| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09077034B2 |
High manganese polycrystalline anode material, preparation method thereof and dynamic lithium ion battery
Provided are a high manganese polycrystalline anode material, preparation method thereof and dynamic lithium ion battery. The general formula of the high manganese polycrystalline anode material is LiwMnx(CoNi)yOz, wherein x=0.4-2.0, y=0.1-0.6, x+y<2, z≧2, and w≧1. The weight of Mn is not less than 40% of the weight of LiwMnx(CoNi)yOz, and the particle size thereof is 7-20 microns. The high manganese polycrystalline anode material has more than two lattice structures selected from LiMn2O4, LiCOn(NiMn)1-nO2, LiNi0.8Co0.2O2, LiCoO2, LiNinMn1-nO2, LiMn2nNi2(1-n)O4 and LiNiO2, which are in mixed state or intergrowth state, wherein n<1. The specific energy of the anode material is more than 155 Wh/K, the conservation rate of the capacity is not less than 80% after 500 charging and discharging circles when the charging and discharging multiplying dynamic is 1C and at 55° C., and at 25° C., its cycle life is not less than 1000 times and the conservation rate of the capacity is more than 80%. The processability of the anode material is good. |
| US09077033B2 |
Anode active material and lithium secondary battery comprising the same
Disclosed is an anode active material for secondary batteries enabling intercalation and deintercalation of lithium ions, the anode active material comprising lithium metal oxide containing a halogen atom. |
| US09077021B2 |
Removal of impurity phases from electrochemical devices
The present invention provides a solid oxide cell comprising a support layer, a first electrode layer, an electrolyte layer, and a second cathode layer, wherein at least one of the electrode layers comprises electrolyte material, a catalyst and agglomerated particles selected from the group consisting of alkali oxides, earth alkali oxides and transition metal oxides. |
| US09077017B2 |
Prismatic cell
This cell comprises an electrode unit, a cell case in which the electrode unit is housed, and an insulated outer covering located between the electrode unit and the cell case. The electrode unit is housed, from an opening formed at an upper end of the cell case, in the cell case in a lateral direction in which a positive electrode collection component and a negative electrode collection component are disposed along from the upper end to the bottom at both ends of a wide face of the cell case, and is disposed inside the outer covering, to constitute an electrode insertion unit along with the outer covering. Here, the thickness (Lla) of the electrode insertion unit at both ends in the lateral direction steadily decreases from the upper end toward the bottom of the cell case. |
| US09077013B2 |
Battery pack, holster, and extendible processing and interface platform for mobile devices
Embodiments of this disclosure relate to battery packs and/or holsters and, more particular, to an external battery pack and/or holster for mobile electronic devices. |
| US09077006B2 |
Integrated power generation and carbon capture using fuel cells
Systems and methods are provided for capturing CO2 from a combustion source using molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs). The fuel cells are operated to have a reduced anode fuel utilization. Optionally, at least a portion of the anode exhaust is recycled for use as a fuel for the combustion source. Optionally, a second portion of the anode exhaust is recycled for use as part of an anode input stream. This can allow for a reduction in the amount of fuel cell area required for separating CO2 from the combustion source exhaust and/or modifications in how the fuel cells are operated. |
| US09077002B2 |
Fuel cell system and operating method
A fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell main body containing a fuel cell having an anode side at which fuel is reacted, exhaust products arising at the anode side of the fuel cell as a result of the reaction at the anode side. A recirculation passage is located inside the fuel cell main body and recirculates a proportion of the exhaust products directly to the anode side of the fuel cell for reaction at the anode side. The recirculation passage may include an ejector arrangement for mixing fresh fuel with the recirculated exhaust products and may also include a reforming catalyst for partially reforming the mixture in the recirculation passage. |
| US09077001B2 |
Method for preparing anode active material
Disclosed is a method including (a) mixing a precursor of a material for preparing at least one material selected from the group consisting of low crystalline carbon and amorphous carbon with a metal and/or a non-metal capable of intercalating and deintercalating ions, followed by purification to prepare a mixture for coating, (b) mixing the mixture for coating with a crystalline carbon-based material to prepare a core-shell precursor in which the mixture for coating is coated on a core including the crystalline carbon-based material, and (c) calcining the core-shell precursor to carbonize the material for preparing the at least one material selected from the group consisting of low crystalline carbon and amorphous carbon into the at least one material selected from the group consisting of low crystalline carbon and amorphous carbon. |
| US09077000B2 |
Thin film battery and localized heat treatment
A lithium battery comprises a battery support and a cathode current collector directly on and in contact with the battery support. The cathode current collector is composed of molybdenum and comprises a thickness of at least about 0.01 microns. A cathode is on the cathode current collector, an electrolyte on the cathode, and at least one of an anode or anode current collector on the electrolyte. |
| US09076997B2 |
Flexible circuit board and method for manufacturing the same, and fuel cell using the flexible circuit board
There is provided a flexible circuit board capable of preventing corrosion and elution of a conductor layer constituting a current collector even under high-temperature and high-voltage working conditions while achieving sufficient electric connection with an MEA. A flexible circuit board having a current collector of a fuel cell provided thereon includes an insulating flexible base material 1, a plurality of openings 5 that supply fuel or air, the openings 5 being provided in a specified region so as to penetrate through the flexible base material 1 in a thickness direction, a plating film 6 that constitutes the current collector, the plating film 6 being formed on front and back surfaces of the flexible base material 1 in the specified region and on inner walls of the openings 5, a surface treatment film 9 formed on the plating film 6 and having corrosion resistance higher than that of the plating film. |
| US09076996B2 |
Liquid metal alloy energy storage device
