| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09680037B2 |
Solar cell and method of manufacturing same, and solar cell module
A solar cell of the present invention includes a collecting electrode on one main surface of a photoelectric conversion section. The collecting electrode includes first and second electroconductive layers in this order from the photoelectric conversion section side, and an insulating layer between the first and second electroconductive layers, the insulating layer having an opening section formed therein. The first electroconductive layer is covered with the insulating layer, contains a low-melting-point material, and is conductively connected with a part of the second electroconductive layer via the opening section. The surface roughness of the second electroconductive layer is preferably 1.0 μm to 10.0 μm. The second electroconductive layer is preferably formed by a plating method. In order to conductively connect the first and second electroconductive layers, annealing of the first electroconductive layer by heating is preferably performed prior to forming the second electroconductive layer. |
| US09680035B1 |
Surface mount solar cell with integrated coverglass
Photovoltaic cells, methods for fabricating surface mount multijunction photovoltaic cells, methods for assembling solar panels, and solar panels comprising photovoltaic cells are disclosed. The surface mount multijunction photovoltaic cells include through-wafer-vias for interconnecting the front surface epitaxial layer to a contact pad on the back surface. The through-wafer-vias are formed using a wet etch process that removes semiconductor materials non-selectively without major differences in etch rates between heteroepitaxial III-V semiconductor layers. |
| US09680030B1 |
Enhancement-mode field effect transistor having metal oxide channel layer
An enhancement-mode n-type field effect transistor is disclosed to have a metal oxide channel layer, a gate dielectric layer, a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode. The metal oxide channel layer has a material selected from SnO2, ITO, ZnO, SnO2 and In2O3. The metal oxide channel layer has a thickness less than a threshold value to exhibit pinch-off behavior in transfer characteristics and has a mobility trend without saturation under positive operational voltage. |
| US09680026B2 |
Semiconductor device having gate electrode overlapping semiconductor film
A semiconductor device that can operate at high speed or having high strength against stress is provided. One embodiment of the present invention is a semiconductor device including a semiconductor film including a channel formation region and a pair of impurity regions between which the channel formation region is positioned; a gate electrode overlapping side and top portions of the channel formation region with an insulating film positioned between the gate electrode and the side and top portions; and a source electrode and a drain electrode in contact with side and top portions of the pair of impurity regions. |
| US09680024B2 |
Semiconductor device
To provide a semiconductor device that includes an oxide semiconductor and is miniaturized while keeping good electrical properties. In the semiconductor device, an oxide semiconductor layer filling a groove is surrounded by insulating layers including an aluminum oxide film containing excess oxygen. Excess oxygen contained in the aluminum oxide film is supplied to the oxide semiconductor layer, in which a channel is formed, by heat treatment in a manufacturing process of the semiconductor device. Moreover, the aluminum oxide film forms a barrier against oxygen and hydrogen, which inhibits the removal of oxygen from the oxide semiconductor layer surrounded by the insulating layers including an aluminum oxide film and the entry of impurities such as hydrogen in the oxide semiconductor layer. Thus, a highly purified intrinsic oxide semiconductor layer can be obtained. The threshold voltage is controlled effectively by gate electrode layers formed over and under the oxide semiconductor layer. |
| US09680019B1 |
Fin-type field-effect transistors with strained channels
Device structures for a fin-type field-effect transistor (FinFET) and methods for fabricating a device structure for a FinFET. A fin comprised of a semiconductor material having a first crystal structure is formed. A dielectric layer is formed that includes an opening aligned with the fin. A dummy gate structure is removed from the opening in the dielectric layer. After the dummy gate structure is removed, a section of the fin aligned with the opening is implanted with non-dopant ions to amorphize the first crystal structure of the semiconductor material of the fin. After the section of the fin is implanted, the section of the fin is annealed such that the semiconductor material in the section of the fin recrystallizes with a second crystal structure incorporating internal strain. |
| US09680018B2 |
Method of forming high-germanium content silicon germanium alloy fins on insulator
A method of forming high germanium content silicon germanium alloy fins with controlled insulator layer recessing is provided. A silicon germanium alloy (SiGe) layer having a first germanium content is provided on a surface of an insulator layer using a first condensation process. Following the formation of a hard mask layer portion on the SiGe layer, a second condensation process is performed to convert a portion of the SiGe layer into a SiGe fin of a second germanium content that is greater than the first germanium content and other portions of the SiGe layer into a shell oxide structure located on sidewalls of the SiGe fin. After forming a fin placeholder material, a portion of each shell oxide structure is removed, while maintaining a lower portion of each shell oxide structure at the footprint of the SiGe fin. |
| US09680012B1 |
Semiconductor device structure and method for forming the same
A semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a substrate having a top surface. The semiconductor device structure includes a first pillar structure over the substrate. The first pillar structure includes a first heavily n-doped layer, a first p-doped layer, an n-doped layer, and a first heavily p-doped layer, which are sequentially stacked together. The first pillar structure extends in a direction away from the substrate. |
| US09680010B1 |
High voltage device and method of fabricating the same
A high voltage device includes a substrate, a first LDMOS transistor and a second LDMOS transistor disposed on the substrate. The first LDMOS transistor includes a first gate electrode disposed on the substrate. A first STI is embedded in the substrate and disposed at an edge of the first gate electrode and two first doping regions respectively disposed at one side of the first STI and one side of the first gate electrode. The second LDMOS transistor includes a second gate electrode disposed on the substrate. A second STI is embedded in the substrate and disposed at an edge of the second gate electrode. Two second doping regions are respectively disposed at one side of the second STI and one side of the second gate electrode, wherein the second STI is deeper than the first STI. |
| US09680009B2 |
High voltage semiconductor device
In some embodiments, a semiconductor device includes a transistor, an isolation component, and a conductive layer. The transistor includes a source region and a drain region. The isolation component surrounds the source region. The conductive layer is configured for interconnection of the drain region. The conductive component is between the conductive layer and the isolation component, configured to shield the isolation component from an electric field over the isolation component. |
| US09680007B2 |
Method for fabricating a metal high-k gate stack for a buried recessed access device
A method for fabricated a buried recessed access device comprising etching a plurality of gate trenches in a substrate, implanting and activating a source/drain region in the substrate, depositing a dummy gate in each of the plurality of gate trenches, filling the plurality of gate trenches with an oxide layer, removing each dummy gate and depositing a high-K dielectric in the plurality of gate trenches, depositing a metal gate on the high-K dielectric in each of the plurality of gate trenches, depositing a second oxide layer on the metal gate and forming a contact on the source/drain. |
| US09680001B2 |
Nitride semiconductor device
A nitride semiconductor device includes: a substrate; a buffer layer formed on the substrate; a laminated body formed by two or more cycles of semiconductor layers each including a first nitride semiconductor layer, and a second nitride semiconductor layer having a larger band gap than a band gap of the first nitride semiconductor layer, the first and second nitride semiconductor layers being laminated in this order on the buffer layer; a first electrode; and a second electrode. A channel layer is formed in each of the semiconductor layers at an interface between the first nitride semiconductor layer and the second nitride semiconductor layer. A carrier concentration of the channel layer in the uppermost semiconductor layer is lower than a carrier concentration of each of the channel layers of the other semiconductor layers. |
| US09680000B2 |
Terahertz radiating device and fabricating method for the same
The present invention relates to a terahertz radiating device, which includes a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT); a source provide to the HEMT; a gate right to the HEMT; a drain provide to the HEMT; a first antenna connected with the drain; a drain bias for applying a direct current (DC) voltage to the drain; and a source-gate connector for connecting the source and the gate in a device unit. Thereby, commercially available terahertz waves may be radiated, and high output power may be obtained. |
| US09679998B2 |
Bi-directional punch-through semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
In one embodiment, a bi-directional punch-through semiconductor device can include: a first transistor in a first region of a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, where the first transistor includes a semiconductor buried layer of a second conductivity type in the semiconductor substrate, and a first epitaxy region of an epitaxy semiconductor layer above the semiconductor buried layer, the semiconductor buried layer being configured as a base of the first transistor; and a second transistor coupled in parallel with the first transistor, where the second transistor is in a second region of the semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type, where the second transistor comprises a second epitaxy region of the epitaxy semiconductor layer above the semiconductor substrate, and a first doped region of the second conductivity type in the second epitaxy region, the first doped region being configured as a base of the second transistor. |
| US09679997B2 |
Semiconductor device with suppressed two-step on phenomenon
A semiconductor device includes an IGBT region with a bottom-body region on a front surface side of an IGBT drift region, an IGBT barrier region on a front surface side of the bottom-body region, and a top-body region on a front surface side of the IGBT barrier region. A diode region is include with a bottom-anode region on a front surface side of the diode drift region, a diode barrier region on a front surface side of the bottom-anode region, a top-anode region on a front surface side of the diode barrier region, and a pillar region extending from the front surface of the semiconductor substrate, piercing the top-anode region, and reaching the diode barrier region, and connected to the front surface electrode and the diode barrier region. An impurity concentration of the top-body region is lower than an impurity concentration of the bottom-anode region. |
| US09679992B2 |
FinFET device and method
A fin field effect transistor (FinFET) and a method of forming the same are introduced. In an embodiment, trenches are formed in a substrate, wherein a region between adjacent trenches defines a fin. A dielectric material is formed in the trenches. A part of the substrate is doped and a region of high dopant concentration and a region of low dopant concentration are formed. Gate stacks are formed, portions of the fins are removed and source/drain regions are epitaxially grown in the regions of high/low dopant concentration. Contacts are formed to provide electrical contacts to source/gate/drain regions. |
| US09679991B2 |
Method for manufacturing semiconductor device using gate portion as etch mask
Embodiments of the disclosure relate to a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including a field effect transistor with improved electrical characteristics. According to embodiments of the disclosure, self-aligned contact plugs may be effectively formed using a metal hard mask portion disposed on a gate portion. In addition, a process margin of a photoresist mask for the formation of the self-aligned contact plugs may be improved by using the metal hard mask portion. |
| US09679989B2 |
Insulated gate type switching device and method for manufacturing the same
A method of manufacturing an insulated gate type switching device includes forming a gate trench that has a first portion with a first width in a first direction and a second portion with a second width in the first direction, the second width being wider than the first width. In an oblique implantation, second conductivity type impurities are irradiated at an irradiation angle inclined around an axis orthogonal to the first direction. The first width, the second width, and the irradiation angle are set such that the second conductivity type impurities are suppressed, at a first side surface of the first portion, from being implanted into a part below a lower end of a second semiconductor region, and at a second side surface of the second portion, the impurities are implanted into the part below the lower end of the second semiconductor region. |
| US09679987B2 |
Fabrication methodology for optoelectronic integrated circuits
A method of forming an integrated circuit employs a plurality of layers formed on a substrate including i) n-type modulation doped quantum well structure (MDQWS) structure with n-type charge sheet, ii) p-type MDQWS, iii) undoped spacer layer formed on the n-type charge sheet, iv) p-type layer(s) formed on the undoped spacer layer, v) p-type etch stop layer formed on the p-type layer(s) of iv), and vi) p-type layers (including p-type ohmic contact layer(s)) formed on the p-type etch stop layer. An etch operation removes the p-type layers of vi) for a gate region of an n-channel HFET with an etchant that automatically stops at the p-type etch stop layer. Another etch operation removes the p-type etch stop layer to form a mesa at the p-type layer(s) of iv) which defines an interface to the gate region of the n-channel HFET, and a gate electrode is formed on such mesa. |
| US09679979B2 |
Semiconductor structure for flash memory cells and method of making same
Semiconductor structures are presented. An exemplary semiconductor structure comprises a common source region having a sawtooth profile, and a flat erase gate disposed above the common source region. Methods of making semiconductor structures are also presented. An exemplary method comprises forming a plurality of trenches in a substrate thereby forming a plurality of active regions; forming a common source region in the substrate in a direction perpendicular to the active regions. The exemplary method further comprises, after forming the common source region, forming a dielectric feature on the substrate thereby filling the trenches and forming a plurality of shallow trench isolation features, and forming an erase gate on the dielectric feature. |
| US09679977B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same
A semiconductor device may include a substrate including an NMOS region and a PMOS region, and having a protrusion pattern; first and second gate structures respectively formed on the NMOS region and the PMOS region of the substrate, crossing the protrusion pattern, and extending along a first direction that is parallel to an upper surface of the substrate; first and second source/drain regions formed on both sides of the first and second gate structures; and first and second contact plugs respectively formed on the first and second source/drain regions, wherein the first contact plug and the second contact plug are asymmetric. Methods of manufacturing are also provided. |
| US09679973B2 |
Light emitting device having vertical structure and package thereof
A light emitting device having a vertical structure and a package thereof, which are capable of damping impact generated in a substrate separation process, and achieving an improvement in mass productivity. The device and package include a sub-mount, a first-type electrode, a second-type electrode, a light emitting device, a zener diode, and a lens on the sub-mount. |
| US09679968B2 |
Field effect transistors and methods of forming same
Semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same are provided. A semiconductor device includes a substrate, the substrate having a first source/drain feature and a second source/drain feature formed thereon. The semiconductor device further includes a first nanowire on the first source/drain feature and a second nanowire on the second source/drain feature, the first nanowire extending vertically from an upper surface of the first source/drain feature and the second nanowire extending vertically from an upper surface of the second source/drain feature. The semiconductor device further includes a third nanowire extending from an upper end of the first nanowire to an upper end of the second nanowire, wherein the first nanowire, the second nanowire and the third nanowire form a channel. |
| US09679962B2 |
FinFET and method of manufacturing the same
There is provided a method of manufacturing a Fin Field Effect Transistor (FinFET). The method may include: forming a fin on a semiconductor substrate; forming a dummy device including a dummy gate on the fin; forming an interlayer dielectric layer to cover regions except for the dummy gate; removing the dummy gate to form an opening; implanting ions to form a Punch-Through-Stop Layer (PTSL) in a portion of the fin directly under the opening, while forming reflection doped layers in portions of the fin on inner sides of source/drain regions; and forming a replacement gate in the opening. |
| US09679960B2 |
Semiconductor devices, methods of manufacture thereof, and methods of manufacturing capacitors
Semiconductor devices, methods of manufacture thereof, and methods of manufacturing capacitors are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method of manufacturing a capacitor includes: etching a trench in a workpiece. The trench may extend into the workpiece from a major surface of the workpiece. The method further includes lining the trench with a bottom electrode material and lining the bottom electrode material in the trench with a dielectric material. The dielectric material may have edges proximate the major surface of the workpiece. The method further includes forming a top electrode material over the dielectric material in the trench, and etching away a portion of the bottom electrode material and a portion of the top electrode material proximate the edges of the dielectric material. |
| US09679958B2 |
Methods for manufacturing integrated multi-layer magnetic films
Methods of manufacture of integrated multi-layer magnetic films for use in passive devices in microelectronic applications. Soft ferromagnetic materials exhibiting high permeability and low coercivity are laminated together with insulating layers interposed. Electrical conductors coupled to interconnects are magnetically coupled to magnetic film layers to engender an inductor (self and mutual). Soft ferromagnetic materials are provided in an alternating array of parallel plate capacitors. Each alternating magnetic film is electrically coupled to either a primary or secondary electrical conductor interconnects and separated by an electrically insulating dielectric material. Alternatively, each alternating magnetic layer comprises an induced anisotropy material, which can also be combined with coiled conductor giving rise to a hybrid inductive/capacitive device. Also, soft ferromagnetic material are also selected and tuned to provide for FMR notch filtering. |
| US09679956B2 |
Organic light-emitting diode display with bottom shields
A display may have an array of organic light-emitting diode display pixels. Each display pixel may have a light-emitting diode that emits light under control of a drive transistor. Each display pixel may also have control transistors for compensating and programming operations. The array of display pixels may have rows and columns. Row lines may be used to apply row control signals to rows of the display pixels. Column lines (data lines) may be used to apply display data and other signals to respective columns of display pixels. A bottom conductive shielding structure may be formed below each drive transistor. The bottom conductive shielding structure may serve to shield the drive transistor from any electric field generated from the adjacent row and column lines. The bottom conductive shielding structure may be electrically floating or coupled to a power supply line. |
| US09679950B2 |
Organic el display device
An organic EL display device includes a lower electrode that is provided at each pixel, a bank that surrounds an outer circumference of the lower electrode and overlaps an outer circumferential edge of the lower electrode, an organic layer that is formed on the lower electrode and the bank, and an upper electrode that is formed on the organic layer. The bank contains a hygroscopic material. According to this display device, it is possible to confine an influence of moisture which has permeated thereinto to a more restricted area. |
| US09679949B2 |
Organic light emitting display device
An organic light emitting display device is disclosed. The organic light emitting display device includes a first sub-pixel that includes a first emission region which makes a first color, a second sub-pixel that is disposed adjacent to the first sub-pixel, and includes a second emission region which makes a second color, a third sub-pixel that is disposed adjacent to the first sub-pixel, and includes a third emission region which makes a third color, and a fourth sub-pixel that is disposed adjacent to the second sub-pixel and the third sub-pixel, and includes a fourth emission region which makes a fourth color. At least one of the first to fourth sub-pixels includes a transmission region which cannot emit light and through which external light is transmitted. The transmission region is surrounded by at least one of the first to fourth emission regions. |
| US09679946B2 |
3-D planes memory device
The present invention is a means and a method for manufacturing large three dimensional memory arrays. The present invention is a means and a method for addressing the WL and BL resistance by creating arrays having not only large plane conductors for each of the memory layers (WLs) but also for the opposite polarity common layer (BL). The present invention is also a means and a method to form via interconnections between the substrate logic and the respective layers of a multidimensional array. The present invention is also a way to operate an array in which the select device is unipolar but the array is above to be operated in a bipolar way. This facilitates a bipolar operation for memory cell technologies such as Resistive RAM (e.g., RRAM, ReRAM and Memresistors). |
| US09679944B2 |
Electronic device and method for fabricating the same
An electronic device is provided. An electronic device according to an example of the disclosed technology includes a semiconductor memory, the semiconductor memory including: a substrate including a recess formed in the substrate; a gate including at least a portion that is buried in the substrate; a junction formed at both sides of the gate in the substrate; and a memory element electrically connected to the junction at one side of the gate, wherein the junction includes: a barrier layer formed over the recess such that a thickness of the barrier layer formed over a bottom surface of the recess is different from that of the barrier layer formed over a side surface of the recess; a contact pad formed over the barrier layer so as to fill the recess; and an impurity region formed in the substrate and located under the contact pad. |
| US09679934B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device including a substrate, at least one sensor, a dielectric layer, at least one light pipe structure, at least one pad, a shielding layer, and a protection layer is provided. The sensor is located in the substrate of a first region. The dielectric layer is located on the substrate. The light pipe structure is located in the dielectric layer of the first region. The light pipe structure corresponds to the sensor. The pad is located in the dielectric layer of a second region. The shielding layer is located on the dielectric layer, wherein the light pipe structure is surrounded by the shielding layer. The protection layer is located on the shielding layer. At least one pad opening is disposed in the dielectric layer, the shielding layer, and the protection layer above the pad. The pad opening exposes a top surface of the corresponding pad. |
| US09679932B2 |
Solid-state imaging device, method of manufacturing a solid-state imaging device, and electronic apparatus
Provided is a solid-state imaging device including a lamination-type backside illumination CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor having a global shutter function. The solid-state imaging device includes a separation film including one of a light blocking film and a light absorbing film between a memory and a photo diode. |
| US09679930B2 |
Imaging apparatus and electronic apparatus
An imaging apparatus includes: an interposer on which an image sensor including a light reception section is disposed; a translucent member that is provided on the light reception section; and a mold that is formed in sides of the interposer having a rectangular shape and bonded to the translucent member to support the translucent member, the mold including a seal surface that is bonded to the translucent member, the seal surface being provided with a protrusion. |
| US09679920B2 |
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display includes a first substrate, a gate line and a data line disposed on the first substrate, a first insulating layer disposed on the gate line and the data line, a first electrode disposed on the first insulating layer and having a flat form in a planar shape, a second insulating layer disposed on the first electrode, and a second electrode disposed on the second insulating layer and including a plurality of branch electrodes, where a width of a branch electrode of the plurality of branch electrodes is equal to or less than about 2 micrometers. |
| US09679919B2 |
Display device
A display device includes a first substrate having an active area, a circuit area extending outwardly from the active area, and a cell seal area extending outwardly from the circuit area, a second substrate covering the first substrate, a sealing part between the first substrate and the second substrate, the sealing part covering at least a portion of the circuit area, a wiring part in the circuit area of the first substrate and electrically connected to elements in the active area of the first substrate, the wiring part including at least one level-difference compensation part, and a stepped part between the sealing part and at least a portion of the wiring part, the at least one level-difference compensation part of the wiring part being adjacent to the stepped part. |
| US09679917B2 |
Semiconductor structures with deep trench capacitor and methods of manufacture
An integrated FinFET and deep trench capacitor structure and methods of manufacture are provided. The method includes forming deep trench capacitor structures in a silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer. The method further includes forming a plurality of composite fin structures from a semiconductor material of the SOI wafer and conductive material of the deep trench capacitor structures. The method further includes forming a liner over the deep trench capacitor structures including the conductive material of the deep trench capacitor structures. The method further includes forming replacement gate structures with the liner over the deep trench capacitor structures protecting the conductive material during deposition and etching processes. |
| US09679914B2 |
Pads and pin-outs in three dimensional integrated circuits
A three dimensional semiconductor device, comprising: a substrate including a plurality of circuits; a plurality of pads, each pad coupled to a circuit; and a memory array positioned above or below the substrate and coupled to a circuit to program the memory array. |
| US09679910B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing same
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes: a substrate; a first stacked body; a semiconductor film; a charge storage film; and a second stacked body. The first stacked body includes: a plurality of first insulating layers; and a plurality of electrode layers. The second stacked body includes: a plurality of second insulating layers; a first insulating film provided between the plurality of second insulating layers and including a material different from that of the plurality of first insulating layers, the plurality of second insulating layers, and the plurality of electrode layers; and a second insulating film provided between the first insulating film and the substrate via the plurality of second insulating layers, including a same material as the first insulating film, and having lower film density than the first insulating film. |
| US09679909B2 |
Method for manufacturing a finger trench capacitor with a split-gate flash memory cell
A method for forming a split-gate flash memory cell, and the resulting integrated circuit, are provided. A semiconductor substrate having memory cell and capacitor regions are provided. The capacitor region includes one or more sacrificial shallow trench isolation (STI) regions. A first etch is performed into the one or more sacrificial STI regions to remove the one or more sacrificial STI regions and to expose one or more trenches corresponding to the one or more sacrificial STI regions. Dopants are implanted into regions of the semiconductor substrate lining the one or more trenches. A conductive layer is formed filling the one or more trenches. A second etch is performed into the conductive layer to form one of a control gate and a select gate of a memory cell over the memory cell region, and to form an upper electrode of a finger trench capacitor over the capacitor region. |
| US09679903B2 |
Anti-fuse of semiconductor device, semiconductor module and system each including the semiconductor device, and method for forming the anti-fuse
An anti-fuse based on a Field Nitride Trap (FNT) is disclosed. The anti-fuse includes a first active pillar including a first junction, a second active pillar including a second junction, a selection line buried between the first active pillar and the second active pillar, and a trap layer for electrically coupling the first junction to the second junction by trapping minority carriers according to individual voltages applied to the first junction, the second junction and the selection line. As a result, the fuse can be highly integrated through the above-mentioned structure, and programming of the fuse can be easily achieved. |
| US09679902B2 |
Layouts and fabrication methods for static random access memory
A layout of a random access memory is provided. The layer comprises a first sub-layout having a first pattern including a first number (N1) of first patterns and an adjacent second pattern having a second number (N2) of second patterns; a second sub-layout having a first gate pattern and a second gate pattern; and an interchangeable third sub-layout having covering patterns variable for forming different static random access memory when used with the first sub-layout and the second sub-layout. |
| US09679894B1 |
Semiconductor variable resistor and semiconductor manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor variable resistance device includes: a substrate; a gate formed on the substrate, the substrate further including a first trench the first trench formed outside a side of the gate; first and second doped regions, formed in the substrate, the first and second doped regions formed on two sides of the gate, the first trench formed between the gate and the first doped region; and first and second lightly-doped drain (LDD) regions, formed in the substrate. The first LDD region is formed between the first trench and the first doped region. The second LDD region is formed between the gate and the second doped region. The first and second doped regions form a source and a drain, respectively. The first trench is deeper than the first and the second lightly-doped drain regions. |
| US09679890B2 |
Junction-less insulated gate current limiter device
In one general aspect, an apparatus can include a semiconductor substrate, and a trench defined within the semiconductor substrate and having a depth aligned along a vertical axis, a length aligned along a longitudinal axis, and a width aligned along a horizontal axis. The apparatus includes a dielectric disposed within the trench, and an electrode disposed within the dielectric and insulated from the semiconductor substrate by the dielectric. The semiconductor substrate can have a portion aligned vertically and adjacent the trench, and the portion of the semiconductor substrate can have a conductivity type that is continuous along an entirety of the depth of the trench. The apparatus is biased to a normally-on state. |
| US09679885B2 |
Integrated protection devices with monitoring of electrical characteristics
Disclosed are systems, devices, circuits, components, mechanisms, and processes in which a switching mechanism can be coupled between components. The switching mechanism is configured to have an on state or an off state, where the on state allows current to pass along a current path. A monitoring mechanism has one or more sensing inputs coupled to sense an electrical characteristic at the current path. The electrical characteristic can be a current, voltage, and/or power by way of example. The monitoring mechanism is configured to output a reporting signal indicating the sensed electrical characteristic. The monitoring mechanism can be integrated with the switching mechanism on a chip. |
| US09679882B2 |
Method of multi-chip wafer level packaging
A method of multi-chip wafer level packaging comprises attaching a first semiconductor die to a top side of a wafer, forming a first reconfigured wafer by embedding the first semiconductor die into a first photo-sensitive material layer, forming a first group of through assembly vias in the first photo-sensitive material layer, attaching a second semiconductor die to the first photo-sensitive material layer, forming a second photo-sensitive material layer on top of the first photo-sensitive material layer, wherein the second semiconductor die is embedded in the second photo-sensitive material layer and forming a second group of through assembly vias in the second photo-sensitive material layer. |
| US09679877B2 |
Semiconductor device comprising PN junction diode and Schottky barrier diode
A semiconductor device includes a MOSFET including a PN junction diode. A unipolar device is connected in parallel to the MOSFET and has two terminals. A first wire connects the PN junction diode to one of the two terminals of the unipolar device. A second wire connects the one of the two terminals of the unipolar device to an output line, so that the output line is connected to the MOSFET and the unipolar device via the first wire and the second wire. In one embodiment the connection of the first wire to the diode is with its anode, and in another the connection is with the cathode. |
| US09679876B2 |
Microelectronic package having at least two microelectronic elements that are horizontally spaced apart from each other
A microelectronic assembly (300) or system (1500) includes at least one microelectronic package (100) having a microelectronic element (130) mounted face up above a first surface (108) of a substrate (102), one or more columns (138, 140) of contacts (132) extending in a first direction (142) along the microelectronic element front face. Columns (104A, 105B, 107A, 107B) of terminals (105 107) exposed at a second surface (110) of the substrate extend in the first direction. First terminals (105) exposed at surface (110) in a central region (112) thereof having width (152) not more than three and one-half times a minimum pitch (150) of the columns of terminals can be configured to carry address information usable to determine an addressable memory location. An axial plane of the microelectronic element can intersect the central region. |
| US09679875B2 |
Reduced volume interconnect for three-dimensional chip stack
A method of forming a reduced volume interconnect for a chip stack including multiple silicon layers, the method including: forming multiple conductive structures, each of at least a subset of the conductive structures having a volume of conductive material for a corresponding under bump metallurgy pad onto which the conductive structure is transferred that is configured such that a ratio of an unreflowed diameter of the conductive structure to a diameter of the corresponding pad is about one third-to-one or less; transferring the conductive structures to the silicon layers; stacking the silicon layers in a substantially vertical dimension such that each of the conductive structures on a given silicon layer is aligned with a corresponding electrical contact location on an underside of an adjacent silicon layer; and heating the interconnect so as to metallurgically bond multiple electrical contact locations of adjacent silicon layers. |
| US09679871B1 |
Multi-access memory system and a method to manufacture the system
A multiple memory access system is disclosed. The system includes a first die disposed on a package substrate. A second die is stacked above the first die. The first die, the second die and the package substrate form a first package. An IC is placed within a close proximity of the first package where the first die communicates with the second die at a first data rate while the first die communicates with the IC at a second data rate. The first data rate is higher than the second data rate. |
| US09679869B2 |
Transmission line for high performance radio frequency applications
This disclosure relates to a transmission line for high performance radio frequency (RF) applications. One such transmission line can include a bonding layer configured to receive an RF signal, a barrier layer, a diffusion barrier layer, and a conductive layer proximate to the diffusion barrier layer. The diffusion barrier layer can have a thickness that allows a received RF signal to penetrate the diffusion barrier layer to the conductive layer. In certain implementations, the diffusion barrier layer can be nickel. In some of these implementations, the transmission line can include a gold bonding layer, a palladium barrier layer, and a nickel diffusion barrier layer. |
| US09679867B2 |
Semiconductor device having a low-adhesive bond substrate pair
A semiconductor device includes a low-adhesion film, a pair of substrates, and a metal electrode. The low-adhesion film has lower adhesion to metal than a semiconductor oxide film. The pair of substrates is provided with the low-adhesion film interposed therebetween. The metal electrode passes through the low-adhesion film and connects the pair of substrates, and includes, between the pair of substrates, a part thinner than parts embedded in the pair of substrates. A portion of the metal electrode embedded in one substrate is provided with a gap interposed between the portion and the low-adhesion film on the other substrate. |
| US09679864B2 |
Printed interconnects for semiconductor packages
A method forming a packaged semiconductor device includes providing a first semiconductor die (first die) having bond pads thereon mounted face-up on a package substrate or on a die pad of a lead frame (substrate), wherein the substrate includes terminals or contact pads (substrate pads). A first dielectric layer is formed including printing a first dielectric precursor layer including a first ink having a first liquid carrier solvent extending from the substrate pads to the bond pads. A first interconnect precursor layer is printed including a second ink having a second liquid carrier over the first dielectric layer extending from the substrate pads to the bond pads. Sintering or curing the first interconnect precursor layer removes at least the second liquid carrier to form an electrically conductive interconnect including an ink residue which connects respective substrate pads to respective bond pads. |
| US09679863B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of forming interconnect substrate for FO-WLCSP
A semiconductor device has a first encapsulant deposited over a first carrier. A plurality of conductive vias is formed through the first encapsulant to provide an interconnect substrate. A first semiconductor die is mounted over a second carrier. The interconnect substrate is mounted over the second carrier adjacent to the first semiconductor die. A second semiconductor die is mounted over the second carrier adjacent to the interconnect substrate. A second encapsulant is deposited over the first and second semiconductor die, interconnect substrate, and second carrier. A first interconnect structure is formed over a first surface of the second encapsulant and electrically connected to the conductive vias. A second interconnect structure is formed over a second surface of the second encapsulant and electrically connected to the conductive vias to make the Fo-WLCSP stackable. Additional semiconductor die can be mounted over the first and second semiconductor die in a PoP arrangement. |
| US09679856B2 |
System and method for a microfabricated fracture test structure
According to an embodiment, a micro-fabricated test structure includes a structure mechanically coupled between two rigid anchors and disposed above a substrate. The structure is released from the substrate and includes a test layer mechanically coupled between the two rigid anchors. The test layer includes a first region having a first cross-sectional area and a constricted region having a second cross-sectional area smaller than the first cross-sectional area. The structure also includes a first tensile stressed layer disposed on a surface of the test layer adjacent the first region. |
| US09679855B1 |
Polymer crack stop seal ring structure in wafer level package
Some implementations provide a semiconductor device (e.g., die, wafer) that includes a substrate, that is configured with trenches that are dry-etched into a surface of the substrate inside an area defined by scribe lines of the substrate. A crack stop structure is provided for the semiconductor device that includes a polymer dielectric layer coating that fills the trenches with a polymer dielectric material and provides a dielectric layer over the surface of the substrate inside the area. The polymer dielectric layer coating and trenches are configured to reduce cracking or chipping of the substrate in the area defined by scribe lines after cutting. |
| US09679853B2 |
Package-on-package type package including integrated circuit devices and associated passive components on different levels
A package-on-package (PoP)-type package includes a first semiconductor package having a first passive element and a first semiconductor device mounted on a first substrate, and a second semiconductor package having a second semiconductor device mounted on a second substrate. The first passive element is electrically connected to the second semiconductor device. Related devices are also discussed. |
| US09679849B1 |
3D NAND array with sides having undulating shapes
Area overhead is reduced between adjacent blocks of a 3D vertical channel memory device. In various embodiments, vertically oriented pillars that intersect layers of string select lines and word lines are arranged at intersections of a regular grid that is rotated, in a “twisted” array of pillars. Sides of shapes of the 3D NAND array structure are undulating, and follow undulating lines in which the outer pillars are disposed. For example, any of the string select lines, word lines, ground select lines, and ground lines have sides with undulating shapes. |
| US09679844B2 |
Manufacturing a damascene thin-film resistor
In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for manufacturing a thin film resistor after completing a copper chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process on a copper process module may include: depositing a dielectric barrier layer across at least two structures; depositing a second dielectric layer atop the dielectric barrier as a hard mask; patterning a trench using photo lithography; etching the trench through the hard mask and stopping in or on the dielectric barrier; removing any remaining photoresist from the photo lithography process; etching the trench through the dielectric barrier thereby exposing a copper surface for each of the at least two copper structures; and depositing thin-film resistor material into the trench and bridging across the resulting at least two exposed copper surfaces. |
| US09679842B2 |
Semiconductor package assembly
The invention provides a semiconductor package assembly. The semiconductor package assembly includes a first semiconductor package and a second semiconductor package stacked on the first semiconductor package. The first semiconductor package includes a first redistribution layer (RDL) structure. A first semiconductor die is coupled to the first RDL structure. A first molding compound surrounds the first semiconductor die, and is in contact with the RDL structure and the first semiconductor die. The second semiconductor package includes a second redistribution layer (RDL) structure. A first dynamic random access memory (DRAM) die without through silicon via (TSV) interconnects formed passing therethrough is coupled to the second RDL structure. |
| US09679839B2 |
Chip on package structure and method
A system and method for packaging semiconductor device is provided. An embodiment comprises forming vias over a carrier wafer and attaching a first die over the carrier wafer and between a first two of the vias. A second die is attached over the carrier wafer and between a second two of the vias. The first die and the second die are encapsulated to form a first package, and at least one third die is connected to the first die or the second die. A second package is connected to the first package over the at least one third die. Alternatively, instead of forming vias over the carrier wafer, through silicon vias may be formed within a semiconductor substrate and the semiconductor substrate may be attached to the carrier wafer. |
| US09679838B2 |
Stub minimization for assemblies without wirebonds to package substrate
A microelectronic package can include a substrate and a microelectronic element having a face and one or more columns of contacts thereon which face and are joined to corresponding contacts on a surface of the substrate. An axial plane may intersect the face along a line in the first direction and centered relative to the columns of element contacts. Columns of package terminals can extend in the first direction. First terminals in a central region of the second surface can be configured to carry address information usable to determine an addressable memory location within the microelectronic element. The central region may have a width not more than three and one-half times a minimum pitch between the columns of package terminals. The axial plane can intersect the central region. |
| US09679836B2 |
Package structures and methods for forming the same
A device includes a redistribution line, and a polymer region molded over the redistribution line. The polymer region includes a first flat top surface. A solder region is disposed in the polymer region and electrically coupled to the redistribution line. The solder region includes a second flat top surface not higher than the first flat top surface. |
| US09679829B2 |
Semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating the same
Provided are semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating the same. The device may include a substrate including a first surface and a second surface opposing each other, a through-silicon-via (TSV) electrode provided in a via hole that may be formed to penetrate the substrate, and an integrated circuit provided adjacent to the through electrode on the first surface. The through electrode includes a metal layer filling a portion of the via hole and an alloy layer filling a remaining portion of the via hole. The alloy layer contains at least two metallic elements, one of which may be the same as that contained in the metal layer, and the other of which may be different from that contained in the metal layer. |
