| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09554491B1 |
Cooling a data center
A data center cooling system includes a cooling liquid supply conduit fluidly coupled between a cooling plant and an air-to-liquid heat exchanger positioned to receive a heated airflow from one or more racks. At least one rack supports a plurality of heat-generating electronic devices. The system further includes a cooling liquid return conduit fluidly coupled between the cooling plant and the air-to-liquid heat exchanger; and a heat transfer module thermally coupled to the cooling liquid supply and return conduits between the cooling plant and the air-to-liquid heat exchanger. The heat transfer module includes a cold side and a warm side, with the cold side thermally coupled to the cooling liquid supply conduit to transfer heat from a flow of a cooling liquid in the cooling liquid supply conduit to the warm side of the heat transfer module, and the warm side including a heat sink. |
| US09554485B2 |
Apparatus, systems and methods for limiting travel distance of a heat sink
A heat sink embodiment has at least one anti-rocking tab that extends outwardly and downwardly from an edge of the body portion of the heat sink. A leading lower edge of the anti-rocking tab is above a top surface of the motherboard when the heat sink is being affixed to the motherboard over a flip chip. During installation of the heat sink to the motherboard, a travel distance limit is imposed by the leading lower edge of the anti-rocking tab, thereby limiting a force that is applied to the die of the flip chip so that an edge and/or a corner of the die of the flip chip is not crushed, or such that the die of the flip chip is not cracked. |
| US09554484B2 |
Appendage mountable electronic devices conformable to surfaces
Disclosed are appendage mountable electronic systems and related methods for covering and conforming to an appendage surface. A flexible or stretchable substrate has an inner surface for receiving an appendage, including an appendage having a curved surface, and an opposed outer surface that is accessible to external surfaces. A stretchable or flexible electronic device is supported by the substrate inner and/or outer surface, depending on the application of interest. The electronic device in combination with the substrate provides a net bending stiffness to facilitate conformal contact between the inner surface and a surface of the appendage provided within the enclosure. In an aspect, the system is capable of surface flipping without adversely impacting electronic device functionality, such as electronic devices comprising arrays of sensors, actuators, or both sensors and actuators. |
| US09554482B2 |
Enclosure for a generator
An enclosure is provided which is mountable to a base frame carrying a generator. The enclosure includes a lower portion connectable to the base frame. The lower portion includes a lower first sidewall, a lower second sidewall, and a lower first end wall and a lower second end wall. The enclosure further includes an upper portion having a roof, an upper first sidewall, an upper second sidewall, and an upper end wall depending downwardly from the roof. The lower portion and the upper portion are hingedly connected together such that the upper portion is pivotable relative to the lower portion between closed and open positions. |
| US09554480B2 |
Electrical enclosure operating mechanism housing an external antenna
An operating mechanism is provided for an electrical enclosure. The operating mechanism includes a switch operator, and a housing to house the switch operator. The switch operator includes a portion which extends through one of one or more holes in the electrical enclosure, and can be manipulated by an external handle to operate an electrical switching device, such as a circuit breaker, that is housed in the electrical enclosure. The housing includes a cavity to house and protect an external antenna or other electrical device, which is connectable to an electrical cable that extends from the cavity into an interior of the electrical enclosure via the hole(s). The electrical cable can be connected to a monitoring system inside of the electrical enclosure. The housing is mountable onto an exterior surface of a wall of the electrical enclosure to cover the hole(s). |
| US09554474B2 |
Debug probing device and technique for use with flexible rework device
A removable, permanent or reconfigurable debug probing device for use in debug probing of a printed circuit assembly, the printed circuit assembly having at least one through via, the debug probing device comprising at least one leader thread configured to be threaded through the at least one through via. Using the probing device comprises inserting a selected one of the at least one leader threads through a selected one of the at least one through via to thereby probe a surface of the printed circuit assembly; and responsive to detecting a defect in the selected through via, using a flexible circuit connected to the selected leader thread to repair the detected defect. |
| US09554470B2 |
Integrated electronic assembly for conserving space in a circuit
An integrated electronic assembly including a first electronic component defining a receptacle and at least a second electronic component wherein at least a portion of the second electronic component is disposed in the receptacle of the first electronic component, and a method for conserving space in a circuit or on a printed circuit board by integrating a plurality of electronic components so that the plurality of electronic components collectively take up a smaller amount of space on a substrate than the plurality of electronic components would if the plurality of electronic components were not integrated. |
| US09554467B2 |
Printed circuit board and semiconductor package
Provided is a printed circuit board including a first conductive layer including a first conductive layer including a recessed portion, a protruding portion disposed at a higher level than that of the recessed portion, and a connecting portion connecting the recessed portion with the protruding portion. A second conductive layer is disposed above the recessed portion of the first conductive layer. A core layer is disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer. An upper solder resist layer is disposed on the second conductive layer. The upper solder resist layer exposes at least a portion of the protruding portion. A lower solder resist layer is disposed below the first conductive layer. |
| US09554463B2 |
Circuit materials, circuit laminates, and articles formed therefrom
A dielectric substrate comprises a resin composition impregnated with non-woven fibrous mat material having a thickness of 5 mils (127 micrometers), wherein the fibrous mat material comprises fibers, having a diameter of 1 nm to 10 μm, that have been extruded through one or more openings to produce fibers that have been collected in the form of a fibrous non-woven mat, and wherein the fibers exhibit a multi-directional orientation in the non-woven mat material. The dielectric substrate is useful in circuit materials, circuits, and multi-layer circuits, economical to make, and has excellent electrical and mechanical properties. |
| US09554458B2 |
Mounting carrier and method of mounting a mounting carrier on a connecting carrier
A mounting carrier for semiconductor chips includes a second main surface provided for mounting of semiconductor chips, and a first main surface opposite to the second main surface. The mounting carrier also includes a mounting body, wherein the mounting body includes a first metallization on the side facing the first main surface and the first main surface includes a structure having a plurality of columnar structural elements. |
| US09554456B2 |
Layered body with support substrate, method for fabricating same, and method for fabricating multi-layer wiring substrate
A layered body with a support substrate, the layered body being on the support substrate and comprising: metal foil B which is arranged on the support substrate and on which a wiring pattern is not formed; an insulating layer B which is arranged on the metal foil B; metal foil C which is arranged on the insulating layer B and on which a wiring pattern is not formed; non-through holes for a product and non-through holes for an alignment mark that penetrate the metal foil C and the insulating layer B and reach the metal foil B; and the alignment mark of a dot pattern in which the non-through holes for the alignment mark are filled by plating and gathered and arranged in an individually independent state. |
| US09554453B2 |
Printed circuit board structure with heat dissipation function
A printed circuit board (PCB) structure with a heat dissipation function is provided, including: a package substrate; a landing pad formed over a portion of the package substrate from a first surface thereof, wherein the landing pad has a rectangular configuration and has a plurality of corners; a plurality of ground traces formed over various portions of the package substrate, physically connecting to the bond pad from at least two of the corners thereof, respectively; a first through hole formed through the landing pad and the package substrate from substantially a center portion of the bonding pad; and a plurality of second through holes formed through the landing pad and the package substrate from substantially one of the corners of the bonding pad, wherein the second through holes are adjacent to the ground traces, respectively. |
| US09554445B2 |
Color point and/or lumen output correction device, lighting system with color point and/or lumen output correction, lighting device, and methods of lighting
A portable device comprising a light detector, a correction calculator and a correction output element. In some aspects, (1) correction (and/or adjustment) is of color point, lumen output, or both, (2) the portable device is a smart phone or a computing device, and/or (3) a wireless correction signal is transmitted and received. Lighting system, comprising a light source, and a portable device that comprises a light detector, a correction calculator, and a correction output element. Lighting device comprising a light source and a receiver. A method comprising detecting light with a light detector of a portable device, generating a correction signal, and outputting the correction signal with a correction output element of the portable device. Method comprising placing a portable device in a calibration location, illuminating a lighting device, and detecting light emitted from the lighting device with a light detector of the portable device that has a correction calculator. |
| US09554434B2 |
Light emitting diode driver having a logic unit for generating a frequency control signal
A light-emitting diode driver includes a power switch, a logic unit and a pulse adjustment signal generator. The power switch is used to control a charging level of a light-emitting diode voltage terminal, and controlled to be turned on or off by a pulse-width modulation signal. The logic unit is coupled to a control terminal of the power switch, and used to generate a frequency control signal. The pulse adjustment signal generator is coupled to the logic unit, and used to generate an operational wave according to the frequency control signal and update the pulse-width modulation signal according to the operational wave. When the duty cycle of the pulse-width modulation signal is smaller than a pulse-width modulation threshold, the operational wave has a first frequency. When the duty cycle of the pulse-width modulation signal is larger than the pulse-width modulation threshold, the operational wave has a second frequency higher than the first frequency. |
| US09554431B2 |
LED driver
An LED driver having an input to receive AC power from an AC power source, a semiconductor switch and an inductor controlled to produce a sinusoidal current drawn from the AC power source, and a large non-electrolytic (e.g. film) capacitor energy storage component. The semiconductor switch operates with a varying pulse-width-modulation frequency to regulate the voltage across the non-electrolytic capacitor energy storage component in such a way that a ripple current through the inductor is substantially smaller than a pulse-width-modulation cycle average current through the inductor. A DC-to-DC converter couples the energy from the non-electrolytic energy-storage capacitor to an LED string. A feedback loop allows the LED string to be regulated in either constant current mode or constant power mode and information for the feedback regulation is fed back across a high-voltage boundary using a low-cost signal transformer. |
| US09554429B2 |
Lighting circuit, in particular with LED light sources
A lighting circuit, in particular for a motor vehicle light, comprises at least one light source, particularly of the LED type, defined by a first voltage selection, a first selection circuit to identify said first voltage selection, at least one light source, particularly of the LED type, defined by a second voltage selection, and a second selection circuit to identify said second voltage selection. An electronic control unit configured to detect said first and second voltage selection of the light source, and to regulate the driving current absorbed by the light source defined by the lower voltage selection, so that said driving current follows with a constant ratio the trend of the driving current absorbed by the light source defined by the higher voltage selection, the latter being taken as reference. |
| US09554424B2 |
Method for heating a cooking vessel with an induction heating device and induction heating device
A method for heating a cooking vessel utilizing an induction heating device is provided. According to various aspects, the induction heating device includes a resonant circuit with an induction heating coil. A specified amount of energy may be supplied to the cooking vessel with the induction heating device depending on a heating power level selected by a user and/or on a cooking vessel type selected by the user. A parameter value of the resonant circuit which is dependent on a temperature of the cooking vessel, in particular of the bottom of the cooking vessel, may be determined and stored. The parameter value may be regulated to a setpoint which is dependent on the stored parameter value. |
| US09554415B1 |
Methods and apparatus to improve a network connection via a connected vehicle
Methods are apparatus are disclosed to improve a network connection of a cellular-enabled device via a connected vehicle. An example method disclosed herein include receiving an indication that a first cellular-enabled device is within range of a cellular-enabled vehicle to which the first cellular-enabled device has a connection relationship. When a first signal strength associated with the cellular-enabled vehicle is greater than a second signal strength associated with the first cellular-enabled device, the example method includes instructing the cellular-enabled vehicle to establish a first connection between the cellular-enabled vehicle and a cellular network using a first subscriber identifier stored in the first cellular-enabled device. The example method also includes instructing the cellular-enabled vehicle to establish a second connection between the cellular-enabled vehicle and the first cellular-enabled device, and routing first cellular data associated with the first cellular-enable device between the cellular network and the first cellular-enable device via cellular-enabled vehicle. |
| US09554414B2 |
Method and apparatus for scaling an idle period of time for which an association is maintained between a station and an access point
A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided to allow the idle period to be defined in a more tailored manner, such as on a per station or per class of stations basis, as opposed to on a per access point basis. In the context of a method, an indication of an idle period is caused to be provided to a station. The method also causes an association with the station to be maintained for a period of time that is at least partially defined by the idle period. The period of time for which an association is maintained with the station is different than a period of time for which an association is maintained with another station in an absence of communication with the another station. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also provided. |
| US09554411B1 |
Systems and methods for wirelessly powering or communicating with sterile-packed devices
Systems and methods are disclosed herein that can allow for wirelessly powering and/or communicating with a sterile-packed electronic device without removing the electronic device from its sterile packaging and while maintaining the sterility of the electronic device. In some embodiments, a base station with a power transmitter wirelessly transfers power to a power receiver of the electronic device, for example using inductive, capacitive, or ultrasonic coupling. The base station or another external device can also be used to wirelessly program or interrogate the electronic device. Battery charging circuits and switching circuits for use with said systems and methods are also disclosed. |
| US09554410B2 |
Device-to-device user equipment for a wireless communication system and resource scheduling method thereof
A device to device (D2D) user equipment (UE) used for a wireless communication system is provided. The D2D UE is located in a network topology including a plurality of transmitting ends and a plurality of receiving ends. The D2D UE may be a transmitting end or a receiving end. The receiving ends perform a resource scheduling procedure several times according to transmitting end sequences echoed from the transmitting ends to schedule the appropriate resources for the transmitting ends so as to prevent a transmission collision. |
| US09554402B2 |
Freeing up mobile network for important phone calls in case of disaster
According to one exemplary embodiment, a method for reducing load on a mobile network after the occurrence of a disaster event is provided. The method may include receiving a disaster location time. The method may include determining a target area based on the disaster location. The method may include determining target persons located within the target area. The method may include predicting the location of each target person based on historical movement data associated with each target person. The method may include determining a plurality of filtered persons based on the predicted location of each target person and the disaster time. The method may include determining a plurality of safe persons based on the filtered persons and a safety indicator. The method may include sending a safety notification to a plurality of concerned contacts associated with each safe person and blocking network traffic associated with each safe person. |
| US09554401B2 |
Method and apparatuses for multimedia priority service
The invention relates to an apparatus and method for transmitting a request to control a multimedia priority service for a user from user equipment to a subscription profile repository, comprising transmitting the request from the user equipment to an intermediate node, and transmitting the request from the intermediate node to a subscription profile repository. |
| US09554399B2 |
Method, enodeb and user equipment for transmitting random access response messages
A method, an eNodeB and a User Equipment for transmitting Random Access Response messages are provided. The method includes: receiving Random Access Preamble transmitted by the UE through the Random Access Channel; according to the RAP, determining whether the UE belongs to the central group or the edge group of the Random Access Area; after determining that the UE belongs to the central group of the RAA, determining the RAA which the UE belongs to; transmitting the first RAR message to the UE according to the RAP, the channel resource information of the RACH, and the RAA. By transmitting the RAR message on the basis of the RAP and the RAA, the method, eNB and UE for transmitting RAR messages enable different RAR messages to be transmitted with respect to identical Random Access requests of different RAAs. |
| US09554397B2 |
Identifying a subframe containing information relating to an uplink grant
A user equipment (UE) receives a message identifying a subframe containing information relating to an uplink grant to be sent by a target cell. |
| US09554396B2 |
Multi-interface WLAN device with time arbitration messaging
A wireless local area network (WLAN) method and device to provide dual band (DB) operation of the WLAN device, the DB operation including communication in a first frequency band with a first device and communication in a second frequency band with a second device, the WLAN device including first network interface circuitry to support communication in the first frequency band with the first device, second network interface circuitry to support communication in the second frequency band with the second device, and a processor to generate at least one action frame that includes information regarding a duration of time during which the WLAN device will be unavailable for communication, and to enable transmission of the at least one action frame to the first device or to the second device. |
| US09554394B2 |
Uplink MU-MIMO method and system
The present invention provides an uplink MU-MIMO method. The method includes: sending, by a user equipment, a sounding reference signal to a base station, so that the base station constructs a precoding matrix according to the sounding reference signal, and generates a first scheduling message according to the precoding matrix; receiving the first scheduling message sent by the base station, where the first scheduling message includes a layer mapping rule and the precoding matrix; generating at least one MAC packet data unit MAC PDU according to the first scheduling message, and sending the MAC PDU, so that multiple user equipments exchange the MAC PDUs; generating an uplink signal after the MAC PDU is processed in various layers; and sending, by using an antenna, the uplink signal to the base station. The present invention greatly improves uplink spectral efficiency of a system. |
| US09554390B2 |
Interference control in shared bands
Terrestrial mobile wireless network capacity may be maximized subject to an interference constraint imposed by a protected station of another wireless network in a shared band. Equipment of one or more users (UEs) may receive a calibrated beacon signal from the protected station prior to activating a transmitter of one or more wireless UEs. The one or more UEs may measure an isolation (path loss) value between the one or more UEs and protected station using the beacon signal, and dynamically adjust the transmit power of one or more wireless UEs to maintain aggregate interference received by the protected station below an “acceptable” value. The transmit power may be adjusted based on the measured isolation and based on the indicated receive activity, such that the wireless network may operate with no interference constraints imposed by the protected station when a non-active state is indicated. |
| US09554389B2 |
Selectively allocating quality of service to support multiple concurrent sessions for a client device
In an embodiment, a server mediates a first group communication session with the user equipment (UE) by exchanging media for the first group communication session with the UE over a first link with a first level of Quality of Service (QoS) resources (e.g., either without a guaranteed bit rate (GBR) or a threshold amount of GBR) and exchanging non-media signaling data for the first group communication session with the UE over a signaling link that is either the same or separate from the first link. The server detects, while the UE continues participation in the first group communication session, that the UE has joined or is attempting to join a second group communication session. The server applies a policy for selectively allocating additional QoS resources to supplement the first level of QoS resources to the UE for concurrently supporting both the first and second group communication sessions in response to the detection. |
| US09554378B2 |
Communications method, base station, and mobile terminal
A mobile terminal monitors a candidate set (Candidate Set) of L1/L2 control information. However, when a base station carries out signaling of a candidate set to each of all mobile terminals, the load on the base station from the viewpoint of radio resources becomes large. Furthermore, the amount of processing in performing a blind detection of each mobile terminal also increases.Therefore, the base station carries out a process of performing grouping of the above-mentioned mobile terminal which is a destination of transmission of the above-mentioned L1/L2 control signal, a process of allocating an L1/L2 control signal to be transmitted to a predetermined mobile terminal to the control channel elements included in a group to which the predetermined mobile terminal is belonging on the basis of attribution information about the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal receives a downlink physical control channel, and also performs a blind detection process on the candidate set corresponding to the group to which the mobile terminal is belonging and performs a process of reading the L1/L2 control signal from the control channel elements included in the candidate set. |
| US09554375B1 |
Sector selection for coordinated multipoint based on application type
Coordinated multipoint (CoMP) may involve coordination between multiple sectors to receive and/or process a given user equipment's uplink signal. Embodiments herein may help to intelligently select the particular sectors that should coordinate to provide uplink CoMP, based on the types of applications being served in sectors that are candidates to provide uplink CoMP. For example, a base station serving a primary sector in an CoMP group that includes two or more candidates from which to select a secondary sector sectors for uplink CoMP, may evaluate the application being served by traffic flows in these candidates, in an effort to select secondary sectors having lower-priority traffic flows. |
| US09554373B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for processing uplink data
Base stations and Radio Network Controllers, RNCs, and methods in such devices are disclosed. A base station (18) sends access indications to a RNC (20) indicating assignments and/or releases of common uplink resources. The RNC (20) uses the access indications received from the base station (18) to differentiate between successive accesses on the common uplink resources by a same User Equipment, UE (22), and to correspondingly differentiate between the processing of given data frames from the UE (22) as belonging to one or other of the successive accesses. |
| US09554370B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting control information through uplink
A technique according to the present specification relates to a method and apparatus for transmitting control information, which support carrier aggregation, through an uplink. Particularly, bits to be transmitted through a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) are acquired, and at least one channel state information (CSI) bit indicating a wireless channel state and a plurality of ACK/NACK bits related to a plurality of carriers are acquired and transmitted. In addition, the plurality of ACK/NACK bits and the CSI bit are encoded using different Reed-Muller coding blocks (a first Reed-Muller coding block and a second Reed-Muller coding block). |
| US09554369B2 |
Transmission of acknowledgement signals from a user equipment for orthogonal reception at multiple points
Methods and user equipment (UE) apparatuses are provided to transmit a control signal using a first sequence or a second sequence in response to a detected control channel. The method includes identifying, through higher layer signaling, a configuration; determining a resource for control signal transmission from a sum of a lowest control channel element (CCE) index of the detected control channel and either a first offset or a second offset based on the identified configuration; and transmitting the control signal in the resource using the first sequence or the second sequence. |
| US09554366B2 |
Optimized always-on wireless service using network assistance and keep-alives
The disclosure generally relates to optimized always-on wireless service using network assistance and keep-alives. More particularly, in response to a user equipment (UE) requesting a bearer for an always-on service, a network may establish the bearer for the always-on service and transmit an availability time that indicates a period during which the bearer will be held in an active state to the UE. Any applications running on the UE may then use the bearer for the always-on service, and the UE may transmit a single keep-alive message to the network before the availability time expires to reset the period during which the bearer will be held in the active state. Furthermore, the keep-alive message may be structured to not generate a reply and thereby reduce battery consumption, reduce communication overhead, and improve network capacity. |
| US09554365B2 |
Communication of data using independent downlink and uplink connections
In communication of data between a first base station and a mobile terminal, a second base station may handle uplink transmissions from the mobile terminal. For this purpose, the first base station sends, to the second base station, a request to handle the uplink transmissions from the mobile terminal. The handling of the uplink transmissions to be performed by the second base station includes scheduling of the uplink transmissions so as to obtain uplink scheduling information. Via a backhaul link, the second base station transmits the uplink scheduling information to the first base station. The first base station includes the uplink scheduling information into downlink transmissions to the mobile terminal. |
| US09554361B2 |
Communication device and method for receiving information
A communication device is described including a transceiver configured to establish a communication connection via a first radio cell and to carry out data communication via the communication connection according to a frame structure including a plurality of frames, a determiner configured to determine timings for a plurality of data communications via a second radio cell, determine whether, for any frame of the plurality of frames, the number of timings falling within the frame is above a predetermined threshold and determine, if for any frame of the plurality of frames, the number of timings falling within the frame is above the predetermined threshold, change the timings such that for no frame of the plurality of frames the number of timings falling within the frame is above the predetermined threshold and a controller configured to control the transceiver to carry out the data communications via the second radio cell according to the timings. |
| US09554358B2 |
Methods and apparatus for optimizing paging mechanisms using device context information
Methods and apparatus enabling a wireless network to optimize paging channel operation, based on mobile device context information. In one embodiment, the wireless network is a cellular network (e.g., LTE-Advanced), and both base stations and cellular user devices dynamically exchange and maintain a paging agreement. The paging agreement limits the paging channel operation, thereby minimizing unnecessary scanning and usage of irrelevant radio resources. Such paging mechanisms are limited to the air interface between the base station and the mobile device, and are compatible with existing legacy devices and network entities. Networks with appropriately enabled user devices may improve their resource utilization. Base stations may advantageously reclaim freed-up cellular resources to support other services. |
| US09554355B2 |
Methods and systems for providing notifications based on user activity data
Systems and methods are presented for providing notifications based on user activity data. In some embodiments, a method is presented. The method may include accessing first sensor data associated with a first activity of a user. The method may also include determining that the user is engaged in the first activity based at least in part on the first sensor data, receiving a notification while the user is engaged in the first activity, and determining to not present or in other words, hold the notification while the user is engaged in the first activity. In some embodiments, the method may also include accessing second sensor data associated with the user, determining that the user is no longer engaged in the first activity based at least in part on the second sensor data, and presenting the notification while the user is no longer engaged in the first activity. |
| US09554354B2 |
System and/or method for providing information updates to a location server
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a system and method for acquiring signal received from satellite vehicles (SVs) in a satellite navigation system. In one example, although claimed subject matter is not so limited, information processed in acquiring a signal from a first SV may be used in acquiring a signal from a second SV. |
| US09554348B2 |
Timing synchronization of wireless networks
A single wireless slave node may be in a timing virtual network (TVN) with neighboring wireless slave nodes. The single wireless slave node may store information indicative of the identity, link propagation delay, and channel signature of each of its neighboring wireless slave nodes. The single wireless slave node may repeatedly update a timing estimate based on the stored information and by performing a physical layer fast reference signal broadcast transmission and reception. |
| US09554346B2 |
Enhancing jitter buffer performance through radio level feedback
A jitter buffer in a Voice over LTE receiver may be influenced by radio level feedback (RLF) from both local and remote endpoints to preemptively adjust the jitter buffer delay in anticipation of predicted future losses that have a high probability of occurring. The radio events of the RLF and the scenarios that trigger the preemptive adjustments may be identified, and their use may be expressed in terms of mathematical formulas. Previously, the instantaneous jitter was derived from a weighted history of the media stream, and consequently only packets that had already been received were used to compute the instantaneous jitter to adjust the length of the buffer. By providing and using RLF from both local and remote endpoints, the anticipated delay—for packets that have not yet arrived—may be used to preemptively adjust the buffer, thereby minimizing packet loss without introducing unnecessary delay. |
| US09554337B2 |
Interference-aware scheduling with broadcast/multicast signaling
A method for interference-aware scheduling is provided. The method can include acquiring a plurality of interference characteristics, each of the interference characteristics associated with a range of communication resources. The method may further include combining at least two of the interference characteristics into a combined interference characteristic, and transmitting a message encoding the combined interference characteristic. |
| US09554331B2 |
Techniques for activating single wire communications
Aspects disclosed herein relate to activating a single wire protocol (SWP) interface with a circuit card. A single wire protocol (SWP) activation procedure is initiated with a circuit card. During the SWP activation procedure, an unexpected frame may be received, and a different SWP activation procedure may be initiated with the circuit card based at least in part on receiving the unexpected frame during the SWP activation procedure. |
| US09554327B2 |
System coordinated WLAN scanning
The invention proposes a scan control device, wherein in the scan operation a network detection is performed, the device comprising a request receiving means for receiving at least one request for providing scan information, and a scan control means for performing a scan operation independently from receiving the scan information requests. The invention also proposes a corresponding method and a computer program product. |
| US09554326B2 |
Active scanning method and device
Disclosed are an active scanning method and an active scanning device. The active scanning method in a wireless LAN comprises the steps of: a second station (STA) receiving a first probe request frame which has been broadcast by a first STA; and the second STA broadcasting a second probe request frame. The second probe request frame may include a probe request frame detection field, and the probe request frame detection field may indicate that the second STA has received the first probe request frame. Accordingly, a probe response frame is broadcast to a plurality of STAs, thus simplifying a scanning procedure. |
| US09554325B2 |
System, apparatus, and method for determining signal quality with multiple access points
A system includes an apparatus; a first access point configured to transmit a first signal reaching the apparatus; and a second access point configured to transmit a second signal reaching the apparatus during a period other than the first signal is transmitted from the first access point, wherein a signal quality regarding the first access point is estimated on the basis of the first signal but except the second signal. |
| US09554320B2 |
Mobile communication system, mobile communication method, mobile station, program, and recording medium
A mobile communication system includes a mobile station provided in a moving object moving along a predetermined route, and a plurality of base stations provided along the route. The mobile station includes an interruption time determining unit that determines whether an interruption time, in which the base station communicating with the mobile station which is currently connected is interrupted communication with the mobile station, is within a predetermined permissible time range for a travel direction side of the route more forward than a current position of the moving object, and a handover processing unit that performs handover processing when the interruption time determining unit determines that the interruption time is not within the permissible time range. |
| US09554319B2 |
Channel handoff methods in wireless broadcast systems
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate monitoring RF channels in a wireless communication environment to determine whether one or more channels comprise a forward-link-only (FLO) signal. A receiver can receive a first RF channel with a FLO signal and can monitor other RF channels for FLO signals. Upon a determination that a monitored RF channel comprises a FLO signal, the receiver can switch between the first RF channel and the monitored RF channel, employing information on current MLC decoding status, to facilitate providing seamless reception of the FLO signal, which can be superframe synchronized between RF channels. FLO signal detection can be performed using one or more of a wide-area identification channel energy detection protocol and a wide-area overhead information symbol decoding error detection protocol. |
| US09554317B2 |
System and method for supporting emergency services in home cells
A user equipment (UE) including one or more processors configured to cause the UE to prepare to reselect to a macro cell responsive to the UE placing an emergency call in a femtocell, wherein preparing to reselect is performed in addition to placing the emergency call. |
| US09554314B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing cell re-selection
An approach is provided for cell re-selection. A notification message is generated to indicate initiation of a coverage area re-selection procedure to operate in a new coverage area from a current coverage area. The re-selection procedure is performed if an acknowledgement message is received in response to the notification message. |
| US09554313B2 |
Enhanced mobility to home base station cells
Cell relocation procedures to address handover between a macro radio network controller (RNC) and a home base station in a wireless communication network, while accounting for access control or membership verification procedures needed to support a Closed Subscriber Group (CSG) at the home base station. An example method begins with the receiving of a request for handover of the mobile terminal from an RNC of the macro wireless network. A closed subscriber group (CSG) identifier for the home base station and a cell access mode for the home base station are then sent, to a core network node associated with the macro wireless network, for use by the core network node in membership verification or access control for the mobile terminal. In response, the home base station receives a CSG membership status for the mobile terminal from the core network node. |
| US09554312B2 |
Message transfer for in-band signaling messages in radio access networks
A method and apparatus for handling in-band signaling messages in radio access networks is provided. The method and apparatus may setup a logical channel, where the logical channel provides packet data control protocol in-band signaling for radio bearers, provide a unique logical channel identifier for the logical channel, receive a packet with a logical channel identifier tag and identify a packet data unit of the packet as a signaling packet data unit. |
| US09554308B2 |
Delaying a trigger of a scheduling request after handover
Methods, systems, and devices are described for transmitting scheduling requests for uplink transmission resources following a handover. A user equipment (UE) may determine that a handover from a first base station to a second base station has occurred, and may implement one or more processes to enhance efficiency in communications following the handover. A UE, for example, may wait for successful acquisition and/or derivation of timing information from a base station before attempting to schedule uplink resources with the base station. |
| US09554300B2 |
System and method for reporting that a maximum number of data contexts is reached
If a wireless device does not know how many data contexts can be supported, then the wireless device might attempt to establish more data contexts than are supported. Such attempt would normally be rejected. However, the signalling involved in the attempt to establish another data context and the rejection of that attempt is considered wasteful. Embodiments of the present disclosure allow such waste to be reduced or avoided by signalling to the wireless device when the maximum number of data contexts is reached or when it is about to be reached. Such signalling can occur before any attempt to establish more data contexts than are supported. Thus, wasteful signaling involved with attempting to establish more data contexts can be avoided. |
| US09554296B2 |
Device trigger recall/replace feature for 3GPP/M2M systems
Embodiments for managing device trigger action requests are generally described herein. The device trigger action requests may include a recall or replacement Device-Action Request. In some embodiments, a Device-Action Request command is received at a network entry point node from an external services capability server with an action type attribute value pair set to indicate a device trigger action request for performing an action on an old device trigger request, the network entry point node determines a status of the old device trigger request from the external services capability server and the network entry point node sends a Device-Action Answer command to the external services capability server with a request-status type attribute value pair to report a status of the old device trigger request in response to the device trigger action request for performing an action on the old device trigger request. |
| US09554290B2 |
Wireless communication system and method for automatically switching device identifications
A wireless communication system and methods for automatically switching device identifications are disclosed, where the device identifications are automatically determined by a plurality of work devices connected to a cable network after a connection time, respectively, and the one among the plurality of work devices becomes a main device may transmit a survive message to the work devices becoming a backup device, and the main device is determined as failing to work normally and a new main device is automatically determined again when the backup device fails to receive the survive message transmitted by the main device or a switch notification transmitted by the main device, so that the wireless communication on a carrier may have an improved stability and the technical efficacy may be achieved that the work device may automatically and rapidly determine the main device when no main device existing in the wireless network environment. |
| US09554288B2 |
Method, system, and device for confirming uplink-downlink configuration
Embodiments of the present invention relate to the technical field of wireless communication, and relate particularly to a method, a system, and a device for confirming an uplink-downlink configuration, for use in confirming via interference detection whether or not a cell is capable of conducting independently the uplink-downlink configuration. The method of the embodiments of the present invention comprises: a network side device confirming the receipt of a first RSRP value of a reference signal from a second cell by a first cell, the second cell being an adjacent cell of the first cell (201); on the basis of the first RSRP value, the network side device confirming whether or not the first cell is capable of conducting autonomously the uplink-downlink configuration (202). Measuring the RSRP value to determine whether or not the cell is capable of conducting independently the uplink-downlink configuration allows for the normal operation of a dynamic uplink-downlink configuration, reduced interference between adjacent cells in a dynamic uplink-downlink configuration environment, and improved system efficiency. |
| US09554284B2 |
Wireless over PON
A system for communicating wireless signals includes a passive optical network (PON) between a central office (CO) and network subscribers. The CO has an optical line terminal (OLT) and a wireless base station. An RF/Optic converter converts base station radio frequency (RF) signals to and from corresponding optical signals. An optical combiner combines signals of the OLT and signals of the RF/Optic converter for communication over the PON with at least one optical network unit (ONU) at a location of one or more of the network subscribers, so that signals of the OLT and converted wireless base station signals are carried together over the PON. A fiber mounted wireless antenna unit (FMCA) having an optical interface and a wireless antenna, and communicating wireless signals of the wireless antenna with the ONU, including performing conversions between wireless RF signals and optical signals. |
| US09554282B2 |
Apparatus and method for sharing radio spectrum resources among disparate services
A method for use in mobile station. The method comprises detecting a special code transmitted by first base station, wherein the special code is associated with a border of a restricted area. The method further comprises, in response to detection of the transmitted special code, determining a position of the mobile station and comparing the position of the mobile station to the border of the restricted area. The method also comprises determining whether the mobile station is in the restricted area or a permitted area. |
| US09554279B1 |
Authorized areas of authentication
A secure access system, including a stationary computing device that controls access to secure data over a secure network, including an authorized area of authentication (AAA) generator, generating an AAA for administering the secure data, an AAA validator, validating a mobile computing device that a request to access the secure data over the secure network, by verifying that a current location of the mobile device is within the AAA, and an access controller, enabling the mobile device to access the secure data, only in response to the validator affirmatively validating the mobile device, and a mobile computing device including a location identifier, dynamically identifying a current location of the mobile device, a connection controller for logging into the secure network, and an access requestor, submitting to the access controller via the secure network (i) an access request for the secure data, and (ii) the current location of the mobile device. |
