transaction data and a second data storage device comprising historic weather data. A processor is provided and configured to identify correlations between payment card transactions and weather conditions contemporaneous to the transactions or otherwise associated therewith.
US09390427B2 Methods, systems and devices for automatic linking of activity tracking devices to user devices
Methods, systems and devices are provided for automatically linking a device to an activity tracking device. One method includes obtaining, at the device, a identifier from a website. The identifier is for an activity tracker that has been paired to a user account of the website. The method includes scanning, by the device, for the identifier. The scanning is of advertising messages generated by one or more activity trackers. The method identifies the activity tracker by matching the advertised identifier to the identifier obtained from the website. The method then includes establishing a link between the activity tracker and the device. The link is established without requiring user initiation to link the activity tracker to the device.
US09390425B2 Online advertisement selection
Online advertisement selection techniques are described. In an implementation, data is obtained which describes interaction of one or more clients with advertisements embedded in television content. An advertisement is selected to be displayed in conjunction with web content accessed by the one or more clients based on the interaction with the advertisements described in the data.
US09390422B2 System, method and computer program products for creating and maintaining a consolidated jobs database
Systems, methods and computer program products include job bots that are configured to periodically visit network sites that have stored therein one or more job postings. During each visit, the one or more job postings are analyzed and a searchable job post database is updated to add new job postings, modify changed job postings and delete any removed job postings. A search engine is provided for job seekers to search the searchable job post database where a consolidate list of job postings from the network sites is stored.
US09390417B2 Mobile financial transaction system
A computer system enables users to conduct financial transactions in a secured manner without using traditional financial instruments. The computer system enables sending a pass code to a first personal communication device of a first user. The pass code has a predefined lifetime. The computer system also enables approving the financial transaction between the first user and a second user in response to receiving the pass code from a second personal communication device of the second user before the pass code expires.
US09390412B2 Dynamic point of sale system integrated with reader device
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods, systems, and apparatuses for enabling payment information received via a reader device coupled to a mobile point-of-sale (POS) terminal to be communicated in a secure manner to a third party service provider for payment processing of a transaction between a merchant and a consumer. Some embodiments are directed to communication of the payment information received from a reader device using a payment processing mechanism (e.g., a hosted order page) of the merchant to process payment information via the third party service provider in a secure manner. The reader device can encrypt payment information using a third party encryption mechanism, such as derived unique key per transaction (DUKPT). The third party encryption mechanism can be used or accessed by the third party service provider to enable end-to-end security for payment processing.
US09390411B2 System or method for storing credit on a value card or cellular phone rather than accepting coin change
A system and method for receiving a value on or associated with a consumer card in lieu of actually receiving coin change. In particular embodiments, and RFID device or other card reader/writer device is connected either in place of, or parallel to, an electric coin dispenser on a Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal or cash register. Instead of receiving an odd amount of coin change after a purchase, the RFID device can augment a total value either stored on the card itself or in an account associated with the card. Alternatively a clerk can cause value to be added to a card equal to the amount that would have given as coin change. A consumer can redeem value up to the amount on the value card at participating stores as if it were a gift card. In one embodiment, a customer ID, total value and optionally a password or PIN can be stored on a smartcard usually in encrypted form. Alternatively, the card or telephone can simply present a barcode which relates to an account. The present invention can either be implemented to work with a particular merchant or merchant chain, or it can be implemented to work across a large number of participating merchants. The latter case usually requires a single remote value account accessible by all the participating merchants.
US09390409B2 Method and server for sending and lending digital service content
The present invention provides a method and a server for sending and lending digital service content. The method for sending digital service content includes: receiving, by a server, a user request, in which the user request carries a user identifier and a label of the digital service content; determining a type of the label; if the label is a lending label of the digital service content, acquiring a borrower identifier in the lending label; and determining whether the user identifier is the same as the borrower identifier; if the user identifier is the same as the borrower identifier, acquiring a lending period matching the borrower identifier in the lending label, and determining whether the digital service content is in the lending period; if yes, sending the digital service content to a terminal used by a user and identified by the user identifier.
US09390406B2 Prepaid chip card exception processing
A portable consumer device may have money stored therein, which can be calculated using an accumulator record and an exception record. The accumulator record can be incremented by the amount of any initiated transaction using the portable consumer device. The exception record can be incremented by the amount of any completed transaction using the portable consumer device. The portable consumer device may also have a limit amount, to record the amount of money added. The records allow for a later reconstruction of the device history, and can account for any errors or problems during transactions.
US09390405B2 System and method for providing profile enhancement using scheduling information
A system and method of enhancing a profile of a portable device. The system and method includes defining an event type in a scheduling tool and scheduling a time to initiate the event type. The system and method further includes associating a notification profile of a device with the defined event type and changing a setting of the device to the notification profile in response to the scheduling time and the defined event type.
US09390403B2 Augmented screen sharing in an electronic meeting
Described are systems for providing contextually relevant data to participants of an electronic communication. A screen sharing session is established between a plurality of participants of the electronic communication. A set of contextual relevance data is determined between contents of the screen sharing session, at least one of the participants, and external data related to the at least one of the participants. The screen sharing session is changed to include the contextual relevance data.
US09390402B1 Collection of progress data
User content access events pertaining to a content item, such as an e-book, audio, video file, and so on, are collected and analyzed to determine progress data, including abandonment information about when the content item, or a portion thereof, has been abandoned. Once determined, recommendations may be presented based on progress data from similar users.
US09390397B2 Client side social network response tracking
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to response subscriptions and provide a method, system and computer program product for response tracking across social networks. In one embodiment of the invention, a social networking response tracking method can be provided. The method can be performed by client-side logic and can include associating subscribers with a user or a group of users based upon a posting by the user or a user in the group of users within a client computing device for the user, aggregating different postings from the user to correspondingly different forums disposed about a global computer communications network, and, notifying the subscribers of the aggregated postings.
US09390390B1 Allocating computing resources based on service-level requests
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for allocating resources. In one aspect, a method includes identifying a first set of computing resources used to provide the first computing service. A first resource level bid is determined for each particular computing resource of the set of computing resources. A competing request statement can be identified based on the competing request statement's second computing service requiring a proper subset of the first set of computing resources. The second computing service can be at a different level within a request hierarchy than the first computing service. A second resource level bid can be determined for each computing resource of the proper subset of resources using a competing bid for the second computing service. A determination can be made that allocation of the first set of computing resources to the first resource requester meets an allocation objective.
US09390387B2 Visualization technique of feasible regions
The disclosed method includes: generating, from model expressions, each representing a relationship between input parameters and output evaluation indicators and a range of residuals for each model expression, at least one of a first problem to calculate a region that can be feasible with the model expressions, value ranges of the input parameters and the range of the residuals for each model expression and a second problem to calculate a region that is always feasible with the model expressions, the value ranges of the input parameters and the influence of the aforementioned range; calculating a feasible region(s) for a generated problem(s) to obtain data of the feasible region(s); and generating visualization data of the feasible region(s) to output the visualization data.
US09390384B2 Systems and methods of sharing information through a tagless device consortium
The invention provides one or more consortia of networks that identify and share information about users and/or user devices interacting with the consortia. User devices may be identified, at least in part, by a delta of time parameter between a user device used and a reference time. Other parameters may be analyzed to identify a computer user and/or device and noteworthy transactions. The invention may be used for identity-based applications such as network security, the detection of fraudulent transactions, identity theft, ratings-based communities and law enforcement.
US09390383B2 Method for an optimizing predictive model using gradient descent and conjugate residuals
An optimization in machine learning is achieved using Newton's algorithm together with an efficient technique for solving linear equations, such as the method of conjugate residuals. The techniques of the present invention are applicable to learning language models, predicting classes of objects from images and videos, and classifying financial transactions for prevention of fraud. Other uses include determining a function from a sequence of words to a relevant web page for a search engine, or to inverting arbitrary output values of an analyzed system into an internally running simulation.
US09390381B2 Intelligent water heater controller
This invention describes an intelligent water heater controller that can use many inputs to learn the behavior of user over time. The controller is then able to predict when hot water is required and is able to turn the water heater on or off intelligently or to increase or reduce the water heating element so that the hot water is available when needed while reducing the energy consumption. User is able to communicate with the water heater controller via smart phone, tablet or computer remotely and change and parameter or configuration of the controller. The controller is also able to communicate events to the user's smart phone, tablet or computer.
US09390373B2 Neural network and method of neural network training
A neural network includes a plurality of inputs for receiving input signals, and synapses connected to the inputs and having corrective weights. The network additionally includes distributors. Each distributor is connected to one of the inputs for receiving the respective input signal and selects one or more corrective weights in correlation with the input value. The network also includes neurons. Each neuron has an output connected with at least one of the inputs via one synapse and generates a neuron sum by summing corrective weights selected from each synapse connected to the respective neuron. Furthermore, the network includes a weight correction calculator that receives a desired output signal, determines a deviation of the neuron sum from the desired output signal value, and modifies respective corrective weights using the determined deviation. Adding up the modified corrective weights to determine the neuron sum minimizes the subject deviation for training the neural network.
US09390368B2 Coupling parallel event-driven computation with serial computation
The present invention provides a system comprising a neurosynaptic processing device including multiple neurosynaptic core circuits for parallel processing, and a serial processing device including at least one processor core for serial processing. Each neurosynaptic core circuit comprises multiple electronic neurons interconnected with multiple electronic axons via a plurality of synapse devices. The system further comprises an interconnect circuit for coupling the neurosynaptic processing device with the serial processing device. The interconnect circuit enables the exchange of data packets between the neurosynaptic processing device and the serial processing device.
US09390367B2 RFID tag and RFID tag antenna
A RFID tag (500) includes an antenna (100) that includes a first dipole (110), a first feeder portion (130), a second dipole (120) and a second feeder portion (140). The first feeder portion is coupled to the first dipole at two locations a feeder length distance apart. The second feeder portion is coupled to the second dipole at two locations the feeder length distance apart. The feeder portions are also coupled to an antenna terminal (150). Impedance at the antenna terminal is determined, at least in part, by the feeder length distance. Each of two end portions of the first dipole distal from the first feeder portion is connected to a respective corresponding end portion of the second dipole distal from the second feeder portion, the first and second dipoles thereby forming a rectangle. The antenna is symmetrical about both a major and a minor axis of the rectangle.
US09390366B1 Metal smart card with dual interface capability
A dual interface smart card having a metal layer includes an IC module, with contacts and RF capability, mounted on a plug, formed of non RF impeding material, between the top and bottom surfaces of the metal layer. The plug provides support for the IC module and a degree of electrical insulation and isolation from the metal layer. The resultant card can have contact and contactless operating capability and an entirely smooth external metal surface except for the contacts of the IC module.
US09390364B2 Transponder chip module with coupling frame on a common substrate for secure and non-secure smartcards and tags
A capacitive coupling enhanced (CCE) transponder chip module (TCM) comprises an RFID chip (CM, IC), optionally contact pads (CP), a module antenna (MA), and a coupling frame (CF), all on a common substrate or module tape (MT). The coupling frame (CF, 320A) may be in the form of a ring, having an inner edge (IE), an outer edge IE, 324) and a central opening (OP), disposed closely adjacent to and surrounding the module antenna (MA). A slit (S) may extend from the inner edge (IE) to the outer edge (OE) of the coupling frame (CF) so that the coupling frame (CF) is “open loop”. An RFID device may comprise a transponder chip module (TCM) having a module antenna (MA), a device substrate (DS), and an antenna structure (AS) disposed on the device substrate (DS) and connected with the module antenna (MA). A portion of a conductive layer (CL, 904) remaining after etching a module antenna (MA) may be segmented to have several smaller isolated conductive structures.
US09390363B1 Cards with special texture and color
A multi layered card embodying the invention includes an outer layer of an amorphous laser reactive copolymer material which is embossed with a selected pattern at a selected temperature which is above the glass transition temperature, Tg, of the copolymer and below its melting temperature, Tm. So embossed, the selected pattern is set in the copolymer layer, and its external shape cannot be changed from the embossed form to which it was set at the selected temperature, without destroying the selected pattern. The outer layer may be laminated with the other layers of the card and laser engraved before or after lamination.
US09390361B2 Method and apparatus for verifying information associated with electronic labels
Embodiments are directed to methods and apparatuses for determining and verifying a location of an electronic label. A host system exchange information with the electronic label via ultrasonic data communication. The host system also identifies a location of the electronic label using an ultrasonic location technique. The host system also verifies that the electronic label is correctly located by comparing a calculated location of the electronic label with a known location of merchandise associated with the electronic label.
US09390354B2 Method for printing an upscaled image
Disclosed is a method of printing a transformed image corresponding to a source image. The method determines at least a first scale factor to upscale the source image to generate the transformed image, the first scale factor being at a first mathematical precision. The source image is enlarged along at least one edge of said source image edges and pixel data is copied along the source image edges into the enlarged area of the enlarged source image. The method maps each pixel of the transformed image back to a corresponding pixel into the enlarged source image including the copied pixel data along the edge of the source image. The method may determine a second scale factor, the second scale factor being at a second mathematical precision, wherein each pixel of the transformed image is mapped back to a corresponding pixel in the enlarged source image using the second scale factor.
US09390351B2 Method for maintaining proper page sequence while reducing printer artifacts
A printing method wherein a position of a receiver media in a printer is determined to be nearer to one of two thermal printheads at an end of a print job. A next print job is started using either one of the two thermal printheads depending on which one was determined to be nearer the receiving media.
US09390348B2 Method for categorizing objects in image
Texture features of images are calculated for recognition of pixel sets in the images as one category among multiple candidate categories. For example, wavelet transformation is applied to obtain a wavelet vector. Via analyzing components of the wavelet vector, one pixel set may be recognized as part of an architecture object or a natural plant object. In addition, line segments within the pixel sets may be calculated and their statistics result may be used for recognizing different objects.
US09390344B2 Sensor-based camera motion detection for unconstrained slam
Techniques are presented for monocular visual simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) based on detecting a translational motion in the movement of the camera using at least one motion sensor, while the camera is performing panoramic SLAM, and initializing a three dimensional map for tracking of finite features. Motion sensors may include one or more sensors, including inertial (gyroscope, accelerometer), magnetic (compass), vision (camera) or any other sensors built into mobile devices.
US09390340B2 Image-based character recognition
Various embodiments enable a device to perform tasks such as processing an image to recognize and locate text in the image, and providing the recognized text an application executing on the device for performing a function (e.g., calling a number, opening an internet browser, etc.) associated with the recognized text. In at least one embodiment, processing the image includes substantially simultaneously or concurrently processing the image with at least two recognition engines, such as at least two optical character recognition (OCR) engines, running in a multithreaded mode. In at least one embodiment, the recognition engines can be tuned so that their respective processing speeds are roughly the same. Utilizing multiple recognition engines enables processing latency to be close to that of using only one recognition engine.
US09390335B2 Method and service server for providing passenger density information
A method and service server for providing passenger density information are provided. The service server for providing passenger density information of a car according to an embodiment of the invention may include: a motion vector detection unit that detects motion vectors generated by the movements of passengers from a captured image of the inside of the car; a head recognition unit that recognizes the heads of passengers from the image; and a density information generation unit that generates the passenger density information of the car by using one or more of the motion vectors, a result of head recognition of the passengers, and tag sensor information received from sensors installed in the car.
US09390331B2 System and method for assessing riparian habitats
A method of assessing a riparian area includes mapping a physical extent of a potential riparian area (PRA) along a stream using first imagery, determining a percent of basic functional groups of vegetation with the PRA using the first imagery, and determining a Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for the PRA over multiple years using second imagery. The method further includes setting an NDVI threshold value for riparian vegetation in the PRA using the NDVI, mathematically relating the percent of basic functional groups with the NDVI threshold value to evaluate and correct the NDVI threshold value, and determining a proper function and condition (PFC) assessment of the PRA using the corrected NDVI threshold value.
US09390329B2 Method and system for automatically locating static occlusions
This disclosure provides a method and system to locate/detect static occlusions associated with an image captured scene including a tracked object. According to an exemplary method, static occlusions are automatically located by monitoring the motion of single or multiple objects in a scene over time and with the use of an associated accumulator array.