| US09679827B2 |
3D VLSI interconnection network with microfluidic cooling, photonics and parallel processing architecture
A three-dimensional VLSI integrated circuit apparatus is disclosed having a plurality of VLSI layers. A first VLSI layer includes a first silicon sublayer coupleable to at least one heat sink, and a first active silicon sublayer having a (first) plurality of photonic receivers (or transceivers); and a second VLSI layer including a second silicon sublayer having a first plurality of microfluidic cooling channels, and a second active silicon sublayer of the plurality of second VLSI sublayers having an interconnection network. Additional VLSI layers may also include a third VLSI layer having a third silicon sublayer having a second plurality of microfluidic cooling channels and a third active silicon sublayer having a (second) plurality of photonic transmitters (or transceivers). Additional VLSI layers may also include a third VLSI layer having microfluidic cooling channels and memory circuits, and a fourth VLSI layer having microfluidic cooling channels and parallel processing circuitry. |
| US09679826B2 |
Method for fabricating semiconductor package with stator set formed by circuits
A semiconductor package is provided, including a substrate having a top surface, a bottom surface opposing the top surface, a via communicating the top surface with the bottom surface, and a stator set formed by circuits; an axial tube axially installed in the via of the substrate; a plurality of electronic components mounted on the top surface of the substrate and electrically connected to the substrate; an encapsulant formed on the top surface of the substrate for encapsulating the electronic components and the axial tube; and an impeller axially coupled to the axial tube via the bottom surface of the substrate. In the semiconductor package, the stator set is formed in the substrate by a patterning process. Therefore, the thickness of the semiconductor package is reduced significantly. |
| US09679820B2 |
Evaluation method of device wafer
An evaluation method of a device wafer on which plural devices are formed on a front surface and inside which a gettering layer is formed is provided. In the evaluation method, electromagnetic waves are radiated toward a back surface of the device wafer and excitation light is radiated to generate excess carriers. Furthermore, the gettering capability of the gettering layer formed in the device wafer is determined based on the damping time of reflected electromagnetic waves. |
| US09679819B1 |
Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same
A method for fabricating semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: providing a substrate having a first region and a second region; forming a first fin-shaped structure on the first region and a second fin-shaped structure on the second region; forming a first bump on the first region and a second bump on the second region; forming a first doped layer on the first fin-shaped structure and the first bump; and forming a second doped layer on the second fin-shaped structure and the second bump. |
| US09679816B2 |
Method for fabricating semiconductor device
A semiconductor device and a method of forming the same, the semiconductor device includes a substrate, a plurality of fin shaped structures and an insulating layer. The substrate has a fin field-effect transistor (finFET) region, a first region, a second region and a third region. The first region, the second region and the third region have a first surface, a second surface, and a third surface, respectively, where the first surface is relatively higher than the second surface and the second surface is relatively higher than the third surface. The fin shaped structures are disposed on a surface of the fin field-effect transistor region. The insulating layer covers the first surface, the second surface and the third surface. |
| US09679809B1 |
Method of forming self aligned continuity blocks for mandrel and non-mandrel interconnect lines
A method of forming a pattern for interconnect lines in an integrated circuit includes providing a structure having a first lithographic stack, a mandrel layer and a pattern layer disposed over a dielectric stack. Patterning the structure to form mandrels in the mandrel layer and disposing a spacer layer over the mandrels. Etching the spacer layer to form spacers disposed on sidewalls of the mandrels. The spacers and mandrels defining beta and gamma regions. A beta region includes a beta block mask portion and a gamma region includes a gamma block mask portion of the pattern layer. The method also includes etching a beta pillar over the beta block mask portion and etching a gamma pillar over the gamma block mask portion. The method also includes etching the structure to form a pattern in the pattern layer, the pattern including the gamma and beta block mask portions. |
| US09679802B2 |
Method of etching a porous dielectric material
A method for producing interconnection lines including etching a layer of porous dielectric material forming a trench and filling the trench is provided. The etching is carried out in a plasma so as to grow, all along the etching, a protective layer on flanks of the layer of porous dielectric material. The plasma is formed from a gas formed from a first component and a second component, or a gas formed from a first component, a second component and a third component. The first component is a hydrocarbon of the CXHY type, where X is the proportion of carbon in the gas and Y the proportion of hydrogen in the gas; the second component is taken from nitrogen or dioxygen or a mixture of nitrogen and dioxygen; the third component is taken from argon or helium; and the protective layer is based on hydrocarbon. |
| US09679801B2 |
Dual molded stack TSV package
Packages including an embedded die with through silicon vias (TSVs) are described. In an embodiment, a first level die including TSVs is embedded between a first redistribution layer (RDL) and a second RDL, and a second level die is mounted on a top side of the first redistribution layer. In an embodiment, the first level die is an active die, less than 50 μm thick. |
| US09679798B2 |
Substrate conveyance apparatus and substrate peeling system
Disclosed is a substrate conveyance apparatus capable of suppressing a substrate from being damaged. The substrate conveyance apparatus includes a plurality of nozzles, and a main body unit. The plurality of nozzles are configured to jet a gas toward a surface of a substrate to hold the substrate in a non-contact manner. The main body unit is provided with the plurality of nozzles. At least surfaces of the plurality of nozzles are formed of a resin. |
| US09679790B2 |
Singulation apparatus and method
A singulation apparatus includes a carrier having a plurality of singulation sites and a scribe line between each of the plurality of singulation sites and an adjacent singulation site. The carrier has a top surface configured to receive a semiconductor substrate thereon. Each of the plurality of singulation sites includes a deformable portion and at least one vacuum hole. The at least one vacuum hole and the deformable portion is configured to form a seal around the at least one vacuum holes when a force is applied. The present disclosure further includes a method of manufacturing semiconductor devices, especially for a singulation process. |
| US09679785B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of encapsulating semiconductor die
A semiconductor device has a semiconductor wafer. The semiconductor wafer includes a plurality of semiconductor die. An insulating layer is formed over an active surface of the semiconductor die. A trench is formed in a non-active area of the semiconductor wafer between the semiconductor die. The trench extends partially through the semiconductor wafer. A carrier with adhesive layer is provided. The semiconductor die are disposed over the adhesive layer and carrier simultaneously as a single unit. A backgrinding operation is performed to remove a portion of the semiconductor wafer and expose the trench. The adhesive layer holds the semiconductor die in place during the backgrinding operation. An encapsulant is deposited over the semiconductor die and into the trench. The carrier and adhesive layer are removed. The encapsulated semiconductor die are cleaned and singulated into individual semiconductor devices. The electrical performance and functionality of the semiconductor devices are tested. |
| US09679784B2 |
Wafer-level packaged optical subassembly and transceiver module having same
A wafer-level packaged optical subassembly includes: a substrate element, the substrate element including a top layer and a base layer being bonded with the top layer; a top window cover being bonded with the top layer of the substrate element; and a plurality of active optoelectronic elements disposed within the substrate element. At least one primary cavity is defined in the substrate element by the top layer and the base layer, and configured for accommodating the active optoelectronic elements. A plurality of peripheral cavities are defined around the at least one primary cavity as alignment features for external opto-mechanical parts. |
| US09679783B2 |
Molding wafer chamber
A bottom chase and a top chase of a molding system form a cavity to house a molding carrier and one or more devices. The molding carrier is placed in a desired location defined by a guiding component. The guiding component may be entirely within the cavity, or extend above a surface of the bottom chase and extend over a contacting edge of the top chase and the bottom chase, so that there is a gap between the edge of the top chase and the edge of the molding carrier which are filled by molding materials to cover the edge of the molding carrier. Releasing components may be associated with the top chase and/or the bottom chase, which may be a plurality of tape roller with a releasing film, or a plurality of vacuum holes within the bottom chase, or a plurality of bottom pins with the bottom chase. |
| US09679780B1 |
Polysilicon residue removal in nanosheet MOSFETs
A method is presented for forming a semiconductor device. The method includes depositing a sacrificial layer on a fin structure formed on a substrate and then filled with polysilicon, etching a portion of the polysilicon material via a first etching process, and pre-cleaning the surface native oxide layer. The method further includes etching the remaining polysilicon material via a second etching process, and removing polysilicon etch residue formed adjacent the fin structure by a cleaning process. The pre-cleaning is performed by applying NH3 (ammonia) and NF3 (nitrogen trifluoride) or by applying BHF (buffered hydrofluoric acid). The first etching process is RIE (reactive ion etching) and the second etching process involves applying NF3 and H2 (hydrogen gas). |
| US09679776B2 |
Masking for high temperature implants
A method for the selective implantation of a workpiece is disclosed. In place of conventional photoresist, a two layer structure is used. The first layer, referred to as the protective layer, is applied directly to the workpiece and protects the workpiece from harmful etching processes. Additionally, the protective layer has limited ability to stop ions from impacting the workpiece. The second layer, referred to as the blocking layer, which is formed on a portion of the protective layer, is used to block ions from impacting the underlying workpiece. Advantageously, the blocking layer may be selectively etched without affecting the protective layer. Additionally, the protective layer can be removed without affecting the underlying workpiece. Through the use of this two layer technique, high temperature selective implants may be performed on a variety of different semiconductor devices. |
| US09679775B2 |
Selective dopant junction for a group III-V semiconductor device
An approach to providing a method of forming a dopant junction in a semiconductor device. The approach includes performing a surface modification treatment on an exposed surface of a semiconductor layer and depositing a dopant material on the exposed surface of the semiconductor layer. Furthermore, the approach includes alloying a metal layer with a dopant layer to form a semiconductor device junction where the semiconductor layer is composed of a Group III-V semiconductor material, the surface modification treatment occurs in a vacuum chamber to remove surface oxides from the exposed surface of the semiconductor layer, and each of the above processes occur at a low temperature. |
| US09679773B1 |
Method for thermal annealing and a semiconductor device formed by the method
According to various embodiments, a method may include: disposing a dopant in a semiconductor region; forming a radiation absorption layer including or formed from at least one allotrope of carbon over at least a portion of the semiconductor region; and activating the dopant at least partially by irradiating the radiation absorption layer at least partially with electromagnetic radiation to heat the semiconductor region at least partially. |
| US09679771B1 |
Fabrication and design methods using selective etching and dual-material self-aligned multiple patterning processes to reduce the cut-hole patterning yield loss
Design and fabrication methods to reduce the effect of edge-placement errors in the cut-hole patterning process are invented using selective etching and dual-material self-aligned multiple patterning processes. The invented methods consist of a series of processing steps to decompose the original cut-hole mask into multiple separate masks, pattern the cut holes on the resist to expose certain targeted lines, and selectively etch the exposed targeted lines (formed by dual-material self-aligned multiple patterning processes) without attacking the non-target lines. This invention provides production-worthy methods for the semiconductor industry to continue IC scaling down to sub-10 nm half pitch. |
| US09679767B2 |
SiC epitaxial wafer and method for manufacturing the same
Provided is a method of manufacturing a SiC epitaxial wafer including a SiC epitaxial layer on a SiC substrate using a SiC-CVD furnace which is installed in a glove box. The method includes a SiC substrate placement step of placing the SiC substrate in the SiC-CVD furnace while circulating gas in the glove box. |
| US09679765B2 |
Method of fabricating rare-earth doped piezoelectric material with various amounts of dopants and a selected C-axis orientation
A method of fabricating a rare-earth element doped piezoelectric material having a first component, a second component and the rare-earth element. The method includes: providing a substrate; initially flowing hydrogen over the substrate; after the initially flowing of the hydrogen over the substrate, flowing the first component to form the rare-earth element doped piezoelectric material over a surface of a target, the target comprising the rare-earth metal in a certain atomic percentage; and sputtering the rare-earth element doped piezoelectric material from the target on the substrate. |
| US09679763B1 |
Silicon-on-insulator fin field-effect transistor device formed on a bulk substrate
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises forming a first diffusion stop layer on a bulk semiconductor substrate, forming a doped semiconductor layer on the first diffusion stop layer, forming a second diffusion stop layer on the doped semiconductor layer, forming a fin layer on the doped semiconductor layer, patterning the first and second diffusion stop layers, the doped semiconductor layer, the fin layer and a portion of the bulk substrate, oxidizing the doped semiconductor layer to form an oxide layer, and forming a dielectric on the bulk substrate adjacent the patterned portion of the bulk substrate, the patterned first diffusion stop layer and the oxide layer. |
| US09679760B2 |
Customizable light bulb changer
A light bulb changing tool comprising a holding structure configured to engage a light bulb, the holding structure configured along an axis, the motorized holding structure configured to actuate in a first direction and a second direction. The light bulb changing tool further includes a force generator configured to selectively force the light bulb against the holding structure and a control unit configured to remotely communicate with the holding structure and the force generator, wherein the electronic control unit sends control signals to drive the holding structure to selectively move in the first direction and the second direction and/or to activate the force generator. The tool further comprises an arm member for positioning the holding structure in a desired configuration to engage the light bulb, wherein the arm member is coupled to the holding structure. The holding structure further comprises a rotator mechanism configured to rotate the holding structure in the first direction about the axis. |
| US09679758B2 |
Multi-reflection mass spectrometer
A multi-reflection mass spectrometer is provided comprising two ion-optical mirrors, each mirror elongated generally along a drift direction (Y), each mirror opposing the other in an X direction, the X direction being orthogonal to Y, characterized in that the mirrors are not a constant distance from each other in the X direction along at least a portion of their lengths in the drift direction. In use, ions are reflected from one opposing mirror to the other a plurality of times while drifting along the drift direction so as to follow a generally zigzag path within the mass spectrometer. The motion of ions along the drift direction is opposed by an electric field resulting from the non-constant distance of the mirrors from each other along at least a portion of their lengths in the drift direction that causes the ions to reverse their direction. |
| US09679756B2 |
Projection-type charged particle optical system and imaging mass spectrometry apparatus
Provided is a projection-type charged particle optical system in which a projection magnification can be changed while a decrease in the accuracy in measuring a mass-to-charge ratio is being suppressed. A projection-type charged particle optical system according to the present invention includes a first electrode disposed so as to face a sample and having an opening formed therein for allowing a charged particle to pass, a second electrode disposed on a side of the first electrode opposite to where the sample is disposed and having an opening formed therein for allowing the charged particle to pass, and a flight-tube electrode disposed such that the charged particle that has been emitted from the sample and has passed through the second electrode enters the flight-tube electrode and being configured to form a substantially equipotential space thereinside. A principal plane is formed at at least two positions in a travel path of the charged particle. |
| US09679752B2 |
Mass spectrometer
A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a mass selective ion trap (12) and a quadrupole rod set mass filter (14) arranged downstream of the mass selective ion trap (12). Ions are mass selectively ejected from the ion trap (12) in a substantially synchronized manner with the scanning of the mass filter (14) in order to increase the duty cycle of the mass filter (14). |
| US09679751B2 |
Chamber filler kit for plasma etch chamber useful for fast gas switching
A chamber filler kit for an inductively coupled plasma processing chamber in which semiconductor substrates are processed by inductively coupling RF energy through a window facing a substrate supported on a cantilever chuck. The kit includes at least one chamber filler which reduces the lower chamber volume in the chamber below the chuck. The fillers of the kit can be mounted in a standard chamber having a chamber volume of over 60 liters and by using different sized chamber fillers it is possible to reduce the chamber volume to provide desired gas flow conductance and accommodate changes in vacuum pressure during processing of the substrate. The chamber filler kit can be used to modify a standard chamber to accommodate different processing regimes such as rapid alternating processes wherein wide pressure changes are needed without varying a gap between the substrate and the window. |
| US09679750B2 |
Deposition apparatus
A deposition apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a reactor; a plasma chamber connected to the reactor; a plasma electrode mounted inside of the plasma chamber; and a gas supply plate coupled with the plasma chamber to supply gas into the plasma chamber, wherein a plurality of gas holes is formed at an inner wall of the gas supply plate, and the plurality of gas supply holes is spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval. |
| US09679744B2 |
Charged particle beam apparatus and method of correcting landing angle of charged particle beam
A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is configured so that SEM images are acquired while scanning a pyramid pattern on a sample plane from four directions. Landing angle of the electron beam is calculated from these SEM images, which are then averaged, whereby inclination angle of the electron beam that is less influenced from scan distortion can be found. |
| US09679742B2 |
Method for optimizing charged particle beams formed by shaped apertures
The present invention provides a method for optimizing a shaped working beam having a sharp edge for making sufficiently precise cuts and a high beam current for faster processing. An ion beam is directed along an optical column through a reference aperture to form a reference beam that has a preferred shape and an associated reference current. The reference beam is optimized using selected parameters of the optical components within the optical column. The ion beam is then directed through a working aperture to form a working beam for use in a processing application. The working beam has a different shape from the reference beam and an associated working current that is higher than the reference current. The reference aperture and working aperture have at least one corresponding dimension. The working beam is then optimized using the selected optical component parameters used to align and focus the reference beam. |
| US09679741B2 |
Environmental cell for charged particle beam system
An environmental cell for a charged particle beam system allows relative motion between the cell mounted on an X-Y stage and the optical axis of the focusing column, thereby eliminating the need for a sub-stage within the cell. A flexible cell configuration, such as a retractable lid, permits a variety of processes, including beam-induced and thermally-induced processes. Photoelectron yield spectroscopy performed in a charged particle beam system and using gas cascade amplification of the photoelectrons allows analysis of material in the cell and monitoring of processing in the cell. Luminescence analysis can be also performed using a retractable mirror. |
| US09679738B2 |
Electron microscope
The present invention relates to a lens-less Foucault method wherein a transmission electron microscope objective lens (5) is turned off, an electron beam crossover (11, 13) is matched with a selected area aperture (65), and the focal distance of a first imaging lens (61) can be changed to enable switching between a sample image observation mode and a sample diffraction pattern observation mode, characterized in that a deflector (81) is disposed in a stage following the first imaging lens (61), and conditions for an irradiating optical system (4) can be fixed after conditions for the imaging optical system have been determined. This allows a lens-less Foucault method to be implemented in a common general-use transmission electron microscope with no magnetic shielding lens equipped, without burdening the operator. |
| US09679736B2 |
Encapsulated structure for X-ray generator with cold cathode and method of vacuuming the same
An encapsulated structure of an X ray generator with a cold cathode and method of vacuuming the same are disclosed. The X ray generator has a glass ball-tube having a base, a tungsten filament, a cold cathode, a focus cap, and an anode target inside, associated with a first electrode pin, a second electrode pin, a single-used pin, and anode pin extended out. The tungsten filament located at the periphery of the base has a first wire end connected with the second electrode pin and a second wire end connected with the single-used pin. While vacuuming the glass ball-tube before melting an end to seal, a voltage is exerting on the single use pin to heat the tungsten, and a high voltage is exerting on the anode target to accelerate the hot electrons emitting from the filament to bombard the inside wall of the glass ball-tube and the anode target so as to shorten the vacuuming time and increase the vacuum level. |
| US09679735B2 |
Travel lockout monitoring system
A vehicle system including a housing, an extendable/retractable member coupled to the housing, an electrically controlled actuator and a lockout system. The electrically controlled actuator is connected to the extendable/retractable member, and is configured to extend and retract the extendable/retractable member relative to the housing. The lockout system includes a detection sensor and a controller. The detection sensor generates a signal upon a detection of a motion of the vehicle system or an anticipated movement of the vehicle system. The controller is in commanding communication with the electrically controlled actuator, and the controller locks the electrically controlled actuator from functioning upon receipt of the signal. |
| US09679733B2 |
Actuation system for an electrical switching device
An actuation system for a switch assembly having at least one switch includes a linear actuator drivable for actuating the switch, and a handle configured for selectively driving the linear actuator. The handle is operable in a first state in which the handle is coupled to the linear actuator such that turning the handle does not drive the linear actuator, and a second state in which the handle is coupled to the linear actuator such that turning the handle drives the linear actuator. |
| US09679729B2 |
Electrical disconnect contactors
A low-profile electrical contactor is provided comprising at least one electrical contact switch, an actuation means and a current determining device. The or each electrical contact switch has first and second electrical terminals, an electrically-conductive busbar in electrical communication with the first electrical terminal, the busbar having two end faces between which a current can flow in a flow direction and at least two flat sides in parallel with the flow direction, at least one fixed electrical contact which is attached to the busbar, an electrically-conductive moveable arm in electrical communication with the second electrical terminal, and at least one moveable electrical contact which is attached to the electrically-conductive moveable arm to form an electrical contact set with the fixed electrical contact. The actuation means can actuate the electrically-conductive moveable arm of the or each electrical contact switch between open and closed conditions. The current determining device has a first field-modifying element formed of a magnetic material located at or adjacent to the first end face of the busbar, a second field-modifying element formed of a magnetic material and located at or adjacent to the second end face of the busbar, at least one sensing coil at or adjacent to the busbar and the first and second field-modifying elements, and having a coil axis between planes of the first and second flat sides. An electromagnetic field induced by the current flowing in the busbar is modified by the first and second field-modifying elements to extend more or substantially more in parallel with the coil axis of the sensing coil. |
| US09679725B2 |
Magnetic switch
The present invention relates to a magnetic switch, and more particularly, a magnetic switch capable of preventing degradation of breaking efficiency by utilizing magnetic force to the utmost, in a manner of matching contact centers of fixed and movable cores. A magnetic switch according to one embodiment includes a bobbin provided with a cylindrical body and a plurality of flanges and having a coil wound on an outer circumferential surface thereof, a fixed core fixed to an inside of the cylindrical body with a predetermined spaced interval from the cylindrical body, and a movable core slidably installed in the cylindrical body and contactable with or separated from the fixed core, wherein a guide portion protrudes from a lower portion of the cylindrical body along an inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical body, such that the movable core can linearly move along a central axis of the fixed core. |
| US09679720B1 |
Arc motivation device
A circuit interrupter including an arc extinguisher which functions to arrest an arc that develops between electrical contacts. The circuit interrupter includes a permanent magnet coupled at opposite ends to two magnetically permeable pole pieces that are configured to drive or urge an arc into toward an arc extinguisher. The device allows for arc motivation due to the magnetic field without requiring the use of electrical power and allows for a rugged, light-weight design. |
| US09679713B2 |
Key switch and analog pressure detection system including the same
A key switch is disclosed. The key switch includes an axis, a pressure sensor layer, an axis component, and a key cap. The axis support includes a first opening. The pressure sensor layer is made of a pressure-sensitive electronic material and disposed on an upper surface of the axis support. The axis component is disposed in the first opening and vertically movable with respect to the axis support and the pressure sensor layer. The keycap is mounted on the axis component and includes a lower surface facing the upper surface of the axis support. When the keycap is depressed, the lower surface of the keycap depresses the pressure sensor layer and an electronic property of the pressure sensor layer varies. An analog pressure detection system including the key switch is also disclosed. |
| US09679712B2 |
Switch assembly and method of using same
A switch assembly and method of using same comprises a switch assembly for operating a power take off unit on a lawn tractor, the switch assembly further includes a housing supporting a selectively locatable activation knob facilitated by an actuation assembly and an internal switch arrangement coupled to a printed circuit board within the housing. The internal switch arrangement comprises a microcontroller and switch for determining the relative position of the selectively locatable activation knob and provides a digital output signal for enabling or disabling a power take off unit based on the digital output signal. |
| US09679709B2 |
Devices and methods for activating circuit breaker accessories
A device is provided for use with a circuit breaker that includes an actuator adapted to move in a first direction in response to an over-current and/or a short circuit condition, and a circuit breaker accessory that includes an actuation mechanism. The device includes a linkage having a first end adapted to be coupled to the actuator and a second end adapted to be disposed adjacent the actuation mechanism. Movement of the actuator in the first direction allows the linkage to move in a second direction different from the first direction from a first position to a second position to activate the circuit breaker accessory. Numerous other aspects are provided. |
| US09679704B2 |
Cathode for a lithium ion capacitor
A cathode in a lithium ion capacitor, including: a carbon composition comprising: an activated carbon; a conductive carbon; and a binder in in amounts as defined herein; and a current collector that supports the carbon composition, wherein the activated carbon has: a surface area of from 500 to 3000 m2/g; a pore volume where from 50 to 80% of the void volume is in pores less than 10 Å; a pore volume higher than 0.3 cm3/gm occupied by the micropores less than 10 Å; and a microporosity of greater than 60% of the total pore volume. Also disclosed is a method of making the cathode and using the cathode in a lithium ion capacitor. |
| US09679702B2 |
Dye comprising a chromophore to which an acyloin group is attached
The present invention related to a dye comprising a chromophore to which an acyloin group as anchoring group is attached, to a method of synthesis of such dye, to an electronic device comprising such dye and to the use of such dye. |
| US09679699B2 |
Dielectric film, film capacitor, and electric device
There are provided a dielectric film, a film capacitor and an electric device capable of achieving an increase in relative permittivity without causing a decrease in breakdown field strength. A dielectric film includes an organic resin and ceramic particles contained in the organic resin. The ceramic particles each have a crystal lattice defined by three axes composed of axis a, axis b, and axis c, and including two or more crystalline phases of different axial ratios c/a. Owing to each crystal phase having different extents of dielectric polarization originating from the differences in shapes (sizes) of the crystal lattices, the ceramic particles each have regions with different permittivities, achieving an increase in relative permittivity without causing a decrease in breakdown field strength. |
| US09679697B2 |
Method for manufacturing multilayer ceramic condenser
Disclosed are a multilayer ceramic condenser and a method for manufacturing the same. There is provided a multilayer ceramic condenser including: a multilayer main body in which a plurality of dielectric layers including a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side are stacked; a first cover layer and a second cover layer forming the plurality of dielectric layers; a first dielectric layer disposed between the first cover layer and the second cover layer and printed with a first inner electrode pattern drawn to the first side; a second dielectric layer alternately stacked with the first dielectric layer and printed with a second inner electrode pattern drawn to the third side; and a first side portion and a second side portion each formed on the second side and the fourth side opposite to each other. |
| US09679693B2 |
Subsea transformer with seawater high resistance ground
A seawater-based high resistance grounding device for a subsea transformer includes an insulated pipe mounted to the outside of the transformer so as to be exposed to seawater. The insulated pipe has two or more cylindrical metallic electrodes electrically connected to ground and to the neutral node of the secondary transformer windings. The volume of seawater within the pipe and between the electrodes provides one or more high resistance ground paths for protection of the transformer. |
| US09679689B2 |
Magnetic clamping device for magnetically clamping to a magnetically attracted material and having a dampening means
There is provided a magnetic clamping device (10) for magnetically clamping to a magnetically attracted material (30). The device comprises at least one permanent clamping magnet (14, 44) for magnetically clamping to the magnetically attracted material wherein the magnet is movable relative to the magnetically attracted material from a position remote from the magnetically attracted material to a clamping position for the clamping of the material by the magnet. The device also includes damping means (22, 24) for damping the movement of the clamping magnet to the clamping position. The damping means biases the clamping magnet away from the magnetically attracted material to assist release of the clamping magnet from the magnetically attracted material. In addition, the device has support means (16, 40, 58) to which the clamping magnet is mounted for the relative movement of the clamping magnet from the remote position to the clamping position and for withdrawing the clamping magnet relative to the magnetically attracted material to release the magnetically attracted material. There is also provided a method for clamping the magnetically attracted material (30) using the clamping device (10). The clamping device may, for example, be a device for securing a load to the magnetically attracted material, a lifting device, a device for holding a work piece in position, or a welding clamp. |
| US09679688B2 |
Magnetic tape and shield cable
A shield cable includes an insulated electrical cable of a conductor wire sheathed about the circumference by an insulator, and a magnetic tape layer formed by wrapping magnetic tape about the circumference of the insulated electrical cable. The magnetic tape is a magnetic tape shaped by continuously cutting to constant width an elongated sheet comprising a magnetic material. The magnetic tape, on at least the insulated electrical cable-facing surface thereof, has grooves extending in the lengthwise direction, for accommodating at least one of pairs of burrs that are formed at both widthwise edge surfaces during cutting of the elongated sheet. |
| US09679683B2 |
Over-current protection device and protective circuit module containing the same
An over-current protection device comprises a PTC device and a first external lead. The PTC device comprises first and second conductive layers and a PTC material layer laminated therebetween. The first conductive layer forms an upper surface of the PTC device. The first external lead has a lower surface soldered to the first conductive layer. The lower surface is provided with a plurality of protrusions of which tops are in direct contact with the first conductive layer to form a gap between the first external lead and the first conductive layer. Solder paste fills the gap to form an electrically conductive connecting layer. The over-current protection device may further comprise a second external lead with protrusions soldered to the second conductive layer to form an axial-lead or a radial-lead type device. |
| US09679682B2 |
Fence post insulator for electrifiable plastic coated wire
An insulator for holding an electrifiable wire includes a base, a first connecting portion provided on a first end of the base, and a second connecting portion provided on a second end of the base. The first connecting portion and the second connecting portion may be movable between a first, open position and a second, closed position. |
| US09679676B2 |
Copper wire rod and magnet wire
A copper wire rod with an excellent surface quality and a magnet wire, in which the occurrence of blister defects is suppressed, are provided. The copper wire rod has a composition consisting of: more than 10 ppm by mass and 30 ppm by mass or less of P; 10 ppm by mass or less of O; 1 ppm by mass or less of H; and the balance Cu and inevitable impurities, wherein hydrogen concentration after performing a heat treatment at 500° for 30 minutes in vacuum is 0.2 ppm by mass or less. The magnet wire includes: a drawn wire material produced by using the copper wire rod; and an insulating film coating an outer periphery of the drawn wire material. |
| US09679672B2 |
Low band gap conjugated polymeric compositions and applications thereof
In one aspect, electrically conductive conjugated polymeric compositions are described herein demonstrating compatibility with aqueous solvents and/or phases. The ability to provide aqueous compatible compositions from previously water insoluble conjugated polymeric systems, in some embodiments, can facilitate use of such systems in a variety of aqueous applications, including biological applications. |
| US09679671B2 |
Low ohmic loss radial superlattice conductors
Various examples are provided for low ohmic loss radial superlattice conductors. In one example, among others, a conductor includes a plurality of radially distributed layers that include a non-permalloy core, a permalloy layer disposed on and encircling the non-permalloy core, and a non-permalloy layer disposed on and encircling the permalloy layer. The non-permalloy core and non-permalloy layer can include the same or different materials such as, e.g., aluminum, copper, silver, and gold. In some implementations, the non-permalloy core includes a void containing air or a non-conductive material such as, e.g., a polymer. The permalloy layer can include materials such as, e.g., NiFe, FeCo, NiFeCo, or NiFeMo. In another example, a via connector includes the plurality of radially distributed layers including the permalloy layer and the non-permalloy layer disposed on and encircling the permalloy layer. The via connector can extend through glass, silicon, organic, or other types of substrates. |
| US09679663B2 |
OTP cell with reversed MTJ connection
A one time programming (OTP) apparatus unit cell includes magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with reversed connections for placing the MTJ in an anti-parallel resistance state during programming. Increased MTJ resistance in its anti-parallel resistance state causes a higher programming voltage which reduces programming time and programming current. |
| US09679662B1 |
Memory device
A memory device includes a semiconductor pillar, a first memory cell that includes a first memory film between a first word line and a side surface of the semiconductor pillar, a second memory cell that includes a second memory film between a second word line and the side surface of the semiconductor pillar, and a control circuit configured to carry out first and second operations on the first memory cell and the second memory cell during a reading operation. During the first operation, a read voltage is applied to the first word line and a read pass voltage is applied to the second word line, and during the second operation following the first operation, a first voltage is applied to the second word line, such that a potential of the second word line is lower than a potential of the semiconductor pillar. |
| US09679660B1 |
Semiconductor memory device and operating method thereof
There are provided a semiconductor memory device having improved reliability and an operating method thereof. A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array including a plurality of strings coupled between a bit line and a source line, the plurality of strings including select transistors respectively coupled to select lines and a plurality of memory cells respectively coupled to a plurality of word lines, and a peripheral circuit for performing a read operation on selected memory cells among the plurality of memory cells. The peripheral circuit discharges the select lines earlier than the plurality of word lines in the read operation. |
| US09679659B2 |
Methods of operating a nonvolatile memory device
An operating method of a nonvolatile memory device is provided which sequentially performs a plurality of erase loops to erase at least one of a plurality of memory blocks. The operating method comprises performing at least one of the plurality of erase loops; performing a post-program operation on the at least one memory block after the at least one erase loop is executed; and performing remaining erase loops of the plurality of erase loops. The post-program operation is not performed when each of the remaining erase loops is executed. |
| US09679658B2 |
Method and apparatus for reducing read latency for a block erasable non-volatile memory
Provided are an apparatus, memory controller and method for performing a block erase operation with respect to a non-volatile memory. A command is generated to perform a portion of the block erase operation. At least one read or write operation is performed after executing the command. An additional instance of the command is executed in response to determining that the block erase operation did not complete after performing the at least one read or write operation. |
| US09679657B2 |
Semiconductor memory device including dummy memory cells and method of operating the same
A method of operating a semiconductor memory device including a plurality of cell strings coupled to dummy word lines and normal word lines includes performing a first sub-program operation on selected normal memory cells by sequentially applying first program pulses to a selected normal word line and performing a second sub-program operation on the selected normal memory cells by sequentially applying second program pulses greater than the first program pulses to the selected normal word line, wherein at least one of the dummy word lines is biased in a same manner as the selected normal word line whenever each of the first program pulses is applied to the selected normal word line. |
| US09679656B2 |
Method, electronic device and controller for recovering array of memory cells
A method, an electronic device and a controller for recovering an array of memory cells are provided. The method comprises the following steps. Whether a recovery control signal is received or not is determined. A retention checking procedure is executed for identifying whether a threshold voltage distribution of at least one bit of the memory cells in high threshold state is shifted or not, if the recovery control signal is received. A retention writing procedure is executed on the memory cells, if the memory cells in high threshold state do not pass the retention checking procedure. |
| US09679653B2 |
Programming scheme for next starting pulse based on a current program pulse for improving programming speed
A method for programming a memory including a plurality of memory cells is provided. The method comprises selecting a cell and executing a program and program verify operation for the cell, including applying a sequence of program pulses and performing program verify steps. The sequence includes a starting pulse having a starting magnitude. The program verify steps use a program verify level. The method also comprises determining the starting magnitude for a next cell as a function of a magnitude of the program pulse in an instance of the program verify step in which the current cell passes verify at the program verify level. |
| US09679647B2 |
Semiconductor memory device including a resistance change element and a control circuit for changing resistance of the resistance change element
Included are memory cells each including a resistance change element and a control circuit. The circuit performs an On writing process for applying, to the memory cell, an On writing pulse for the cell to be in a resistance state where a resistance value of the resistance change element is lower than a first reference value and an Off writing process for applying an Off writing pulse with an opposite polarity to the On writing pulse for a high resistance state with a second reference value or greater. The circuit applies, in the On writing process, a trial pulse having the same polarity as that of the On writing pulse and having the pulse width shorter than that of the On writing pulse and a reset pulse having the same polarity as that of the On writing pulse, in this order before applying the On writing pulse to the cell. |
| US09679646B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor storage device and rewriting method thereof
A bitwise bidirectionally rewritable nonvolatile semiconductor storage device capable of performing a high-speed data rewrite, while enhancing endurance characteristics and data-retention characteristics of a memory cell. To achieve high-speed generation of rewrite-bit information indicating that a data rewrite is needed or not, the structure employs a logic circuit corresponding to the number of change patterns of write conditions and concurrently compares between read-out data RO of memory at the start of the data rewrite and prepared write data DIN. After an electrical data rewrite of the memory, the data rewrite is verified based on the rewrite-bit information stored in an internal buffer circuit. This protects an already-rewritten memory cell from unnecessary additional rewrite. |
| US09679645B2 |
Non-volatile, piezoelectronic memory based on piezoresistive strain produced by piezoelectric remanence
A nonvolatile memory storage device includes a ferroelectric (FE) material coupled with a piezoresistive (PR) material through an inherent piezoelectric response of the FE material, wherein an electrical resistance of the PR material is dependent on a compressive stress applied thereto, the compressive stress caused by a remanent strain of the FE material resulting from a polarization of the FE material, such that a polarized state of the FE material results in a first resistance value of the PR material, and a depolarized state of the FE material results in a second resistance value of the PR material. |
| US09679644B2 |
Semiconductor storage device and driving method of the same