An electrochemical battery that exchanges energy with an external device. The battery includes a container containing a positive electrode, a negative electrode and an intervening electrolyte, the electrodes and electrolyte existing as liquid material layers in the container at the operating temperature of the battery so that adjacent layers form respective electrode-electrolyte interfaces. Positive and negative current collectors are in electrical contact with the positive and negative electrodes, respectively, both collectors being adapted for connection to the external device to create a circuit through which current flows. A circulation producer in the battery causes circulation within at least one of the layers to increase the flux of material in one layer to an interface with an adjacent layer, thereby giving the battery a greater current/power capability. |
| US09076995B2 |
Secondary battery
A secondary battery according to the present exemplary embodiment is a secondary battery including a laminated electrode body provided with at least one pair of positive and negative electrodes and an outer enclosure that accommodates the laminated electrode body, wherein the outer enclosure includes one or more concave portions, inside a border corresponding to an outer edge of an electrode surface of an outermost layer of the laminated electrode body, on a surface facing the electrode surface, and wherein, when a band-shaped outer circumferential region having an area that is a half of an area inside the border is set inside the border, at least one of the concave portions is located inside the outer circumferential region. |
| US09076994B2 |
Method for producing a liquid electrolyte battery
The invention relates to a method for making an electrolytic battery which is preferably used in movable facilities such as cars, boats and planes. The method comprises the following steps: inserting of intermixing plates 5a′ into the battery case 1, one each at two sides thereof which are opposite to each other, inserting of the set of electrodes 2 between the two intermixing plates 5a′ positioned in the battery case 1 and connecting of the two intermixing plates 5a′ straightened out vertically with the bridging plate 5b′ comprising a drain surface, which is slightly inclined towards the center thereof, and an opening provided approximately in the center thereof to enable electrolyte to flow back into the batter case. |
| US09076989B2 |
Method for forming deposition film, and method for producing display device
A masking film (13) is formed so as to have an opening in a display region (R1) (luminescent region) and a sealing region. Subsequently, luminescent layers (8R, 8G, and 8B) having a stripe pattern are formed. Then, the masking film (13) is peeled off, so that the luminescent layers (8R, 8G, and 8B) patterned with high resolution are provided. |
| US09076987B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display and manufacturing method thereof
An organic light emitting diode display and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The organic light emitting diode display includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a plurality of organic light emitting diodes, and a frit layer. The organic light emitting diodes are disposed on the first substrate, and the frit layer adheres the first substrate and the second substrate to each other. The frit layer includes a first porous region having pores, a second porous region having pores, and a third porous region having pores. The number of the pores of the first porous region with a diameter of larger than or equal to 4 μm and smaller than or equal to 15 μm is greater than the number of the pores of the second porous region with the above-mentioned diameter range. |
| US09076980B2 |
Organic light-emitting display apparatus and manufacturing method thereof
An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes a thin film transistor including an active layer, a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode, an organic light-emitting device including a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor, an intermediate layer including a light-emitting layer, and an opposed electrode, and a first wiring and a second wiring arranged in different layers on a substrate. |
| US09076978B2 |
Organic light emitting diode device
An organic light emitting diode device includes a first electrode and a second electrode facing each other, a charge-generating layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, a first light emitting unit that emits blue and is interposed between the first electrode and the charge-generating layer, and a second light emitting unit that emits white by combining the blue and is interposed between the second electrode and the charge-generating layer. The first light emitting unit includes a blue emission layer, a first charge transport layer disposed on one side of the blue emission layer and including an alkali metal complex compound and a first charge transport material, and a second charge transport layer disposed on one side of the first charge transport layer and including the alkali metal complex compound and a second charge transport material that has different charge mobility from the first charge transport material. |
| US09076975B2 |
Dielectric composition for thin-film transistors
An electronic device, such as a thin-film transistor, includes a substrate and a dielectric layer formed from a dielectric composition. The dielectric composition includes a dielectric material, a crosslinking agent, and an infrared absorbing agent. In particular embodiments, the dielectric material comprises a lower-k dielectric material and a higher-k dielectric polymer. When deposited, the lower-k dielectric material and the higher-k dielectric material form separate phases. The infrared absorbing agent allows the dielectric composition to attain a temperature that is significantly greater than the temperature attained by the substrate during curing. This difference in temperature allows the dielectric layer to be cured at relatively high temperatures and/or shorter time periods, permitting the selection of lower-cost substrate materials that would otherwise be deformed by the curing of the dielectric layer. |
| US09076972B2 |
Soluble porphyrin polymers
Porphyrin polymers of Structure 1, where n is an integer (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or greater) are synthesized by the method shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. The porphyrin polymers of Structure 1 are soluble in organic solvents such as 2-MeTHF and the like, and can be synthesized in bulk (i.e., in processes other than electropolymerization). These porphyrin polymers have long excited state lifetimes, making the material suitable as an organic semiconductor for organic electronic devices including transistors and memories, as well as solar cells, sensors, light-emitting devices, and other opto-electronic devices. |
| US09076971B2 |
Spirobifluorene compounds
Novel substituted spirobifluorene compounds useful as intermediates for materials in organic electronics devices |
| US09076970B2 |