| US09554278B2 |
Relay apparatus, relay method, relay system, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium
A relay apparatus detects a request, sent from a communication apparatus, to grant an access authority for a desired resource, sends, in the case where the request to grant the access authority has been detected, an authorization request requesting the granting of the access authority to a server, receives an authorization response, which is a response to the authorization request, from the server, saves the authorization response, generates an authorization relay response based on the authorization response, and sends the authorization relay response to the communication apparatus, wherein in the case where a request to grant the access authority sent from another communication apparatus different from the communication apparatus has been detected, the relay apparatus sends the authorization relay response in response to the request to the other communication apparatus based on the saved authorization response. |
| US09554275B1 |
Voice and SMS communication from a mobile device over IP network and satellite or other communication network
Systems, devices, and methods for communication system that includes a mobile application (software) installed on a user mobile device, a communications gateway, capable of performing EAP-SIM and/or EAP-AKA WPA2 wireless authentication & authorization, a Ground-based gateway, capable of proxying RADIUS messages, handling SIP communications and SMPP (SMS) messaging, and an integrated communications gateway platform (ICP), capable of performing the functions of a BTS, VLR and SIP/SMPP communications router. The systems, devices and methods allows for vehicle passengers, such as aircraft passengers the capability to use their mobile communication devices, such as smart phones and their smart phone numbers to send and receive calls and text messages to remote communication devices anywhere in the world while on the aircraft, wherein the remote communication devices display the phone numbers of the mobile communication devices. |
| US09554272B2 |
Provisioning of wireless security configuration information in a wireless network environment
A network environment includes a message-processing resource that receives a communication originated by a communication device and transmitted from the communication device over a wireless communication link. By way of non-limiting example, the communication can be a request for retrieval of content from server resource disposed in the network environment. The message-processing resource processes the communication transmitted over the wireless communication link to identify a network address assigned to the communication device. The message-processing resource maps the network address to corresponding status information associated with the communication device. In response to detecting status information indicating that the communication device has not yet been configured with configuration information supporting secured wireless communications of a particular type, the message-processing resource: initiates generation of configuration information supporting subsequent secured wireless communications between the communication device and a corresponding wireless access point, and forwards the configuration information to the communication device. |
| US09554271B2 |
Generating keys for protection in next generation mobile networks
A set of associated keys for an authentication process to be performed in a second network is calculated based on a random value used in an authentication process of a first network. |
| US09554269B1 |
Privacy centric feature analysis for mobile devices
Privacy centric feature analysis. A secure set of multiple mapped features is selected and provided to a mobile device. Each mapped feature maps a sharable feature to a matching criterion for an item of protected information and no combination of mapped features for a secure set are unique to an individual item of protected information. Privacy compliance instructions enable the mobile device to select a mapped feature from a received set of mapped features by identifying an item of protected information available to the mobile device which corresponds to a matching criterion found in the received set of mapped features. The sharable feature of the selected mapped feature is identified and sent to a privacy compliant destination. Advantageously, the analysis system protects the privacy of the mobile device user because it does not require the mobile device to relay protected information for the selection of customized content or relevant advertisements. |
| US09554266B2 |
Apparatus and methods for selecting services of mobile network operators
A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method for detecting, by a first device including a least one processor and a first Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC), a second device having a second UICC, detecting, by the first device, that the second UICC is unprovisioned, selecting, by the first device, one of a plurality of selectable options, where the selection identifies a first network operator selected from a plurality of network operators, receiving, by the first device, first credential information of the first network operator, and transmitting, by the first device, to the second device the first credential information for enabling the second device to facilitate establishment of communication services with network equipment of the first network operator according to the first credential information. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09554263B2 |
Method and device for discovering neighbors for wireless fidelity direct (WFD) peer to peer (P2P) communication
A method and device for performing the process of discovering neighbors for Wi-Fi P2P communication. The method includes: checking at a first WFD P2P device whether there is WFD P2P group in which participation is possible; performing, at the first WFD P2P device, the operation for participating in the WFD P2P group in which participation is possible, if there is a WFD P2P group in which participation is possible, or performing, at the first WFD P2P device, the operation for creating a new WFD P2P group or entering a sleep mode, if there is no WFD P2P group in which participation is possible. |
| US09554261B1 |
Responding to a message generated by an event notification system
A mobile communication device (FOB) attached to a user operates on sound information utter by the user to respond to alert messages sent to it by an event notification system (ENS). The FOB is able to transition between a training mode and a normal mode of operation. In the training mode of operation, the FOB can detect and store sound information associated with a user's response to a training alert message. The sound information in the user response to the training alert message is associated with a response code that the user is prompted to enter into the FOB during the training process. In the normal mode of operation, the user can respond to an alert message played by the FOB with a verbal utterance, and the FOB generates and sends a response message to the ENS that includes the response code associated with the training verbal response. |
| US09554258B2 |
System for dynamic content recommendation using social network data
A system or method for providing recommended items for presentation to users and/or consideration by vehicle systems may be executable to: retrieve social network data associated with a user; extract a keyword and/or a key phrase from the social network data; and determine a preference model that includes a frequency analysis associated with the keyword and/or the key phrase and indicating how often the keyword and/or the key phrase are observed in the social network data. The system may further receive a request for content data; search a content database to retrieve one or more content items based on the frequency analysis associated with the preference model; generate one or more recommended items for the user or for a vehicle system from the one or more content items; and provide the one or more recommended items for presentation to the user or for processing by the vehicle system. |
| US09554252B2 |
Method and system for coordinating visits
A method and system are provided for coordinating visits to loved ones incapable of leaving their particular place of domicile. A temporal and location dependent event notification system is provided that allows users of mobile device to be networked to one another and receive updates centered around visits to the debilitated loved one. Following the occurrence of a number of predetermined events, the system and method presents a message to the network members suggesting that members perform an action. |
| US09554251B2 |
User terminal with improved feedback possibilities
A user terminal (100) for a cellular communications system, equipped with means (115, 130, 105) for making and receiving transmissions in the cellular communications system. The user terminal (100) is equipped with a motion sensor (135) for sensing movements of the user terminal (100), and the user terminal (100) is also equipped with a reporting function (140) for reporting movements sensed by the motion sensor (135) to another party in the cellular communications system if said movements exceed a predefined threshold in duration and/or in magnitude. In embodiments, the reporting function (140) is arranged to include one or more of the direction, duration or magnitude of said movements in its reporting. |
| US09554248B2 |
Music diary processor
A music diary processor for generating an electronic music diary. The music diary processor receives a plurality of event identifiers from a user, wherein each event identifier identifies a respective life event associated with the user. The user can also provide a date identifier identifying a date associated with the life event, a song identifier identifying one or more songs identified by the user as being associated with the live event. The event identifiers, song identifiers and the date identifiers are stored in an electronic storage medium wherein each song identifier and date identifier is coupled with at least one respective event identifier, and a plurality of event identifiers are coupled with each other. The music diary processor can serve as a music discovery vehicle, wherein the music diary processor can use data entered by a user to locate songs and other data associated with other music diaries. |
| US09554245B2 |
Dynamic configuration of mobile station location services
On startup, a mobile station application will determine the current carrier network and submit a query to an application server that will return the correct location server configuration for the specified network. This information will be used on the mobile station to dynamically configure the device through the available GPS chipset API. |
| US09554244B2 |
Distribution of location and movement information of meeting participants
Location information of each participant in a carpool or other event may be automatically collected at a central server. The location information may be collected based on an ascertained location of a mobile computing device carried by a participant. The location of each participant's mobile computing device may be obtained through the use of location based services. Each participant's device may push geographic location, speed, and/or movement type information (such as whether the participant is walking or driving) to a central system. The pushed data may then be pulled from the central system by the devices of other interested participants. Methods, computer readable media, and devices are provided. |
| US09554243B2 |
Method and apparatus for WLAN location services
Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to providing location services in a wireless network. According to one implementation of the present invention, the wireless network infrastructure provides high-accuracy location information via location services to wireless clients. In one embodiment, during an advertisement phase, a location server provides a list of available location services to wireless clients via a central controller. In another embodiment, during a presentation phase, a driver of the wireless client presents the available location services to one or more applications of the wireless client. In another embodiment, during a request phase, the driver transmits a location service request to the central controller, which passes the location service request to the location server. |
| US09554240B2 |
Multiple connection management for bluetooth low energy devices
Methods and systems are disclosed for multiple connection management for Bluetooth (BT) devices, and more particularly for BT Low Energy (BLE) devices, to multiple different bonded BT peer devices. A BT device database within a non-volatile memory (NVM) stores identification and persistent information for each bonded BT peer device. At power-on reset (PoR), only device identification information (DII) data, such as an address (ADDR) and an IRK (identity resolving key), for each bonded BT peer device is copied from the NVM to a volatile memory that is used for run-time operation. When a bonded BT peer device forms an active connection, it is identified using the DII data, and its persistent data is copied from NVM to volatile memory as run-time data. The BT device then communicates with the actively connected BT peer device at least in part using the run-time data for the actively connected BT peer device. |
| US09554239B2 |
Opportunistic offloading of tasks between nearby computing devices
The embodiments set forth a technique for enabling a group of computing devices to delegate tasks in a manner that promotes energy savings. According to one embodiment, each computing device is configured to identify situations where the computing device has an energy advantage (e.g., when plugged-in) and should serve as a proxy computing device to other computing devices. Each computing device is also configured to identify situations where the computing device has an energy disadvantage (e.g., a low battery) and should seek out another computing device to act as a proxy computing device. In this manner, computing devices can delegate tasks between one another to reduce or eliminate the processing redundancies that otherwise occur when the computing devices work in isolation to maintain network connectivity and carry out tasks on their own. |
| US09554236B1 |
Sensor deployment mechanism at a monitored location
A universal sensor interface enables selective coupling of one or more sensor module units to a wireless node. Each sensor module unit can contain a suite of sensors selected for a particular sensor application at a monitored location. Reconfiguration of the wireless sensor network can occur seamlessly through the plug-and-play connectivity between the sensor module units and the wireless node. |
| US09554234B2 |
Method and device for device trigger/small data exchange/collection in wireless communication system
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for exchanging/collecting a device trigger by a short message service-service center (SMS-SC) in a wireless communication system comprises the steps of: receiving a first message including an old trigger reference number from a machine type communications-interworking function (MTC-IWF); and deleting a trigger message corresponding to the old trigger reference number, wherein when the first message further includes a new trigger reference number, the SMS-SC detects the trigger message and stores a new trigger message corresponding to the new trigger reference number. |
| US09554233B2 |
Method and device for controlling multipriority in wireless communication system
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system and, more specifically, to a method and a device for controlling a backoff timer on the basis of multipriority in a wireless communication system. The method for controlling a backoff timer in a terminal in which multipriority is set, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises the steps of: transmitting, to a network node, a non access stratum (NAS) request message which is set to a first priority level and does not have an access point name (APN); receiving a reject message for the NAS request message from the network node; and starting a session management (SM) backoff timer on the basis of the rejection message, wherein while the SM backoff timer is operated, the terminal is permitted to transmit a new NAS request message which is not set to the first priority level. |
| US09554232B1 |
Communication device
The mobile phone comprising a voice communication implementer, a calculation implementer, and a mobile phone updating implementer which updates a mobile phone battery controller, a mobile phone camera unit controller, a mobile phone microphone controller, a mobile phone speaker controller, a mobile phone vibrator controller, or a shortcut icon software program. |
| US09554225B2 |
Devices and methods for audible indicators emanating from selected locations
Methods, systems, and devices are described for providing audio to one or more individuals in an operating room. An ultrasonic signal generator may be provided that generates two or more ultrasonic signals that combine to produce an audible signal at a desired location. The audio signal may be perceived by individuals in the operating room to emanate from a surface or location within the operating room, or the audio signal may be generated to provide an audible signal to one or more persons within a particular location within the operating room. Multiple audio signals may be generated to emanate from multiple different locations. Likewise, multiple audio signals may be generated to provide different audible signals in different locations in the operating room. |
| US09554222B2 |
Electromechanical transducer with mechanical advantage
A vibratory apparatus including a lever arm apparatus including a living hinge, wherein the vibratory apparatus is configured such that at least a portion of the lever arm moves about the living hinge when the vibratory apparatus is generating vibrations. |
| US09554218B2 |
Automatic sound optimizer
Disclosed herein are systems and methods that help to optimize the sound quality produced when a sound processing mode is enabled in an audio device, such as a hearing prosthesis. When the sound processing mode is enabled, a sound processor in the audio device will create a candidate transformed signal based on a default set of parameters associated with the sound processing mode (i.e. a candidate signal processing function). Further, the sound processor will create a reference transformed signal based on the same enabled sound processing mode, but with a varied set of parameters (i.e. a modified signal processing function). The sound processor will then compare the candidate transformed signal to the reference transformed signal to determine which signal has a higher quality. The device then creates an output based on the higher quality signal. |
| US09554217B2 |
Compressor architecture for avoidance of cross-modulation in remote microphones
The present disclosure relates to the inclusion of amplitude compression inside a hearing aid remote microphone or audio streaming device. Compressor design is improved by using one local and one remote compressor operating in parallel. The subject matter will reference remote microphones as the primary use case. In one embodiment, hearing aid microphone audio and remote microphone audio are treated as two separate streams within the hearing aid, assigning each to a compressor and mixing the audio streams afterward. In another embodiment, a compressor is developed for the remote microphone to offload that portion of the signal processing. |
| US09554211B2 |
Wireless speaker unit
A wireless speaker unit includes a radio transceiver oscillator which provides timing signals to a pulse width modulator and to a sample rate controller that provides a variable oversampling signal to a delta sigma modulator. The variable oversampling signal determined by a sampling rate of the digital audio signal. |
| US09554210B1 |
Multichannel acoustic echo cancellation with unique individual channel estimations
A multi-channel echo cancellation system that dynamically adapts to changes in acoustic conditions. The system does not require a sequence of “start-up” tones to determine the impulse responses. Rather, the adaptive filters approximate estimated transfer functions for each channel. A secondary adaptive filter adjusts cancellation to adapt to changes in the actual transfer functions over time after the adaptive filters have been trained, even if the reference signals are not unique relative to each other. |
| US09554208B1 |
Concurrent sound source localization of multiple speakers
In aspects of concurrent sound source localization of multiple speakers, audio signals from two or more microphones are upsampled, and then the upsampled audio signals are time-multiplexed to a plurality of beamformers. A first sound source received at the two or more microphones is localized at a first beamformer, and a second sound source received at the two or more microphones is localized at a second beamformer, where localizing the second sound source is constrained by the localization of the first sound source. The beamformers can filter the upsampled audio signals using beamformer coefficients from the localizations to produce beamformed audio signals. |
| US09554198B2 |
Digital broadcast receiving method providing two-dimensional image and 3D image integration service, and digital broadcast receiving device using the same
A method of receiving broadcast data streams for supporting a broadcast service, wherein the broadcast data streams include a multi-view video coding (MVC) base view video stream and at least one a MVC extended view stream; identifying a stream type field and a priority_id field of the broadcast data streams using a table, wherein a value of the stream type field indicates a codec of the MVC base view video stream or the at least one MVC extended view stream, wherein the priority_id field indicates priority information on the broadcast data streams of multi-view video, and wherein a value of the priority_id field with respect to the MVC base view video stream is set to be equal to zero; processing the broadcast data stream using the identified stream type and the priority_id field to support the broadcast service. |
| US09554197B2 |
Apparatus and method for processing an interactive service
A method of processing an interactive service and an apparatus includes generating an application parameter table including a first identifier and a second identifier, wherein the first identifier identifies a interactive programming segment which application parameter table pertains to, and wherein the second identifier identifies an application within the scope of application parameter table; generating an activation message file that indicates at least one of activation times of the applications, wherein the activation message file includes a third identifier and activation messages, wherein the third identifier matches the first identifier of application parameter table which contains the applications, wherein the activation message includes a fourth identifier and a start time information, wherein the fourth identifier matches the second identifier of the application in the application parameter table. |
| US09554195B2 |
Method and apparatus for targeted advertising with delivery of content
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, receiving, over a multicast-broadcast single-frequency network channel of a cellular network, a second advertisement provided by an advertisement server; providing the second advertisement to a media processor to cause the media processor to replace a first advertisement with the second advertisement during presentation of media content received by the media processor over a first network, where the second advertisement is selected from a group of advertisements according to user data of a user of the media processor. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09554193B2 |
Media content search results ranked by popularity
Media content search results ranked by popularity is described. In embodiment(s), a search request for television media content can be initiated by a viewer, and television media content that is relevant to the search request can be identified. The relevant television media content can then be ranked based on a popularity rating and the relevant television media content can be displayed in an ordered list that is ordered by popularity rankings. |
| US09554191B2 |
Method and system for implementing interactive televisions through near field communication technologies
Interactive data, audio data, and video data are respectively encoded and packaged, and then an interactive television program is produced by multiplexing them. A receiving terminal receives the interactive television program and performs unpacking and decoding. The unpacked interactive data are transmitted by a near field communication module. An operating terminal receives the unpacked interactive data by a near field communication module thereof, parses out corresponding participatory information, and carries out the interaction with the content of the present television program. |
| US09554186B2 |
Method and an electronic device for playback of video
The present disclosure relates to streaming of media content. In one example embodiment, an electronic device for playing video content may comprise a user interface, a processor and a memory. The memory may comprise computer program code, which, when run in the processor causes the electronic device to receive a first request to play first video content associated with a first video stream at the user interface, and in response to receiving the first request, pre-buffer data related to the first video stream; while pre-buffering this data and before playing the first video content at the user interface; display (at the user interface) a still image corresponding to a portion of the first video content in a first video tile at a first size; and re-size the first size to a second size such that a zooming-out effect of the displayed still image is provided. |
| US09554185B2 |
Supporting multiple attention-based, user-interaction modes
The present invention monitors a user's activities to determine how much attention he is paying to one or more devices. Based on the information gathered about the user's current “attention profile,” a “user-interaction parameter” is set that reflects where the user's attention is focused and, ideally, how much of his attention is given to each device. Then, based on the user-interaction parameter, the user interface of at least one of the user's devices is configured to optimize the user's interactions, given the amount of attention he is currently giving to this user interface. If the user is giving the majority of his attention to the television, for example, then the user interface of a companion device can be configured to emphasize the types of interactions available to a user who is not actively watching the companion device. |
| US09554182B2 |
Personalized video entertainment system
One or more content sequences are created from a store of video content, which could simply be broadcast content which has been captured and stored at a server within a network. The content sequences are generated according to the viewer's specified, or demonstrated, viewing preferences. The viewer preferences are captured form entry by the user themselves, or by observation of their viewing habits. Multiple ‘users’ per household and multiple content sequences per viewer are possible. A content sequences is then streamed to the viewer, and looks to him/her just like a TV channel: when one program ends, another starts automatically. It is also possible for a viewer to select an item within the content sequence using an interactive program controller. |
| US09554180B2 |
System and method of processing a satellite signal
A system includes a converter to receive a receiving a satellite signal at first transport frequencies and to convert the satellite signal to second transport frequencies and a processor. The processor removes a radio frequency portion from the satellite signal without altering a sequence of media contents of a moving picture experts group portion of the satellite signal and without altering a quality of the media contents of the moving picture experts group portion. The processor determines whether the media contents include an error and corrects the error in the moving picture experts group portion with error correction data of the satellite signal. The processor encrypts the media contents to produce an encrypted digital moving picture experts group transport stream signal. The processor also sends the encrypted digital moving picture experts group transport stream signal to a modulator. |
| US09554178B2 |
Systems and methods for networked music playback
Systems, methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to facilitate connection to a multimedia playback network are disclosed. An example method provides content to a local playback network. The example method includes identifying multimedia content from a content provider. The example method includes passing information regarding the multimedia content to a local playback system including one or more multimedia playback devices in response to a trigger. The example method includes facilitating play of the multimedia content via a local playback network associated with the local playback system. |
| US09554177B2 |
Systems and methods for retransmitting packets over a network of communication channels
Systems and methods for transmitting packets over a network of communication channels are provide. A system according to the invention may include first and second nodes in communication with a coax backbone. The first node may further include a retransmission buffer. The system may also include a network access coordinator operative to coordinate access of the nodes to the coax backbone. In a time period at least one first packet is transmitted by the first node to the second node. The first packet may include an indication that retransmission service is applied. The first packet may also include a indication of the length corresponding to the packet. If, during the first time period the packet is not received by the second node, the second node is operative to send a retransmission request to the network access coordinator. |
| US09554176B2 |
Media content fingerprinting system
A method of deriving fingerprints for media content that is being watched by a user is described. For example, a user may select a particular show on an electronic programming guide displayed by a media device. The media device may then request the content stream, from the content source, that includes the particular show. The source may indicate whether a fingerprint is needed for the particular show requested by the media device. The indication may be a flag in the data received by the media device. If the particular show needs to be fingerprinted as indicated by the flag, the media device may decompress the corresponding video frames, load the decompressed video frames into memory and analyze the video frames to derive a fingerprint from the video frames. |
| US09554175B2 |
Method, computer program, reception apparatus, and information providing apparatus for trigger compaction
A method, computer program, and reception apparatus, and information providing apparatus. The method includes receiving a trigger parameters table (TPT). The TPT is associated with a triggered declarative object (TDO) and includes at least one parameter associated with a trigger event. The TPT is stored in a first memory of the reception apparatus. The TDO is executed by a processor of the reception apparatus and is stored in a second memory of the reception apparatus. The reception apparatus receives a trigger associated with the trigger event. At least one parameter associated with the trigger event is retrieved from the TPT based on information included in the trigger. Further, a function is performed based on the retrieved at least one parameter. |
| US09554171B2 |
Method for transmitting and receiving a broadcast signal and a broadcast receiver using the method
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving a broadcast signal. The method for receiving a broadcast signal comprises: generating a broadcast stream including at least one program; generating first program table information that represents the broadcast stream; receiving non-real time (NRT) service schedule information; generating second program table information that represents the NRT service, in accordance with the received NRT service schedule information; configuring a stream including the broadcast stream, the 1st program table information and the second program table information; and transmitting the stream. |
| US09554166B2 |
Methods and apparatus for providing multi-source bandwidth sharing management
Methods and apparatus for providing one or more services such as video on-demand, switched digital video, or Internet services using shared bandwidth. Exemplary embodiments include methods and apparatus for providing video on-demand and switched digital video to a set of customer premise equipment devices using a first dedicated portion of the bandwidth to provide video on-demand services, a second dedicated portion of the bandwidth to provide switched digital video services, and a third portion of the bandwidth to provide both switched digital video and video on-demand services wherein the size of the bandwidth made available to provide video on-demand within the third shared portion of bandwidth varies as a function of requests for video on-demand and switched digital video services and the priorities of the new requests versus the existing operating services. Bandwidth management occurring in accordance with bandwidth sharing policies, priorities and rules generated by a bandwidth sharing mechanism. |
| US09554164B2 |
Physical layer signalling for digital broadcast system
The present invention relates to a physical layer signalling in a digital broadcast network. In particular, for a digital broadcast network supporting a configuration with a plurality of physical layer pipes, a type indicator is signalled on physical layer for a pipe, the type indicator indicates the format of the input stream which may specify a transport stream, a generic stream or an IP stream. In addition, per physical layer pipe application of header and/or content compression to the user packet headers of the input stream is signalled. Another physical layer parameters are advantageously provided or extended in order to increase the flexibility and efficiency of the layer 1 signalling. |
| US09554159B2 |
Apparatus, systems and methods for rich media electronic program guides
Electronic program guide (EPG) systems and methods are operable to incorporate image information into an EPG generated at a media device. An exemplary embodiment receives an image associated with a program, processes the received image into a rich media EPG image, receives program presentation schedule information that specifies a presentation schedule of a plurality of programs, wherein the program is one of the plurality of programs scheduled for presentation, associates an identifier with the rich media EPG image and the program, and generates a rich media EPG schedule based upon the received program presentation schedule information and the identifier. |
| US09554156B2 |
Method and system for illumination compensation and transition for video coding and processing
Deriving illumination compensation parameters and detection of illumination dominant transitions types for video coding and processing applications is described. Illumination changes such as fade-ins, fade-outs, cross-fades, and flashes are detected. Detection of these illumination changes is then used for weighted prediction to provide for improved illumination compensation. |
| US09554155B2 |
Parameter update method for entropy coding and decoding of conversion coefficient level, and entropy coding device and entropy decoding device of conversion coefficient level using same
An video decoding apparatus including a parser which obtains bit strings corresponding to current transformation coefficient level information by arithmetic decoding a bitstream based on a context model; a parameter determiner which determines a current binarization parameter by updating or maintaining a previous binarization parameter based on a comparison of a threshold and a size of a previous transformation coefficient; a syntax element restorer which obtains the current transformation coefficient level information by performing de-binarization of the bit strings using the determined current binarization parameter and generates a size of a current transformation coefficient using the current transformation coefficient level information, wherein the current binarization parameter has a value equal to or smaller than a predetermined value. |
| US09554152B2 |
Concurrent processing of horizontal and vertical transforms
In an example, a method of transforming video data in video coding includes applying a first stage of a two-dimensional transform to a block of video data values to generate a block of first stage results, and applying a second stage of the two-dimensional transform to the block of first stage results without reordering the first stage results to generate a block of second stage results. |
| US09554146B2 |
Indication and activation of parameter sets for video coding
In some examples, a video encoder includes multiple sequence parameter set (SPS) IDs in an SEI message, such that multiple active SPSs can be indicated to a video decoder. In some examples, a video decoder activates a video parameter set (VPS) and/or one or more SPSs through referencing an SEI message, e.g., based on the inclusion of the VPS ID and one or more SPS IDs in the SEI message. The SEI message may be, as examples, an active parameter sets SEI message or a buffering period SEI message. |
| US09554142B2 |
Encoding of video stream based on scene type
An encoder for encoding a video stream or an image is described herein. The encoder receives an input video stream and outputs an encoded video stream that can be decoded at a decoder to recover, at least approximately, an instance of the input video stream. The encoder encodes a video stream by first identifying scene boundaries and encoding frames between scene boundaries using a set of parameters. For at least two different scene sequences, different sets of parameters are used, providing adaptive, scene-based encoding. |
| US09554141B2 |
Intra block copy for intra slices in high efficiency video coding (HEVC)
A method for decoding high efficiency video coding, comprising determining whether a coding unit is within an intra slice or an inter slice, determining whether intra block copy has been enabled, reviewing syntax for said coding unit for an intra block copy flag when the coding unit is within an intra slice and intra block copy has been enabled, and omitting reviewing the syntax for the intra block copy flag when the coding unit is within an inter slice. |
| US09554137B2 |
Image receiving device, image transmission system, and image receiving method
To improve an image recognition rate by quickly changing a parameter in a proper manner without being affected by a transmission delay of an image encoding stream in an image receiving device that recognizes a decoded image obtained by decoding the received image encoding stream. The image receiving device includes a data receiving unit, a parameter changing unit, a decoding unit, and an image recognition unit. The data receiving unit receives an image encoding stream including image encoding data and the parameter. The parameter changing unit changes the parameter received by the data receiving unit, that is, the parameter specified for encoding performed by a sender, to a value suitable for image recognition performed in the subsequent stage. The decoding unit generates the image decoding data by decoding the received image encoding data according to the changed parameter. The image recognition unit performs image recognition on the image decoding data. |
| US09554136B2 |
Method and device for intra prediction
A method for decoding an image according to the present invention comprises the steps of: receiving and decoding MPM index information for indicating an MPM candidate which is to be used as an intra prediction mode of a current block; generating an MPM candidate list containing a plurality of MPM candidates for the current block; determining the MPM candidate indicated by the decoded MPM index information as the intra prediction mode of the current block, among the plurality of the MPM candidates which constitute the MPM candidate list; and generating a prediction block corresponding to the current block by performing intra prediction for the current block based on the determined intra prediction mode. |
| US09554134B2 |
Neighbor determination in video decoding
Video decoding innovations for multithreading implementations and graphics processor unit (“GPU”) implementations are described. For example, for multithreaded decoding, a decoder uses innovations in the areas of layered data structures, picture extent discovery, a picture command queue, and/or task scheduling for multithreading. Or, for a GPU implementation, a decoder uses innovations in the areas of inverse transforms, inverse quantization, fractional interpolation, intra prediction using waves, loop filtering using waves, memory usage and/or performance-adaptive loop filtering. Innovations are also described in the areas of error handling and recovery, determination of neighbor availability for operations such as context modeling and intra prediction, CABAC decoding, computation of collocated information for direct mode macroblocks in B slices, reduction of memory consumption, implementation of trick play modes, and picture dropping for quality adjustment. |
| US09554133B2 |
Method and apparatus for region of interest video coding using tiles and tile groups
Systems, methods, and instrumentalities are disclosed relating to region of interest (ROI) video coding using tiles and tile groups. An encoded video sequence including a plurality of tiles may be received. The plurality of tiles may be divided into one or more tile groups. Signaling indicating parameters of the one or more tile groups may be received. A tile group of the one or more tiles groups may be decoded and a picture relating to the decoded tile group may be displayed. The decoded tile group may overlap the ROI. The ROI may correspond to the displayed picture and the displayed picture may be a portion of the encoded video sequence. The tile groups that do not overlap the ROI may not be decoded. |
| US09554132B2 |
Video compression implementing resolution tradeoffs and optimization
Compression transforming video into a compressed representation (which typically can be delivered at a capped pixel rate compatible with conventional video systems), including by generating spatially blended pixels and temporally blended pixels (e.g., temporally and spatially blended pixels) of the video, and determining a subset of the blended pixels for inclusion in the compressed representation including by assessing quality of reconstructed video determined from candidate sets of the blended pixels. Trade-offs may be made between temporal resolution and spatial resolution of regions of reconstructed video determined by the compressed representation to optimize perceived video quality while reducing the data rate. The compressed data may be packed into frames. A reconstruction method generates video from a compressed representation using metadata indicative of at least one reconstruction parameter for spatial regions of the reconstructed video. |
| US09554130B2 |
Intra prediction mode mapping method and device using the method
The present invention relates to an intra prediction mode mapping method and a device using the method. The intra prediction mode includes: decoding flag information providing information regarding whether an intra prediction mode of a plurality of candidate intra prediction modes for the current block is the same as the intra prediction mode for the current block, and decoding a syntax component including information regarding the intra prediction mode for the current block in order to induce the intra prediction mode for the current block if the intra prediction mode from among the plurality of candidate intra prediction modes for the current block is not the same as the intra prediction mode for the current block. Thus, it is possible to increase the efficiency with which are images are decoded. |
| US09554126B2 |
Non-linear navigation of a three dimensional stereoscopic display
Systems and methods for navigating a 3D stereoscopic scene displayed via a 3D stereoscopic display system using user head tracking. A reference POV including a reference user head position and a reference user head orientation may be established. The user head POV may be tracked, including monitoring user head positional displacements and user head angular rotations relative to the reference POV. In response to the tracking, a camera POV used to render the 3D stereoscopic scene may be adjusted based on a non-linear mapping between changes in the camera POV and the user head positional displacements and user head angular rotations relative to the reference POV. The non-linear mapping may include a mapping of user head positional displacements relative to the reference POV to translational movements in the camera POV and a mapping of user head angular rotations relative to the reference POV to rotations in the camera POV. |
| US09554122B2 |
Optical pattern projection
Optical apparatus includes first and second diffractive optical elements (DOEs) arranged in series to diffract an input beam of radiation. The first DOE is configured to apply to the input beam a pattern with a specified divergence angle, while the second DOE is configured to split the input beam into a matrix of output beams with a specified fan-out angle. The divergence and fan-out angles are chosen so as to project the radiation onto a region in space in multiple adjacent instances of the pattern. |
| US09554118B2 |
Image proccessing device, imaging device, and image processing method
Stereoscopic tracking during a zooming period is facilitated to alleviate eye fatigue. An image processing device includes an imaging unit 14 that acquires a stereoscopic image including a plurality of viewpoint images, an operation unit 16 that acquires a zoom value, an electronic zoom processing unit 17 that performs magnification of the stereoscopic image by image processing on the basis of the acquired zoom value, a monitor 21 capable of outputting the magnified stereoscopic image, and a control unit 25 that outputs the stereoscopic image immediately before or immediately after a change in the zoom value to the monitor 21 as a stereoscopic still image magnified by the electronic zoom processing unit 17 while the acquired zoom value is varying, and outputs the stereoscopic image acquired by the imaging unit 14 to the monitor 21 as a stereoscopic moving image while the zoom value is not varying. |
| US09554116B2 |
Image pickup element and image pickup apparatus
A plurality of two-dimensionally arranged microlenses, a pair of light-receiving elements corresponding to the microlenses, and a light-controlling member configured to control incidence of light onto adjacent light-receiving areas of the pair of light-receiving elements are provided. |
| US09554113B2 |
Video frame processing method
A video frame processing method, which comprises: (a) capturing at least two video frames via a multi-view camera system comprising a plurality of cameras; (b) recording timestamps for each the video frame; (c) determining a major camera and a first sub camera out of the multi-view camera system, based on the timestamps, wherein the major camera captures a major video sequence comprising at least one major video frame, the first sub camera captures a video sequence of first view comprising at least one video frame of first view; (d) generating a first reference video frame of first view according to one first reference major video frame of the major video frames, which is at a reference timestamp corresponding to the first reference video frame of first view, and according to at least one the video frame of first view surrounding the reference timestamp; and (e) generating a multi-view video sequence comprising a first multi-view video frame, wherein the first multi-view video frame is generated based on the first reference video frame of first view and the first reference major video frame. |