US09390327B2 Feature extraction and matching for biometric authentication
In a feature extraction and pattern matching system, image sharpening can enable vascular point detection (VPD) for detecting points of interest from visible vasculature of the eye. Pattern Histograms of Extended Multi-Radii Local Binary Patterns and/or Pattern Histograms of Extended Multi-Radii Center Symmetric Local Binary Patterns can provide description of portions of images surrounding a point of interest, and enrollment and verification templates can be generated using points detected via VPD and the corresponding descriptors. Inlier point pairs can be selected from the enrollment and verification templates, and a first match score indicating similarity of the two templates can be computed based on the number of inlier point pairs and one or more parameters of a transform selected by the inlier detection. A second match score can be computed by applying the selected transform, and either or both scores can be used to authenticate the user.
US09390325B2 Apparatus for recognizing iris and operating method thereof
An apparatus for recognizing an iris and an operating method thereof are provided. The iris recognition apparatus recognizing an iris of an eye includes an image capturing unit to acquire an iris image of an eye, and a controller to assess the focus quality of an iris region in the iris image and then determine an iris recognition target image.
US09390324B1 Image processing device and method of image processing
A control unit shifts an imaging unit relatively with respect to a stage to take an image of a measuring object at a plurality of places by the imaging unit and thereby obtain a plurality of images, and generates a composite image of the measuring object having a range which is wider than an imaging range of the imaging unit by combining the plurality of images. The control unit shifts the imaging unit relatively with respect to the stage such that parts of images adjacent to one another obtained by the imaging unit overlap, and performs an image matching processing that performs image matching of an overlapped portion of the adjacent images. The control unit generates the composite image of the measuring object by joining the adjacent images at a position where the image matching is performed in the image matching processing.
US09390323B1 Recommending sites through metadata analysis
Methods, systems, and computer program products relate to recommending sites including identifying a location associated with a computing device, analyzing metadata of geotagged image data, the image data including blocked image data, and suggesting sites near the identified location based on the results of the metadata analysis.
US09390321B2 Flexible structure descriptions for multi-page documents
A method for processing a batch of scanned images is provided. The method comprises processing the scanned images into documents. For documents of multiple pages, the method comprises maintaining a page-based coordinate system to specify a location of structures within a page and joining the pages to form a multi-page sheet having a sheet-based coordinate system to specify a location of structures within the multi-page sheet. The method comprises performing a data extraction operation to extract data from each document, said data extraction operation including a page mode wherein structures are detected on individual pages using the page-based coordinate system and a document mode wherein structures are detected within the entire document using the sheet-based coordinate system.
US09390319B2 Defining destination locations and restricted locations within an image stream
Defining destination locations and restricted locations within an image stream is disclosed. Initially, a first image stream is received from a first camera having a first field of view, where the first field of view includes at least one destination location and at least one restricted location. Next, first boundaries of the at least one destination location and a first description of one or more rules associated with the at least one destination location are received. A first identifier is then assigned to the at least one destination location. Next, second boundaries of the at least one restricted location and a second description of one or more rules associated with the at least one restricted location are received. Finally, the first boundaries, the first description of one or more rules, the first identifier, the second boundaries, and the second description of one or more rules are saved.
US09390317B2 Lip activity detection
Provided is a method of detecting lip activity. The method determines magnitude of optical flow in lip region and at least one non-lip region of a detected face. The ratio of magnitude of optical flow in lip region and at least one non-lip region is compared against a threshold. If the ratio is found to be greater than the threshold, lip activity of the detected face is recognized.
US09390311B2 Fingerprint identification method
The present invention provides fingerprint-based verification system and fingerprint identification method. The fingerprint-based verification system verifies identify by analyzing biometric minutiae including the ridges and pores on a fingerprint. The fingerprint identification method comprises a step for obtaining a first fingerprint, a step for obtaining a second fingerprint, and a step for comparing the first fingerprint and the second fingerprint. The present invention provides effective systems and methods for mitigating identity fraud.
US09390308B2 Fingerprint scanning method
A computer-implemented method entails capturing a digital fingerprint of a finger using a fingerprint-capturing device, collecting pressure measurements using pressure sensors associated with the fingerprint-capturing device as the finger contacts the fingerprint-capturing device, determining a finger-sensor contact direction from the pressure measurements and storing the finger-sensor contact direction in association with the digital fingerprint for subsequent biometric authentication.
US09390302B2 Location measurments using a mesh of wireless tags
A method for determining a location of a group of wireless tags, the method may include receiving first information indicative of distances between each wireless tag of the group and between at least three other wireless tags of the group; tracking a first movement of a certain tag of the group of wireless tag in relation to other wireless tags of the group to provide first movement information; receiving, after the performing of the first movement, second information indicative of distances between each wireless tag of the group and between at least three other wireless tags of the group; and determining locations of the wireless tags of the group in response to the first information, second information and the first movement information.
US09390296B2 Computer recovery or return
A computer return apparatus includes a processor. The apparatus includes a memory connected to the processor. The apparatus includes a display. The apparatus includes a return screen that the processor automatically causes to appear during or after boot-up of the processor on the display, that displays information concerning an owner who owns the computer, concerning user information about who the user is who the computer is assigned to for use, and return information for returning the computer to the owner from data stored in the memory. A method for displaying information to assist with returning a computer to its owner.
US09390295B2 Device with capacitive security shield
The invention provides a semiconductor device comprising with a capacitive security shield structure which uses a set of randomly distributed dielectric or conducting particles formed within a dielectric layer. A set of electrodes can be configured as at least two sets, wherein a first set is used to measure a capacitance characteristic, and a second set is configured as non-measurement set. The electrode configuration can be altered so that multiple measurements can be obtained.
US09390293B2 Device, method, and system for secure mobile data storage
A device, method, and system for secure mobile data storage includes a mobile data storage device having a short-range communication circuit, a long-range communication circuit, and a data storage for storing data. The mobile data storage device is used to store data used by a paired mobile communication device. The mobile data storage device and the mobile communication device communicate control signals over a wireless control link established using the short-range communication circuit and data over a wireless data link, different from the wireless control link, established using the long-range communication circuit. The mobile data storage device and/or mobile communication device may monitor a distance between the devices and perform a security function in response the devices being separated from each other. The mobile data storage device may backup data on a remote data server and/or repopulate data from the remote data server using the mobile communication device.
US09390292B2 Encrypted digital circuit description allowing circuit simulation
A system for creating protected functional descriptions of integrated circuits provides an encrypted functional description that allows the integrated circuit to be simulated with respect to producing outputs for given sets of inputs without identification of the constituent components of the integrated circuit such as the logical gates making up the integrated circuit. The encrypted functional description may include encrypted truth-tables describing the generic gates of the integrated circuit, the encrypted truth-tables securing the function of each logical gate by including multiple redundant table entries mapped to alias values of Boolean logical states and erroneous table entries.
US09390289B2 Secure collection synchronization using matched network names
One embodiment provides a system that facilitates facilitate secure synchronization of manifests using exact network names. During operation, the system generates an interest of advertisement comprising a name of a content object of the system. This name represents a collection of objects of the system and includes a first hash that is based on a key of the system. The first hash corresponds to a respective content object hash of one or more segments of a manifest representing the collection of objects. The system also determines a request for the content object based on the name in an interest of data from a remote node.
US09390286B2 Enforcing restrictions related to a virtualized computer environment
An administrator may set restrictions related to the operation of a virtual machine (VM), and virtualization software enforces such restrictions. There may be restrictions related to the general use of the VM, such as who may use the VM, when the VM may be used, and on what physical computers the VM may be used. There may be similar restrictions related to a general ability to modify a VM, such as who may modify the VM. There may also be restrictions related to what modifications may be made to a VM, such as whether the VM may be modified to enable access to various devices or other resources. There may also be restrictions related to how the VM may be used and what may be done with the VM. Information related to the VM and any restrictions placed on the operation of the VM may be encrypted to inhibit a user from circumventing the restrictions.
US09390282B2 Outsourcing document-transformation tasks while protecting sensitive information
An outsourcing environment is described herein by which an outsourcing entity may delegate document-transformation tasks to at least one worker entity, while preventing the worker entity from gaining knowledge of sensitive items that may be contained within a non-obfuscated original document (NOD). In one example, the environment may transform the NOD into an obfuscated original document (OOD) by removing sensitive items from the NOD. The worker entity may perform formatting and/or other document-transformation tasks on the OOD, without gaining knowledge of the sensitive items in the NOD, to produce an obfuscated transformed document (OTD). The environment may then allow for the outsourcing entity to view a content-restored version of the OTD.
US09390278B2 Systems and methods for code protection in non-volatile memory systems
Methods and systems are disclosed for code protection in non-volatile memory (NVM) systems. Information stored within NVM memory sectors, such as boot code or other code blocks, is protected using lockout codes and lockout keys written in program-once memory areas within the NVM systems. Further, lockout codes can be combined into a merged lockout code that can be stored in a merged protection register. The merged protection register is used to control write access to protected memory sectors. Lockout code/key pairs are written to the program-once area when a memory sector is protected. The program-once area, which stores the lockout code/key pairs, is not readable by external users. Once protected, a memory sector can not be updated without the lockout code/key pair.
US09390274B2 Media data processing method and apparatus
Embodiments of the present invention provide a media data processing method and apparatus. The media data processing method includes: obtaining each media segment in a coding representation; and performing content protection processing on at least a part of media segments in the coding representation. In the embodiments of the present invention, a media segment in a coding representation is used as a unit of content protection, and the content protection may be performed on at least a part of media segments in the coding representation, so that protection manners of media segments in the coding representation are differentiated, so as to improve reliability and flexibility of performing the content protection on an HTTP streaming media service.
US09390273B2 Device managing apparatus, device managing system, and recording medium storing a software management program
A device managing apparatus for managing software installed in at least one device includes a determination unit configured to determine whether a software item to be installed in the device requires license validation; a validation unit configured to perform a license validation operation on the software item for which the determination unit determines that license validation is required, depending on an available license for the software item; and a setting unit configured to set a license issued by the validation unit in the device in which the software item is installed.
US09390271B2 Vectorial private equality testing
A system for equality testing, the system comprising a first client device including a first private data unit, a second client device including a second private data unit, and a server. The server receives a first obfuscated data unit corresponding to the first private data unit from the first client device, and a second obfuscated data unit corresponding to the second private data unit from the second client device. The server performs a vector calculation based on the first and second obfuscated data units to generate a combination of the first and second obfuscated data units. The server sends the combination to the first client device. The first client device is configured to determine whether the first private data unit is equal to the second private data unit based on the combination.
US09390270B2 Security testing using semantic modeling
Optimized testing of vulnerabilities in an application implemented by a method includes generating a first probe directed to determine whether an application is vulnerable to a first type of attack; analyzing one or more responses from the application based on the application responding to the first probe; in response to determining that the one or more responses from the application validate a first hypothesis about one or more vulnerabilities associated with the application, and generating at least a second probe to further verify the first hypothesis. The second probe focuses on discovering additional details about the application's vulnerabilities to the first type of attack or a second type of attack.
US09390263B2 Use of an application controller to monitor and control software file and application environments
In embodiments of the present invention, a framework for an extensible, file-based security system is described for determining an appropriate application, application environment, and/or access or security control measure based at least in part on a file's reputation. In response to the selection of a file, an application controller may be used to select a software application from two or more software applications to open the selected file, based at least in part on the selected file's reputation. If launched, a software application may be configured to open the file in an environment, such as a virtual machine, quarantined environment, and the like, that is appropriate for the file based at least in part on the reputation information. A software application may be a secure software application configured to manage secure files, or an insecure software application configured to manage insecure files. The selected file, and communications relating to the selected software application, may be managed according to the selected software application's secure or insecure configuration. Further, the selected software application may associate reputation information with all files that are modified and/or created by the selected software application, including at least in part, reputation information matching that of the selected file.
US09390258B2 Systems and methods for verifying the authenticity of an application during execution
In an embodiment, a system includes an electronic device having memory circuitry configured to store an application comprising a plurality of instructions. The system also includes processing circuitry configured to execute the application and an application authenticity check routine, wherein the application authenticity check routine includes instructions executable by the processing circuitry to use idle processing time to verify an authenticity of the application throughout execution of the application.
US09390256B2 System and methods for secure entry of a personal identification number (PIN)
Systems and methods for credential character selection are provided. The system includes one or more sensors configured to detect a character selection and generate a character selection signal, and detect a character selection completion and generate a character selection completion signal. The system also includes one or more processors coupled to the one or more sensors, the one or more processors configured to receive the character selection signal and the character selection completion signal, and generate an output signal based on the received character selection signal that includes components of a credential. The system also includes a network interface component configured to transmit the output signal. The credential characters may be components of a PIN or password. Moreover, the credential character selections may be made on one device, but displayed on a separate coupled device. The character selections may be a selection of a character or a modification of character.
US09390253B2 Method and a system for binding an audio accessory device with a program application
Disclosed are audio accessory devices and systems for being connected to one or more user devices and related methods. The system comprises an audio accessory device having at least one speaker and being configured to connect to at least one user device for providing audio from the user device to the audio accessory device and a computer program application accessible from the at least one user device. A verification ID is provided external of the audio accessory device and comprises audio accessory device identification information identifying a specific audio accessory device. The system furthermore comprises a user interface facilitating interaction between a user of the audio accessory device and the user device, and allows for user facilitated entering of the verification ID. A verification server may be configured to receive the verification ID from the user device and to verify the user device for use with the computer program application, if the verification ID is valid.
US09390248B2 Systems and methods for authenticating access to an operating system by a user before the operating system is booted using a wireless communication token
Certain embodiments herein relate to authenticating access to an operating system by a user before the operating system is booted. Such authentication may be performed by processing information received from a wireless communication token via Near Field Communication (NFC), in one embodiment. The received information may be processed to determine credentials for accessing the operating system, which if validated, may be sent to a Basic Input Output System (BIOS) which may boot the operating system in response. The BIOS may also perform various other functions if authentication is successful, such as decrypting a hard disk on which an operating system is installed before booting the operating system. According to this configuration, a decryption key may be received from the wireless communication token and subsequently sent to the BIOS to enable the decryption and subsequent booting of the operating system.
US09390244B2 Temporal security for controlled access systems
A method for gaining access or entry to a system. The method comprises (a) beginning a secure system act by a user; (b) beginning counting of time intervals concurrent with execution of step (a); (c) ending the secure system act by the user; (d) capturing a final time interval count concurrent with execution of step (c); (e) determining whether the secure system act matches a correct secure system act; (d) determining whether the final time interval count matches a correct final time interval count; and (e) granting the user access or entry to the system responsive affirmative results of step (d).
US09390243B2 Dynamic trust score for evaluating ongoing online relationships
A method is provided for a dynamic trust score for evaluating ongoing online relationships. By considering a plurality of user data variables and using validation data from internal and external database sources, a trust score with a high degree of confidence may be provided for establishing and verifying online relationships. Since the trust score may be dynamically recalculated periodically or on demand, the trust score may also validate over continuing periods of time, as opposed to conventional verification systems that only validate at a single point in time. Thus, a higher degree of safety, reliability, and control is provided for online services directed towards children or other user classes that may require greater protection.
US09390242B2 Determining user authentication requirements based on the current location of the user being within a predetermined area requiring altered authentication requirements
Systems, apparatus, methods, and computer program products are provided for determining a user's authentication requirements/credentials for a specific network access session based on the current location of the user in comparison to predetermined boundaries of location that have altered authentication requirements, in the form of, increased or decreased authentication requirements/credentials that differ from the standard authentication requirements.
US09390239B2 Software system template protection
Various embodiments herein are in the form of at least one of systems, methods, and software for software system template protection. With the help of software system template protection, developments, configurations, and information technology (IT) infrastructure setup can be protected and controlled in an efficient manner during the change process, while building and configuring applications and IT Infrastructure as well during the whole Application Lifecycle Management process. When changes are made in an instance of a software system deployment, prior to committing (i.e., storing) the changes, a change management service is called to determine whether such changes are allowed in view of one or more templates deployed to the instance of the software system and change restrictions associated therewith.
US09390236B2 Retrieving and viewing medical images
As medical imaging becomes more affordable, and the diversity of diagnostic modalities and therapeutic treatments increase, the amount of data being stored increases, and the problem becomes even more critical. One approach to improve retrieval efficiency of images is to employ semantics to establish a defined set of search and classification terms. However, such semantic systems still require the user to make a selection of the most appropriate term or terms to classify a report or image, and the accuracy of the results are thus dependent on the skill and knowledge of the classifier. According to a first aspect of the invention, a retriever is provided for retrieving a medical image having a searchable attribute, the retriever being configured to interface with a semantic database and an image database, and wherein the searchable attribute is determined by segmenting the medical image, using the anatomical model.