A semiconductor storage device includes a variable resistive element, which changes a resistance value according to a polarity and a magnitude of an applied voltage, as a memory element. The semiconductor storage device includes a standby mode in which a power source voltage or a ground voltage is applied to both of a word line and a bit line. The semiconductor storage device includes a data write mode in which a voltage difference equal to or more than a first voltage is applied between the word line and the bit line. The semiconductor storage device includes a read mode in which a voltage difference smaller than the first voltage is applied between the word line and the bit line by changing only one voltage of the word line and the bit line which is applied in the standby mode, and data written in the memory element is read. |
| US09679642B2 |
Cross-point memory compensation
The apparatuses and methods described herein may operate to measure a voltage difference between a selected access line and a selected sense line associated with a selected cell of a plurality of memory cells of a memory array. The voltage difference may be compared with a reference voltage specified for a memory operation. A selection voltage(s) applied to the selected cell for the memory operation may be adjusted responsive to the comparison, such as to dynamically compensate for parasitic voltage drop. |
| US09679637B1 |
Single-ended memory device with differential sensing
A memory device includes a first memory array comprising a first bit cell and a second bit cell that are configured to provide a first reference signal and a second reference signal, respectively; a second memory array comprising a third bit cell that is configured to store a first logical state; a reference signal provision (RSP) unit, coupled to the first memory array, and configured to short the first and second reference signals so as to provide an averaged reference signal; and a sensing amplifier, coupled between the RSP unit and the second memory array, and configured to use the averaged reference signal to read out the first logical state stored by the third bit cell. |
| US09679635B2 |
Overvoltage protection for a fine grained negative wordline scheme
A fine grained negative wordline scheme for SRAM memories is disclosed. The scheme includes a circuit having a static random access memory (SRAM) cell including at least a wordline coupled to a plurality of NFETs of a transistor array. The circuit further includes a wordline driver including a plurality of inverters coupled between a wordline group decode node, a power supply and the wordline. Overvoltage on the wordline driver and NFETs of the SRAM cell are eliminated by applying a power gating mode and lowering the power supply voltage. |
| US09679629B2 |
Memory device having wiring layout for electrically connecting to switch and capacitor components
Provided is a memory device having a plurality of memory cells and a refresh circuit. Each of the memory cells is configured to retain multiple data as a potential of a node connected to a gate of a first transistor, one of a source and a drain of a second transistor, and one of electrodes of a capacitor. The refresh circuit is configured to refresh the memory cells. That is, the refresh circuit is configured to determine an interval between refresh operations, estimate a change of the potential of the node due to the leakage of the charge, and provide a refresh potential to the memory cells, where the refresh potential is a sum of the potential read from the node and the potential lost due to the charge leakage. |
| US09679622B2 |
Method for controlling memory device asynchronously with respect to system clock, and related memory device and memory system
A control method of a memory device, a memory device and a memory system are provided. The memory system includes a memory control unit and a memory die. The memory die performs a data access operation asynchronously with respect to a system clock according to address information and an access signal generated from the memory control unit. When operating in a read mode, the memory die generates a data tracking signal according to a memory internal read time which is an elapsed time for data to be read to be read out from the memory die. The memory control unit and the memory die obtain required data according to respective data tracking signals transmitted therebetween. The control method defines an asynchronous memory interface protocol which realizes reliable and high speed data transmission. |
| US09679618B2 |
Sense structure based on multiple sense amplifiers with local regulation of a biasing voltage
A sense structure may include sense amplifiers each having measuring and reference terminals for receiving a measuring and a reference current, respectively, output circuitry for providing an output voltage based upon the measuring and reference currents, and voltage regulating circuitry in cascode configuration for regulating a voltage at the measuring and reference terminals. The regulating circuitry may include measuring and regulating transistors and a reference regulating transistor having a first conduction terminal coupled with the measuring terminal and with the reference terminal, respectively, a second conduction terminal coupled with the output circuitry and a control terminal coupled with a biasing terminal. Biasing circuitry is for providing a biasing voltage to the biasing terminal, and common regulating circuitry is for regulating the biasing voltage. Each sense amplifier may also include local regulating circuitry for regulating the biasing voltage applied to the biasing terminal. |
| US09679617B2 |
Amplifier
According to one embodiment, an amplifier includes a first inverter which inverts and delays a first signal to generate a second signal. A second inverter inverts and delays a third signal to generate a fourth signal. A first transistor includes a gate electrode supplied with the second signal. A second transistor includes a gate electrode supplied with the fourth signal. An output terminal is coupled to one terminal of the second transistor and outputs a fifth signal. A third inverter inverts and delays the fifth signal to generate a sixth signal. A first discharge circuit discharges one terminal of the first transistor and the one terminal of the second transistor based on the first, sixth, or fourth signal, and includes one terminal coupled to the other terminal of each of the first and second transistors. |
| US09679616B2 |
Power management
Methods of operating a die, including counting primary clock cycles of a clock signal in a counter, monitoring a signal indicative of high current demand during secondary clock cycles of the clock signal, determining a total unit consumption of current responsive to a particular value of the signal indicative of high current demand during the secondary clock cycles of the clock signal, and pausing an access operation for the die at a designated point. When a value of the counter matches an assigned counter value of the die while the access operation is paused, determining whether a value of the total unit consumption of current exceeds a unit limit, and resuming the access operation and resetting the value of the total unit consumption of current if the value of the total unit consumption of current is less than or equal to the unit limit. |
| US09679615B2 |
Flexible memory system with a controller and a stack of memory
Embodiments of a system and method for providing a flexible memory system are generally described herein. In some embodiments, a substrate is provided, wherein a stack of memory is coupled to the substrate. The stack of memory includes a number of vaults. A controller is also coupled to the substrate and includes a number of vault interface blocks coupled to the number of vaults of the stack of memory, wherein the number of vault interface blocks is less than the number of vaults. |
| US09679614B1 |
Semiconductor device with single ended main I/O line
Apparatuses included a single-ended main input/output line in a semiconductor device are described. An example apparatus includes: a pair of differential data lines coupled to a sense amplifier; a single-ended data line; a first transistor coupled between the one of the pair of differential data lines and the power line and coupled to the single-ended data line at a control node thereof; a second transistor coupled between the single-ended data line and the power line and coupled to the one of the pair of differential data lines at a control node thereof; and a third transistor coupled between the single-ended data line and the other of the pair of differential data lines. |
| US09679608B2 |
Pacing content
Users may have a set duration during which they may consume content, or they may have a variable duration during which they may consume content. A content pacing service is disclosed so that a portion of an item of content may be conveyed in the set duration during which a user is to consume the content. In one embodiment, the rate at which the content is conveyed is increased or decreased so that a reference point in the item of content (e.g., the end of a chapter in an audiobook) is reached approximately when the duration of the user's content consumption ends. |
| US09679607B2 |
Storage and editing of video and sensor data from athletic performances of multiple individuals in a venue
Video and sensor data from multiple locations in a venue, in which multiple individuals are engaged in athletic performances, is stored and edited to create individualized video programs of athletic performances of individuals. Each camera provides a video feed that is continuously stored. Each video feed is stored in a sequence of data files in computer storage, which data files are created in regular time intervals. Each file is accessible using an identifier of the camera and a time interval. Similarly, data from sensors is continuously received and stored in a database. The database stores, for each sensor, an identifier of each individual detected in the proximity of the sensor and the time at which the individual was detected. Each sensor is associated with one or more cameras. |
| US09679606B2 |
Method of modifying play of an original content form
A method of facilitating modified content play such that modification actions may be implemented during play of original content form. The modification actions may be specified by users to modify the original content form. The modification may be disseminated to subscribers or other users desiring similar content modifications. The method may be useful in social networking systems to allow social members to share commentary and otherwise modify original content forms to include their personal reflections. |
| US09679604B2 |
Playback speed adjustable apparatus for playback of moving picture
The present invention provides an apparatus for playback of a moving picture, which compares an action speed of a specific action of an object in a moving picture played back and displayed by a playback unit with an action speed of a separately acquired specific action which is a comparison target, controls a playback speed during the playback of the specific action by the playback unit based on the comparison result, and displays comparison information relating to the comparison result during the playback of the specific action by the playback unit. |
| US09679601B2 |
Post-write scan operations for interlaced magnetic recording
A storage device includes a data degradation management module that tracks a risk of data degradation by incrementing a track write counter of a first data track responsive to each data write command to a second data track, such as a data track directly adjacent to the first data track. If a count of the track write counter exceeds a count threshold, one or more post-write scan operations are performed to assess and/or repair data degradation of the first data track. |
| US09679599B1 |
Adaptive field adjustment of transducer power levels
Method and apparatus adaptively adjusting power levels of a data transducer in a data storage device. In some embodiments, an initial power value is applied to a powered element of a transducer to write user data from a host device to a rotatable data recording medium. An exception condition is declared responsive to a measured parameter. The transducer is used to read data from an evaluation track using a range of different input power values for the powered element. A different, new power value is selected for the powered element responsive to an error rate associated with each of the range of different input power values, with the new power value being lower than the initial power value. Thereafter, the new power value is applied to the powered element during a subsequent writing of user data to the rotatable data recording medium. |
| US09679598B2 |
Writer core incorporating thermal sensor having a temperature coefficient of resistance
A writer core of a transducer is configured to interact with a magnetic recording medium and comprises an upper core and a lower core. At least one of the upper and lower cores comprises a return pole having a return shield. The apparatus also comprises a writer pole between the upper and lower cores, and a writer gap defined between the writer pole and the return shield. The apparatus further comprises a sensor element within one of the upper and lower cores that includes the writer gap. The sensor element has a temperature coefficient of resistance and is configured to sense for a change in temperature indicative of one or both of a change in spacing and contact between the transducer and the magnetic recording medium. |
| US09679597B1 |
Bidirectional shingled magnetic recording in a heat-assisted magnetic recording device
An apparatus and method involves a writer configured for heat-assisted magnetic recording of data to a magnetic storage medium. A controller is coupled to the writer. The controller and writer are configured to write data to a plurality of concentric bands of the medium each comprising a plurality of partially overlapping narrow data tracks and a wide track. The wide tracks of successive bands are positioned adjacent to one another with no intervening narrow data track therebetween. |
| US09679595B1 |
Thermal asperity detection apparatus and method
A method comprises sensing for thermal asperities while sequentially scanning a plurality of tracks of a magnetic recording medium in a first direction relative to an inner or outer diameter of the medium. The method comprises halting the scanning at a first track in response to detecting a thermal asperity at the first track, and skipping a predetermined number of tracks in the first direction to a second track. The method also comprises sensing for the thermal asperity while sequentially scanning the plurality of tracks beginning with the second track in a second direction opposite the first direction. The method further comprises halting the scanning at a third track in response to detecting the thermal asperity at the third track, and logging the first and third tracks as tracks between which the thermal asperity is located. |
| US09679594B1 |
Reflector configured to prevent reflection from a recording medium to an energy source
An apparatus includes a waveguide that has a core between the first and second cladding layers. A near-field transducer in the first cladding layer is configured to receive the energy from the waveguide and deliver the energy to a recording medium. A reflector in the second cladding layer is configured to reduce reflection of the energy from the recording medium back to an energy source. |
| US09679593B2 |
Circuit connection pad design for improved electrical robustness using conductive epoxy
Disk drives including head suspensions within dual stage actuation systems have improved electrical connectivity between electrical connection pads from flexible circuits as are applied to head suspension assemblies with piezoelectric microactuators as also provided to head suspension assemblies. A more robust electrical connection provides for better control of microactuator actuation for fine movements and positioning of magnetic read/write heads relative to disk data tracks as part of dual stage actuated suspension systems. Electrical connections utilize conductive epoxy for physically and electrically connecting electrically conductive trace connection pads with one or more surfaces of piezoelectric microactuators. Electrical connections include better conductivity by utilizing plural surface portions of electrical connection pads. The result is a more robust and predictable performance for high data resolution within disk drives. |
| US09679589B2 |
Magnetoresistive sensor with enhanced uniaxial anisotropy
A read sensor that includes a free layer having a magnetization that changes according to an external magnetic field. The read sensor also includes an additional magnetic layer and a non-magnetic layer. The non-magnetic layer may include a corrugated surface facing the additional magnetic layer. The corrugated surface is configured to enhance uniaxial anisotropy in the read sensor. |
| US09679583B2 |
Managing silence in audio signal identification
An audio identification system determines whether a portion of a sample of an audio signal includes silence and generates a test audio fingerprint for the audio signal based on the presence of silence. In one embodiment, the audio identification system uses a value indicating silence for a portion of the test audio fingerprint corresponding to the portion of the audio signal that includes silence. When comparing the test audio fingerprint to reference audio fingerprints, the portion of the test audio fingerprint including the value indicating the presence of silence is not used. In another embodiment, the audio identification system replaces the portion including silence with additive audio and generates a test audio fingerprint for comparison based on the resulting modified sample. |
| US09679581B2 |
Sign-language video processor
The present invention relates to implementing a system and method for enhancing the recording of a sign-language video by automatically associating the prompter text with the segment(s) of the sign-language video recording. The segment(s) of the sign-language video recording is automatically determined based on the phrases identified within the video recording. Further, the system and method implements a plurality of features to manage the sign-language video and facilitates a means to actively collaborate, upload, and store the sign-language video within the network. |
| US09679580B2 |
Signal processing apparatus and signal processing method, encoder and encoding method, decoder and decoding method, and program
Methods and apparatus for performing signal processing. The signal processing comprises demultiplexing input encoded data into data including information for a segment including frames and coefficient information for a coefficient selected in the frames of the segment, and low band encoded data, decoding the low band encoded data to produce a low band signal, selecting a coefficient of a frame to be processed from a plurality of the coefficients based on the data, calculating a high band sub-band power of a high band sub-band signal of each sub-band constituting a high band signal of the frame to be processed based on a low band sub-band signal of each sub-band constituting the low band signal of the frame to be processed and the selected coefficient, and producing the high band signal of the frame to be processed based on the high band sub-band power and the low band sub-band signal. |
| US09679579B1 |
Systems and methods facilitating selective removal of content from a mixed audio recording
Systems and methods facilitating removal of content from audio files are described. A method includes identifying a sound recording in a first audio file, identifying a reference file having at least a defined level of similarity to the sound recording, and processing the first audio file to remove the sound recording and generate a second audio file. In some embodiments, winner-take-all coding and Hough transforms are employed for determining alignment and rate adjustment of the reference file in the first audio file. After alignment, the reference file is filtered in the frequency domain to increase similarity between the reference file and the sound recording. The frequency domain representation (FR) of the filtered version is subtracted from the FR first audio and the result converted to a time representation of the second audio file. In some embodiments, spectral subtraction is also performed to generate a further improved second audio file. |
| US09679576B2 |
Speech audio encoding device, speech audio decoding device, speech audio encoding method, and speech audio decoding method
A speech/audio coding apparatus and method is provided. The number of encoding bits allocated to encoding of extended-band spectrum is reduced while degradation of sound quality in the extended band is suppressed. A band compression unit creates combinations of sub-band spectra in pairs of two samples each in order from a low-range side in a band compression target sub-band, selects a spectrum having a large absolute-value amplitude among the combinations, and arranges the selected spectrum close to the low-range side on a frequency axis. A number-of-units recalculation unit redistributes bits saved in the sub-band for which band compression was performed to a low range outside the extended band, and redistributes the number of units on the basis of the redistributed bits. |
| US09679572B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding/decoding scalable digital audio using direct audio channel data and indirect audio channel data
Apparatuses and methods for encoding/decoding scalable digital audio are disclosed. An apparatus for decoding scalable digital audio according to the present invention includes: an audio packet reception unit configured to receive a digital audio packet, including a plurality of pieces of direct audio channel data mapped to respective physical channels and a plurality of pieces of indirect audio channel data indirectly mapped to respective physical channels; an indirect audio channel extraction unit configured to extract the digital audio packet from the pieces of indirect audio channel data; an indirect audio channel decoding unit configured to generate pieces of audio channel data corresponding to a number of physical channels more than the number of pieces of indirect audio channel data using the pieces of indirect audio channel data; and an audio channel output unit configured to match the pieces of audio channel data to the respective physical channels and perform output. |
| US09679571B2 |
Encoder and encoding method for multi-channel signal, and decoder and decoding method for multi-channel signal
An encoder and an encoding method for a multi-channel signal, and a decoder and a decoding method for a multi-channel signal are disclosed. A multi-channel signal may be efficiently processed by consecutive downmixing or upmixing. |
| US09679569B2 |
Dynamic threshold for speaker verification
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for a dynamic threshold for speaker verification are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving, for each of multiple utterances of a hotword, a data set including at least a speaker verification confidence score, and environmental context data. The actions further include selecting from among the data sets, a subset of the data sets that are associated with a particular environmental context. The actions further include selecting a particular data set from among the subset of data sets based on one or more selection criteria. The actions further include selecting, as a speaker verification threshold for the particular environmental context, the speaker verification confidence score. The actions further include providing the speaker verification threshold for use in performing speaker verification of utterances that are associated with the particular environmental context. |
| US09679561B2 |
System and method for rapid customization of speech recognition models
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for generating domain-specific speech recognition models for a domain of interest by combining and tuning existing speech recognition models when a speech recognizer does not have access to a speech recognition model for that domain of interest and when available domain-specific data is below a minimum desired threshold to create a new domain-specific speech recognition model. A system configured to practice the method identifies a speech recognition domain and combines a set of speech recognition models, each speech recognition model of the set of speech recognition models being from a respective speech recognition domain. The system receives an amount of data specific to the speech recognition domain, wherein the amount of data is less than a minimum threshold to create a new domain-specific model, and tunes the combined speech recognition model for the speech recognition domain based on the data. |
| US09679560B2 |
Server-side ASR adaptation to speaker, device and noise condition via non-ASR audio transmission
A mobile device is adapted for automatic speech recognition (ASR). A user interface for interaction with a user includes an input microphone for obtaining speech inputs from the user for automatic speech recognition, and an output interface for system output to the user based on ASR results that correspond to the speech input. A local controller obtains a sample of non-ASR audio from the input microphone for ASR-adaptation to channel-specific ASR characteristics, and then provides a representation of the non-ASR audio to a remote ASR server for server-side adaptation to the channel-specific ASR characteristics, and then provides a representation of an unknown ASR speech input from the input microphone to the remote ASR server for determining ASR results corresponding to the unknown ASR speech input, and then provides the system output to the output interface. |
| US09679559B2 |
Source signal separation by discriminatively-trained non-negative matrix factorization
A method estimates source signals from a mixture of source signals by first training an analysis model and a reconstruction model using training data. The analysis model is applied to the mixture of source signals to obtain an analysis representation of the mixture of source signals, and the reconstruction model is applied to the analysis representation to obtain an estimate of the source signals, wherein the analysis model utilizes an analysis linear basis representation, and the reconstruction model utilizes a reconstruction linear basis representation. |
| US09679553B2 |
Conversation-sentence generation device, conversation-sentence generation method, and conversation-sentence generation program
A conversation-sentence generation device according to the invention of this application receives, as input information, a conversation sentence given from a user to an agent, first clue information based on which a physical and psychological state of the agent is estimated, and second clue information based on which a physical and psychological state of the user is estimated, stores the physical and psychological state of the agent as an agent state, stores the physical and psychological state of the user as a user state, estimates a new agent state based on the input information and the agent state, estimates a new user state based on the input information and the user state, generates, based on the input information, the agent state, and the user state, an utterance intention directed from the agent to the user, and generates and outputs, based on the input information, the agent state, the user state, and the utterance intention, a conversation sentence given from the agent to the user. |
| US09679551B1 |
Noise reduction headphone with two differently configured speakers
There is disclosed a noise reducing headphone including a headphone housing, a microphone generate an ambient audio signal representative of ambient noise, a processor to generate an anti-sound signal based on the ambient audio signal. A first speaker is disposed within the headphone housing to convert the anti-sound signal into anti-sound. A second speaker is disposed within the headphone housing to convert an audio input signal into high fidelity sound. At least one characteristic of the second speaker is different from a corresponding characteristic of the first speaker. |
| US09679545B1 |
Drum hoop fastening device and drum having the same
A drum hoop fastening device and a drum having the same are provided. The drum hoop fastening device is disposed on a drum. A drum shell has a connecting portion, and a drum hoop has a first through hole along an axial direction. The drum hoop fastening device includes a bearing member which is positioned within the first through hole has a second through hole along the axial direction and a fastening member which is disposed through the second through hole and screwed with the connecting portion; and one of a wall of the second through hole and the fastening member has a first engaging portion extending radially, and the other of a wall of the second through hole and the fastening member radially interferes with the first engaging portion. |
| US09679543B2 |
Recessed concave fingerboard
A musical instrument having a plurality of strings is provided, the strings extending along a longitudinal dimension. The instrument includes a concave fingerboard extending along the longitudinal dimension and spaced from the plurality of strings to define the action, wherein a portion of the concave fingerboard is below an adjacent surface of a body of the musical instrument. |
| US09679537B2 |
Bit expansion method and apparatus
Disclosed is a bit expansion process portion that expands p bits, which a resolution of a brightness value of a digital input picture has, to q bits (where q>p). When a brightness value of an attention pixel of the digital input picture is bit-expanded, the bit expansion process portion applies a weight to the brightness value of the attention pixel according to a magnitude relation of the brightness value of the attention pixel and brightness values of a plurality of surrounding pixels, which are located surrounding the attention pixel, and conducts a gain compensation for the brightness value of the attention pixel after the weight is applied, thereby performing a bit expansion process from the p bits to the q bits. |
| US09679536B2 |
Light emitting apparatus, illumination apparatus and display apparatus
A light emitting apparatus including: one or a plurality of light emitting devices each having a plurality of electrodes and each emitting light from the upper surface of the light emitting device; a plurality of terminal electrodes provided on the lower side of the light emitting devices in a positional relation with the light emitting devices and electrically connected to the electrodes of the light emitting devices; a first metal line brought into contact with the upper surfaces of the light emitting devices and one of the terminal electrodes, provided at a location separated away from side surfaces of the light emitting devices and created in a film creation process; and an insulator in which the light emitting devices and the first metal line are embedded. |
| US09679533B2 |
Illumination apparatus with image projection
An illumination apparatus includes: an illumination light setter which sets illumination light for illuminating an illumination area which includes at least one of a space or an object; an image light setter which sets image light for projecting a projection image which includes at least one of a graphic or a character; and a light projector which emits the illumination light set by the illumination light setter, and projects the image light set by the image light setter. |
| US09679531B2 |
Correcting method, correcting apparatus and method for establishing color performance database for display apparatus
A correcting method for a display apparatus is provided. For N original grayscale combinations, color performances of the display apparatus are respectively measured to generate N measurement results. A set of color blending equations are utilized for M original grayscale combinations according to the N measurement results to generate M blended results. From the N measurement results and the M blended results, P color performances respectively most approximate to P target performances are identified. The P target color performances correspond to P target grayscale combinations. The P color performances correspond to P original grayscale combinations in the (N+M) original grayscale combinations. A look-up table for correcting the display apparatus is established according to the P target grayscale combinations and the P corresponding original grayscale combinations. |
| US09679529B2 |
Driver having capacitor circuit including first to nth capacitors provided between first to nth capacitor driving nodes and a data voltage output terminal
In a display device including a driver that drives a load line of an electro-optical panel through capacitor charge redistribution, a data voltage will change in the case where an electro-optical panel-side capacitance changes, even when tone data is the same. Accordingly, by detecting a voltage at a data voltage output terminal, a connection state and outputs between the data voltage output terminal and the electro-optical panel can be detected. |
| US09679526B2 |
Display system, an integrated circuit for use in the display system, and a method of displaying at least two images on at least two screens
A display system and a method of displaying a separate image on each one of at least two N-bit screens simultaneously, are hereby presented. The display system comprises at least two data processing units arranged for controlling the display of pixels on the corresponding N-bit screen, and a single merger block arranged for receiving pixel data from each respective data processing unit and for transmitting said pixel data to the corresponding N-bit screen. The merger block comprises a multiplexer unit arranged for selectively coupling one of the data processing units to an output of the merger block, a selection unit arranged for driving the multiplexer unit, and a clock generating unit adapted for generating at least one clock signal and for shifting the at least one generated clock signal compared to a main clock signal, the main clock signal and the generated clock signal being used to clock one of the N-bit screens, respectively. |
| US09679525B2 |
Display device and support unit for the same
The present disclosure discloses a support unit for a display device and a display device, which relate to the technical field of a liquid crystal display device. The present disclosure is created to solve the problem of complicated assembling and disassembly of the support unit of the display device in the prior art. The present disclosure provides a support unit for the display device, which includes a pedestal and a bracket, wherein one end of the bracket is connected to a display panel, the other end of the bracket is insert-connected with the pedestal through an insert-connecting structure and is locked by a snap structure. The insert-connecting structure includes a first insert-connecting portion disposed at the pedestal and a second insert-connecting portion disposed at the bracket. The snap structure includes a first snap portion disposed at the pedestal and a second snap portion disposed at the bracket. The cooperating insert-connection between the first insert-connecting portion and the second insert-connecting portion can guide the first snap portion and the second snap portion to be snap-fitted mutually, so that the disengaging of the pedestal from the bracket along an insert-connecting direction can be prevented. |
| US09679521B2 |
Electro-optical device and electronic apparatus
An electro-optical device includes a first pixel circuit provided so as to correspond to a first data line, a second pixel circuit provided so as to correspond to a second data line, a first storage capacitor of which one end is connected to the first data line and the other end is potential-shifted according to a current to be supplied to a light emitting element of the first pixel circuit, a second storage capacitor of which one end is connected to the second data line and the other end is potential-shifted according to a current to be supplied to a light emitting element of the second pixel circuit, and a constant potential line provided between the first storage capacitor and the second storage capacitor in plan view. |
| US09679511B2 |
Subpixel arrangement for displays and driving circuit thereof
An apparatus includes a display panel. In one example, the display panel includes an array of subpixels in a first, a second, and a third colors. Subpixels in the first, second, and third colors are alternatively arranged in every three adjacent rows of the array of subpixels. Every two adjacent rows of the array of subpixels are staggered with each other. A first subpixel in one of the first, second, and third colors and a second subpixel in a same color as the first subpixel are offset by 3 units in the horizontal axis and 4 units in the vertical axis. The first and second subpixels have a minimum distance among subpixels in the same color. |
| US09679508B2 |
Display panel and repair method thereof
A display panel includes scan lines, data lines, organic light emitting diodes, pixel circuits configured to supply drive currents, and electrically coupled to the scan lines and the data lines, repair pixel circuits configured to generate repair drive currents when there is a malfunctioning pixel circuit, repair lines, and repair data lines, wherein a corresponding repair pixel circuit corresponds to the malfunctioning pixel circuit, and is configured to generate the repair drive current based on a repair data voltage from a corresponding repair data line, wherein the repair drive current is configured to be supplied to a corresponding organic light emitting diode that corresponds to the malfunctioning pixel circuit through a corresponding repair line that corresponds to the malfunctioning pixel circuit, and wherein a portion of the repair data lines that extends in the first direction is longer than a portion that does not extend in the first direction. |
| US09679499B2 |
Systems and methods for sensing hand motion by measuring remote displacement
Systems and methods for sensing hand motion by measuring remote displacement are disclosed. For example, one disclosed apparatus includes a first surface configured to engage a first distal member of a surgical tool and a second surface configured to engage a second distal member of the surgical tool, the second surface coupled to the first surface at a pivot point. The apparatus further includes a sensor configured to detect a relative movement of the first surface and the second surface about the pivot point and to generate a signal based at least in part on the relative movement. |
| US09679498B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing a presentation model for an exercise
A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided in order to provide a presentation model. An example method may include receiving a selection of an exercise backdrop, displaying a representation of the exercise backdrop, receiving user input performed against an interface displaying the representation of the exercise backdrop, mapping the user input to an action, and generating an exercise comprising the exercise backdrop and a plurality of actions comprising the action. |
| US09679496B2 |
Reverse language resonance systems and methods for foreign language acquisition
Reverse Language Resonance methods are described for instructing a target language to a learner who speaks a native language. The methods may include providing to the learner a predetermined lesson comprising a lesson text of a plurality of lesson words that are exclusively in the target language. The methods may further include priming implicit memory of the learner. The methods may further include displaying the lesson text on a display and playing a recorded version of spoken words of the lesson text on an audio output while the lesson text is displayed. The methods may further include instructing the learner to perform Concurrent Triple Activity including simultaneously reading the lesson text on the display, listening to the spoken words from the audio output, and repeating the spoken words along with the recorded version into an audio input while the recorded version is playing. |
| US09679495B2 |
Systems and methods for computerized interactive training
Interactive electronic training systems and methods are described herein. Certain embodiments provide preprogrammed video, audio, and/or textual presentations of training materials which provide information related to skills/information to be trained. A scenario including real or animated actors is presented, simulating an interaction. The training system presents related queries for the trainee who audibly responds. The training system stores a score based in part on a comparison of the trainee's response with an answer stored in training system memory. Optionally, the scores are substantially immediately presented by the system to the trainee. |
| US09679494B2 |
Performance monitoring systems and methods
Systems and methods for electronically providing coaching feedback to a user during an athletic activity are disclosed. The method may include receiving electronic data, collecting second electronic data, generating comparison electronic speed data by comparing the second electronic speed data to the first electronic speed data, prompting the user. |
| US09679489B2 |
Ride chaining
A system for determining a dispatch includes an input interface, a processor, and an output interface. The input interface is to receive a request for a first pickup including a first pickup location and a first destination. The processor is configured to determining a driver to dispatch to the first pickup location. The output interface is to provide a first pickup indication to the driver to go to the first pickup location. The input interface is further to receive a first pickup arrival indication indicating the driver arrived at the first pickup location. The output interface is further to provide a first destination indication indicating to the driver to go to the first destination. The input interface is further to receive a request for a second pickup including a second pickup location and a second destination. |
| US09679486B2 |
System and method to detect whether a parked vehicle is in an enclosed space or an open space
An exemplary positioning method for a parked electrified vehicle, includes using an electrified vehicle charging system to compare at least one expected temperature outside a parked vehicle to at least one actual temperature outside the parked vehicle to determine whether the parked vehicle is in an open space or an enclosed space. |
| US09679483B2 |
System and method for providing traffic information
A traffic information providing system includes a traffic information collector configured to collect information on traffic flow. A traffic information generator is configured to detect a speed change point at which an average vehicle speed on a road changes based on the information on the traffic flow and to generate traffic information including position information on the speed change point and a target speed after a vehicle passes the speed change point. A traffic information provider is configured to transmit the traffic information to a vehicle controller for automatically controlling acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle based on the target speed. |
| US09679481B2 |
Systems and methods for variable detection based on traffic counter input
In an Electronic Article Surveillance (“EAS”) system a response is detected to an electromagnetic field. The response is caused by one or more objects present within the surveillance zone and an alarm condition is then selectively generated in accordance with one or more detection algorithms. A speed of a person traveling through the surveillance zone is measured, and if the speed exceeds a threshold then at least one characteristic of the detection algorithm(s) is varied to decrease a rigor of the detection algorithm. |
| US09679480B2 |
Vehicle driver responsibility factor assessment and broadcast
A vehicle includes one or more controllers that, in response to identification of an accident involving the vehicle, transmit a parameter indicative of a degree to which a driver of the vehicle is at fault for the accident. The parameter is based on data collected by another vehicle that was within a predetermined distance from a location of the vehicle at a time of the accident. |
| US09679479B2 |
Induction vehicle detection and identification system, induction license plate, and induction reader
An induction vehicle detection and identification system comprising electronic identification devices with electronic memory, mounted on vehicles, and a reader capable of reading and/or writing data obtained from devices in HF-band. Devices have a non-volatile memory and are integrated into the vehicle's license plate. The reader combined with a magnetic frame is in a dielectric casing, which is mounted under the roadway. It generates an alternating magnetic field, which determines the detection and identification range. Minimum time the reader requires to read discrete responses generated by electronic identification devices and to identify the vehicle is less than 25 ms. The identification devices and the reader exchange data at the rate of 1 Kbit/sec or higher, and provide data encoding and decoding, as well as data access restriction. |
| US09679466B2 |
Personal safety device and a harness for breathing apparatus
A personal safety device, comprising: a housing; attachment means provided on the housing, the attachment means being configured to receive a strap so as to attach the device to a wearer; a motion sensor arranged to monitor the motion of the wearer; and an alarm configured to be activated when the motion sensor has not detected motion for a predetermined period of time; wherein the alarm comprises a first sounder disposed within a first chamber formed by the housing, the first chamber having a first outlet passage; wherein the first outlet passage is arranged such that, in use, it is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the strap. |
| US09679464B2 |
System and a method for monitoring hand sanitizing opportunities in hospital wards
A system for monitoring the hand sanitizing opportunities in hospital wards (1), the system (1) comprising a plurality of sensors (8, 9, 10) arranged inside a ward (2), capable of detecting at least one hand sanitizing action according to a set of hand sanitizing opportunities, the system (1) further comprising at least one indication device (7) of the hand sanitizing action related to the set of hand sanitizing opportunities.The present invention further relates to a method of monitoring the hand sanitizing opportunities in wards. |
| US09679462B1 |
Wireless wake-up alarm with occupant-sensing apparatus
A wake-up alarm with occupant-sensing apparatus attached to a bed which is configured via wireless protocol with a personal computing device of the occupant of the bed. During an alarm period, defined by a turn-on time and turn-off time, the alarm will emit an alarm sound when an occupant is detected in the bed. During the alarm period, the alarm cannot be disabled. |
| US09679458B2 |
Information processing system, information processing apparatus, information processing method, information processing program, portable communication terminal, and control method and control program of portable communication terminal
To readily and effectively take a crime and disaster prevention countermeasure, there is provided an information processing apparatus including an acquirer that, when a crime and disaster prevention assistant device is connected to a portable communication terminal, acquires specifying information for specifying the crime and disaster prevention assistant device from the crime and disaster prevention assistant device via the portable communication terminal, a driver executor that executes a driver program corresponding to the specifying information to control the crime and disaster prevention assistant device, and an application executor that executes a crime and disaster prevention application program corresponding to the specifying information to acquire status detection information detected by the crime and disaster prevention assistant device connected to the portable communication terminal, specifies countermeasure processing corresponding to the acquired status detection information with reference to a management database, and controls the crime and disaster prevention assistant device via the portable communication terminal based on the countermeasure processing. |
| US09679456B2 |
System and method for tracking assets