| US09554112B2 |
Replay control apparatus for simultaneously replaying moving image data
A simultaneous replay information storage unit stores a replay condition when simultaneously replaying the plurality of pieces of moving image data constituting the set of moving images so as to correspond to each of the sets of moving images in which a combination of the plurality of pieces of moving image data is different, respectively. A simultaneous replay control unit simultaneously replays, in a case in which the set of moving images as a replay target is designated from among a plurality of sets of moving images stored in the simultaneous replay information storage unit, a plurality of pieces of moving image data constituting the set of moving images, with a replay condition that is stored to be associated with the designated set of moving images. |
| US09554109B2 |
Identifying gray regions for auto white balancing
Examples of the disclosure accurately define a gray region for automatic white balancing. Ratios corresponding to possible gray areas are white balanced before color distance metrics are calculated with respect to white points under different light sources. The color distance metrics of each point in the image data are compared with a predetermined threshold value to identify a gray region. Gray points within a captured image are identified using the gray region and input to any AWB method to accurately white balance the captured image. |
| US09554104B2 |
Projection system and semiconductor integrated circuit
A projection system includes a projection apparatus, at least one image capture apparatus, and an arithmetic apparatus. The projection apparatus projects image light indicating image content and pattern light indicating a pattern image in which projection coordinates defined in a projection coordinate system are coded. |
| US09554103B2 |
Projector and control method therefor
A projector can be easily attached by mounting a connecting unit to a socket for illumination in an ordinary home. Since the projector includes a communication unit configured to receive an electronic mail, the projector updates an image signal and adjusts a diffusion degree of modulated light by a light-diffusion adjusting unit on the basis of contents of the mail received by the communication unit. Therefore, when a user desires to inform family members who will return home that the user suddenly has to go out, if the user transmits in advance, to the projector, a mail including a message for a family member who returns home, the family member who returns home turns on an illumination switch at the entrance, whereby the projector can start up, perform an illuminating function, and clearly project and display the message. |
| US09554101B2 |
Shared-path illumination and excitation optics apparatus and systems
A Gaussian-distributed excitation light beam of an excitation spectrum emitted from an excitation light source enters a light pipe and is there converted to a top-hat spatially distributed excitation beam. The top-hat distributed excitation beam is focused on a phosphor-coated or reflective portion of a surface of an optical wavelength conversion element. Fluoresced and reflected beams travel outward from the wavelength conversion element and re-enter the light pipe to be homogenized during transit through the light pipe. A homogenized fluoresced or reflected beam is relayed to an output as one of a sequence of colors of homogenized light. The functions of Gaussian to top-hat conversion of the excitation beams directed toward the optical conversion element and homogenization of beams directed outward from the optical conversion element are both efficiently performed using a single, shared light pipe. |
| US09554100B2 |
Low-power always-on face detection, tracking, recognition and/or analysis using events-based vision sensor
Techniques disclosed herein utilize a vision sensor that integrates a special-purpose camera with dedicated computer vision (CV) computation hardware and a dedicated low-power microprocessor for the purposes of detecting, tracking, recognizing, and/or analyzing subjects, objects, and scenes in the view of the camera. The vision sensor processes the information retrieved from the camera using the included low-power microprocessor and sends “events” (or indications that one or more reference occurrences have occurred, and, possibly, associated data) for the main processor only when needed or as defined and configured by the application. This allows the general-purpose microprocessor (which is typically relatively high-speed and high-power to support a variety of applications) to stay in a low-power (e.g., sleep mode) most of the time as conventional, while becoming active only when events are received from the vision sensor. |
| US09554095B2 |
Flow cell alignment methods and systems
Imagers and alignment methods for use by imagers imaging deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragments on a flow cell are disclosed. The imagers capture intensity values at DNA fragment bead locations in tiles with each tile having a reference location in the flow cell. Flow cells may be aligned by obtaining a dark field image of each tile during a first imaging session, identifying dark field constellations of bead locations within two separate tiles during the first imaging session, identifying corresponding constellations during a second imaging session, altering the reference location of at least one tile during the second imaging session to correct for a linear offset in the corresponding constellations, and applying at least one correction factor for reading out intensity values from the imager for the bead locations in the flow cell to correct for an angular offset determined from offsets in the corresponding constellations. |
| US09554091B1 |
Identifying conference participants and active talkers at a video conference endpoint using user devices
A video conference endpoint includes a microphone array to detect ultrasound transmitted by a user device and that is encoded with a user identity. The endpoint determines a position of the user device relative to the microphone array based on the detected ultrasound and recovers the user identity from the detected ultrasound. The microphone array also detects audio in an audio frequency range perceptible to humans from an active talker, and determines a position of the active talker relative to the microphone array based on the detected audio. The endpoint determines whether the position of the active talker and the position of the user device are within a predetermined positional range of each other. If it is determined that the positions are both within the predetermined positional range, the endpoint assigns the user identity to the active talker. |
| US09554090B1 |
Communication and monitoring system
An audio-video communication system comprises a wireless exterior module located proximate an entrance, a computerized controller running a software application, and a remote peripheral device. The wireless exterior module includes a proximity sensor for detecting a person at the entrance, a video camera for recording an image of the person at the entrance, a microphone for recording the person at the entrance, a speaker for playing audio to the person at the entrance, a transmitter for communicating sounds and images of the person at the entrance, and a receiver for receiving communications at the wireless exterior module. The computerized controller is disposed in wireless electronic communication with the wireless exterior module via the transmitter and the receiver of the wireless exterior module. The remote peripheral device is configured to electronically communicate with the computerized controller for viewing an image from the video camera communicated from the wireless exterior module. |
| US09554089B2 |
Smart LED lighting device and remote video chat system thereof
The present disclosure provides smart LED lighting devices and remote video chat systems thereof. A smart LED lighting device includes an LED light-emitting unit, a power supply unit, a wireless communication unit, an audio and video processing and controller unit, a projection unit, a video acquisition unit, a voice input unit, and a voice broadcast unit. The audio and video processing and controller unit receives, parses, and processes audio and video information from the wireless communication unit, the voice input unit, and the video acquisition unit. The projection unit projects the processed video data in projectable format to a screen. The voice broadcast unit plays the processed audio information. The disclosed devices and systems can play audio and video resources from local terminal or the cloud in the Internet, perform remote video chat freely, and integrate with indoor environment, enhancing the smart home life experience. |
| US09554088B2 |
Mobile terminal, display apparatus and control method thereof
Disclosed is a control method for a display apparatus and a mobile terminal which includes a camera for taking a photograph and generating an image; a voice input unit which is used to input a voice; a user input unit which receives a user's input; a display unit which displays the image thereon; a wireless communication unit which communicates with a counterpart mobile terminal through a wireless network; and a controller which performs a video call by transmitting to the counterpart mobile terminal video call data comprising a video generated by the camera and a voice input by the voice input unit according user input, displays on the display unit a shared image during the video call, and transmits to the counterpart mobile terminal the shared image added to the video call data. |
| US09554087B2 |
Information processing device including an image transmission control function
An information processing device including an image transmission control function includes an image pickup unit that picks up an image including a facial image of a speaker; a transmission unit that transmits a picked-up image; a reception unit that receives an image including a facial image picked up by a communication counterpart device; a display unit that displays a received image; and a transmission control unit that inhibits transmission of the image picked up by the image pickup unit in a case where the facial image is not being picked up by the communication counterpart device. |
| US09554086B1 |
True motion vector editing tool
A method of generating motion vectors for image data includes identifying boundaries of at least one object in original frames of image data, performing object motion analysis based upon the boundaries, performing pixel-level motion layer generation, using the object motion analysis and the pixel-level motion layers to generate motion for blocks in the image data, and producing block level motion information and layer information for the original frames of image data. |
| US09554084B2 |
Display device and controlling method thereof
A display device including a display module configured to display a content corresponding to a video on a main screen of the display device; an interface module configured to receive an enlargement input request from a remote controller; and a controller configured to enter an enlargement mode in accordance with the enlargement input request received from the remote controller, display a window including the content displayed on the main screen, display an indicator for selecting a specific area of the displayed content within the displayed window, enlarge the selected specific area of the displayed content, and display the enlarged selected specific area of the displayed content on the main screen. |
| US09554080B2 |
Power management systems for automotive video event recorders
Video event recorders are coupled to a vehicle power source via an on-board diagnostic system including its power bus, data bus, and scanner port connector. Video event recorders are provided with a power input arranged in conjunction with a standard ODBII type “D” connector. Systems further include an extension cable between the connector and the vehicle event record to accommodate mounting needs associated with each. In advanced versions, both OBD power and data networks are coupled to the vehicle event recorded such that data relating to vehicle diagnostic systems can be captured in a triggered event along with video data. In addition, some versions are provided with special detection mechanism to determine the use state of a vehicle and adjust application of power accordingly. Thus an “in-use” detector is coupled to the vehicle and/or OBD systems to provide feedback which helps to conserve power and regulate the power connections. |
| US09554079B2 |
Vehicle-mounted electronic device
A vehicle-mounted electronic device according to the present invention is provided with a sensor 15 that detects illumination 17 from a following vehicle 16, in at least one of a display unit 9 and a main body case 7, and is configured such that a control unit 11 rotates the display unit 9 by means of a drive unit 10 when the sensor 15 detects the illumination 17 from the following vehicle 16. Thereby, the illumination 17 from the following vehicle 16 does not reflect on the display unit 9 toward a viewer, as a result of which, the influence by illumination from the following vehicle 16 can be reduced. |
| US09554077B2 |
Channel loading method, display device, and non-transient storage medium
One embodiment of the present invention is a channel loading method, comprising: storing channel parameters; generating a channel loading instruction according to a status of an operation menu and a user instruction; acquiring the channel parameters when the channel loading instruction is obtained, and loading the acquired channel parameters into a television service list database. Another embodiment is a display device having a channel parameter storing module and a channel loading method. A non-transient storage medium is also a part of the present invention. |
| US09554072B2 |
Two-stage analog-to-digital converter for high-speed image sensor
The present invention relates to a two- or multiple-stage analog to digital converter. The converter preferably includes an incremental ADC in the first stage. The incremental ADC comprises an integrator and a comparator. After the predefined number of comparisons performed by the comparator, the output of the integrator appropriately scaled is provided to the second stage where it is further sampled. In particular, the scaling gain is inversely proportional to the integrator gain. The second ADC performs the conversion of the remaining least significant bits and then the output of both stages is combined. Moreover, a calibration and correction approaches are provided for the multi-stage ADC. |
| US09554069B2 |
Solid-state imaging apparatus changing a gate voltage of a transfer transistor, driving method for the same, and imaging system
A solid-state imaging apparatus includes: a photoelectric conversion unit configured to convert light into an electric charge; a floating diffusion region configured to convert the electric charge into a voltage; a transfer transistor configured to transfer the electric charge from the photoelectric conversion unit to the floating diffusion region; and a transfer transistor driving circuit configured to control a gate potential of the transfer transistor, wherein the transfer transistor driving circuit controls the gate potential so as to be changed in at least two changing rates during a period of transition from the ON state to the OFF state of the transfer transistor, and the second changing rate out of the two changing rates is higher than the first changing rate. |
| US09554064B2 |
Using a depth map of a monitored scene to identify floors, walls, and ceilings
A camera system includes memory, a lens assembly to direct light from a scene onto an image sensing element, an image sensing element configured to receive light from the scene via the lens assembly, at least one infrared illuminator configured to transmit infrared light, and a processor, coupled to the image sensing element and the at least one infrared illuminator. The processor is configured to operate the illuminators and the image sensing element in a first mode whereby infrared light transmitted by the illuminators and reflected from the scene is used to generate a two-dimensional image of the scene. The processor is also configured to operate the illuminators and the image sensing element in a second mode whereby infrared light transmitted by the illuminators and reflected from the scene is used to identify a planar surface in the scene. |
| US09554063B2 |
Using infrared images of a monitored scene to identify windows
A process classifies objects in a scene. The process receives a captured IR image of a scene taken by a 2-dimensional image sensor array of a camera system while one or more IR illuminators of the camera system are emitting IR light, thereby forming an IR intensity map of the scene with a respective intensity value determined for each pixel of the IR image. The process uses the IR intensity map to identify a plurality of pixels whose corresponding intensity values are within a predefined intensity range, and clusters the identified plurality of pixels into one or more regions that are substantially contiguous. The process determines that a first region of the one or more regions corresponds to a specific material based, at least in part, on the intensity values of the pixels in the first region. The process then stores information in the memory that identifies the first region. |
| US09554049B2 |
Guided video capture for item listings
Disclosed in some examples is a method of guided video capture, the method including identifying a video capture template, the video capture template including a plurality of target video parameters, each of the target video parameters corresponding to one of a plurality of video capture directions; while capturing video, selecting a video capture direction from the plurality of video capture directions based on video parameters of captured video and the plurality of target video parameters using a processor and presenting the selected video capture direction to a user on a display device. |
| US09554046B2 |
Method and image processing device for image stabilization of a video stream
The present invention relates to an image processing device arranged for image stabilization of a video stream comprising image frames captured by a video camera, the image processing device comprising: an electronic image stabilization module arranged to perform electronic image stabilization to sub-sets of image frames of the image frames of the video stream to compensate for a oscillating movement of the video camera; and a masking module arranged to apply an edge mask to each sub-set of image frames, wherein each edge mask is having a fixed width, wherein the fixed width is based on a camera oscillation amplitude being specific for the sub-set of image frames to which the edge mask is applied. The present invention also relates to a method for image stabilization of a video stream. |
| US09554041B1 |
Portable camera
A portable camera including a housing including a pair of apertures formed on a front surface and a rear surface, an imaging unit including a pair of lens units exposed through the pair of apertures and mounted inside the housing, and a main board controlling the imaging unit. The imaging unit includes a pair of camera modules respectively facing directions of the front surface and the rear surface of the housing, a camera bracket between the pair of camera modules, and a pair of adhesive tapes between the camera modules and the camera bracket. The portable camera may provide a 360-degree panorama image without having to move the camera, and the portable camera may also may minimize any distortion occurring in the panorama image in accordance with the rotation speed of the portable camera, when capturing (or taking) the panorama image by moving and turning the camera. |
| US09554037B2 |
Electronic apparatus for making bokeh image and method thereof
An electronic apparatus and a method for making a bokeh image are provided. The electronic apparatus includes an image photographing unit configured to photograph an image, a display configured to display a user interface (UI) to set a bokeh option on the image, and a controller configured to, when the image is divided into a plurality of areas on the UI, and a bokeh pattern is determined for each of the plurality of areas, generate a bokeh image by mapping the bokeh pattern determined for each of the plurality of areas to a light source point included in the respective each of the plurality of areas. |
| US09554036B1 |
Portable electronic device with shutter button for image capture, and control method thereof
A portable electronic device equipped with a camera module and a shutter buffer and a control method using the same. The shutter button is switchable between multiple stages and includes a display screen. A control circuit of the portable electronic device operates the camera module and provides display content to the display screen based on the switch between the multiple stages of the shutter button. |
| US09554032B2 |
Image pickup apparatus and display control method
An image pickup apparatus uses an image pickup device. A manual focus adjusting unit is configured to control a focus lens in response to a user's input operation. An edge detecting unit is configured to detect edge components from an image signal obtained by the image pickup device and to output detection levels of the detected edge components. A color signal replacement unit is configured to replace a signal of a pixel corresponding to the detection level with a predetermined color signal when the detection level satisfies a predetermined condition. A display unit is configured to display an image based on an output image signal from the color signal replacement unit. |
| US09554031B2 |
Camera focusing related methods and apparatus
Methods and apparatus that facilitate or implement focus control in a camera and/or can be used to set the camera focus distance, e.g., the distance between the camera and an object which will appear in focus when the objects picture is taken by the camera. A depth map is generated for an image area, e.g., an area corresponding to an image which is captured by the camera. Based on said depth map, in various exemplary embodiments, a visual indication of which portions of an image captured by the camera device are in focus is generated. A user may indicate a change in the desired focus distance by touching a portion of the screen corresponding to an object at the desired focus distance or by varying a slider or other focus distance control. |
| US09554030B2 |
Mobile device image acquisition using objects of interest recognition
An approach is provided for acquiring images with camera-enabled mobile devices using objects of interest recognition. A mobile device is configured to acquire an image represented by image data and process the image data to identify a plurality of candidate objects of interest in the image. The plurality of candidate objects of interest may be identified based upon a plurality of low level features or “cues” in the image data. Example cues include, without limitation, color contrast, edge density and superpixel straddling. A particular candidate object of interest is selected from the plurality of candidate objects of interest and a graphical symbol is displayed on a screen of the mobile device to identify the particular candidate object of interest. The particular candidate object of interest may be located anywhere on the image. Passive auto focusing is performed at the location of the particular candidate object of interest. |
| US09554029B2 |
Imaging apparatus and focus control method
There is provided an imaging apparatus including a first focus detection unit that has a plurality of first focus detection areas in a photographed screen, and detects a first defocusing amount in the first focus detection areas, a second focus detection unit that has a plurality of second focus detection areas in a photographed screen, and detects a second defocusing amount in the second focus detection areas, a defocusing amount selection unit that selects which of the first defocusing amount detected by the first focus detection unit and the second defocusing amount detected by the second focus detection unit is used, and a focus control unit that performs focus control by moving a focus lens on the basis of the defocusing amount selected by the defocusing amount selection unit. |
| US09554027B2 |
Electronic system for processing multimedia information
An electronic system includes a first electronic apparatus and a second electronic apparatus. The first electronic apparatus includes a first low-energy communication unit, a camera unit and a first control unit. The camera unit is configured for capturing multimedia files. The first control unit is configured for generating a plurality of metadata related to the multimedia files respectively. The second electronic apparatus includes a second low-energy communication unit and a second control unit. The second low-energy communication unit is configured for establishing a first wireless connection with the first low-energy communication unit, and receiving the metadata related to each of the multimedia files without receiving original contents of the multimedia files. The second control unit is coupled with the second low-energy communication unit. The second control unit is configured for classifying the metadata into at least one group. |
| US09554014B2 |
Image processing apparatus for detecting and removing a document wrinkle area in a scanned image
A first document image is scanned from a document in a first orientation, and a second document image is scanned from the document in a second orientation different from the first orientation. A wrinkle area candidate detecting unit rotates the first document image by a rotation angle between the first and second orientations, and detects as a wrinkle area candidate an object in a predetermined density range in the rotated first document image and the second document image. A similarity degree determining unit determines a similarity degree between the wrinkle area candidate of the rotated first document image and the corresponding wrinkle area candidate of the second document image. A wrinkle area removing unit removes the wrinkle area candidate as a wrinkle area if the similarity degree falls into a predetermined range. |
| US09554012B2 |
Image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus
A driving device is used in an image reading apparatus, and reciprocates a scanning unit for reading an image on an original. The driving device comprises a pull member, a driving pulley which transmits driving force to the pull member, a following pulley which applies tension to the pull member and a pulley holder having a pulley axis which holds the following pulley rotatably. Then, the pulley axis has a lock pawl capable of locking an upper end portion of the following pulley and canceling engagement with the following pulley by being tilted toward a side of an axial center by elastic deformation. Furthermore, the lock pawl is arranged at a side of a tension acting direction from the pull member to the following pulley except the farthest position from the driving pulley among positions in a circumferential direction of the pulley axis. It is possible to attach and detach the following pulley easily at a time of maintenance or the like. |
| US09554008B2 |
Multifunction peripheral, multifunction peripheral controlling system, and method for controlling multifunction peripheral
A web browser section makes, to a second web server section, a request for acquisition of operation screen data of an application program executed in an information processing device, when an instruction to activate the application program is received. The second web server section transmits the operation screen data of the application program to the web browser section in accordance with and in response to the request for acquisition. The displaying section displays an operation screen in accordance with the operation screen data obtained by the web browser section from the second web server section. |
| US09554007B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method for securing carriage
An image forming apparatus includes a frame in which a carriage configured to reciprocate along a predetermined direction is disposed, and a unit disposed to be openable with respect to the frame. A first engaging portion is formed on the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus is capable of restricting a movement of the carriage at least in the predetermined direction with use of a securing component including a second engaging portion engageable with the first engaging portion. When the securing component is attached to the carriage, and then the unit is closed with the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion engaging with each other, the securing component is sandwiched and fixed between the frame and the unit. |
| US09554003B2 |
Management server and image forming system including the same
A management server includes a communication unit configured to receive job data and transmit the job data to the image forming apparatus so that the image forming apparatus executes the job, and a registering unit. When the communication unit receives the job data containing account information, if it is determined that the account information contained in the job data satisfies the registration condition, the registering unit registers the account information contained in the job data. If it is determined that the registration condition is not satisfied, the registering unit does not register the account information contained in the job data. |
| US09553999B2 |
Method and apparatus for notifying an end user of a messaging event in a multi-user setting
A method and apparatus for notifying an end user of a messaging event in a multi-user setting is disclosed. An apparatus that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in a communication device which includes computer instructions at least for matching a caller identifier associated with a messaging event and entries in a plurality of contact books corresponding to a plurality of users, and identifying a plurality of parties to whom the messaging event is potentially directed based on the matching. Additional embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09553995B2 |
Image processing apparatus, control method thereof, and storage medium
An image processing apparatus registers voice call destination information and data transmission destination information for a destination in association with each other. The image processing apparatus executes a voice call with the destination using the voice call destination information, and executes, after the voice call, data transmission to the destination using the data transmission destination information in accordance with a data transmission instruction input by the user. |
| US09553992B1 |
Automated emergency notification system
An automated notification system for use in a facility, including a telephone system, a controller, a paging system, and a warning system. The warning system includes warning lights, warning speakers, and warning displays. The telephone system includes extension handsets, and the paging system includes paging speakers. The extension handsets, paging speakers, warning speakers, warning lights, and warning displays are distributed throughout the facility. An alert condition may be activated using one of the extension handsets or by an activation device within the facility. Upon detection of an alert condition, the controller actuates the warning system and uses the paging system to provide audible and visual warnings throughout the facility, and provides outgoing notification to emergency personnel through the telephone system. Remote units located in outlying areas around the facility are wirelessly signaled by the control unit to provide appropriate warnings in such locations. |
| US09553991B1 |
User input driven short message service (SMS) applications
At least one inquiry message is received from a user device in the form or a text message, email or other communication message format. The message may be received and processed to identify the content of the inquiry message to determine whether the inquiry message should be transferred to a live agent queue or whether the inquiry message should be responded to with an automated response stored in a database. In the case of the automated message failing to address the user's inquiry or if the automated responses do not appear to be relevant based on the comparison of the message content to automated response content then transmitting the inquiry message to the live agent queue. |
| US09553988B2 |
System and methods for scheduling and optimizing inbound call flow to a call center
A method for providing inbound call reservations to a communication center has steps for monitoring service access points into the communication center by reservation software executing from a machine-readable medium, evaluating communicators and potential communicators, and issuing invitations for reserved communication sessions to qualified communicators and potential communicators, the reserved times coordinated according to data pertaining to predicted communication load and resource availability statistics. |
| US09553987B1 |
Using a speech analytics system to control pre-recorded scripts for debt collection calls
A speech analytics system (“SAS”) monitors speech from a remote party and agent to determine when text-based guidance information (“TBGI”) and a script control icon is to be provided to the agent. The agent may respond to a particular context with certain information, either by verbally informing the remote party or causing a prerecorded script to be played to the remote party. In one embodiment, the SAS monitors the agent's speech to ascertain if an expected speech response is provided by the agent within a first time period. If not, the SAS may cause another TBGI and script control icon to be presented to the agent, and again monitor the agent's speech to ascertain if an expected speech response is provided by the agent within a second time period. If the agent again fails to respond properly, then data may be written indicating a compliance failure. |
| US09553986B2 |
Computer-implemented voice markup language-based server
A computer-implemented method and system for a telephony server to provide services based upon a call from a user. A user communicates with the telephony server over a telephone communication device. The telephony server retrieves a voice application over a computer network from a remote web site and uses it to have a speech-based conversation with the user. The conversation results in obtaining service data from the user. The retrieved voice application performs the requested service based upon the user-provided service data. After the requested service is performed, the voice application and the user service data are removed from the telephony server. |
| US09553985B2 |
Determining and denying call completion based on detection of robocall or unsolicited advertisement
Unwanted calls are detected by determining all calls which are unverified by prior prompting the caller to provide data, such as “press 5 to be connected” or “say ‘proceed’” before being allowed to connect. Once connected, the called party may indicate that the call was/is unwanted and should be disconnected. Then, the call is disconnected from the called party while being maintained with the switch. The call is also recorded in embodiments of the disclosed technology, with the audio therefrom, or audio signature, being used to detect future unwanted calls. The detection of future unwanted calls may further be modified or determined based on association of called parties to each other, which, additionally, may be used to change the threshold of closeness of audio signatures between calls. |
| US09553973B2 |
Apparatus and method for disclosing privacy conditions between communication devices
An apparatus and a method is provided for detecting a privacy condition in a communication device and disclosing the privacy condition to a second communication device. A privacy condition is detecting in the communication device, wherein the privacy condition is a condition that can affect the privacy of a call. The privacy condition can be the enablement of a speakerphone, the detection of a non-private environment, or the detection of a nearby electronic signal. Thereafter, during an active call, a notice of the privacy condition is sent to the second communication device. A privacy condition can be displayed in response to receiving a privacy condition message from the second communication device. |
| US09553972B2 |
Method and system for reproducing contents, and computer-readable recording medium thereof
A content reproducing method and system for performing seamless playback of contents between devices is provided. The contents reproducing system includes a portable device which, when a short distance communication with a remote control which is configured to control an electronic device occurs during reproducing of contents, generates data required by the electronic device for reproducing the contents that are being reproduced, and which transmits the generated data to the remote control; the remote control which receives the data from the portable device and which transmits the received data to the electronic device, in conjunction with the occurrence of the short distance communication with the portable device; and the electronic device for receiving the contents from a contents provider and reproducing the contents. |
| US09553968B2 |
Method and device for recording information
A method for a mobile terminal to record information, including: detecting an acceleration of the mobile terminal; determining whether the detected acceleration is higher than or equal to a preset acceleration threshold; and initiating a recording function of the mobile terminal to record information if it is determined that the detected acceleration is higher than or equal to the preset acceleration threshold. |
| US09553967B2 |
Stateful integration of a vehicle information system user interface with mobile device operations
A method, device, and vehicle information system are provided for persisting application context from the vehicle information system to the mobile device. The mobile device provides access to at least one application executing on the mobile device to the vehicle information system. On termination of that access, an operating context is determined for each of the mobile device applications where possible. In some cases, where application context is persisted from one system or device to the other, the current data is presented in accordance with a transport modality associated with the other device or system. |
| US09553964B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing event of portable device having flexible display unit
A portable terminal is provided having a front surface and a curved side surface in which the portable terminal is operated in a general mode in which an application is displayed on a main display area of the front surface, and in response to the occurrence of the event while in the general mode, the display is controlled to display event information related to the event on an auxiliary display area of the curved side surface and display the application on the main display area. |
| US09553963B2 |
Wrist phone
A telecommunication device includes a casing, smart phone components disposed within the casing, two opposed flexible wrist grips having upper and lower surfaces, and a flexible screen disposed on the lower surfaces of the casing and the opposed flexible wrist grips and in communication with the smart phone components. |
| US09553959B2 |
Customized hardware selection for a mobile phone
A mobile device includes a shell; a first replaceable hardware component received within the shell; and a second replaceable hardware component received within the shell, the second replaceable hardware component configured to receive a wireless power signal from a remote device and convert the power signal into electrical energy usable by the mobile device. |
| US09553954B1 |
Method and apparatus utilizing packet segment compression parameters for compression in a communication system
A method and apparatus for compressing data in a communication system by receiving uncompressed packet at a compressor of the communication system, segmenting the packet into a plurality of packet segments, estimating packet segment compression parameters for each of the plurality of packet segments and compressing the packet segments utilizing one or more of the estimated packet segment compression parameters that are estimated and adjusted based upon the signal characteristics of the uncompressed packet and a desired compression ratio. |
| US09553951B1 |
Semaphores in distributed computing environments
Methods and apparatus for a semaphore mechanism in a distributed computing environment are disclosed. A state manager coordinating accesses to objects from distributed clients implements programmatic interfaces for semaphore operations. A client process submits a permit record directed to a semaphore instance protecting a shared resource. The client process receives a representation of permit records associated with the resource. The permit records provide an indication of an order in which permit requests for the resource were processed. The client process uses the permit records to determine whether it has been granted a permit, and if it determines that the permit has been granted, performs operations on the resource. |
| US09553948B2 |
User interface for managing monitoring profiles
A graphical user interface for a virtualized computing environment that includes a plurality of host computers, each having one or more virtual machines running therein, where the virtualized computing environment is configured with one or more monitoring profiles for monitoring a status of objects included in the virtualized computing environment, where the graphical user interface includes a first section and a second section. The first section organizes the one or more monitoring profiles, where each monitoring profile includes one or more rules and each rule corresponds to an action that is performed if the rule is violated. The second section organizes a first set of rules associated with a selected monitoring profile and corresponding actions associated with each rule in the first set of rules. |
| US09553946B2 |
Systems and methods for caching augmented reality target data at user devices
Systems and methods are disclosed for transmitting, to user devices, data for potential targets predicted to be identified in an augmented reality application. One method includes receiving a request for target data related to at least one physical object within an image of a real-world environment captured at the device; identifying a current target representing the physical object within a virtual environment corresponding to the real-world environment; determining at least one potential future target to be identified at the device based on identified coincident target requests; and sending to the device target data for each of the current and potential future targets based on the determination, wherein the device presents the target data for the current target within the virtual environment displayed at the device and store the target data for the potential future target in a local memory of the device. |
| US09553942B2 |
Method and apparatus for a keep-alive push agent
Various methods for application costing to provide decision making for service provisioning are provided. One example method may comprise connecting to a web based portal environment system. The method may further comprise establishing a hypertext transfer protocol keep-alive connection with the web based portal environment system. The method may further comprise receiving a push command via the hypertext transfer protocol keep-alive connection. The method may additionally comprise executing the push command. Similar and related example methods, example apparatuses, and example computer program products are also provided. |
| US09553941B2 |
Enabling proximity operations with long-range wireless communication interfaces
Systems and methods for enabling proximity operations with long-range wireless communication interfaces are described. In an illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, a method may include transmitting a plurality of data packets using a WiFi interface of a first device, where each data packet has a signal strength following a predetermined pattern; and receiving an indication, via the WiFi interface, of whether the predetermined pattern has been identified by a second device. |
| US09553940B2 |
System and method for controlling SIP-specific event notification according to preference of subscriber
Disclosed is a system and method for controlling Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)-specific event notification corresponding to an event subscription according to a preference of a subscriber. The system includes the subscriber requesting an event subscription through an event notification controller; a subscription target for notifying the subscriber of the event through the event notification controller in response to the event subscription request; and the event notification controller for controlling whether the event notification is forwarded to the subscriber according to the preference rules of the subscriber on event notifications. Accordingly, the event notifications to the subscriber can be effectively controlled according to the preference rules of the subscriber on event notifications, and it is possible to prevent the generation of unnecessary event notification that the subscriber does not desire. |
| US09553939B2 |
Presenting additional content items to a social networking system user based on receiving an indication of boredom
A social networking system presents content items to a user and determines if the user has less than at threshold level of interest in the presented content items based on one or more user interactions with the presented content items. For example, the social networking system determines the user has less than the threshold level of interest in the presented content items if at threshold number of requests for content are received within a time interval. If the user has less than the threshold level of interest in the presented content items, the social networking system identifies additional content items to present to the user, and may also identify content items previously presented to the user. Content is selected form the additional content items or from the previously presented content items and presented to the user. |
| US09553934B2 |
Setting cookies across applications
Systems and methods for setting cookies across applications on a device include receiving a first cookie indicating authorization of a first application on the device to use an online account. A second cookie indicating that the first application is authorized to use the online account may be set in a second application on the device. |
| US09553928B2 |
Data sharing method and data processing system
A data sharing method includes detecting by a first data processing apparatus that is among multiple data processing apparatuses that share data, any one among a shortage of available memory, a change in remaining battery power, a change in a relative positional distance of the first data processing apparatus to a second data processing apparatus that is among the data processing apparatuses, a change in a communication speed of communication with the second data processing apparatus, and an interruption of communication with the second data processing apparatus; and transmitting by the first data processing apparatus to a third data processing apparatus that is among the data processing apparatuses, a shared portion of the data saved in the first data processing apparatus. |
| US09553927B2 |
Synchronizing multiple transmissions of content