US09390234B2 Computational systems and methods for monitoring medication events
Computer-based systems and computer-implemented methods are described for monitoring medication events for an individual. Computer-based systems include systems for monitoring medication events relating to an individual, including: circuitry for analyzing data for an identifier of a first medication event for an individual; circuitry for analyzing the data for at least one attribute of an individual; circuitry for analyzing the data for at least one attribute relating to a medication during the first medication event; circuitry for analyzing the data for at least one feature of visual information and at least one feature of non-visual information relating to the individual during the first medication event; circuitry for analyzing the received data for a time associated with the first medication event; circuitry for determining a compliance likelihood for the first medication event based on the analyzes of the received data; and circuitry for indicating the determined compliance likelihood.
US09390233B2 Mapping of literature onto regions of interest on neurological images
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for analyzing neurological images. A set of brain scans for a patient is compared to a set of baseline control scans to automatically identify regions of interest in the set of patient scans. A region of interest is an area in a scan that shows an indication of a potential abnormality. A set of electronic medical literature sources is searched for medical literature relevant to the regions of interest in the set of patient scans. The relevant medical literature is correlated to the medical literature describing the regions of interest in the set of patient scans to the regions of interest in the set of patient scans. A result is generated. The result comprises the regions of interest and a set of links to the correlated portions of the relevant medical literature are outputted.
US09390226B2 Methods and systems for detecting sequence variants
The invention provides methods for identifying rare variants near a structural variation in a genetic sequence, for example, in a nucleic acid sample taken from a subject. The invention additionally includes methods for aligning reads (e.g., nucleic acid reads) to a reference sequence construct accounting for the structural variation, methods for building a reference sequence construct accounting for the structural variation or the structural variation and the rare variant, and systems that use the alignment methods to identify rare variants. The method is scalable, and can be used to align millions of reads to a construct thousands of bases long, or longer.
US09390225B2 Family networks
Described embodiments enable identification of family networks using combinations of DNA analysis and genealogical information. Genealogical data is provided by users of a genealogical research service or collected from other sources and used to create family trees for each user. DNA samples are also received from the users. By analyzing the DNA samples, potential genetic relationships can be identified between some users. Once these DNA-suggested relationships have been identified, common ancestors can be sought in the respective trees of the potentially related users. Where these common ancestors exist, an inference is drawn that the DNA-suggested relationship accurately represents a familial overlap between the individuals in question. People descended from the same common ancestor are each members of a family network. Members of a family network not in a user's tree may be identified for the user, enabling the user to discover additional ancestors that might otherwise have remained unknown.
US09390223B2 Method of determining whether a layout is colorable
A method of determining whether a layout is colorable includes assigning nodes to polygon features of the layout. The method includes designating nodes as being adjacent nodes for nodes separated by less than a minimum pitch. The method includes iteratively removing nodes having less than three adjacent nodes from consideration to identify a node arrangement, wherein all nodes in the node arrangement have at least three adjacent nodes. The method includes determining whether the layout is colorable based on the node arrangement. Determining whether the layout is colorable includes independently assessing each internal node of node arrangement to determine whether each internal node of the node arrangement is colorable. The method includes generating a colored layout design for fabrication of the semiconductor device if each internal node of the node arrangement is colorable; and modifying the layout if at least one internal node of the node arrangement is not colorable.
US09390222B2 Determining a set of timing paths for creating a circuit abstraction
Systems and techniques for determining a set of timing paths for creating a circuit abstraction are described. During operation, an embodiment can receive a set of circuit elements in the circuit design that are candidates for optimization. Next, the embodiment can determine a set of timing paths by identifying critical timing paths in the circuit design whose delay is affected by a change in an input capacitance of a circuit element in the set of circuit elements. The embodiment can then identify a set of side loads based on the set of timing paths, and can create the circuit abstraction by retaining circuit elements and nets on each timing path in the set of timing paths, and retaining an identifier for each side load in the set of side loads. The circuit abstraction can then be used to update timing information during optimization of the circuit element.
US09390219B2 System for and method of semiconductor fault detection
A method of detecting one or more faults in a semiconductor device that includes generating a first test pattern set from a primary node list and a fault list. The primary node list includes one or more nodes and the fault list identifies one or more faults. The method also includes generating one or more secondary node lists from the primary node list and generating a second test pattern set from at least the first test pattern set and the secondary node list. Each node of the one or more nodes of the primary node list is associated with a corresponding secondary node list of the one or more secondary node lists.
US09390217B2 Methodology of optical proximity correction optimization
A method for performing optical proximity correction (OPC) and evaluating OPC solutions is disclosed. An exemplary method includes receiving a design database corresponding to an IC circuit mask. A first OPC modification to a mask feature of the design database is made by performing a first OPC process. The OPC process includes: dividing the mask feature into child shapes and adjusting an attribute of a child shape based on an edge placement error (EPE) factor. A first lithography simulation is performed utilizing a first set of performance indexes after making the first OPC modification, and a second OPC modification to the mask feature is made based on a result of the first lithography simulation. A second lithography simulation of the mask feature is performed utilizing a second set of performance indexes to verify the first and second OPC modifications, and the design database is provided for manufacturing.
US09390215B2 Methods for multi-wire routing and apparatus implementing same
A rectangular interlevel connector array (RICA) is defined in a semiconductor chip. To define the RICA, a virtual grid for interlevel connector placement is defined to include a first set of parallel virtual lines that extend across the layout in a first direction, and a second set of parallel virtual lines that extend across the layout in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. A first plurality of interlevel connector structures are placed at respective gridpoints in the virtual grid to form a first RICA. The first plurality of interlevel connector structures of the first RICA are placed to collaboratively connect a first conductor channel in a first chip level with a second conductor channel in a second chip level. A second RICA can be interleaved with the first RICA to collaboratively connect third and fourth conductor channels that are respectively interleaved with the first and second conductor channels.
US09390214B2 Methods of preparing layouts for semiconductor devices, photomasks formed using the layouts, and semiconductor devices fabricated using the photomasks
Methods of preparing layouts for semiconductor devices and semiconductor devices fabricated using the layouts are provided. Preparing the layouts for semiconductor devices may include disposing assistant patterns near a main gate pattern that is provided on a weak active pattern. The weak active pattern may be, for example, an outermost one of active patterns and may be one expected to have an increased width during a fabrication process.
US09390213B2 Methods and systems configured to compute a guard zone of a three-dimensional object
Techniques generally disclosed herein relate to computation of a guard zone of a three-dimensional object. In some examples, guard zones may be computed by identifying intersection lines that couple adjacent planes of an object, and categorizing an external angle at an intersection line between adjacent planes as concave or convex. In some embodiments, for convex angles, a cylindrical surface can be determined that is located about an outside surface of the object and centered along the intersection line between the adjacent planes. In some embodiments, for concave angles, the external angle can be bisected with a bisection plane. A guard zone may be formed by one or more of (i) providing a guard zone plane parallel to the object that is a tangent to a given cylindrical surface, (ii) providing a guard zone plane parallel to the object that intersects a given bisection plane, and/or (iii) coupling adjacent guard zone planes.
US09390211B1 Circuit placement based on fuzzy clustering
Systems and techniques for circuit placement are described. An electronic design automation (EDA) tool can receive a netlist for the circuit design. Next, the EDA tool can represent the netlist as a graph, and perform fuzzy clustering on the graph to obtain a set of clusters and a set of probability values. The EDA tool can then partition and place the circuit design based on the set of clusters and the set of probability values. The EDA tool can then optimize the placed circuit design. During optimization the EDA tool can reassign at least one cell to a different layout bin based on the set of probability values.
US09390208B2 Formal verification of temporal properties expressed using local variables
A certain subset of temporal properties defined using local variables can be formally verified with complexity of PSPACE or less. A subset with this characteristic, referred to as a practical subset, is therefore feasible to formally verify. For example, it can be shown that temporal properties that possess an alternating automaton with no conflicts fall within a practical subset. Temporal properties are analyzed to determine whether they are a member of the practical subset. Members of the practical subset can then be feasibly formally verified.
US09390205B2 Vorticity-refinement based numerical method for simulating aircraft wing-tip vortex flows
The present invention relates a numerical method to simulate the incompressible wing-tip vortex flows. This method is called Vorticity-Refinement, which refines the added vorticity as two different forms of force multiplied by two different factors to counteract the numerical diffusions in the numerical solutions by utilizing the high-order spatial discretization and improving the stability and convergence of the governing equations for incompressible flows.
US09390201B2 Merging of modeled objects
A computer-implemented method for merging a first and second modeled object which are modified versions of an initial modeled object and are defined by a first and second graphs. The method comprises merging the first graph and the second graph. For this, the method comprises computing a first rewriting rule and a second rewriting rule corresponding respectively to a transformation of an initial graph into the first graph and the second graph, determining a third rewriting rule by assembling the first rewriting rule and the second rewriting rule, and computing a merged graph by applying the third rewriting rule to the initial graph. Such a method is an improvement for the merging of modeled objects.
US09390195B2 Using a graph database to match entities by evaluating boolean expressions
A method of matching a first entity to a second entity by evaluating Boolean expressions includes identifying a set of criteria vertices for a second entity vertex by traversing a graph database in a manner constrained to fact vertices identified for the second entity. The graph database relates fact vertices to the criteria vertices by edges corresponding to Boolean expressions for satisfying criteria for matching first entities to second entities. The method additionally includes selecting one of the first entities based on the criteria vertices of the set. The method further includes matching the first entity to the second entity based on the selection.
US09390194B2 Multi-faceted visualization of rich text corpora
Methods and apparatus are provided for multi-faceted visualization of rich text corpora. A data set comprising a plurality of entities, facets and relations is visualized by generating a visualization of a plurality of the facets in the data set, wherein the visualization indicates connections along the plurality of the facets in a single view using multi-faceted edges. The entities are instances of a particular concept, the facets are classes of entities and the relations are connections between pairs of the entities. A compound node comprises a representation of a primary entity, surrounded by representations of one or more secondary entities connected by one or more external relations. The internal relations can be represented as edges connecting two facet nodes from different compound nodes and a number of crossings of the edges can be reduced by adjusting a position order of facet nodes. The compound nodes can optionally be rotated based on, for example, a global spring force model to reduce an average length of one or more of the edges and/or to allow edge bundling.
US09390192B1 Displaying personalization functionality and highlighting work performed
A method for displaying personalization functionality includes sending information for a user to a server, receiving personalization data from the server with number(s) of entities similar to the user and a personalization action, displaying a number of entities similar to the user, displaying another number of entities similar to the user, displaying the personalization action, and performing the personalization action.
US09390191B2 Methods and systems for the provisioning and execution of a mobile software application
A provisioning source receives a request from a mobile computing device to download at least one mobile software application, the mobile software application comprising executable computer code and at least one structured document. The provisioning source sends the requested mobile software application to the mobile computing device. When executed, the downloaded mobile software application will perform a method for using the mobile software application on the mobile computing device, the mobile software application including programming code and at least one extensible markup language (XML) document that together describe at least a portion of functionality provided by the mobile software application. Upon execution of the mobile software application, an abstraction layer populates a Document Object Model (“DOM”) structure at least in part representing the running state of the mobile software application. The abstraction layer receives user input and reconfigures the DOM based upon the input.
US09390188B2 Methods and devices for information exchange and routing
Method and device for information exchange and routing by providing items of information that are organized in discrete flows to third parties. Relationships are defined among the flows such that at least one item of information in at least a first discrete flow is selectively copied to at least a second discrete flow. This allows users to easily discover and exchange real-time items of information across applications.
US09390187B2 Method for enriching content of a web page with presence information
Method for enriching content of a web page (2) displayed for a user on a computer (3) connected to a computerized network (5) and provided with a web browser (4), said method comprising the steps of: the web browser (4) sending a request for a web page (2) to a distant web server (6), upon receipt of the web page (2) from the web server (6), the web browser (4) parsing the web page (2) for contact information, upon detection of contact information within the web page (2), the web browser (4) sending a request for presence information (8) associated with said contact information to at least one presence server (7), upon receipt of the presence information (8) from the presence server(s) (7), the web browser (4) displaying the web page (2) on the computer (3) together with the presence information (8).
US09390184B2 Search and retrieval of objects in a social networking system
A social networking system receives a query associated with a user and, in response, provides a combined result set comprising objects stored by a social networking system that match the query. The combined result set comprises multiple result sets obtained from different search algorithms. The various objects stored by the social networking system may be of different types representing different concepts, such as user objects, application objects, event objects, location objects, group objects, and hub/page objects, any of which may be included in the result set. The objects of the result set may be further filtered, ordered, and/or grouped based at least in part on known relationships of the user with the objects, such as geographic distances between locations associated with the user and the objects.
US09390183B1 Identifying navigational resources for informational queries
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for creating a mapping between topics and navigational resources are disclosed. The mapping is created based on hybrid queries having both characteristics of informational queries and navigational queries. The mapping between topics and resources can be used in scoring search results for ranking, for example. Other mappings created based on other types of hybrid queries and their applications are also disclosed.
US09390176B2 System and method for recursively traversing the internet and other sources to identify, gather, curate, adjudicate, and qualify business identity and related data
A system and a method used for data discovery in accordance with an inquiry in which multiple sources, which may be web sites or other data sources, are examined for data relevant to the inquiry. The process and method is performed recursively an indeterminate number of iterations, using data and metadata from multiple sources to corroborate discovered data and metadata from other sources, until no further relevant data or sources are found, or adjudication or exception rules have been met. Discovered data and metadata are curated, adjudicated to assess reliability, synthesized, and clustered into composite records using precedence rules and provenance to determine the most reliable data sources as well as terms of use for each source. Data, metadata, and information about each search are retained and can be used for subsequent purposes, such as subsequent searches or other downstream activities.
US09390172B2 Communication channel between web application and process outside browser
One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed herein for relaying a request to a process running on a computing device from a web client and receiving a response from the process. A bridge message client disposed in a web application, running in a browser on a computer, opens a local connection to a process running outside the browser. The bridge message client comprises a communication channel ID that identifies a communication channel to host the local connection to a bridge server, and a bridge message client ID facilitates communications from the bridge server to the web application. The bridge server is disposed outside of the browser environment, and can receive a request from the bridge message client and forward it to the process, and/or can receive a response to the request from the process and forward it to the bridge message client over the local connection.
US09390166B2 Specific online resource identification and extraction
A method of automatically identifying and extracting distributed online resources may include locating in a website a candidate entry list page. The method may also include verifying the candidate entry list page as an entry list page using repeated pattern discovery. The method may also include segmenting the entry list page into a plurality of entry items. The method may also include extracting from the plurality of entry items a plurality of candidate target pages. The method may also include verifying at least some of the candidate target pages as target pages including analyzing a visual structure and presentation of the candidate target pages. The method may also include extracting metadata from the target pages. The method may also include organizing the target pages and/or the metadata in one or more databases.
US09390165B2 Summarization of short comments
A method and a system for summarization of short comments are provided. The system comprises a memory to store a comments collection. The comments collection stores a plurality of comments for later access. The comments respectively include an overall rating and at least one phrase. The system also includes one or more processors to implement an aspect module to map a portion of the plurality of comments to a first aspect corresponding to an attribute of the entity. The one or more processor also implementing a rating module to determine an aspect rating corresponding to the first aspect based on the respective overall rating of the portion of the plurality of comments.
US09390163B2 Method, system and software arrangement for detecting or determining similarity regions between datasets
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media are provided which can identify and provide local variations in regions of similarity among two or more data sets. These data sets may be represented as sequences such as, e.g., genomic sequences or words in a text. The local variations in similarity levels can be provided by selecting an initial prior distribution relating the data sets, organizing the first data set into windows and the remaining data sets into blocks, using the priors to sample one or more sets of words from the first data set, computing a similarity curve from exact and inexact matches for these words and, if convergence of results is not achieved, computing a new set of priors and repeating the sampling and computation of similarity curves. The computations can be performed using an amount of computational time that is linearly proportional to the size of the data sets.