A computer-based system, computer-implemented method, and computer-readable medium for tracking assets, such as objects and persons. The current invention involves associating a GPS-tracked tag with a targeted asset, registering a serial number associated with the tag, storing the serial number onto a database, and tracking the tag—and thus, associated asset—through the database. Authorized third parties, such as law enforcement personnel, may also access the database and track the asset, if needed, for example if the asset is stolen. The user is able to activate and deactivate the tracking ability of the tag and immediately track the tag when needed. |
| US09679454B2 |
Systems, methods, and devices for managing coexistence of multiple transceiver devices using control signals
A camera device communicates using a first transceiver configured to transmit and receive, over a first communication protocols, signals for configuring the camera device. Furthermore, the camera device communicates with one or more smart home devices using a second transceiver configured to transmit and receive, over a second communication protocols, signals comprising one or more of alerts, control signals and status information to and from the one or more smart home devices. Furthermore, the camera device communicates using a third transceiver configured to transmit and receive, over a third communication protocols, data corresponding to video captured by the camera device. |
| US09679453B2 |
System and methods for correlating sound events to security and/or automation system operations
A method for security and/or automation systems is described. In one embodiment, the method may include detecting a first sound event at a home entry point using one or more sensors. The method may further include receiving input to associate at least one home automation system operation with the first sound event, and may further include storing the first sound event. The method may further include initiating the at least one home automation system operation associated with the first sound event. |
| US09679451B2 |
Fibre optic based intrusion sensing system
A fiber optic based intrusion sensing system includes two or more fiber optic cables buried in a shallow trench in the ground, side by side in a predetermined nonzero distance to each other and at one or more predetermined depths. A dynamic distributed fiber optic interrogator measures a predetermined property related to a change in the length of the cables connected to it. A control unit is connected to all interrogators and analyzes the measurements of the predetermined property and identifies objects on the surface by combining the simultaneous measurements of all cables and correlating the measurements to the type of object on the ground surface, the location of the object on the perimeter, the weight, speed and direction of the object, particularly the direction in or out of the secured perimeter. |
| US09679449B2 |
Evacuation system
An illustrative apparatus includes a protective housing and a recording device. The protective housing can include a water-resistant layer comprising a material that is impervious to water. The water-resistant layer can define an inside space of the protective housing. The protective housing can also include a fire-resistant layer that surrounds the water-resistant layer and an outside layer that surrounds the fire-resistant layer. The recording device within the inside space can include a transceiver configured to receive sensed data from one or more sensory nodes and from a commercial panel of a building, a memory configured to store the data received by the transceiver, and a processor operatively coupled to the transceiver and the memory. The processor can be configured to publish the sensed data such that the sensed data is accessible to a first responder. |
| US09679446B2 |
Gaming system, device and method involving competitive elements
A gaming system, device and method are operable upon a wager. The system, in an embodiment, is operable to generate a visual output related to a plurality of competing elements or competitors. The system is operable to receive wager inputs from a plurality of wager submitters and generate a visual output including at least part of a grid. Also, the system is operable to provide a first monetary value based on which competitor wins as well as a second monetary value based on a winning intersection on the grid. |
| US09679445B2 |
Method, apparatus, and program product for providing alternative win opportunities with wild symbols in a wagering game
A reel-type wagering game includes at least one wild symbol in the game symbol set. The wild symbol or symbols may appear at multiple game symbol locations across an array of game symbol locations through which results are shown for a play in the game, and may assist in forming winning combinations of game symbols along pay lines. Wild symbols that appear in the array of game symbols for a play of the game, but do not contribute to any winning combination along a pay line, represent noncontributing wild symbols which may provide an alternate winning result for the given play of the wagering game. |
| US09679442B2 |
System and method for playing bingo
Systems and methods for playing a game of chance include determining a winner based on the number of player indicia matching selected house indicia and continuing game play until at least one winner is determined. Embodiments include a fixed draw with prizes awarded to all players based on the number of player indicia matching house indicia, as well as a draw that continues until at least one player matches a predetermined number of house indicia. Embodiments include a player indicia selection device with available indicia arranged in rows having associated letters similar to a bingo flashboard. Player cards or tickets include at least some player indicia selectable by players, which may include players requesting an easy pick ticket with one or more randomly generated player indicia recorded at time of purchase. |
| US09679441B2 |
Gaming device providing an award based on a count of outcomes which meets a condition
Methods and apparatus for providing an award based on a multiplicity of game outcomes. In one implementation the invention provides a method for providing a game. The method includes placing a bet by a player, playing of a game to produce a game outcome, evaluating a primary game outcome, paying a direct award if the primary outcome merits it, advancing a bonus accumulator if the primary outcome merits it, and if the bonus accumulator has advanced sufficiently, paying a bonus award to the player and clearing the bonus accumulator. |
| US09679436B2 |
Functional identifiers on wireless devices for gaming/wagering/lottery applications and methods of using same
A user interface and a method of using the user interface are provided for conducting a business-related action and/or transaction for at least one remote product or service, by providing user interaction with a functional component on a wireless gaming device. Functional components are identified via functional identifiers, such as a company's mark, including logos, trademarks, brands, names, and etc. The functional identifiers are strategically placed in or on the functional components of the wireless gaming device. The business-related action and/or transaction are for gaming, wagering, betting, gambling, and/or lottery play. |
| US09679435B2 |
Gaming machine mounting apparatus and system for supporting an overhead display
A system and apparatus for mounting an overhead display device to gaming machines. The system and apparatus featuring mounting elements securable to a display device at a selected distance and mounting hardpoints on one or a plurality of gaming machines. The hardpoints having a recess with a size and shape corresponding to that of the mounting elements. Wherein the display is securable to gaming machines in an overhead configuration when the mounting elements are secured to hardpoints and where the distance between the mounting elements corresponds to the distance between the hardpoints to which they are respectively secured. |
| US09679434B2 |
Gaming system including wild symbols
A gaming system configured to operate a game associated with a plurality of symbols. For a play of the game, the gaming system displays a plurality of reels, each of the reels including a plurality of the symbols and being associated with a plurality of symbol display areas. For an activation of the reels, the gaming system randomly generates and causes each of the reels to display one of the symbols on that reel at each of the symbol display areas associated with that reel. Upon an occurrence of a triggering event, the gaming system: adds one or more wild symbols to one or more of the reels and provides a plurality of additional activations of the reels. If a removal condition is satisfied prior to a final one of the additional activations of the reels, the gaming system removes a remaining wild symbol from one of the reels. |
| US09679430B2 |
Vehicle remote function system and method for determining vehicle FOB locations using adaptive filtering
A vehicle remote function system is provided for determining locations of a fob relative to a vehicle. The system may include a controller configured for communication with antennas mounted at different locations in the vehicle, the controller for use in determining locations of the fob based on ultra-wide band wireless signals transmitted between the antennas and the fob. The controller is configured to use a first filtering of the wireless signals to determine an initial location of the fob, and a second filtering of the wireless signals to determine a subsequent location of the fob. A method is also provided which may include transmitting ultra-wide band wireless signals between the fob and antennas mounted in the vehicle, using a first filtering of the wireless signals to determine an initial location of the fob, and using a second filtering of the wireless signals to determine a subsequent location of the fob. |
| US09679425B2 |
Control and monitoring system and method for access to a restricted area
We describe a control and monitoring system and method for access to a restricted area, such as mass transport systems (subways, trains, airports, ships and others), commercial buildings, schools, factories, datacenters, and other places with people moving, composed of a Processing Unit (10) that receives information both from a User Authentication Device (20) and an Image Capture Device (40). The Processing Unit (10) processes this information determining user category as well as user location, speed and direction of movement within a Gated Area (GA). In turn, the Processing Unit (10) triggers one or more Bars of Luminous Elements (31) arranged in Barriers (30) limiting a Gated Area (GA), giving every user (Authorized User [AU], Unauthorized User [UU] or Special User [SU]) a User Category Window (311, 312 or 313) that follows the movement of the user within the Gated Area (GA). A Blocking Device (50) can be activated by the Processing Unit (10) to be partially or fully closed or opened and at a speed proportional to the location, velocity and direction of movement of the user within the Gated Area (GA). |
| US09679423B2 |
Systems and methods of creating and delivering item of manufacture specific information to remote devices
An asset authoring and delivery system generates a number of authored assets. Each of the authored assets includes a number of asset content objects that are logically associated with one or more components included in the item of manufacture. The authored assets generated by the asset authoring and delivery system are formatted and communicated to one or more remote devices logically associated with the item of manufacture. Authored assets may be provided responsive to one or more sensed characteristics, for instance vehicle operational parameters, vehicle operation and/or driver behavior, and may be customized to a make and/or model of vehicle. |
| US09679421B2 |
Vehicle lift configured for integration with vehicle diagnostic computing devices
A vehicle lift comprising a main housing and a carriage assembly configured to engage a wheel of a vehicle, with the carriage assembly being vertically shiftable relative to the main housing. The vehicle lift additionally includes a lift control module for controlling actuation of said carriage assembly. The vehicle lift further includes a docking area configured to receive a diagnostic device, with the docking area including a power port configured to provide power to the diagnostic device. |
| US09679418B1 |
Sensor and feedback assembly for a bicycle
A feedback system and indicator for aerodynamic positioning while bicycling comprising one or more sensors located on the bicycle in positions that indicate when rider is in an aerodynamic position that activates and or otherwise records data associated with aerodynamic positioning while riding. |
| US09679417B1 |
System and method for presenting virtual reality content to a user
This disclosure describes a system configured to present primary and secondary, tertiary, etc., virtual reality content to a user. Primary virtual reality content may be displayed to a user, and, responsive to the user turning his view away from the primary virtual reality content, a sensory cue is provided to the user that indicates to the user that his view is no longer directed toward the primary virtual reality content, and secondary, tertiary, etc., virtual reality content may be displayed to the user. Primary virtual reality content may resume when the user returns his view to the primary virtual reality content. Primary virtual reality content may be adjusted based on a user's interaction with the secondary, tertiary, etc., virtual reality content. Secondary, tertiary, etc., virtual reality content may be adjusted based on a user's progression through the primary virtual reality content, or interaction with the primary virtual reality content. |
| US09679416B2 |
Content creation tool
A server for content creation is described. A content creation tool of the server receives, from a first device, a content identifier of a physical object, a virtual object content, and a selection of a template corresponding to an interactive feature for the virtual object content. The content creation tool generates a content dataset based on the content identifier of the physical object, the virtual object content, and the selected template. The content creation tool provides the content dataset to a second device, the second device configured to display the interactive feature corresponding to the selected template |
| US09679413B2 |
Systems and methods to transition between viewpoints in a three-dimensional environment
Systems and methods to transition between viewpoints in a three-dimensional environment are provided. One example method includes obtaining data indicative of an origin position and a destination position of a virtual camera. The method includes determining a distance between the origin position and the destination position of the virtual camera. The method includes determining a peak visible distance based at least in part on the distance between the origin position and the destination position of the virtual camera. The method includes identifying a peak position at which the viewpoint of the virtual camera corresponds to the peak visible distance. The method includes determining a parabolic camera trajectory that traverses the origin position, the peak position, and the destination position. The method includes transitioning the virtual camera from the origin position to the destination position along the parabolic camera trajectory. An example system includes a user computing device and a geographic information system. |
| US09679412B2 |
3D face model reconstruction apparatus and method
Apparatuses, methods and storage medium associated with 3D face model reconstruction are disclosed herein. In embodiments, an apparatus may include a facial landmark detector, a model fitter and a model tracker. The facial landmark detector may be configured to detect a plurality of landmarks of a face and their locations within each of a plurality of image frames. The model fitter may be configured to generate a 3D model of the face from a 3D model of a neutral face, in view of detected landmarks of the face and their locations within a first one of the plurality of image frames. The model tracker may be configured to maintain the 3D model to track the face in subsequent image frames, successively updating the 3D model in view of detected landmarks of the face and their locations within each of successive ones of the plurality of image frames. In embodiments, the facial landmark detector may include a face detector, an initial facial landmark detector, and one or more facial landmark detection linear regressors. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed. |
| US09679411B2 |
Hardware management and reconstruction using visual graphics
In an approach for updating instructions of machine repairs to a user interface, a processor populates a quantity of machine components used to construct a machine model. A processor receives the machine model constructed from the quantity of machine components. A processor couples the machine model with a set of vital product data. A processor associates a set of instructions for a repair procedure with the machine model and the vital product data file. A processor generates a visual representation of the repair procedure specific to the machine model. |
| US09679407B2 |
Electronic device, storage medium, program, and displaying method
An electronic device is provided which displays an object (body) on a flexible display screen in accordance with a three-dimensional shape of the display screen by utilizing the flexibility of the display screen. An electronic device including a display portion which includes a flexible display device displaying an object on a display screen; a detection portion detecting positional data of a given part of the display screen; and an arithmetic portion calculating a three-dimensional shape of the display screen on the basis of the positional data and computing motion of the object to make the object move according to a given law in accordance with the calculated three-dimensional shape of the display screen. |
| US09679405B2 |
Simulator, simulation method, and simulation program
A command value for moving a virtual machine is calculated according to a control program and based on model data of a virtual object (step S313, step S314) where the virtual machine corresponds to a machine and the virtual object is manipulated by the virtual machine in a virtual space and corresponds to an object; motion of the virtual machine which is moved in accordance with the calculated command value is calculated (step S315); motion of the virtual object which is moved in accordance with the calculated motion of the virtual machine (step S315); a virtual space image is generated (step S115) where the virtual space image is assumed to be acquired in the case where the calculated motion of the virtual machine or the calculated motion of the virtual object is virtually photographed; and the command value is calculated further based on the generated virtual space image (step S313, step S314). An integrated simulation of a machine system covering a visual sensor in a real space corresponding to a virtual photographing part can be realized. A test in the case where the visual sensor is used in machine control can be carried out. |
| US09679403B2 |
Method and system for utilizing transformation matrices to process rasterized image data
A method and system render rasterized data by receiving non-rasterized page description language data and a corresponding transformation matrix representing transformation operations to be performed. The non-rasterized page description language data is rasterizing to create rasterized data. The corresponding transformation matrix is decomposed into a plurality of individual transformation operation matrices and a discrete transformation operation value, from each corresponding individual transformation operation matrix, is generated for each transformation operation to be performed upon the rasterized data. The transformation operations are performed upon the rasterized data based upon the generated discrete transformation operation values. |
| US09679402B1 |
System and method for rapidly assessing system components with gauges
A method includes determining utilization metrics and range data for each of a plurality of system components and formatting for display a list comprising the plurality of system components and respective component attributes of the system components. The component attributes include the respective utilization metrics over a selected time range. The method further includes determining, using a processor, a selected system component based on a cursor position with respect to the list of system components and, in response to determining the selected system component, formatting for display a gauge indicative of the selected system component. The gauge includes an average utilization of the selected system component over the selected time range. The gauge also includes the range data that includes a minimum utilization of the selected system component over the selected time range and a maximum utilization of the selected system component over the selected time range. |
| US09679390B2 |
Systems and methods for removing a background of an image
An image such as a depth image of a scene may be received, observed, or captured by a device. A grid of voxels may then be generated based on the depth image such that the depth image may be downsampled. A background included in the grid of voxels may then be discarded to isolate one or more voxels associated with a foreground object such as a human target and the isolated voxels associated with the foreground object may be processed. |
| US09679389B2 |
Method and system for blood vessel segmentation and classification
A method of analyzing structure of a network of vessels in a medical image, comprising:receiving the medical image depicting the network of vessels;obtaining a mask of the network of vessels in the image; andgenerating a non-forest graph mapping a plurality of paths of vessels in the network to directed paths in the graph, with each edge in the graph either directed to indicate a known direction of flow in the corresponding vessel, or undirected to indicate a lack of knowledge of direction of flow in the corresponding vessel, and with all directed edges in a path directed in a same direction as the path. |
| US09679385B2 |
Three-dimensional measurement apparatus and robot system
There are provided a three-dimensional measurement apparatus capable of speeding up image processing, and a robot system including the same. |
| US09679382B2 |
Georeferencing method and system
A method of georeferencing a first image of a scene acquired from a first imaging device based on at least one second image of the scene acquired from a second imaging device. The method includes obtaining data indicative of an eligibility parameter for one or more areas of the scene; selecting one or more pivot areas among the one or more areas of the scene, wherein the eligibility parameter of the pivot areas satisfy a predefined criterion; for at least some of the selected pivot areas, identifying tie points for the first and second images; and solving the external orientation of the first image using the identified tie points and a first imaging device model. |
| US09679377B2 |
Medical image processing apparatus and a medical image processing method
According to embodiment, a medical image processing apparatus includes input interface circuitry and processing circuitry. The input interface circuitry inputs at least three landmarks in a first and second slice image group. The processing circuitry determines, in each of the first and second slice image group, a first axis connecting two points in the landmarks and a second axis that passes through another point different from the two points and is orthogonal to the first axis. The processing circuitry performs a registration between first slice images belonging to the first slice image group and second slice images belonging to the second slice image group by using the first and second axes in the first slice image group and the first and second axes in the second slice image group. |
| US09679376B2 |
Medical image processing apparatus, method, and recording medium
A determination unit makes a determination as to whether or not at least either one of at least a portion of an upper end vertebra and at least a portion of a lower end vertebra is included in a first medical image of a subject. If the determination is negative, an image obtaining unit obtains a second medical image that allows recognition of a label of the vertebra of the subject. A labeling unit aligns the first medical image with the second medical image and labels the vertebra included in the first medical image. |
| US09679374B2 |
Systems and methods for predicting location, onset, and/or change of coronary lesions
Systems and methods are disclosed for predicting the location, onset, or change of coronary lesions from factors like vessel geometry, physiology, and hemodynamics. One method includes: acquiring, for each of a plurality of individuals, a geometric model, blood flow characteristics, and plaque information for part of the individual's vascular system; training a machine learning algorithm based on the geometric models and blood flow characteristics for each of the plurality of individuals, and features predictive of the presence of plaque within the geometric models and blood flow characteristics of the plurality of individuals; acquiring, for a patient, a geometric model and blood flow characteristics for part of the patient's vascular system; and executing the machine learning algorithm on the patient's geometric model and blood flow characteristics to determine, based on the predictive features, plaque information of the patient for at least one point in the patient's geometric model. |
| US09679373B2 |
Retrospective MRI image distortion correction
The invention relates to a method for correcting MRI image distortion, in which a distortion correction procedure is carried out on an acquired MRI image data set (1) of a body region by graphical data processing, characterized in that: —after the MRI image data set (1) has been acquired, its distortion is determined by carrying out an image registration process for registering the acquired MRI image data set (1) to a previously available, less distorted or undistorted image data set (2) of substantially the same body region; —a transformation is determined from the image registration process; and —by applying the transformation to the MRI image data set (1), its distortion is corrected. |
| US09679370B2 |
Image processing device and image processing method
The present invention provides an image processing device whereby the probability of outputting a restored image which accurately corresponds to an original image which is included in a low-quality input image is improved. This image processing device comprises: an image group generating means for generating, from the input image, using a dictionary which stores a plurality of patch pairs wherein a degradation patch which is a patch of a degraded image wherein a prescribed image is degraded is associated with a restoration patch which is a patch of this prescribed image, a plurality of restored image candidates including a plurality of different instances of content which have a possibility of being the original content of the input image; and an image selection presentation means for clustering the generated plurality of restored image candidates, and selecting and outputting an image candidate on the basis of the result of this clustering. |
| US09679369B2 |
Depth key compositing for video and holographic projection
According to embodiments herein, depth key compositing is the process of detecting specific desired portions/objects of a digital image using mathematical functions based on depth, in order to separate those specific portions/objects for further processing. In one particular embodiment, a digital visual image is captured from a video capture device, and one or more objects are determined within the digital visual image that are within a particular depth range of the video capture device. From there, the one or more objects may be isolated from portions of the digital visual image not within the particular depth range, and the isolated objects are processed for visual display apart from the portions of the digital visual image not within the particular depth range. Also, in certain embodiments, the detected portion of the digital image (isolated objects) may be layered with another image, such as for film production, or used for holographic projection. |
| US09679368B2 |
Radiographic image processing device, radiographic image processing method, and recording medium
A radiographic image processing device includes: an image acquisition section that acquires a subject image detected by a shielded detection portion and a non-shielded detection portion; an area information acquisition section that acquires area information which is information for specifying a non-shielded image area and a shielded image area; and a scattered ray suppression section that estimates spreading of scattered rays generated in a non-shielded subject portion, estimates that scattered rays that spread to the non-shielded image area from a shielded subject portion are not present, calculates a scattered ray component in each position in the non-shielded image area as the estimated scattered rays reach each position in the non-shielded image area, and suppresses the scattered ray component in each position in the non-shielded image area according to the calculated scattered ray component. |
| US09679366B2 |
Guided color grading for extended dynamic range
Novel methods and systems for color grading are disclosed. The color grading process for a visual dynamic range image can be guided by information relating to the color grading of other images such as the standard dynamic range image. |
| US09679362B2 |
System and method for generating textured map object images
A method of producing a textured or pseudo-3D image of one or more map objects is provided comprising acquiring at least one image representing at least part of the one or more map objects. Laser scan data is acquired for the at least one map object, the laser scan data representing distances from a laser scanner to one or more points on at least one surface of the at least one map object. Texture or lighting data associated with the at least one map object is generated from the laser scan data, and the texture or lighting data and the image is processed in order to generate at least one textured or pseudo 3D image at least partially representing the one or more map objects. |
| US09679359B2 |
Vehicle surround view system
A surround view system that can provide a surround view, e.g., a 360° view, from a vehicle by way of cameras positioned at various locations on the vehicle. The cameras can generate image data corresponding to the surround view, and a processing device can process the image data and generate the surround view on a simulated predetermined shape that can be viewed from a display. The simulated predetermined shape can have a flat bottom with a rectangular shape and a rim with a parabolic shape. |
| US09679358B2 |
Pixel interpolation processing apparatus, imaging apparatus, interpolation processing method, and integrated circuit
A pixel interpolation processing apparatus and an image capturing apparatus are provided that are capable of performing a pixel interpolation process properly even when the pattern of color filter array is unknown. An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit having a single-chip image sensor having four-color filter array for obtaining an image signal, and the imaging apparatus uses pixel data for a surrounding area around a target pixel to calculate a plurality of sets of correlation values in two directions orthogonal to each other, and determines the correlation direction based on these correlation values. The imaging apparatus obtains first to fourth color component pixel values for the target pixel relying on the fact that the high-frequency components of pixel signals in a direction orthogonal to a direction with high correlation have high correlation regardless of the color of color filters, thus allowing for performing pixel interpolation processing properly even if the four colors of color filters are unknown. |
| US09679357B2 |
Image processing device, and an image processing method
An image processing device includes an edge direction determination unit, a filter coefficient calculation unit, and a filter processing unit. The edge direction determination unit determines a first edge direction of an edge including a first pixel of input image data, and calculates a first reliability value of the determined edge direction corresponding to the first pixel. The filter coefficient calculation unit calculates a first filter coefficient corresponding to the first pixel, a second filter coefficient corresponding to a second pixel, and a third filter coefficient corresponding to a third pixel at least based on the first reliability value of the first edge direction. The filter processing unit performs filter processing on the input image data on the basis of the calculated first through third filter coefficients, and outputs output image data. |
| US09679354B2 |
Duplicate check image resolution
A system and method for comparing digital images, such as checks images used by banks, includes receiving and processing the images to be compared, including scaling the images to a common resolution, as well as filtering them to remove spot noise, background pels, and other non-information carrying elements. One or more regions of each image are selected for comparison. The selected regions are compared to one another by subtracting the pels of one image from the other's pels. A determination is made of whether the two or more images are duplicates of one another, or depict a substantially identical subject, based on the results of the subtractions. Furthermore, the amount of filtering and scaling may be adjusted to enhance the effects of the system to take advantage of common characteristics that may be known or detected in a particular set of images to be compared. |
| US09679350B2 |
Techniques for optimizing stencil buffers
One embodiment sets forth a method for associating each stencil value included in a stencil buffer with multiple fragments. Components within a graphics processing pipeline use a set of stencil masks to partition the bits of each stencil value. Each stencil mask selects a different subset of bits, and each fragment is strategically associated with both a stencil value and a stencil mask. Before performing stencil actions associated with a fragment, the raster operations unit performs stencil mask operations on the operands. No fragments are associated with both the same stencil mask and the same stencil value. Consequently, no fragments are associated with the same stencil bits included in the stencil buffer. Advantageously, by reducing the number of stencil bits associated with each fragment, certain classes of software applications may reduce the wasted memory associated with stencil buffers in which each stencil value is associated with a single fragment. |
| US09679349B2 |
Method for visualizing three-dimensional data
A method for providing a set of data files from a server computer to a mobile client device is disclosed according to at least one embodiment described herein. The method may include providing geometry data in a memory of the mobile client device, the geometry data being associated with a three-dimensional surface in an image scene; selecting data files with texture data for being provided by the server computer, wherein selecting data files is performed by a calculation unit of the mobile client device based on the geometry data and on visibility conditions of the three-dimensional surface in the image scene; and requesting the provision of the selected data files from the server computer to the client device. In some embodiments, the set of data files may include texture data being associated with a portion of the three-dimensional surface in the image scene. |
| US09679347B2 |
Shader pipeline with shared data channels
A graphics processing unit (GPU) may allocate a shared data channel in on-chip graphics memory of the GPU that is shared by at least two stages of a graphics processing pipeline. Shader units in the GPU may execute the at least two stages of the graphics processing pipeline. The GPU may store, in the shared data channel in on-chip graphics memory, data produced by each of the at least two stages of the graphics processing pipeline executing on the shader units. |
| US09679346B2 |
Graphics engine and environment for efficient real time rendering of graphics that are not pre-known
This disclosure pertains to the operation of graphics systems and to a variety of architectures for design and/or operation of a graphics system spanning from the output of an application program and extending to the presentation of visual content in the form of pixels or otherwise. In general, many embodiments of the invention contemplate a high level graphics framework to receive graphic requests from an application. The graphics request is analyzed by the high-level framework and sorted into groups of command statements for execution. The command statements are sorted to cause the most efficient processing by the underlying hardware and the groups are submitted separately to a GPU using a low-level standard library that facilitates close control of the hardware functionality. |
| US09679341B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for evaluating a hospital patient's risk of mortality
A method for evaluating a hospital patient's risk of mortality includes collecting data from physiologic signals generated by patient monitors, physiologic signals of organ function, and demographic information for a patient. A measure of the variability of at least one of the physiologic signals is determined. Data and the measure of variability are analyzed to determine whether a value for a particular physiologic or demographic variable falls within a critical interval for the variable that indicates that the value is predictive of mortality or survival. Each time a value for a physiological or demographic variable for the patient falls within a critical interval, the occurrence of an event for the patient is recorded. The number of events for the patient is counted over a time period. Output perceptible by human user that indicates the patient's risk of mortality or likelihood of survival is generated based on the count. |
| US09679340B2 |
Multi-location learning-activity state management for distance education
A method for delivering distance education for real clients, each either a teacher client or a student client, at multiple teaching sites and a system using the method are provided. A multi-layer arrangement is used to arrange computing servers to be one first-level server and one or more second-level servers each communicable with the first-level server. Each server serves real clients located in a pre-determined site. Furthermore, each server sets up a virtual client to execute the teacher client's activity command so as to locally generate application-specific data, which are then stored in this server. When a communication link to a student client is re-established after an activity interruption, resynchronization of the student client's learning-activity state with the teacher client's is regained based on the locally-generated application-specific data stored in the server that serves the student client without a need to burden other servers. |
| US09679339B2 |
Scheduling usage or provision of resources
Methods and systems for obtaining a value indicative of resource-related activity in respect of a plurality of devices using a network of metering means arranged to be in communication with one another, the metering means being associated with resource-consuming or resource-providing devices and being arranged to obtain local resource-related activity data therefrom, the method comprising: a first metering means initiating a circulation procedure by sending a token to a downstream metering means, the token comprising an activity field for carrying a value indicative of resource-related activity data; the circulation procedure continuing, until the token has returned to the first metering means, by each downstream metering means in turn receiving the token, updating the activity field in dependence on its own locally-obtained resource-related activity data, and forwarding the token to a further downstream metering means; and once the token has returned to the first metering means, obtaining a value indicative of the combined level of resource-related activity in respect of devices associated with the metering means in said network in dependence on the value carried by the activity field. |
| US09679334B2 |
System and method for facilitating trading of multiple tradeable objects in an electronic trading environment
A system and method are provided for trading multiple tradeable objects. One example method includes displaying at least one combined quantity indicator representing a combined quantity associated with at least two tradeable objects, detecting an input associated with an order for a predetermined order quantity in relation to one of the combined quantity indicators, and allocating the order quantity between the at least two tradeable objects using at least one quantity allocation rule. In one example embodiment, a plurality of quantity allocation rules can be user-configurable, and different rules can be defined and applied in relation to different order types. |
| US09679322B2 |
Secure messaging with user option to communicate with delivery or pickup representative
Systems and methods are disclosed for automated computer based notification systems. The systems and methods enable secure notification communication sessions. A representative method, among others that are disclosed herein, can be broadly summarized by the following steps: enabling a first party associated with a personal communication device (PCD) to input or select authentication information for use in connection with a subsequent notification communication session involving advance notice of a delivery or pickup of a good or service at a stop location by a mobile thing (MT); storing the authentication information; monitoring location or travel information in connection with the MT; causing initiation of the notification communication session to the PCD, in advance of arrival of the MT at the stop location, based at least in part upon the location or travel information associated with the MT; during the notification communication session, providing the authentication information to the PCD that indicates to the first party that the notification communication session was initiated by an authorized source; and during the notification communication session, enabling the first party to select whether or not to communicate with a second party having access to particulars of the pickup or delivery. An embodiment of a related system, among others, has a computer-based architecture with computer software, or code, that is stored in one or more memories and executed by one or more processors for performing the foregoing steps. Yet another embodiment of a related system can be implemented in software and/or hardware and has a means for performing each of the aforementioned steps. |
| US09679320B2 |
User-personalized media sampling, recommendation and purchasing system using real-time inventory database
A user-personalized product sampling, recommendation and purchasing system uses customer identification numbers and associated customer profile data to tailor specific product recommendations to a customer at a content sampling station of a retail location. The customer also can use her customer profile to receive the same information from an Internet website of the merchant. In-store sampling stations also may have the capability of checking store inventory and central warehouse inventory and providing recommendations to the customer in accordance with product availability, and optionally may provide the customer with the ability to place product orders directly through the sampling station. The recommendation system also can be used to tailor product recommendations in accordance with a rule-based model and real-time inventory data from a POS database. |
| US09679311B2 |
System and method for adding advertisements to a location-based advertising system
A location-based advertising system automatically analyzes messages posted on social networking systems or other publicly accessible or private computer systems for posting messages for viewing by others. The messages are analyzed to identify messages that contain offers, such as offers that may be construed as location-based offers. Information about the offers is extracted from the messages and placed in a database. The database may be used by a location-based advertising application to send advertisements to targeted users or to respond to user who are qualified according to their current or recent geographic location. Optionally or alternatively, merchants may send messages, such as e-mail messages or instant messages (IMs), to the system to notify the system of offers. These messages are also analyzed and information about their respective offers is extracted and placed in the database. |
| US09679304B1 |
Accentuating terms or features of interest in an advertisement
Accentuating terms of interest in an advertisement to be served in an interactive environment. Such terms of interest can be determined from information in a request for the advertisement. Such ad request information may include query information, geolocation information, etc. In the context of text-based ads, accentuation may include bolding the term(s), underlining the term(s), increasing the font size of the term(s), coloring the font of the term(s), shading the font of the term(s), flashing the text of the term(s), etc. Such accentuation helps users to quickly identify how an advertisement is related to what they are looking for. For example, in the context of a search engine which returns search results, as well as multiple text-based ads, users viewing a search result page in response to their query can quickly scan such a search result page for relevant information. This helps to improve the performance of ads, particularly if advertisers wordsmith their advertisements with care. |
| US09679301B2 |
Method, apparatus and computer program product for developing, aggregating, and utilizing user pattern profiles
A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for generating and utilizing a user pattern profile. In this regard, the user pattern profile can include information regarding service selections made on a user node and movements of a user. The generated user pattern profile can compared to a threshold profile, and based on the results of the comparison, an action can be undertaken. |
| US09679299B2 |
Systems and methods to provide real-time offers via a cooperative database
In one aspect, a computing apparatus is configured to: store transaction data recording transactions processed by a transaction handler; organize third party data according to community, where the third party data includes first data received from a first plurality of entities of a first community and second data received from a second plurality of entities of a second community; and responsive to a request from a merchant in the second community, present an offer of the merchant in the second community to users identified via the transaction data and the first data received from the first plurality of entities of the first community. In one embodiment, the first data provides permission from the merchant in the first community to allow the merchant in the second community to use intelligence information of the first community to identify users for targeting offers from the merchant in the second community. |
| US09679296B2 |
Promotion code validation apparatus and method
A method including interacting with a promotion code provider programmatically, providing a promotion code to a validation function of the promotion code provider, and evaluating a response from the promotion code provider. The act of interacting with a promotion code provider can include controlling an interface that simulates user actions, such as but not limited to controlling an in-memory web browser through an API, where the API provides a set of functions for simulating user actions. Accordingly, the method can be used to quickly and easily determine whether one or more promotion codes, such as online coupons, are valid. |
| US09679295B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for sorting lists for presentation