Foil shaped electro-optical product, semi-finished product and method and apparatus for manufacturing the same
A curved foil-shaped electro-optical product (1) is provided having at least a first region with a basis substrate layer (10) of a shrunken organic substance, having a convex side and a concave side and comprising at the convex side (12) of the basis substrate layer at least a further layer (20), the electro-optical product further comprising at least a second region with an electro-optical structure (20). |
| US09076967B2 |
Piezoelectric material, piezoelectric element, and electronic equipment
A piezoelectric material contains a main component containing a perovskite-type metal oxide having the formula (1); a first auxiliary component composed of Mn; and a second auxiliary component composed of Bi or Bi and Li, wherein the Mn content is 0.04 parts by weight or more and 0.400 parts by weight or less on a metal basis per 100 parts by weight of the metal oxide, the Bi content is 0.042 parts by weight or more and 0.850 parts by weight or less on a metal basis per 100 parts by weight of the metal oxide, and the Li content is 0.028 parts by weight or less (including 0 parts by weight) on a metal basis per 100 parts by weight of the metal oxide. (Ba1-xCax)a(Ti1-y-zSnyZrz)O3 (1) (wherein 0≦x≦0.080, 0.013≦y≦0.060, 0≦z≦0.040, and 0.986≦a≦1.020.) |
| US09076963B2 |
Phase change memory cells and methods of forming phase change memory cells
A phase change memory cell includes a first electrode having a cylindrical portion. A dielectric material having a cylindrical portion is longitudinally over the cylindrical portion of the first electrode. Heater material is radially inward of and electrically coupled to the cylindrical portion of the first electrode. Phase change material is over the heater material and a second electrode is electrically coupled to the phase change material. Other embodiments are disclosed, including methods of forming memory cells which include first and second electrodes having phase change material and heater material in electrical series there-between. |
| US09076958B2 |
Resistive memory device and method of manufacturing the same
A resistive memory device includes word lines stacked on top of one another, at least one first selection line formed over the word lines, a first channel layer passing through the word lines and the first selection line, a first phase change material layer formed in the first channel layer and overlapping the word lines, and a first insulating layer formed in the first channel layer and overlapping the first selection line. |
| US09076957B2 |
Terminal capable of stopping flow of oozed conductive adhesive, flexure having the terminal, and head suspension having the flexure
A terminal extending from a wiring member to face an electrode of a piezoelectric element and including a proximal end part and a distal end part with respect to the wiring member, the distal end part being connected to the electrode of the piezoelectric element through a conductive adhesive, comprising an insulating layer that faces the electrode of the piezoelectric element; a wiring layer laid on the insulating layer and connected to the electrode at the distal end part; and at least one liquid stopping recess provided on a surface facing the electrode at the proximal end part, the liquid stopping recess spanning between both edges of the insulating layer in an direction intersecting an extending direction of the proximal end part. |
| US09076952B2 |
Semiconductor light-emitting device
A semiconductor light-emitting device including a favorable radiating structure can include a semiconductor light source sealed between a metallic cap having a light-emitting window and a metallic base attached on a heat sink plate. The semiconductor light-emitting device can also include a holder attaching the metallic base along the metallic cap between the holder and the heat sink plate to efficiently radiate heat generated from the light source, and a thermal interface material layer disposed between at least a top surface of the heat sink plate and an outer bottom surface of the holder so as to be able to enlarge each tolerance of parts composing the light-emitting device. Thus, the disclosed subject matter can provide semiconductor light-emitting devices including the favorable radiating structure, which can be employed for various lighting apparatuses including a headlight in a relatively small size by selecting the semiconductor light source incorporated in the devices. |
| US09076947B2 |
Light emitting device, light emitting device package, and lighting system
Provided is a light emitting device. The light emitting device comprises: In one embodiment, a light emitting device includes: a light emitting structure comprising a first conductive type semiconductor layer, a second conductive type semiconductor layer, and an active layer between the first conductive type semiconductor layer and the second conductive type semiconductor layer; and a conductive support member under the light emitting structure. The conductive support member comprises a first conductive support member and a second conductive support member. The second conductive support member has a thermal conductivity higher than that of the first conductive support member. |
| US09076945B2 |
Nanowire LED structure and method for manufacturing the same
A method for ablating a first area of a light emitting diode (LED) device which includes an array of nanowires on a support with a laser is provided. The laser ablation exposes a conductive layer of the support that is electrically connected to a first conductivity type semiconductor nanowire core in the nanowires, to form a first electrode for the LED device. In embodiments, the nanowires are aligned at least 20 degrees from the plane of the support. A light emitting diode (LED) structure includes a first electrode for contacting a first conductivity type nanowire core, and a second electrode for contacting a second conductivity type shell enclosing the nanowire core, where the first electrode and/or at least a portion of the second electrode are flat. |
| US09076944B2 |
Method of bonding a semiconductor device using a compliant bonding structure
A compliant bonding structure is disposed between a semiconductor device and a mount. In some embodiments, the device is a light emitting device. When the semiconductor light emitting device is attached to the mount, for example by providing ultrasonic energy to the semiconductor light emitting device, the compliant bonding structure collapses to partially fill a space between the semiconductor light emitting device and the mount. In some embodiments, the compliant bonding structure is plurality of metal bumps that undergo plastic deformation during bonding. In some embodiments, the compliant bonding structure is a porous metal layer. |
| US09076941B2 |
Method of producing at least one optoelectronic semiconductor chip