US09390152B2 Efficiently providing multiple metadata representations of the same type
Embodiments are directed to dynamically adapting metadata for use with a native data encoding and to efficiently modifying object model type references. In one scenario, a computer system instantiates a metadata reader over an object model description to access various portions of metadata in the object model description. The metadata reader is configured to read native metadata, where native metadata is metadata represented in an encoding that is expected by the metadata reader. The metadata reader determines that the accessed metadata is encoded in a non-native encoding and then determines which metadata modifications are to be performed to transform the non-native encoding into a native encoding. The computer system then dynamically adapts the metadata of the object model from a non-native encoding to a native encoding according to the determined modifications. As such, the object model is readable by a native runtime.
US09390150B1 Automatic continued search
Methods and apparatus for providing travel-related information for a location to a user based on activity indications of the user that are related to the location. The location may be determined based on a set of one or more related activity indications and a travel-related score may be determined for the location that is indicative of likelihood that the user has interest in travelling to the location. The user may be provided the travel-related information for the location based on the travel-related score.
US09390149B2 Converting text content to a set of graphical icons
A system and program product for analyzing textual information and providing a visual representative of a summary of such textual information in the form of a ranked list of icons. A text to icon engine is used that takes as input a textual document. A plurality of icons are each associated to a specific rule such that when the text to icon engine processes textual input, it will apply the rules associated with the icons and return a value that represents how much the text belongs to a specific icon.
US09390142B2 Guided predictive analysis with the use of templates
A technique is described that simplifies the process for applying predictive analysis to a dataset. The technique can recommend multiple templates to a user. Each recommend template contains algorithms which can be applied to the dataset. When a template is selected, the technique can rank the available algorithms of the selected template based on factors such as values in the dataset, characteristics of the dataset, and the usage history of the dataset or the algorithms in prior instances. The technique can automatically select the highest ranked algorithm and apply it to the dataset. In some examples, input parameters used to configure the algorithm can also be automatically selected.
US09390141B2 Systems and methods for determining application installation likelihood based on probabilistic combination of subordinate methods
A method for providing a scored list of applications for use in recommending applications to a user includes receiving at a cloud computing service a request to provide a composite scored list of applications for a user, where the cloud computing service provides a set of available applications to each user and receives input data for determining the composite scored list of applications. The cloud computing service initializes a plurality of independent scorers, which each take as input a portion of the input data and outputs a scored list of applications, and normalizes the scored list of applications outputted by each independent scorer. The cloud computing service constructs the composite scored list of applications, where the composite scored list of applications is a function of the normalized scored list of applications and a weighting value assigned to each independent scorer, and outputs the composite scored list of applications.
US09390139B1 Presentation of content items in view of commerciality
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for enhancing selecting relevant and diverse advertisements. In one aspect, a method includes receiving an initial query, selecting one or more additional queries relating to the initial query, including selecting additional queries having a greatest commerciality, identifying one or more content items for each of the additional queries, the one or more content items forming a content block, and providing a content block and an associated additional query to a client device to be displayed along with search results associated with the initial query.
US09390138B2 Bridge event analytics tools and techniques
Multiple selected checkpoints define a group of paths represented in an analytics database. One or more events which appear between the multiple checkpoints on each of a plurality of the paths are identified as common bridge events. Path analysis information is then output, such as a bridge event analysis including a list of website visitor common bridge events that are ranked by their frequency of appearance, the frequencies calculated without regard to where each visitor event appears on a given path.
US09390137B2 Method and apparatus for providing an ordering metric for a multi-dimensional contextual query
An approach is provided for providing an ordering metric for a multi-dimensional contextual query. An ordering platform determines a multi-dimensional query associated with at least one user device, wherein the multi-dimensional query specifies, at least in part, one or more personas, one or more contexts, or a combination thereof associated with the at least one user device. The ordering platform further causes, at least in part, an execution of the multi-dimensional query on at least one context-sensitive database to generate one or more results. The ordering platform further determines at least one ordering metric for the one or more results based, at least in part, on one or more user contextual attributes of the at least one user device.
US09390132B1 Apparatuses, methods and systems for a universal data librarian
The System, Apparatus and Method for a Universal Data Librarian (“UDL”) implements an efficient and scalable monitoring, regulation, and allocation of the computational processing, data, labor, and other enterprise resources and enterprise rules. UDL utilizes a plurality of universal variables linked to tables or fields across multiple, otherwise disparate database systems, and provides efficient and uniform access to the different database systems, types and formats for enterprise data. The universal variables allow efficient access and connection to a vast swath of enterprise data types and types of organizations, and may be organized in accordance with a hierarchical business and decision-making schema and enterprise rules. Universal variables are also used to facilitate a variety of data transactions, integration of disparate data repositories, visualization of data categories and efficient interface access.
US09390131B1 Executing queries subject to different consistency requirements
A server system having one or more processors and memory stores a plurality of entities in one or more databases, where the one or more databases do not guarantee strong consistency of the stored entities. The server system executes a first query against at least a first portion of the one or more databases to generate a first set of results that is not guaranteed to be strongly consistent. The server system also executes a second query, where executing the second query includes performing a consistency operation, the consistency operation guaranteeing that a second portion of the one or more databases is strongly consistent. After performing the consistency operation, the server system generates a second set of results from the second portion and merges the first set of one or more results and the second set of one or more results.
US09390127B2 RDF graphs made of RDF query language queries
A method, software and/or computer system for representing a set of SPARQL queries. The set of SPARQL queries are converting into an RDF representation of the set of SPARQL queries (that is, a SPARQL RDF graph). The SPARQL RDF graph is applied to a target RDF graph to yield a transformed target representing the responses to the set of queries, as an ontology or as text.
US09390125B2 Query authoring by modifying a view of the results of the query
Technologies and concepts are described herein for authoring a database query through the modification of a view of the data to be returned by the query. A user interface is provided for authoring a database query through the modification of a view of the data to be returned by the query that includes a view showing the results of a database query. A user interface is also provided for modifying the view to define the results of the query. As the view is modified, a query definition is generated which, when executed against the database, will return the results of the database query shown in the view. When the desired results are shown in the view, the query definition can be saved and run against the database to perform the database query.
US09390123B2 Sorting information by relevance to individuals with passive data collection and real-time injection
In one aspect, data, such as information articles, is sorted and prioritized based on a plurality of factors, such as user interest and popularity of data with respect to other users. The data is sorted by initial personal (i.e., user) data, sorted by the most relevant to the user, while passive interaction data is used to continually reorder the articles in real-time, while new stories are being injected into the stream in real time, all while other articles are increasing/decreasing in stature based on popularity with regard to other users and time decay. As such, the system provides that the information is fed to users in an efficient manner, in a manner based on time relevance, assumed interest with regard to that given user based on past actions by that user or information otherwise known about that user, as well as interest in the articles demonstrated by other users.
US09390119B2 Support for compensation aware data types in relational database systems
Techniques are provided for extending a business transaction framework to support user-provided compensation logic for business transactions. The extensibility framework may be used to implement user-defined semantics for (a) validating concurrent updates to shared data and (b) performing compensating actions when an associated transaction is aborted. In one embodiment, the extensibility and the compensation are provided at the data-type level. User-provided logic also maintains summaries that include values that are externalized so that they may be referenced in user-provided operational constraints.
US09390118B2 Computer implemented method for transforming an event notification within a database notification infrastructure
A computer implemented method for automatically transforming an event notification within a database notification infrastructure based on client specified formatting and/or editing procedures. The method includes transforming the event notification having a format compatible with a database using a client specific format conversion procedure into a client-compatible event notification format. Further, the method may include transforming the payload portion of the event notification having a format compatible with a database using a client specific format conversion procedure into a linear event notification format. Moreover, the method may include transforming the event notification using a client specific editing procedure. The client specified procedures may be specified during event registration by the client. The transformed and/or edited event notifications may be forwarded to the client.
US09390116B1 Insertion and eviction schemes for deduplicated cache system of a storage system
A computer-implemented method for indexing content stored in a cache memory device is disclosed. The method starts with maintaining a fingerprint index having a plurality of fingerprint entries, each mapping a fingerprint to a storage location of a cache memory device, where the cache memory device caches some of data blocks stored in a persistent storage device of a storage system, and where the fingerprint index is a partial index indexing a portion of data stored in the cache memory device. In response to receiving a request to insert a new fingerprint, the method continues with evicting one of the fingerprint entries according to a predetermined eviction algorithm and inserting the new fingerprint into the evicted fingerprint entry.
US09390112B1 Automated dynamic data quality assessment
In general, embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods and computer readable media for automated dynamic data quality assessment. One aspect of the subject matter described in this specification includes the actions of receiving a data quality job including a new data sample; and, if the new data sample is determined to be added to a reservoir of data samples, sending a quality verification request to an oracle; receiving a new data sample quality estimate from the oracle; and adding the new data sample and estimate to the reservoir. A second aspect of the subject matter includes the actions of receiving, from a predictive model, a judgment associated with a new data sample; analyzing the new data sample based in part on the judgment to determine whether to send a new data sample quality verification request to an oracle; and, if a new data sample quality estimate is received from the oracle, determining whether to add the new data sample and the judgment to the reservoir.
US09390109B2 Systems and methods to detect deleted files
A data storage system protects data identified for deletion which has been created or modified between scheduled data backups. For instance, the system monitors data operations and when the data operation is a delete, the system determines whether the data identified for deletion has been protected by a backup operation. Data that has not been backed up, such as newly created data, is copied to temporary storage before deletion. When the data has been protected, the system determines whether the data has been modified after the backup operation. Data modified after the backup operation is copied to temporary storage before deletion.
US09390104B2 Method and apparatus for accurate localization of points of interest
Geo-referenced and oriented media items may be used to determine a location of one or more points of interest depicted by the media items. A difference between an actual capture location and orientation and a reported location and orientation may be modeled according to one or more distributions, which distribution(s) may be used to assign one or more weights to each location in the world where such weight(s) may be considered to be a likelihood that a point of interest might have been seen by a capturing device. A density map may be acquired by superimposing the derived likelihoods, and a maximum, e.g., local maximum, may be determined to represent a location of a point of interest.
US09390103B2 Information searching method and system based on geographic location
Embodiments of the present application relate to an information searching method based on geographic location, an information searching system based on geographic location, and a computer program product for searching for information based on geographic location. An information searching method based on geographic location is provided. The method includes acquiring need information and geographic location information corresponding to a mobile terminal user, looking up a preset geographic location zone threshold value based on the need information, preconfigured mappings of preset geographical location zone information and category information, and searching for target information corresponding to the need information based on the geographic location information of the mobile terminal user and the preset geographic location zone threshold value.
US09390102B2 Client application program interface for network-attached storage system
Methods and apparatus for providing a network attached storage system which does not require specialized hardware to operate. In one embodiment, a downloadable software package is provided via a web interface. After a user has downloaded and installed the software package, a sharable volume is created upon a host system. In one embodiment, the sharable volume is adapted to present the contents of one or more remote systems to the host system as a local file, drive, or directory. One or more processes resident in the host system are adapted to intercept a command interpretable by the host system and translate the command into one or more commands interpretable by at least one remote system. The one or more commands are then serviced by at least one remote system and a result set is generated. The result set may then be converted into a format interpretable by the host system and output accordingly.
US09390101B1 Social deduplication using trust networks
Before backing up a user file to backup storage, a trust deduplication module is configured to ask a limited set of other trust deduplication modules to check if the user file has already been backed up. If the user file is already backed up, a backup receipt that corresponds to the user file (which was provided during backup of the user file) is communicated to the requesting trust deduplication module. The backup receipt provides the requesting trust deduplication module with access to the already-backed up user file in backup storage, and the requesting trust deduplication module need not back up the user file. Thus, a single copy of the user file can be stored in backup storage among several trusted users who own an instance of the user file. A user file can be restored from backup storage, using a backup receipt that corresponds to the user file.
US09390100B2 Storing differences between precompressed and recompressed data files
A system comprises a processor and a memory. The processor is configured to decompress a precompressed file; recompress the decompressed file; and determine a difference file. The memory is coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.
US09390096B2 Fast creation of a master GFS2 file system
For fast creation of a gfs2 file system, a master metadata image of a master file system is used for generating a small file systems identical in structure in the gfs2 file system containing a large sequential file.
US09390085B2 Speech processing system and method for recognizing speech samples from a speaker with an oriyan accent when speaking english
Method(s) and system(s) for speech processing of second language speech are described. According to the present subject matter, the system(s) implement the described method(s) for speech processing of Oriya English. The method for speech processing include receiving a plurality of speech samples of Oriya English to form a speech corpora where the plurality of speech samples comprise sounds of both vowels and consonants and, a plurality of speech parameters are associated with each of the plurality of speech samples. Method also includes determining values of the plurality of speech parameters for each of the plurality of speech samples and identifying difference between the values of each of the plurality of speech parameters and a corresponding value of accent neutral English. Further, the method includes articulating governing language rules based on the identifying to assess phonetic variation and mother tongue influence in sounds of vowels and consonants of Oriya English.
US09390083B2 Identity propagation through application layers using contextual mapping and planted values
Mechanisms are provided for propagating source identification information from an application front-end system in an application layer to a data layer inspection system associated with a back-end system. An incoming user request is received, at the data layer inspection system, from a gateway system associated with the application front-end system. One or more outgoing statements targeting a back-end system are received at the data layer inspection system. The data layer inspection system accesses a mapping data structure based on the one or more outgoing statements to thereby correlate the one or more outgoing statements with the incoming user request. The data layer inspection system retrieves source identification information associated with the incoming user request based on the correlation of the one or more outgoing statements with the incoming user request. The data layer inspection system performs a data layer inspection operation based on the source identification information.
US09390082B1 Generating multiple views of a multidimensional cube
Some embodiments provide a cube viewer for rendering multiple cube views. The cube viewer receives cube data in response to a query to a multidimensional data storage (MDDS) that stores a MDDS cube. The cube viewer generates first and second cube views for first and second subsets of the received cube data. The cube viewer displays the first cube view related to the first subset of cube data. In response to interactions with the first cube view, the cube viewer identifies the second subset of the cube data. The cube viewer displays the previously generated second cube view related to the second subset of cube data.
US09390081B2 System for handling abbreviation related text
Abbreviations can be handled by a computer system that receives a message that specifies a recipient and a sender. A first text portion is identified from the message as being associated with an abbreviation. A sender and receiver profile are used to identify a set of one or more solutions for the first text portion. The solutions are scored based upon the online content exposure information in the profile of the recipient. Based upon the scoring, a particular solution of the one or more solutions is identified for use. The text body of the message is modified to include the particular solution, and the modified message is transmitted to the recipient.
US09390080B2 Sentence parsing correction system
A system provides on a computer display screen, a graphical image of an initial parsing as generated by a computerized algorithm. Individual clauses are encased in expandable containers that a user can shift and resize on the screen using a mouse or other cursor control device to thereby improve the initial parsing.
US09390078B2 Computer-implemented systems and methods for detecting punctuation errors
Systems and methods are provided for detecting punctuation errors in a text including one or more sentences. A sentence including a plurality of words is received, the sentence including one or more preexisting punctuation marks. One or more punctuation marks are determined with a statistical classifier based on a set of rules, to be inserted in the sentence. The determined punctuation marks are compared with the preexisting punctuation marks. A report of punctuation errors is output based on the comparison.
US09390073B2 Electronic file comparator
The invention concerns a method of comparing by a comparator tool a pair of electronic data files each comprising a plurality of data elements, the method comprising: identifying at least one data element in each of said files; replacing the values of said at least one identified data elements in each of said files by a same reference value; comparing the files to detect differences between values of the data elements; and generating an output report indicating said differences.
US09390072B2 Method and device for enlarging displayed font
A method for a device to enlarge a displayed font, includes: receiving an instruction for enlarging a currently displayed font; acquiring a size of the currently displayed font; when the size of the currently displayed font is smaller than a preset maximum threshold, enlarging the currently displayed font based on a curve enlargement rule with a first enlargement coefficient configured by an operating system of the device and a second enlargement coefficient configured by a current application; when the size of the currently displayed font is larger than or equal to the preset maximum threshold, enlarging the currently displayed font based on a linear enlargement rule with a third enlargement coefficient configured by the operating system; and displaying the enlarged font.
US09390071B2 System and method for displaying pages on mobile device
An apparatus and method is provided that allows users to easily and rapidly search and locate parts of pages in an e-book that they have read, even though the form of pages has changed. The apparatus and method for displaying pages on an electronic mobile device includes: displaying at least one page of a plurality of pages of an e-book; detecting the presence of an event; changing the form of the displayed pages to a form corresponding to the detected event; and displaying the difference between the forms before and after the change.