The disclosure relates generally to providing synchronized supplemental content. In one aspect, second user devices may be used to consume supplemental content associated with primary content presented on a first display. The supplemental content may be synchronized with the primary content. Such synchronization may be performed by detecting and reporting triggers within the primary content and transmitting synchronization signals to appropriate second user devices. Another aspect of the disclosure relates to determining which interfaces or applications will report the triggers, and fine-tuning how many interfaces or applications will report the triggers. |
| US09553925B2 |
Front-end high availability proxy
In particular embodiments, a method includes receiving a first connection from a client and assigning the client a unique socket. The method further includes selecting, from a plurality of execution hosts, a first execution host for the first connection based at least in part on load-balancing information associated with the execution hosts. Each execution host includes a unique general client engine. The method further includes launching a first transcoding remote desktop client instance at the first execution host in association with the general client engine of the first execution host. The method further includes receiving a second connection from the client, the second connection being associated with the unique socket of the first connection, launching a second transcoding remote desktop client instance at the first execution host in association with the general client engine of the first execution host, and updating the load-balancing information. |
| US09553923B2 |
Methods and apparatus for pixel encoded web page
The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for unobtrusively determining previous actions and information associated with a user via an RGB string and generating web page content based upon previous actions and stored information. |
| US09553921B2 |
Method for downloading content from a server onto a recording medium as well as recording medium being suitable therefor
A method for transferring content from a server (2) onto a recording medium (14), said server (2) being accessible via a communication network (4), comprises the following steps: a) connecting said recording medium (14) to a networkable device (3), b) establishing a connection between the networkable device (3) and said server (2) via said communication network (4), and c) transferring content from said server (2) onto said recording medium (14) via said networkable device (3), wherein at least one of steps b) and c) is managed by an application which is provided on said recording medium (14) and which is activated or is activatable after said recording medium (14) has been connected to said networkable device (3). |
| US09553919B2 |
Techniques for sharing application states
Techniques for sharing application states are disclosed. According to one aspect of the disclosure, the techniques include receiving a web resource identifier indicating a web address of a web server hosting a web application and including one or more parameters indicating a state of the web application. The techniques also include obtaining an instruction set for generating an application resource identifier, the instruction set being obtained based on a first portion of the web resource identifier. The techniques further include determining one or more parameter values based on the web resource identifier and the instruction set, and generating an application resource identifier based on the instruction set and the one or more parameter values, the application resource identifier being indicative of the state accessed via a native application. |
| US09553914B2 |
Replicating data
The present invention concerns the replication of data, in particular the replication of data in a peer-to-peer network of mobile devices. Each device stores a plurality of data items. When two devices come into range, a decision as to whether to replicate a data item is made in dependence the extent to which that data item has been requested by other devices, and (b) the extent to which that data item is replicated on other devices. In this way, both the demand and supply of a data item are taken into account. |
| US09553913B2 |
Seamless video pipeline transition between WiFi and cellular connections for real-time applications on mobile devices
Performing a real-time application on a mobile device, involving communication of audio/video packets with a remote device. The mobile device may initially communicate the audio/video packets on a first communication channel with the remote device. During the real-time communication, the mobile device may determine if no packets have been received by the mobile device from the remote device for a first threshold period of time. If no packets have been received by the mobile device from the remote device for the first threshold period of time, the mobile device may establish a second communication channel for transmission of the audio/video packets with the remote device. In response to using the second communication channel, the mobile device may modify a resolution or bit rate of the audio/video packets transmitted to the remote device. |
| US09553911B1 |
System, method and computer readable medium for managing program switch requests
A method, system and computer readable medium for managing program switch requests, the method includes: (i) receiving a request from a first user device to switch from a current program to a next program; wherein the first user device filters the current program by using a first user device set of packet identifiers; (ii) associating the first user device set of packet identifiers with multiple streams of the next program; and (iii) transmitting to the user device the multiple streams of the next program; wherein these multiple streams are associated with the first user device set of packet identifiers. |
| US09553904B2 |
Automatic pre-processing of moderation tasks for moderator-assisted generation of video clips
A method includes defining multiple moderation tasks, which originate from respective textual articles that are to be automatically converted into respective video clips following moderation by human moderators. The moderation tasks are pre-processed, so as to predict success measures of the corresponding video clips. Delivery of the moderation tasks to the human moderators is prioritized based on the predicted success measures. |
| US09553898B2 |
Gateway based and centric network management and coordination
Gateway based and centric network management and coordination. Coordination and management of delivery of a source sequence, that has possibly undergone adaptive bit rate (ABR) encoding upstream to generate a number of respective fragments that may have different respective bit rates associated therewith, to one or more downstream, user, or client devices is achieved via appropriate communication network management and coordination performed by one or more communication devices within the system. In one instance, a home gateway communication device operates to perform such coordination management of a convergent network or convergent digital home network (CDHN). Consideration of any one or more local and/or remote conditions, parameters, etc. may be employed by such an application to ensure effective delivery of a source sequence to one or more client devices. |
| US09553892B2 |
Selective modification of encrypted application layer data in a transparent security gateway
According to one embodiment, a transparent security gateway is coupled between a client end station (CES) and a web application server (WAS). The security gateway monitors an encryption protocol handshake between the CES and the WAS to capture, using a provided private key of the WAS, a generated symmetric key to be used for an encryption layer connection. Using the captured symmetric key, the security gateway receives an encrypted connection record of the encryption layer connection, decrypts the encrypted connection record to yield a plaintext connection record, modifies the plaintext connection record, encrypts the modified plaintext connection record using the symmetric key, and transmits one or more packets carrying the encrypted modification plaintext connection record instead of the received encrypted connection record such that neither the CES or WAS is aware of the modification of the encrypted data. |
| US09553889B1 |
System and method of detecting malicious files on mobile devices
Disclosed are system, method and computer program product for detecting malicious files on mobile devices. An example method includes: analyzing a file to identify classes and methods contained in said classes; identifying a bytecode array for each identified method; determining instructions contained in each method by identifying a corresponding operation code from the bytecode array of each method; dividing the determined instructions for each method into a plurality of groups based on similarity of functionality among said instructions; forming a vector for each method on the basis of the results of the division of the instructions into the plurality of groups; comparing the formed vectors with a plurality of vectors of known malicious files to determine a degree of similarity between the compared vectors; and determining whether the analyzed file is malicious or clean based on the degree of similarity between the compared vectors. |
| US09553883B2 |
Method and an apparatus to perform multiple packet payloads analysis
A method and an apparatus to perform multiple packet payload analysis have been disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a plurality of data packets, each of the plurality of data packets containing a portion of a data pattern, determining whether each of the plurality of data packets is out of order, and making and storing a local copy of the corresponding data packet if the corresponding data packet is out of order. Other embodiments have been claimed and described. |
| US09553882B2 |
Correlation of advertising content to malicious software
Technologies are generally described for systems, methods and devices effective to analyze a file. In some examples, a processor may receive the file. The file may include content and instructions. The content may include data executable by a browser. The processor may analyze the instructions. The processor may identify an internet protocol (IP) address in the instructions based on the analysis. The processor may compare the identified IP address with a list of IP addresses associated with an attack. The processor may generate an alert based on the comparison. |
| US09553880B2 |
Subscription media on demand VII
An electronic media distribution/play system includes a service facility that has a communications network interface and maintains a data file catalog. The catalog is sent over the network to requesting users, and the system processes payments from customers in establishing file access authorizations. Encrypted user-selected files and a player program are transmitted to each customer for metered access to received data files as limited by the authorization, and customers can make additional selections and play the encrypted files freely while the authorization remains established. The system can transmit the data files from local storage, and also provide links to encrypted files that are stored at remote vendor facilities. Authorizations can be for selected portions or class levels of the catalog, and for terms measured as calendar time, play time, and collective number of plays. Also disclosed is a method for facilitating the distribution and accessing of electronic files. |
| US09553879B2 |
Method and apparatus to represent and use rights for content/media adaptation/transformation
The invention provides a method and apparatus for providing content in a network having a network proxy arranged between a mobile terminal and a content provider. The method features a step of adapting or transforming the content in the network proxy based on one or more digital rights issued by the owner of the content. The network proxy includes an adaption policy module that receives the digital rights and provides an adaption policy; and an adaption engine module that receives the adaption policy and the content from the content provider, and provides adapted content to the terminal. In operation, the network proxy uses the digital rights to determine an optimal adaptation policy and then uses that to transform the content. |
| US09553875B2 |
Managing user access in a communications network
A method of operating a node for performing handover between access networks wherein a user has authenticated for network access in a first access network. The method comprises receiving from a home network a first session key and a temporary identifier allocated to the user for the duration of a communication session. The identifier is mapped to the first session key, and the mapped identifier and key are stored at the node. A second session key is derived from the first session key and the second session key is sent to an access network, and the identifier sent to a user terminal. When the user subsequently moves to a second access network, the node receives the identifier from the user terminal. The node then retrieves the first session key mapped to the received identifier, derives a third session key and sends the third session key to the second access network. |
| US09553873B2 |
Conducting sessions with captured image data of physical activity and uploading using token-verifiable proxy uploader
A token-verifiable proxy uploader is disclosed. A token request may be transmitted from an end-user communication device for requesting an upload token from a hosted services server that is configured to authorize transmission of a first media file to a hosted proxy server. The upload token may be transmitted to the end-user communication device. Validation of the user of the end-user communication device may be conducted without the end-user device providing any credentials to the media sharing site and in which the end-user device is does not transmit any credentials specific to the media sharing site as part of the validation. The token validation call may be in response to the hosted proxy server receiving the upload token and either: (1) the first media file from the end-user communication device; or (2) a request from the end-user communication device to upload the first media file to the hosted proxy server. |
| US09553871B2 |
Clock synchronized dynamic password security label validity real-time authentication system and method thereof
This invention discloses a clock synchronized dynamic password security label validity real-time authentication system and method thereof, which comprises, the electronic label module, the user authentication terminal module, and the authentication service module. The electronic label module is used for generating the dynamic password data and displaying. The user authentication terminal module captures the dynamic password data generated by the electronic label module and the image data of the ID number of the electronic label module. After the analyzing processing, the text data is obtained, and then is sent to the authentication service module through the Internet. After receiving the text data, the authentication service module obtains the result of whether the first dynamic password data generating algorithm of the electronic label module is consistent with the second dynamic password data generating algorithm of the authentication service module. The result is returned to the user authentication terminal module. |
| US09553869B2 |
Method for initializing a memory area that is associated with a smart meter
A method for initializing a memory area associated with a smart meter, establishing a first communication channel between a first computer system and a security module, the security module being associated with a memory area, and the first computer system being associated with a set of computer systems interconnected via a network; authenticating the first computer system with respect to the security module; once the first computer system has been successfully authenticated, the security module receiving data from the first computer system by secure transmission and storage of the data in the memory area in order to initialize the memory area, communication between a second computer system of a utility company and/or operator of the measuring system and the security module being only possible while bypassing the first computer system, owing to the stored data, the second computer system being a computer system of the set of computer systems. |
| US09553866B2 |
Method and apparatus of providing messaging service and callback feature to mobile stations
Disclosed are an apparatus and method of performing automated administrative operations on a mobile device. One example method may include determining via a hosted server that an action needs to be performed by a mobile device under management. The method may further include generating a message via the hosted server, the message includes the action, and transmitting the message to the mobile device under management, and receiving a result message from the mobile device under management responsive to the transmitted message, the result message indicating that the action has been satisfied. |
| US09553865B2 |
Protecting websites from cross-site scripting
Methods and systems for protecting websites from cross-site scripting are disclosed. A request for a web page comprising a web page element is received from a client. It is determined if the web page comprises a data integrity token for the web page element. It is also determined if a value of the data integrity token matches an expected value. If the web page comprises the data integrity token and if the value matches the expected value, the web page comprising the web page element is sent to the client. If the web page does not comprise the data integrity token or if the value does not match the expected value, a protective operation is performed. |
| US09553864B2 |
Dual code authentication system
A verification method and system are disclosed that verify a user. The user is provided a verification code via, for example, a website, to be communicated to the system via an application on a mobile communication device. If the correct verification code is communicated by the user, the user receives via the application a verification message containing another verification code, which the user submits to a website or on-line form or to another verification system for authentication. |
| US09553861B1 |
Systems and methods for managing access to services provided by wireline service providers
A computer-implemented method for managing access to services provided by wireline service providers may include (1) receiving at least one request from a subscriber device to authorize access to at least one service, (2) authenticating the subscriber device with an access gateway of a wireline service provider based at least in part on the request, (3) generating a unique session identifier that uniquely identifies the subscriber device during a service-access session, (4) delivering the unique session identifier to a management server of the wireline service provider to enable the management server to authenticate the subscriber device with at least one network device that provides the service based at least in part on the unique session identifier, and then (5) facilitating access by the subscriber device to the service provided by the network device during the service-access session. Various other systems, methods, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US09553856B2 |
Secure session capability using public-key cryptography without access to the private key
A server establishes a secure session with a client device where a private key used in the handshake when establishing the secure session is stored in a different server. During the handshake procedure, the server receives a premaster secret that has been encrypted using a public key bound with a domain for which the client device is attempting to establish a secure session with. The server transmits the encrypted premaster secret to another server for decryption. The server receives the decrypted premaster secret and continues with the handshake procedure including generating a master secret from the decrypted premaster secret and generating one or more session keys that are used in the secure session for encrypting and decrypting communication between the client device and the server. |
| US09553853B2 |
Techniques for load balancing in a packet distribution system
Various embodiments are generally directed to techniques to distribute encrypted packets among multiple cores in a load-balanced manner for further processing. An apparatus may include a processor component; a decryption component to decrypt an encrypted packet to generate a decrypted packet from the encrypted packet, the encrypted packet comprising a header that comprises at least one field of information; a hash component to generate a header hash from the at least one field of information during decryption of at least a portion of the encrypted packet by the decryption component, the header hash comprising a smaller quantity of bits than the at least one field of information; and a distribution component to select a first core of multiple cores coupled to the processor component based on the header hash and to transmit the decrypted packet to the first core from the processor component. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09553851B2 |
Methods and apparatuses to track information using call signaling messages
Methods and systems to facilitate real time communications via a telephonic apparatuses that support data communications. In one embodiment, a telephonic apparatus includes: a network interface to submit a query over a data communication network and to receive a listing with embedded information about the query; and a call module coupled to the network interface, the call module to embed the information about the query in a call signaling message for a telephonic connection according to the listing. |
| US09553844B2 |
DNS application server
A method for providing access to an Internet resource includes receiving a DNS query including a hostname to be resolved, receiving status data, invoking a code by a name indicated by the hostname, conveying the status data to the code, receiving from the code a selection of an infrastructure, and generating a DNS response directing a resolution to the infrastructure. |
| US09553842B1 |
Method and apparatus of processing social networking-based user input information
A method and apparatus of processing communications with end users are disclosed. One example method may include detecting a message or post on a website over the Internet that matches a monitoring company's keywords or rules and processing the message by parsing the message and performing a natural language interpretation of the message and processing the parsed message to determine the user's topic of interest. In response, the method may further provide generating a response to the message based on the user's requested objective and sending the response to the user acknowledging the user's topic of interest. Live agents may be notified to check the status of a message and continually override automated message responses to ensure the integrity of the responses. |
| US09553839B2 |
Method and arrangement for obtaining an electronic mail service
The a user interface (UI) residing in a mobile environment, which has a possibility of indicating after reading each message whether or not the message is divergent from the normal/general level as to the importance of the message. Advantageously, the user does not need to do the indication every time when reading the mail. In the interface, after a given mail has been read (or a part of the given mail has been read), there occurs a possibility to choose between two alternatives: interesting or non-interesting. Advantageously, there is not required other extra work from the user. Gradually, a mail agent collects information about what kind of mail the user prefers and does not prefer. The result will be a prearranged list by preference in the incoming mail. Any mail similar to the ones previously indicated as important will appear first to the user. The applied algorithm in the methods and systems is based on statistical analysis of the linguistic contents of the mail. |
| US09553837B2 |
Time-managed electronic mail messages
Systems, method sand computer program products for facilitating the automatic deletion of received emails after a user-selectable time period has elapsed are disclosed. In various embodiments, email messages contain a header field referred to as an “Expiration Time” header field that dictates the length of time the email will reside in a designated Inbox prior to its automatic deletion by an email server. The server is able to automatically delete the received email as long as the email is residing in a folder that is synched to the server. A user receiving the email has access to the Expiration Time Header field and can modify its value if desired and allowed by the sender. The user can move the retrieved email to a folder that is not synched to the server, thus preventing the email from being automatically deleted by the server. |
| US09553836B2 |
Systems and methods for processing emails
An e-mail processing system includes: a non-persistent or random memory storing a message queue map having a plurality of message queues, an input handler, and an output handler. Each message queue includes a plurality of data nodes, and each data node represents one message intended for delivery to a respective domain. The input handler comprises instructions for: (i) obtaining an incoming first e-mail, (ii) digesting the incoming first e-mail into a first data node representing the incoming first e-mail, and (iii) analyzing the first data node to determine a first message queue in the number of message queues based at least on the destination domain of the first data node, and (iv) appending the first data node to the plurality of data nodes in the first message queue. The output handler processes a data node in a message queue in the message queue map to send e-mail to an intended recipient. |
| US09553834B2 |
Electronic messaging system involving adaptive content
An electronic messaging system is provided to generate and send electronic messages that contain adaptive content to customize the electronic messages for each recipient. The system operates to receive an adaptive content asset and a content rule, select a set of adaptive content elements from the adaptive content asset based upon the content rule, and send a content locator to an author computing device to permit the author computing device to include the content locator in the electronic message and send the electronic message to a recipient computing device. |
| US09553824B2 |
Time synchronized resource reservation over packet switched networks
A method is intended for scheduling reservations of resources in a packet-switched communication network comprising end-nodes (H1-H3) and core network switches (S1-S2). This method comprises the steps of: including a time information to each request, issued by an end-node (H1) and forwarded by at least one core network switch (S1), and requesting a resource reservation for receiving a stream defined by specifications at a time which is represented by this time information, and storing the time information, which is included into each forwarded end-node request in correspondence with the associated stream specifications, into at least one related database managed by a core network switch (S1) which participates to the request forwarding. |
| US09553819B2 |
Systems and methods for timing adjustment of metadata paths in a network switch under timing constraints
A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to support automatic timing adjustment of a plurality of paths carrying metadata of incoming data packets in a network switch to meet their respective timing constraints. First, the paths for transmitting different pieces of metadata of incoming packets are identified in the network switch. Once the metadata paths are identified, the proposed approach identifies the timing constraints that the metadata paths need to satisfy in order for the network switch to function properly. The proposed approach then calculates the current delays of the metadata paths and determines optimal timing values of each of the metadata paths in order to meet the timing constraints. The optimal timing values of the metadata paths are then compared to the current delays of the metadata paths to identify the paths which current delay values need to be adjusted. These identified metadata paths are then adjusted accordingly to meet the timing constraints at the minimum cost in terms of additional areas taken by devices and interconnect wires need to be included in the layout of the network switch. |
| US09553815B2 |
Remote communication system, server apparatus, remote communication method, and program
A server apparatus recognizes start of a voice call including the first terminal based on an operation signal received from the first terminal. The server apparatus allows a packet storing voice data to go through to the first terminal when the packet is received from a second terminal connected via the network in a case where start of the voice call is recognized. The server apparatus estimates a bandwidth of the network based on a first response packet sent from the first terminal in response to a packet sent to the first terminal, calculates a bit rate of the voice call according to the estimated bandwidth, and notifies the first terminal of the calculated bit rate. The first terminal switches a bit rate of the voice call according to the notified bit rate. |
| US09553806B2 |
Method and system for supporting port ranging in a software-defined networking (SDN) system
In one embodiment, a packet is processed by three flow tables in a network device of a software-defined networking (SDN) system. In the first flow table, upon finding a match based at least partially on an IP address value of the packet, the network device adds a first identifier based on the IP address value to metadata of the packet and forwards the packet to a second flow table, where upon finding a match based at least partially on a port value of the packet, the network device adds a second identifier based on the port value to the metadata and forwards the packet to a third flow table. At the third flow table, upon finding a match based at least partially on a combination of the first and second identifiers, the network device performs one set of instructions of the matching entry on the packet. |
| US09553805B2 |
Method, device, and system for quickly informing CGN exception
A method applicable to a commonest application scenario, the method includes: an AR receives a first packet sent in a unicast manner by a CGN. The first packet includes information for indicating Restart announce, the first packet's source address is the CGN's address, and the first packet's destination address is the AR's address; AR changes the first packet's destination address to an address of a CPE connected to the AR, to obtain a second packet, where the AR and the CPE are connected by using a Layer 2 network, and the CPE's address is a multicast address; and the AR sends the second packet. The method is used for quickly informing, after the CGN restarts or undergoes an active/standby switchover, the CPE that an exception occurs, for example, the CGN restarts or undergoes an active/standby switchover, so that a CGN has relatively small load when recreating NAT mapping. |
| US09553800B2 |
Reducing flooding of link state information
The present disclosure describes reducing flooding of link state information of a link state protocol in a network with multiple routers. A filtering strategy is pre-configured on a router interface for filtering link state information generated by a first router. The filtering strategy is to enable link state database (LSDB) isolation between a second router associated with the router interface and the first router. Link state information generated by the first router is received or sent according to the pre-configured filtering strategy via the router interface. |
| US09553797B2 |
Message path selection within a network
Embodiments relate to path selection for packet transfer in a network. An aspect includes a method of selecting a path among a plurality of paths in a network for transfer of a packet from a first system to a second system in the network. The method includes storing, in a memory device, a static path performance vector indicating a tier among a plurality of tiers corresponding with each of the plurality of paths, each of the plurality of tiers corresponding with a relative performance level. The method also includes maintaining a path availability bit vector indicating an availability of each of the plurality of paths, and selecting, using a processor, the path among the plurality of paths based on the path performance vector and the path availability bit vector. |
| US09553796B2 |
Cycle-free multi-topology routing
In one embodiment, a node in a shared-media communication network may determine a first directed acyclic graph (DAG) topology, wherein the first DAG topology has a particular direction. The node may determine a second DAG topology in the shared-media communication network based on the first DAG topology. The second DAG topology may share the particular direction of the first DAG topology, to prevent loops between the first and the second DAG topologies. |
| US09553795B2 |
Port switching method, analysis device, and recording medium
A port switching method performed by a processor included in an analysis device coupled to a first port and a second port which are included in at least one of a plurality of switches, the port switching method includes receiving a first copy packet from the first port; determining whether the first copy packet succeeded a second copy packet based on sequence information of the first copy packet, and based on sequence information of a second copy packet received before the receiving; specifying a target port outputted the first copy packet to the first port, the target port being included in a target switch among the plurality of switches when it is determined that the first copy packet did not succeed the second copy packet; and causing the target switch to transmit, from the target port, a third copy packet generated at the target switch to the second port. |
| US09553793B2 |
Single source shortest path resolution
Techniques for resolving single source shortest path for database processing are provided. Graph data for nodes having weights for edges of a database network are iterated producing a new message table and results table in each iteration. The results table stores the minimum path weight. For each iteration the graph data and message table are joined to produce a state of a node and outgoing edge messages. The message table and results table are co-grouped to generate a new message for a next node to process. When done the single source shortest path for the network is produced. |
| US09553791B2 |
Virtualization of control plane network elements
A system includes a first regional network including a first network element; a second regional network including a virtualized control plane network element, the virtualized control plane network element supporting a routing protocol at the first regional network, the routing protocol employing a location-based cost model; and a network connection connecting the virtualized control plane network element to the first regional network, the network connection having a network connection cost, the network connection cost applied in the location-based cost model to support the routing protocol at the first regional network. |
| US09553780B1 |
Bi-directional real-time data connection troubleshooting
A method of troubleshooting a communication service, a troubleshooting tool, and a system are disclosed. Each involves bi-lateral testing of a customer premise equipment in a customer network and a communication service provider router in a communication service provider network. Bi-directional information generated in the bi-lateral testing is stored in a datastore for later retrieval in troubleshooting the customer premise equipment and communication service provider router. User interaction is also stored in the datastore to track customer behavior which can be used alone or in combination with the bi-directional information to monitor performance and/or troubleshoot the customer premise equipment and communication service provider router. |
| US09553776B2 |
System and method for accessing operating system and hypervisors via a service processor of a server
The present disclosure relates to a server that makes use of a host central processing unit (CPU) which accesses a production network to enable communications with a remotely located subsystem using the production network. A USB host system may be operably associated with the host CPU. A service processor may also be incorporated in the server, which is configured to communicate with an out of band network. A service processor USB system may be operably associated with the service processor and may communicate with the USB host system. This enables access to either an operating system or a hypervisor running on the host CPU via the out of band network, using an Ethernet-over-USB protocol. |
| US09553774B2 |
Cost tracking for virtual control planes
Control planes of virtual resource providers may be customized in a secure, stable and efficient manner with virtual control planes. Control planes may be modularized. Control plane modules may be supplied with data from standardized sensors, and required to generate standardized resource configuration requests responsive to solicitations with specified response latencies. Custom control plane modules may be selected to replace or complement default control plane modules. Financial and computational costs associated with control plane modules may be tracked. Competing resource configurations may be mediated by a control plane supervisor. Such mediation may be based on control plane module reputation scores. Reputation scores may be based on customer feedback ratings and/or measured performance with respect to module goals. Mediated configuration parameter values may be based on a combination of competing configuration parameter values weighted according to reputation. Contribution of individual modules to goal achievement may be tracked and rewarded accordingly. |
| US09553771B1 |
Bloom filter index for device discovery
Implementing a Bloom filter index as a hierarchical data structure. Bloom filters are received and their bit vectors are decomposed into successive bit sequences. For each bit sequence except the last one, memory for at least storing a pointer to a memory location on the next level is allocated on the level corresponding to the bit sequence. The pointer storage is labeled by the value of the next bit sequence. A pointer to the allocated memory is stored in the pointer storage on the previous level that was labeled by the binary value of the current bit sequence. For the last bit sequence, memory for storing Bloom filters is allocated on the last level. A pointer to the allocated memory is stored in the pointer storage on the second-to-last level that was labeled by the value of the last bit sequence. The Bloom filter is stored in the allocated memory. |
| US09553759B2 |
Network system, node device group, and sensor device group
A network system has a computer device, and a plurality of node devices communicatively connected to the computer device via network with one or more sensor devices allowed to be connected to each of the plurality of node devices via wireless communication. Each of the node devices obtains sensor data from the sensor device which is connected to the node device itself via the wireless communication and saves the sensor data in a sensor data storage section incorporated in the node device itself. The computer device specifies and requests via the network sensor data that any one or more of the one or more sensor devices obtained, and obtains via the network the specified sensor data from the node device which has saved the specified sensor data in the sensor data storage section among the plurality of node devices. |
| US09553757B1 |
Substitution of requests or results in access control systems
Approaches are described for allowing an access control policy to specify that a substitute operation be executed when a request for access matches certain conditions specified in the access control policy (e.g., when the identity of the requestor matches a specified identity in the policy). For example, the access control may specify that a substitute result should be provided to a requestor in response to a request for access or a substitute request should be executed instead of executing the received request and the results of the substitute request should be provided to the requestor in response to the request. The substitute result or the result of the substitute request may appear to the requestor as though their original request for access succeeded but the content of the result may be different than what would have been generated if the access control policy allowed the request to proceed. |
| US09553756B2 |
Fingerprint-based inter-destination media synchronization
Methods and systems for inter-destination synchronization in first and second receivers for content parts associated with a play-out timeline are disclosed. First timing information comprising first content part identifiers and associated first clock times may be determined, where the first receiver may receive a first content part identifier comprising first fingerprints for identifying a first content part in a first media stream. Second timing information comprising second content part identifiers and associated second clock times may be determined, where the second receiver may receive a second content part identifier identifying a second content part in a second media stream based on the first and second timing information. A timing difference in processing a content part in the first and second media streams may be calculated. Based on the timing difference, synchronization information for inter destination synchronization between said first and second streams may be generated. |
| US09553755B2 |
Method for implementing and executing communication center routing strategies represented in extensible markup language
A method is provided for supplementing existing interaction routines in a contact center with added capability including acts for (a) creating at least one rule having at least one rule attribute; (b) creating one or more processes, the processes integral to the rule; (c) defining the at least one rule and integral processes as a strategy; and (d) linking the strategy to the interaction routine, the link serving to cause execution of the strategy during an interaction between an entity and the routine, execution thereof promoting further interaction defined in the strategy. |
| US09553754B1 |
Post distortion in satellite communications
A method and apparatus for reducing distortion of satellite signals modulated using amplitude phase shift keying (APSK) are disclosed. A receiver such as a user terminal receives, from a satellite, a signal including APSK-modulated symbols mapped to a constellation including a plurality of points arranged in an inner circle and in an outer circle; determines, based on the received APSK-modulated symbols, a ratio between a radius of the inner circle of the constellation and a radius of the outer circle of the constellation; generates a correction signal based, at least in part, on a comparison between the determined ratio and a reference ratio; compensates for distortion of the received signal based, at least in part, on the correction signal; mixes the correction signal with the received signal to generate a distortion-compensated signal; and de-modulates the distortion-compensated signal to recover data transmitted from the satellite. |
| US09553752B1 |
Method and apparatus for frequency offset detection in OFDM systems with frequency reuse
Estimating and compensating the frequency offset between a transmitter and a receiver is essential for reliable communication in wireless communication systems. Before a client terminal synchronizes with a base station, the initial frequency offset may be high. The frequency offset estimation may need to be performed even without having time synchronization with a base station. In case of cellular systems multiple base stations may be using the same RF channel to transmit their signals. The signals from different base stations may be superimposed at the receiver of the client terminal. A method and apparatus are disclosed for frequency offset estimation in presence of the signals from multiple base stations and with unknown timing of the base station. |
| US09553742B1 |
Method and apparatus for independent rise and fall waveform shaping
Embodiments are directed to apparatuses and methods of waveform equalization. More specifically, various embodiments provide independent rise and fall waveform shaping equalization. There are other embodiments as well. |
| US09553739B1 |
Loop adaptation control with pattern detection
An apparatus for controlling a feedback loop includes a digital finite impulse response filter configured to equalize digital samples to yield equalized data, a data detector circuit configured to detect values of the equalized data to yield detected data, a pattern detection circuit configured to detect at least one pattern in the detected data, an expected value comparison circuit configured to compare the digital samples corresponding to the at least one pattern with an expected value, and a feedback loop adaptation circuit configured to control a feedback loop based in part on whether the at least one pattern is detected by the pattern detection circuit and on an output of the expected value comparison circuit. |
| US09553737B2 |
Modifying backbone service instance identifiers based on an identified flow of associated frames
In one embodiment, backbone service instance identifiers (I-SIDs) of backbone frames are modified based on flow identification of frames encapsulated therein to induce entropy into the headers of the backbone frames. Backbone packet switching devices use the modified service instance identifier to load balance the corresponding frame through the backbone network. At an exit point of the backbone network, the original backbone service instance identifier (I-SID) associated with a frame encapsulated in a backbone frame is recovered from the modified service instance identifier, with this recovery typically including determining the flow identification of the frame encapsulated in the backbone frame. |
| US09553733B2 |
Communication devices for providing multimedia broadcast/multicast services
Communication devices and methods thereof are provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises the communication device receiving information from one of a first carrier which indicates a second carrier carries a point-to-multipoint data, and the communication device determining to receive the point-to-multipoint data according to the received information. |
| US09553728B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing end-to-end security for distributed computations
An approach is provided for providing end-to-end security in multi-level distributed computations. A distributed computation security platform determines one or more signatures associated with one or more computation closures of at least one functional flow. The distributed computation security platform also processes and/or facilitates a processing of the one or more signatures to generate at least one supersignature. The distributed computation security platform further determines to associate the at least one supersignature with the at least one functional flow. |
| US09553725B2 |
System and method for authenticating data
Systems and methods for authenticating data and timeliness are disclosed. A method for authentication can comprise processing a data block to determine a first secret element, generating a second secret element based upon the first secret element, generating a non-secret element based upon the second secret element, and comparing the non-secret element to a nonce associated with the first secret element to determine authentication. |
| US09553724B2 |
Car-charging system