A method of producing at least one optoelectronic semiconductor chip includes providing at least one optoelectronic structure, including a growth support and a semiconductor layer sequence with an active region, the semiconductor layer sequence being deposited epitaxially on the growth support, providing a carrier, applying the at least one optoelectronic structure onto the carrier with its side remote from the growth support, coating the at least one optoelectronic structure with a protective material, the protective material covering the outer face, remote from the carrier, of the growth support and side faces of the growth support and of the semiconductor layer sequence, and detaching the growth support from the semiconductor layer sequence of the at least one optoelectronic structure. |
| US09076939B2 |
Reflective pockets in LED mounting
An LED device with improved LED efficiency is presented. An LED die is positioned within a pocket formed by a substrate and an opening in a supporting layer arranged thereon. The increase in the LED efficiency is achieved by providing a device where at least a portion of the pocket surface is reflective. This portion of the pocket surface is reflective because it is covered by either a reflective layer of foil or film, or a reflective coating, or it is polished. |
| US09076938B2 |
Semiconductor light-emitting device
A semiconductor light-emitting device includes a substrate, an LED chip mounted on the substrate, and a resin package covering the LED chip. The substrate includes a base and a wiring pattern formed on the base. The resin package includes a lens. The base includes an upper surface, a lower surface and a side surface extending between the upper surface and the lower surface. The LED chip is mounted on the upper surface of the base. The side surface of the base is oriented in a lateral direction. The wiring pattern includes a pair of first mount portions and a pair of second mount portions. The paired first mount portions are formed on the lower surface of the base. The paired second mount portions are oriented in the lateral direction and offset from the side surface of the base in the lateral direction. |
| US09076936B2 |
Light emitting diode
A light emitting diode includes a substrate, a buffer layer, a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, a second semiconductor layer, and a cermet layer. The active layer is on the first semiconductor layer. The second semiconductor layer is on the active layer. The cermet layer is on the second semiconductor layer. A first electrode is electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer. A second electrode is electrically connected to the second semiconductor layer. |
| US09076928B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting device and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor light emitting device is provided and includes a protective element including a first lower conductivity-type semiconductor layer and a second lower conductivity-type semiconductor layer. First and second lower electrodes are connected to the first lower conductivity-type semiconductor layer and the second lower conductivity-type semiconductor layer, respectively. A light emitting structure includes a first upper conductivity-type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second upper conductivity-type semiconductor layer sequentially formed on the protective element. First and second upper electrodes are connected to the first upper conductivity-type semiconductor layer and the second upper conductivity-type semiconductor layer, respectively. |
| US09076918B2 |
Selective chemical etching process
The present invention relates to a process for selective wet chemical etching of a thin-film substrate comprising a CIGS surface layer. The present invention also relates to a process for producing cells in series for thin-film photovoltaic modules, which process implements the selective wet chemical etching process according to the invention. The present invention furthermore relates to a process for creating small patterns, such as for example monolithic interconnects, in thin-film photovoltaic devices, which process implements the selective wet chemical etching process according to the invention. |
| US09076915B2 |
Boron, bismuth co-doping of gallium arsenide and other compounds for photonic and heterojunction bipolar transistor devices
Isoelectronic co-doping of semiconductor compounds and alloys with acceptors and deep donors is sued to decrease bandgap, to increase concentration of the dopant constituents in the resulting alloys, and to increase carrier mobilities lifetimes. For example, Group III-V compounds and alloys, such as GaAs and GaP, are isoelectronically co-doped with, for example, B and Bi, to customize solar cells, and other semiconductor devices. Isoelectronically co-doped Group II-VI compounds and alloys are also included. |
| US09076912B2 |
Nitride semiconductor structure and semiconductor light emitting device including the same
A nitride semiconductor structure and a semiconductor light emitting device including the same are revealed. The nitride semiconductor structure includes a multiple quantum well structure formed by a plurality of well layers and barrier layers stacked alternately. One well layer is disposed between every two barrier layers. The barrier layer is made of AlxInyGa1-x-yN (0 |
| US09076909B2 |
Photoelectric conversion device and method for manufacturing the same
A photoelectric conversion device having a new anti-reflection structure is provided. The photoelectric conversion device includes a first-conductivity-type crystalline semiconductor region, an intrinsic crystalline semiconductor region, an intrinsic semiconductor region, and a second-conductivity-type semiconductor region that are stacked over a first electrode. An interface between the first electrode and the first-conductivity-type crystalline semiconductor region is flat. The intrinsic crystalline semiconductor region includes a crystalline semiconductor region, and a plurality of whiskers that are provided over the crystalline semiconductor region and include a crystalline semiconductor. In other words, the intrinsic crystalline semiconductor region includes the plurality of whiskers; thus, a surface of the second electrode is uneven. Further, a concentration gradient of an impurity element imparting the first conductivity type is formed from the first-conductivity-type crystalline semiconductor region toward the intrinsic crystalline semiconductor region. |
| US09076908B2 |
Three-dimensional metamaterial device with photovoltaic bristles
The systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments provide a photovoltaic cell made up of an array of photovoltaic bristles. The photovoltaic bristles may be configured individually and in an array to have a high probability of photon absorption. The high probability of photon absorption may result in high light energy conversion efficiency. |
| US09076907B2 |
Compactly-integrated optical detectors and associated systems and methods