US09390067B2 Method for the continuous monitoring and diagnosis of sources of partial discharges (PDs) in high voltage cables during connection to, and operation in the power grid, and physical system for carrying out same
A method specially designed for detecting events associated with partial discharges (PDs) in high voltage cables includes the identification of the location and the evaluation of the amplitude and rate of repetition per period of the grid voltage, with the possibility of identifying different sources producing PD signals as a function of the location thereof and recognising the type of defect associated with PDs in the same location. Generated electric signals are measured and the discriminated in relation to the background noise. A system for carrying out the method includes devices for discriminating the noise in relation to the transient waveform of the PD, determining the parameters associated therewith, determining the map of sources of PDs along the length of the cable, graphically representing the sources, and identifying the patterns of the sources of PDs separated as a function of the location thereof along the length of the cable.
US09390064B2 Modeling tool passage through a well
In modeling passage of an elongate well tool through a well, a computing system receives inputs representing a plurality of geometric characteristics of the well tool including three dimensional surface data characterizing the shape of outwardly facing, lateral surfaces of the well tool. The computing system also receives inputs representing a plurality of geometric characteristics of the well. The computing system determines a prediction of the force to pass the well tool through at least a portion of the well based on a comparison of the three dimensional surface data of the well tool and the plurality of geometric characteristics of the well.
US09390059B1 Multiple object types on a canvas
Including multiple types of objects on a canvas is disclosed. In some embodiments, an ability to include on a displayed canvas simultaneously a set of objects comprising one or more objects of two or more different types, including a first type of object having associated with it an ability to define the content of a first cell by reference to one or more other cells such that the content of the first cell is updated automatically and without further human intervention if the content of one or more of the one or more other cells is changed and a second type of object not having said ability associated with it, is provided.
US09390058B2 Dynamic attribute inference
In an embodiment, a processor may be configured to dynamically infer one or more attributes of input and/or output registers of an instruction, given the attributes corresponding to at least one input registers. The inference may be made at the issue circuit/stage of the processor, for those registers that do not have attribute information at the issue circuit/stage. In an embodiment, the processor may also include a register attribute tracker configured to track attributes of registers prior to the issue stage of the processor pipeline. The processor may feed back, to the register attribute tracker, inferred attributes and the register addresses of the registers to which the inferred attributes apply. The register attribute tracker may be configured to may associate the inferred attribute with the identified register attribute tracker may also be configured to infer input register attributes from other input register attributes.
US09390057B2 Communicaton across shared mutually exclusive direction paths between clustered processing elements
An array processor includes processing elements arranged in clusters to form a rectangular array. Inter-cluster communication paths are mutually exclusive. Due to the mutual exclusivity of the data paths, communications between the processing elements of each cluster may be combined in a single inter-cluster path, thus eliminating half the wiring required for the path. The length of the longest communication path is not directly determined by the overall dimension of the array, as in conventional torus arrays. Rather, the longest communications path is limited by the inter-cluster spacing. Transpose elements of an N×N torus may be combined in clusters and communicate with one another through intra-cluster communications paths. Transpose operation latency is eliminated in this approach. Each PE may have a single transmit port and a single receive port. Thus, the individual PEs are decoupled from the array topology.
US09390056B1 Method for efficient routing in a network interface card
Packet switching is facilitated between a source and a destination through a network interface card. In accordance with an aspect, a NIC is configured to switch ingress packets—coming from the network—selectively to one or multiple destinations (in a NIC which is capable of replicating packets) on the host computer, and alternatively or additionally (in a NIC which is capable of replicating packets) back to one or multiple destinations on the network. In multi-port NICs, this capability effectively allows a NIC to perform the basic functions of a standalone network switch as well as additional useful functions.
US09390051B2 Electronic calculator and method for controlling the same
An electronic calculator includes first and second display sections, a conversion rate storage unit configured to store a plurality of conversion rates, a conversion rate display unit configured to call the plurality of conversion rates in sequence from the conversion rate storage unit and display the conversion rates on the second display section, a numerical value display unit configured to display a numerical value on the first display section according to a user operation, and a numerical value conversion unit configured to convert the numerical value displayed on the first display section by the numerical value display unit so as to correspond to a conversion transition designated by a user operation, based on a conversion rate displayed on the second display section by the conversion rate display unit.
US09390049B2 Logical unit address assignment
Described embodiments include logical units within a memory device with control circuitry configured to assign a logical unit address to the logical unit. Apparatus including a plurality of the logical units arranged in a daisy chain configuration and methods of assigning logical unit addresses to the logical units are also disclosed.
US09390046B2 Controlling a physical link of a first protocol using an extended capability structure of a second protocol
In one embodiment, a method includes accessing a first field of a first link capabilities register of a first device having a protocol stack including a transaction layer and a link layer according to a first communication protocol and a physical layer of the protocol stack having a physical unit of a second communication protocol, using the first field as a pointer value to a location in a second link capabilities register of the first device, and using information from the location in the second link capabilities register to perform a configuration operation for a physical link coupled to the device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09390039B2 Providing a fine-grained arbitration system
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for selecting a requester to service during an arbitration round, and updating counters associated with the selected requester including a command unit counter and a data unit counter, determining if the counters are in compliance with corresponding threshold values, and if so granting a transaction for the selected requester, and otherwise denying the transaction. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09390038B2 Local bypass for in memory computing
Embodiments include a method for bypassing data in an active memory device. The method includes a requestor determining a number of transfers to a grantor that have not been communicated to the grantor, requesting to the interconnect network that the bypass path be used for the transfers based on the number of transfers meeting a threshold and communicating the transfers via the bypass path to the grantor based on the request, the interconnect network granting control of the grantor in response to the request. The method also includes the interconnect network requesting control of the grantor based on an event and communicating delayed transfers via the interconnect network from other requestors, the delayed transfers being delayed due to the grantor being previously controlled by the requestor, the communicating based on the control of the grantor being changed back to the interconnect network.
US09390035B2 Method and apparatus for supporting storage modules in standard memory and/or hybrid memory bus architectures
A memory/storage module is provided that implements a solid state drive compatible with Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) or Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) signaling on a double-data-rate compatible socket. A detachable daughter card may be coupled to the memory module for converting a memory bus voltage to a second voltage for memory devices on the memory module. Additionally, a hybrid memory bus on a host system is provided that supports either DDR-compatible memory modules and/or SATA/SAS-compatible memory modules. In one example, the memory/storage module couples to a first bus (DDR3 compatible socket) to obtain voltage and/or other signals, but uses a second bus for data transfers. In another example, the memory module may repurpose/reuse electrical paths that typically carry non-data signals for data traffic to/from the memory/storage module. Such data traffic for the memory/storage module permits concurrent data traffic for other memory modules on the same memory bus.
US09390034B1 Unified SCSI target management for performing a delayed shutdown of 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.
US09390032B1 Gesture camera configurations
The amount of power and processing capacity needed to process gesture input for a computing device can be reduced by utilizing one or more relatively low power, low resolution gesture sensors. The gesture sensors can have relatively large pixels, which provide enhanced sensitivity in low light situations. Further, the low resolution and high frame rates of the gesture sensors can enable relatively low bandwidth buses to be used, rather than dedicated image buses. These low bandwidth buses can conserve a significant amount of power, and can provide the image data from the gesture sensors to low power PIC-class microprocessors, or other such components, which can analyze image data and make basic gesture determinations without having to wake up an application processor or send data over a main bus, which can further reduce power consumption.
US09390028B2 Coordination between memory-saving mechanisms in computers that run virtual machines
A method includes running in a computer a hypervisor that allocates physical memory pages of the computer to a Virtual Machine (VM). A guest Operating System (OS), a virtual memory and a virtual storage device run in the VM. The guest OS maps the allocated physical memory pages to respective virtual memory pages, retains virtual memory pages that are frequently-accessed by the VM in the virtual memory, and swaps-out virtual memory pages that are rarely-accessed by the VM to the virtual storage. In the hypervisor, one or more of the physical memory pages allocated to the VM are selected, and the corresponding virtual memory pages preventing from being swapped-out by the guest OS, by marking the corresponding virtual memory pages in the guest OS as accessed thus causing the guest OS to regard the corresponding virtual memory pages as frequently-accessed.
US09390026B2 Synchronizing access to data in shared memory
In some embodiments, in response to execution of a load-reserve instruction that binds to a load target address held in a store-through upper level cache, a processor core sets a core reservation flag, transmits a load-reserve operation to a store-in lower level cache, and tracks, during a core reservation tracking interval, the reservation requested by the load-reserve operation until the store-in lower level cache signals that the store-in lower level cache has assumed responsibility for tracking the reservation. In response to receipt during the core reservation tracking interval of an invalidation signal indicating presence of a conflicting snooped operation, the processor core cancels the reservation by resetting the core reservation flag and fails a subsequent store-conditional operation. Responsive to not canceling the reservation during the core reservation tracking interval, the processor core determines whether a store-conditional operation succeeds by reference to a pass/fail indication provided by the store-in lower level cache.
US09390025B2 Wear leveling in a memory system
Embodiments are disclosed for replacing one or more pages of a memory to level wear on the memory. In one embodiment, a system includes a page fault handling function and a memory address mapping function. Upon receipt of a page fault, the page fault handling function maps an evicted virtual memory address to a stressed page and maps a stressed virtual memory address to a free page using the memory address mapping function.
US09390020B2 Hybrid memory with associative cache
A hybrid memory system includes a primary memory comprising a host memory space arranged as memory sectors corresponding to host logical block addresses (host LBAs). A secondary memory is implemented as a cache for the primary host memory. A hybrid controller is configured map the clusters of host LBAs to clusters of solid state drive (SSD) LBAs. The SSD LBAs correspond to a memory space of the cache. Mapping of the host LBA clusters to the SSD LBA clusters is fully associative such that any host LBA cluster can be mapped to any SSD LBA cluster.
US09390017B2 Write and read collision avoidance in single port memory devices
A method of avoiding a write collision in single port memory devices from two independent write operations is described. A first data object from a first write operation is divided into a first even sub-data object and first odd sub-data object. A second data object from a second write operation is divided into a second even sub-data object and a second odd sub-data object. The first even sub-data object is stored to a first single port memory device and the second odd sub-data object to a second single port memory device when the first write operation and the second write operation occur at the same time. The second even sub-data object is stored to the first single port memory device and the first odd sub-data object to the second single port memory device when the first write operation and the second write operation occur at the same time.
US09390015B2 Method for performing cacheline polling utilizing a store and reserve instruction
A method, system, apparatus, and article of manufacture for performing cacheline polling utilizing a store and reserve instruction are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a first process initially-requests an action to be performed by a second process. A reservation is set at a cacheable memory location via a store operation. The first process reads the cacheable memory location via a load operation to determine whether or not the requested action has been completed by the second process. The load operation of the first process is stalled until the reservation on the cacheable memory location is lost. After the requested action has been completed, the reservation in the cacheable memory location is reset by the second process.
US09390009B2 Configuration mapping using a multi-dimensional rule space and rule consolidation
A configuration mapping system and method increase the effectiveness of mapping of information from an established product line to a new product offering. In at least one embodiment, the configuration mapping system herein uses configuration mapping rules to map individual product features and entire configurations from established products to a new product offering. The configuration mapping system also provides a way to appropriately map, for example, demand and sales information for the purpose of demand estimation and sales prediction. Conventionally, mapping can be ineffective because the configuration mapping rules usually focus on one part of the product at a time, and, if applied in isolation, the impact on other parts is missed. The systems and method herein provide a way to integrate configuration mapping rules across feature parts, time periods, and product lines into a unified, holistic view, allowing for new insights.
US09390006B2 Garbage collection of an object
One or more embodiments are directed to creating a structure comprising a weak reference to an object, a strong reference to the object, a count of remote references to the object, and an identifier for the object, incrementing the count when a remote reference is created to the object and decrementing the count when a remote reference is removed, setting the strong reference in response to the count being greater than a first threshold in order to avoid a garbage collection of the object, clearing the strong reference in response to the count being less than a second threshold to enable a garbage collection of the object, and removing the structure and related resources based on a recognition of the object's collection through the weak reference.
US09390003B2 Retirement of physical memory based on dwell time
In at least one embodiment, a data storage system includes a non-volatile memory array including a plurality of regions of physical memory. The data storage system further includes a controller that controls read and write access to the memory array and retires selected ones of the plurality of regions of physical memory from use. The controller determines whether or to not to retire a particular region among the plurality of regions of physical memory from use based on a dwell time of data stored in the particular region.
US09389998B2 Memory formatting method, memory controller, and memory storage apparatus
A memory formatting method adapted to a memory storage apparatus is provided. The memory formatting method includes configuring a plurality of logical block addresses to be mapped to a portion of a plurality of physical blocks, generating a first file system data and a second file system data according to the size of the logical block addresses, and storing the first file system data into a first physical block, and the first physical block is mapped to a first logical block address among the logical block addresses. The memory formatting method also includes selecting a second physical block among the physical blocks, storing the second file system data into the second physical block, determining whether a format command is received, and when the format command is received, re-mapping the first logical block address to the second physical block.
US09389993B1 System and method for whitelist management
A method is provided in one embodiment and includes receiving a request for a session at a network element; communicating a query for whitelist data to a provisioning element; receiving the whitelist data at the network element; and communicating a message to an access point that communicated the request, where the message is indicative of whether the session is to be accepted or denied based on the whitelist data. In more specific implementations, the network element is a gateway configured to receive the whitelist data via a RADIUS access accept message. In addition, source Internet protocol (IP) address verification associated with the session can be executed before a wireless device associated with the access point is permitted access to a network.
US09389987B1 Method and system for identifying missing test scenarios by comparing authorized processes with available test scenarios
Identifying missing test scenarios based on authorization policies, including: analyzing the authorization policies applied to non-super-users of a specific data-oriented large-scale software system in order to identify organization-specific in-use scenarios, whereby the non-super-users are usually unauthorized to irrelevant operations; comparing the identified organization-specific in-use scenarios with available test scenarios repairable by a non-programmer user, each available test scenario repairable by a non-programmer user tests at least two transactions; identifying organization-specific in-use scenarios that do not have corresponding test scenarios repairable by a non-programmer user, referred to as first set of missing test scenarios; and providing at least one of the missing test scenarios to a non-programmer user, having proper authorizations, for generating a test scenario repairable by a non-programmer user that covers the at least one missing test scenario.
US09389983B2 Verification of complex systems that can be described by a finite state transition system
A method including the steps of: generating a system model, the model comprising an initial state, a transition between consecutive states and a property function defining a property that should be met for an allowable state, the initial state, transition function and property function each comprising at least one of data, operations and predicates; generating an abstracted model by approximating at least some of the data, operations and predicates with uninterpreted terms, functions and predicates respectively, to generate at least one abstracted initial state, abstracted transition function and abstracted property function within the abstracted model; performing a complete reachability analysis on the abstracted model to determine whether the system can reach an unallowable abstracted state by following the abstracted transition function; and if not, the system is verified as correct; and if so, unabstracting a trace of the transitions from the abstracted initial state to the unallowable abstracted state.
US09389981B2 Hierarchical live graphs for performance data display
A system performance analysis user interface includes a thumbnail portion and an analysis view portion. One or more performance indicator thumbnails and/or data source thumbnails are displayed in the thumbnail portion. Each performance indicator thumbnail displays a live graph identifying performance data of an associated one of multiple performance indicators, and each data source thumbnail displays a live graph of performance of an associated data source. Additional data regarding one or more data sources, such as contribution to usage of the data source by each of multiple contributors, is displayed in the analysis view portion.
US09389979B2 Debug system, and related integrated circuit and method
A system includes a processor and a plurality of circuits connected through an interconnection network, wherein associated to each circuit is a respective communication interface configured for exchanging data between the respective circuit and the interconnection network. In particular, a debug unit is associated with each communication interface. Each debug unit is configurable as a data-insertion point, wherein the debug unit transmits data by means of the respective communication interface to the interconnection network, or each debug unit is configurable as a data-reception point, wherein the debug unit receives data by means of the respective communication interface from the interconnection network.