The car-charging system can charge only an authenticated car both in a public parking area and at home. The car-charging system is capable of charging a charge-accumulating device in the car to be charged through a power-supplying line from a power source outside the car, and is arranged to authenticate the car by means of communication between an authentication-managing device in a power-supplying device outside the car and a DSRC onboard device in the car. The authentication-managing device and DSRC onboard device each have a DSRC basic application software program implemented thereon. |
| US09553718B2 |
PLL circuit and control method thereof
According to one embodiment, a PLL circuit includes: a phase comparator (13); a pulse width control unit that adjusts a pulse width of comparison results (UP, DN) of the phase comparator (13) and outputs comparison results (UPi, DNi) having a pulse width smaller than that of comparison results (UPp, DNp); a charge pump (14) that outputs a current (Ip) according to the comparison results (UPp, DNp); a charge pump (15) that outputs a current (Ii) according to the comparison results (UPi, DNi); a filter (16) that removes a high-frequency component of a voltage generated based on the current (Ip) and outputs a control voltage (Vp); a filter (17) that outputs, as a control voltage (Vi), a result obtained by integrating the current (Ii); and a voltage control oscillator (18) that generates an oscillating signal having a frequency according to the control voltage (Vp, Vi). |
| US09553717B2 |
Systems and methods for clock and data recovery
Apparatus and method for clock and data recovery are disclosed. A reset circuit counts clock cycles between edges of an input signal and resets a signal processing circuit that performs acquisition and tracking of a data stream when the clock cycle count is outside of a range. The signal processing circuit is further configured to perform acquisition and tracking according to a corrected data rate, which can be generated by data rate adjustment through a phase error correcting control loop and/or dithering between two data rates. |
| US09553716B2 |
Network receiver for a network using distributed clock synchronization and a method of adjusting a frequency of an internal clock of the network receiver
A network receiver for a network using distributed clock synchronization and a method of adjusting a frequency of an internal clock of the network receiver are provided. The network receiver receives from the network an input signal and has an internal clock for generating a clock signal. The network receiver further includes a clock bit comparator and an adjustment signal generator. The clock bit comparator compares lengths of a first time period lapsed while receiving at least five consecutive bits of the signal and of an internal clock time interval representing the same number of bits as a number of bits of the first time period. The adjustment signal generator generates a frequency adjustment signal for controlling a frequency of the internal clock in dependence of a result of the comparison of the lengths to reduce a difference between the lengths. |
| US09553714B2 |
Frequency multiplier for a phase-locked loop
The problem with duty-cycle correction circuits used by conventional frequency doublers is that they typically analog solutions, such as variable delay lines with long chains of inverters or buffers, that directly adjust the reference signal used by a phase-locked loop (PLL). These solutions can considerably increase the noise (e.g., thermal noise and supply noise) of the reference signal, as well as the overall power consumption and cost of the PLL. Rather than directly correct the duty-cycle of the reference signal, the present disclosure is directed to an apparatus and method for measuring the period error between adjacent cycles of a frequency doubled reference signal in terms of cycles of the output signal generated by the PLL (or some other higher frequency signal) and adjusting the division factor of the PLL frequency divider to compensate for the measured period error. |
| US09553712B2 |
Feed-forward canceller
A feed-forward cancellation system includes a transmitting element and a receiving element. The transmitting element is in electrical communication with a transmitting line. The transmitting element is configured output a transmission signal to the transmitting line. The receiving element is in electrical communication with a receiving line. The receiving element is configured to process a response signal that is generated in response to the transmission signal and that is delivered to the receiving line. At least one antenna is configured to transmit the transmission signal, receive the response signal generated based on the transmission signal, and deliver the response signal to the receiving line. The feed-forward cancellation system further includes an electronic cancellation unit configured to generate a cancellation signal based on the transmission signal. The cancellation signal eliminates saturation from at least one of the response signal and the receiving line. |
| US09553706B2 |
Channel estimate under non-uniform reference signal pattern
Reference signals may not uniformly span over time and/or frequency on a resource unit. For example, reference signals may non-uniformly occupy symbols of a subframe. Alternatively, reference signals normally transmitted over certain tones of a subframe may have to be punctured to avoid collisions with a PSS and/or SSS transmitted over the same tones. Consequently, a UE may only be able to use a subset of reference signal tones for performing channel estimation. Accordingly, a method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided for improving channel estimation under a non-uniform signal pattern. The apparatus indicates to a UE to utilize a subset of reference signals to derive a channel estimate for demodulating data in a specific subframe, and transmits a plurality of subframes, the plurality of subframes including the reference signals and the specific subframe, the specific subframe including a PSS and/or SSS. |
| US09553705B2 |
Method and apparatus for allocating feedback transmission resource and method and apparatus for providing information on values thereof
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for allocating feedback transmission resource and a method and apparatus for providing information on values thereof. According to the method of allocating feedback transmission resource, the feedback transmission resource is divided into a plurality of resource units, and the method can comprise receiving information on values of the plurality of resource units for the mobile stations; determining values of possible resource allocation status in each bidding round for the mobile stations from the received information on the values based on the sequential second price auction; and deriving an auction process of the resource units from the determined values of possible resource allocation status in each bidding round based on the sequential second price auction, so as to obtain a final resource unit allocation result for the mobile stations. With embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to improve performance in sum channel capacity and at the same time it can achieve preservation in fairness among MSs. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the feedback transmission resource can be optimized between at least two kinds of feedback information such as channel station information and intercell interference information, which will further improve the system performance. |
| US09553701B2 |
Methods, systems and apparatuses for operation in long-term evolution systems
Methods, systems and apparatuses for operation in long-term evolution (LTE) systems are provided, including a method implemented in a base station. The method may include receiving, from a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) via a first interface, a first message including radio capability information associated with the WTRU, transmitting, to a mobility management entity (MME) via a second interface, a second message including the radio capability information; receiving, from the MME via the second interface, a paging message requesting the WTRU be paged in idle mode, wherein the paging message includes the radio capability information associated with the WTRU; selecting, based on the radio capability information, a set of subframes to use for paging the WTRU in idle mode; and paging the WTRU in idle mode using the selected set of subframes. |
| US09553700B2 |
Communication method for control channel and apparatus
A control channel of a communication method and an apparatus includes at least one timeslot, and the method includes: obtaining, according to a first data symbol sequence to be transmitted in a timeslot and coefficients a(i) and d(i), a second data symbol sequence and a third data symbol sequence, where, in a(i)+d(i), at least one pair of a(u)+d(u) and a(v)+d(v) have moduli unequal to each other; and using the same extension sequence [w(0), w(1), . . . , w(N−1)] to process the second data symbol sequence and the third data symbol sequence, mapping the processed data respectively onto the same time-frequency resources corresponding to a first antenna array and a second antenna array, and transmitting the data, where i, u, and v are integers, 0≦i≦M−1, and u≠v. |
| US09553697B2 |
HARQ ACK/NACK transmission for multi-carrier operation
Techniques for sending ACK/NACK information in a multi-carrier wireless communication network are disclosed. In one aspect, a plurality of ACK/NACK transmission techniques are selectively employed by a multi-carrier user equipment (UE) to reduce the number of bits of ACK/NACK information to send and/or increase the number of payload bits available for sending the ACK/NACK information. The ACK/NACK transmission techniques may include an orthogonal sequence reduction technique, a channel selection technique, a spatial bundling technique, a carrier bundling technique, and/or a subframe bundling technique. The ACK/NACK transmission techniques may be prioritized based on the number of carriers on which data transmissions are received, a payload size available for carrying ACK/NACK information, and/or other factors. The multi-carrier UE can utilize different ACK/NACK transmission techniques in connection with different subsets of its configured carriers. |
| US09553695B2 |
Likelihood generation circuit and likelihood generation method
A phase of a symbol on an inner or outer circle of a received 8QAM symbol set, which is bitmapped by being assigned one bit depending on whether the symbol is on the inner or outer circle of a constellation mapping diagram and two bits for each of the quadrants, is rotated to generate, by QPSK likelihood generation, along with a likelihood of a received QPSK modulation symbol, a likelihood for the two bits assigned to the quadrant of the 8QAM modulated symbol set whose phase is rotated. Further, the phase-rotated 8QAM modulated symbol set is phase-rotated to the first quadrant of the diagram to move the symbol set to the QPSK symbol mapping positions, thereby generating, by QPSK likelihood generation, the likelihood for the one bit assigned to represent whether the symbol is on the outer circle or the inner circle of the 8QAM modulated symbol set. |
| US09553693B2 |
Data communication using bandwidth modulation
Methods and apparatus to determine a level of inherent jitter for signals from a transmitter and a receiver, and modulate information onto a signal transmitted by the transmitter by using spot jitter (with bandwidth and center frequency modulation) and/or pulse width jitter in a region outside of a data region with inherent jitter to carry communication between systems. |
| US09553688B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus and interference detection method
According to one embodiment, a wireless communication apparatus is provided with first and second determination units. The first unit determines based on a first carrier sense threshold whether busy state or not and specifies a first time when busy state is determined with the first threshold, and determines based on a second carrier sense threshold smaller than the first threshold whether busy state or not and specifies a second time when busy state is determined. The second unit determines, if at least busy state is determined based on the second threshold and the second time precedes a reference time equal to or earlier than the first time, to perform processing for avoiding interference. |
| US09553686B2 |
Compression method for TDM frames in a packet network
Example embodiments provide a compression method for TDM frames transported over a packet network. The method is based on mapping of allocated TDM slots but not all un-allocated slots into a transport structure, which thereby reduces the needed amount of data transported over packets and hence reduces the required packet rate and packet capacity during transport of the TDM frame. The mapping is further arranged to allow dynamic changes of packet rate and packet capacity, thus the mapping is performed such that a working size of the transport TDM frame is allowed to increase or decrease over time. |
| US09553685B2 |
PHICH-less operation for uplink-downlink configuration zero
Various communication systems may benefit from techniques for handling inter-band carrier aggregation (CA). For example, systems of the third generation partnership project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE) advanced (LTE-A) may benefit from a uplink (UL) downlink (DL) configuration zero handling, particularly in cases where there is no physical hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) indicator channel (PHICH). For example, certain embodiments may be applicable to inter-band CA having different UL/DL configuration in use. A method can include triggering in a downlink subframe a first physical uplink shared channel transmission in a first hybrid automatic repeat request process. The method can also include triggering in the downlink subframe a second physical uplink shared channel transmission in a second hybrid automatic repeat request process. The secondary cell can be configured with time division duplex uplink/downlink configuration number zero. The triggerings can be performed by means of a single uplink grant but without a hybrid automatic repeat request indicator. |
| US09553684B2 |
Data frame generation circuit and data frame generation method
A data frame generation circuit, includes: a frame generation unit configured to output a first data frame including client signals and a first signal count of the client signals included in the first data frame, the client signal being stored in the first data frame in accordance with a system clock; a storage unit configured to store a signal count range; a comparison unit configured to compare the first signal count to the signal count range; and a control unit configured to control a frequency of the system clock based on a comparison result, wherein, if the first signal count falls within the signal count range, the control unit changes the frequency of the system clock. |
| US09553683B2 |
Upstream (US) transient impairment localization and detection within communication systems
A communication device (alternatively, device) includes a processor configured to support communications with other communication device(s) and to generate and process signals for such communications. In some examples, the device includes a communication interface and a processor, among other possible circuitries, components, elements, etc. to support communications with other communication device(s) and to generate and process signals for such communications. A device directs an analog to digital converter (ADC) to perform a sample capture of a communication channel and processes that sample capture to generate a detected power. The device performs an integrate-and-dump (I&D) operation on the detected power over at least one time period to generate an integrated power and then generates an integrated power histogram of the communication channel that includes the integrated power. This integrated power histogram characterizes noise generated by the device, noise entering the device, noise associated with the communication channel, etc. |
| US09553680B1 |
Uplink interference mitigation
A computer-implemented method, system, and computer-readable storage media for mitigating interference in a communication system is described. A user equipment operating near an edge of its base station coverage cell may transmit a strong uplink signal, which can interfere with a nearby base station. When a serving base station recognizes a high downlink signal from a nearby base station, an interference mitigation algorithm is enabled by the serving base station. The interference mitigation algorithm of the serving base station will control the uplink signal from the user equipment, so the user equipment does not interfere with the nearby base station. |
| US09553679B2 |
Analog radio frequency memory for signal replication
A method and system for processing a signal in the RF environment is disclosed. The method includes using an Analog Radio Frequency Memory (ARFM) to store an analog amplitude representation of the signal in the form of elemental charge packets. The stored signal is played back by converting the elemental charge packets back to their representative voltages to rejuvenate the original signal. |
| US09553674B2 |
Optical transmitter and method of optical transmission
An optical transmitter includes a circuit that controls a first frequency component and a second frequency component that are contained in an optical signal to be transmitted to be in different polarization states from each other. |
| US09553673B1 |
Driver module for mach zehnder modulator
A single chip dual-channel driver for two independent traveling wave modulators. The driver includes two differential pairs inputs per channel respectively configured to receive two digital differential pair signals. The driver further includes a two-bit DAC per channel coupled to the two differential pairs inputs to produce a single analog differential pair PAM signal at a differential pair output for driving a traveling wave modulator. Additionally, the driver includes a control block having internal voltage/current signal generators respective coupled to each input and the 2-bit DAC for providing a bias voltage, a tail current, a dither signal to assist modulation control per channel. Furthermore, the driver includes an internal I2C communication block coupled to a high-speed clock generator to generate control signals to the control block and coupled to host via an I2C digital communication interface. |
| US09553670B2 |
Optical module
An integrated apparatus with optical/electrical interfaces and protocol converter on a single silicon substrate. The apparatus includes an optical module comprising one or more modulators respectively coupled with one or more laser devices for producing a first optical signal to an optical interface and one or more photodetectors for detecting a second optical signal from the optical interface to generate a current signal. Additionally, the apparatus includes a transmit lane module coupled between the optical module and an electrical interface to receive a first electric signal from the electrical interface and provide a framing protocol for driving the one or more modulators. Furthermore, the apparatus includes a receive lane module coupled between the optical module and the electrical interface to process the current signal to send a second electric signal to the electrical interface. |
| US09553669B2 |
Fiber to the antenna
A cell site includes a tower, a multi-service terminal mounted to the tower and a base transceiver station in communication with the multi-service terminal. The multi-service terminal includes a housing and a plurality of adapters mounted to the housing. Each of the adapters includes an outer port accessible from outside the housing and an inner port accessible from inside the housing. |
| US09553668B2 |
Network node and a method therein enabling a first unit to connect or to be connected ad-hoc to a second unit
Embodiments herein relate to a method in a network node configured in an optical network for enabling a first unit to connect ad-hoc to a second unit in a system configured for remote radio units and main units. The network node receives a connection request from the first unit over the optical network. The network node establishes a connection, to the first unit, for retrieving control data. The network node stores control data regarding the first unit. The control data is retrieved from the first unit over the established connection and wherein the control data enables the first unit to connect/be connected ad-hoc to the second unit for transferring user data over a physical path through the optical network. |
| US09553666B2 |
Measuring signal to noise ratio of a WDM optical signal
A device for measuring optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) of a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical signal including multiple wavelength channels may include a tunable optical filter to select an optical wavelength channel of the plurality of optical wavelength channels. The device may also include a polarization controller to adjust a polarization state of the selected optical wavelength channel, and a control unit to compute the OSNR of the selected wavelength channel based on a target control point. |
| US09553665B2 |
Apparatus and method for detecting optical line fault in passive optical network
Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for detecting an optical line fault in a Passive Optical Network (PON). The apparatus includes an optical distribution unit configured to, when a multiplexed signal of a downstream light signal and a monitoring light signal is input, distribute the multiplexed signal to an Optical Network Unit (ONU) of a first optical path and to a second optical path. An optical layer management unit is installed in the second optical path and is configured to set a time at which the monitoring light signal of the multiplexed signal provided to the second optical path is received to a starting time of monitoring light measurement, compare a monitoring light signal reflected and returned from the ONU with a signal pattern obtained when no fault occurs, and then determine whether a fault has occurred in a distribution network. |
| US09553664B2 |
Optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) system
There is presented an optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) system (100) comprising a first coupling point (15) arranged for splitting radiation into two parts, so that radiation may be emitted into a reference path (16) and a measurement path (17). The system further comprises an optical detection unit (30) capable of obtaining a signal from the combined optical radiation from the reference path and the measurement path via a second coupling point (25). The measurement path (17) comprises a polarization dependent optical path length shifter (PDOPS, PDFS, 10), which may create a first polarization (PI) and a second polarization (P2) for the radiation in the measurement path, where the optical path length is different for the first and second polarizations in the measurement path. This may be advantageous for obtaining an improved optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) system where e.g. the two measurements for input polarizations may be performed in the same scan of a radiation source. |
| US09553660B2 |
Hybrid orthogonal/non-orthogonal multiple access for radio signal transmission and reception
Provided are a receiver, a transmitter and a radio communication method capable of using non-orthogonal multiple access while suppressing cost increase and processing delay. A mobile station 200A receives non-orthogonal signals, also receives a reference signal to be used for interference cancellation, and extracts the non-orthogonal signal addressed to the mobile station 200A from the received non-orthogonal signals by demodulating and cancelling the radio signal addressed to another mobile station. In addition, the mobile station 200A demodulates the extracted non-orthogonal signal addressed to the mobile station 200A on the basis of the reference signal. The reference signal is multiplexed in the same radio resource block as a resource block allocated to the non-orthogonal signals, and is multiplexed in the radio resource block only when at least one signal is scheduled in the radio resource block. |
| US09553654B2 |
Methods and systems for wireless networks relays
Methods and systems are provided for use with wireless networks having one or more cell in which each cell includes a base station (BS), at least one relay station (RS) and at least one mobile station (MS). The at least one relay station can be used as an intermediate station for providing communication between the BS and MS. Methods are provided for allocating OFDM resources for communicating between the BS, RS and/or MS for example dividing transmission resources into uplink and downlink transmissions and methods of inserting pilot symbols intotransmission resources used by the RS. In some embodiments on the invention, the methods are consistent and/or can be used in conjunction with existing standards such as 802.16e. |
| US09553651B2 |
Method of high-bitrate wireless communication with a multi-antenna receiver
A method is provided for transmitting data between a transmitter having M>=1 transmit antenna(s), and one or more receivers having a total of N>=2 receive antennas. In the method, the data are transmitted using OFDM/OQAM modulation having L>=1 subcarriers. The transmitted data are pre-encoded using a pre-encoding matrix, the size of which is M s N and which is dependent on a zero-forcing matrix and on a spatial multiplexing matrix. |
| US09553648B2 |
Reporting of multiple processes for aperiodic channel state information
A method and an apparatus are provided for transmitting Channel State Information (CSI) having a reporting mode and being transmitted from a User Equipment (UE) over a PUSCH transmission in an Uplink (UL) cell associated with a Downlink (DL) cell in response to the UE receiving a Downlink Control Information (DCI) format that includes a CSI request field indicating CSI transmission corresponding to one of a plurality of CSI processes associated with measurements of respective reference signals. The method includes obtaining, from the CSI request field, an indication of a CSI process set for a CSI transmission; and transmitting the CSI for the CSI process set indicated by the CSI request field, wherein the CSI request field includes 2 bits of a first CSI process set having a first set of interpretations. |
| US09553644B2 |
Precoding method, transmitting device, and receiving device
A transmission scheme for transmitting a first modulated signal and a second modulated signal in the same frequency at the same time. According to the transmission scheme, a precoding weight multiplying unit multiplies a precoding weight by a baseband signal after a first mapping and a baseband signal after a second mapping and outputs the first modulated signal and the second modulated signal. In the precoding weight multiplying unit, precoding weights are regularly hopped. |
| US09553642B2 |
Apparatus and methods for cross-polarized tilt antennas
Embodiments are provided for cross-polarized antennas design with different down tilt angles that support versatile functionality, such as for MIMO or beamforming. An embodiment antenna circuit comprises a baseband signal processor, a pair of RF transmitters coupled to the baseband signal processor, a pair of PAs coupled to the RF transmitters, a 90°/180° hybrid coupler coupled to the RF transmitters, a pair of duplexers and two antennas coupled to the PAs. The two antennas are down tilted at different down tilt angles. A pair of signals is generated using the baseband signal processor, transmitted by the RF transmitters, and amplified using the PAs. Additionally, a 90° or 180° phase difference is introduced into the signals using the 90°/180° hybrid coupler. After the amplifying and introducing the phase difference, the signals are polarized at two different polarizations and down tilted at different down tilt angles using the two antennas. |
| US09553634B2 |
Electrical duplex to optical conversion
A device converts between electrical duplex and optical signals. In one embodiment, such a device includes an echo cancellation circuit that reduces the echo from an incoming optical signal. |
| US09553632B2 |
Wireless communications method, user equipment, base station and system
Embodiments of the present invention provide a wireless communications method, user equipment, a base station and a system, and relate to the field of wireless communications. The method includes: acquiring a frequency domain spreading factor, a symbol-level spreading factor and a transmission time interval-level spreading factor; and performing frequency domain spreading, symbol-level spreading and transmission time interval-level spreading on first to-be-sent information respectively according to the acquired spreading factors and sending first spread information; or, despreading, according to the acquired spreading factors, second spread information sent by a base station. |
| US09553631B2 |
Navigation signal transmitting apparatus, location information providing apparatus, method for transmitting navigation signal, and method for providing location information
A navigation signal transmitting apparatus and a location information providing apparatus are provided for reducing time of positioning with a positioning signal from an indoor positioning transmitter. When an information providing server recognizes a transmitter ID of a transmitter from a mobile phone, the server makes reference refers to database associated with the transmitter ID, and reads SVG map information associated with the ID (including information for displaying a map and information of a correspondence relation between the transmitter ID and the location of the transmitter on the map). When the server transmits data of the SVG map information to a base station, the base station wirelessly emits the data of the SVG map information. When the mobile phone detects arrival of the data, the mobile phone can obtain the location of the transmitter from the data in accordance with a browsing operation of a user of the phone. |
| US09553628B1 |
Phone case capable of measuring distance to object
A phone case capable of measuring a distance to an object contains: an accommodating cover, a protective cover, and a cell. The accommodating cover includes a first orifice defined on a front end thereof and includes two locking tabs extending outwardly from two peripheral sides thereof and connecting with a smartphone. The protective cover connects with the accommodating cover and includes an aperture defined on a rear end thereof. A front end of the cell connects with a first printed circuit board (PCB) for measuring a distance to an object, and a rear end of the cell couples with a second printed circuit board (PCB) for controlling a power supply. The first PCB has an infrared ray (IR) receiver, and the second PCB has a charging connector electrically connected with the smartphone and has a button mounted on a bottom thereof. |
| US09553624B2 |
Card socket device and electronic apparatus including the same
Disclosed are a card socket device and an electronic apparatus including the same. The card socket device includes a seat portion configured to receive an attachable card; and one or more connection terminal portions formed in the seat portion and configured to form an electrical connection with one or more connection pads formed in a bottom surface of the attachable card, wherein the seat portion is configured such that a space accommodating the attachable card is upwardly opened. |
| US09553619B2 |
Domino circuit and related architectures and methods for carrier aggregation
Domino circuit and related architectures and methods for carrier aggregation. In some embodiments, a Domino circuit can include first and second signal paths for respective first and second frequency bands, and each signal path can be configured to present an approximately zero impedance to a signal in the other frequency band. The Domino circuit can further include a coupling circuit that couples the first and second signal paths, and configured such that the approximately zero impedance presented by the signal path to the signal in the other frequency band results in the signal in the other frequency band being substantially excluded from the signal path. |
| US09553618B2 |
Signal cancellation method and device for wireless communication system
Provided is a signal cancellation method for a wireless communication system, including: splitting a transmitted signal to obtain a main channel signal transmitted on a main channel and an auxiliary channel signal transmitted on an auxiliary channel; performing digital domain channel characteristic matching processing on the main channel signal and the auxiliary channel signal respectively to obtain a main channel characteristic matched signal and an auxiliary channel characteristic matched signal; and combining the main channel characteristic matched signal and the auxiliary channel characteristic matched signal which are coupled to a receiving channel in order for signal cancellation. A signal cancellation device for a wireless communication system is also provided. Through the technical solution of the disclosure, the signal cancellation problem of a bandwidth can be solved better. |
| US09553616B2 |
Extremely high frequency communication chip
An electromagnetic Extremely High Frequency (EHF) communication chip includes one or more local oscillator circuits, a transducer circuit and at least one of a modulator or a demodulator coupled to the transducer circuit. Each of the local oscillator circuits may have a local oscillator and configured collectively to generate first and second carrier signals having respective first and second EHF frequencies. The first EHF frequency may be different than the second EHF frequency. The transducer circuit may have a first transducer for transmitting and receiving EHF communication signals. The modulator may be coupled to the local oscillator circuits for modulating the first carrier signal or the second carrier signal with a first transmit base data signal. The demodulator may be for demodulating the first carrier signal or the second carrier signal to produce a first receive base data signal. |
| US09553615B2 |
Receiver for carrier aggregation
A single hybrid receiver is provided for processing both single carrier and carrier aggregated (CA) communications signals where carriers are split into independent receive paths without any additional external components. The receiver receives all contiguous and non-contiguous intra-band CA and inter-band CA signals, including those of unequal bandwidths, allowing for improved rejection and balanced rejection of jamming signals on either side of the two carrier signals. |
| US09553612B2 |
Decoding based on randomized hard decisions
An apparatus having a memory and a controller is disclosed. The memory is configured to store a codeword. The controller is configured to (i) determine one or more least-reliable bit positions in a soft-decision version of the codeword in response to failing to decode a hard-decision version of the codeword, (ii) generate a trial codeword by selecting at random a respective value in one or more trial positions among the least-reliable bit positions in the hard-decision codeword and (iii) perform a hard-decision decoding of the trial codeword. |
| US09553608B2 |
Data storage device decoder and method of operation
A data storage device includes a nonvolatile memory and a controller having a decoder. The nonvolatile memory is operatively coupled to the controller. The nonvolatile memory is configured to store a set of bits. The decoder is configured to receive the set of bits from the memory. The decoder is further configured to perform a decoding operation using the set of bits based on a parity check matrix. The parity check matrix includes a block row. The block row has a first non-zero sub-matrix and a second non-zero sub-matrix that is separated from the first non-zero sub-matrix within the block row by at least a threshold number of null sub-matrices of the block row. |
| US09553606B2 |
Bit interleaver for low-density parity check codeword having length of 64800 and code rate of 3/15 and 64-symbol mapping, and bit interleaving method using same
A bit interleaver, a bit-interleaved coded modulation (BICM) device and a bit interleaving method are disclosed herein. The bit interleaver includes a first memory, a processor, and a second memory. The first memory stores a low-density parity check (LDPC) codeword having a length of 64800 and a code rate of 3/15. The processor generates an interleaved codeword by interleaving the LDPC codeword on a bit group basis. The size of the bit group corresponds to a parallel factor of the LDPC codeword. The second memory provides the interleaved codeword to a modulator for 64-symbol mapping. |
| US09553600B1 |
Skew detection and correction in time-interleaved analog-to-digital converters
The present disclosure provides a system, circuit, and method for correcting clock skew in time-interleaved analog-to-digital converters. At least two clock signals are received along respective channels. A delay of a first channel, carrying a first clock signal, is accounted for by applying one or more first adjustment factors to the channels until an edge of the first clock signal is aligned with a transition point of a reference signal. The first clock signal is swapped to the second channel, and vice-versa. A value of the reference signal as sampled by the first clock signal is compared to values of the reference signal as sampled by the second clock signal to determine a skew of the second channel vis-à-vis the first channel, and one or more second adjustment factors are applied to the second channel based on the determined skew of the second channel. |
| US09553597B2 |
Optical lattice clock, clock device and laser light source
Various embodiments improve accuracy by increasing the number of atoms engaged in a clock transitions in an optical lattice clock. An exemplary optical lattice clock an embodiment comprises an optical waveguide, an optical path, a laser light source, and a laser cooler. The optical path has a hollow pathway that extends from a first end to a second end while being surrounded with a tubular wall, which is used as a waveguide path. The optical path passes between mirrors and through the pathway. The laser light source supplies to the optical path a pair of lattice lasers (L1 and L2) propagating in opposite directions with each other. The laser cooler supplies cooled atoms that have two levels of electronic states associated with a clock transition to the vicinity of the first end of the optical waveguide. |
| US09553591B2 |
Hybrid architecture for signal processing
Systems and methods of configuring a programmable integrated circuit. An array of signal processing accelerators (SPAs) is included in the programmable integrated circuit. The array of SPAs is separate from a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and the array of SPAs is configured to receive input data from the FPGA and is programmable to perform at least a filtering function on the input data to obtain output data. |
| US09553583B2 |
Semiconductor device with a small off current and oxide semiconductor layer having a function of a channel formation layer
To reduce a leakage current of a transistor so that malfunction of a logic circuit can be suppressed, a semiconductor device includes a first conductive layer over an insulating layer, a semiconductor layer over the first conductive layer, a second conductive layer over the semiconductor layer, a gate insulating layer over the second conductive layer, and a gate electrode over the gate insulating layer. The semiconductor device may further include wiring layers. The logic circuit includes a transistor which includes an oxide semiconductor layer having a function of a channel formation layer and in which an off current is 1×10−13 A or less per micrometer in channel width, and may be 1×10−17 A or less per micrometer. A first signal, a second signal, and a third signal that is a clock signal are input as input signals. A fourth signal and a fifth signal whose voltage states are set in accordance with the first to third signals which have been input are output as output signals. |
| US09553581B2 |
Package-aware state-based leakage power reduction
A multi-module integrated circuit (IC) can be configured in different types of packages having different modules enabled or disabled. A module that can be disabled has driven circuitry that is known a priori to have a low-power input vector that places the driven circuitry into a low leakage power state. The module also has driving circuitry with one or more package-aware cells. The IC has a package-aware controller that generates control signals for the package-aware cells that ensure that the outputs from the package-aware cells are forced to particular values (i.e., either logical-0 or logical-1) that cause the low power input vector to be applied to the driven circuitry when the IC is assembled in a package in which the module is disabled. In this way, module leakage power is reduced for package types in which certain modules are disabled. |
| US09553579B2 |
Optical keypad for explosive locations
An optical keypad for use in hazardous areas and which can ensure safe and reliable detection of keystrokes through an at least 8 mm thick glass window, as is required for electronics equipment located in hazardous explosive areas (In accordance with ATEX Directive 94/9/EC and similar requirements) is obtained by providing a system in which at least 6 LEDs are lit in a pseudo-random sequence, modulated by a pseudo-random frequency and the interval between the lighting of each of the LEDs is change randomly to avoid interference between collocated keypads and light from other sources, such as daylight and artificial light. |
| US09553577B2 |
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) and a pull-down holding part (500); 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. |
| US09553570B1 |
Crystal-less jitter attenuator
An integrated circuit to remove jitter from a clock signal includes an integrated circuit die. The integrated circuit die includes a signal comparator. The signal comparator is configured to determine a frequency difference between a jittery input clock signal and a correction signal. A digital low pass filter is coupled to receive and filter the frequency difference and to provide a filtered output signal. A free running crystal-less oscillator produces a reference signal. A fractional output divider is coupled to the free running crystal-less oscillator and the digital low pass filter. The fractional output divider utilizes the filtered output signal to establish a value to divide the reference signal by to obtain a clean output clock signal. The clean output clock signal is fed back to the signal comparator and is used as the correction signal. |
| US09553555B2 |
Terrestrial broadcast wave reception-use antenna device and component of same
Provided is a terrestrial broadcast wave reception-use antenna device having performance that is equivalent to or better than that of a conventional device in frequency bands at or below an FM band even if an antenna element length is shortened to approximately 55 [mm]. An amplifier (12-A) is configured so as to include a compound semiconductor HEMT for amplifying a received wave having a frequency at or below a resonant point of an antenna element (10) among received waves of the antenna element (10), the compound semiconductor HEMT having an equivalent noise resistance of 2 [Ω] or smaller for the received frequency so that a noise figure (NF) is approximately constant over a wide frequency band at or below the FM band. |
| US09553554B2 |
Signal processing device
A signal processing device includes an excessive input estimating unit that estimates excessive input of a target signal, a controller that calculates frequency characteristics which will lessen the excessive input of the target signal from the excessive input information estimated by the excessive input estimating unit, and a frequency characteristic modification unit that modifies the frequency characteristics of the target signal in accordance with the frequency characteristics the controller calculates. |
| US09553547B2 |
Pseudo-envelope following power management system
Embodiments disclosed in the detailed description relate to a pseudo-envelope follower power management system used to manage the power delivered to a linear RF power amplifier. |
| US09553546B2 |
Differential output stage of an amplification device, for driving a load
A differential output stage of an amplification device, for driving a load, comprises a first and a second differential output stage portion. The first differential output stage portion comprises: a first and a second output circuit; a first driving circuit comprising a first biasing circuit; a second driving circuit comprising a second biasing circuit. The first differential output stage portion comprises: a third output circuit connected between a first node of said first biasing circuit and a first differential output terminal, having a third driving terminal connected to a first driving terminal; a fourth output circuit connected between a first node of the second biasing circuit and the first differential output terminal, having a fourth driving terminal connected to a second driving terminal. |
| US09553545B1 |
Stable differential crystal oscillator with active super diodes
Differential crystal oscillator circuits are disclosed that may provide low-power, low phase noise operation, and prevent latching at low frequency by providing a low impedance DC path using active super diodes. |
| US09553542B2 |
Power tool
A hammer drill (100) comprises an electric motor (110), a piston (127) as a driving member and a controller (199) which controls and drives the electric motor (110). The piston (127) is reciprocated by rotation of the electric motor (110) and thereby a hammer bit (119) is driven in its longitudinal direction. The hammer bit (119) is moved forward in response to a forward movement stroke of the piston (127) and thereby a hammering operation is performed by the hammer bit (119). The controller (199) sets a duty ratio of a driving pulse signal which drives the electric motor (110) in the forward movement stroke of the piston (127) to be larger in order to prevent a reduction of a rotation speed of the electric motor (110) due to a load applied on the electric motor (110) during the forward movement stroke of the piston (127). |
| US09553540B2 |
Power converter with pre-compensation for dead-time insertion
A power converter has a phase leg with upper and lower switching devices coupled across a DC link. A junction between the devices is coupled to a load. A current sensor detects direction of current flow from the junction to the load. A gate driver activates the devices according to upper and lower gate signals in response to pulse-width modulation (PWM) to generate nominal gate signals from a variable duty cycle. When the positive current direction is detected then the upper gate signal has turn-on and turn-off times shifted by a predetermined offset with respect to the nominal signals, and dead-times are added to the lower gate signals. When the negative direction is detected then the lower gate signal has turn-on and turn-off times shifted by the predetermined offset with respect to the nominal signals, and dead-times are added to the upper gate signals. |
| US09553538B2 |
Reliable control of high rotor pole switched reluctance machine
A system and method for reliable control of a high rotor pole switched reluctance machine (HRSRM) utilizing a sensorless reliable control system. The method comprising: energizing at least one of the plurality of stator phases; measuring a first current value and time taken by the first current value to reach a first peak value or preset threshold value of current; determining a self-inductance value; storing the self-inductance value and the first current value for each of the stator phases; measuring a second current value and time taken by an adjacent un-energized stator phase to reach a second peak value of current; determining a mutual inductance value; storing the mutual inductance value and the second current value for each of the stator phases;estimating a rotor position utilizing the self-inductance and mutual inductance values; and controlling the HRSRM based on the estimated rotor position. |