Compactly-integrated electronic structures and associated systems and methods are provided. Certain embodiments relate to the ability to integrate nanowire-based detectors with optical components. |
| US09076902B2 |
Integrated optical receiver architecture for high speed optical I/O applications
An integrated optical receiver architecture may be used to couple light between a multi-mode fiber (MMF) and silicon chip which includes integration of a silicon de-multiplexer and a high-speed Ge photo-detector. The proposed architecture may be used for both parallel and wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) based optical links with a data rate of 25 Gb/s and beyond. |
| US09076900B2 |
Solar cell module and solar cell
A solar cell module is described, including a series of solar cells each including a bottom electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer, an insulating pattern, a top electrode layer and a passivation layer. The conversion layer is on the bottom electrode and also on the substrate at a first side of the bottom electrode. The insulating pattern is on the bottom electrode, covering an edge portion of the conversion layer near a second side of the bottom electrode. The top electrode layer is on the conversion layer and adjacent to the insulating pattern. The passivation layer is on the top electrode layer and adjacent to the insulating pattern, wherein the top of the passivation layer on the top electrode layer is lower than the top of the insulating pattern. The bottom electrode of a solar cell is electrically connected with the top electrode layer of an adjacent solar cell. |
| US09076899B2 |
Grounding element for solar panel mounting systems
Disclosed is a device and a system that provides a bond and ground for the mounting of solar panel systems. The grounding element is pressed into and captivity held in a mounting component of a solar panel system. This can be done during the fabrication process at the manufacturer or distributor so that the mounting component and grounding element can be transported together as a single unit. In an installed solar panel system, the mounting component that includes the captive grounding element makes contact with other elements of the solar panel mounting system and electrically bonds with them. |
| US09076894B2 |
Semiconductor device, light emitting device using the same, and light emitting device package including the same
A semiconductor device includes a silicon substrate, an initial buffer layer disposed on the silicon substrate, a transition layer disposed on the initial buffer layer, and a device structure disposed on the transition layer. The transition layer includes at least one of AlxGa1-xN (where 0 |
| US09076885B2 |
Manufacturing method of semiconductor device
Provided is a semiconductor device that can be manufactured at low cost and that can reduce a reverse leak current, and a manufacturing method thereof. A semiconductor device has: a source region and a drain region having a body region therebetween; a source trench that reaches the body region, penetrating the source region; a body contact region formed at the bottom of the source trench; a source electrode embedded in the source trench; and a gate electrode that faces the body region. The semiconductor device also has: an n-type region for a diode; a diode trench formed reaching the n-type region for a diode; a p+ region for a diode that forms a pn junction with the n-type region for a diode at the bottom of the diode trench; and a schottky electrode that forms a schottky junction with the n-type region for a diode at side walls of the diode trench. |
| US09076882B2 |
Methods for high precision microelectronic die integration
The subject matter of the present description relates to methods for the precise integration of microelectronic dice within a multichip package which substantially reduce or eliminate any misalign caused by the movement of the microelectronic dice during the integration process. These methods may include the use of a temporary adhesive in conjunction with a carrier having at least one recess for microelectronic die alignment, the use of a precision molded carrier for microelectronic die alignment, the use of magnetic alignment of microelectronic dice on a reusable carrier, and/or the use of a temporary adhesive with molding processes on a reusable carrier. |
| US09076875B2 |
Thin film transistor substrate with pixel matrix
A thin film transistor substrate includes a thin film transistor, a source wire, an upper-layer source wire, and a pixel electrode. The thin film transistor includes: a source electrode and a drain electrode located to be spaced from each other on the same plane; a semiconductor film located to straddle those electrodes; an insulating film located to cover at least the source electrode, the drain electrode, and the semiconductor film; an upper-layer source electrode and an upper-layer drain electrode located on the insulating film and respectively connected to the semiconductor film through contact holes; and a gate electrode located below or above the semiconductor film. The source wire extends from the source electrode. The upper-layer source wire extends from the upper-layer source electrode. The pixel electrode is electrically connected to the drain electrode. |
| US09076874B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
An object is to provide a structure of a transistor which has a channel formation region formed using an oxide semiconductor and a positive threshold voltage value, which enables a so-called normally-on switching element. The transistor includes an oxide semiconductor stack in which at least a first oxide semiconductor layer and a second oxide semiconductor layer with different energy gaps are stacked and a region containing oxygen in excess of its stoichiometric composition ratio is provided. |
| US09076873B2 |
Graphene devices with local dual gates
An electronic device comprises an insulator, a local first gate embedded in the insulator with a top surface of the first gate being substantially coplanar with a surface of the insulator, a first dielectric layer formed over the first gate and insulator, and a channel. The channel comprises a bilayer graphene layer formed on the first dielectric layer. The first dielectric layer provides a substantially flat surface on which the channel is formed. A second dielectric layer formed over the bilayer graphene layer and a local second gate formed over the second dielectric layer. Each of the local first and second gates is capacitively coupled to the channel of the bilayer graphene layer. The local first and second gates form a first pair of gates to locally control a first portion of the bilayer graphene layer. |
| US09076871B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
One embodiment of the present invention is a material which is suitable for a semiconductor included in a transistor, a diode, or the like. One embodiment of the present invention is an oxide material represented as InM1XM2(1-X)ZnYOZ (0 |
| US09076870B2 |
Method for forming fin-shaped structure