Methods and apparatuses for sorting seller listings or advertisements of a seller network. In one embodiment, a method includes: determining an indicator of potential revenue for a first party from price information of a list of entities, wherein revenue generated according to the price information of at least some of the list of entities is to be split among a plurality of parties; and, sorting the list of entities into a first list based at least partially on the indicator of potential revenue. |
| US09679291B2 |
System and method of transmitting data over a voice channel
A method for transmitting data over a voice channel by transcoding a bit of the data stream into two bits, and converting each of such two bits into a value of a parameter of a curve of a sound frequency that can be carried on the voice channel. At the receiving end of the voice channel, the values of the parameters of the curve are reconverted into bits, and the pairs of bits are transcoded back into the bit of the data stream. |
| US09679286B2 |
Methods and apparatus for enabling secure network-based transactions
An apparatus includes a transaction card bearing data and having an output interface capable of transmitting the data, a card reader having an input interface enabled to accept the data from the output interface of the transaction card, conversion circuitry converting the card data to an analog modulated signal, and an output pin from the card reader adapted to engage in a microphone port of a computerized appliance, the output pin providing the analog modulated signal to the port, and thence to the computerized appliance. |
| US09679279B1 |
Managing transfer of hosted service licenses
Systems and methods are disclosed which facilitate transfer of licenses corresponding to hosted services. Customers may purchase licenses to services implemented by a hosted computing environment. Thereafter, customers may elect to transfer all or a portion of that license to a second customer. In some embodiments, a customer may transfer the entirety of their service license. In other embodiments, a customer may transfer only a portion of their service license. In still more embodiments, a customer may temporarily transfer a license. For example, a customer may transfer a license only when they are not using the license. |
| US09679276B1 |
Systems and methods for using a block chain to certify the existence, integrity, and/or ownership of a file or communication
A block chain may be used to certify the existence, integrity, and/or ownership of a file or communication. The present disclosure describes receiving a plurality of data units; hashing the plurality of data units to provide a plurality of hashes, individual hashes being unique cryptographic identifiers of corresponding data units such that an individual hash verifiably relates to a corresponding data unit and the individual hashes cannot be used by themselves to obtain corresponding data units; temporarily storing the hashes; generating a first cryptographic structure based on the plurality of hashes; publishing the first cryptographic structure on the block chain; providing proofs associated with individual ones of the plurality of data units that allow independent verification that the data units are certified; and verifying certification of data units based on roots of reconstructed cryptographic structures. |
| US09679273B2 |
Method, system and communication device for generating notification signals
According to embodiments described in the specification, a method, system and apparatus for generating notification signals are provided. The method includes storing an identifier of a slave device in a memory of a master device; detecting, at a processor interconnected with the memory, a notification message via execution of a notification application; in response to detecting the notification message, retrieving the slave device identifier and transmitting an instruction message to the slave device, the instruction message including an identifier of the notification message and an alert parameter; and generating an alert via an output device interconnected with the processor according to the alert parameter. |
| US09679271B2 |
System and method for product delivery
A system and method for delivering a product such as a pharmacy bottle from a conveyor system to a delivery container via a delivery chute. A sensor is placed at a top opening of the chute to sense for product in the chute area and to provide instructions to complete the delivery order if the chute area is clear. |
| US09679270B2 |
Robotic ordering and delivery system software and methods
Systems, methods and devices for the automated delivery of goods form one to another using a robotic tug and accompanying cart. A computer within the tug or cart stores an electronic map of the building floor plan and intended paths for the tug to take when traversing from one location to the next. During the delivery, a variety of different sensors and scanners gather data that is used to avoid obstacles and/or adjust the movement of the tug in order to more closely follow the intended path. The system preferably includes both wired and wireless networks that allow one or more tugs to communicate with a tug base station, a primary network located at the site of the delivery and a remote host center that monitors the status and data collected by the tugs. |
| US09679267B2 |
High performance map editor for business analysts
At least one model synchronization map table is built that facilitates navigation between elements of business objects of a business object model and corresponding elements of an extensible markup language (XML) schema definition-based (XSD-based) model. The XSD-based model includes at least one XML schema and is generated from the business object model. The business object model and the XSD-based model are displayed in a dual-view editor. The dual-view editor enables a user to toggle between and independently edit the business object model and the XSD-based model. In response to independent edits made to one of the XSD-based model and the business object model within the dual-view editor, the elements of the business object model are automatically synchronized with the corresponding elements of the XSD-based model using the at least one model synchronization map table. |
| US09679266B2 |
Systems and methods for intelligent batch processing of business events
Systems and methods are provided for intelligent batch processing of business events. An exemplary method includes accessing a business process having a plurality of events for execution, determining, using one or more hardware processors, a batch group for processing comprising at least one of the plurality of events, wherein the batch group is determined using a time delay for collecting the at least one of the plurality of events to determine the batch group, and submitting the batch group for processing the at least one of the plurality of events. The method may further include processing the batch group as a first transaction. Processing the first transaction may include determining a resource required by the at least one of the plurality of events and attempting to lock the resource for use during the processing the batch group. |
| US09679264B2 |
Role discovery using privilege cluster analysis
Systems and methods used in human resource management systems. The method optimizes the assignment of permissions (e.g., ability to write to a database, ability to create a new account, etc.) to jobs. The method discovers relationships between jobs, duties and privileges by accessing an organization chart that relates a plurality of jobs, a plurality of specific duties to be performed within the purview of a given job, and a plurality of permissions for the respective duties of the job. The method then flattens the organization chart to enumerate the permissions inherited by the jobs. The method proceeds to mine the inherited permissions across the jobs to optimize the sets of permissions. The sets can be optimized (e.g., minimize number of sets, maximize coverage, etc.) and named so as to be conveniently assigned (e.g., by an HR person) to a job (e.g., in the case of a new employee). |
| US09679263B2 |
Multi-phase search and presentation for vertical search websites
The present invention provides a methodology and system for efficiently performing travel reservation queries and presenting significant search results to a user. A travel reservation search engine constructs a first query from one or more constraints. The first query has a threshold probability of returning a first set of search results that will lead to the purchase of a travel reservation. Additionally, if determined necessary by the search engine a second query is constructed from one or more constraints. The second query returns a second set of search results. |
| US09679261B1 |
Machine learning classifier that compares price risk score, supplier risk score, and item risk score to a threshold
A machine learning classifier based procurement system determines a price risk score, a supplier risk score, and an item risk score for bids based on classifications performed by a machine learning classifier. The scores are compared to respective thresholds to determine if any of the bids are associated with a high-risk procurement. |
| US09679260B2 |
System and method for adaptive filter
In one embodiment, a method for training an adaptive filter includes receiving, by a processor from a device, an input signal and a training reference signal and determining a correlation matrix in accordance with the input signal, the training reference signal, and a filter type. The method also includes determining a plurality of coefficients in accordance with the correlation matrix and adjusting the adaptive filter in accordance with the plurality of coefficients. |
| US09679259B1 |
Systems and methods for training and employing a machine learning system in evaluating entity pairs
A matching or pairing system and method for matching first and second entities having a greater likelihood of forming a successful pairing includes a trained machine learning system to provide heuristic values useful in determining a compatibility score for the pairing. During training of the machine learning system, a training example selection device can provide attribute values logically associated with entities engaged in historically successful pairings and a number of hypothetically successful pairings. The hypothetically successful pairings may be based at least in part on historically successful pairings where at least one attribute value logically associated with at least one entity in the pairing is varied, adjusted, or subjected to a loosened constraint. During run-time operation a screening device can screen unsuccessful pairings and forward potentially successful pairings that meet a threshold value to the neural network. The system can then determine a compatibility score for the pairing. |
| US09679258B2 |
Methods and apparatus for reinforcement learning
We describe a method of reinforcement learning for a subject system having multiple states and actions to move from one state to the next. Training data is generated by operating on the system with a succession of actions and used to train a second neural network. Target values for training the second neural network are derived from a first neural network which is generated by copying weights of the second neural network at intervals. |
| US09679255B1 |
Event condition detection
A method includes receiving data from a sensor over time. The data comprises a plurality of values that are each indicative of a sensed condition at a unique time. The method also includes determining a real-time value, a mid-term moving average, and a long-term moving average based on the data and determining a most-recent combined average by averaging the real-time value, the mid-term moving average, and the long-term moving average. The method further includes determining an upper setpoint by adding an offset value to the most-recent combined average and determining a lower setpoint by subtracting the offset value to the most-recent combined average. The method also includes transmitting an alert based on a determination that a most recent value of the data is either greater than the upper setpoint or lower than the lower setpoint. |
| US09679254B1 |
Extrapolating trends in trust scores
Systems and methods are described herein for extrapolating trends in trust scores. A trust score may reflect the trustworthiness, reputation, membership, status, and/or influence of the entity in a particular community or in relation to another entity. An entity's trust score may be calculated based on data from a variety of data sources, and this data may be updated periodically as data is updated and new data becomes available. However, it may be difficult to update a trust score for an entity due to a scarcity of information. The trust score for such entities may be updated based on trends observed for the updated trust scores of other entities over a similar period of time. In this manner, trust scores may be updated for entities for which updated data is not available. |
| US09679251B2 |
Augmented knowledge base and reasoning with uncertainties and/or incompleteness
A knowledge-based system under uncertainties and/or incompleteness, referred to as augmented knowledge base (AKB) is provided, including constructing, reasoning, analyzing and applying AKBs by creating objects in the form E→A, where A is a rule in a knowledgebase and E is a set of evidences that supports the rule A. A reasoning scheme under uncertainties and/or incompleteness is provided as augmented reasoning (AR). |
| US09679243B2 |
System and method for detecting platform anomalies through neural networks
A system and method for detecting behavior of a computing platform that includes obtaining platform data; for each data motif identifiers in a set data motif identifiers, performing data motif detection on data in an associated timescale, wherein a first data motif identifier operates on data in a first timescale, wherein a second data motif identifier operates on data in a second timescale, wherein the first timescale and second timescale are different; in a neural network model, synthesizing platform data anomaly detection with at least a set of features inputs from data motif detection of the set of motif identifiers; and signaling if a platform data anomaly is detected through the neural network model. |
| US09679241B2 |
Thermodynamic random access memory for neuromorphic computing utilizing AHaH (anti-hebbian and hebbian) and memristor components
A thermodynamic random access memory includes one or more AHaH (Anti-Hebbian and Hebbian) node wherein read out of data is accomplished via a common summing electrode through memristive components and wherein multiple input cells are simultaneously active. A ktRAM architecture comprising a memory wherein each input synapse or “bit” of the memory interacts on or with a common electrode through a common “dendritic” electrode, and wherein each input can be individually driven. Each input constitutes a memory cell driving a common electrode. |
| US09679234B2 |
Charging card using power harvested from reader
Disclosed is a rechargeable payment card that can harvest charging energy from card readers. The rechargeable payment card includes a card body and electrical circuitry, a rechargeable energy storage device and a reader interface. The electrical circuitry and the rechargeable energy storage device are attached to the card body. At least a portion of the electrical circuitry needs power to operate when the card is not coupled to an external electrical energy source. The rechargeable energy storage device supplies power to said at least a portion of the electrical circuitry. The reader interface can draw an electrical current from a card reader when the card is coupled to the card reader via the reader interface. At least a portion of the drawn electrical current is used to charge the rechargeable energy storage device. |
| US09679232B2 |
Electronic apparatus
An electronic apparatus includes the following elements. A circuit forming device forms a circuit configured in accordance with configuration information. A first storage unit stores first configuration information externally obtained via a first communication line. The first configuration information is used for forming a first circuit implementing a function including a first communication function in the circuit forming device. A second storage unit stores second configuration information different from the first configuration information. The second configuration information is used for forming a second circuit implementing a function including the first communication function in the circuit forming device. A recovery controller performs control so that the second circuit is formed in the circuit forming device by using the second configuration information, upon the occurrence of an error in communication via the first communication line when the first circuit is formed in the circuit forming device by using the first configuration information. |
| US09679229B2 |
Credential production device card substrate rotator
Some embodiments of a card rotator include a card receptacle, a feed roller, and a motor. The card receptacle is configured to rotate about a pivot access that is approximately perpendicular to a plane of a card substrate supported by the card receptacle. The feed roller is configured to discharge a card substrate from the card receptacle. The feed roller has an axis of rotation that is approximately perpendicular to the pivot axis. The motor is configured to drive rotation of the card receptacle about the pivot axis relative to the axis of rotation of the feed roller. |
| US09679228B2 |
Image forming apparatus, image forming system, image forming method, and non-transitory computer readable medium
An image forming apparatus includes a generating unit, a print instruction providing unit, and a display. The generating unit generates print data of a sample sheet if a request for outputting the sample sheet is received while print data formed of plural pages is being generated. The print instruction providing unit provides a print instruction for the print data of the sample sheet after providing a print instruction for the print data that has been generated. The display displays, based on the print data of the sample sheet, an attribute of the sample sheet. |
| US09679227B2 |
System and method for detecting features in aerial images using disparity mapping and segmentation techniques
A system for aerial image detection and classification is provided herein. The system comprising an aerial image database storing one or more aerial images electronically received from one or more image providers, and an object detection pre-processing engine in electronic communication with the aerial image database, the object detection pre-processing engine detecting and classifying objects using a disparity mapping generation sub-process to automatically process the one or more aerial images to generate a disparity map providing elevation information, a segmentation sub-process to automatically apply a pre-defined elevation threshold to the disparity map, the pre-defined elevation threshold adjustable by a user, and a classification sub-process to automatically detect and classify objects in the one or more stereoscopic pairs of aerial images by applying one or more automated detectors based on classification parameters and the pre-defined elevation threshold. |
| US09679226B1 |
Hierarchical conditional random field model for labeling and segmenting images
An image processing system automatically segments and labels an image using a hierarchical classification model. A global classification model determines initial labels for an image based on features of the image. A label-based descriptor is generated based on the initial labels. A local classification model is then selected from a plurality of learned local classification model based on the label-based descriptor. The local classification model is applied to the features of the input image to determined refined labels. The refined labels are stored in association with the input image. |
| US09679225B2 |
Extracting card data with linear and nonlinear transformations
Embodiments herein provide computer-implemented techniques for allowing a user computing device to extract financial card information using optical character recognition (“OCR”). Extracting financial card information may be improved by applying various classifiers and other transformations to the image data. For example, applying a linear classifier to the image to determine digit locations before applying the OCR algorithm allows the user computing device to use less processing capacity to extract accurate card data. The OCR application may train a classifier to use the wear patterns of a card to improve OCR algorithm performance. The OCR application may apply a linear classifier and then a nonlinear classifier to improve the performance and the accuracy of the OCR algorithm. The OCR application uses the known digit patterns used by typical credit and debit cards to improve the accuracy of the OCR algorithm. |
| US09679223B2 |
Image processing method and apparatus
An image processing method includes searching for areas matching each other between a plurality of input images, the plurality of input images comprising a reference image and a target image, generating hierarchical image structures formed of a plurality of hierarchical images having different resolutions with respect to the matching areas between the plurality of input images, repeatedly performing image processing based on a similarity of values of pixels matching each other in the plurality of hierarchical images of the same level by using the hierarchical image structures generated with respect to the matching areas, and generating an output image by using pixel values according to the repeated image processing. |
| US09679222B2 |
Apparatus and method for detecting a feature in an image
An apparatus for detecting a feature in an image includes an image input section for receiving at least part of the image in the form of image data having a plurality of pixels, the plurality of pixels comprising a plurality of non-border pixels, a feature detection module adapted to attribute a feature probability value to each of the pixels of the image data, and an extremum determination module for determining at least one local extremum among the feature probability values, wherein the extremum determination module is adapted to output, for each of the plurality of pixels, a final indication if the feature probability value of the pixel in question is a local extremum. The extremum determination module is adapted to use, for each of the plurality of non-border pixels, comparison results of at least two comparison operations, with each comparison operation including a comparison of the feature probability value of the non-border pixel in question with the feature probability values of a respective subset of neighboring pixels, with the respective subsets of neighboring pixels being different subsets. |
| US09679217B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing system, information processing method and storage medium
According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes an image acquisition module, an elevation-angle acquisition module, a character deformation specification module, a character detection dictionary storage, a character detection dictionary selector and a character detector. The elevation-angle acquisition module is configured to acquire an elevation angle of a photographic device assumed when the photographic device has obtained an acquired image. The character deformation specification module is configured to specify how an appearance of the character in the acquired image is deformed, based on the acquired elevation angle. |
| US09679208B2 |
Traffic light detecting device and traffic light detecting method
A traffic light detecting device includes an image capturing unit configured to repeatedly capture images in a travelling direction of a vehicle to obtain a series of multiple images and a traffic light detecting unit configured to detect traffic lights from the images. The traffic light detecting unit detects phase information of an electric power system used in an area around the vehicle including the traffic lights from a cycle of a luminance variation in the series of multiple images and extracts from the images a synchronized pixel with a luminance which varies in synchronization with an alternating current cycle of electric power supplied to the traffic light by using the phase information of the electric power system. The traffic light detecting device judges from the synchronized pixel whether or not the traffic light is present. |
| US09679205B2 |
Method and system for displaying stereo image by cascade structure and analyzing target in image
A method and a system for analyzing a target in a stereo image by displaying the stereo image using a cascade structure are disclosed. The method includes for the input stereo image, generating, based on a first relevant feature, rule or model of the stereo image, at least a first first-level structure map, each of the first first-level structure maps being generated based on an individual tolerance level of the first relevant feature, rule or model, and each of the first first-level structure maps including the target at an individual first division level; and at least partly integrating the first first-level structure maps and analyzing the target in the stereo image, to obtain a structure map of a first-level target analysis result including the target. |
| US09679200B2 |
Image processing to derive movement characteristics for a plurality of queue objects
In queues, persons—or objects (120) in general—move inside an area (110) to a target (112), such as to a counter. The queue has movement characteristics in terms of speed, waiting times and queue form. A computer-implemented approach obtains the characteristics by receiving a sequence (140) of image frames (141, 142, 143, 49) that represent the surveillance area (110); calculating flow vectors that indicate an optical displacement for the sequence (140) of image frames (141/142, 142/143); extending one of the flow vectors as lead vector in extension directions; determining intermediate vectors by using flow vectors along the extension directions; and selecting one the intermediate vectors as the new lead vector. The steps are repeated to concatenate the lead vectors to the movement characteristics (190). |
| US09679194B2 |
Automated obscurity for pervasive imaging
Methods for obfuscating an image of a subject in a captured media are disclosed. For example, a method receives a communication from an endpoint device of a subject indicating that the image of the subject is to be obfuscated in a captured media. The communication may include a feature set associated with the subject, where the feature set contains facial features of the subject and motion information associated with the subject. The method then detects the image of the subject in the captured media. For example, the image of the subject is detected by matching the facial features of the subject to the image of the subject in the captured media and matching the motion information associated with the subject to a trajectory of the image of the subject in the captured media. The method then obfuscates the image of the subject in the captured media. |
| US09679191B1 |
System and method for evaluating the perception system of an autonomous vehicle
A method and apparatus are provided for optimizing one or more object detection parameters used by an autonomous vehicle to detect objects in images. The autonomous vehicle may capture the images using one or more sensors. The autonomous vehicle may then determine object labels and their corresponding object label parameters for the detected objects. The captured images and the object label parameters may be communicated to an object identification server. The object identification server may request that one or more reviewers identify objects in the captured images. The object identification server may then compare the identification of objects by reviewers with the identification of objects by the autonomous vehicle. Depending on the results of the comparison, the object identification server may recommend or perform the optimization of one or more of the object detection parameters. |
| US09679182B2 |
Display apparatus capable of image scanning and driving method thereof
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a display apparatus capable of image scanning and a method for driving the same are provided.According to an embodiment of the present invention, a display apparatus capable of image scanning is provided including a contact sensor arranged in each unit pixel. The contact sensor includes a pixel electrode forming a contact capacitance by contact with a contact means; a reset transistor where a drain electrode is connected to a node where the contact capacitance is formed, and each of a gate electrode and a source electrode is connected to a first scan line to which a selective signal is applied; an amplifying transistor where a gate electrode is connected to the drain electrode of the reset transistor, and a source electrode is connected to a power input terminal; and a detecting transistor where a drain electrode is connected to the drain electrode of the amplifying transistor, a gate electrode is connected to a second scan line to which a selective signal is applied, and a source electrode is connected to a readout line detecting a current corresponding to the contact capacitance. |
| US09679173B2 |
Apparatuses and methods using command sets specific for controlling the operation of a type of the RFID transponder to which the command sets are transmitted
Certain exemplary aspects of the present disclosure are directed toward an apparatus in which a first circuit communicates with a plurality of different types of RFID transponders using radio frequency signals. A second circuit detects and communicates with the plurality of different types of RFID transponders via the first circuit, respectively using a command set for the type of RFID transponder that the first circuit is communicating with. The second circuit, in response to detecting an RFID transponder having configuration data for a new command set, accesses and uses the configuration data for the new command set to update a configuration of the second circuit to enable communication with the new type of RFID transponder. |
| US09679167B2 |
Chip and method for detecting an attack on a chip
According to one embodiment, a chip is described comprising a substrate; an energy source configured to provide energy to the substrate; an energy receiver configured to receive energy from the energy source via the substrate and a determiner configured to determine a value of a parameter of the energy transmission between the energy source and the energy receiver, to check whether the value matches a predetermined value of the parameter and to output a signal depending on the result of the check. |
| US09679166B2 |
Settlement terminal device
Provided is a settlement terminal device including a housing that includes a first face which has an operation display face, a second face which is disposed on an opposite side to the operation display face, and a step portion which is formed on one end side of the second face so as to be substantially parallel to an edge side of the one end side. A length of the housing in a thickness direction on the one end side adjacent to the step portion is larger than a length of the housing in the thickness direction which is located closer to the other end side than the step portion. An insecure region that does not have tamper resistance is formed on one end side of the housing. A secure region that has tamper resistance is formed on the other end side of the housing. |
| US09679165B2 |
Encryption/decryption for data storage system with snapshot capability
A method for managing access to encrypted data of a data storage system storing snapshot data, a snapshot providing a previous point-in-time copy of data in a volume of the data storage system, wherein the data storage system utilizes changing encryption keys for write data. For each snapshot, the method stores at least one decryption key identifier for each decryption key corresponding to an encryption key utilized to encrypt data written to a volume since a previous snapshot was committed to disk, and associates the at least one decryption key identifier with the snapshot. A key table associating decryption key identifiers with corresponding decryption keys is provided, and based on the key table and the at least one decryption key identifier associated with the snapshot, one or more decryption keys required for accessing encrypted data associated with the snapshot are determined. Decryption key identifiers may be stored in snapshot metadata. |
| US09679163B2 |
Installation and management of client extensions
Application extension management may be provided. Upon logging into a user device by a user, a list of a plurality of extensions associated with the user may be retrieved from a central repository. Access to each of the plurality of extensions associated with the user on the user device may then be provided to the user device. |
| US09679162B2 |
Application permission settings
Systems, device and techniques are disclosed for automatically determining a permission setting that indicates whether a permission is granted or denied to the application. The automatic determination may be made based on a previous selection by a user. Alternatively, an indication of a permission may be provided to a user and an indication of a permission setting may be received from the user. The permission setting received from the user may be assigned to a permission to an application. Permissions provided to a user may be ordered in a list based on permission or application popularity or frequency. |
| US09679161B2 |
Distribution of encrypted information in multiple locations
A method, system, and/or computer program product stores information in a distributed data-processing environment. The method comprises: encrypting, by one or more processors, a piece of information; splitting, by one or more processors, the encrypted piece of information into at least one first encrypted block and at least one second encrypted block, at least part of said at least one first encrypted block being required for decrypting said at least one second encrypted block; distributing, by one or more processors, said at least one first encrypted block for storing in at least one first location; and distributing, by one or more processors, said at least one second encrypted block for storing in at least one second location. |
| US09679154B2 |
Tracking location of portable computing device
A device and software utilizing Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technologies for monitoring and recovering portable computing devices and, a method and system for acquiring such devices, protecting data on such devices, and for compensating owners of devices. A GPS mechanism of the invention provides real time tracking of missing devices that may be coordinated with security agencies to intercept and recover missing computing devices. When a stolen device is unrecoverable, the invention may receive a signal to initiate data recovery where a wireless network is available to recover data for the owner. Alternatively, the GPS mechanism instructs the device to encrypt or destroy stored data files to prevent commercial espionage or privacy violations. The invention discloses a software system and method for computing a purchase price of the GPS mechanism, computing compensation for loss of the device and lost data. |
| US09679151B2 |
Method for encrypting on-screen contents, electronic apparatus using the method and recording medium using the method
A method for encrypting on-screen contents, an electronic apparatus using the method, and a recording medium using the method are provided. The method is adapted for the electronic apparatus having a screen. In the method, contents are displayed on the screen. A user's operation is then detected to generate a trigger signal. The displayed contents are encrypted according to the trigger signal. |
| US09679150B2 |
Document managing apparatus and document managing method
Provided is a document managing apparatus that can eliminate the complexity of operation related to designation of confidential information, and yet reliably prevents leakage of confidential information. First, a receiving circuit receives target files from a client terminal. Therefore, a file managing circuit manages, of the received target files, a file that is designated as confidential, having been subjected to output restriction, as a confidential designated file. In addition, the file managing circuit manages a file that is not designated as confidential, as a user file. In addition, the file analyzing circuit compares the user file with the confidential designated file. If the content of the user file is similar to the content of the confidential designated file at a rate equal to or higher than a certain value (for example, 80%), the file analyzing circuit applies output restriction to the user file. |
| US09679149B2 |
Secret sharing system, data distribution apparatus, distributed data transform apparatus, secret sharing method and program
A secret sharing system transforms shares in ramp secret sharing to shares in homomorphic secret sharing. On a data distribution apparatus, a division part divides information a into N shares fa(n) using an arbitrary ramp secret sharing scheme S1. On each of distributed data transform apparatuses, a random number selecting part generates a random number vector ri whose elements are L random numbers ri1. A first random number division part divides the random number vector into N shares fri(n) using a ramp secret sharing scheme S1. A second random number division part divides each of the L random numbers ri1 into N shares gri,1(n) using an arbitrary secret sharing scheme S2. A disturbance part generates a share Ui by using a share fa(i) and shares frλ(i). A reconstruction part reconstructs L pieces of disturbance information c1 from shares Uλ by using the ramp secret sharing scheme S1. A redivision part divides each piece of disturbance information c1 into N using the secret sharing scheme S2 to generate shares gc1(n). A transform part generates shares ga1(i) of the information a by using a share gc1(i) and the shares grλ,1(i). |
| US09679148B2 |
Access permissions management system and method
In a hierarchical access permissions environment, a method for enabling efficient management of project-wise permissions including maintaining project-wise lists of network objects, access permissions to which cannot be managed together via a hierarchical folder structure and employing the project-wise lists of network objects to make project-wise changes in access permissions to the network objects without the need to individually modify access permissions to individual ones of the network objects. |
| US09679145B2 |
Increased flexibility of security framework during low power modes management
The present invention relates to a method of managing switching from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation a first processor in a processing device which comprises at least one other processor and a controller processor. The method comprises receiving a message which comprises a request to switch the first processor from a first to a second mode of operation; deciding whether the switching is appropriate; and upon decision of switching, switching the first processor from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation according to the selected type of switching. |
| US09679142B2 |
Staged control release in boot process
Integrity validation of a network device may be performed. A network device comprising a secure hardware module, may receive a root key. The secure hardware module may also receive a first code measurement. The secure hardware module may provide a first key based on the root key and the first code measurement. The secure hardware module may receive a second code measurement and provide a second key based on the first key and the second code measurement. The release of keys based on code measurements may provide authentication in stages. |
| US09679139B1 |
System and method of performing an antivirus scan of a file on a virtual machine
A method and system are provided for performing an antivirus scan of a file on a virtual machine. An example method includes performing a first execution of the file on the virtual machine, recording a first log that includes an API function call and an internal event detected during execution, and determining if any signatures in the log are stored in a signatures database. Moreover, if no signatures in the first log are found in the first database of signatures, the file is classified as not malicious. In contrast, if at least one signature is found, a second execution of the file is perform and a second log is recorded that includes a detected internal event. Moreover, the method includes determining if any signatures in the second log are stored in a second database of signatures; and classifying the file as not malicious if no signatures are found. |
| US09679137B2 |
Anti-viral scanning in Network Attached Storage
In one embodiment a method comprises initiating, by a network attached storage device, a virus scan process on the network attached storage device, receiving, by the network attached storage device, a first file access request that identifies a file, and interrupting the virus scan process to respond to the first file access request. |
| US09679136B2 |
Method and system for discrete stateful behavioral analysis
A method for analyzing a computing system includes the steps of at a first moment in time, scanning the resources of the computing system for indications of malware, at a second moment in time scanning the resources of the computing system for indications of malware and determining the system executable objects loaded on the computing system, determining malware system changes, identifying a relationship between the malware system changes and the system executable objects loaded on the computing system, and identifying as suspected malware the system executable objects loaded on the computing system which have a relationship with the malware system changes. The malware system changes include differences between the results of scanning the resources of the computing system for indications of malware at the second and first moment of time. |
| US09679135B2 |
Computing device for secured transactions and virtual monitoring external from the operating system
A secure computer for secure transactions that includes an operating system, a processor, an identity security module, and a loss protection device. The operating system has built-in security features. The processor is manufactured with security features and configured to execute software in a virtualized state outside of the operating system. The computer includes or be able to create at least one virtualized monitoring application that operates outside of the operating system and. monitor system files and duplicate files of the system files for modification by malicious software, such that any of the duplicate files or system files determined to be modified by malicious software are restored to one of an original version or a known operative state and generates and communicates an alert indicating possible suspicious activity based on the determined modification. |
| US09679128B1 |
De-authentication of wearable devices
A wearable device comprises a first member, a second member that is configured to move relative to the first member, a sensor disposed on the first member, one or more components disposed on the second member, and an authentication module. The sensor is configured to output a sense signal that is indicative of a distance between the sensor and at least one of the one or more components. When the wearable device is worn by a user, the wearable device may be authenticated. The sense signal indicates when at least a portion of the wearable device is opened and/or removed. The wearable device may be de-authenticated based at least in part on the sense signal indicating that a portion of the wearable device has been opened or removed. |
| US09679127B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting accessories in electronic devices
A method and an apparatus for detecting an accessory in an electronic device. A connection of accessory with an interface unit is detected. An analog signal in a predetermined frequency is generated. The generated analog signal is applied to an identification terminal of the interface unit. The applied analog signal is converted to a digital signal and the type of the accessory is identified based on the converted digital signal. |
| US09679126B2 |
Decryption device, method for decrypting and method and system for secure data transmission
A decryption device for decrypting a document encrypted using biometric information of an intended receiver of the document is provided. The decryption device comprises: an imaging device configured to capture an image of at least a portion of the document; a biometric detection device configured to detect biometric information of a user; a processor configured to decrypt at least the portion of the document using the captured image and the detected biometric information; and a display device configured to display at least the portion of the document decrypted by the processor. |
| US09679122B1 |
Methods and apparatus for using credentials to access computing resources
Mechanisms for controlling access to credentials are disclosed. A computing device receives, at a first time, a request associated with a user to initiate a plurality of actions against a computing resource of a plurality of computing resources, the request including a credential identifier that identifies a credential. A memory is accessed, based on the credential identifier, to retrieve the credential identified by the credential identifier that was stored in the memory at a time prior to the first time, the credential comprising authentication information configured to authenticate the plurality of actions to the computing resource. The computing device communicates the request and the authentication information to an orchestration engine for execution of the plurality of actions against the computing resource. |
| US09679121B2 |
Unlocking electronic devices using touchscreen input gestures
A computer implemented method for detecting input gesture events on a touchscreen of an electronic device and for unlocking the electronic device is disclosed. The method may include displaying, while the electronic device is in a locked state, a plurality of guidance lines on the touchscreen of the electronic device, detecting, during an input gesture event, guidance line crossings and calculating a number of guidance line crossings detected during the input gesture event. The method may also include converting a calculated number of detected guidance line crossings into at least one password digit, comparing a sequence of password digits to a stored password in the electronic device and unlocking, in response to comparing the sequence of password digits to the stored password, the electronic device. |
| US09679117B2 |
System and method for obtaining an authorization key to use a product
A system and method for obtaining an authorization key to use a product utilizes a secured product identification code, which includes a serial number and at least one code that is generated based on a cryptographic algorithm. |
| US09679116B2 |
Photoresist simulation
A processor based method for measuring dimensional properties of a photoresist profile by determining a number acid generators and quenchers within a photoresist volume, determining a number of photons absorbed by the photoresist volume, determining a number of the acid generators converted to acid, determining a number of acid and quencher reactions within the photoresist volume, calculating a development of the photoresist volume, producing with the processor a three-dimensional simulated scanning electron microscope image of the photoresist profile created by the development of the photoresist volume, and measuring the dimensional properties of the photoresist profile. |
| US09679099B2 |
De-coupling capacitance placement
A method, executed by one or more processors, includes receiving IR-drop information as a function of location for a placement for a plurality of circuit blocks corresponding to an integrated circuit, calculating a target density for decoupling capacitors as a function of location based on the IR-drop information, placing a plurality of decoupling capacitors according to the target density to provide placed decoupling capacitors. The placed decoupling capacitors may be locally clustered to improve decoupling performance. The method may also include incrementally moving circuit elements or placed decoupling capacitors to avoid collisions within one or more circuit blocks, and routing the integrated circuit. A corresponding computer program product and computer system are also disclosed herein. |