US09389974B2 Data retrieval from stacked computer memory
Data is retrieved from a stacked memory device having a plurality of slave memory chips in response to recognizing a problem in the stacked memory device. The problem is determined to be associated with a primary driver module in the stacked memory device. In response, the primary driver module is disabled and an emergency driver module is enabled. Each of the plurality of slave memory chips are selected using a multiplexing unit to retrieve data using the emergency driver module.
US09389973B2 Memory error propagation for faster error recovery
A method for managing a corrupted memory block. The method includes detecting the corrupted memory block, and removing, after detecting the corrupted memory block, references to the corrupted memory block. The method further includes identifying, after detecting the corrupted memory block, an uncorrupted memory block and analyzing each cache line. The method further includes determining, while analyzing each cache line, that a first cache line includes an uncorrectable error and creating, based on determining the first cache line includes the uncorrectable error, a second cache line including an artificial error, and migrating the second cache line to the uncorrupted memory block, where a layout of the corrupted memory block is maintained.
US09389972B2 Data retrieval from stacked computer memory
Data is retrieved from a stacked memory device having a plurality of slave memory chips in response to recognizing a problem in the stacked memory device. The problem is determined to be associated with a primary driver module in the stacked memory device. In response, the primary driver module is disabled and an emergency driver module is enabled. Each of the plurality of slave memory chips are selected using a multiplexing unit to retrieve data using the emergency driver module.
US09389963B2 Data placement for loss protection in a storage system
Embodiments of the invention relate to data placement for loss protection in a storage system. One embodiment includes constructing multiple logical compartments. Each logical compartment includes a placement policy including a set of storage placement rules for determining permitted placement of storage symbols on specific physical storage containers, and a balancing policy for determining a particular placement of the storage symbols among permitted placements for balancing the storage symbols for each volume among the physical storage containers that is useable within the placement policy.
US09389962B1 Interfacing with a virtual database system
User interactions with a database storage system allow creation of virtual databases based on point-in-time copies associated with a source database. Multiple point-in-time copies are obtained for each source database. A point-in-time copy retrieves data changed in the source database since the retrieval of a previous point-in-time copy. A virtual database (VDB) is created by creating a set of files in the data storage system and mounting the files on a database server allowing the database server to access the files. User interactions allow the user to specify the source database, a point in time associated with the source database and a destination server to create the virtual database. User input can specify other attributes associated with the virtual database including the file paths, database parameters etc. The user can specify schedules of various actions, including making and retention of point-in-time copies.
US09389961B1 Automated network isolation for providing non-disruptive disaster recovery testing of multi-tier applications spanning physical and virtual hosts
Various systems, methods and apparatuses for creating network isolation spanning physical and virtual hosts are presented. In one embodiment, network isolation may be created between a primary (e.g., production) site and a secondary (e.g., a disaster recovery or sandbox) site. The network isolation allows testing (or other uses) on the secondary site to be non-disruptive to the normal operations of the sites, including the ability to failover during testing. Such non-disruptive network isolation allows certain communications to continue, especially communications between ports having replicated data. The network isolation may be customized in various other ways to allow certain communications to continue while preventing other communications. This invention can be used to validate application readiness, as well as to validate data correctness of individual tiers, and may be used with systems that contain multiple tiers, and include physical hosts, virtual hosts, and/or combinations of both.
US09389960B2 Recovering from a defective boot image
Methods, apparatus and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that include detecting, by a first computer having a first memory, a software stack in a second memory of a second computer coupled to the first computer via a network. The software stack is copied from the second memory to the first memory, and the copied software stack is executed by the first computer. Prior to copying the software stack an error is detected in a boot image stored on a boot device for the first computer by identifying an invalid signature for the boot image.
US09389955B1 String dataflow error detection
An apparatus for comparing strings comprises a first and a second set of input registers, a matrix of comparator circuits wherein rows of the matrix correspond to the first set of input registers and columns of the matrix correspond to the second set of input registers, a set of row control registers wherein each register corresponds to a row of the matrix of the comparator circuits, the matrix of comparator circuits configured to compare data provided by the first set of registers with data provided by the second set of registers according to the row control registers, and an error detection circuit configured to compare results from four comparator circuits corresponding to two adjacent rows and two columns of the matrix of comparator circuits. A method that invokes the above mentioned apparatus is also disclosed herein, along with a computer program product corresponding to the method.
US09389953B2 Semiconductor memory device and system conducting parity check and operating method of semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device comprising of a parity check unit configured to receive a command signal and a parity signal to perform error checking in the command signal and output a parity indication signal; a delay unit including a plurality of registers configured to time delay by n clock cycles the parity indication signal and output a delayed parity indication signal; a command register configured to time delay by n clock cycles the command signal and output a delayed command; and a decoder configured to pass or block the delayed command signal based on the delayed parity indicator signal.
US09389948B2 Method and system for fixing loopholes
The present invention discloses method and system for debugging, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions of debugging. The method includes when a loophole is detected, determining whether a network is online; if yes, fixing the loophole; otherwise, prompting a user to make the network online, and fixing the loophole when the network is online, so as to avoid debugging failure caused by a failure of patch downloading when the network is offline, thereby reducing the failure rate of debugging.
US09389945B1 Test access architecture for stacked dies
Aspects of the invention relate to test access architecture for stacked dies. The disclosed test access interface for a die can function as a stand-alone test access interface, allowing both pre-bond testing and post-bond testing of the die. In a stack of dies, the test access interface of a die may be enabled/disabled by the test access interface of an adjacent die.
US09389943B2 Determining a number of unique incidents in a plurality of incidents for incident processing in a distributed processing system
Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for determining a number of unique incidents in a plurality of incidents for incident processing in a distributed processing system are provided. Embodiments include an incident analyzer identifying within the plurality of incidents, attribute combination entries of location identifications and incident types and analyzing each location identification in each attribute combination entry according to a sequence of the attribute combination entries including creating attribute pairs. The incident analyzer is also configured to count the attribute pairs. The number of attribute pairs is the number of unique incidents in the plurality of incidents.
US09389939B2 Information processing apparatus with error verification including error processing or transferring again based on a code coinciding with codes defined by an interface communication standard
An information processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a communication control portion, an error code storage portion, an acquiring portion, and a determination portion. Communication control portion communicates with storage device based on interface communication standard, to perform data transfer therewith. Error code storage portion stores one or a plurality of selected error codes selected from a plurality of error codes defined by interface communication standard. Acquiring portion acquires error information outputted from storage device. Determination portion determines whether or not error code indicated by error information coincides with selected error code. When determination portion determines that error code coincides with selected error code, communication control portion communicates again with storage device to perform data transfer therewith. When determination portion determines that error code does not coincide with selected error code, communication control portion executes error processing corresponding to error code indicated by error information.
US09389937B2 Managing faulty memory pages in a computing system
Managing faulty memory pages in a computing system, including: tracking, by a page management module, a number of errors associated with a memory page; determining, by the page management module, whether the number of errors associated with the memory page exceeds a predetermined threshold; responsive to determining that the number of errors associated with the memory page exceeds the predetermined threshold, attempting, by the page management module, to retire the memory page; determining, by the page management module, whether the memory page has been successfully retired; and responsive to determining that the memory page has not been successfully retired, generating, by the page management module, a predictive failure alert.
US09389930B2 System and method of providing inter-application communications
A method of operating an operating system for providing inter-application communications between a publisher application and a subscriber application. The method includes receiving a publication request from the publisher application at an operating system, receiving a subscriber application from the subscriber application at the operating system, performing an operating system based event brokering procedure based on the publication request and the subscription request, and publishing an event based on the procedure.
US09389927B2 Method and apparatus for composite user interface generation
A method for directing messages between a composite user interface and at least one source application. A message is to be directed to a predetermined set of services, each service executes a command specified by the message and the message comprises details of the predetermined set of services. Each service in the predetermined set of services uses said details to determine whether the message should be sent to another service, and if it is determined that the message should be sent to another service transmits the message to an appropriate service.
US09389926B2 Distributed resource contention detection
Some embodiments of a system and a method to detect contention for resource in a cluster file system have been presented. For instance, a processing device executable on a node in a cluster file system may put lock requests for a resource from the node into a local lock request queue, where multiple nodes in the cluster file system share the resource. Then the lock requests for the resource from this node and lock requests for the resource from other nodes may be tracked to measure congestion on the resource.
US09389924B2 System and method for performing resource allocation for a host computer cluster
A system and method for performing resource allocation for a host computer cluster uses a copy of a cluster resource allocation hierarchy of the host computer cluster to generate a host resource allocation hierarchy of a host computer in the host computer cluster.
US09389920B2 Intelligent data center cluster selection
A method and technique for autonomous selection of a Data Center Cluster (DCC) for fulfilling a cloud computing service request, including a technique for grouping data centers (DCs) in a cloud network according to a ranking of eligible DCCs based on selection criteria. In various embodiments, the selection criteria may include a cluster performance metric, a cluster resource equivalence metric, a balance of resource performance metric, a DCC load index, or combination thereof. Other aspects include techniques for computing/determining each of the selection criteria.
US09389916B1 Job scheduling management
Resource utilization data for a set of system components of a computing system is collected. The resource utilization data includes performance records for a set of jobs. By analyzing the collected resource utilization data for the set of system components, a resource allocation is identified for a particular job of the set of jobs. A first execution time for the particular job is determined based on the resource allocation for the particular job and the resource utilization data for the set of system components. A location at which to execute the particular job is determined based on how the particular job has been executed at the location previously. The first execution time may be a time when the computer system achieves a resource availability threshold with respect to the resource allocation. Aspects are also directed toward performing the particular job at the first execution time.
US09389914B2 Information processing apparatus and control method thereof
Each of a plurality of circuit blocks includes a plurality of arithmetic elements. A power supply controller individually controls power supply to each circuit block. A resource management unit acquires first information, regarding an arithmetic element necessary for an arithmetic process, and second information, regarding an arithmetic element included in a circuit block which is currently being supplied with power. Based on the first information and the second information, the resource management unit preferentially assigns, to an arithmetic element included in a circuit block which is being supplied with power, a process for implementing the arithmetic process.
US09389912B2 Multi-resource task scheduling method
A multi-resource task scheduling method includes: classifying concurrency packets to distinguish packets with deadline and packets without deadline; ranking packets with deadline using EDF algorithm and ranking packets without deadline using SJF algorithm; estimating a virtual start time and a virtual completion time according to ranking results; determining whether packets with deadline can be scheduled successfully; if yes, determining whether there is a packet without deadline, which can be arranged to be scheduled before the packets with deadline and can shorten average completion time, existing in the packets without deadline; and if yes, scheduling the packet without deadline, which can be arranged to be scheduled before the packets with deadline, in advance. The method can shorten the average completion time of all tasks greatly under multi-resource circumstance.
US09389910B2 Paravirtualized migration counter for migrating a virtual CPU to a different physical CPU
An application associated with a virtual processor running on a physical processor reads a first value of a counter and a second value of the counter. The counter is indicative of a migration status of the virtual processor with respect to the physical processor. Responsive to determining that the first value of the counter does not equal the second value of the counter, the application ascertains whether a value of a hardware parameter associated with the physical processor has changed during a time interval. The migration status indicates a count of the number of times the virtual processor has migrated a first physical processor to a second physical processor. The application determines the validity of a value of a performance monitoring unit derived from the hardware parameter in view of the application ascertaining whether the value of the hardware parameter has changed during the time interval.
US09389904B2 Apparatus, system and method for heterogeneous data sharing
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for offloading data processing. An offload task hosted on a first data processing system provides internal functionality substantially equivalent to that of a second task 304 hosted on a second data processing system of a potentially different architecture. A proxy task hosted on the second data processing system provides an external interface substantially equivalent to that of the second task. A communication mechanism between the first and second data processing systems may be comprised of a network, shared storage, and shared memory. The proxy task substantially replaces the second task, delegating the internal functionality of the second task to the offload task via mapping of arguments and accessing and translating of input and output data as required.
US09389903B2 Method, system and apparatus for creating virtual machine
A method, a system, and an apparatus for creating a virtual machine. The method includes receiving a virtual machine creation request to create a plurality of virtual machines; dividing the plurality of virtual machines into a plurality of virtual machine groups; determining a home physical rack for each virtual machine group, where one virtual machine group corresponds to one home physical rack; and creating each virtual machine group on the home physical rack of each virtual machine group. Because each virtual machine group is created on a home physical rack to which each virtual machine group belongs, each virtual machine group is equivalent to one physical rack.
US09389900B2 Method and system for supporting a change in state within a cluster of host computers that run virtual machines
A method for supporting a change in state within a cluster of host computers that run virtual machines is disclosed. The method involves identifying a change in state within a cluster of host computers that run virtual machines, determining if predefined criteria for available resources within the cluster of host computers can be met by resources available in the cluster of host computers, and determining if predefined criteria for available resources within the cluster of host computers can be maintained after at least one different predefined change in state. In an embodiment, the steps of this method may be implemented in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions that, when executed in a computing device, causes the computing device to carry out the steps.
US09389895B2 Virtual storage target offload techniques
A virtual machine storage service can be use a unique network identifier and a SR-IOV compliant device can be used to transport I/O between a virtual machine and the virtual machine storage service. The virtual machine storage service can be offloaded to a child partition or migrated to another physical machine along with the unique network identifier.
US09389893B2 Method and system for migration of virtual machines and virtual applications between cloud-computing facilities through multiplexed secure tunnels
The current document discloses methods and systems for extending an internal network within a first cloud-computing facility to a second cloud-computing facility and deploying a virtual machine or virtual application previously running on a first cloud-computing facility within the context of the extended internal network in the second cloud-computing facility. The currently disclosed methods and systems which provide internal-network extension and redeployment of virtual machines and virtual applications, referred to as “stretch deploy,” allow a virtual machine or virtual application formerly executing on a first cloud-computing facility to resume execution on a second cloud-computing facility, using the computational and storage facilities of the second cloud-computing facility but depending on network support from the first cloud-computing facility, without changing IP and local network addresses and the network connectivity, based on those addresses, between the virtual machines and virtual applications and other local and remote computational entities with which the virtual machines and virtual applications communicate. Multiplexing multiple stretch deployed L2 networks over the same secure (SSL-VPN) tunnel, terminating on organization edges.
US09389890B2 Hierarchical directives-based management of runtime behaviors
Support for dynamic behavior is specified while reducing reliance on JIT compilation and large runtimes; semantic characteristics are selectively attached to types and type members outside source code. A directives document contains human-readable directives in a parsable format for submission to an innovative compiler. The directives specify whether a type T or type member M is required, optional, or prohibited in a runtime environment. Some reference an application, library, assembly, or namespace group, and others reference group components: type, type instantiation, method, method instantiation, field, property, or event. Some directives force a generic instantiation. Some directives indirectly reference a type through a parameter, type parameter, or generic directive. Some directives reference degrees to manage runtime activation of type instances, runtime introspection over types, reflection, and/or runtime or static serialization. Degrees may enable or disable types, instance constructors, property setters, property getters, fields, or all type members. Directives may be composed.
US09389889B2 Application server for optimizing timing of performing dynamic compilation
In dynamic compilation, timing of compiling is set for each method in accordance with information such as an execution frequency for each method so that methods having a large influence on the execution performance of the entire application program are compiled earlier. Thereby, the balance of execution is optimized between execution by an interpreter and execution based on native codes, and the execution performance immediately after the activation of an application program becomes stable.
US09389883B2 Common system services for managing configuration and other runtime settings of applications
Managing settings of applications is provided. A request from an application to store runtime settings, currently being used by the application, is identified by a processor executing program instructions for managing settings of applications. In response to identifying the request, the runtime settings are then stored on in a repository of runtime settings. In one or more examples, the application is running on an operating system on a computer system, and the request is communicated through a common system service of the operating system.
US09389877B2 Multi-environment operating system
A device with multiple, co-existing, and independent environments interacting with a common kernel, and related methods of operation, are disclosed herein. In at least one embodiment, the device is a mobile device on which a run-time method is performed. The run-time method includes interpreting a first software application on a register-based virtual machine coupled to a kernel. The method additionally includes concurrently executing a second software application also coupled to the kernel, where the second software application is a compiled software application. The interpreting of the first software application is performed using a first library, and the executing of the second software application is performed using a second library.