A method for forming a fin-shaped structure includes the following steps. A pad layer is formed on a substrate. A sacrificial pattern is formed on the pad layer. A spacer is formed on the pad layer beside the sacrificial pattern, wherein the ratio of the height of the spacer to the pad layer is larger than 5. The sacrificial pattern is removed. The layout of the spacer is transferred to the substrate to form at least a fin-shaped structure having a taper profile in the substrate. |
| US09076865B2 |
Non-volatile memory device, method of operating the same and method of fabricating the same
A non-volatile memory device includes a semiconductor substrate having active regions formed of a p-type semiconductor, first and second vertical strings disposed on the active regions, channels extending vertical to the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of memory cells stacked along the channels, wherein the active regions are directly connected to the channels of the first and second vertical strings. |
| US09076859B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor chips
A method of manufacturing semiconductor chips includes removing an insulating film in a dividing region by plasma etching to a front surface. Then, roughness on a resist mask formed on the front surface is removed by plasma treatment before a BG tape is attached. After a semiconductor wafer is thinned by grinding of a backside surface thereof, the BG tape is peeled. The semiconductor wafer is divided into individual semiconductor chips by plasma etching from the front surface thereof. |
| US09076858B2 |
Integrated circuits with reduced voltage across gate dielectric and operating methods thereof
An integrated circuit includes a first pad configured to carry a signal, a first receiver having an input node, a second receiver having an input node, a first pass gate, and a second pass gate. The first pass gate is coupled between the first pad and the input node of the first receiver. The first pass gate is configured to be turned on when the signal on the first pad is greater than a first voltage level. The second pass gate is coupled between the first pad and the input node of the second receiver. The second pass gate is configured to be turned on when the signal on the first pad is less than a second voltage level. |
| US09076857B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
Over a semiconductor substrate, a gate insulating film including an interfacial layer, a HfON film, and a HfSiON film is formed. Then, over the HfSiON film, an Al-containing film and a mask layer are formed. Subsequently, the mask layer and the Al-containing film are selectively removed from an n-channel MISFET formation region. Then, a rare-earth-element-containing film is formed over the HfSiON film in the n-channel MISFET formation region and over the mask layer in a p-channel MISFET formation region. Heat treatment is performed to cause a reaction between each of the HfON film and the HfSiON film and the rare-earth-element-containing film in the n-channel MISFET formation region and cause a reaction between each of the HfON film and the HfSiON film and the Al-containing film in the p-channel MISFET formation region. Thereafter, the unreacted rare-earth-element-containing film and the mask layer are removed, and then metal gate electrodes are formed. |
| US09076854B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a channel layer over the substrate, an active layer over the channel layer, a gate structure over the active layer, and a barrier layer between the gate structure and the active layer. The active layer is configured to cause a two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) to be formed in the channel layer along an interface between the channel layer and the active layer. The gate structure is configured to deplete the 2DEG under the gate structure. The gate structure includes a dopant. The barrier layer is configured to block diffusion of the dopant from the gate structure into the active layer. |
| US09076852B2 |
III nitride power device with reduced QGD
A III-nitride power switch that includes a III-nitride heterojunction, field dielectric bodies disposed over the heterojunction, and either gate conductive bodies that do not overlap the top surface of the field dielectric bodies or power contacts that do not overlap field dielectric bodies or both. |
| US09076847B2 |
Selective local metal cap layer formation for improved electromigration behavior
A method of forming a wiring structure for an integrated circuit device includes forming one or more copper lines within an interlevel dielectric layer (ILD); masking selected regions of the one or more copper lines; selectively plating metal cap regions over exposed regions of the one or more copper lines; and forming a conformal insulator layer over the metal cap regions and uncapped regions of the one or more copper lines. |
| US09076845B2 |
Method of forming a high density dielectric etch-stop layer
A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit device includes forming an inter-level dielectric layer over a semiconductor substrate, forming a transformative layer over the inter-level dielectric layer, forming a protective layer over the transformative layer without allowing the transformative layer to undergo a substantive transformation, and after forming the protective layer, causing the transformative layer to undergo a volume-increasing transformation. The volume-increasing transformation produces a high density material that provides an effective etch stop. |
| US09076843B2 |
Method for producing ultra-thin tungsten layers with improved step coverage
A tungsten nucleation film is formed on a surface of a semiconductor substrate by alternatively providing to that surface, reducing gases and tungsten-containing gases. Each cycle of the method provides for one or more monolayers of the tungsten film. The film is conformal and has improved step coverage, even for a high aspect ratio contact hole. |
| US09076841B2 |
Double layer transfer method
A method of transferring a layer including: a) providing a layer joined to an initial substrate with a binding energy E0; b) bonding a front face of the layer on an intermediate substrate according to an intermediate bonding energy Ei; c) detaching the initial substrate from the layer; e) bonding a rear face onto a final substrate according to a final bonding energy Ef; and f) debonding the intermediate substrate from the layer to transfer the layer onto the final substrate; step b) comprising a step of forming siloxane bonds Si—O—Si, step c) being carried out in a first anhydrous atmosphere and step f) being carried out in a second wet atmosphere such that the intermediate bonding energy Ei takes a first value Ei1 in step c) and a second value Ei2 in step f), with Ei1>E0 and Ei2 |
| US09076839B2 |
Method for manufacturing SOI substrate