| US09679098B2 |
Protocol probes
This application discloses a computing system to provide test stimulus to an electronic device modeled in a verification environment by the computing system. The computing system can identify transactions performed by the electronic device in the verification environment based, at least in part, on messages exchanged over an interconnect in the electronic device in response to the test stimulus. The computing system can output the transactions from the verification environment and bundle a plurality of the transactions based, at least in part, on messaging relationships defined by a communication protocol for the interconnect. The computing system can utilize the bundles of transactions to determine whether the electronic device functions in accordance with the communication protocol. |
| US09679095B1 |
Layout decomposition for multiple patterning lithography
Aspects of the disclosed techniques relate to techniques of layout decomposition for multiple patterning lithography. Data of a coloring graph are derived from layout data for a layout design. The coloring graph is simplified by repeatedly applying a plurality of graph simplification units. Each of the graph simplification units is configured to use a unique approach to simplify a graph. Based on the simplified coloring graph, the layout design is decomposed to generate decomposition information. The decomposition process may comprise applying a heuristic method for coloring if needed. The decomposition information may comprise information of one or more layout regions that cannot be decomposed. |
| US09679090B1 |
Systematically exploring programs during testing
A testing service is used to test the operation of a program. The testing service systematically explores the display screens generated by the program. The testing service also identifies the elements that are displayed on the screen and programmatically interacts with the elements. Test data including performance metrics and screen captures may be recorded during the testing. Test results associated with the testing of the program are provided to an authorized user. |
| US09679085B2 |
Printing a three dimensional object about a preformed structure
A computer program product includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform a method. The method includes obtaining a data file that includes print instructions for causing a three dimensional printer to print a three dimensional object, wherein the data file describes external surfaces of the object, and providing user instructions for positioning a preformed structure so that the three dimensional printer can print the object around the preformed structure, wherein the preformed structure has a size and a shape to be subsumed within the external surfaces of the object. The method further includes modifying the print instructions so that the printer will print the object around the preformed structure, and printing material around the preformed structure using the modified print instructions to form the object. |
| US09679083B2 |
Displaying sort results on a mobile computing device
Technologies for displaying sort results on a computing device includes determining a plurality of sort criteria of the set of data items to be sorted and associating a visual property to each sort criteria. A sort priority of sort criteria may also be determined. The set of data items are sorted based on the sort criteria and sort priority. The sort result is displayed using the visual properties of identify the sorting order of each corresponding sort criteria. The visual properties may include, for example, the display location, size, color, animation, or other visual aspect of the data items. |
| US09679078B2 |
Search client context on online social networks
In one embodiment, a method includes accessing a social graph comprising nodes and a edges connecting the nodes, receiving from a first user a query inputted at a search client, the search client being associated with context data from a page associated with the search client, such that the context data identifies one or more nodes associated with the page, generating search results corresponding to the query, wherein each of the search results corresponds to a node, and scoring the search results based at least in part on the context data associated with the search client. The context data may identify a social context of the page, which can include tags, comments, likes, commenters, and the like. |
| US09679074B2 |
Social genome
Systems and methods are provided for processing a data stream in real time to identify connections between one or more social elements social elements and aggregating and storing the identified connections over a rolling time window. Social elements may be stored as nodes and connection between social elements may be stored as labeled connections between nodes. Other embodiments are provided. |
| US09679073B2 |
Webpage comprising a rules engine
A webpage comprising at least one rule rendering element including definition of a rule trigger is provided to a client. When a rule trigger is detected, the rule definitions are analyzed by means of a rules engine, including evaluation of the rule definitions. At least the evaluation takes place client-side. The client performs one or more operations within the webpage on the basis of the evaluation. |
| US09679072B2 |
Mobile photo sharing via barcode, sound or collision
Jane talks to Bob, who can be a stranger. She shows him photos on her mobile device. He wants a copy of a photo. Jane could work for a company that wants to promote its products. Her device has product images. She makes data with a link to the image, and her contact information. The data is in a barcode on her screen. Bob decodes the data. He gets her email address. His device replies with an auto-generated message. Her device gets his electronic address. Her device can send a message, offering a discount or extra features about the product. Another use lets Bob comment in text or speech about Jane's photo. His comment is added to the webpage that shows the photo. Other wireless means are possible. Including “chirp”—an identifier of the data is transmitted as audio. Or using accelerometers and geolocation on both devices. The invention permits the automated transmission of photos and contact information between people, with minimal manual steps. A company can use it to build a database of potential customers interested in their products. Another method lets Jane transmit her email address to Bob, who takes a photo of her and emails it to her. |
| US09679062B2 |
Local recommendation engine
A recommendation engine and a user profile stored on a user device are employed by the user device to select from a content store, content that is relevant to a current display of the user device. The selected content is combined with the current display to generate the contextually relevant display. The user profile on the user device is updated based on user interaction with the displayed content and the updated profile may be uploaded to the server in accordance with privacy settings associated with the user profile. |
| US09679055B2 |
Method and system for constructing database based on mutual relations between video data
The present invention relates to a method and system for constructing a database (DB) based on mutual relations between pieces of video data. The present invention provides the method of constructing a DB based on mutual relations between pieces of video data, including 1) generating one or more nodes so that pieces of identical video data are included in an identical node, 2) generating pieces of node information about respective generated nodes, 3) comparing comparison target video data with pieces of video data of the respective nodes, and then setting relations between the comparison target video data and the pieces of video data of the respective nodes, and 4) updating pieces of node information about the respective nodes, based on the set relations, and also provides a DB construction system using the method. |
| US09679050B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating thumbnails
A method for generating thumbnail is provided. In one embodiment, a summary of a first document is generated. The summary includes a first asset (e.g. words, images or sentences). The first document is a first source. The first asset is used to obtain a second asset (e.g. words, images or sentences) from a second source. A thumbnail of the first document is generated using the first asset and the second asset. An apparatus for substantially performing the method as described herein is also provided. |
| US09679047B1 |
Context-sensitive reference works
An architecture and techniques for outputting requested information from reference works (e.g., dictionaries, thesauruses, almanacs, atlases, encyclopedias, gazetteers) in a context-sensitive manner. For instance, when a user reads an electronic book (eBook) and requests a definition for a word found within the eBook, the techniques may display a definition for the word that has been selected based on the context of the request. In one example, the techniques may display a definition that corresponds to an identified genre of the eBook in which the word appears. In another example, the techniques may display a definition that corresponds to known information about the user, such as a preference of the user or the like. |
| US09679046B2 |
Identification and quantification of predatory behavior across communications systems
Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided that enable the identification of predatory behavior in communications systems. A plurality of textual messages of a message repository is queried with a plurality of sets of key phrases to determine and score textual messages that include one or more of the key phrases of the sets. Each scored textual message includes a suspect, a potential victim, and a score. Each suspect-to-potential victim pair corresponds to a conversation that includes the scored textual messages between the suspect and potential victim of the pair. A plurality of conversation risk scores is determined based at least on the scored textual messages. Each conversation risk score indicates an estimate of a risk of predatory behavior occurring during the corresponding conversation. |
| US09679041B2 |
Semantic indexing engine
Embodiments are described for a method of distributing n-tuples over a cluster of triple-store machines, by storing each n-tuple as text in a distributed file system using a key value store; providing each machine of the cluster with a resident semantic data lake component accessing one or more persistent RDF triplestores for the n-tuple data stored on each machine; and defining one part of each n-tuple as a partition variable to ensure locality of data within each respective n-tuple. A method includes inserting graphs into a key/value store to determine how the key/value store distributes the data across a plurality of servers, by generating textual triple data, and storing the triple data in key-value stores wherein a fourth element of the triple comprises the key, and a value associated with the key comprises all the triples about a subject; indexing the data in the key-value store in an RDF triplestore using a partition based on the fourth element. |
| US09679040B1 |
Performing deduplication in a distributed filesystem
The disclosed embodiments provide techniques for performing deduplication for a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers cache and ensure data consistency for the stored data. During operation, a cloud controller receives an incremental metadata snapshot that references new data that was added to the distributed filesystem by a remote cloud controller. The cloud controller extracts a set of deduplication information from this incremental metadata snapshot. Upon receiving a subsequent client write request (e.g., a file write that includes one or more data blocks), the cloud controller uses the extracted deduplication information to determine that one or more data blocks in the client write request have already been written to the distributed filesystem. |
| US09679035B2 |
Content transfer
The present invention provides a method of transferring content from a file and a database. In this case, the file includes content instances, each content instance being associated with a respective field, and each field having a respective type. The transfer is achieved by determining the type of each field, and then storing each content instance in a store in accordance with the determined field type of the associated field. Each content instance can then be transferred to the database in accordance with the determined field type. A similar procedure is provided for creating XML files based on content within the database. |
| US09679034B2 |
Method and apparatus for operating a computer-telephony system
One embodiment of the invention provides a method of operating a computer-telephony system. The method comprises providing computer-telephony support for a plurality of customers. Each customer maintains customer relationship management (CRM) data. The CRM data is uploaded from the plurality of customers into a computer-telephony database. The uploading includes transforming the CRM data from an original format maintained by the respective customer into a standardized format for the computer-telephony database. Telephone calls can then be handled using the transformed CRM data in the computer-telephony database. |
| US09679033B2 |
Run time insertion and removal of buffer operators
Insertion, in a data warehouse process, of a buffer operator between an upstream data operator and a downstream data operator. The processor processes a data record for the upstream data operator to pass to the downstream data operator. In response to determining that the downstream data operator is not ready to accept the data record from the upstream data operator, a buffer operator is inserted between the upstream data operator and the downstream data operator. The data record processed by the upstream data operator is passed to the buffer operator for storing into a buffer allocated for use by the buffer operator. The data record stored into the buffer is passed to the downstream data operator when the downstream data operator is ready to accept data. In another aspect, when the allocated buffer utilization decreases to a threshold value, the buffer operator is removed and the buffers are released. |
| US09679029B2 |
Optimizing storage cloud environments through adaptive statistical modeling
Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach for adapting an information extraction middleware for a clustered computing environment (e.g., a cloud environment) by creating and managing a set of statistical models generated from performance statistics of operating devices within the clustered computing environment. This approach takes into account the required accuracy in modeling, including computation cost of modeling, to pick the best modeling solution at a given point in time. When higher accuracy is desired (e.g., nearing workload saturation), the approach adapts to use an appropriate modeling algorithm. Adapting statistical models to the data characteristics ensures optimal accuracy with minimal computation time and resources for modeling. This approach provides intelligent selective refinement of models using accuracy-based and operating probability-based triggers to optimize the clustered computing environment, i.e., maximize accuracy and minimize computation time. |
| US09679026B2 |
Methods and apparatus for bifurcating data storage for enabling implementation and manipulation of an interactive hierarchical entitlement structure
A method for bifurcating data storage to enable implementation and manipulation of an interactive entitlement structure is provided. The method may include displaying a GUI and copying information corresponding to the list of entitlements to using one or more features associated with the GUI. The method may copy from a remote System of Record to a cache memory local to the GUI. The method may include displaying on the GUI signatories with an entitlement authorization; receiving a modification of the entitlement authorization; and extracting a signature of a signatory with entitlement authorization. An input signal may be received that indicates an input signal indicator is hovering over the signatory and displaying, on the GUI, in response to the hovering indication, 1) a copy of the signature of the signatory; 2) a hierarchal list of signatories with current entitlement authorization; and/or 3) a listing of documents signed by a signatory. |
| US09679025B2 |
Providing search query results based on entity variant generation and normalization
Search results are provided for a search query. A search query including an entity and entity type is received. The entity is parsed into semantic components. Variants are generated based on input from auxiliary information and user configuration information for each of the semantic components. The entity is recomposed in different morphological forms from different variants of the semantic components. At least one morphological form for the entity is presented as a search result. |
| US09679024B2 |
Social-based spelling correction for online social networks
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a search query, determining if a bloom filter indicates an n-gram of the query does not exist in a set of object names associated with a vertical, identifying variant-tokens for each n-gram that does not exist in the set of object names, generating unique combinations of the n-grams and variant-tokens, where each unique combination includes a variant-token corresponding to each n-gram that does not exist in the set of object names for the n-gram, calculating a confidence score for each unique combination based at least in part on the search query and whether the unique combination exists in the set of object names, identifying objects matching each unique combination, where the unique combination has a confidence score greater than a threshold confidence score, and sending a search-results page responsive to the search query to the client device of the user. |
| US09679019B2 |
System and method for patent and prior art analysis
Systems and techniques for analyzing patents and prior art in a patent management system are described herein. Claims of an issued and a published patent may be retrieved. The claims may be compared to identify a unique keyword present in the issued claim but not present in the published claim. The unique keyword may be cross-referenced to a passage in a specification of the issued patent. A first and second prior art document may be identified. Overlap scores may be calculated for the first and second prior art document based on the occurrence of the unique keyword. A ranking may be calculated based on a comparison of the overlap scores. The overlap score of the first prior art document, the overlap score of the second prior art document based on the ranking and the passage in the specification of the issued patent may be displayed in a user interface. |
| US09679017B2 |
Method and system for centralized control of database applications
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system enables control of database applications. The system comprises a computer system including a database application to provide access to a database system, and at least one processor. The computer system requests retrieval of application specific property information for the database application from a data repository, and applies the retrieved application specific property information to the database application to control operation of the database application. Embodiments of the present invention further include a method and computer program product for controlling database applications in substantially the same manner described above. |
| US09679015B2 |
Script converter
According to an embodiment, an apparatus including a memory and a processor is provided. The memory may store a plurality of conversion rules. The processor may receive a first script and determine a first type associated with the first script, a plurality of variables included in the first script, and a first layout associated with the first script. The processor may determine that at least one conversion rule of the plurality of conversion rules should be applied. The processor may determine a second type, a second variable, and a second layout. The processor may generate a second script associated with the second type and the second layout, the second script comprising the second variable, the second script executable against a database comprising a plurality of database processors. |
| US09679014B2 |
Generating and accessing a data table
A data sharing space (DSS) is generated for a base table having a set of rows with stored data. Requests are received to generate tables, each request including a query to the base table. A row from the set of rows is then accessed. The query is then applied to the row to generate results. An index value is then determined and a portion of the row is stored in the DSS based on the index value. |
| US09679012B1 |
Parallel streaming of external data
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for streaming external data in parallel from a second distributed system to a first distributed system. One of the methods includes receiving a query that requests a join of first rows of a first table in a first distributed system with second rows of an external table, the external table representing data in a second distributed system. Each of the segment nodes communicates with a respective extension service that obtains fragments from one or more data nodes of the second distributed system according to location information for the respective fragments, and provides to the segment node a stream of data corresponding to second rows of the external table. Each of the segment nodes computes joined rows between the first rows of the first table and the stream of data corresponding to second rows of the external table. |
| US09679009B2 |
Component independent process integration message search
The present disclosure involves systems, software, and computer implemented methods for centralized message searching of business processes. One process includes identifying a process integration (PI) domain associated with a message search, where the PI domain includes at least one PI component, and receiving a set of user-defined search attributes for searching messages within the identified PI domain, where each search attribute associated with a corresponding value. At least one message corresponding to the set of the received user-defined search attributes associated with at least one PI component is identified, and information associated with the identified at least one message corresponding to at least a portion of the set of received search attributes is retrieved. At least a portion of the retrieved information associated with the identified at least one message is presented via a user interface. |
| US09679007B1 |
Techniques for managing references to containers
Techniques for managing references to containers are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for managing references to containers comprising comparing at least one identifier to a first bloom filter, generating a first list of identifiers based on the comparison of the at least one identifier and the first bloom filter, comparing the first list of identifiers to a second bloom filter, generating a second list of identifiers based on the comparison of the first list and the second bloom filter, comparing the second list of identifiers to a main container list, and determining whether an image refers to a container based on the comparison of the second list and the main container list. |
| US09679003B2 |
Rendezvous-based optimistic concurrency control
A concurrent transaction validate phase with the transaction operations read, compute, and write allows for a rendezvous-based optimistic concurrency control process. |
| US09679002B2 |
Method for producing and using a recursive index of search engines
A method and an apparatus for creating and using recursive index in search engines. In particular, extracting text from an index of a search engine starting at an arbitrary position in the text, and analyzing texts for co-occurrence of words, and using said extraction and analysis for inferring implicit relationships among objects in sequences thereof. As such, utility of search engines to index and retrieve information represented by a sequence of objects different from text information objects are extended. A method and an apparatus extends the basic hit with at least two word identifications, one for the previous word and one for the next word. |
| US09678998B2 |
Content name resolution for information centric networking
A content-name-resolution (CNR) system can resolve IP addresses for named data objects (NDOs) based on their name. During operation, a CNR server can receive a query from a client device for a source to a named data object. The query can include at least a name prefix for the named data object. The CNR server can identify a cache server that corresponds to the named data object's name prefix, and determines one or more sources associated with the named data object's name prefix. The CNR server then returns, to the client device, a query response that includes a network address for the cache server, and includes a content record specifying the one or more sources. |
| US09678991B2 |
Apparatus and method for processing image
Provided are an image processing apparatus and an image processing method thereof. The image processing method extracts at least one texture area from an input image according to at least one texture feature of an object, processing, for each texture area of the extracted at least one texture area, the texture area using an image set value respectively corresponding to the texture area, and combining the at least one texture area that is processed by the processing and outputting the combined at least one texture area. |
| US09678990B2 |
Construction drawing evaluation systems and methods
The invention provides the ability to count symbols within drawings in an automated fashion using a computer processor. This may be accomplished by identifying a particular symbol (representing a drawing part) and then permitting the computer to search for the identified symbol in the drawing. Following the initial search, a secondary search may be performed to increase the accuracy of an initial automated count, and obtaining refined searches results representing similar parts (represented by the same symbol) but being a part type as indicated by an identifier associated with the initial symbol. |
| US09678988B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus receives an input specifying a target in a first captured image group that is obtained by slicing a three-dimensional body into captured images at a first point in time, extracts feature points surrounding the specified target from the captured images of the first captured image group, specifies slice positions of each of the feature points that are extracted in captured images of a second captured image group that is obtained by slicing the three-dimensional body into the captured images at a second point in time, and outputs an image corresponding to a slice position range specified based on the specified slice positions of each of the extracted feature points, and corresponding to a range on a first plane specified based on positions of each of the extracted feature points on a second plane. |
| US09678984B2 |
File access for applications deployed in a cloud environment
A method of operating a virtual computer system including a file access interceptor and multiple virtual machines that are logically arranged in a virtualization environment that is managed by a virtualization environment manager is provided. The method includes reading file settings definitions that include identifications and properties of files that are configured to be accessed by a computer application, replacing operations of a file interface in the computer application using with file access interceptor operations that use the file settings to decouple file attributes from the computer application, managing file access via the file access interceptor operations to provide data file storage and read access to the files, and synchronizing file actions in each of a plurality of instances of the files. Related systems and computer program products are disclosed. |
| US09678983B1 |
Systems and methods for automatically passing hints to a file system
Aspects of the present disclosure involve systems and methods for passing optimization information, which may be used to optimize input/output (“I/O”) requests, from a database management system to a file system, using various protocols of a network file system. The optimization information provided by the database management system may relate to various aspects of an I/O request that may be optimized. |
| US09678981B1 |
Customizing data management for a distributed filesystem
The disclosed embodiments provide a system that adjusts the characteristics of a distributed filesystem using a locality policy. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers cache and ensure data consistency for the stored data. During operation, a cloud controller receives a locality policy that specifies one or more management policies for the cloud controller. The portion of the distributed filesystem's data that is managed, created, and/or cached at the cloud controller is then managed based on this locality policy. Locality policies facilitate customizing and optimizing data management for the distributed filesystem to fit the needs of an organization (e.g., specific sets of users, applications, and/or datasets). |
| US09678977B1 |
Similarity based deduplication of snapshots data
Embodiments for deduplication of snapshots data in a data storage by a processor. Input snapshot data is partitioned into input similarity units. An input similarity unit is deduplicated with a corresponding similarity unit of a previous snapshot. Deduplication coverage is examined. If a deduplication coverage threshold is not met, a similarity search is conducted and the input similarity unit is deduplicated with a found similarity unit. |
| US09678973B2 |
Multi-node hybrid deduplication
According to at least one embodiment, a data storage system is provided. The data storage system includes memory, at least one processor in data communication with the memory, and a deduplication director component executable by the at least one processor. The deduplication director component is configured to receive data for storage on the data storage system, analyze the data to determine whether the data is suitable for at least one of summary-based deduplication, content-based deduplication, and no deduplication, and store, in a common object store, at least one of the data and a reference to duplicate data stored in the common object store. |
| US09678970B2 |
Database storage reclaiming program
The computer retrieves a list of the data elements contained in a database. The computer performs a static and dynamic analysis on the list to determine which data elements have been active in a static or dynamic Structured Query Language (SQL) statement, then removes active data elements from the list. The computer performs a dependency test to determine which data elements on the list are depended on by data objects not on the list and removes those data elements which are depended on. The computer analyzes application code to extract SQL statements and determine whether data elements on the list are active in application code SQL. Any data elements on the list which are active in application code SQL are removed from the list and the remaining data elements on the list are sorted in descending order based on size. |
| US09678969B2 |
Metadata updating method and apparatus based on columnar storage in distributed file system, and host
A metadata updating method based on columnar storage in a distributed file system includes acquiring to-be-updated metadata in a data table, splitting data records of the data table into multiple row groups on a row basis, converting the data table into global file metadata and multiple row group files, where the row group file includes an actual data block, a data index block, a local metadata block, a metadata index block, and a file footer, determining whether the to-be-updated metadata belongs to the global file metadata, updating local metadata when the to-be-updated metadata does not belong to the global file metadata, and adding an updated local metadata block, an updated metadata index block, and an updated file footer to the multiple row group files according to updated local metadata. Dynamic updating of metadata saves time of executing an updating operation of this type and needed computing resources. |
| US09678968B1 |
Deleting a file from a distributed filesystem
The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for deleting a file from a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in one or more cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers store metadata for the distributed filesystem, and cache and ensure data consistency for the data stored in the cloud storage systems. During operation, a cloud controller receives a request from a client to delete a file from the distributed filesystem. The cloud controller updates a user view of the distributed filesystem to present the appearance of the target file being deleted to the client, and then initiates a background deletion operation to delete the target file without negatively affecting the performance of the other users of the distributed filesystem. |
| US09678965B1 |
System and method for enforcing data lifecycle policy across multiple domains
A first backup storage system within a receiving domain receives information from an originating domain distinct from the receiving domain. The first backup storage system includes at least one storage device and the information includes backup data and corresponding lifecycle policy information for the backup data. The first backup storage system automatically performs an operation relating to the backup data, where the operation is specified by the received lifecycle policy information. In some embodiments, the lifecycle policy information may be received by the receiving domain within a header located within the backup data. |
| US09678963B2 |
Methods and apparatus for point cloud data processing
Methods and apparatus are provided for processing data representing three-dimensional points organized in a data structure wherein each point has multiple components, the data is organized in a respective layer per component, each layer is segmented in cells of a two-dimensional grid, the cells are arranged such that the components of a given point are contained in corresponding cells of multiple layers, the cells are grouped in patches by layer, and the patches are arranged such that the components of an array of points is represented by corresponding patches of multiple layers. At least one first criterion and at least one second criterion are obtained. Data are retrieved from cells of patches meeting the at least one first criterion and from layers meeting the at least one second criterion. The retrieved data are processed to obtain a derivative data set. |
| US09678960B2 |
Methods and systems of dynamic content analysis
Methods and systems of dynamic content analysis for categorizing media contents are provided. Data regarding the media contents that a user is watching on one or more devices is obtained, and the environment in which the user is watching the media contents may be captured. Metadata categorizing the events and the media contents can be generated, and the metadata may be further associated with a corresponding event. |
| US09678957B2 |
Systems and methods for classifying electronic information using advanced active learning techniques
Systems and methods for classifying electronic information or documents into a number of classes and subclasses are provided through an active learning algorithm. In certain embodiments, seed sets may be eliminated by merging relevance feedback and machine learning phases. In certain embodiments, the active learning algorithm forks a number of classification paths corresponding to predicted user coding decisions for a selected document. The active learning algorithm determines an order in which the documents of the collection may be processed and scored by the forked classification paths. Such document classification systems are easily scalable for large document collections, require less manpower and can be employed on a single computer, thus requiring fewer resources. Furthermore, the classification systems and methods described can be used for any pattern recognition or classification effort in a wide variety of fields. |
| US09678953B2 |
Translation and integration of presentation materials with cross-lingual multi-media support
Computer-based systems and methods are disclosed for translation of a multi-media presentation (e.g., a lecture) along with the accompanying presentation materials. Translation and delivery of text-based presentation materials to a listener is annotated and aligned with audio, so that the listener can follow both the audio and the presentation material. The content of the presentation materials can be used to improve presentation translation, as it extracts supportive material from the presentation materials as they relate to the speech. |
| US09678950B2 |
System and method for enabling communication between a rich communication service system and a non-rich communication service system
System and method for enabling communication between a Rich Communication Service System and a non-Rich Communication Service system. Embodiments of the present invention disclose a translation feature to enhance the communication experience between users of RCS and non-RCS systems by enabling users to communicate in their preferred language with the RCS taking care of language translation. |
| US09678943B2 |
Partial gesture text entry
A graphical keyboard including a number of keys is output for display at a display device. The computing device receives an indication of a gesture to select at least two of the keys based at least in part on detecting an input unit at locations of a presence-sensitive input device. In response to the detecting and while the input unit is detected at the presence-sensitive input device: the computing device determines a candidate word for the gesture based at least in part on the at least two keys and the candidate word is output for display at a first location of the output device. In response to determining that the input unit is no longer detected at the presence-sensitive input device, the displayed candidate word is output for display at a second location of the display device. |
| US09678941B2 |
Domain-specific computational lexicon formation
According to an aspect, a candidate token sequence including one or more word tokens is extracted from an unstructured domain glossary that includes entries associated with a domain. A look-up operation is performed to retrieve language data for each word token in the candidate token sequence and annotates each word token in the candidate token sequence found by the look-up operation with corresponding retrieved language data to form an annotated sequence. A pattern match of the annotated sequence is performed relative to a repository of patterns and identifies a best matching pattern from the repository of patterns to the annotated sequence based on matching criteria. The annotated sequence is refined with lexical information associated with the best matching pattern as a refined annotated sequence. The candidate token sequence and the refined annotated sequence are output to a domain-specific computational lexicon file. |
| US09678937B2 |
Single click in a partially protected cell of a table
Displaying a table in a user interface includes receiving data related to a position within the user interface selected by a user; determining a particular cell of the table corresponding to the position, wherein the particular cell includes an editable portion and a non-editable portion; and determining a particular location within the cell corresponding to the position. A determination is made whether the particular location corresponds to the editable portion of the particular cell; and, if so, positioning a cursor at the particular location; or when the particular location does not correspond to the editable portion of the particular cell, preventing editing at the particular location. |
| US09678931B2 |
Triggered event handler addition
Embodiments of the present invention provide an intuitive method for the specification of a design as follows. A widget is added to the design at the direction of a user. The widget has an event and an event handler. A second widget is added to the design. The design is exported from a design program and an instantiation of the design is created that is capable of being rendered by an external player. Executing the event handler adds a second event handler to a second widget in the instantiation of the design. |
| US09678928B1 |
Webpage partial rendering engine
According to some embodiments, the present technology is directed to a method for rendering a webpage. The method comprises receiving a URL of the webpage and fetching a file from a server designated by the URL, the fetched file including source code describing the webpage. The method further includes parsing the source code to catalog resources used for rendering the webpage and determining a priority for each resource. For each resource, the method includes fetching the resource if the priority exceeds a threshold, and omitting the resource if the priority does not exceed the threshold. The method also includes generating a representation of the webpage using the fetched resources, the generated representation being a transformation of an intended representation for the webpage. |
| US09678926B2 |
Image preview
A method, apparatus, and system are provided for displaying a graphical representation of at least a portion of a file by interfacing with a graphical interface relating to the file. A request for viewing a file content is received. A window for viewing a graphical representation of at least a portion of the content of a file is provided. |
| US09678914B2 |
Hot removing an I/O module with multiple hot plug slots
In a method for ejecting a plurality of hot plug slots sharing a power controller, a processor receives a request to eject a plurality of hot plug slots, wherein the plurality of hot plug slots share a power controller and have at least two adapters present. A processor causes an OS to incrementally eject the at least two adapters, wherein ejecting an adapter comprises the OS stopping at least one driver of the adapter, and the OS generating a request to remove power from a hot plug slot. Responsive to a request by the OS to remove power from a hot plug slot, a processor generates a signal that prevents the OS from recognizing the adapter is present in the hot plug slot. Responsive to all device drivers for the at least two adapters being stopped, a processor causes power to be removed from the plurality of hot plug slots. |
| US09678907B2 |
Oldest link first arbitration between links grouped as single arbitration elements
A method for scheduling a crossbar using distributed request-grant-accept arbitration between input group arbiters and output group arbiters in a switch unit is provided. Each input group arbiter and output group arbiter maintains an ordered queue of links in an input group or an output group. The ordered queue prioritizes links in the output group or output group that was least recently selected. To satisfy an arbitration slot won on the group-level, the input group arbiter or output group arbiter starts a search from the oldest link that was selected and maintains fairness among links in the group. |
| US09678906B2 |
Oldest link first arbitration between links grouped as single arbitration elements
A method for scheduling a crossbar using distributed request-grant-accept arbitration between input group arbiters and output group arbiters in a switch unit is provided. Each input group arbiter and output group arbiter maintains an ordered queue of links in an input group or an output group. The ordered queue prioritizes links in the output group or output group that was least recently selected. To satisfy an arbitration slot won on the group-level, the input group arbiter or output group arbiter starts a search from the oldest link that was selected and maintains fairness among links in the group. |
| US09678905B2 |
Bus controller, bus control system and network interface
In a bus control system for a semiconductor circuit, data is transmitted between first and second nodes over a network of buses. The bus controller is connected directly to the first node and includes: a route load detector which detects loads on routes that form at least one of a group of forward routes leading from the first to the second node and a group of backward routes leading from the second to the first node; a candidate route extraction circuit which extracts a candidate route from the group of routes so that loads on the routes that form the group become uniform; a route determining circuit which determines the route to transmit the data based on the candidate route and a predetermined selection rule; and a data communication circuit which transmits the data between the first and second nodes based on header information including route information indicating the route. |
| US09678904B2 |
PCI express data transmission
PCIe devices and corresponding methods are provided wherein a length of data to be transferred is aligned to a multiple of a double word length. |
| US09678900B2 |
Abnormal interrupt request processing
To detect an abnormality in an interrupt control system without completely depending on dualization of a circuit, without the need to create a test pattern for a built-in self-test by spending time, and without considerably increasing an amount of power consumption. A test interrupt request is generated periodically using a timer or the like in an interrupt signal system from an interrupt controller to a central processing unit, the state of an interrupt request flag within the interrupt controller is checked in an interrupt processing routine, and in the case where it is detected that the same interrupt request flag is kept in a set state twice or more in succession, it is supposed that there is a high possibility that a failure has occurred in the interrupt signal system and it is considered that there is an abnormality. |
| US09678890B2 |
Synchronizing a translation lookaside buffer with an extended paging table
A processor including logic to execute an instruction to synchronize a mapping from a physical address of a guest of a virtualization based system (guest physical address) to a physical address of the host of the virtualization based system (host physical address), and stored in a translation lookaside buffer (TLB), with a corresponding mapping stored in an extended paging table (EPT) of the virtualization based system. |
| US09678886B2 |
Processing page fault exceptions in supervisory software when accessing strings and similar data structures using normal load instructions
Embodiments are directed to a method of accessing a data frame, wherein a first portion of the data frame is in a first memory block, and wherein a second portion of the data frame is in a second memory block. The method includes determining that an access of the data frame crosses a boundary between the first second memory blocks, determining that an attempted translation of an address of the first portion of the data frame in the first memory block did not result in a translation fault, and accessing the first portion of the data frame. The method further includes, based at least in part on a determination that an attempted translation of an address of the second portion of the data frame in the second memory block resulted in a translation fault, accessing at least one default character as a replacement for accessing the second portion of the data frame. |
| US09678881B2 |
Data distribution device and data distribution method
A data distribution device includes: a memory configured to store cache data of data to be distributed; and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to: read the cache data from the memory in accordance with a request message received from other devices to distribute the cache data to the other devices, update, when the request message is received, a counter value that gets closer to a given value with time, so as to make the counter value move away from the given value in accordance with a reference value that is a reciprocal of a threshold value of a reception rate of the request message, whether or not to store the cache data being determined based on the reception rate; and discard the cache data in the memory when the counter value becomes the given value. |