| US09553536B2 |
Stator arrangement and electrical generator
A stator arrangement includes a stator extending in a circumferential direction and plural teeth alternating with plural slots arranged along the circumferential direction. A first wire is arranged in a first slot of the plural slots. A second wire is arranged in a second slot of the plural slots, wherein the second slot is circumferentially adjacent to the first slot. A first converter has an input terminal connected to the first wire and a second converter has an input terminal connected to the second wire. |
| US09553531B2 |
Power converter
A power converter that reduces a ripple of a torque and a ripple of an electric current in a switch period, having a controller including an instruction calculator that calculates a first voltage instruction value and a second voltage instruction value when, in a first period, a first neutral point voltage is shifted below a center-of-output value, and a second neutral point voltage is shifted above the center-of-output value, and, in a second period, the first neutral point voltage is shifted above the center-of-output value, and the second neutral point voltage is shifted below the center-of-output value. |
| US09553530B2 |
Power converter
A power converter a controller that includes an instruction calculator calculating a first voltage instruction value that is applied to a first winding group, for example. An application voltage to the first winding group is controlled, for example, in a first period so that a first neutral point voltage shifts below a center-of-output value of an outputtable range is outputted, and a second neutral point voltage shifts above the center-of-output value of the outputtable range. The instruction calculator calculates the first instruction value for enabling a switching between the periods, after a lapse of a switch period that is variably calculated based on a preset physical quantity. In such manner, a ripple of a torque or an electric current accompanying the switching between the periods is reduced. |
| US09553529B2 |
Motor controller
There is provided a motor controller including: a voltage generator that generates a voltage applied to a motor; a temperature detector that detects a temperature of a circuit; a rotation speed detector that detects a rotation speed of the motor; and a voltage controller that controls the voltage generator so as to generate a voltage of a duty ratio based on a speed instruction value, and that, in cases in which a temperature of an element configuring the circuit, computed based on the temperature of the circuit detected by the temperature detector, the rotation speed of the motor detected by the rotation speed detector, and a load of the circuit, reaches a predetermined threshold value or above, controls the voltage generator so as to generate a voltage of a duty ratio that is lower than the duty ratio based on the speed instruction value. |
| US09553528B2 |
Motor control for stability and power supply protection
A method and apparatus for controlling a motor. The motor comprises windings. A switch bridge comprising a plurality of switches is configured to couple a power source to the windings. A motor controller is configured to control the plurality of switches. An undesired condition identifier is configured to identify an undesired condition when the motor is providing power to the power source, wherein the undesired condition is defined with respect to a characteristic of the power source. An undesired condition reducer is configured to reduce the undesired condition in response to identifying the undesired condition by the undesired condition identifier. |
| US09553526B2 |
Bypassed cascaded cell converter
In a converter for converting energy from a generator to a power network, wherein the converter comprises multiple power modules, wherein each power module includes at least two power cells and a transformer for connecting the power cells to the power network, wherein each power cell includes a phase input, a phase output, a transformer output connected to the transformer, a rectifier circuit and an inverter, the transformer (T) of a power module (4.1, . . . , 4.n) includes one generator-side winding (10) for each of the power cells (5) and exactly one common grid-side winding for balancing an energy flow through the power cells (5) of a power module (4.1, . . . , 4.n). |
| US09553522B2 |
Transferring electrical power for subsea applications
A method for transferring electrical power in the sea includes generating AC power, guiding, at least partially underwater, the AC power through a cable from a first end of the cable to a second end of the cable, and changing a frequency of the AC power guided through the cable based on a value of power consumption of a load connected to the second end of the cable. |
| US09553520B2 |
Switching power source, method and control chip for controlling the same
A switching power source, a method and a control chip for controlling the same are provided. The switching power source includes: a filtering and rectifying module, connected with an AC power source and configured to filter and rectify an alternating current outputted from the AC power source to obtain a direct current; a control module, connected with the filtering and rectifying module and configured to obtain an amplitude of the alternating current from the direct current, to adjust a frequency of a control signal according to the amplitude, in which the control module decreases the frequency of the control signal continuously or intermittently when the amplitude increases, and to output the control signal; and a primary constant current circuit, connected with the control module and the filtering and rectifying module respectively, and configured to receive the control signal and to output a constant current according to the control signal. |
| US09553519B2 |
Small form factor voltage adapters and devices, platforms, and techniques for managing power boosts
Techniques and devices related to power adapters for mobile devices and, in particular, small form factor power adapters that allow a voltage droop during a power pulse exceeding a maximum output of the power adapter are discussed. For example, a small form factor and low voltage power adapter may include an adapter output power protection control that limits an output of the power adapter in response to a power pulse exceeding a maximum output of the power adapter. |
| US09553518B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling current of multi-phase interleaved converter
A method and apparatus for controlling a current of a multi-phase interleaved converter are provided. The method includes filtering, through a filter, currents flowing into converters of respective phases in a multi-phase interleaved converter having multiple phases, The method further includes receiving values of the filtered currents for respective phases and a duty ratio for any one of the multiple phases generated in response to a current flowing into the phase and adjusting duty ratios for phases other than the phase, based on the received current values for respective phases. |
| US09553515B2 |
Boosting device
Proper control is performed even during a stuck abnormality of a current sensor 56 configured to detect a reactor current. A boosting converter 12 is controlled by feedback control of a boosted voltage of the boosting converter 12 and a reactor current, detected by the current sensor 56, of a reactor 54 in the boosting converter 12. When a variation of the reactor current is less than a predetermined current value, failure determination of the current sensor is performed and, if a variation of the pre-boosting voltage exceeds a predetermined voltage value, failure of the current sensor is determined. |
| US09553511B2 |
Method of forming a switched mode power supply controller device with an off mode and structure therefor
At least one embodiment is directed to a semiconductor voltage controller comprising: a start-mode circuit associated with a start-mode; and an off-mode circuit associated with an off-mode, where the voltage controller can be configured to receive a feedback signal and an off-mode signal from a single input and provide an output voltage, where the voltage controller can be configured to be in the off-mode when the feedback signal is less than a skip level and the feedback signal is less than a HV control level, and where the voltage controller can be configured to be in start mode when the feedback signal is greater than HV control level and Vcc is below a Vcc-start. |
| US09553509B2 |
Multichannel DC-DC converter
In a multichannel DC-DC converter that reduces radiation noise to a minimum, a wiring line between the coil conductor of a channel having the smallest load current and the switching IC, among the coil conductors defining a plurality of channels, is the longest connection wiring line, such that a channel having the smallest load current is connected to a wiring line that is most likely to radiate noise and radiation noise is reduced to a minimum. A connection wiring line connected to a coil conductor having the largest load current among the plurality of coil conductors is the shortest connection wiring line. A channel having the largest load current is connected to a wiring line that is least likely to radiate noise and, as a result, radiation noise is further reduced. |
| US09553508B1 |
Protection circuit
A circuit that includes a first diode-connected dummy device, a second diode-connected dummy device, a third diode-connected dummy device, a fourth diode-connected dummy device, and a first discharge path. The second diode-connected dummy device connected in cascode with the first diode-connected dummy device. The fourth diode-connected dummy device connected in cascode with the third diode-connected dummy device. The first and the second diode-connected dummy devices are formed in a first region. The third and the fourth diode-connected dummy devices are formed in a second region which is outside the first region. The first discharge path configured to discharge charges from at least one of the first and the second diode-connected dummy devices in the first region to a reference voltage terminal of one of the third and the fourth diode-connected dummy devices in the second region. |
| US09553505B1 |
Circuit for electromagnetic interference (EMI) reduction and peak power level increase through pulse modification
A circuit for electromagnetic interference (EMI) reduction contains a signal input, a signal output, a pulse count controlling unit, a stand-by power reduction unit, a pulse series delay unit, and a temperature sensing unit. An alternating current (AC) input is provided to the signal input and the modified signal is drawn out from the signal output. The pulse count controlling unit and the pulse series delay unit modify the pulses of the pulse-width modulation process such that the overall efficiency of the circuit is increased. In particular, the pulse count controlling unit increases the number of pulses per cycle such that additional power is transferred onto the output load. On the other hand, the pulse series delay unit shifts the start time of a series of pulses such that the overall emission is reduced. The stand-by power reduction unit disconnects power when a circuit overload occurs. |
| US09553502B2 |
Control of an inductive load with temperature-sensitive current reduction mechanism
The control of an inductive load is implemented by a control strategy to generate a control signal for a switching element on the basis of a setpoint datum, with a mechanism defining a maximum permitted value (Imax) of the current in the load as a function of the temperature at the level of the switching element. The mechanism exhibits a temperature threshold (Tshd). The maximum permitted value (Imax) of the current is held constant, equal to an upper limit value (Isup), during a temperature climb phase for all the temperatures which are lower than the threshold. The maximum permitted value of the current is abruptly rendered equal to a lower limit value (Iinf) as soon as the temperature reaches the threshold. Finally, during a temperature descent phase, the maximum permitted value of the current gradually climbs back to the upper limit value as the temperature decreases. |
| US09553501B2 |
System and method providing over current protection based on duty cycle information for power converter
System and method for protecting a power converter. An example system controller for protecting a power converter includes a signal generator, a comparator, and a modulation and drive component. The signal generator is configured to generate a threshold signal. The comparator is configured to receive the threshold signal and a current sensing signal and generate a comparison signal based on at least information associated with the threshold signal and the current sensing signal, the current sensing signal indicating a magnitude of a primary current flowing through a primary winding of a power converter. The modulation and drive component is coupled to the signal generator. |
| US09553497B2 |
Horizontal linear vibrator
The present invention provides a horizontal linear vibrator which can reduce the thickness but increase vibration strength while at the same time guaranteeing a sufficiently long lifetime and satisfactory responsivity. The horizontal linear vibrator includes a casing, a bracket, a vibration unit and springs. The casing defines an internal space therein. The bracket is disposed under the casing. A cylindrical coil is provided on the bracket. The vibration unit has a magnet, a yoke and a weight. The yoke contains the magnet therein and is open on the lower end thereof. The weight is coupled to the outer surface of the yoke. The springs are coupled to sidewall plates of the casing or the bracket. The springs elastically support the vibration unit to allow the vibration unit to vibrate in the horizontal direction. |
| US09553493B2 |
Rotating electric machine
Provided is a rotating electric machine the interior of which can be suitably cooled. A coolant supply means of the rotating electric machine supplies a cooling fluid to the bottom of a tubular member from a location closer to one end of a rotary shaft than the bottom, and the bottom of the tubular member is equipped with through-holes that run in the axial direction of the rotary shaft, with the cooling fluid being supplied to the interior of the tubular member through the through-holes. |
| US09553487B2 |
Radial and axial flux motor using integrated windings
The present disclosure relates to a radial and axial flux motor using integrated windings, which includes a rotor which includes a rotor core having a shape of a hollow cylindrical case, and permanent magnets for an inner lateral surface and permanent magnets for a ceiling surface that are coupled to the inner lateral surface and the ceiling surface of the rotor core respectively, and which is rotated about a shaft, and a stator which includes a stator core and windings coupled to the stator core and which is installed in the rotor. Therefore, a radial flux motor and an axial flux motor are integrated into one motor to be able to increase both efficiency and output. |
| US09553483B2 |
System and method for limiting inrush current in solid state drives
A system and method thereof to regulate a current to a capacitive load from a power supply connected to the capacitive load. The system includes a first switch between the power supply and the capacitive load, a super-capacitor configured for charging by the power supply and powering the capacitive load, a current limiting circuit between the super-capacitor and the power supply, a second switch between the super-capacitor and the capacitive load, and a power control circuit configured to control opening and closing of the first switch and the second switch independently, sense a voltage of the power supply, and sense a voltage of the super-capacitor. |
| US09553478B2 |
Wireless power transmitter for supporting multiple charging schemes
The wireless power transmitter includes a first wireless transmitting unit disposed at a rear surface of the wireless power receiver and having a first charging scheme, and a second wireless transmitting unit disposed on at least one of side surfaces of the wireless power receiver and having a second charging scheme different from the first charging scheme. The wireless power transmitter may more efficiently charge the wireless power receiver. |
| US09553475B2 |
Wearable mobile device charger
A wireless charging device may be worn as a wristband wearable on a user's wrist. The device includes one or more energy collection components located on the wristband. The energy collection components may collect ambient energy and convert the ambient energy to electrical energy. One or more energy storage components located on the wristband and electrically coupled to the energy collection components may store at least some of the electrical energy from the energy collection components. One or more energy transmission components may be located on the wristband and electrically coupled to the energy collection components and the energy storage components. The energy transmission components may wirelessly couple with a mobile device to wirelessly transmit at least some of the collected electrical energy to the mobile device for charging a battery on the mobile device. |
| US09553474B2 |
Power supply apparatus, image forming apparatus, power supply method, and storage medium
A power supply apparatus includes a charging mode information receiving unit configured to receive, from each of a plurality of power receiving apparatuses each including a secondary battery, charging mode information indicating whether each of the power receiving apparatuses requests normal charging of the secondary battery or fast charging of the secondary battery, wherein the fast charging charges faster than the normal charging, a power supply order determination unit configured to determine a power supply order of the power receiving apparatuses based on the charging mode information, and a power supply unit configured to wirelessly supply power to the power receiving apparatuses in the order determined by the power supply order determination unit. |
| US09553472B2 |
Method and charging bench via magnetic coupling
A charging bench includes three coils that partially overlap, in superposed planes. An electrical feed makes it possible to supply the coils with an AC current from the mains. A portable device to be charged is placed on the upper side of this charging bench. This device includes a winding intended to receive the electrical charging, and a ferrite protective screen. One of the coils (Bb) is selected to emit the magnetic charging flux toward the mobile phone. The selection is carried out via the emission of a series of pulses by at least one of the coils and comparison of return signals with a reference threshold. This comparison also enables one of the other coils (Ba, Bc) to be selected or both of these other two coils (Ba, Bc) to be used to receive a flux for communicating information originating from the portable device to be charged. |
| US09553471B2 |
Method and system for wirelessly charge a diagnostic tool
An electrical charging system including a storing vessel for storing a diagnostic tool and a wireless charging system integrated with the storing vessel for wirelessly charging the diagnostic tool when the diagnostic tool is placed within the storing vessel. |
| US09553466B2 |
Electric power tool system
An electric power tool system comprises a tool main body, a battery pack detachably attached to the tool main body, and a first charger that charges the battery pack. The first charger comprises a rechargeable battery that supplies current to at least one rechargeable battery of the battery pack. The at least one rechargeable battery of the first charger preferably has a larger charge storage capacity than the at least one rechargeable battery of the battery pack. |
| US09553465B2 |
Battery management based on internal optical sensing
A battery management system includes one or more fiber optic sensors configured to be disposed within an electrochemical battery. Each fiber optic sensor is capable of receiving input light and providing output light that varies based on the input light and an amount of free or dissolved gas present within the battery. A detector detects the output light and generates an electrical detector signal in response to the output light. Battery management circuitry determines the state of the battery based at least in part on the detector signal. |
| US09553461B2 |
Charge control circuit, charge circuit, and mobile device
A charge control circuit includes: a charge/discharge circuit to charge a capacitor when an input current from an input power supply is smaller than a first current, and discharge the capacitor when the input current is greater than the first current; a discharge circuit to discharge the capacitor when the input current becomes greater than a second current greater than the first current; an error amplifier circuit to amplify an error between a lower voltage between a capacitor charging voltage and a reference voltage corresponding to the maximum output voltage, and a feedback voltage corresponding to the output voltage; and a drive circuit to perform switching of a transistor of a booster circuit, including an inductor and the transistor to increase an inductor current, configured to boost the output voltage by supplying the inductor current to the terminal when the transistor is off, so that the error becomes smaller. |
| US09553460B2 |
Wireless battery management system
A wireless battery management system includes a computing device and first and second battery unit monitoring modules. The computing device includes an output data request port and an input data port. In response to a data request from the output data request port of the computing device, a first battery unit monitoring module transmits data of the first battery unit to the input data port of the computing device wirelessly and may transmits a data request to the second battery unit monitoring module. In response, the second battery unit monitoring module may transmit data of the second battery unit to the input data port of the computing device wirelessly or transmit data of the second battery to the first module for wireless transmission. In addition, each battery unit monitoring module may communicate wirelessly and independently with the computing device. |
| US09553458B2 |
Power supply apparatus, control method, and recording medium
A power supply apparatus includes a power supply unit that wirelessly supply power to an electronic device, a first communication unit that communicates, based on a first communication method, with the electronic device, a second communication unit that communicates, based on a second communication method that is different from the first communication method, with the electronic device, and a control unit that controls the first communication unit so as to acquire authentication data for a communication between the second communication unit and the electronic device if a remaining capacity of a battery, connected to the electronic device, is equal to or more than a predetermined value. |
| US09553452B2 |
Hybrid energy system
The Hybrid Energy System is a business network with utility company headquarters employing several hybrid energy power generating methods which integrate to work together onsite thus producing substantially more energy power onsite-at businesses, factories, buildings and infrastructure, offshore aqueducts, and vessels. The hybrid utility service vehicles recycle, deliver and consigns surplus power. An assortment of unique electric generating devices include; wind turbine array integrated with PV solar panels sited on a tower, an array of hydroelectric turbine valves, and hydro-piezoelectric pipeline systems. various offshore power producing vessels do business with on shore utility grid companies ship to rent or sell hybrid energy battery containers for consignment locations, as well the grid connected mega ship comprising an off shore grid transmission control system which shunts net electrical energy underground sea to shore via a large scale cable network system which distributes extra power to on shore applications accordingly for profit, and also shunts extra electric energy to other off shore vessels for profit, and vessels can dock inland and dock off coastline to shunt net power to utility grid companies and ship hybrid energy battery containers to consignment locations globally. |
| US09553451B2 |
Load control system having independently-controlled units responsive to a broadcast controller
A load control system for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to a plurality of electrical load includes a plurality of independent units responsive to a broadcast controller. Each independent unit includes at least one commander and at least one energy controller for controlling at least one of the electrical loads in response to a control signal received from the commander. The independent units are configured and operate independent of each other. The broadcast controller transmits wireless signals to the energy controllers of the independent units. The energy controllers do not respond to control signals received from the commanders of other independent units, but the energy controllers of both independent units respond to the wireless signals transmitted by broadcast controller. The energy controller may operate in different operating modes in response to the wireless signals transmitted by the broadcast controller. |
| US09553449B2 |
Power supply apparatus, method of controlling power supply, and base station apparatus
A power supply apparatus includes: a plurality of input ports configured to receive input of electric power from a plurality of power sources, respectively; a charge and discharge circuit configured to receive the input electric power to be charged and discharged so as to generate electric power to be supplied to a load circuit; a switching circuit configured to individually switch connections between the plurality of input ports and the charge and discharge circuit; and a control circuit configured to perform control so as to give different timing of the switch among the input ports. |
| US09553447B2 |
Electronic device and motherboard and protecting circuit of electronic device
An electronic device includes a chassis with a power button and a motherboard. The motherboard includes a slot, a controller chip, a startup circuit coupling to the power button, and a protecting circuit. The protecting circuit includes an electronic switch and an AND gate circuit. The electronic switch includes a first terminal coupled to the slot, a second terminal coupled to a ground, and a third terminal coupled to a first power supply through a first resistor. The AND gate circuit includes a first input end coupled to the first power supply, a second input end coupled to the controller chip, and an output end coupled to the startup circuit. The power button is pressed down, the controller chip outputs a control signal with a high voltage to the second input end of the AND gate circuit. |
| US09553445B2 |
High-speed input circuit
A high-speed input circuit for industrial control provides an optoisolator protected by a series current regulator and shunting voltage regulator. The combined effect of the regulators is to allow the input circuit to work over a wide range of voltages while providing extremely fast response time. |
| US09553441B2 |
Method and apparatus for protecting an intermediate circuit capacitor in a power converter
A method for protecting an intermediate circuit capacitor in a power converter circuit is disclosed. The power converter circuit includes at least two submodules in a series circuit, which draws electrical power from a power source outputting a DC voltage via an inductance, wherein each submodule has, on the input side, a single-phase half bridge and, on the load side, a single-phase full bridge, and wherein the half bridge, the full bridge and an intermediate circuit capacitor are connected in parallel with one another on the DC voltage side. When a fault in one of the submodules is detected, transmission of electrical power from the load-side output of the full bridge of the submodule with the detected fault into the submodule with the detected fault is blocked. |
| US09553436B2 |
Floor box cover
A floor box cover includes a base plate that engages an electrical device and a cover plate connected to the base plate. The cover plate includes a first opening to expose the electrical device and a second opening to receive a lid. A connector is inserted into an aperture in the lid and engages the cover plate to secure the lid within the second opening, causing the lid to conceal the first opening. A connector gasket engages the connector to prevent the connector from being easily removed from the lid. The connector gasket may be compressed within the aperture to seal the aperture when the connector engages the cover plate. A compressible ring gasket may be friction fit within the second opening, and when the connector engages the cover plate, the lid may compress the ring gasket to seal the second opening. |
| US09553431B2 |
Shield conductor, and method of manufacturing a shield conductor
A shield conductor that shields an electrical wire includes a shield pipe and a metallic braid part that are connected together by a weld along a circumferential direction. The weld may be made by ultrasonic welding. The welding may be direct welding, or welding in which a welding member is melted and then hardened to connect the shield pipe and the metallic braid part together. |
| US09553430B2 |
Flexible conduit fitting
A flexible conduit fitting system includes a housing that defines at least part of a flexible conduit fitting, and a resilient clip supported by the housing. The flexible conduit fitting may include an aperture for receiving an end of a flexible wiring conduit. The resilient clip may have an engagement portion that extends into the aperture of the flexible conduit fitting to engage the generally corrugated outer structure of the flexible wiring conduit. The housing may be configured to support the resilient clip in a manner that allows the resilient clip to flex in a direction of movement of the flexible wiring conduit when the flexible wiring conduit is being inserted into the aperture and past the engagement portion, but to not substantially flex in the direction of movement of the flexible wiring conduit when attempting to withdraw the flexible wiring conduit from the aperture. |
| US09553429B2 |
System for inserting and removing cables
A method and system for installing and removing a row of cables from a cable array is provided. The method includes providing an installation tool having a first body with a plurality of arms extending from one side. The plurality of arms being configured to receive a cable connector body, the plurality of arms including at least one first projection extending from one of the plurality of arms. The installation tool is moved onto a row of cables held coupled together by a bracket, each of the cables in the row of cables having a cable connector body. The connector bodies are engaged into receptacles and the bracket is moved with the at least one first projection. |
| US09553428B2 |
Power supply module
A power supply module includes a circuit board and a heatsink plate. The circuit board includes a first principal surface, a second principal surface, and side surfaces. Electronic components are mounted on the first principal surface. The heatsink plate includes a plate-shaped body portion that faces the first principal surface, and a plurality of fixing portions that extend at an angle from the body portion to face the side surfaces. The fixing portions are configured to come into contact with the second principal surface to secure the body portion to the circuit board. |
| US09553425B2 |
Methods of manufacturing semiconductor laser element and semiconductor laser device
A method of manufacturing a plurality of semiconductor laser elements having; preparing the semiconductor wafer; forming grooves that extend along second lines on a first main surface side of the semiconductor wafer, and forming a first texture pattern along second lines on a bottom surface of the grooves, the second lines being parallel to a cavity length direction; forming a second texture pattern along the second lines by covering at least part of the first texture pattern with a protective film; and splitting the semiconductor wafer along first lines, the first lines being parallel to a cavity width direction, and splitting along the second lines using a second main surface, which is an opposite side of the first main surface, of the semiconductor wafer as an origin. |
| US09553419B2 |
Shared multi-wavelength laser resonator with gain selected output coupling
The present invention provides improved laser beam quality with fewer parts than the current method demands and decreasing the transmit aperture, said apparatus comprising: two or more independently pumped gain modules, two or more pump diodes, a polarizing waveplate, non-linear optical crystals, and a passive Q-switch. |
| US09553418B2 |
Spatially distributed laser resonator
A distributed resonator laser system using retro-reflecting elements, in which spatially separated retroreflecting elements define respectively a power transmitting and a power receiving unit. The retroreflectors have no point of inversion, so that an incident beam is reflected back along a path essentially coincident with that of the incident beam. This enables the distributed laser to operate with the beams in a co-linear mode, instead of the ring mode described in the prior art. This feature allows the simple inclusion of elements having optical power within the distributed cavity, enabling such functions as focusing/defocusing, increasing the field of view of the system, and changing the Rayleigh length of the beam. The optical system can advantageously be constructed as a pupil imaging system, with the advantage that optical components, such as the gain medium or a photo-voltaic converter, can be positioned at such a pupil without physical limitations. |
| US09553411B2 |
Electronic interface
An electronic interface is provided and includes a shield having a first shield element, a second shield element, and a connection section. The second shield element is spaced apart from the first shield element along a length of the shield and has a width different than a width of the first shield element. The connection section electrically connects the first shield element and the second shield element. |
| US09553406B2 |
Wire connection terminal structure with wire guidance feature
A wire connection terminal structure includes a seat body and a conductive clip disposed therein. One end of the seat body has an extending side and a recessed side and a slope formed between the extending side and the recessed side. The conductive clip has a holding mouth. The slope is formed with a wire plug-in opening aligned with the holding mouth. A wire plug-in protection wall is formed on an edge of the recessed side. The wire plug-in protection wall protrudes in a direction as an extending direction of the extending side. The slope and the wire plug-in protection wall define a recessed configuration on the end of the seat body. The wire plug-in protection wall on the outer edge of the wire plug-in opening provides a shielding and guidance effect so that the conductive wire can be easily aimed at and plugged into the wire plug-in opening. |
| US09553397B2 |
Electric connector and housing having a simple mounting structure
Provided is an electric connector for connecting electric equipment to a power device. The electric connector includes a connector body defining an outer appearance thereof, a connection bar disposed on the connector body to electrically the connect electric equipment to the power device, an insertion part disposed on the connector body, the insertion part being inserted into the electric equipment, and a sealing disposed on a shaft of the insertion part in a circumferential direction. |
| US09553390B2 |
Transmission module and electrical connector thereof
A transmission module includes a cable and an electrical connector. The electrical connector includes a case and a transmission assembly. The case includes a standard section and a cable-collecting section. The standard section and the cable-collecting section together form a housing space. The transmission assembly is located in a part of the standard section. The cable is located in a part of the cable-collecting section, and electrically connected to the transmission assembly. The standard section has a standard height. The cable-collecting section has a non-standard height. The non-standard height is greater than the standard height, and a height difference between the non-standard height and the standard height is less than 1.5 millimeters. |
| US09553382B2 |
Headphone socket assembly and electronic equipment including same
A headphone socket assembly for use in electronic equipment, includes: a headphone socket electrically connected to a circuit board in the electronic equipment; and an electromagnetic shielding device disposed at a periphery of the headphone socket. |
| US09553380B2 |
Card connector
A card connector is disclosed having a base and a plurality of contacts. The plurality of contacts is positioned on the base. Each of the contacts has a contacting portion electrically contacting an electrical card when the electrical card inserted into the card connector. Each contact has an outer facing surface, and a supporting portion having two elastic arms extending from the base and intersecting at the contacting portion. Each of the elastic arms has a guide arm portion extending from the contacting portion at an angle of approximately 0 to 90 degrees with respect to a card insertion direction. Each guide arm portions has a smooth, ridge-shaped convex surface extending to the contacting portion and a smooth transitional surface with the outer facing surface of the contacting portion. |
| US09553377B2 |
Terminal connection structure
A terminal connection structure has a housing, a base housed in the housing, and a terminal unit having a pair of tab terminals disposed on the base, a pair of terminal portions disposed in the tab terminals in parallel, each of which is exposed from the housing and configured to be connected to an external terminal, and a terminal plate sandwiched between the pair of tab terminals. |
| US09553376B1 |
Coaxial alignment instrument adapter
An adapter alignment device, that can be added on the coaxial RF connectors of instruments, especially slide screw impedance tuners, aligns and guides precisely and repeat ably the male and female adapters into each-other. This leaves the internal center conductors of the tuner slabline, which are attached to the connectors and to external manually handled cables, intact; this is crucial for all instruments, most of all electro-mechanical impedance tuners, where data generated by previous calibrations are used in later measurement and where any other type of numeric adapter error correction or error model is impossible. |
| US09553374B1 |
Electrical connectors and connection assemblies and methods including the same
According to embodiments of the invention, an electrical connector for use with an electrical conductor having a terminal end includes a connector body and a stud member. The connector body includes a conductor engagement section and a stud mounting section. The conductor engagement section is configured to receive the terminal end of the conductor to mechanically and electrically connect the conductor to the connector. The stud mounting section includes a socket bore including a tapered bore section. The stud member includes an elongate stud section extending to a free end, and a tapered insertion section. The tapered insert section is received in the tapered bore section. The tapered insert section includes an internal cavity defined therein to permit deformation of the tapered insert section as the tapered insert section is forced into the tapered bore section. |
| US09553373B2 |
Electrical switching apparatus and retention system therefor
A retention system is for an electrical switching apparatus. The electrical switching apparatus includes a frame having a number of slots, a cover coupled to the frame, an electrical component enclosed by the frame and the cover, separable contacts enclosed by the frame and the cover, and an operating mechanism to open and close the separable contacts. The retention system includes: at least one bundle of wires having a plurality of individual wires extending through a corresponding one of the number of slots to be electrically connected to the electrical component; and at least one restriction mechanism each including an insulative sleeve surrounding a corresponding one of the at least one bundle of wires, and a blocking member connected to the insulative sleeve. The blocking member engages the frame to prevent undesired movement of the individual wires with respect to the corresponding one of the number of slots. |
| US09553369B2 |
Ultra-wideband biconical antenna with excellent gain and impedance matching
Systems and devices relating to a biconical antenna. The antenna has a top cone assembly and a bottom cone assembly, each cone assembly being coupled to a dielectric spacer at its apex. Each cone assembly has a cone section and a truncated cone section. The cone section is a cone with an apex which forms the apex of the cone assembly. The truncated cone section is coupled to the cone of the cone section at the cone's rim. The cone has an opening angle which is larger than the opening angle of the truncated cone. The biconical antenna can be fed by way of a coaxial cable with the outer cable feeding the bottom cone assembly and the inner cable feeding the top cone assembly. |
| US09553365B2 |
Multiband reception antenna for the combined reception of satellite signals and terrestrially emitted radio signals
A multiband reception antenna enables the combined reception of circularly polarized satellite radio signals from at least one satellite radio service which emits with circular polarization and of terrestrially emitted radio signals. The multiband reception antenna comprises at least one satellite reception antenna with a ring line emitter and a plurality of vertical emitters are connected to the ring line emitter over the circumference of the ring line emitter. Furthermore, a monopole is provided, with a monopole connection point formed at the lower end thereof. |
| US09553364B2 |
Liquid crystal filled antenna assembly, system, and method
An antenna assembly may include a ground shield defining an interior chamber, a feed line coupled to the ground shield within the interior chamber, a plurality of dielectric members, and a plurality of liquid crystal members. Each of the plurality of liquid crystal members may be spaced apart from another of the liquid crystal members by at least one of the plurality of dielectric members. |
| US09553363B2 |
Antenna array optimization system
A method for optimizing a phased array antenna. A predicted future health state for elements in the phased array antenna is identified. A configuration for the elements to use a radiation pattern based on the predicted future health state for the elements taking into account potential degradation of a group of the elements in the predicted future health state is also identified. |
| US09553361B2 |
Balanced antenna system
The invention relates to a balanced antenna system comprising a radiator connected via a matching circuit to a balun. In certain embodiments, the radiator comprises a first radiating element and a second radiating element and the matching circuit comprises a first impedance-matching circuit connected to the first radiating element and a second impedance-matching circuit connected to the second radiating element. The first and second matching circuits may be identical and are connected through the balun to a single port. To minimize the component count, the design of the matching circuit and balun is co-optimized. |
| US09553360B1 |
Helix antenna device
A helix antenna device includes a board, a signal output circuit, a ground wire, and a helix antenna. The board includes first holes and second holes. The first holes are aligned to form a first row, and the second holes are aligned to form a second row. The signal output circuit is disposed on the board. The ground wire disposed on the board is between the first row and the second row and is connected to the signal output circuit. The helix antenna is rotationally passed through the first holes and the second holes so that it can surround a part of the area of the board. One end of the helix antenna is electrically connected to the signal output circuit. Thereby, it is convenient to have the helix antenna assembled to the board, and the structure parameters of the helix antenna are not easily influenced due to deformation. |
| US09553359B2 |
Antenna apparatus
An antenna apparatus includes a glass plate that is fixed to a flange of a vehicle body at a window opening portion of the vehicle body; a dielectric material; a conductive film provided between the glass plate and the dielectric material; and a monopolar feeding portion provided on the dielectric material at a surface opposite to a glass plate side and at a position capable of being capacitively coupled to the conductive film, the antenna apparatus being configured such that a clearance between an end portion of the flange of the vehicle body and an outer edge of the conductive film functions as a slot antenna, the conductive film being provided with a notch having one end as an open end at the outer edge of the conductive film in the vicinity of the feeding portion. |
| US09553356B2 |
Antenna module and wireless communication device employing the same
An antenna module includes a main antenna and a parasitic resonator. The main antenna includes a feed arm, a ground arm, a first radiating body connected to one end of the feed arm, a second radiating body, and a third radiating body connected to one end of the ground arm. The first radiating body and the third radiating body are connected to the second radiating body and positioned at two sides of the second radiating body. The parasitic resonator is resonated with the main antenna and configured for widening a high frequency bandwidth of the main antenna. |
| US09553355B2 |
Antenna structure and wireless communication device employing same
An antenna structure includes a radiation body, a grounding portion, a feeding portion, and a variable capacitor. The grounding portion is coupled to the radiation body and is configured to couple to ground. The feeding portion is coupled between the radiation body and the variable capacitor, the feeding portion is configured to receive feeding signals via the variable capacitor. |
| US09553353B2 |
Redirection of electromagnetic signals using substrate structures
A system for transmitting or receiving signals may include a dielectric substrate having a major face, a communication circuit, and an electromagnetic-energy directing assembly. The circuit may include a transducer configured to convert between RF electrical and RF electromagnetic signals and supported in a position spaced from the major face of the substrate operatively coupled to the transducer. The directing assembly may be supported by the substrate in spaced relationship from the transducer and configured to direct EM energy in a region including the transducer and along a line extending away from the transducer and transverse to a plane of the major face. |
| US09553349B2 |
Directional coupler
To achieve favorable directivity in a directional coupler, even with a low magnetic-field coupling coefficient, the directional coupler includes a main line, a secondary line, and impedance conversion sections. The main line is connected between a signal input port and a signal output port. The secondary line is coupled to the main line through coupling capacitance and mutual inductance. The impedance conversion sections are connected between the secondary line and a coupling port or an isolation port, and the impedance viewed from the secondary line differs from the impedance viewed from a port side while both impedances viewed from the secondary line are equal. |
| US09553344B2 |
Peristaltic pump for traction battery thermal management system