An object of an embodiment of the present invention to be disclosed is to prevent oxygen from being taken in a single crystal semiconductor layer in laser irradiation even when crystallinity of the single crystal semiconductor layer is repaired by irradiation with a laser beam; and to make substantially equal or reduce an oxygen concentration in the semiconductor layer after the laser irradiation comparing before the laser irradiation. A single crystal semiconductor layer which is provided over a base substrate by bonding is irradiated with a laser beam, whereby the crystallinity of the single crystal semiconductor layer is repaired. The laser irradiation is performed under a reducing atmosphere or an inert atmosphere. |
| US09076838B2 |
Insulated gate bipolar transistor with mesa sections between cell trench structures and method of manufacturing
An IGBT includes a mesa section that extends between two cell trench structures from a first surface of a semiconductor portion to a layer section of the semiconductor portion. A source region, which is electrically connected to an emitter electrode, is formed in the mesa section. A doped region, which is separated from the source region by a body region of a complementary conductivity type, includes a first portion with a first mean net impurity concentration and a second portion with a second mean net impurity concentration exceeding at least ten times the first mean net impurity concentration. In the mesa section the first portion extends from the body region to the layer section. The second portions of the doped region virtually narrow the mesa sections in a normal on-state of the IGBT. |
| US09076837B2 |
Lateral insulated gate bipolar transistor structure with low parasitic BJT gain and stable threshold voltage
A metal-oxide-semiconductor laterally diffused device (HV LDMOS), particularly a lateral insulated gate bipolar junction transistor (LIGBT), and a method of making it are provided in this disclosure. The device includes a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate having a drift region, two oppositely doped well regions in the drift region, two insulating structures over and embedded in the drift region and second well region, a gate structure, and a source region in the second well region over a third well region embedded in the second well region. The third well region is disposed between the gate structure and the second insulating structure. |
| US09076835B2 |
Vertically base-connected bipolar transistor
Methods, devices, and systems for using and forming vertically base-connected bipolar transistors have been shown. The vertically base-connected bipolar transistors in the embodiments of the present disclosure are formed with a CMOS fabrication technique that decreases the transistor size while maintaining the high performance characteristics of a bipolar transistor. |
| US09076831B2 |
Substrate clamping system and method for operating the same
An electrostatic chuck includes an electrically conductive baseplate and an electrically non-conductive substrate support member disposed on the baseplate. First and second sets of clamp electrodes are disposed within the support member. A power supply system includes a clamp power supply, a center tap power supply, and a baseplate power supply. The clamp power supply generates a positive output voltage and a negative output voltage, each of which is equidistant from a center tap voltage. The positive output voltage is electrically connected to the first set of clamp electrodes. The negative output voltage is electrically connected to the second set of clamp electrodes. The center tap power supply is defined to control the center tap voltage of the clamp power supply. The baseplate power supply is defined to generate a baseplate output voltage independent from the center tap voltage. The baseplate output voltage is electrically connected to the baseplate. |
| US09076829B2 |
Robot systems, apparatus, and methods adapted to transport substrates in electronic device manufacturing
Substrate transport systems, apparatus, and methods are described. The systems are adapted to efficiently put or pick substrates at a destination by rotating a boom linkage to a position adjacent to the destination and then independently actuating an upper arm link housing and one or more wrist members to put or pick one or more substrates at the destination wherein the wrist member is independently actuated relative to the forearm link housing and the motion of the forearm link member is kinematically linked to the motion of the upper arm link housing. Numerous other aspects are provided. |
| US09076821B2 |
Anchoring structure and intermeshing structure
An anchoring structure for a metal structure of a semiconductor device includes an anchoring recess structure having at least one overhanging side wall, the metal structure being at least partly arranged within the anchoring recess structure. |
| US09076818B2 |
Semiconductor device fabrication methods
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming first and second gate structures overlying the semiconductor substrate, and depositing a layer of a silicide-resistant material over the first and second gate structures and over the semiconductor substrate. The method further includes forming sidewall spacers from the layer of silicide-resistant material adjacent the first gate structure and removing the silicide-resistant material adjacent the sidewall spacers to expose the silicon substrate in a source and drain region. Still further, the method includes implanting conductivity determining impurities in the source and drain region, depositing a silicide forming metal, and annealing the semiconductor device to form a silicide in the source and drain region. The silicide-resistant material is not removed from over the second gate structure so as to prevent silicide formation at the second gate structure. |
| US09076816B2 |
Method and device for self-aligned contact on a non-recessed metal gate
A methodology for forming a self-aligned contact (SAC) that exhibits reduced likelihood of a contact-to-gate short circuit failure and the resulting device are disclosed. Embodiments may include forming a replacement metal gate, with spacers at opposite sides thereof, on a substrate, forming a recess in an upper surface of the spacers along outer edges of the replacement metal gate, and forming an aluminum nitride (AlN) cap over the metal gate and in the recess. |
| US09076813B1 |
Gate-all-around metal-oxide-semiconductor transistors with gate oxides
A method and structure for a semiconductor transistor, including various embodiments. In embodiments, a transistor channel can be formed between a semiconductor source and a semiconductor drain, wherein a transistor gate oxide completely surrounds the transistor channel and a transistor gate metal that completely surrounds the transistor gate oxide. Related fabrication processes are presented for similar device embodiments based on a Group III-V semiconductor material and silicon-on-insulator materials. |
| US09076812B2 |
HEMT structure with iron-doping-stop component and methods of forming