| US09678880B1 |
System and method for cache management in systems that interface to cloud storage
A method and a system for cache management in system interfacing to a cloud storage. The cache has two layers: the filter layer for tracing read access to the data blocks and the cache layer for keeping the actual data blocks. The layer two consists of two modules—a main cache and a boot cache. The boot cache is filled during the short period of time after the first file open operation. The boot cache also has a limit on the amount of data that can be put into the cache for the particular file. The filter layer detects continuous read access pattern and avoids caching data, if the data is read continuously beyond some limit. |
| US09678873B2 |
Early shared resource release in symmetric multiprocessing computer systems
In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes detecting a cache miss for a cache line. A resource is reserved on each of one or more remote computing nodes, responsive to the cache miss. A request for a state of the cache line on the one or more remote computing nodes is broadcast to the one or more remote computing nodes, responsive to the cache miss. A resource credit is received from a first remote computing node of the one or more remote computing nodes, responsive to the request. The resource credit indicates that the first remote computing node will not participate in completing the request. The resource on the first remote computing node is released, responsive to receiving the resource credit from the first remote computing node. |
| US09678870B2 |
Diagnostic apparatus, control unit, integrated circuit, vehicle and method of recording diagnostic data
A diagnostic apparatus comprises a diagnostic data buffer constituting a volatile memory, and a non-volatile memory capable of receiving data from the buffer. A data buffer controller is also provided and is operably coupled to the buffer and has an event alert input and a data channel monitoring input for receiving diagnostic data. The buffer receives, when the state of a buffer status memory indicates that the buffer is in an unprotected state, at least part of the diagnostic data received by the controller via the data channel monitoring input to the buffer and the controller sets the state of the buffer status memory to indicate the protected state in response to receipt of an event alert received via the event alert input. A controller monitors the buffer status memory and copies a portion of the buffer to the non-volatile memory in response to the buffer status memory being set to be indicative of the protected state. |
| US09678864B2 |
Data reallocation upon detection of errors
A device includes one or more data storage media having a main storage area, and includes a non-volatile cache memory and a controller. The controller stores a plurality of data packets into a plurality of physical locations in the main storage area. Each of the data packets is associated with a different logical block address (LBA), and each of the physical locations is associated with a different physical location address (PLA). The controller generates mapping information that links the different LBAs to the different PLAs. Upon detecting a soft error when reading a data packet stored in a physical location, the controller relocates the data packet associated with the soft error to a physical location of the non-volatile cache memory. The controller also marks the physical location as a suspect location. The controller updates the mapping information to reflect the relocation of the data packet associated with the soft error. |
| US09678854B2 |
Application-centric analysis of leak suspect operations
To identify a source of a memory leak in an application, a pattern of objects is identified in an object hierarchy of a heap dump, the pattern including an indication of the memory leak. The pattern is matched with a metadata of the application. A static entry in the metadata describes a relationship between a component of the application and an object of a class used in the component. A flow entry in the metadata describes a relationship between a pattern of instantiation of a set of objects corresponding to a set of classes and an operation performed using the application. When the pattern matches the flow entry in the flow section of the metadata, a conclusion is drawn that the memory leak is caused in the operation identified in the flow entry. A portion of a code that participates in the operation is selected for modification. |
| US09678848B2 |
Eliminate corrupted portions of cache during runtime
In an approach for taking corrupt portions of cache offline during runtime, a notification of a section of a cache to be taken offline is received, wherein the section includes one or more sets in one or more indexes of the cache. An indication is associated with each set of the one or more sets in a first index of the one or more indexes, wherein the indication marks the respective set as unusable for future operations. Data is purged from the one or more sets in the first index of the cache. Each set of the one or more sets in the first index is marked as invalid. |
| US09678843B2 |
Validating connection, structural characteristics and positioning of cable connectors
In one or more aspects, a determination is made as to whether a connector is securely fastened, whether the connector connected within a socket structure is the expected connector for that socket structure, and/or whether connectors coupled to one another via one or more cables are properly positioned for communication between them. Information on selected physical connection elements of a connector is used to determine one or more structural characteristics of the cable(s) connected to the connector and to determine whether the connector is the expected connector for a particular socket structure. |
| US09678840B2 |
Fast failover for application performance based WAN path optimization with multiple border routers
According to one aspect, a control entity (such as a policy server) in communication with a plurality of border routers in a network, generates failover entries for one or more traffic flows. Each failover entry specifies a backup path to be used by a border router when the border router determines that a wide area network interface of the border router has failed. The control entity sends the failover entries to each of the border routers. A border router operating in a network stores failover entries for one or more traffic flows. For packets received at the border router either from a local area network interface or via a tunnel from another border router, when the border router detects that the wide area network interface has failed, the border router determines how to handle the packets based on the stored failover entries. |
| US09678837B1 |
Variable checkpointing in a streaming application with one or more consistent regions
A variable checkpoint mechanism in a streams manager checkpoints a streaming application based on periodic time periods for checkpoints. The variable checkpoint mechanism can take a checkpoint before a periodic time period ends when a spike is coming, or can take a checkpoint after the periodic time period ends when there is backpressure in a consistent region of the streaming application. When there is no anticipated spike coming and when there is no backpressure in a consistent region of the streaming application, the checkpoint is performed at the normal end of the periodic time period for checkpoints. In this manner the checkpoint timing of the variable checkpoint mechanism can be adjusted real-time to minimize the negative impact of checkpointing on the performance of the streaming application. |
| US09678830B2 |
Recovery improvement for quiesced systems
Methods and apparatuses for performing a quiesce operation during a processor recovery action is provided. A processor performs a processor recovery action. A processor retrieves a quiesce status of a computer system from a shared cache with a second processor. A processor determines a quiesce status of the first processor based, a least in part, on the retrieved quiesce status of the computer system. |
| US09678829B2 |
Memory device and erasing method thereof
An erasing method of a memory device is provided. The memory device includes a memory controller and a memory array having a first memory region and a second memory region. The first memory region and the second memory region share the same well. The erasing method comprising steps of: erasing the first memory region; and selectively programming the second memory region according to an error correction code algorithm. |
| US09678822B2 |
Real-time categorization of log events
Embodiments for categorizing a real-time log event are described. In one example, a Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF) vector for the log event is computed based on pre-calculated TF-IDF matrix of log corpus and number of new words in log event, where log corpus comprises one or more pre-existing log events, and where the log event is indicative of error message. Further, distance between TF-IDF vector and cluster centroid of each cluster in the log corpus is calculated. Thereafter, cluster having closest cluster centroid is identified from amongst the clusters based on distance between TF-IDF vector and cluster centroid of each of the clusters, where closest cluster centroid is cluster centroid closest to TF-IDF vector. Subsequently, log event is categorized into one or more log categories based on comparison of distance between TF-IDF vector and closest cluster centroid pre-determined silhouette threshold corresponding to cluster with closest cluster centroid. |
| US09678820B2 |
Alerting with duplicate suppression
The present disclosure is related to systems, methods, and non-transitory machine readable media for alerting with duplicate suppression. An example non-transitory machine readable medium can store instructions executable by a processing resource to cause a computing system to receive an alert at a first virtual computing instance (VCI) from a second VCI, compare the alert with at least one previously received alert to determine if the alert is a duplicate alert, and send the alert to an alert notification queue associated with the first VCI in response to a determination that the alert is not a duplicate alert. In some embodiments, the medium can store instructions to confirm that the alert has been sent in response to the determination that the alert is a duplicate alert. |
| US09678815B2 |
Information processing system, information processing apparatus, and method of controlling them
There is provided a technique of enabling to easily identify the association between process results in a plurality of components which are executed in association with an RPC. An information processing system in which an application of a first component performs an RPC for a functional function of a second component, the system comprises: a stub of the first component configured to receive the RPC and transmit an RPC message to the second component; and a skeleton of the second component configured to receive the RPC message from the stub and control execution of a predetermined function. The stub generates an RPC message having a header in which a sequence identifier acquired from the first management unit is embedded, and transmits the generated RPC message, and the skeleton extracts a sequence identifier from the header of the received RPC message. |
| US09678813B2 |
Method, apparatus, and system for mutual communication between processes of many-core processor
A method, an apparatus, and a system for mutual communication between processes of a many-core processor are provided that relate to the field of many-core operating systems The method is executed by a target kernel, where the target kernel corresponds to a target processor core. The method includes acquiring a message header of a message from a quick message channel (QMC); executing a central processing unit (CPU) pre-fetching command according to the message header, so that a message body that is in the message stored in a shared memory and corresponds to the message header is loaded to a cache that corresponds to the target processor core; and switching to a target process, so that the target process acquires the message body from the cache. The embodiments of the present invention apply to a scenario of mutual communication between processes of a many-core processor. |
| US09678810B2 |
Multi-operating system
A mobile computing device with a mobile operating system and desktop operating system running concurrently and independently on a shared kernel without virtualization. The mobile operating system provides a user experience for the mobile computing device that suits the mobile environment. The desktop operating system provides a full desktop user experience when the mobile computing device is docked to a secondary terminal environment. The mobile computing device may be a smartphone running the Android mobile OS and a full desktop Linux distribution on a modified Android kernel. |
| US09678802B2 |
Service management modes of operation in distributed node service management
A distributed node service management system utilizes multiple existing processor nodes of a distributed computing system, in support of the primary data processing functions of the distributed computing system. The distributed node service management system coordinates and manages service functions on behalf of processor nodes of the distributed computing system. Other features and aspects may be realized, depending upon the particular application. |
| US09678799B2 |
Dynamic correlated operation management for a distributed computing system
In one aspect of the present description, in a distributed node management system for a distributed computing system having multiple processor nodes, each processor node has a local data structure which contains a “to-do tasks” synchronization table that resides on each such processor node. The “to-do-tasks” synchronization table contains one or more actions that each processor node may perform to facilitate maintaining the operations of the associated processor node with equivalent knowledge of the system configuration, status and backup capabilities as the other processor nodes of the distributed computing system. Other features and aspects may be realized, depending upon the particular application. |
| US09678797B2 |
Dynamic resource management for multi-process applications
Techniques are described that enable an application executing on a computing device to dynamically control how an allocated portion of a resource of the computing device is to be divided among multiple processes associated with the application. For example, an application executing on the computing device may interact with an operating system of the computing device to dynamically control how an allocated portion of a resource of the computing device is to be divided among a foreground process associated with the application and one or more background processes associated with the application. |
| US09678794B1 |
Techniques for processing queries relating to task-completion times or cross-data-structure interactions
Methods and systems disclosed herein relate generally to data processing by applying machine learning techniques to iteration data to identify anomaly subsets of iteration data. More specifically, iteration data for individual iterations of a workflow involving a set of tasks may contain a client data set, client-associated sparse indicators and their classifications, and a set of processing times for the set of tasks performed in that iteration of the workflow. These individual iterations of the workflow may also be associated with particular data sources. Using the iteration data, anomaly subsets within the iteration data can be identified, such as data items resulting from systematic error associated with particular data sources, sets of sparse indicators to be validated or double-checked, or tasks that are associated with long processing times. The anomaly subsets can be provided in a generated communication or report in order to optimize future iterations of the workflow. |
| US09678783B2 |
Temporal dynamic virtual machine policies
Temporal dynamic policies may be used to effectively alter the management of a virtual machine in a virtualized computing environment based upon some temporal condition such as how long a virtual machine has been active or idle, how long it has been since the virtual machine was created or deployed, etc. The altered management may be used, for example, to activate various performance and/or reliability-related technologies such as high availability and failover functionality for longer-running virtual machines. |
| US09678781B2 |
Methods of and data processing systems for handling an accelerator's scheduling statistics
A data processing system comprises one or more processors that each execute one or more operating systems. Each operating system includes one or more applications. The system also comprises an accelerator that provides a shared resource for a plurality of the applications, an input/output module comprising one or more input/output interfaces for the submission of tasks to the accelerator, a hypervisor that manages the allocation of the input/output interfaces to the one or more operating systems and a storage area accessible by the hypervisor and the accelerator. The accelerator is capable of writing one or more selected pieces of information representative of one or more scheduling statistics of the accelerator periodically to the storage area without having received a request for the one or more selected pieces of information from the hypervisor. |
| US09678779B2 |
Method and an apparatus for co-processor data plane virtualization
A method and a system embodying the method for a data plane virtualization, comprising assigning each of at least one data plane a unique identifier; providing a request comprising an identifier of one of the at least one data plane together with an identifier of a virtual resource assigned to a guest; determining validity of the provided request in accordance with the identifier of the one of the at least one data plane and the identifier of the virtual resource assigned to the guest; and processing the request based on the determined validity of the request are disclosed. |
| US09678777B2 |
Administering virtual machines in a distributed computing environment
In a distributed computing environment that includes hosts that execute a VMM, with each VMM supporting execution of one or more VMs, administering VMs may include: assigning, by a VMM manager, the VMMs of the distributed computing environment to a logical tree topology, including assigning one of the VMMs as a root VMM of the tree topology; and executing, amongst the VMMs of the tree topology, a scatter operation, including: pausing, by the root VMM one or more executing VMs; storing, by the root VMM in a buffer, a plurality of VMs to scatter amongst the other VMMs of the tree topology; and sending, by the root VMM, to each of the other VMMs of the tree topology a different one of the VMs stored in the buffer. |
| US09678776B2 |
Suppress newer facilities when simulating an older machine
Suppressing enabled newer facilities of an older simulated machine. This makes the native machine appear just like the corresponding older simulated machine. The invention creates the Allowed Facilities Table (AFT) that includes all the facilities of each simulated machine that needs to be supported and queries all the installed facilities of the simulated machine. It reads each machine facility of the simulated machine and checks the AFT that includes the state of all the facilities that are allowed to be enabled for the simulated machine to see if this installed facility is also enabled in the AFT. If the installed facility is also enabled in the AFT, then this facility may be used by the software without any problems. Otherwise, this facility should not be used. A system and program product for carrying out the method are included. |
| US09678766B2 |
Controlling the configuration of computer systems
Embodiments relate to controlling configuration of a computer system comprising one or more exchangeable components. The exchangeable components comprising identification means to store an identifier. A pair of a private key and a public key are generated for each accepted manufacturer of the exchangeable components and a pair of a private key and a public key for the computer system; assigning an identifier for each exchangeable component available for attachment to the system; receiving configuration data comprising a list of encrypted identity records comprising identifiers of the components together with signatures over the data generated with the private key of the respective component manufacturer for each component expected to be attached to the system; and receiving a configuration record. The configuration data of the expected components from the received configuration record is compared with the configuration data of the components attached to the system. |
| US09678762B2 |
Dynamic, automated monitoring and controlling of boot operations in computers
A network device manages multiple computers and connects the computers to boot devices that store boot programs used by the computers to boot. The network device downloads to each computer a respective boot order that specifies an order in which the computer is to attempt to boot from boot devices specified in the boot order. The network device automatically determines network paths over which each computer is to access the boot devices in the boot order for that computer. The network device automatically determines an availability of each network path and an availability of each boot device. The network device also receives boot status from each computer while the computer attempts to boot from boot devices in the boot order for that computer. The network device automatically performs boot-related actions based on the determined network path and boot device availabilities, and the received boot status. |
| US09678760B2 |
Memory card and storage system having authentication program and method for operating thereof
A memory card includes a nonvolatile memory and a device controller. The nonvolatile memory stores data. The device controller divides the nonvolatile memory into a plurality of logical units and stores an authentication program at a partial area the plurality of logical units. When connected with a host, the device controller enables the authentication program to be executable on the host. |
| US09678757B2 |
Forming instruction groups based on decode time instruction optimization
Instructions are grouped into instruction groups based on optimizations that may be performed. An instruction is obtained, and a determination is made as to whether the instruction is to be included in a current instruction group or another instruction group. This determination is made based on whether the instruction is a candidate for optimization, such as decode time instruction optimization. If it is determined that the instruction is to be included in another group, then the other group is formed to include the instruction. |
| US09678754B2 |
System and method of processing hierarchical very long instruction packets
A system and method of processing a hierarchical very long instruction word (VLIW) packet is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a method of processing instructions is disclosed. The method includes receiving a hierarchical VLIW packet of instructions and decoding an instruction from the packet to determine whether the instruction is a single instruction or whether the instruction includes a subpacket that includes a plurality of sub-instructions. The method also includes, in response to determining that the instruction includes the subpacket, executing each of the sub-instructions. |
| US09678753B2 |
SIMD sign operation
Method, apparatus, and program means for nonlinear filtering and deblocking applications utilizing SIMD sign and absolute value operations. The method of one embodiment comprises receiving first data for a first block and second data for a second block. The first data and said second data are comprised of a plurality of rows and columns of pixel data. A block boundary between the first block and the second block is characterized. A correction factor for a deblocking algorithm is calculated with a first instruction for a sign operation that multiplies and with a second instruction for an absolute value operation. Data for pixels located along said block boundary between the first and second block are corrected. |
| US09678751B2 |
Systems, apparatuses, and methods for performing a horizontal partial sum in response to a single instruction
Embodiments of systems, apparatuses, and methods for performing in a computer processor vector packed horizontal partial sum of packed data elements in response to a single vector packed horizontal sum instruction that includes a destination vector register operand, a source vector register operand, and an opcode are described. |
| US09678750B2 |
Vector instructions to enable efficient synchronization and parallel reduction operations
In one embodiment, a processor may include a vector unit to perform operations on multiple data elements responsive to a single instruction, and a control unit coupled to the vector unit to provide the data elements to the vector unit, where the control unit is to enable an atomic vector operation to be performed on at least some of the data elements responsive to a first vector instruction to be executed under a first mask and a second vector instruction to be executed under a second mask. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09678746B2 |
Coding convention discovery and enforcement
In general, embodiments of the invention provide an approach to discover and enforce coding conventions among a group of developers. Specifically, source code files for a group of developers are imported from a code repository. The source code files are analyzed to discover the commonly used coding conventions of the group. Convention templates are generated based on these coding conventions. Each convention template is assigned a weighted value, and the convention templates are reviewed and approved based on the weighted value. |
| US09678740B2 |
Migration mechanism
Methods, systems, and computer program products for enabling software upgrades and migrations are described. A selection of one or more software entities is generated and a target product vector is defined based on the selection of one or more software entities. A start component vector is computed based on a landscape of a source system and a target component vector is computed based on the start component vector and target product vector. A determination of whether a component of the target component vector is a successor of a selected component of the start component vector is made and one or more migration files are generated comprising the target product vector and the target component vector based on the determination. |
| US09678739B2 |
Cluster update system
A locking system may place a persistent object on each of the devices in a computer cluster. The objects may indicate that an update is being performed on the devices so that other systems may not also update the devices. When an update has completed, the objects may be removed. The objects may include an identifier for the system owning the objects, as well as other information regarding the update. In some cases, the objects may include executable code and perform some of the update functions on the various devices. |
| US09678738B1 |
Software update methodology
Software update information is communicated to a network appliance either across a network or from a local memory device. The software update information includes kernel data, application data, or indicator data. The network appliance includes a first storage device, a second storage device, an operating memory, a central processing unit (CPU), and a network adapter. First and second storage devices are persistent storage devices. In a first example, both kernel data and application data are updated in the network appliance in response to receiving the software update information. In a second example, only the kernel data is updated in the network appliance in response to receiving the software update information. In a third example, only the application data is updated in the network appliance in response to receiving the software update information. Indicator data included in the software update information determines the data to be updated in the network appliance. |
| US09678735B2 |
Data caching among interconnected devices
Technology is disclosed herein for optimizing data caches among multiple interconnected computing devices. According to at least one embodiment, a storage server transfers a first data set to a computing device. The storage server then identifies a neighbor computing device sharing a local area network (LAN) with the computing device. The neighbor computing device maintains a network connection with the storage server. The storage server transmits a second data set relevant to the first data set to the neighbor computing device. In response to a read request for the second data set from the computing device, the storage server sends to the computing device an instruction indicating that the neighbor computing device is storing a data cache for the computing device. |
| US09678732B2 |
Firmware agent
Methods, apparatuses and storage medium associated with providing firmware to a device are disclosed herein. In various embodiments, an apparatus may include a device, and a processor to host a computing environment that includes the device and a device driver of the device. Further, the apparatus may include a firmware agent, disposed outside the computing environment, to provide, on behalf of the device driver, firmware to the device on power-on of the device. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US09678729B2 |
Dependency-driven co-specialization of specialized classes
The loading or operation of a specialized class may trigger the specialization of other classes. A compiler may be configured to recognize dependency relationships between generic classes and to describe the classes in terms of the type variables of the triggering types (e.g., the types and/or type parameterizations) that trigger the specialization of classes based on the specialization of a first class. A compiler may include information, such as structural references, indicating dependency relationships between classes when generating class files. Thus, the class file may include information indicating that a class extends a class resulting from applying a specialization code generator to an argument. Loading a first class may trigger the loading of a second class described by a structural description such that a specializer (and/or class loader) may apply the structural description to generate and load the second class for the particular parameterization. |
| US09678728B1 |
Version compatibility
A method, system, and program product for creating compatibility between two program interfaces comprising determining differences the interfaces; and generating code to create a compatibility layer between the first interface and second interface based on the differences between the interfaces. |
| US09678726B1 |
Automatic generation of plugins for development tools
Disclosed are various embodiments for automatic generation of plugins for development tools. A platform-independent model is obtained for software functionality such as an application programming interface (API) to a software development kit (SDK). A platform-specific plugin is generated for a development environment based at least in part on the platform-independent model. The platform-specific plugin provides the software functionality for a particular platform of multiple platforms. |
| US09678720B2 |
Implicit software dependency analysis
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for generated aggregated dependencies between software elements in a code base. One of the methods includes receiving a request to generate implicit dependencies introduced by remote procedure calls in a project. A registration of a remote procedure call is identified, wherein the registration of the remote procedure call specifies a target function and a name for the remote procedure call. An invocation of the remote procedure call using the name for the remote procedure call is identified, wherein the invocation occurs in a source software element of the project. A definition of the target function of the remote procedure call is identified, wherein the target function is defined in a target software element of the project. A new dependency is generated, the new dependency being a dependency from the source software element to the target software element. |
| US09678719B1 |
System and software for creation and modification of software
Described herein is a system comprising an App Generator (application generator) comprising executable program instructions that define one or more constraints. The one or more constraints embody one or more rules for converting an information structure into one or more components of a software application. The system also includes a digital data processor executing said executable program instructions to: i. provide a user interface; ii. accept input data that defines the information structure; and iii. apply the one or more constraints to said input data to generate the one or more components of the software application. |
| US09678718B1 |
Analyzing information associated with logic
In an embodiment, information associated with logic is acquired. The logic may have a changed portion and an unchanged portion. The information may include information associated with an execution of the logic. A filter is applied to the acquired information to identify information associated with the changed portion of the logic. A report may be generated based on the identified information. |
| US09678717B2 |
Distributing resource requests in a computing system
In an embodiment, a method include, in a hardware processor, producing, by a block of hardware logic resources, a constrained randomly generated or pseudo-randomly generated number (CRGN) based on a bit mask stored in a register memory. |
| US09678716B2 |
Apparatus and method for performing absolute difference operation
An apparatus comprises processing circuitry for performing an absolute difference operation for generating an absolute difference value in response to the first operand the second operand. The processing circuitry supports variable data element sizes for data elements of the first and second operands and the absolute difference value. Each data element of the absolute difference value represents an absolute difference between corresponding data elements of the first and second operands. The processing circuitry has an adding stage for performing at least one addition to generate at least one intermediate value and an inverting stage for inverting selected bits of each intermediate value. Control circuitry generates control information based on the current data element size and status information generated in the adding stage, to identify the selected bits to be inverted in the inverting stage to convert each intermediate value into a corresponding portion of the absolute difference value. |
| US09678714B2 |
Check procedure for floating point operations
Method and computer system for implementing an operation on ≧1 floating point input, in accordance with a rounding mode, e.g. using a Newton-Raphson technique. The floating point result comprises a p-bit mantissa. An unrounded proposed mantissa result is determined using the Newton-Raphson technique, wherein a p-bit rounded proposed mantissa result, t, corresponds to a rounding of the unrounded proposed mantissa result in accordance with the rounding mode, with k leading zeroes. If an increment to the (m−k)th bit of the unrounded result would affect the p-bit rounded result then the input(s) and bits of the unrounded result are used to determine a check parameter which is indicative of a relationship between an exact result and the unrounded result if the (m−k)th bit were incremented. The p-bit mantissa of the floating point result, is determined in dependence upon the check parameter, to be either t or t+1. |
| US09678709B1 |
Processing sound using collective feedforward
Personal audio systems and methods are disclosed. A personal audio system includes a processor to generate a personal audio stream by processing an ambient audio stream in accordance with an active processing parameter set, a circular buffer memory to store a most recent snippet of the ambient audio stream, and an event detector to detect a trigger event. In response to detection of the trigger event, a controller may transmit, to a knowledgebase remote from the personal audio system, the most recent snippet of the ambient audio stream and associated metadata. |
| US09678707B2 |
Identification of audio content facilitated by playback device
An example playback device includes one or more processors and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the playback device to perform functions. The functions include receiving digital data representing audio content. The functions further include sending at least a portion of the digital data to an identification system configured to identify the audio content based on the at least a portion of the digital data. The functions further include receiving information associated with the audio content from the identification system. The functions further include, in response to receiving the information associated with the audio content from the identification system, sending the received information to a control device that is configured to control the playback device. The functions further include playing the audio content via one or more speakers electrically connected to the playback device via a wired connection. |
| US09678704B2 |
NFC-enabled digital apparatus and method of NFC-based information transmission
An NFC-enabled digital apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a touch screen display and a near field communication (NFC) module comprising an NFC antenna and an NFC controller. In response to tagging between the NFC-enabled digital apparatus and the external NFC terminal, an NFC communication channel is established between the NFC enabled-digital apparatus and the external NFC terminal for data communication therebetween. |
| US09678698B2 |
Methods and systems for performing queue-based routing of print jobs in a multi-site print production environment
A system for performing queue-based routing of print jobs in one or more print production environments includes a computing device having a processor, and a computer-readable storage medium in communication with the computing device. The computing device will receive print jobs from one or more client computing devices, and the computing device will store the received print jobs in a scheduling queue. When the computing device determines that a released print job has been released by a print production environment, it will determine a similarity metric for a plurality of print jobs in the scheduling queen, identify the print job having the highest similarity metric, and route the identified print job to the print production environment for processing. |
| US09678697B2 |
Systems and methods of displaying a printer driver user interface
An embodiment is a method of presenting options for printing a document. A computing system receives data descriptive of a document to be printed. The computing system identifies one or more preview thumbnail profiles indicative of graphical parameters for rendering a portion of the document to be printed into preview thumbnail images. The computing system renders a portion of the document to be printed, based at least in part on the graphical parameters of the one or more preview thumbnail profiles, to generate one or more preview thumbnail images. The computing system displays the one or more preview thumbnail images on a printer driver user interface in conjunction with one or more printing options. The preview thumbnail images display predicted appearances of the portion of the document corresponding to the printing options. |
| US09678694B2 |
Document delivery to a mobile device using mobile device based permissions
Mobile devices enable users to access data and documents in a convenient portable format. The disclosed method and system enables management of permissions associated with documents to be transferred/moved onto a mobile device for review or reference by making the transfer simple and straight forward so that it may be easy for non-technically literate users using a printer driver metaphor on a sending device such as a personal computer. |
| US09678693B2 |
Method of setting wireless connection via near field communication function and image forming apparatus for performing the method
A method of configuring a wireless connection of an image forming apparatus via near field communication (NFC) is provided. The method includes receiving, by the image forming apparatus, wireless configuration information and Internet protocol (IP) address configuration information from a mobile device when the mobile device is tagged by the image forming apparatus, performing, user authentication of the mobile device with respect to the image forming apparatus, establishing communication between the image forming apparatus and an access point (AP) based on the wireless configuration information, and assigning an IP address to the image forming apparatus based on the IP address configuration information. |
| US09678692B2 |
Image forming apparatus remote control system, image forming apparatus, and remote control method with a control unit that displays warning screens
An image forming apparatus remote control system in which an information terminal device and an image forming apparatus are connected with each other via a network, the system capable of displaying an operation screen on a terminal operation unit of the information terminal device via the network based on operation unit image data corresponding to an operation screen displayed on an apparatus operation unit of the image forming apparatus, and capable of operating the apparatus operation unit of the image forming apparatus by remote control on the terminal operation unit side, the system includes a control unit that controls the remote control, wherein the control unit displays warning screens each including a display cancel function on the operation screens when a use action of the remote control system and a use action of the apparatus operation unit overlap with each other. |
| US09678691B2 |
Image forming apparatus for printing jobs in an order according to a time of submission
There is provided an image forming apparatus including: an image forming portion, an accepting portion accepting print jobs and identification information associated with the print jobs, a storage portion storing the print jobs and the identification information, an identification information input portion, and a controller. The controller is configured to: cause the storage portion to store an acceptance time at which the accepting portion accepts each of the print jobs, authenticate the identification information, extract the print jobs associated with the authenticated identification information from the print jobs stored in the storage portion, acquire a difference time which is a difference between an authentication time of authenticating the identification information and an acceptance time of accepting the extracted print jobs, and cause the image forming portion to carry out image formation for all the print jobs with the acquired difference time within a first time period. |
| US09678687B2 |
User mode heap swapping
In an example, there is disclosed a computing apparatus, including a processor, including a trusted execution instruction set; a memory having an enclave portion, wherein the enclave is accessible only via the trusted execution instruction set; a swap file; and a memory management engine operable to: allocate a buffer within the enclave; receive a scope directive to indicate that the buffer is in scope; and protect the buffer from swapping to the swap file while the buffer is in scope. There is further disclosed an method of providing a memory management engine, and one or more computer-readable storage mediums having stored thereon executable instructions for providing the memory management engine. |
| US09678683B1 |
Lazy persistent storage volume provisioning
Methods and systems for provisioning persistent storage are disclosed. For example, a new isolated guest and associated persistent storage volume are requested to be created. The isolated guest is based on an image file in an image repository and is associated with metadata. An orchestrator obtains the image file. The orchestrator reserves the persistent storage volume by updating the system resource allocation database based on the metadata. The persistent storage volume is then created in the persistent storage based on the reservation of the persistent storage volume in the system resource allocation database. The orchestrator activates the constructed isolated guest and the isolated guest accesses the persistent storage volume. |
| US09678679B2 |
Data mirroring for network attached storage
A computer-implemented method for data mirroring for network attached storage includes duplicating an identity mapping database on a second NAS server and creating a queue of updated data files containing updated elements since a prior synchronization. Data files containing the updated elements are transmitted from the first NAS server to the second NAS server. An updated copy of the identity mapping database from the first NAS server is stored at the second NAS server. The updated data files and metadata information from the first NAS server are written to the second NAS server. The permission entries of the transmitted data files from the first NAS server are translated using the identity mapping databases of the first and second NAS servers, such that the permission entries reflect the local ID mapping database on the second NAS server. |
| US09678678B2 |
Storage network data retrieval
According to an aspect of an embodiment, a method of retrieving data in a storage network may include determining a list of storage blocks of a storage network for potential retrieval of a data file for storage on a first storage block of the storage network. The determining may be based on two or more of: assignment information of the data file as assigned by a storage network manager, location information, device types, peer-to-peer reachability, network information, and presence information. The method may also include attempting to retrieve the data file from a second storage block included in the list of storage blocks for storage on the first storage block. Further, the method may include attempting to retrieve the data file from a third storage block included in the list of storage blocks for storage on the first storage block when retrieval from the second storage block fails. |
| US09678677B2 |
Determining adjustments to the spare space in a storage device unavailable to a user based on a current consumption profile of a storage device
Provided are a computer program product, system and method for determining adjustments to the spare space in a storage device unavailable to a user based on a current consumption profile of a storage device. A current write amplification is based on storage writes to a media at a storage device and host writes from a host to the storage device. An adjustment to the current write amplification is determined to produce an adjusted write amplification based on an estimated lifespan of the storage device, a maximum storage writes for the storage device, and the storage writes at the storage device since the storage device was powered-on. A determination is made to an adjustment to spare space based on the adjusted write amplification. The spare space and the free space available to the user are reconfigured to adjust the spare space by the determined adjustment to the spare space. |
| US09678670B2 |
Method for compute element state replication
A method and system for compute element state replication is provided. The method includes transforming at least a subset of metadata of a source compute element from a memory tier of the source compute element to a block representation; within a destination compute element, mounting the block representation; reverse transforming the metadata to a memory tier of the destination compute element; and using the reverse transformed metadata to operate the destination compute element. |
| US09678669B2 |
Hierarchical memory system compiler