A battery assembly including an array of battery cells, a conduit system, and an emitter is provided. The conduit system may deliver coolant for thermally communicating with the array and may define a channel with a wall having dielectric or magnetic particles. The emitter may be located proximate the wall and configured to selectively output a magnetic field, an electric field, or a voltage to impart a compression force on the particles to adjust a cross-sectional area of the channel to control a flow of the coolant therethrough. The channel may be a flexible resin-based tube. The assembly may also include a sensor and a controller. The controller may be configured to activate the emitter based on signals from the sensor indicative of conditions of the assembly or system. |
| US09553343B2 |
Printed circuit board interconnect for cells in a battery system
A system includes a cell interconnect board including a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed proximate a power assembly having a plurality of pouch battery cells, including at least a first battery cell and a second battery cell in a stacked orientation relative to each other. The cell interconnect board includes an interconnect spanning a slot in the cell interconnect board and configured to receive a first tab electrode extending from the first battery cell and a second tab electrode extending from the second battery cell, such that the first and second tab electrodes are in contact with each other. The system also includes a sensor configured to measure a parameter associated with the power assembly. |
| US09553340B2 |
Rechargeable battery module
A rechargeable battery module includes a plurality of unit cells including rechargeable batteries and adjacently disposed, at least one bus bar connecting electrode terminals of adjacent unit cells of the plurality of unit cells, and a cover configured to cover the plurality of unit cells, the cover including a coupling part coupled with the at least one bus bar, and a signal detector electrically connected to the bus bar. |
| US09553328B2 |
Electrochemical system for storing electricity in metals
An electrochemical system for storing electrical energy in metallic material comprises a charging assembly having one or more cathode and anode couples for metal deposition and a discharging assembly having one or more cathodes and spaces amid the cathodes for containing metal anode. The charging assembly and discharging assembly are physically separated allowing independent operation of the charging and discharging facilities and independent scaling of power and energy capabilities. It also allows storage of anode metal material in simple containers separated from the charging and discharging assemblies and thus allows for economical energy storage. |
| US09553327B2 |
Grafted functional groups on expanded tetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) support for fuel cell and water transport membranes
A method for forming a modified solid polymer includes a step of contacting a solid fluorinated polymer with a sodium sodium-naphthalenide solution to form a treated fluorinated solid polymer. The treated fluorinated solid polymer is contacted with carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, or sulfur trioxide to form a solid grafted fluorinated polymer. Characteristically, the grafted fluorinated polymer includes appended CO2H or SO2H or SO3H groups. The solid grafted fluorinated polymer is advantageously incorporated into a fuel cell as part of the ion-conducting membrane or a water transport membrane in a humidifier. |
| US09553326B2 |
Aromatic sulfonic acid derivative, sulfonic acid group-containing polymer, block copolymer, polymer electrolyte material, polymer electrolyte form article, and polymer electrolyte fuel cell
Provided are an aromatic sulfonic acid derivative and a sulfonic acid group-containing polymer, each of which has excellent proton conductivity even under low humidification conditions, while having excellent mechanical strength and chemical stability, and enables a solid polymer fuel cell to achieve high output and excellent physical durability when used therein. This aromatic sulfonic acid derivative has a specific structure and is characterized in that a sulfonic acid group is introduced into more than 50% of all the phenyl groups. This sulfonic acid group-containing polymer is characterized by being obtained by polymerization using the aromatic sulfonic acid derivative, and is also characterized by having a specific structure. |
| US09553324B2 |
Fuel cell resin frame equipped membrane electrode assembly
A resin frame member of a resin frame equipped membrane electrode assembly includes a recess where adhesive is provided. An inner protrusion on an inner side of the recess abuts against an electrode catalyst layer protruding outward beyond a gas diffusion layer of a membrane electrode assembly. An outer protrusion on an outer side of the recess abuts against the outermost portion of a gas diffusion layer of the membrane electrode assembly such that a solid polymer electrolyte membrane is interposed between the outer protrusion and the gas diffusion layer. |
| US09553322B2 |
Fuel cell system and operation method thereof
A fuel cell system includes a fuel processor; a fuel cell stack; a first water tank; a combustor; a water discharge passage connected to a water drain port formed in the first water tank to discharge the water from inside of the first water tank; a water filling detector configured to detect that at least one of the water drain port and the water discharge passage is filled with water; a water supply unit for supplying the water to the first water tank; and a controller configured to execute a water filling step of supplying the water to the first water, supply the combustible gas to the combustor via the first water tank and cause the combustor to combust the combustible gas, when the water filling detector detects that at least one of the water drain port and the water discharge passage is filled with water. |
| US09553321B2 |
Integrated power generation and carbon capture using fuel cells
Systems and methods are provided for capturing CO2 from a combustion source using molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs). At least a portion of the anode exhaust can be recycled for use as part of anode input stream. This can allow for a reduction in the amount of fuel cell area required for separating CO2 from the combustion source exhaust and/or modifications in how the fuel cells can be operated. |
| US09553320B2 |
Fuel cell system
A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell module for generating electrical energy by electrochemical reactions of a fuel gas and an oxygen-containing gas, and a condenser for condensing water vapor in an exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell module by heat exchange between the exhaust gas and a coolant to collect the condensed water and supplying the collected condensed water to the fuel cell module. The condenser includes an air cooling condensing mechanism using the oxygen-containing gas as the coolant, and a water cooling condensing mechanism using the hot water stored in the hot water storage unit as the coolant. The air cooling condensing mechanism includes a thermoelectric converter for performing thermoelectric conversion by a temperature difference between the exhaust gas and the oxygen-containing gas. |
| US09553319B2 |
High water-content membranes
The present invention is a hydrophilic polymer, which can be hydrated to form a hydrated hydrophilic polymer having a water content of at least 65%, wherein water content is defined as [(mass of the hydrated hydrophilic polymer−mass of the dry hydrophilic polymer)/mass of the hydrated hydrophilic polymer]×100. The hydrophilic polymer may be hydrated to form a hydrated hydrophilic polymer having a water content of at least 65%. The present invention also 10 provides MEAs and electrochemical cells and methods of forming same. |
| US09553316B2 |
Lithium-oxygen batteries incorporating lithium superoxide
A composition includes LiO2, reduced graphene oxide, and a metal catalyst or residue thereof. |
| US09553315B2 |
Direct liquid fuel cell having ammonia borane or derivatives thereof as fuel
Fuel cell systems comprising ammonia borane or derivatives thereof as fuel and an anode and/or cathode which comprises a non-noble metal (e.g., copper) or a non-metallic substance (e.g., an iron electron-transfer mediating complex) as a catalyst are disclosed. Fuel cell systems comprising ammonia borane or derivatives thereof as fuel and a peroxide as an oxidant are also disclosed. Uses of the fuel devices are further disclosed. |
| US09553312B2 |
Nickel composite hydroxide and production method thereof, cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery and production method thereof, and a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery
Provided is a cathode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery that has a uniform particle size and high packing density, and that is capable of increased battery capacity and improved coulomb efficiency.When producing a nickel composite hydroxide that is a precursor to the cathode active material by supplying an aqueous solution that includes at least a nickel salt, a neutralizing agent and a complexing agent into a reaction vessel while stirring and performing a crystallization reaction, a nickel composite hydroxide slurry is obtained while controlling the ratio of the average particle size per volume of secondary particles of nickel composite hydroxide that is generated inside the reaction vessel with respect to the average particle size per volume of secondary particles of nickel composite hydroxide that is finally obtained so as to be 0.2 to 0.6, after which, while keeping the amount of slurry constant and continuously removing only the liquid component, the crystallization reaction is continued until the average particle size per volume of secondary particles of the nickel composite hydroxide becomes 8.0 μm to 50.0 μm. |
| US09553309B2 |
Silicon oxide particles, making method, lithium ion secondary battery, and electrochemical capacitor
Silicon oxide particles each comprising an inner portion having an iron content of 10-1,000 ppm and an outer portion having an iron content of up to 30 ppm are suitable as negative electrode active material in nonaqueous electrolyte secondary batteries. Using a negative electrode comprising the silicon oxide particles as active material, a lithium ion secondary battery or electrochemical capacitor having a high capacity and improved cycle performance can be constructed. |
| US09553308B2 |
Negative electrode material for sodium secondary battery and method for producing same, negative electrode for sodium secondary batter, and sodium secondary battery
Problem. Provided is a negative electrode material for a sodium secondary battery and its manufacturing method, and a negative electrode for a sodium secondary battery, and a sodium secondary battery, wherein the negative electrode material can have excellent cycle characteristics while maintaining high discharge capacity. Solution. A negative electrode material for a sodium secondary battery according to the present invention includes sulfide or sulfide composite body containing sulfur and antimony, and as necessary further includes the following component(s) of (i): (i) at least one or more element(s) selected from a group consisting of Sn, As, Bi, Ge, Ga, Pb, and C, wherein when a component(s) of (i) is included, the ratio of each of the above described components is sulfur: 10 to 70 mol %, antimony: 10 to 70 mol %, and (i): 3 to 60 mol %. |
| US09553307B2 |
Negative active material, negative electrode, and lithium battery
A negative active material includes a conductive unit bound in island-like form to silicon-based nanowires on a carbonaceous base. Such negative active material may improve the electrical conductivity of the silicon-based nanowires, and suppress separation of the silicon-based nanowires caused from volume expansion, and thus may improve lifetime characteristics of a lithium battery. |
| US09553302B2 |
Electrode assemblage and rechargeable battery using the same
An electrode assemblage includes a first electrode assembly with first electrodes. Each first electrode has a porous first electrode current collector with a plurality of pores, and first electrode active material layers attached to the porous first electrode current collector. The electrode assemblage further includes a second electrode having a second electrode current collector and second electrode active material layers attached to the second electrode current collector, and also includes a separator disposed between the first electrode assembly and the second electrode. |
| US09553301B2 |
High capacity lithium ion battery formation protocol and corresponding batteries
Battery formation protocols are used to perform initial charging of batteries with lithium rich high capacity positive electrode to result a more stable battery structure. The formation protocol generally comprises three steps, an initial charge step, a rest period under an open circuit and a subsequent charge step to a selected partial activation voltage. The subsequent or second charge voltage is selected to provide for a desired degree of partial activation of the positive electrode active material to achieve a desired specific capacity while providing for excellent stability with cycling. The formation protocol is particularly effective to stabilize cycling for compositions with moderate lithium enrichment. |
| US09553300B2 |
Electrode material; and battery, nonaqueous-electrolyte battery, and capacitor all incorporating the material
The invention offers an electrode material that can accomplish both high capacity and high output and a battery, a nonaqueous-electrolyte battery, and a capacitor all incorporating the electrode material. The electrode material has a sheet-shaped aluminum porous body carrying an active material. The above-described aluminum porous body has a skeleton structure that is formed of an aluminum layer and that has a vacant space at the interior. When observed by performing cutting in a direction parallel to the direction of thickness of the sheet, the above-described vacant space in the skeleton structure has an average area of 500 μm2 or more and 6,000 μm2 or less. |
| US09553299B2 |
Lithium-ion secondary battery
A negative electrode sheet of a lithium-ion secondary battery has a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode active material layer on the negative electrode current collector. The negative electrode active material layer contains flake graphite particles and has a first region neighboring the negative electrode current collector and a second region neighboring a surface side that are different in perpendicularity of the graphite particles. The perpendicularity of the graphite particles is defined as (m1/m2), where, when the inclination θn of each of the graphite particles is specified relative to a surface of the negative electrode current collector, m1 is the number of the graphite particles having an inclination θn of 60°≦θn≦90° and m2 is the number of the graphite particles having an inclination θn of 0°≦θn≦30°. |
| US09553298B2 |
Pouch type case, battery cell, and method of manufacturing battery cell
Provided is a pouch type case, which includes a pouch type body part including an inner space for accommodating an electrode assembly, and an injection part extending from the body part to guide electrolyte into the inner space. The injection part is corrugated in a zigzag shape. |
| US09553278B2 |
Organic electroluminsescence element and lighting device
The disclosure relates to an organic electroluminescence element including an organic layer including multiple light-emitting layers. The light-emitting layers include a blue light-emitting layer including a blue light-emitting dopant. In a case where emission color of the organic electroluminescence element operated at an operation temperature for a stable state is represented in a CIE1931 chromaticity coordinate system, when coordinate point A of the emission color at an early stage of use and coordinate point B of the emission color deteriorated by use are represented by (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) respectively, a relation of y2≧y1 is satisfied. When amounts of changes in x and y values from coordinate point A to coordinate point B are represented by equations of Δx=x2−x1 and Δy=y2−y1 respectively, a relation of Δy≧Δx is satisfied. It can be made difficult to perceive change in emission color and lifetime can be prolonged |
| US09553277B2 |
Iridium complexes and organic light-emitting diodes using the same
An iridium complex represented by formula (1) and an OLED using the same are shown. In Formula (1), l, m, n, p, b, R1-R6, X1-X6, A1, A2 and B are the same as defined in the specification. The iridium complex is able to emit a range of visible light with high color purity and high efficiency as neat sample. |
| US09553276B2 |
Complex compounds having tetradentate ligands and the use thereof in the opto-electronic field
The invention describes electronic devices comprising a metal complex compound having at least one tetradentate ligand having N and/or P donors, in particular a ligand having a PPPP, NNNN, PNNP or NPPN structure, and uses of a complex of this type in the electronic field and for the generation of light. |
| US09553273B2 |
Fluorene derivative, light-emitting element, light-emitting device, electronic device, and lighting device
An object is to provide a new fluorene derivative as a good light-emitting material for organic EL elements. A fluorene derivative represented by General Formula (G1) is provided. In the formula, R1 to R8 separately represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted biphenyl group. Further, α1 to α4 separately represent a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene group. Ar1 represents a substituted or unsubstituted condensed aromatic hydrocarbon having 14 to 18 carbon atoms forming a ring. Ar2 represents a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having 6 to 13 carbon atoms forming a ring. Ar3 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms. Further, j, m, and n separately represent 0 or 1, and p represents 1 or 2. |
| US09553270B2 |
Material for organic light-emitting device, and organic light-emitting device using same
The present invention provides an organic light emitting device including a dibenzothiophene-based compound and an organic material layer composed of one more layers including a first electrode, a second electrode and a light emitting layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, in which one or more layers of the organic material layer include the dibenzothiophene-based compound of Formula 1 or a compound in which a heat curable or photo curable functional group is introduced into the dibenzothiophene-based compound. |
| US09553260B2 |
Method of integration of a magnetoresistive structure
A conductive via disposed beneath a magnetic device and aligned therewith. In certain embodiments, an electrode formed on the conductive via may be polished to eliminate step functions or seams originating at the conductive via from propagating up through the various deposited layers. This integration approach allows for improved scaling of the MRAM devices to, for example, a 45 nanometer node. |
| US09553259B2 |
Magnetic tunnel junctions
A magnetic tunnel junction comprises a conductive first magnetic electrode comprising magnetic recording material. A conductive second magnetic electrode is spaced from the first electrode and comprises magnetic reference material. A non-magnetic tunnel insulator material is between the first and second electrodes. The magnetic recording material of the first electrode comprises a first crystalline magnetic region, in one embodiment comprising Co and Fe. In one embodiment, the first electrode comprises a second amorphous region comprising amorphous XN, where X is one or more of W, Mo, Cr, V, Nb, Ta, Al, and Ti. In one embodiment, the first electrode comprises a second region comprising Co, Fe, and N. |
| US09553254B2 |
Automated manufacturing processes for producing deformable polymer devices and films
A process for producing a patterned deformable polymer film for use in a deformable polymer device is disclosed. The process includes positioning an intermediary layer between a deformable film and a process tooling and printing at least one electrode on the deformable film by depositing an ink to form the at least one electrode on a first surface of the deformable film, wherein the intermediary layer permits release of the deformable film from the process tooling subsequent to the printing process. Films produced by the inventive processes may find use in electroactive polymer devices. |
| US09553252B2 |
Piezoelectric/electrostrictive film type element containing lead zirconate titanate and a bismuth compound and method for producing the same
Provided is a piezoelectric/electrostrictive film type element in which the film thickness of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive film is small, the piezoelectric/electrostrictive film is dense, and the piezoelectric/electrostrictive film has good durability and insulation quality. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive film type element includes a substrate, a lower electrode film, a piezoelectric/electrostrictive film and an upper electrode film. The substrate and the lower electrode film are fixed adherently each other. The film thickness of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive film is 5 μm or less. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive film is composed of a piezoelectric/electrostrictive ceramic. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive ceramic contains lead zirconate titanate and a bismuth compound. The bismuth/lead ratio in the peripheral section inside the grain which is relatively close to the grain boundary is greater than the bismuth/lead ratio in the center section inside the grain which is relatively far from the grain boundary. |
| US09553248B2 |
Systems, methods and/or devices for providing LED lighting
A lighting device comprising a plurality of LEDs; a plurality of optic devices corresponding to the plurality of LEDs; at least one optical separator for substantially preventing the light emitted from one LED from effecting the other LEDs; a thermoelectric device configured to harvest heat generated by the LEDs and convert the harvested heat into electrical energy; and a low temperature material for creating a temperature difference across the thermoelectric device. |
| US09553242B2 |
Semiconductor device package assembly, semiconductor device assembly, and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A semiconductor device package assembly which increases production efficiency of semiconductor devices by enabling the number of semiconductor device packages held by a carrier to be increased. A predetermined area of a first housing molded of white-colored resin, which holds a plurality of bent contacts, is covered by a second housing molded of black-colored resin, and a plurality of second housings are supported by a secondary molding carrier in high density. A linking portion of each contact and one or both of the first and second housings are integrated by insert molding. |
| US09553237B2 |
Light emitting element
A light emitting element includes a semiconductor layer; an upper electrode disposed on an upper surface of the semiconductor layer; and a lower electrode disposed on a lower surface of the semiconductor later. In a plan view, the upper electrode includes a first extending portion extending in an approximately rectangular shape along an outer periphery of the semiconductor layer, a first pad portion connected to a first side among four sides of the first extending portion, a second pad portion connected to a second side that is opposite to the first side, among the four sides of the first extending portion, and a second extending portion and a third extending portion, each disposed in a region surrounded by the first extending portion, the second extending portion and the third extending portion each connecting the first pad portion and the second pad portion. |
| US09553236B2 |
Light emitting device
A light emitting device includes a first conductive semiconductor layer on a substrate, a control layer interposed between the substrate and the first conductive semiconductor layer. The control layer includes a first nitride semiconductor layer having aluminum (Al), a plurality of nano-structures on the first nitride semiconductor layer, and a second nitride semiconductor layer provided on the first nitride semiconductor layer and having gallium (Ga). |
| US09553235B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting device and manufacturing method thereof
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device may include steps of forming a mask layer and a mold layer having a plurality of openings exposing portions of a base layer, forming a plurality of first conductivity-type semiconductor cores each including a body portion extending through each of the openings from the base layer and a tip portion disposed on the body portion and having a conical shape, and forming an active layer and a second conductivity-type semiconductor layer on each of the plurality of first conductivity-type semiconductor cores. The step of forming the plurality of first conductivity-type semiconductor cores may include forming a first region such that a vertex of the tip portion is positioned on a central vertical axis of the body portion, removing the mold layer, and forming an additional growth region on the first region such that the body portion has a hexagonal prism shape. |
| US09553234B2 |
Method of manufacturing nanostructure semiconductor light emitting device
A method of manufacturing a nanostructure semiconductor light emitting device may includes preparing a mask layer by sequentially forming a first insulating layer and a second insulating layer on a base layer configured of a first conductivity-type semiconductor, forming a plurality of openings penetrating the mask layer, growing a plurality of nanorods in the plurality of openings, removing the second insulating layer, preparing a plurality of nanocores by re-growing the plurality of nanorods, and forming nanoscale light emitting structures by sequentially growing an active layer and a second conductivity-type semiconductor layer on surfaces of the plurality of nanocores. The plurality of openings may respectively include a mold region located in the second insulating layer, and the mold region includes at least one curved portion of which an inclination of a side surface varies according to proximity to the first insulating layer. |
| US09553228B2 |
Solar cell, production method therefor, and solar cell module
A solar cell of the invention includes a collecting electrode on a first principal surface of a photoelectric conversion section. The collecting electrode includes a first electroconductive layer and a second electroconductive layer in this order from the photoelectric conversion section. On the first principal surface of the photoelectric conversion section, an insulating layer is provided in a first electroconductive layer-non-formed region where the first electroconductive layer is not formed. The insulating layer includes a first insulating layer is in contact with the first electroconductive layer on the first principal surface of the photoelectric conversion section, and a second insulating layer that is formed so as to cover at least a part of the first insulating layer. |
| US09553227B2 |
Optical element and concentrating photovoltaic device
Provided are an optical element and a concentrating photovoltaic device which are each capable of preventing warpage and deformation of an optical functional pattern formed in a surface thereof due to stress even in an environment with extreme temperature changes. An optical element (4) of a concentrating photovoltaic device (1) concentrating sunlight includes: a glass substrate (5) and a sheet-like molded body (6) which is made of an organic resin and includes a Fresnel lens pattern (6a) in a surface and has the other surface bonded to the glass substrate (5). The sheet-like molded body (6) has a tensile elastic modulus of 1500 MPa or less, a linear expansion coefficient of 7.0×10−5/° C. or less, an average transmittance of 85% or more in a wavelength range from 350 to 1850 nm at a thickness of 400 μm, and a haze value of 1.0% or less. |
| US09553226B2 |
Solar cell module and method for manufacturing the same
A method for manufacturing a solar cell module includes a cell forming operation of forming a plurality of first and second electrodes on a back surface of a semiconductor substrate to form each a plurality of solar cells, and a tabbing operation including at least one of a connection operation of performing a thermal process to respectively connect a first conductive line and a second conductive line to the first electrodes and the second electrodes of each solar cell using a conductive adhesive and an optional string forming operation of performing a thermal process to connect the first conductive line included in one solar cell and the second conductive line included in other solar cell adjacent to the one solar cell to an interconnect. The tabbing operation includes at least two thermal processes each having a different maximum temperature. |
| US09553222B2 |
Germanium metal-contact-free near-IR photodetector
A Ge-on-Si photodetector constructed without doping or contacting Germanium by metal is described. Despite the simplified fabrication process, the device has responsivity of 1.24 A/W, corresponding to 99.2% quantum efficiency. Dark current is 40 nA at −4 V reverse bias. 3-dB bandwidth is 30 GHz. |
| US09553219B2 |
Glass unit
A glass unit includes an energy collecting layer attached to a light directing device for collecting a light energy from the light directing device, and an energy converting layer electrically coupled to the energy collecting layer for converting the light energy into an electric energy, and the light directing device includes a number of nanometer particles to direct the light energy toward the energy collecting layer. The light directing device includes one or more glass layers, and a light collecting panel attached to the glass layer with a bonding layer and made of polymer materials which are mixed with the nanometer particles to form the light collecting panel. |
| US09553214B2 |
Positioning method of photoelectric conversion device, and liquid ejecting apparatus
A positioning method of a photoelectric conversion device (an imaging device) includes irradiating an optical member with light and receiving light which passes through an opening of a light shielding member and the optical member with the photoelectric conversion device. The photoelectric conversion device is moved in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis of the optical member and a first position at which the photoelectric conversion device detects a side of an opening and a second position at which the photoelectric conversion device detects another side opposing the side are acquired. A position of the photoelectric conversion device at which a center of the opening and a center position of the photoelectric conversion device are aligned based on the first position and the second position is determined. The photoelectric conversion device is fixed at the determined position. |
| US09553210B2 |
High frequency power diode and method for manufacturing the same
High frequency power diode including a semiconductor wafer having first and second main sides, a first layer of a first conductivity type formed on the first main side, a second layer of a second conductivity type formed on the second main side and a third layer of the second conductivity type formed between the first layer and the second layer. The first layer has a dopant concentration decreasing from 1019 cm−3 or more adjacent to the first main side of the wafer to 1.5·1015 cm−3 or less at an interface of the first layer with the third layer. The second layer has a dopant concentration decreasing from 1019 cm−3 or more adjacent to the second main side of the wafer to 1.5·1015 cm−3 at an interface of the second layer with the third layer and the third layer has a dopant concentration of 1.5·1015 cm−3 or less. |
| US09553207B2 |
NVM device using FN tunneling with parallel powered source and drain
A nonvolatile memory (“NVM”) bitcell includes a capacitor, a transistor, and a tunneling device. The capacitor, transistor, and tunneling device are each electrically coupled to different active regions and metal contacts. The three devices are coupled by a floating gate that traverses the three active regions. The tunneling device is used to program and erase the device, allowing for faster page erasure, and thus allows for rapid testing and verification of functionality. The transistor is used to read the logical state of the floating gate. The capacitor and floating gate are capacitively coupled together, removing the need for a separate selection device to perform read, write, and/or erase operations. |
| US09553206B2 |
EEPROM core structure embedded into BCD process and forming method thereof
The present invention provides an EEPROM core structure embedded into BCD process and forming method thereof. The EEPROM core structure embedded into BCD process comprises a selection transistor and a storage transistor connected in series, wherein the selection transistor is an LDNMOS transistor. The present invention may embed the procedure for forming the EEPROM core structure into the BCD process, which is favorable to reduce the complexity of the process. |
| US09553205B2 |
Semiconductor device, driver circuit, and display device
To provide a semiconductor device having a high aperture ratio and including a capacitor with a high charge capacitance. To provide a semiconductor device with a narrow bezel. A transistor over a substrate; a first conductive film over a surface over which a gate electrode of the transistor is provided; a second conductive film over a surface over which a pair of electrodes of the transistor is provided; and a first light-transmitting conductive film electrically connected to the first conductive film and the second conductive film are included. The second conductive film overlaps the first conductive film with a gate insulating film of the transistor laid between the second conductive film and the first conductive film. |
| US09553204B2 |
Semiconductor device, electronic component, and electronic device
A semiconductor device excellent in writing operation is provided. In a structure where a data voltage supplied to a source line is supplied to a node of a memory cell via a bit line, a switch is provided between memory cells connected to the bit line. During a period in which the data voltage is supplied to the node of the memory cell, the switch on the bit line, which is provided between the memory cells, is off. With such a structure, parasitic capacitance of the bit line during a period in which the data voltage is supplied to the node of the memory cell can be reduced. As a result, writing of the data voltage into the memory cell can be performed fast. |
| US09553203B2 |
Display panel
A display panel includes a base substrate including a pixel area and a peripheral area, a semiconductor layer disposed on a portion of the base substrate, a display element disposed in the pixel area, and a thin film transistor which controls the display element and includes an input electrode, an output electrode and a control electrode, in which the semiconductor layer includes a first portion disposed on the input electrode of the first thin film transistor, a second portion disposed on the output electrode of the first thin film transistor, and a third portion which connects the first portion and the second portion, overlaps the control electrode of the first thin film transistor, and defines a channel of the first thin film transistor. |
| US09553198B1 |
TFT substrate structure and manufacturing method thereof
The present invention provides a TFT substrate structure and a manufacturing method thereof. The TFT substrate structure of the present invention includes an N-type lightly-doped amorphous silicon layer and an N-type heavily-doped amorphous silicon layer arranged between an amorphous silicon layer and a metal layer to form a gradient of doping concentration so as to reduce the potential barrier between the metal layer and the amorphous silicon layer, making injection of electrons easy and reducing the leakage current without lowering an operation current, thereby improving the electrical property of the TFT. The manufacturing method of a TFT substrate structure of the present invention includes forming an N-type lightly-doped amorphous silicon layer and an N-type heavily-doped amorphous silicon layer between an amorphous silicon layer and a metal layer to effectively reduce the potential barrier between the metal layer and the amorphous silicon layer, making injection of electrons easy and reducing the leakage current without lowering an operation current, thereby improving the electrical property of the TFT. |
| US09553196B2 |
Multi-gate thin film transistor, array substrate and display device
The present invention discloses a multi-gate thin film transistor for realizing a multi-gate occupying a small area, pixels provided with the multi-gate TFTs are high in aperture ratio, and a display device provided with the multi-gate TFTs is high in resolution. The multi-gate thin film transistor comprises: at least three gate electrodes; a plurality of active layers corresponding to each of the gate electrodes, respectively, the active layers being formed into an integrated structure; a source electrode connected with one of the plurality of active layers; and a plurality of drain electrodes connected with each of the remainder of the plurality of active layers, respectively. The present invention further discloses an array substrate comprising the multi-gate thin film transistor, and a display device. |
| US09553192B2 |
Semiconductor devices having source/drain regions with strain-inducing layers and methods of manufacturing such semiconductor devices
Semiconductor devices include a strain-inducing layer capable of applying a strain to a channel region of a transistor included in a miniaturized electronic device, and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a substrate having a channel region; a pair of source/drain regions provided on the substrate and arranged on both sides of the channel region in a first direction; and a gate structure provided on the channel region and comprising a gate electrode pattern extending in a second direction that is different from the first direction, a gate dielectric layer disposed between the channel region and the gate electrode pattern, and a gate spacer covering respective lateral surfaces of the gate electrode pattern and the gate dielectric layer. At least one of the source/drain regions includes a first strain-inducing layer and a second strain-inducing layer. The first strain-inducing layer is disposed between a lateral surface of the channel region and the second strain-inducing layer and contacts at least a portion of the gate dielectric layer. |
| US09553189B2 |
Self-aligned silicide formation on source/drain through contact via
According to certain embodiments, a silicide layer is formed after the fabrication of a functional gate electrode using a gate-last scheme. An initial semiconductor structure has at least one impurity regions formed on a semiconductor substrate, a sacrifice film formed over the impurity region, an isolation layer formed over the sacrifice film and a dielectric layer formed over the isolation film. A via is patterned into the dielectric layer of the initial semiconductor structure and through the thickness of the isolation layer such that a contact opening is formed in the isolation layer. The sacrifice film underlying the isolation layer is then removed leaving a void space underlying the isolation layer. Then, a metal silicide precursor is placed within the void space, and the metal silicide precursor is converted to a silicide layer through an annealing process. |
| US09553184B2 |
Edge termination for trench gate FET
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer disposed at a substrate and a plurality of active cells disposed at the semiconductor layer. Each active cell includes a trench extending into the semiconductor layer and a body region disposed in the semiconductor layer adjacent to a sidewall of the trench and at a first depth below the surface of the semiconductor layer. The semiconductor device further includes a termination cell disposed at the semiconductor layer adjacent to an edge of the plurality of active cells. The termination cell includes a trench extending into the semiconductor layer, and further includes a body region disposed in the semiconductor layer adjacent to a sidewall of the trench of the termination cell and at a second depth less than the first depth. The body regions of the active cells and of the termination cell have a conductivity type different than that of the semiconductor layer. |
| US09553181B2 |
Crystalline-amorphous transition material for semiconductor devices and method for formation
The present disclosure presents a novel structure for a dielectric material for use with Group III-V material systems and a method of fabricating such a structure. More specifically, the present disclosure describes a novel dielectric layer that is formed on the top surface of a III-V material where the dielectric layer comprises a first region in contact with the top surface of the III-V material crystalline and a second region adjacent to the first region and at the upper side of the dielectric layer. The dielectric layer has material properties different from traditional dielectric layers as it is composed of both crystalline and amorphous structures. The crystalline structure is at the interface with the III-V material (such as AlGaN or GaN) but gradually transitions into an amorphous structure, both within the same layer and both comprising the same material. |
| US09553177B2 |
Vertically base-connected bipolar transistor
Methods, devices, and systems for using and forming vertically base-connected bipolar transistors have been shown. The vertically base-connected bipolar transistors in the embodiments of the present disclosure are formed with a CMOS fabrication technique that decreases the transistor size while maintaining the high performance characteristics of a bipolar transistor. |
| US09553175B2 |
SONOS type stacks for nonvolatile charge trap memory devices and methods to form the same
A method includes forming a first oxide layer. The method further includes etching a portion of the first oxide layer using a first decoupled plasma nitridation process. The method includes forming, subsequent to the etching, a charge-trapping layer on the first oxide layer. |
| US09553168B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and method of manufacturing the same
The present technology includes a semiconductor memory device, including a channel layer and interlayer insulation layers surrounding the channel layer. The interlayer insulation layers are stacked with a trench interposed therebetween. A seed pattern is formed on a surface of the trench and a metal layer is formed on the seed pattern in the trench. |
| US09553167B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for forming the same
A semiconductor device is disclosed. The semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor substrate having first type conductivity and including an active region and a device isolation film, a doping layer having second type conductivity and buried in a bottom part of the semiconductor substrate of the active region, a recess formed in the semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode provided in the recess. |
| US09553166B1 |
Asymmetric III-V MOSFET on silicon substrate
A semiconductor structure containing a high mobility semiconductor channel material, i.e., a III-V semiconductor material, and asymmetrical source/drain regions located on the sidewalls of the high mobility semiconductor channel material is provided. The asymmetrical source/drain regions can aid in improving performance of the resultant device. The source region contains a source-side epitaxial doped semiconductor material, while the drain region contains a drain-side epitaxial doped semiconductor material and an underlying portion of the high mobility semiconductor channel material. |
| US09553165B2 |
Method of forming a semiconductor device
In one embodiment, an IGBT is formed to include a plurality of termination trenches in a termination region of the IGBT. An embodiment may include that one end of one or more termination trenches may be exposed on one surface of the semiconductor device. |
| US09553164B2 |
Method for manufacturing IGBT
A method for manufacturing an IGBT, comprising: providing a substrate having a first surface and a second surface and of a first or second type of electrical conductance; forming grooves at intervals on the first surface of the substrate; filling a semiconductor material of the second or first type of electrical conductance into the grooves to form channels, where the type of electrical conductance of the channels is different from the type of electrical conductance of the substrate; bonding on the first surface of the substrate to form a drift region of the second type of electrical conductance; forming a front-side structure of the IGBT on the basis of the drift region; thinning the substrate starting from the second surface of the substrate until the channels are exposed; and forming a rear-side metal electrode on the channels and the thinned substrate. The method has no specific requirement with respect to sheet flow capacity, nor requires a double-sided exposure machine apparatus, is compatible with a conventional process, and has a simple process and high efficiency. |
| US09553162B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of forming semiconductor die with active region responsive to external stimulus
A semiconductor device has a semiconductor die and an encapsulant deposited over the semiconductor die. A conductive layer can be formed over the encapsulant and the semiconductor die. A transmissive layer can be formed over the semiconductor die. An interconnect structure can be formed through the encapsulant and electrically connected to the conductive layer, whereby the interconnect structure is formed off to only one side of the semiconductor die. |
| US09553160B2 |
Mechanisms for monitoring impurity in high-K dielectric film
Embodiments of mechanisms of monitoring metal impurity in a high-k dielectric film are provided. The method includes forming an interfacial layer over a substrate. The method also includes forming a high-k dielectric film on the interfacial layer, and the interfacial layer and the high-k dielectric film form a stacked structure over the substrate. The method further includes conducting the first thickness measurement on the stacked structure. In addition, the method includes performing a treatment to the stacked structure after the first thickness measurement, and the treatment includes an annealing process. The method also includes conducting the second thickness measurement on the stacked structure after the treatment. |
| US09553155B2 |
Semiconductor device and method
In an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) including a floating gate. The floating gate includes two or more electrically separated floating gate segments. |
| US09553151B2 |
III-nitride device and method having a gate isolating structure
A semiconductor device containing a GaN FET has an isolating gate structure outside the channel area which is operable to block current in the two-dimensional electron gas between two regions of the semiconductor device. The isolating gate structure is formed concurrently with the gate of the GaN FET, and has a same structure as the gate. |
| US09553150B2 |
Transistor design
Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a transistor device formed in a semiconductor substrate containing dopant impurities of a first impurity type. The transistor device includes channel composed of a delta-doped layer comprising dopant impurities of the first impurity type, and configured to produce a peak dopant concentration within the channel. The channel further includes a layer of carbon-containing material overlying the delta-doped layer, and configured to prevent back diffusion of dopants from the delta-doped layer and semiconductor substrate. The channel also includes of a layer of substrate material overlying the layer of carbon-containing material, and configured to achieve steep retrograde dopant concentration profile a near a surface of the channel. In some embodiments, a counter-doped layer underlies the delta-doped layer configured to reduce leakage within the semiconductor substrate, and includes dopant impurities of a second impurity type, which is opposite the first impurity type. |