US09389872B2 Software wizard implementation framework
A framework for developing and testing a software wizard formalizes, through constraint functions, relationships between different pages of the software wizard. A sequence of user interface (UI) pages of a software wizard is generated in accordance with this framework by carrying out the steps of displaying a first UI page that includes a first UI element for causing a transition to a next UI page of the software wizard, wherein the first UI page is associated with one or more constraint functions, detecting an input event that triggers the one or more constraint functions of the first UI page to produce an output that identifies the next UI page in the sequence of UI pages of the software wizard, and transitioning to the next UI page based on the output.
US09389871B2 Combined floating point multiplier adder with intermediate rounding logic
An error handling method includes identifying a code region eligible for cumulative multiply add (CMA) optimization and translating code region instructions into interpreter code instructions, which may include translating sequences of multiply add instructions in the code region instructions into fusion code including CMA instructions. Floating point (FP) exceptions generated by the fusion code may be monitored and at least a portion of the code region instructions may be re-translated to eliminate some or all fusion code if CMA intermediate rounding exceptions exceed a threshold.
US09389868B2 Confidence-driven selective predication of processor instructions
An apparatus includes a network interface, memory, and a processor. The processor is coupled with the network interface and memory. The processor is configured to determine that an instruction instance is a branch instruction instance. Responsive to a determination that an instruction instance is a branch instruction instance, the processor is configured to obtain a branch prediction for the branch instruction instance and a confidence value of the branch prediction. The processor is further configured to determine that the confidence for the branch prediction is low based on the confidence value, and responsive to such a determination, generate predicated instruction instances based on the branch instruction instance.
US09389864B2 Data processing device and method, and processor unit of same
A processor unit (200) includes: cache memory (210); an instruction execution unit (220); a processing unit (230) that detects fact that a thread enters an exclusive control section which is specified in advance to become a bottleneck; a processing unit (240) that detects a fact that the thread exits the exclusive control section; and an execution flag (250) that indicates whether there is the thread that is executing a process in the exclusive control section based on detection results. The cache memory (210) temporarily stores a priority flag in each cache entry, and the priority flag indicates whether data is to be used during execution in the exclusive control section. When the execution flag (250) is set, the processor unit (200) sets the priority flag that belongs to an access target of cache entries. The processor unit (200) leaves data used in the exclusive control section in the cache memory by determining a replacement target of cache entries using the priority flag when a cache miss occurs.
US09389858B2 Orderly storing of corresponding packed bytes from first and second source registers in result register
An apparatus includes an instruction decoder, first and second source registers and a circuit coupled to the decoder to receive packed data from the source registers and to unpack the packed data responsive to an unpack instruction received by the decoder. A first packed data element and a third packed data element are received from the first source register. A second packed data element and a fourth packed data element are received from the second source register. The circuit copies the packed data elements into a destination register resulting with the second packed data element adjacent to the first packed data element, the third packed data element adjacent to the second packed data element, and the fourth packed data element adjacent to the third packed data element.
US09389857B2 Finding the length of a set of character data having a termination character
The length of character data having a termination character is determined. The character data for which the length is to be determined is loaded, in parallel, within one or more vector registers. An instruction is used that loads data in a vector register to a specified boundary, and provides a way to determine the number of characters loaded, using, for instance, another instruction. Further, an instruction is used to find the index of the first termination character, e.g., the first zero or null character. This instruction searches the data in parallel for the termination character. By using these instructions, the length of the character data is determined using only one branch instruction.
US09389852B2 Technique for plagiarism detection in program source code files based on design pattern
A technique for source code plagiarism evaluation is disclosed. Program source code files of the object orientated program are received. Class data of the program source code files are determined to comprise of at least a block of one or more design patterns wherein the one or more design patterns are stored in a database. A plagiarism value is evaluated for each of the program source code files wherein the class data of the program source code file matches with class data of an original program source code file. Program source code files wherein the class data of each of the program source code files comprises of the block of the same design pattern are categorized and the plagiarism value of the categorized program source code files are analyzed.
US09389851B1 System and method for providing consistency between software library repositories
In accordance with an embodiment, described herein is a system and method for providing consistency between software library repositories. The system can be used to ensure that a repository of compile-time libraries is consistent with a target run-time or execution environment. Each of a plurality of libraries in an execution environment can be associated with a location file or metadata including coordinates for the library and a relative path to a library artifact. The system can use the metadata to populate or synchronize a particular library repository, for example a software developer's compile-time library, with libraries or artifacts associated with the metadata, from the execution environment. The populated or synchronized repository can subsequently be used by a user of a software build automation tool at compile time.
US09389849B2 Test case pattern matching
Received source code is transformed according to a predefined rule set to create an encoded text string representation of each function of the received source code. Each encoded text string representation of each function of the received source code includes a text string that identifies each parameter type of the respective function of the received source code, and is compared in real time with encoded text string representations of stored source code fragments in a repository. Each stored source code fragment is transformed according to the same predefined rule set into the respective encoded text string representations that each include a text string that identifies each parameter type of a respective function of the respective stored source code fragment. An indication of each portion of the received source code determined to already exist as a stored source code fragment in the repository is outputted in response to the real-time comparison.
US09389846B2 Communication system, information processing apparatus, computer-readable storage medium, and communication method
Prior to performing download play, it is checked whether or not it is necessary to update firmware of a slave apparatus. When it is necessary to update the firmware of the slave apparatus, a firmware update program is transmitted from a master apparatus to the slave apparatus, and the firmware of the slave apparatus is updated in accordance with the firmware update program. Thus, it is possible to update basic software by a novel method.
US09389839B2 Safe code for signature updates in an intrusion prevention system
Described is a technology by which a signature used by network traffic intrusion prevention/detection systems includes logic that helps a prevention/detection engine detect that signature. A signature to detect is compiled into executable logic that is executed to communicate with an engine that evaluates network traffic. The signature logic provides an expression set (such as group of regular expressions) for the engine to match against a token corresponding to the network traffic. When matched, the engine notifies the logic and receives a further expression set to match, or a communication indicative that that the signature was detected. The signature thus directs the analysis, facilitating a lightweight, generic engine. Safety of the signature logic is described as being accomplished through layers, including by publisher signing, and by compilation and execution (e.g., interpretation) in safe environments.
US09389838B2 Method for creating a computer software compiler for client server computing
This invention is related to a cross-client-server software compiler for defining a client server programming paradigm which removes boundary between client side programming and server side programming. By adopting the said programming paradigm a programmer does not explicitly distinguish client side programming and server side programming, and does not explicitly implement client server interactions. From human programming the said compiler identifies client side operations and server side operations, identifies client server communication requirements, identifies data upload and download requirements, identifies server states maintenance requirements, generates client code and server code, generates client server communications code for client server interactions to fulfill human programming.
US09389834B2 Pseudorandom number generating circuit and method
A pseudorandom number generating circuit includes: a first generator including a shift register and configured to generate a first pseudorandom number, the shift register including registers, the first pseudorandom number having a plurality of bits corresponding to the registers; a second generator configured to generate a second pseudorandom number; and a selector configured to select a bit that is to be output from the plurality of bits by using the second pseudorandom number.
US09389833B2 Method and system to dynamically power-down a block of a pattern-recognition processor
A device includes a pattern-recognition processor. The pattern recognition processor includes blocks, such that each of the blocks include a plurality of feature cells configured to analyze at least a portion of data to be analyzed and to selectively provide a result of the analysis. The pattern recognition processor also includes block deactivation logic configured to dynamically power-down the block.
US09389832B2 Experience log
A device may play a content item and detect an event while the content item is playing. The device may also determine a position, within the content item, at which the content item is playing when the event is detected, to obtain position information. In addition, the device may associate the position information with information obtained based on the event to generate a log entry. The device may update an experience log with the log entry.
US09389830B2 Combined multi-source input interface
Computerized method for composing actions from two or more input sources comprising. The method includes identifying content rendered on a content provisioning interface. The method further includes receiving a first input from a first input source on a part of the identified content. A second input from a second input source is also received to interact with the part of the identified content. The second input source is different from the first input source. The method also includes composing a combined action from the received second input from the second input source and the received first input from the first input source. The composed action is executed to interact with the part of the identified content.
US09389829B2 Spatial user interface for audio system
A system, apparatus, and method for generating a spatial user interface for an application, system or device. The user interface includes a means of representing user interface functions or commands as audio signals, with the audio signals being perceived by the user in a spatially different location depending on the function or command. A user input device is provided to enable a user to select a function or command, or to navigate through the spatial representations of the audio signals.
US09389828B1 Method for processing on mobile device audio signals of remotely executed applications
A method and computer program product for running a remote desktop application on a mobile device without audio interference from the other desktop applications, so the remote user applications runs as if it were a native mobile device application. A remote host desktop has a number of applications running simultaneously and producing sounds. A mobile device user selects one application and launches it on his mobile device. The selected application runs on a mobile device and the sounds produced by all other desktop applications are filtered out by special audio control driver implemented on the host system.
US09389825B2 Zero client device with integrated virtual private network capability
System and method for zero client communications. A zero client device includes a housing, and in the housing, a transcoding processing unit (transcoder) and a communications processing unit coupled to the transcoder. The transcoder is configured to receive input data from human interface device(s), encode the input data, and provide the encoded input data to the communications processing unit for transmission over a network to a server. The communications processing unit is configured to receive the encoded input data from the transcoder, transmit the encoded input data over the network to the server, receive output data from the server, and send the output data to the transcoder. The transcoder is further configured to receive the output data from the communications processing unit, decode the output data, and send the decoded output data to at least one of the human interface devices.
US09389823B2 Image forming system that effectively manages jobs
An image forming system includes a login management unit, a job execution unit, a log management unit, and a mode accepting unit. The login management unit is configured to manage login of a user. The job execution unit is configured to execute a job after the user has logged in. The log management unit is configured to manage a job log of the job. The mode accepting unit is configured to accept a specification of a mode to store the job log. Acceptable modes where the mode accepting unit accepts a specification include a mode where the login management unit does not permit login if the log management unit determines that there is no free space to store the job log.
US09389820B2 Information processing apparatus and control method thereof, and non-transitory computer-readable medium
An information processing apparatus comprises: a setting unit configured to accept a layout setting in a case of laying out a plurality of pages forming print data on one printing medium sheet and a punch processing setting on the printing medium; and a decision unit configured to decide on respective orientations of the plurality of pages laid out on the printing medium, based on the layout setting and the punch processing setting set by the setting unit.
US09389817B2 Information processing device, control method, and storage medium for determining wireless connection method to a device
An information processing device, which is wirelessly connectable to a device configured to perform a certain process, includes: a wireless connection unit configured to establish a wireless connection to the device by a first connection method in which a connection is established to the device via a wireless router, which is an external wireless router and differs from the device, or by a second connection method in which a connection is established to the device not via the wireless router; a determination unit configured to determine whether the information processing device has already been wirelessly connected to the wireless router; and a control unit configured to perform control such that, in a case where the determination unit determines that the information processing device has already been wirelessly connected to the wireless router, a connection is not established to the device by the second connection method by the wireless connection unit.
US09389809B2 Storage system control using a multi-path expander
Apparatus and method for controlling the storage of data in a multi-device storage system. In some embodiments, a storage system includes an expander coupled to a controller via multiple parallel data channel pathways, and a plurality of data storage devices coupled to the expander. The expander includes a control circuit adapted to selectively disable at least one but less than all of the multiple parallel data channel pathways.
US09389804B2 Host, system, and methods for transmitting commands to non-volatile memory card
A host for controlling a non-volatile memory card, a system including the same, and methods of operating the host and the system are provided. The method of operating the host connected with the non-volatile memory card through a clock bus, a command bus, and one or more data buses includes transmitting a first command to the non-volatile memory card through the command bus, transmitting first data corresponding to the first command to the non-volatile memory card through the one or more data buses or receiving the first data from the non-volatile memory card through the data buses, and transmitting a second command to the non-volatile memory card at least once through the command bus during or before transfer of the first data.
US09389801B2 Synchronous extent migration protocol for paired storage
Extent migration is provided in a data storage environment configured for synchronous replication between a primary and secondary pair of storage entities, each having tiered storage devices. In one embodiment, by way of example only, a migration instruction is sent, by the primary storage entity, to the secondary storage entity, the migration instruction including a time delta approximately equal to a time of an intended migration at the primary storage entity adjusted for a transmission time such that the primary and secondary storage entities conduct the extent migration at approximately a same time.
US09389799B2 Parallel processes for performing multiple incremental copies
A storage controller receives a write command with respect to a track, from a host. A first process determines that the track is a source track and also determines that at least one corresponding target track is in an incremental copy relation to the source track. A second process is generated to modify a target change recording structure, where the second process executes in parallel with the first process.
US09389795B2 Dividing incoming data into multiple data streams and transforming the data for storage in a logical data object
Various embodiments for storing a logical object are provided. In one such embodiment, by way of example only, incoming data is divided corresponding to a logical data object into a plurality of independent streams, associating each data chunk of a plurality of obtained data chunks with a corresponding stream among the plurality of independent streams. At least one of the obtained data chunks and derivatives thereof is sequentially accommodated in accordance with an order the obtained chunks are received, while keeping the association with the corresponding streams. A global index is generated as a single meta-data stream accommodated in the logical data object and comprising information common to the plurality of independent streams and related to mapping between data in the logical data object and the obtained data chunks.
US09389794B2 Managing consistent data objects
A method and system for managing consistent data objects are included herein. The method includes detecting an operation to store a consistent data object. Additionally, the method includes detecting an attribute for the consistent data object. Furthermore, the method includes storing the consistent data object based on the attribute. In addition, the method includes determining an additional format of the consistent data object is to be stored. The method also includes generating a second consistent data object based on the additional format and storing the second consistent data object.
US09389792B1 Reducing read-after-write errors in a non-volatile memory system using an old data copy
Following a relocation write in which data is relocated without update from an old physical location to a new physical location within the non-volatile memory array, a controller defers an update of a logical-to-physical translation (LPT) entry to associate a logical address of the data with a new physical address of the new physical location, for example, for a time-out period. During deferment of the update to the LPT entry, the controller services a read request targeting the logical address from data at the old physical location. In response to no update to the data being made during deferment of the update to the LPT entry, the controller performs the deferred update to the LPT entry. In response to an update to the data being made during the deferment of the update to the LPT entry, the controller refrains from performing the deferred update to the LPT entry.
US09389787B2 System and method for simulating a persistent byte addressable storage device on a persistent block addressable storage device
A persistent random-access, byte-addressable storage device may be simulated on a persistent random-access, block-addressable storage device of a storage system configured to enable asynchronous buffered access to information persistently stored on the block-addressable device. Buffered access to the information is provided, in part, by a portion of kernel memory within the storage system allocated as a staging area for the simulated byte-addressable storage device to temporarily store the information destined for persistent storage. One or more asynchronous interfaces may be employed by a user of the simulated byte-addressable device to pass metadata describing the information to a driver of the device, which may process the metadata to copy the information to the staging area. The driver may organize the staging area as one or more regions to facilitate buffering of the information (data) prior to persistent storage on the block-addressable storage device. Each asynchronous access interface is configured to ensure that an order of changes to the data in the persistent storage is consistent with the order of arrival of the changes at the driver.
US09389786B2 Memory device with tracking mechanism
A memory device includes storage layers each comprising memory cells arranged in a plurality of rows, bit lines coupled to the memory cells in the corresponding rows, tracking cells arranged in at least one row, at least one tracking bit line coupled to the tracking cells, and at least one sense amplifier coupled to the bit lines. The sense amplifier is configured to detect data stored in the memory cells, and has an enabling terminal coupled to the at least one tracking bit line. The memory device further comprises word lines and tracking word lines extending through the storage layers. The word lines are coupled to the corresponding memory cells in the storage layers. The tracking word lines are coupled to the corresponding tracking cells in the storage layers.
US09389785B2 Efficient touch emulation with navigation keys
A method for converting touch functionalities to key operated functionalities, comprising: identifying a layout hierarchy structure of a plurality of user interface (UI) elements in an application; defining a plurality of areas of t UI, each corresponding with one of the plurality of UI elements having a touch responsiveness property; and activating a touch event of a UI element corresponding with a currently selected area when an activation key is pressed by said user.
US09389783B2 Method for associating an onscreen keyboard with a displayed application window and display apparatus applying the same
A method for providing a (UI) and a display apparatus to which the method is applied includes displaying an onscreen keyboard on a screen; displaying a plurality of applications on the screen, selecting one of the plurality of applications on the screen as an input target application into which to enter text using the an onscreen keyboard. Consequently, a user may easily use the onscreen keyboard on the screen on which the plurality of applications are simultaneously displayed.