Designing memory subsystems for integrated circuits can be time-consuming and costly task. To reduce development time and costs, an automated system and method for designing and constructing high-speed memory operations is disclosed. The automated system accepts a set of desired memory characteristics and then methodically selects different potential memory system design types and different implementations of each memory system design type. The potential memory system design types may include traditional memory systems, optimized traditional memory systems, intelligent memory systems, and hierarchical memory systems. A selected set of proposed memory systems that meet the specified set of desired memory characteristics is output to a circuit designer. When a circuit designer selects a proposed memory system, the automated system generates a complete memory system design, a model for the memory system, and a test suite for the memory system. |
| US09678667B2 |
Techniques for maintaining device coordination in a storage cluster system
Various embodiments are generally directed to techniques for maintaining and using a quorum of nodes within a cluster of a storage cluster system to perform coordinated operations. An apparatus includes a network interface of a node of multiple nodes of a storage cluster system to receive a command from another device to cause the node to become unavailable to remain within a quorum of the nodes; an update coordination component to enable one node at a time to have authority to update node status data, the node status data comprising indications of states of the multiple nodes; and a command evaluation component to cooperate with the update coordination component to obtain the authority, analyze the indications to determine a current status of the quorum when the node has the authority, and determine whether to accept the command based on whether unavailability of the node causes loss of the quorum. |
| US09678663B2 |
Display system and operation input method
A display system includes a sensor unit that detects the position of a pointing object in contact with a predetermined object, a control apparatus that sets a key layout on the object and recognizes a key operated by the pointing object based on the position of the pointing object relative to the key layout, and a display apparatus that receives operational input from the operated key. |
| US09678660B2 |
Method and apparatus for conveying efficient map panning over a mapping user interface
An approach is provided for processing one or more user interactions and/or user gestures with the user interface element to a cause panning for specifying routes with location anchors for streets. A panning platform determines an input for specifying at least one panning operation over a mapping user interface. Next, the panning platform determines one or more map features rendered in the mapping user interface. Subsequently, the panning platform processes and/or facilitates a processing of the one or more map features to determine one or more parameters for the at least one panning operation, wherein the at least one panning operation includes a recentering of the mapping user interface. |
| US09678658B2 |
Method for displaying interface content and user equipment
A method for displaying interface content and user equipment, which effectively improve interaction experience of a user when the user performs a flick operation on a touchscreen, and enhance pleasure in application interaction. A specific solution is acquiring an initial position and a movement direction of a touch point, determining a motion parameter of an interface element object in each grid on a screen according to the initial position and the movement direction, where the screen is divided in advance into multiple grids, and each grid includes a preset quantity of pixels, and moving the interface element object in each grid according to the motion parameter of the interface element object in each grid. |
| US09678654B2 |
Wearable computer with superimposed controls and instructions for external device
A wearable computing device includes a head-mounted display (HMD) that provides a field of view in which at least a portion of the environment of the wearable computing device is viewable. The HMD is operable to display images superimposed over the field of view. When the wearable computing device determines that a target device is within its environment, the wearable computing device obtains target device information related to the target device. The target device information may include information that defines a virtual control interface for controlling the target device and an identification of a defined area of the target device on which the virtual control image is to be provided. The wearable computing device controls the HMD to display the virtual control image as an image superimposed over the defined area of the target device in the field of view. |
| US09678646B2 |
Electronic device and computer-readable recording medium storing information display program
An electronic device includes a magnified view window display unit configured to display a magnified view window to magnify and display an area including a first touched position, a magnified view window size change unit configured to enlarge a size of the magnified view window based on the first touched position and a second touched position when a touched position moves to the second touched position from the first touched position, and a view target area determining unit configured to determine a display target area including the second touched position corresponding to the size of the magnified view window and to display the display target area on the magnified view window. |
| US09678645B2 |
Interactive map markers
A system for providing an interactive map displays an interactive map marker that includes an associated location on the map, an associated data value, a visual indicator, and an underlying data model. The system receives an interaction from a user that modifies the visual indicator and changes the associated data value based on the visual indicator modification. The system then changes the underlying data model based on the visual indicator modification. |
| US09678644B2 |
Displaying a plurality of registered images
A system for displaying a plurality of registered images is disclosed. A first viewport unit displays a representation of a first image dataset in a first viewport. A second viewport unit displays a representation of a second image dataset in a second viewport. A position indication unit enables a user to indicate a position in the first dataset displayed in the first viewport, to obtain a user-indicated position. A corresponding position determining unit determines a position in the second image dataset corresponding to the user-indicated position, to obtain a corresponding position in the second image dataset, based on correspondence information mapping positions in the first image dataset to corresponding positions in the second image dataset. The second viewport unit displays an indication of the corresponding position in the second viewport. |
| US09678643B2 |
Secure online communication through a widget on a web page
A client device requests a web page via a network, where the web page is identified by an identifier and references a widget. Following receipt of the requested web page, the client device requests the widget referenced by the requested web page and presents, within the requested web page, a presentation of the widget. Thereafter, in response to receiving user information within the presentation of the widget, the client device communicates the user information to a server via a secure connection between the widget on the client device and the server while maintaining user context at the client device in the requested web page, where the secure connection is initiated by the client device and employs a secure communication protocol implemented by the widget. |
| US09678640B2 |
View management architecture
Multi-display computing environments are often represented as a unified coordinate space, where each display presents application views within a coordinate region. Such arrangements may enable features such as application views that span multiple displays, but such features may not appeal to users. Additionally, such representations may complicate the application of layouts to particular displays while maintaining relationships among application views. Instead, a view management architecture may generate a user interface collection comprising, for respective displays, an arrangement of view entries for respective views presented on the display. Entries for new views may be added to the arrangement for a particular display, and may be contained within an application container encapsulating all views of an application on the display. This multi-display representation enables display layouts to be applied to the views within a particular display while preserving relationships among views presented by each of several displays of the computing environment. |
| US09678637B1 |
Providing context-based portions of content
Systems and methods are provided for recommending a portion of one or more content items to be consumed in a given context. For example, a recommendation service may receive context information associated with a user's current context, where the context may be associated with a geographic location, an activity or other information. The recommendation service may then determine one or more recommended portions of one or more content items to be consumed in the given context, where the determination may be based in part on content characteristics of the one or more recommended portions. |
| US09678634B2 |
Extensible framework for ereader tools
The functionality of an ereader module that is displaying an electronic book (“ebook”) is extended. A user identifier specifying a user using a client device executing the ereader module and an ebook identifier specifying the ebook displayed by the ereader module are received from the client device. One or more layers associated with the user are determined. One or more layers associated with the ebook are determined. A list of one or more layers is assembled. The layer list is transmitted to the client device. The client device enables the user to select a layer and use the selected layer to interact with content of the ebook. |
| US09678633B2 |
Display device, image forming apparatus, and display control method
A display device (10) includes a display section (210), a detection section (220), and a display control section (100). The display section (210) displays a plurality of pages (P). The detection section (220) detects a plurality of touch points on a display surface of the display section (210). The display control section (100) performs page turning of the plurality of pages in response to movement of one of the touch points and suspends page turning in response to movement of the touch point stopping. In response to movement of a touch point different from the touch point that stops among the plurality of touch points, the display control section (100) performs page turning at a page turning speed different from that in page turning before the touch point stops. The turning speed is the number of pages (P) turned per unit time. |
| US09678630B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing electronic books
A method for managing an electronic book (e-book) is provided. The method includes mapping e-books corresponding to class textbooks by time zone based on a timetable, displaying the timetable comprising objects corresponding to the e-books mapped by time zone and class related information, and, if any one of the objects corresponding to the e-books is touched, opening and displaying a page of an e-book corresponding to the touched object. |
| US09678625B2 |
Multimedia player and menu screen display method
A menu management unit relates items of contents received from a storage unit to multiple folder icons 120, which represent units for displaying contents. A menu screen generating unit generates image data for a menu screen 50, which includes a function icon array 70 formed by multiple function icons 52-62 aligned horizontally, and a folder icon array 72 formed by multiple folder icons 120 aligned vertically. With respect to each of the multiple folder icons, an effect processing unit receives, as a folder attachment image 122, one of content icons representing related contents from the storage unit, and then displays, in the folder icon array 72, the folder attachment image 122 and the folder icon 120 so that the folder attachment image is included in the semi-transparent folder icon superimposed upon the image. |
| US09678624B2 |
Unified desktop triad control user interface for a phone manager
Methods and devices for selectively presenting a user interface or “desktop” across two devices are provided. More particularly, a unified desktop is presented across a device and a computer system that comprise a unified system. The unified desktop acts as a single user interface that presents data and receives user interaction in a seamless environment that emulates a personal computing environment. To function within the personal computing environment, the unified desktop includes a process for docking and undocking the device with the computer system. The unified desktop presents a new user interface to allow access to functions of the unified desktop. |
| US09678612B2 |
Single layered electrode structure
A single layered electrode structure includes a plurality of first electrode groups arranged along a first direction, a plurality of second electrode groups arranged along the first direction, and a plurality of third electrodes arranged along the first direction. Each of the first electrode groups includes at least one first electrode arranged along a second direction. Each of the second electrode groups includes a plurality of second electrodes arranged along the second direction, with each of the second electrodes at least corresponding to the at least one first electrode. Each of the third electrodes is arranged as one of combinations of between two of the first electrode groups, between two of the first electrode groups, and between one of the first electrode groups and one of the second electrode groups. |
| US09678610B2 |
Capacitive touch screen and single layer wiring electrode array
Disclosed are a capacitive touch screen and a single layer wiring electrode array. The single layer wiring electrode array includes capacitive regions and wiring regions located on one plane. Wires in the wiring regions are zigzag-shaped or wave-shaped. The capacitive touch screen includes a substrate; a single layer wiring electrode array disposed over the substrate, wherein the single layer wiring electrode array includes capacitive regions and wiring regions located on one plane and wires in the wiring region are zigzag-shaped or wave-shaped; and control ports for connecting to one or more integrated circuits, wherein the wires in the wiring regions are connected to the control ports respectively. The single layer wiring electrode array and the capacitive touch screen lower the fabrication cost and improve the display effects. |
| US09678609B2 |
Orthogonal frequency scan scheme in touch system
Systems and processes for stimulating a touch sensor panel using orthogonal frequencies are provided. In one example process, the drive lines of the touch sensor panel can be stimulated with stimulation signals having orthogonal frequencies. The orthogonal frequencies can be separated by a frequency that is inversely proportional to an integration time of the touch sensor panel. The touch signals generated in response to the stimulation signals can be amplified, converted into digital form, demodulated using the orthogonal frequencies, and integrated over the integration time. Integrating the demodulated signals over a length of time that is inversely proportional to the frequency spacing between the orthogonal frequencies reduces or eliminates interference in the touch signals caused by the stimulation signals having different frequencies. |
| US09678604B2 |
Digitizer-integrated display module
To provide a rigid digitizer-integrated display module, the display module includes a display panel for forming an image, a digitizer module formed on the bottom side of the display panel to detect electromagnetic type digitizer input, and a non-magnetic metal structure enclosing the bottom sides of the mold frame and the digitizer and the outer periphery of the mold frame. |
| US09678603B2 |
Synchronized multi-device transmissions
In a method of operating at least first and second electronic devices, the devices are each arranged to transmit and receive ultrasonic signals, e.g. to operate a touchless user interface. Both devices, or at least two of the devices, are synchronised to transmit said signals at substantially the same time. The devices may, for example, listen to each other's ultrasonic signals or use a WiFi network access point for synchronization. |
| US09678602B2 |
Touch-sensitive apparatus with improved spatial resolution
A touch-sensitive apparatus is configured to define a touch surface on a panel by propagating diverging energy beams (e.g. of radiation) across the touch surface inside the panel. Two rows (20A, 20B) of components (2, 3) of a first type that emits energy as a diverging beam and a second type that detects energy are functionally connected to the panel at opposite ends of the touch surface. The rows (20A, 20B) are defined by consecutive component blocks (B) that each contain only components (2, 3) of one type and are defined by type and number of included components. Each row (20A, 20B) comprises a respective sequence (S) of two component blocks (B) of different types and is defined by systematically repeating the sequence (S) along the respective opposite end. To achieve an improved spatial resolution of the touch-sensitive apparatus for a given number of components, at least one of the sequences (S) is selected to consist of two component blocks (B) with different number of components, and the sequences (S) are selected such that at least one component block (B) differs between the sequences (S). |
| US09678598B2 |
Touch panel
A capacitive touch panel includes a scanning circuit portion for inputting a drive voltage to each scanning electrode sequentially in 1st to n-th sub detection periods, a capacitance detection circuit portion for detecting a capacitance detection signal of the each detecting electrode in the 1st to n-th groups, and a control circuit portion for calculating a capacitance detection signal change amount from the capacitance detection signals of a plurality of the detecting electrodes detected by the capacitance detection circuit portion, and calculating coordinates of a touch position based on the capacitance detection signal change amounts. The control circuit portion determines, in consecutive sub detection periods, the capacitance detection signal change amount of the each detecting electrode in two groups from which the capacitance detection signals are detected in the consecutive sub detection periods, based on the capacitance detection signals consecutively detected from at least one same detecting electrode. |
| US09678589B2 |
Touch panel and apparatus for driving thereof
Disclosed is a touch sensing display device capable of sensing both touch position and touch force, shortening a driving time for the touch sensing, and improving touch sensing efficiency, and an apparatus for driving thereof. The display device can include a color filter, a plurality of first touch electrodes for touch force sensing, and a plurality of second touch electrodes for touch position sensing and separated from the first touch electrodes by the color filter. The display can also include a force sensing touch driver for the first touch electrodes and a touch position touch driver for the second touch electrodes. |
| US09678585B2 |
Pen switching between active and passive status
An embodiment provides a method, including: identifying, using a processor, a pen characteristic; identifying, using a processor, an inability to communicate between the pen and an input component using the pen characteristic; and responsive to detecting the inability, disabling a pen feature. Other embodiments, including systems, devices and products, are described and claimed. |
| US09678580B2 |
Human-to-computer interfaces
The invention relates to an improved keyboard and keyboard driver for facilitating a reduction in the number of key presses required to create or delete a given data string (i.e. mnemonics, abbreviations, words, sentences, paragraphs etc.). The keyboard includes an array of keys having multi-character indicia and an interface system comprising data storage means; data processing means; and data display means, wherein the data processing means reduces key presses by filtering data stored within the data storage means by initial character, as determined by the character or characters ascribed to a data input key initially pressed by a user, and prioritizing the filtered data in real-time according to user-configurable prioritization parameters (using qualitative and/or quantitative information relating to each data string stored within the storage means). The invention also provides improved calculator functionality and function-lock keys. Taken together, the keyboard and keyboard driver of the invention (which may be implemented in isolation or together) promotes ease of use, reduced user-interactivity, elevated efficiency and thus enhanced productivity that in turn yields improved accuracy and flexibility. |
| US09678577B1 |
Magnetic sensing user interface device methods and apparatus using electromagnets and associated magnetic sensors
User interface devices with electromagnetic dipole array and associated magnetic sensors, control circuits, and processing elements for determining user actuation of the device are disclosed. In one embodiment a user interface device include an electromagnetic dipole array coupled to an actuator, along with a three-axis magnetic sensor and control and processing elements for controlling driving currents to the dipole array and sensing and processing received magnetic field signals to determine movement or displacement of the actuator. |
| US09678575B2 |
Flexibly-mounted evacuation channels in collapsible bags
The present invention relates to a mounting for connecting at least one peripherally-connected evacuation channel to the spout of a flexible bag and more particularly to a flexible mounting for connecting such at least one evacuation channel. |
| US09678568B2 |
Apparatus, system, method for designating displayed items and for controlling operation by detecting movement
An electronic apparatus is provided. The apparatus has a displaying unit for displaying plural items, the items prepared for giving instructions of performing different operations respectively, a detecting unit for detecting movement, and a controlling unit for, when an item is designated from among the plural items, performing an operation corresponding to the designated item. Further, on the assumption that any of the plural items is designated on the displaying unit and the detecting unit detects movement, the controlling unit changes an indication of the designated item or an indication relating to designated item, displayed on the displaying unit, and on the assumption that other item is designated on the displaying unit and the detecting unit detects movement, changes an indication of the designated other item or an indication relating to designated other item, displayed on the displaying unit. |
| US09678564B2 |
Multiprocessor system with interrupt distributor
An intelligent interrupt distributor balances interrupts (workload) in a highly parallelized system. The intelligent interrupt distributor distributes the interrupts between the processor cores. This allows lowering of voltage and frequency of individual processors and ensures that the overall system power consumption is reduced. |
| US09678562B2 |
Information processing apparatus, data transfer apparatus, and control method for data transfer apparatus
A bus system comprises a plurality of bus modules each for performing data transfer between a master module and a slave module. A power control module controls transition to a power-saving mode of each bus module based on communication with the plurality of bus modules. The power control module comprises a plurality of control modules corresponding to the plurality of bus modules respectively. Each control module performs communication with the corresponding bus module using power control signals. |
| US09678555B2 |
Methods and systems for calibration of voltage regulator systems with multiple types of power stages
Methods and systems are disclosed that may be employed to enable multi-phase voltage regulator (VR) system calibration during the development phase of a multi-phase VR system so as to meet defined accuracy targets and, in one example, to avoid the need for system level calibration in a production environment. The disclosed systems and methods may be further implemented to enable use of multiple sources for and types of integrated power stages (IPstages) in a common multi-phase VR system configuration while still achieving the required current sense accuracy, thus reducing or substantially eliminating continuity of supply (COS) concerns. |
| US09678551B2 |
Apparatus and method for visual field replaceable unit identification in the absence of host system device power
The present disclosure is directed to visual field replacement unit (FRU) identification and retaining FRU status information of one or more field replaceable units in a host system device when one or more of the field replaceable units is removed from the host system device disconnecting host power to the removed field replaceable unit(s). The one or more field replaceable units may be located on a carrier printed circuit board assembly and the host system device may contain multiple field replaceable units and/or multiple carrier printed circuit board subassemblies. Once the host power is disconnected from the carrier, an alternate power source continues to provide power to keep the FRU indicator illuminated for repairs or replacement. The FRU indicator is illuminated long enough for a service technician to place the carrier on a bench or table top and recognize the failed FRU from the remaining FRUs. |
| US09678547B1 |
Performing a power cycle reset in response to a change in charging power applied to an electronic device
An electronic device is configured to perform a power cycle reset in response to a change in charging power applied to the device. The device includes an electrical load with a microprocessor, a battery, a charging circuit that receives power from an external power source and uses the received power to charge the battery, and a control circuit that regulates the power cycle reset operation. The power supply circuit selectively uses the battery to power the device by coupling the load to a power supply path and discharges the load by coupling the load to a discharge path. The control circuit receives, from the charging circuit, an indication of a change in power applied to the charging circuit and responsively generates a control signal and applies the control signal to the power supply circuit, which causes the power supply circuit to temporarily couple the load to the discharge path. |
| US09678537B2 |
Mobile device case and peripheral system
A mobile device case having a first port and a second port, both for interfacing with a mobile device and a third port electrically connected to both the first port and the second port, the third port for interfacing with a peripheral. In one embodiment, the first port may be for power and the second port may be for data, and the third port may be a circular port having rings of conductive material electrically connected to either the first port or the second port. In one embodiment, the third port may further be recessed into a back surface of the case, and walls of the recessed segment may be used as a portion of a support system for removably fixing peripherals to the third port. |
| US09678536B2 |
Flip-open wearable computer
A wearable computer may include a housing that rotates in relation to a rear cover to selectively allow access to a battery. The wearable computer may be secured to a user's extremity by a mounting strap extending from the rear cover. The housing is rotatable between a first orientation and a second orientation. In the first orientation, the rear cover extends along the rear surface of the housing, and a latching assembly allows a user to selectively secure the housing to the cover. In the second orientation, the rear surface of the housing extends at an angle from the rear cover, allowing a user access to the battery without removing the housing from the user's extremity. A data cable connected to an input/output port on the rear surface can be routed out of a side of the housing. |
| US09678534B2 |
Convertible clamshell to slate device
In one embodiment, a clamshell-slate hybrid may act as either a clamshell or slate computing device. The clamshell-slate hybrid 202 may selectively set an activation state of a vestigial key set 426 of a keyboard 424 on a key side 422 of a keyboard chassis 206 hinged along a top axis to a display chassis 204. The clamshell-slate hybrid 202 may retract the vestigial key set 426 based on an activation state. The clamshell-slate hybrid 202 may receive a user input in a touch screen display 354 on a display side 352 of the display chassis 204. |
| US09678532B2 |
Capacitive touch sensitive housing and method for making the same
A method for making a capacitive touch sensitive housing, comprises: forming a non-patterned active metal layer on a housing wall; patterning the non-patterned active metal layer on the housing wall by laser ablation such that the non-patterned active metal layer is formed into a patterned active metal layer including a plurality of plating portions separated from each other, and a plurality of non-plating portions separated from the plating portions; and forming a metal layer on the patterned active metal layer such that the metal layer has first portions formed on the plating portions of the patterned active metal layer, and second portions formed on the non-plating portions of the patterned active metal layer. |
| US09678530B2 |
Clock skew adjusting structure
An clock skew adjusting structure is provided. The clock skew adjusting structure includes a substrate, a wiring structure, a first active component and a second active component. The wiring structure includes at least a wiring layer and at least a via, the via is configured for different wiring layers to be electrically connected with each other. The first active component is formed on the substrate and configured for delivering a clock signal to the wiring structure. The second active component is formed on the substrate and electrically connected to the first active component through the wiring structure thus forming a timing path. The second active component receives the clock signal through the timing path. |
| US09678529B2 |
Efficiency-based clock frequency adjustment
One aspect of the disclosure provides a computer system. In one embodiment, the computer system comprises a clock generator, at least one processor, and a clock frequency controller. The clock generator is configured to provide a clock signal at a clock frequency. The at least one processor is configured to receive the clock signal and to operate at a speed dependent on the clock frequency. The clock frequency controller is configured to receive efficiency information indicating a current efficiency of the at least one processor. The clock frequency controller is further configured to receive a request from the processor for a target number of processor instructions to be handled in a particular time period. The clock frequency controller is further configured to output a frequency control signal to the clock generator for controlling the clock frequency in dependence thereon. |
| US09678524B2 |
Apparatuses and methods for power regulation based on input power
Apparatuses and methods for power regulation based on input power using circuitry are disclosed herein. An example apparatus may include a reference circuit configured to receive a first voltage and a second voltage and to provide an output reference voltage at an output node having a value equal to the second voltage subtracted from the first voltage. The reference circuit may be configured to mirror a current of a first circuit coupled between the second voltage and a reference voltage through a second circuit coupled between the first voltage and the output node. The example apparatus may further include a power circuit configured to provide a third voltage based on the output reference voltage. The third voltage may have a value that is equal to the output reference voltage. |
| US09678518B2 |
Remote maintenance
The invention relates to a thermostat for communicating with a remote maintenance server. The thermostat being configured for receiving and sending network data from and to the remote maintenance server. The thermostat is configured to receive network data provided by a maintenance interface service for receiving and displaying network data from and to a maintenance person. The thermostat is configured for receiving and sending remote controller data from and to a remote controller. The thermostat is configured to receive remote controller data from a user through a controller user interface. The thermostat is configured for receiving and sending appliance data from and to at least one appliance. The thermostat is configured for generating a request for appliance data from the at least one appliance and the thermostat is configured for receiving appliance data in response to the request for appliance data. |
| US09678514B2 |
Double port pressure regulator with floating seat
A double port regulator assembly includes a first fluid port and a second fluid port. A fixed valve seat assembly is disposed proximate the first fluid port and a floating valve seat assembly is disposed proximate the second fluid port. A first valve plug cooperates with the fixed valve seat assembly to open and close the first fluid port and a second valve lug cooperates with the floating valve seat assembly to open and close the second fluid port. The floating valve seat assembly includes a floating valve seat that is movable with respect to the fixed valve seat. |
| US09678513B2 |
Fluid regulating unit
A fluid regulating unit includes a body, a pressure regulator, and a control valve. The body has an inlet, an outlet configured to output a regulated flow of fluid, and a flow path defined between the inlet and the outlet. The body integrates a pressure regulator and a control valve, each of which is disposed in the flow path. The pressure regulator has a regulator body, a control assembly configured to control a fluid flow through the regulator body, a sensor operatively coupled to the control assembly to control a position of the control element, and a bonnet movably coupled to the regulator body. The regulator body and the bonnet define a reference chamber disposed in the flow path. The reference chamber is configured to apply a reference force to the sensor to control the fluid flow through the regulator body. |
| US09678510B2 |
Electromagnetic actuator
An electromechanical actuator includes a drive motor having rotatable drive shaft. A magnetic element is disposed on the drive shaft. A rotary-to-linear motion converter is driven by the rotatable drive shaft and includes a non-rotating actuator body that is linearly movable in a traveling direction. A Hall-effect sensor is disposed in a stationary manner proximal to the magnetic element disposed on the drive shaft. A controller is in electronic communication with the Hall-effect sensor. The controller counts the number of impulses output by the Hall-effect sensor when the drive shaft rotates relative to the Hall-effect sensor, and turns off the drive motor after a predetermined number of impulses have been counted since the start-up of the non-rotating actuator body. The controller may also count the number of times that the current of the drive motor exceeds a predetermined maximum value and store this counted value in a memory element. |
| US09678497B2 |
Parallel processing with cooperative multitasking
Multiple parallel slave processes and a master process are assigned to a node executing an operating system such that the operating system maintains a ready queue comprising a list of one or more processes that are ready to be executed by at least one processing core. A parallel slave process takes an action that causes the operating system to keep the parallel slave process out of the ready queue. Based on receiving an indication that the parallel slave process is to be kept out of the ready queue, the master process sets the parallel slave process to a blocking state, selects a second parallel slave process that is in a runnable state but is currently kept from being in the ready queue, and takes an action that causes the operating system to add the parallel slave process that is in the runnable state to the ready queue. |
| US09678496B2 |
Concrete material dispensing system
A control system for a concrete plant adds intelligent capabilities in the concrete plant that may enhance safety, localize control of the concrete plant, and assist with troubleshooting. The control system may also enhance accuracy for determining an amount of mixed concrete dispensed, or amounts of concrete ingredients to dispense, and may eliminate the need for equipment used to verify the amount of mixed concrete or concrete ingredients dispensed. |
| US09678490B2 |
Systems and methods for temperature-based performance optimization of memory devices
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a memory system may include one or more memory modules and a memory controller communicatively coupled to one or more memory modules. The memory controller may be configured to determine a temperature associated with the memory system and determine if the temperature is below a minimum threshold temperature, wherein the minimum threshold temperature is a predetermined margin greater than a critical temperature below which one or more timing parameters of the memory system are of greater durations than they are when the temperature is above the critical temperature, and further wherein the predetermined margin is zero or greater. The memory controller may also be configured to initiate one or more remedial actions to increase the temperature above the minimum threshold temperature if the temperature is below the minimum threshold temperature. |
| US09678488B1 |
System and method for vehicle build verification
A system and method for performing build verification of equipment systems after being installed in a partially constructed vehicle portion. After installing one or more of prerequisite equipment systems during a current build stage of a vehicle build plan, the installed equipment systems are tested during the current build stage to determine whether the installed equipment systems are electrically connected correctly. |
| US09678487B1 |
System and method for allocating a fixed quantity distributed over a set of quantities
A method of allocating a fixed resource includes displaying an interface control in a user interface display. The interface control includes at least three continuous value control elements associated with a group including at least three categories. Each continuous value control element is associated with a value associated with a category of the group. The operator of the values associated with the at least three continuous value control elements is equal to a fixed quantity. In response to a first user input, a first continuous value control element is locked to fix the value associated with the first continuous value control element. In response to a second user input, a second continuous value control element is adjusted to change the value associated with the second continuous value control element. The method further includes automatically adjusting unlocked continuous value control elements of the at least three continuous value control elements other than the second continuous value control element to maintain the operator of the values associated with the at least three continuous value control elements equal to the fixed quantity. |
| US09678484B2 |
Method and apparatus for seamless state transfer between user interface devices in a mobile control room
Methods and apparatus for operating a process plant include a server providing display information to a first user interface (UI) device, storing state information, and providing display information to a second user interface device according to the stored state data. A processor is coupled to a unitary, logical data storage area and to a memory device that stores machine-readable instructions executable by the processor. The instructions cause the processor to retrieve process data for display on a first UI device, transmit to the first UI device the retrieved process data, store state information associated with the display of the process data on the first UI device, retrieve process data for display on a second UI device according to the stored state information, and transmit to the second UI device the process data retrieved according to the stored state information. |
| US09678476B2 |
Scalable and tileable holographic displays
A holographic display system for generating a super hologram with full parallax in different fields of view in the horizontal and vertical directions. The display system includes assemblies or subsystems each adapted to combine holographic displays and coarse integral displays to produce or display a coarse integral hologram. The display system is adapted to combine such displays or display systems to add more detail or information. For example, the display system can be assembled as if it were made up of “holographic bricks” that can be stacked and combined to provide a unique image/output. Briefly, the display system described herein teaches techniques for combining coarse integral holographic (CIH) displays in a seamless and scalable manner, e.g., a display system where multiple spatial light modulators (SLMs) can be placed or provided behind coarse integral optics. |
| US09678471B2 |
Process cartridge, electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and electrophotographic photosensitive drum unit
A process cartridge for use with a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The process cartridge includes a casing, a photosensitive drum having an axis L1, and a coupling member having an axis L2. The coupling member is movable between a first position in which the axis L2 of the coupling member is coaxial with the axis L1 of the photosensitive drum, and a second position in which the axis L2 of the coupling member is inclined with respect to the axis L1 of the photosensitive drum. |
| US09678466B2 |
Image forming apparatus that controls a conveyance speed of sheets while purging the sheets after a paper jam
An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit configured to form an image on a paper sheet; a conveying unit configured to convey the paper sheet to the image forming unit at a first conveyance speed and convey the paper sheet in the image forming unit at a second conveyance speed; a trouble detecting unit configured to detect a trouble; and a control unit configured to control the conveyance of the paper sheet in the conveying unit and the image formation on the paper sheet in the image forming unit, wherein, when the trouble detecting unit detects a trouble from the paper sheet being conveyed, and the control unit controls the conveying unit to perform a purging process to discharge a troubled paper sheet to the outside of the apparatus, the control unit controls a conveyance speed to be equal to the second conveyance speed. |
| US09678464B2 |
Sheet feeder, and image forming apparatus using the sheet feeder
A sheet feeder is provided. The sheet feeder includes a sheet container installation space forming member to form a sheet container installation space in the sheet feeder; a sheet container to contain a recording sheet therein, which can be inserted into or extracted from the sheet container installation space; and a sheet feeding device, which contacts with the recording sheet in the sheet container at a sheet pickup position to apply a feeding power to the recording sheet. The sheet feeder has a passage, which is formed by the sheet container and the sheet container installation space forming member to communicate the inside of the sheet feeder with the outside thereof and which is detoured plural times, wherein the passage is located above the sheet pickup position. |
| US09678462B2 |
Image forming apparatus and control method for fixing device
An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment includes a fixing device, a transport unit and a controller. The fixing device includes a heat roller and a pressure roller that is moveable with respect to the heat roller. A movement mechanism moves the pressure roller among a contact position in which the pressure roller contacts the heat roller with a first pressing force, a separation position in which the pressure roller does not contact the heat roller, and a semi-contact position in which the pressure roller contacts the heat roller with a second pressing force smaller than the first pressing force. The transport unit transports a medium between the heat roller and the pressure roller. The controller controls the movement mechanism so that the pressure roller moves from the semi-contact position to the separation position after the pressure unit is in the semi-contact position for more than a predetermined time. |
| US09678460B2 |
Fixing device, image forming apparatus, and fixing method
A fixing device includes a primary heater, a secondary heater, and a tertiary heater to heat a primary heating span, a secondary heating span, and a tertiary heating span of a fixing rotator, respectively. A primary temperature detector and a secondary temperature detector detect a temperature of the fixing rotator. A tertiary temperature detector detects a temperature of a pressure rotator. A controller selectively performs a primary control mode to de-energize the tertiary heater and a secondary control mode to connect the secondary heater and the tertiary heater in series to energize the primary heater, the secondary heater, and the tertiary heater. The controller energizes the secondary heater and the tertiary heater in the secondary control mode based on the temperature of the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator detected by the secondary temperature detector and the tertiary temperature detector, respectively. |
| US09678457B2 |
Cartridge, rotary unit, and image forming apparatus
A cartridge includes a coupling member, a transmitted member, and a rotary member. The transmitted member includes an accommodating portion configured to accommodate the coupling member, and a protruded portion integrally formed with an inner wall of the accommodating portion and protruding from the inner wall toward an inside of the accommodating portion. The coupling member includes a free end portion having a rotational force receiving portion that receives a rotational force, a connected portion connected to the transmitted member in such a manner that at least a part of the connected portion can be accommodated in the accommodating portion, and a recessed portion provided at the connected portion so that the protruded portion can enter. An inclination angle of a rotation axis of the coupling member relative to a rotation axis of the transmitted member is variable. |
| US09678453B2 |
Semiconductive roller
A semiconductive roller (1) is formed from a semiconductive rubber composition which contains a rubber component including 15 to 80 mass % of an epichlorohydrin rubber, and has an oxide film (5) formed in its outer peripheral surface (4). The arithmetic average roughness Ra of the outer peripheral surface is 1.0 to 3.5 μm, and the ratio S/S0 of a measured surface area S per unit area of the outer peripheral surface to a theoretical surface area S0 per unit area of the outer peripheral surface determined assuming that the outer peripheral surface is a smooth surface is 2.0 to 5.0. |
| US09678444B2 |
Optical apparatus, projection optical system, exposure apparatus, and method of manufacturing article
The present invention provides an optical apparatus that deforms a reflecting surface of a mirror, comprising a base plate, a plurality of actuators that are disposed between the base plate and the mirror and are configured to apply a force to the mirror, a detection unit configured to detect vibration generated in the base plate, and a control unit configured to control each actuator based on a result of detection performed by the detection unit such that a deformation of the mirror caused as a result of the vibration generated in the base plate is within an acceptable range. |