| US09553149B2 |
Semiconductor device with a strained region and method of making
A semiconductor device with a strained region is provided. The semiconductor device includes a first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer disposed over the first dielectric layer, the second dielectric layer having a first fin disposed therein and an interface disposed proximate the first fin. The interface includes a first oxide region disposed in the first dielectric layer and a second oxide region disposed in the second dielectric layer. The interface induces strain in a region of the semiconductor device. A method of making a semiconductor device with a strained region is also provided. |
| US09553145B2 |
Lateral bipolar junction transistors on a silicon-on-insulator substrate with a thin device layer thickness
Methods of forming bipolar device structures and bipolar device structures. An opening may be formed in a device layer of a silicon-on-insulator substrate that extends to a buried insulator layer of the silicon-on-insulator substrate. An intrinsic base layer may be grown within the device layer opening by lateral growth on opposite first and second sidewalls of the device layer bordering the opening. A first collector of a first bipolar junction transistor of the device structure may be formed at a first spacing from the first sidewall. A second collector of a second bipolar junction transistor of the device structure may be formed at a second spacing from the second sidewall. An emitter, which is shared by the first bipolar junction transistor and the second bipolar transistor, is formed inside the opening. Portions of the intrinsic base layer may supply respective intrinsic bases for the first and second bipolar junction transistors. |
| US09553138B2 |
Organic light-emitting diode display having a repair line
An organic light-emitting diode display is disclosed. In one aspect, the OLED display includes a first connection line extending in a first direction and electrically connected to an OLED configured to emit light, a repair line extending in a second direction crossing the first direction, and an insulating layer formed between the first connection line and the repair line and configured to electrically insulate the first connection line from the repair line. The repair line includes a joining portion extending from the repair line in the first direction and at least partially overlapping a portion of the first connection line. |
| US09553135B2 |
Flexible display substrate and method for manufacturing the same
Disclosed is a flexible display substrate and a method for manufacturing the same which can avoid break and peeling of film layers disposed on a flexible base and further reduce degree of a warpage occurred in the flexible base when separating the support substrate from the flexible base located above the support substrate. The flexible display substrate comprises the flexible base, a first buffer layer and a second buffer layer disposed on an upper surface and a lower surface of the flexible base, respectively, and a plurality of display modules disposed on the first buffer layer, each display module includes at least one thin film transistor and at least one electrode corresponding to the thin film transistor. |
| US09553132B1 |
Semiconductor memory device
According to the embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, a first memory cell, a second memory cell, a third conductive layer, a first contact, a intermediate memory cell, a fourth conductive layer, a third memory cell, a fifth conductive layer, and a second contact. The third conductive layer is separated from the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer in a third direction crossing a first direction and crossing a second direction and extends in the second direction. The fifth conductive layer is separated from the second conductive layer in the third direction and extends in the second direction. A first length of the second conductive layer along the second direction is shorter than a second length of the fifth conductive layer along the second direction. |
| US09553128B1 |
Linear MRAM device with a self-aligned bottom contact
A technique relates to a linear magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) device. A linear magnetic tunnel junction structure includes a non-magnetic tunnel barrier on top of a free layer and a reference layer on top of the non-magnetic tunnel barrier, where the linear magnetic tunnel junction structure is in a line. Bottom contacts are separated from one another by a column space while the plurality of bottom contacts are self-aligned to the linear magnetic tunnel junction structure, such that the plurality of bottom contacts are in the line with and underneath the linear magnetic tunnel junction structure. The bottom contacts abut a bottom of the linear magnetic tunnel junction structure. MRAM devices are formed by having non-conducting parts of the free layer isolating individual interfaces between the bottom contacts and the free layer. The MRAM devices are formed in the line of the linear magnetic tunnel junction structure. |
| US09553127B2 |
LED array
A light-emitting diode structure comprises a first epitaxial unit; a second epitaxial unit separated from the first epitaxial unit; a crossover metal layer comprising a first protruding portion entering the first epitaxial unit; a conductive layer separated from the crossover metal layer and comprising a second protruding portion entering the second epitaxial unit; a conductive connecting layer surrounding the first protruding portion; and an electrode arranged on the conductive connecting layer. |
| US09553119B2 |
Methods of forming an image sensor
Methods of forming an image sensor are provided. A method of forming an image sensor includes forming a trench in a substrate to define a unit pixel region of the substrate. The method includes forming an in-situ-doped passivation layer on an exposed surface of the trench. The method includes forming a capping pattern on the in-situ-doped passivation layer, in the trench. The method includes forming a photoelectric conversion region in the unit pixel region. Moreover, the method includes forming a floating diffusion region in the unit pixel region. |
| US09553118B2 |
Formation of buried color filters in a back side illuminated image sensor using an etching-stop layer
A semiconductor image sensor includes a substrate having a first side and a second side that is opposite the first side. An interconnect structure is disposed over the first side of the substrate. A plurality of radiation-sensing regions is located in the substrate. The radiation-sensing regions are configured to sense radiation that enters the substrate from the second side. A buffer layer is disposed over the second side of the substrate. A plurality of elements is disposed over the buffer layer. The elements and the buffer layer have different material compositions. A plurality of light-blocking structures is disposed over the plurality of elements, respectively. The radiation-sensing regions are respectively aligned with a plurality of openings defined by the light-blocking structures, the elements, and the buffer layer. |
| US09553116B2 |
Imaging detector having an integrated wide bandgap layer and method of manufacturing thereof
A substrate-removed, surface passivated, and anti-reflective (AR) coated detector assembly is provided. The assembly has an AR coating or passivation layer which includes a wide bandgap thin-film dielectric/passivation layer integrated therein. The wide bandgap thin-film dielectric/passivation layer is positioned proximal to a back interface of a substrate-removed detector assembly. A method of manufacturing the detector assembly includes etching a backside of a partially-removed-substrate detector assembly to obtain an etched detector assembly removed from a substrate. A wide bandgap layer is deposited, in a vacuum chamber, on the etched detector assembly without utilizing an adhesive layer. Additional anti-reflective coating layers are deposited, in the same vacuum chamber, on the wide bandgap layer to form an anti-reflective coating layer with the wide bandgap layer integrated therein. The wide bandgap layer is positioned proximal to an interface portion between the anti-reflective coating layer and the detector assembly. |
| US09553114B2 |
Display device and electronic device with a color filter
A novel display device capable of adjusting color purity is provided. A novel display device with improved adhesion of a color filter is provided. A novel display device capable of excellent reflective display is provided. The display device includes a transistor, a reflective electrode layer formed on the same surface as a source electrode layer or a drain electrode layer of the transistor, a first insulating layer over the reflective electrode layer, a coloring layer which is over the first insulating layer and overlaps with the reflective electrode layer, a second insulating layer over the coloring layer, and a pixel electrode layer over the second insulating layer. The coloring layer includes at least a first opening and a second opening. The pixel electrode layer is electrically connected to the transistor through the first opening. The second insulating layer is in contact with the first insulating layer in the second opening. |
| US09553113B1 |
Pixel unit and pixel array
A pixel unit includes a scan line, data lines, first and second pixel structures, first and second common electrode lines, and a common connecting portion. The first pixel structure includes a first switching element, a first main pixel electrode, a first sub pixel electrode, and a first active element. The second pixel structure includes a second switching element, a second main pixel electrode, a second sub pixel electrode, and a second active element. The first main and sub pixel electrodes and the first active element are electrically connected to the first switching element. The second main and sub pixel electrodes and the second active element are electrically connected to the second switching element. The first and second common electrode lines are separated at a position where the scan line passes. The common connecting portion electrically connects the first common electrode line and the second common electrode line. |
| US09553112B2 |
Array substrate and method of manufacturing the same, display panel and method of manufacturing the same, and display device
The invention discloses an array substrate, a display panel and methods of manufacturing the same, and a display device. The array substrate comprises: a pixel region and a wiring region located outside the wiring region; a gate line and a data line each arranged within both the pixel and wiring regions; a passivation layer arranged to cover the gate and data lines and provided therein with trenches respectively exposing and being wider than the gate and data lines within the wiring region; first and second signal line partially arranged within the trenches respectively and contacting exposed portions of the gate and data lines to transmit signals to the gate and gate lines respectively, the first and second signal line each having widths equal to those of the trenches respectively. With the invention, good electrical connections between the signal line and the gate and data lines are enabled. |
| US09553111B2 |
Thin film transistor array substrate
A pixel electrode of an array substrate is connected with a drain electrode of a TFT via a first aperture formed on a second interlayer insulating film, a second aperture that includes a bottom portion of the first aperture and is formed on a common electrode, a third aperture that includes at least a part of the bottom portion of the first aperture, is included in a second aperture and is formed on a third interlayer insulating film, and a fourth aperture that is formed on the first interlayer insulating film in a region where the third aperture overlaps with the bottom portion of the first aperture. |
| US09553110B2 |
Array substrate, display device and method of manufacturing the array substrate
An array substrate, a display device comprising the array substrate and a method of manufacturing the array substrate are provided. The array substrate include a substrate (1) and a plurality of sub-pixel units on the substrate (1), and each of the sub-pixel units includes a thin film transistor main body layer (2) and a color filter layer (5) disposed above the thin film transistor main body layer (2), and the thin film transistor main body layer (2) includes a gate layer (21), a source layer, a drain layer (24) and a passivation layer (25), an additional layer (7) is further disposed on an upper surface of the thin film transistor main body layer (2), a hollow photoresist material containing part (50) is disposed in a region of the additional layer corresponding to each of the sub-pixel units, a color film material is disposed within the photoresist material containing part (50), and a pixel electrode via hole (6) is formed in the additional layer (7) and the passivation layer (25) at a region corresponding to the drain layer (24). The thin film transistor in the array substrate has a more stable performance, the array substrate has a simpler manufacturing process and lower cost, and the display devices comprising the array substrate has a more stable performance. |
| US09553109B2 |
Thin film transistor substrate, method for manufacturing the same, and liquid crystal display
A thin film transistor substrate includes a semiconductor channel layer made of an oxide semiconductor, protective insulating layers that cover the semiconductor channel layer, a first source electrode, a first drain electrode, a second source electrode, and a second drain electrode. The second source electrode is located on the first source electrode and connected with the semiconductor channel layer through a first contact hole. The second drain electrode is located on the first drain electrode and connected with the semiconductor channel layer through a second contact hole. |
| US09553105B2 |
Semiconductor devices including gate insulation layers on channel materials
Semiconductor devices are provided. A semiconductor device includes a stack of alternating insulation layers and gate electrodes. The semiconductor device includes a channel material in a channel recess in the stack. The semiconductor device includes a charge storage structure on the channel material, in the channel recess. Moreover, the semiconductor device includes a gate insulation layer on the channel material. The gate insulation layer undercuts a portion of the channel material. Related methods of forming semiconductor devices are also provided. |
| US09553102B2 |
Tungsten separation
Methods of selectively etching tungsten from the surface of a patterned substrate are described. The etch electrically separates vertically arranged tungsten slabs from one another as needed, for example, in the manufacture of vertical flash memory devices. The tungsten etch may selectively remove tungsten relative to films such as silicon, polysilicon, silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, titanium nitride and silicon nitride. The methods include exposing electrically-shorted tungsten slabs to remotely-excited fluorine formed in a capacitively-excited chamber plasma region. The methods then include exposing the tungsten slabs to remotely-excited fluorine formed in an inductively-excited remote plasma system. A low electron temperature is maintained in the substrate processing region during each operation to achieve high etch selectivity. |
| US09553098B2 |
Semiconductor devices including separate line patterns
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of lines disposed on a semiconductor substrate, and remaining line patterns disposed spaced apart from the lines on extensions from the lines. The lines include first end-portions adjacent to the remaining line patterns. The remaining line patterns include second end-portions adjacent to the lines. The first end-portions and second end-portions are formed to have mirror symmetry with respect to each other. |
| US09553097B2 |
Semiconductor device, related manufacturing method, and related electronic device
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first transistor, and a second transistor. The first transistor includes a first source terminal formed of a material and connected to a first source, a first drain terminal formed of the material and connected to a first drain, a first gate overlapping a portion of the substrate that is between the first source and the first drain, and a first dielectric layer between the first gate and the substrate. The second transistor includes a control gate formed of the material and overlapping a part of the substrate that is positioned between a second source and a second drain, a second dielectric layer between the control gate and the substrate, a floating gate extending through the second dielectric layer to contact a doped region in the substrate, and an insulating member positioned between the control gate and the floating gate. |
| US09553092B2 |
Alternative threshold voltage scheme via direct metal gate patterning for high performance CMOS FinFETs
Multiple gate stack portions are formed in a gate cavity by direct metal gate patterning to provide FinFETs having different threshold voltages. The different threshold voltages are obtained by selectively incorporating metal layers with different work functions in different gate stack portions. |
| US09553082B2 |
Process for improving critical dimension uniformity of integrated circuit arrays
Methods for patterning integrated circuit (IC) device arrays employing an additional mask process for improving center-to-edge CD uniformity are disclosed. In one embodiment, a repeating pattern of features is formed in a masking layer over a first region of a substrate. Then, a blocking mask is applied over the features in the masking layer. The blocking mask is configured to differentiate array regions of the first region from peripheral regions of the first region. Subsequently, the pattern of features in the array regions is transferred into the substrate. In the embodiment, an etchant can be uniformly introduced to the masking layer because there is no distinction of center/edge in the masking layer. Thus, CD uniformity can be achieved in arrays which are later defined. |
| US09553080B1 |
Method and process for integration of TSV-middle in 3D IC stacks
Methods for integrating MOL TSVs in 3D SoC devices including face-to-face bonded IC chips. Embodiments include providing a device layer in each of IC chips on upper surfaces of top and bottom silicon wafers; forming, subsequent to the device layer, through-silicon vias (TSVs) extending through an upper surface of the device layer in each of the IC chips and into the bottom Si wafer; forming, subsequent to the TSVs, a dielectric layer on the upper surface of the device layer in each of the IC chips of the top and bottom Si wafers; forming a back-end-of-line metal layer in the dielectric layer of each of the IC chips of the top and bottom Si wafers; face-to-face bonding of opposing IC chips of the top and bottom Si wafers; and dicing adjacent bonded IC chips through vertically aligned dicing lanes in the top and bottom Si wafers. |
| US09553078B2 |
Light-emitting diode module and motor vehicle headlight
A light-emitting diode module includes a carrier and a plurality of optoelectronic semiconductor chips mounted on a carrier top and configured to generate primary radiation. The semiconductor chips are arranged in part at a first distance and in part at a second, greater distance from one another. Between the adjacent semiconductor chips arranged at the first distance from one another there is located a radiation-transmissive first filling for optical coupling. Between the adjacent semiconductor chips arranged at the second distance from one another there is located a radiation-opaque second filling for optical isolation. |
| US09553077B2 |
LED module and method of manufacturing the same
A compact LED module and a method of manufacturing such an LED module are provided. The LED module includes a first-pole first lead, a first-pole second lead, a first-pole third lead, a second-pole first lead, a second-pole second lead, a second-pole third lead, a first LED chip, a second LED chip, a third LED chip, and a housing. A distal end of the first-pole first lead is offset toward a second-pole side in a first direction with respect to both a distal end of the second-pole second lead and a distal end of the second-pole third lead. |
| US09553072B2 |
Semiconductor device package and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device package includes a substrate, electrical components disposed on the substrate, and a conductive frame disposed on the substrate. The conductive frame includes a top portion including at least one opening, a rim connected to the top portion and surrounding the electrical components, and a compartment extending from the top portion of the conductive frame and separating one or more of the electrical components from others of the electrical components. The semiconductor device package further includes an electromagnetic interference shield in contact with the top portion and the rim of the conductive frame. |
| US09553068B2 |
Integrated circuit (“IC”) assembly includes an IC die with a top metallization layer and a conductive epoxy layer applied to the top metallization layer
An integrated circuit (“IC”) assembly includes an IC die with a metallization layer on a top surface thereof. A plurality of lead wires are bonded at first end portions thereof to the metallization layer. A conductive layer is attached to the metallization layer and covers the first ends of the lead wires. |
| US09553065B2 |
Bumps for chip scale packaging including under bump metal structures with different diameters
A chip scale semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor die, a first bump and a second bump. The first bump having a first diameter and a first height is formed on an outer region of the semiconductor die. A second bump having a second diameter and a second height is formed on an inner region of the semiconductor die. The second diameter is greater than the first diameter while the second height is the same as the first height. By changing the shape of the bump, the stress and strain can be redistributed through the bump. As a result, the thermal cycling reliability of the chip scale semiconductor device is improved. |
| US09553064B2 |
Electronic device, and manufacturing method of electronic device
An electronic device includes a drive substrate (a pressure chamber substrate and a vibration plate) including a piezoelectric element and electrode wirings related to driving of the piezoelectric element formed thereon, and a sealing plate bonded thereto, the electrode wirings are made of wiring metal containing gold (Au) on the drive substrate through an adhesion layer which is a base layer, and has a removed portion in which a portion of the wiring metal in a region containing a part bonded to a bonding resin is removed and the adhesion layer is exposed. |
| US09553063B2 |
Semiconductor element, semiconductor device and method for manufacturing semiconductor element
The semiconductor element has an electrode including: a Ni-inclusion metal layer containing nickel formed on a side of at least one surface of the semiconductor-element constituting part; a Ni-barrier metal layer formed outwardly on a side of the Ni-inclusion metal layer opposite to the side toward the semiconductor-element constituting part; and a surface metal layer outwardly formed on a side of the Ni-barrier metal layer opposite to the side toward the semiconductor-element constituting part, to be connected to the metal nanoparticles sintered layer; wherein the Ni-barrier metal layer contains a metal for suppressing diffusion of nickel toward the surface metal layer. |
| US09553062B1 |
Fingerprint identification device
A fingerprint identification device includes a first dielectric layer, a fingerprint sensing chip, a packaging layer, a first redistribution layer, a second dielectric layer, a second redistribution layer, and a third dielectric layer. The fingerprint sensing chip is disposed on the first dielectric layer and has a sensing transmission pad. The packaging layer defines a first via hole and covers the first dielectric layer and fingerprint sensing chip. Disposed on the packaging layer, the first redistribution layer contacts a drive transmission pad via the first via hole. The second dielectric layer defines a second via hole and covers the packaging layer and the first redistribution layer. Disposed on the second dielectric layer, the second redistribution layer defines a looped pattern, in addition to connect electrically with the first redistribution layer via the second via hole. The third dielectric layer covers the second dielectric layer and second redistribution layer. |
| US09553061B1 |
Wiring bond pad structures
The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to wire bond pad structures and methods of manufacture. The structure includes: bond pads in an active region of a chip; test pad structures in a kerf region of the chip; and hardmask material in the kerf region between the test pad structures and the bond pads. The surfaces of the test pad structures and the bond pads are devoid of the hardmask material. |
| US09553059B2 |
Backside redistribution layer (RDL) structure
An embodiment package on package (PoP) device includes a molding compound having a metal via embedded therein, a passivation layer disposed over the molding compound, the passivation layer including a passivation layer recess vertically aligned with the metal via, and a redistribution layer bond pad capping the metal via, a portion of the redistribution layer bond pad within the passivation layer recess projecting above a top surface of the molding compound. |
| US09553052B2 |
Magnetic shielding package of non-volatile magnetic memory element
A magnetic shielding package of a non-volatile magnetic memory element, including: a soft magnetic material support plate 12; a first insulating material layer 13 formed on the support plate; a non-volatile magnetic memory element 11 fixed on the first insulating material layer; a second insulating material layer 14 that encapsulates the memory element and the periphery thereof; in the second insulating material layer, a wiring layer 15, a soft magnetic layer 15b or 25 and a conductive portion 16 connecting an electrode of the circuit surface of the memory element and the wiring layer; and a magnetic shield part 17 containing a soft magnetic material arranged like a wall at a distance from a side surface of the memory element so as to surround the memory element side surface partially or entirely, the magnetic shield part being magnetically connected to the soft magnetic layer. |
| US09553045B2 |
Inductor for post passivation interconnect and a method of forming
An inductor device and method of forming the inductor device are provided. In some embodiments the inductor device includes a post passivation interconnect (PPI) layer disposed and an under bump metallization (UBM) layer, each disposed over a substrate. The PPI layer forms a coil and dummy pads. The dummy pads are disposed around a substantial portion of the coil to shield the coil from electromagnetic interference. A first portion of the UBM layer is electrically coupled to the coil and configured to interface with an electrical coupling member. |
| US09553044B2 |
Electrically conductive interconnect including via having increased contact surface area
An interconnect structure includes a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer each extending along a first axis to define a height and a second axis opposite the first axis to define a length. A capping layer is interposed between the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer. At least one electrically conductive feature is embedded in at least one of the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer. At least one electrically conductive via extends through the second dielectric layer and the capping layer. The via has an end that contacts the conductive feature. The end includes a flange having at least one portion extending laterally along the first axis to define a contact area between the via and the at least one conductive feature. |
| US09553043B2 |
Interconnect structure having smaller transition layer via
An interconnect structure including a bottom layer over a substrate, where the bottom layer includes at least one bottom layer line and at least one bottom layer via. The interconnect structure further includes a transition layer over the bottom layer, where the transition layer includes at least one transition layer line and at least one transition layer via. The interconnect structure further includes a top layer over the transition layer, where the top layer includes at least one top layer line and at least one top layer via. The at least one transition layer via has a cross sectional area at least 30% less than a cross sectional area of the at least one top layer via. |
| US09553039B2 |
Semiconductor device with through-substrate via covered by a solder ball and related method of production
The semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate (10) with a metallization (111) having an upper terminal layer (22) located at a front side (20) of the substrate. The metallization forms a through-substrate via (23) from the upper terminal layer to a rear terminal layer (13) located opposite to the front side at a rear side (21) of the substrate. The through-substrate via comprises a void (101), which may be filled with air or another gas. A solder ball (100) closes the void without completely filling it. A variety of interconnections for three dimensional integration is offered by this scheme. |
| US09553038B2 |
Semiconductor cooling apparatus
An apparatus for cooling semiconductor elements uses heat exchangers to transfer heat from the semiconductor elements to a coolant flowing through the heat exchangers. A central body, made from a flexible material, is positioned between the heat exchangers and a manifold from which the coolant is provided. The central body includes a plurality of flexible runners fluidly coupled to each heat exchanger and the manifold to provide the coolant to the heat exchanger. Heat is transferred away from the semiconductor elements by the coolant and heated coolant is returned from the heat exchanger to the manifold. Each flexible runner is configured to flex to conform to a height of a respective semiconductor element and thereby apply a force to the heat exchanger to maintain contact with the semiconductor element. |
| US09553036B1 |
Semiconductor package and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor package including an insulating layer, a chip, a thermal interface material, a heat-dissipating cover and a re-distribution layer is provided. The insulating layer has an accommodating opening. The chip is disposed in the accommodating opening. The chip has an active surface, a back surface opposite to the active surface and a side surface connected to the active surface and the back surface. The thermal interface material is filled in the accommodating opening for at least encapsulating the side surface of the chip and exposing the active surface. The re-distribution layer and the heat-dissipating cover are disposed on two side of the insulating layer respectively. The heat-dissipating cover is thermally coupled to the chip through the thermal interface material. The re-distribution layer covers the active surface of the chip and the thermal interface material, and the re-distribution layer is electrically connected to the chip. |
| US09553031B1 |
Method for integrating germanides in high performance integrated circuits
A method for making an integrated circuit includes a) providing a substrate including n-type metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (NMOSFETs) and p-type metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (PMOSFETs), wherein channel regions of the NMOSFETs and the PMOSFETs include germanium; b) depositing and patterning a mask layer to mask the channel regions of the PMOSFETs and to not mask the channel regions of the NMOSFETs; c) passivating an exposed surface of the substrate; d) removing the mask layer; and e) depositing a metal contact layer on both the NMOSFETs and the PMOSFETs. |
| US09553025B2 |
Selective Fin-shaping process
A method of forming a fin field-effect transistor (FinFET) includes forming a plurality of fins on a substrate. The method further includes forming an oxide layer on the substrate, wherein a bottom portion of each fin of the plurality of fins is embedded in the oxide layer, and the bottom portion of each fin of the plurality of fins has substantially a same shape. The method further includes shaping at least one fin of the plurality of fins, wherein a top portion of the at least one fin has a different shape from a top portion of another fin of the plurality of fins. |
| US09553018B2 |
Self-aligned via and plug patterning with photobuckets for back end of line (BEOL) interconnects
Self-aligned via and plug patterning with photobuckets for back end of line (BEOL) interconnects is described. In an example, an interconnect structure for an integrated circuit includes a first layer of the interconnect structure disposed above a substrate, the first layer having a first grating of alternating metal lines and dielectric lines in a first direction. The dielectric lines have an uppermost surface higher than an uppermost surface of the metal lines. The integrated circuit also includes a second layer of the interconnect structure disposed above the first layer of the interconnect structure. The second layer includes a second grating of alternating metal lines and dielectric lines in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction. The dielectric lines have a lowermost surface lower than a lowermost surface of the metal lines of the second grating. The dielectric lines of the second grating overlap and contact, but are distinct from, the dielectric lines of the first grating. The integrated circuit also includes a region of dielectric material disposed between the metal lines of the first grating and the metal lines of the second grating, and in a same plane as upper portions of the dielectric lines of the first grating and lower portions of the dielectric lines of the second grating. The region of dielectric material is composed of a cross-linked photolyzable material. |
| US09553017B2 |
Methods for fabricating integrated circuits including back-end-of-the-line interconnect structures
Methods for fabricating integrated circuits are provided. In one example, a method for fabricating an integrated circuit includes selectively depositing a metal layer overlying a metal line of a metallization layer that is disposed in an ILD layer of dielectric material while an upper surface of the ILD layer that is laterally adjacent to the metal line is exposed. A hard mask layer is formed overlying the upper surface of the ILD layer laterally adjacent to the metal layer. The metal layer is removed to expose the metal line while leaving the hard mask layer intact. An interconnect is formed with the metal line adjacent to the hard mask layer. |
| US09553016B2 |
Contacts for semiconductor devices and methods of forming thereof
A method for a method of forming a semiconductor device includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a bottom surface opposite a top surface with circuitry disposed at the top surface. The method further includes forming a first metal layer having a first metal over the bottom surface of the semiconductor substrate. The first metal layer is formed by depositing an adhesion promoter followed by depositing the first metal. |
| US09553014B2 |
Bonded processed semiconductor structures and carriers
Methods of fabricating semiconductor structures include implanting atom species into a carrier die or wafer to form a weakened region within the carrier die or wafer, and bonding the carrier die or wafer to a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure may be processed while using the carrier die or wafer to handle the semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure may be bonded to another semiconductor structure, and the carrier die or wafer may be divided along the weakened region therein. Bonded semiconductor structures are fabricated using such methods. |
| US09553011B2 |
Deep trench isolation with tank contact grounding
An integrated circuit is formed on a substrate containing a semiconductor material having a first conductivity type. A deep well having a second, opposite, conductivity type is formed in the semiconductor material of the first conductivity type. A deep isolation trench is formed in the substrate through the deep well so as separate an unused portion of the deep well from a functional portion of the deep well. The functional portion of the deep well contains an active circuit element of the integrated circuit. The separated portion of the deep well does not contain an active circuit element. A contact region having the second conductivity type and a higher average doping density than the deep well is formed in the separated portion of the deep well. The contact region is connected to a voltage terminal of the integrated circuit. |
| US09553004B2 |
Cleaning method
To provide a cleaning method which makes it possible to reduce alkaline component mixing in an ozone cleaning solution, thereby preventing impairment of cleaning ability of ozone. In the cleaning method, before chuck members retain another workpiece having previously been dipped in an ozone cleaning solution in an ozone cleaning tank, alkaline component attached to part of transfer arms and the chuck members is removed by cleaning, thereby preventing the alkaline component from mixing into the ozone cleaning solution. |
| US09552999B2 |
Packaged electronic device having reduced parasitic effects and method
In one embodiment, an electronic package includes a substrate having a die pad plurality of lands embedded within substrate encapsulant. An electronic chip including an electronic component is connected to the die pad. The die pad is configured with a recessed well extending from a top surface of the die pad towards a bottom surface of the die pad. The electronic component is position at least proximate to and overlapping the recessed well to increase the distance between the die pad and the electronic component. In one embodiment, the electronic component includes a passive component, such as an inductor. A package body encapsulates the electronic chip and top surfaces of the substrate, and is further disposed within the recessed well. The die pad bottom surface is continuous below the recessed well. |
| US09552997B2 |
Silicon carbide switching devices including P-type channels
Methods of forming a p-channel MOS device in silicon carbide include forming an n-type well in a silicon carbide layer, and implanting p-type dopant ions to form a p-type region in the n-type well at a surface of the silicon carbide layer and at least partially defining a channel region in the n-type well adjacent the p-type region. A threshold adjustment region is formed in the channel region. The implanted ions are annealed in an inert atmosphere at a temperature greater than 1650° C. A gate oxide layer is formed on the channel region, and a gate is formed on the gate oxide layer. A silicon carbide-based transistor includes a silicon carbide layer, an n-type well in the silicon carbide layer, and a p-type region in the n-type well at a surface of the silicon carbide layer and at least partially defining a channel region in the n-type well adjacent the p-type region. A threshold adjustment region is in the channel region and includes p-type dopants at a dopant concentration of about 1×1016 cm−3 to about 5×1018 cm−3. The transistor further includes a gate oxide layer on the channel region, and a gate on the gate oxide layer. The transistor may exhibit a hole mobility in the channel region in excess of 5 cm2/V-s at a gate voltage of −25V. |
| US09552992B2 |
Co-fabrication of non-planar semiconductor devices having different threshold voltages
Co-fabricating non-planar (i.e., three-dimensional) semiconductor devices with different threshold voltages includes providing a starting semiconductor structure, the structure including a semiconductor substrate, multiple raised semiconductor structures coupled to the substrate, at least two gate structures encompassing a portion of the raised structures, each gate structure including a gate opening lined with dielectric material and partially filled with work function material, a portion of the work function material being recessed. The co-fabrication further includes creating at least one conformal barrier layer in one or more and less than all of the gate openings, filling the gate openings with conductive material, and modifying the work function of at least one and less than all of the filled gate structures. |
| US09552989B2 |
Apparatus and method for improved control of heating and cooling of substrates
Methods and apparatus for processing substrates and controlling the heating and cooling of substrates are described. A radiation source providing radiation in a first range of wavelengths heats the substrate within a predetermined temperature range, the substrate being absorptive of radiation in a second range of wavelengths within the first range of wavelengths and within the predetermined temperature rang. A filter prevents at least a portion of radiation within the second wavelength range from reaching the substrate. |
| US09552987B2 |
Substrate processing method, substrate processing apparatus, and storage medium
A substrate processing method is performed to improve surface roughness of a pattern mask formed on a substrate by being exposed and developed. The method includes supplying a first solvent in a gaseous state to a surface of the substrate to dissolve the pattern mask, and supplying a second solvent to the surface of the substrate, which is supplied with the first solvent, to dissolve the pattern mask, wherein a permeability of the second solvent is lower than a permeability of the first solvent. |
| US09552984B2 |
Processing method of substrate and manufacturing method of liquid ejection head
There are provided a processing method of a substrate in which in forming a trench on the substrate by etching, a side wall surrounding the trench is surely protected, and a manufacturing method of a liquid ejection head. The methods include: repeating sequentially a plurality of cycles of a trench forming step of forming the trench on a printing element substrate, a first protection layer forming step of forming a passivation layer, and a first protection layer removing step of removing a portion at which the trench is excavated in the passivation layer. A second protection layer forming step and a second protection layer removing step are performed between the trench forming step through the first protection layer removing step repeated in a plurality of cycles and the trench forming step through the first protection layer removing step repeated next. |
| US09552982B2 |
Apparatuses and methods for depositing SiC/SiCN films via cross-metathesis reactions with organometallic co-reactants
Disclosed herein are methods of forming SiC/SiCN film layers on surfaces of semiconductor substrates. The methods may include introducing a silicon-containing film-precursor and an organometallic ligand transfer reagent into a processing chamber, adsorbing the silicon-containing film-precursor, the organometallic ligand transfer reagent, or both onto a surface of a semiconductor substrate under conditions whereby either or both form an adsorption-limited layer, and reacting the silicon-containing film-precursor with the organometallic ligand transfer reagent, after either or both have formed the adsorption-limited layer. The reaction results in the forming of the film layer. In some embodiments, a byproduct is also formed which contains substantially all of the metal of the organometallic ligand transfer reagent, and the methods may further include removing the byproduct from the processing chamber. Also disclosed herein are semiconductor processing apparatuses for forming SiC/SiCN film layers. |
| US09552981B2 |
Method and apparatus for forming metal oxide film
A metal oxide film forming method includes: repeating a cycle a first predetermined number of times, the cycle including supplying a gas containing an organic metal precursor into a processing chamber where an object to be processed is accommodated, and supplying oxygen gas into the processing chamber after the gas containing the organic metal precursor is supplied into the processing chamber; and supplying ozone gas into the processing chamber, wherein repeating the cycle and supplying the ozone gas are repeated a second predetermined number of times, so that a metal oxide film is formed on a surface of the object to be processed. |
| US09552980B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device, substrate processing apparatus, and recording medium
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: pre-treating a surface of a substrate by supplying an oxygen-containing gas and a hydrogen-containing gas to the substrate heated in a process chamber under a pressure less than atmospheric pressure; and forming a film on the pre-treated substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times. The cycle includes: supplying a precursor gas to the substrate in the process chamber; and supplying a reaction gas to the substrate in the process chamber. |
| US09552979B2 |
Cyclic aluminum nitride deposition in a batch reactor
A process for depositing aluminum nitride is disclosed. The process comprises providing a plurality of semiconductor substrates in a batch process chamber and depositing an aluminum nitride layer on the substrates by performing a plurality of deposition cycles without exposing the substrates to plasma during the deposition cycles. Each deposition cycle comprises flowing an aluminum precursor pulse into the batch process chamber, removing the aluminum precursor from the batch process chamber, and removing the nitrogen precursor from the batch process chamber after flowing the nitrogen precursor and before flowing another pulse of the aluminum precursor. The process chamber may be a hot wall process chamber and the deposition may occur at a deposition pressure of less than 1 Torr. |
| US09552977B2 |
Landside stiffening capacitors to enable ultrathin and other low-Z products
Embodiments of systems, devices, and methods to minimize warping of ultrathin IC packaged products are generally described herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes an IC mounted on a package substrate, and a capacitive stiffener subassembly mounted on the package substrate. The capacitive stiffener subassembly includes a plurality of capacitive elements electrically connected to contacts of the IC. |
| US09552975B2 |
Mass spectrometers comprising accelerator devices
A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed comprising providing a flight region for ions to travel through and a detector or fragmentation device. A potential profile is maintained along the flight region such that ions travel towards the detector or fragmentation device. The potential at which a first length of the flight region is maintained is then changed from a first potential to a second potential while at least some ions are travelling within the first length of flight region. The changed potential provides a first potential difference at an exit of the length of flight region, through which the ions are accelerated as they leave the length of flight region. This increases the kinetic energy of the ions prior to them reaching the detector or fragmentation cell. |
| US09552972B2 |
Method for ion production
A method for producing multiply charged ions is provided. In the method, a laser is used to ablate a sample comprising a matrix and an analyte. The sample is in the liquid form when it is ablated and the ions produced are passed through a heated conduit. The multiply charged ions produced may be used in mass spectrometry to measure the mass of the analyte. |