US09389781B2 Information processing apparatus, method for controlling same, and recording medium
A method for controlling an information processing apparatus configured to perform processing according to a type of an input operation, includes determining that the same type of operation as an operation input immediately before is likely to be repeated, based on input information of interest and information about the operation input immediately before, identifying by an identification unit an input operation based on the information of interest according to that the information of interest satisfies a predetermined condition set in advance, and setting, if the determination unit has determined that a same type of operation as the operation input immediately before is likely to be repeated, a condition for the identification unit to identify the operation input based on the information of interest as the same type of operation as the operation input immediately before so that the condition is easier to be satisfied than the predetermined condition.
US09389779B2 Depth-based user interface gesture control
Technologies for depth-based gesture control include a computing device having a display and a depth sensor. The computing device is configured to recognize an input gesture performed by a user, determine a depth relative to the display of the input gesture based on data from the depth sensor, assign a depth plane to the input gesture as a function of the depth, and execute a user interface command based on the input gesture and the assigned depth plane. The user interface command may control a virtual object selected by depth plane, including a player character in a game. The computing device may recognize primary and secondary virtual touch planes and execute a secondary user interface command for input gestures on the secondary virtual touch plane, such as magnifying or selecting user interface elements or enabling additional functionality based on the input gesture. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09389778B2 Image capturing method of touch display module and electronic device
An image capturing method of a touch display module is disclosed. The image capturing method includes the steps of defining a first axial; defining a second axial which is perpendicular to the first axial; detecting a motion track on the touch display module, wherein the motion track includes at least an angle or a curve; calculating a first length which is the length of the motion track projecting to the first axial; calculating a second length which is the length of the motion track projecting to the second axial; and capturing a selecting range according to the first length and the second length. This invention also discloses an electronic device.
US09389771B2 Mobile electronic device, control method, and storage medium storing control program
According to an aspect, a mobile electronic device includes: a display unit, an operating unit, and a control unit. The display unit for displays a character input screen including a part of a plurality of soft key objects each associated with a process in a line. The operating unit receives input of an operation. Upon detecting a changing operation through the operating unit, the control unit changes arrangement of the soft key objects such that at least one of the soft key objects that has been displayed is not displayed and at least one of the soft key objects that has not been displayed is displayed.
US09389770B2 Mobile terminal and method of controlling the operation of the mobile terminal
A method of displaying items on a mobile terminal includes displaying a first icon group of a plurality of icons on a display of the mobile terminal, such that each icon of the first icon group is associated with an application that is executable on the mobile terminal. Also performed is detecting user contact at a first location of the display relative to a displayed location of a particular icon of the first icon group and detecting further user contact representing a dragging over a distance beginning from the first location, such that the dragging represents substantially continual user contact from the first location over the distance. Also, after the dragging occurs over a threshold distance, displaying a second group of icons in an icon display region, such that each icon of the second icon group is associated with an application that is executable on the mobile terminal.
US09389767B2 Systems and methods for object tracking based on user refinement input
A method for tracking an object in a plurality of frames includes obtaining a contour of an object in a frame. For each remaining frame among the plurality of frames, the following steps are performed. A probability map generator generates a plurality of probability maps containing probability values for one or more pixels for a current frame. A contour is estimated for the current frame based on the plurality of probability maps. User input is obtained for refining the estimated contour. Based on the user input, one or more local regions to be added and/or removed are identified and recorded in a local region list. The local region list is maintained and updated during the tracking process and is used together with the probability map generator.
US09389763B2 System for presenting media programs
A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may use, for example, a method for sending a set-top box an identification of the media player, receiving operational instructions from the set-top box according to the emulator executed by the set-top box that emulates a user interface of the media player by presenting a representation of the media player in a graphical user interface, and transmitting media content to the set-top box according to the operational instructions. The emulator can be supplied to the set-top box by way of a multimedia system communicatively coupled to the set-top box. The user interface presented by the set-top box by way of the emulator substantially mimics functions of the media player. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US09389761B2 Systems and methods for dynamically controlling content displayed on a condition monitoring system
A system for dynamically controlling content displayed on a condition monitoring system may include a processor that may receive one or more datasets associated with one or more components in an industrial environment. The system may also include a graphical user interface (GUI) that may display visualizations representing the components in a first portion of the GUI. The GUI may then receive a first selection of the visualizations and display data processing outputs associated with the first selection in a second portion of the GUI. There, the data processing outputs may be determined based on a first dataset that corresponds to a first component associated with the first selection. The GUI may then receive a second selection of the visualizations and may dynamically update the data processing outputs based on a second dataset that corresponds to a second component.
US09389758B2 Portable electronic device and display control method
According to an aspect of the present invention, setting change of a parameter can be performed while checking the content of all parameters on the list screen without screen transition of the list screen. Parameters of a desired page can be set at the same time even if a use condition or the like of the device is changed, or only part of the parameters can be corrected and set. Therefore, a plurality of parameters can be quickly and appropriately set by minimum operation.
US09389757B1 Content preview for electronic devices
Techniques for previewing portions of the content item using an electronic device include displaying a first portion of the content item, receiving input from a user indicative of a desire to browse a second portion of the content item different than the first portion, and displaying a preview window illustrating the second portion of the content item in response to the input. The preview window may enable the user to simultaneously view the second portion illustrated therein as well as at least part of the first portion. In addition, a viewing position of the user may be maintained at a location of the first portion in the content item while the second portion is illustrated in the preview window. Accordingly, the user may not lose context of the first portion of the content item while the viewing the second portion.
US09389753B2 Apparatus and method of providing user interface
A method of providing a UI and a display apparatus applying the same include the operations of selecting a main thumbnail, searching thumbnails related to the main thumbnail on a basis of the main thumbnail, and displaying the selected main thumbnail and the searched thumbnails on radial axes according to a preset arrangement criterion.
US09389751B2 Storage medium storing subject selecting program and subject selecting apparatus
A plurality of selection subjects which are divided into groups under a predetermined condition are displayed on a display screen. One group is selected based on coordinate information output from a pointing device. Next, based on an operation signal output from an input device which outputs an operation signal of a plurality of types of operation signals, depending on a player's operation, one is selected from the selection subjects belonging to the group, and a process is performed, depending on the selected selection subject.
US09389746B2 Information processing apparatus and control method thereof, and computer program
An information processing apparatus comprising display unit configured to display a window, accepting unit configured to accept a resize instruction of the displayed window together with a scroll instruction indicating whether or not to scroll display contents within the window, and control unit configured to control a size of the window and a scrolling of the display contents within the window based on contents of the resize instruction and the scroll instruction, wherein when the scroll instruction indicates that the display contents are to be scrolled, the control unit changes the window to a size indicated by the resize instruction, and scrolls the display contents according to a change amount of the window, and when the scroll instruction indicates that the display contents are not to be scrolled, the control unit changes the window to a size indicated by the resize instruction, and suppresses a scrolling of the display contents.
US09389745B1 Providing content via multiple display devices
Disclosed are various embodiments for providing content via multiple display devices. Primary content is rendered on a first display device. A secondary display service executed by a second computing device is identified. A directive is sent to the secondary display service to render secondary content on the second display device. The secondary content relates to a current state of the primary content.
US09389744B2 Method and apparatus for detecting distance between two points on resistive touch panel
Provided are a resistive touch panel detection method and apparatus. A resistance variance ratio of a Y plane relative to an X plane is calculated based on voltage detections before touching and after a two-point touch occurs; and then the inclination angle is calculated based on corresponding relationship between the inclination angle and the resistance variance ratio. To obtain a distance between the two points, the present invention the resistance variance ratio and a first ratio of a resistance variance of any one of the X plane and the Y plane relative to a total resistance of the any one plane are calculated; then a second ratio of an equivalent contact resistance at a midpoint relative to the total resistance is calculated; and the distance is calculated based on the resistance variance ratio, the first ratio, the second ratio, and a correlated relationship of the distance between the two points.
US09389743B2 Information input device, information input method, information input/output device, and information input program
An information input device with a simple structure is provided, which allows information on an external proximity object to be conveniently inputted. The information input device includes: an input panel having a detection function of detecting an external proximity object; a position detection section acquiring position information and area information of the external proximity object based on a detection signal of the external proximity object obtained by the input panel; and an image generation section generating drawing data, which is to be used in a drawing process according to a behavior of the external proximity object, based on the position information and the area information so that the drawing process is performed in a manner according to an area value of the external proximity object represented by the area information.
US09389742B2 Capacitive touch device, capacitive communication device and communication system
There is provided a capacitive touch device including a touch panel, a detection circuit and a processing unit. The touch panel includes a plurality of drive electrodes and a plurality of receiving electrodes configured to form a coupling electric field with an external touch panel, and the receiving electrodes are respectively configured to output a detection signal. The detection circuit is coupled to one of the receiving electrodes and configured to modulate the detection signal with two signals to generate two detection components. The processing unit is configured to obtain a phase value according to the two detection components to accordingly decode transmission data.
US09389738B2 Touching apparatus and touching detecting method thereof
A touching apparatus and a touching detecting method thereof are provided. The touching detecting method is adapted for a touch panel. The touch panel has a plurality of touching rows and a plurality of touching columns. The touching detecting method includes: performing a mutual-capacitor touching detection and a self-capacitor touching detection alternatingly to the touch panel for obtaining a mutual-capacitor detection result and a self-capacitor detection result, respectively; and obtaining position information of at least one touch point on the touch panel by an operation based on the mutual-capacitor detection result and the self-capacitor detection result.
US09389737B2 Display device and method of driving the same in two modes
A display device includes a display panel and a touch panel. The touch panel calculates coordinate information of an input position by an electrostatic capacitive method in a first mode and calculates the coordinate information of the input position by an electromagnetic induction method in a second mode. The touch panel includes scan line groups and source line groups, which are operated as touch electrodes or touch coils on the basis of the operating mode thereof. In addition, the touch panel includes touch electrodes and touch coils, which are individually operated on the basis of the operating mode thereof.
US09389734B2 Through display ultrasonic touch-screen monitor
A touch-screen monitor is described. The monitor includes an ultrasonic sensor for detecting motion of an object that is placed in contact with the monitor.
US09389733B2 Modal body touch using ultrasound
A method, a device, and a non-transitory storage medium having instructions to detect, via an ultrasound transducer, an ultrasound event that includes an ultrasound signal that is transdermally propagated on the body of a user and generated by an on-body touch in an area in which the ultrasound signal has propagated; detect a state of a limb of the user on which the device is worn, wherein the state is a contracted state or a relaxed state; and select an input based on the receipt of the ultrasound signal and the state of the limb. An accelerometer may be used to detect muscle tremor and determine whether the state of the limb.
US09389729B2 Automated response to and sensing of user activity in portable devices
The various methods and devices described herein relate to devices which, in at least certain embodiments, may include one or more sensors for providing data relating to user activity and at least one processor for causing the device to respond based on the user activity which was determined, at least in part, through the sensors. The response by the device may include a change of state of the device, and the response may be automatically performed after the user activity is determined.
US09389728B2 Systems and methods for parallax compensation
An electronic device may include a touch screen electronic display configured to offset and/or shift the contact locations of touch implements and/or displayed content based on one or more calculated parallax values. The parallax values may be associated with the viewing angle of an operator relative to the display of the electronic device. In various embodiments, the parallax value(s) may be calculated using three-dimensional location sensors, an angle of inclination of a touch implement, and/or one or more displayed calibration objects. Parallax values may be utilized to remap contact locations by a touch implement, shift and/or offset displayed content, and/or perform other transformations as described herein. A stereoscopically displayed content may be offset such that a default display plane is coplanar with a touch surface rather than a display surface. Contacts by a finger may be remapped using portions of the contact region and/or a centroid of the contact region.
US09389722B2 User interface device that zooms image in response to operation that presses screen, image zoom method, and program
A method is disclosed of controlling a user interface device for displaying on a display screen a plurality of objects, and for enabling a user to perform an input action by touching the display screen with the user's finger. This method includes: upon the user's touch to the display screen at a region of one of the plurality of objects being displayed, selecting the one object as a zoom target; upon an event occurring in which an intensity of the finger's touch on the display screen exceeds a predetermined threshold, determining a magnification ratio of the zoom target or a change rate of the magnification ratio, based on the intensity of the finger's touch; and zooming in the zoom target on the display screen with the determined magnification ratio or the determined change rate.
US09389718B1 Thumb touch interface
In some examples, an electronic device may present a user interface that is configured to be controlled using a thumb of a single hand that is holding the device. For instance, the interface may present a plurality of selectable items, each of which may correspond to a respective one of a plurality of touch input areas on the display. In some cases, the touch input areas are within reach of the thumb, while the selectable items may be displayed on an area of the display that is not within reach of the thumb. The thumb may be pressed against the display surface with a force greater than a force threshold to select one of the selectable items. Thus, the thumb may be used to interact with the interface while remaining in contact with the display surface, enabling the user to maintain a grip on the device.
US09389714B2 System and method for filtering touch screen inputs
A method of filtering a touch screen input is disclosed that includes the steps of detecting a position of a first touch on a touch screen, determining a validation area that includes the position of the first touch, detecting a position for each of one or more second touches on the touch screen, and providing a touch event signal if the positions of all of the second touches are within the validation area.
US09389708B2 Active stylus with force sensor
In one embodiment, an active stylus includes one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic for wirelessly communicating with a device through a touch sensor of the device. The active stylus also includes a tip configured to receive an applied force and a force sensor configured to receive an inverse transferred force from a force-transfer element. The force-transfer element is mechanically coupled to the tip and configured to apply the inverse transferred force to the force sensor. The inverse transferred force is inversely correlated with the applied force when the applied force is less than a threshold force.
US09389707B2 Active stylus with configurable touch sensor
In one embodiment, a device includes a form factor of a stylus. The form factor includes a surface area. The device also includes one or more substrates disposed along one or more portions of the surface area; one or more touch sensors disposed on one or more of the substrates; and a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium coupled to one or more of the touch sensors and embodying logic configured to control one or more of the touch sensors.
US09389704B2 Input device and method of switching input mode thereof
An input device and a method of switching an input mode of the input device are provided. The input device includes a main body, a state detecting module, a touchpad and a control unit. The main body includes a top surface, a bottom surface and a side surface connected the bottom and top surfaces. The state detecting module includes a first state detecting unit disposed at the bottom surface and a second state detecting unit disposed at the side surface. The first and second state detecting units detect a using state of the input device and generate first and second detecting signals, respectively. The control unit is electrically connected to the state detecting module and the touchpad, and the control unit switches the touchpad to a first control mode or a second control mode according to the first and second detecting signals.
US09389703B1 Virtual screen bezel
Approaches enable a display screen to be configured to display content and/or receive touch-based input based on a location of regions of the display screen. For example, the display screen can include a virtual bezel region that extends along, or proximate to, the edges of the display screen. The virtual bezel region can surround a display region that is configured to display image content. By default the virtual bezel region may be configured to display no content, or at least no active content, in order to approximate the appearance of a physical bezel. The virtual bezel can be configured to exhibit characteristics similar to that of the physical bezel. For example, the virtual bezel region can be configured to operate as a ‘dead zone’, where touch-based input is deactivated. The virtual bezel region can also be configured to display a portion of any content displayed in the display region.
US09389700B2 Apparatus and method for inputting characters on touch screen of a terminal
An apparatus and method for inputting a character on a touch keyboard in a terminal are provided. A touch screen displays a basic key set and an extended key set. The basic key set includes consonant keys and the extended key set includes character keys corresponding to characters combinable with a consonant corresponding to a consonant key input from the basic key set. The touch screen displays the extended key set, upon input of the consonant key from the basic key set and receiving at least one character from the basic key set and the extended key set.
US09389699B2 Portable device pairing with a tracking system
In embodiments of portable device pairing with a tracking system, a pairing system includes a portable device that generates device acceleration gesture data responsive to a series of motion gestures of the portable device. The pairing system also includes a tracking system that is configured for pairing with the portable device. The tracking system recognizes the series of motion gestures of the portable device and generates tracked object position gesture data. A pairing service can then determine that the series of motion gestures of the portable device corresponds to the series of motion gestures recognized by the tracking system, and communicate a pairing match notification to both the tracking system and the portable device to establish the pairing.