An iron-doped high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) structure includes a substrate, a nucleation layer over the substrate, and a buffer layer over the nucleation layer. The gallium-nitride buffer layer includes a iron-doping-stop layer having a concentration of iron that drops from a juncture with an iron-doped component of the buffer layer over a thickness that is relatively small compared to that of the iron-doped component. The iron-doping-stop layer is formed at lower temperature compared to the temperature at which the iron-doped component is formed. The iron-doped HEMT structure also includes a channel layer over the buffer layer. A carrier-supplying barrier layer is formed over the channel layer. |
| US09076810B2 |
Scaling of bipolar transistors
Bipolar transistor structures, methods of designing and fabricating bipolar transistors, methods of designing circuits having bipolar transistors. The method of designing the bipolar transistor includes: selecting an initial design of a bipolar transistor; scaling the initial design of the bipolar transistor to generate a scaled design of the bipolar transistor; determining if stress compensation of the scaled design of the bipolar transistor is required based on dimensions of an emitter of the bipolar transistor after the scaling; and if stress compensation of the scaled design of the bipolar transistor is required then adjusting a layout of a trench isolation layout level of the scaled design relative to a layout of an emitter layout level of the scaled design to generate a stress compensated scaled design of the bipolar transistor. |
| US09076809B2 |
Tunable semiconductor component provided with a current barrier
Semiconductor component or device is provided which includes a current barrier element and for which the impedance may be tuned (i.e. modified, changed, etc.) using a focused heating source. |
| US09076807B2 |
Overvoltage protection for multi-chip module and system-in-package
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a package that encompasses at least a first integrated circuit die and a second integrated circuit die. The first integrated circuit die is attached to the package and includes one or more electrical overstress/electrostatic discharge (EOS/ESD) protection circuits. The second integrated circuit die is attached to the package and electrically coupled to the first integrated circuit die such that at least one component of the second integrated circuit die is protected from EOS/ESD by the first integrated circuit die. |
| US09076806B1 |
Device and method for reduction of overstress in soldering process
A device and a method of reducing high-frequency currents between the tip of the soldering iron and the circuit board are described. In one embodiment, a special EMI filter and a method of it implementation in soldering process is described. This device and this method of implementation provide significant reduction of high-frequency current to the sensitive components. Another embodiment describes an implementation of EMI-reducing filter inside the soldering iron. Yet other embodiments include implementation of EMI-reducing filter as a part of the solder station, of the vise holding the circuit board, of the solder spool holder and as a stand-alone device. |
| US09076804B2 |
Systems and methods to enhance passivation integrity
A semiconductor device having enhanced passivation integrity is disclosed. The device includes a substrate, a first layer, and a metal layer. The first layer is formed over the substrate. The first layer includes a via opening and a tapered portion proximate to the via opening. The metal layer is formed over the via opening and the tapered portion of the first layer. The metal layer is substantially free from gaps and voids. |
| US09076803B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of dual-molding die formed on opposite sides of build-up interconnect structure
A semiconductor device has a first interconnect structure. A first semiconductor die has an active surface oriented towards and mounted to a first surface of the first interconnect structure. A first encapsulant is deposited over the first interconnect structure and first semiconductor die. A second semiconductor die has an active surface oriented towards and mounted to a second surface of the first interconnect structure opposite the first surface. A plurality of first conductive pillars is formed over the second surface of the first interconnect structure and around the second semiconductor die. A second encapsulant is deposited over the second semiconductor die and around the plurality of first conductive pillars. A second interconnect structure including a conductive layer and bumps are formed over the second encapsulant and electrically connect to the plurality of first conductive pillars and the first and second semiconductor die. |
| US09076798B2 |
Dicing structures for semiconductor substrates and methods of fabrication thereof
Dicing structures for semiconductor substrates and methods of fabrication thereof are described. In one embodiment, a semiconductor wafer includes a first chip disposed in a substrate, a second chip disposed adjacent the first chip and disposed in the substrate, and a dicing street disposed between the first and the second chip. A first and a second metal level are disposed over the dicing street, wherein the second metal level is disposed above the first metal level. A first alignment mark is disposed in the first metal level above a first portion of the dicing street, and first metal features disposed in the second metal level above the first portion of the dicing street. |
| US09076794B2 |
Semiconductor device using carbon nanotube, and manufacturing method thereof
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a wiring, a first insulation film, an underlayer deactivation layer, an underlayer, a catalyst layer and a carbon nanotube. The first insulation film is formed on the wiring and includes a hole which exposes the wiring. The underlayer deactivation layer is formed on the first insulation film at a side surface of the hole, and exposes the wiring at a bottom surface of the hole. The underlayer is formed on an exposed surface of the wiring at the bottom surface of the hole and on the underlayer deactivation layer at the side surface of the hole. The catalyst layer is formed on the underlayer at the bottom surface and the side surface of the hole. The carbon nanotube extends from the catalyst layer at the bottom surface of the hole, and fills the hole. |
| US09076793B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
In a manufacturing method of a barrier layer, a via hole is formed in an insulating layer that covers a conductive layer over a substrate, and then the barrier layer is formed in the via hole. The barrier layer is provided by forming a second titanium nitride film after forming a first titanium nitride film. The second titanium nitride film is formed using a method having a weak anisotropy than the first titanium nitride film. |
| US09076790B1 |
Air gap forming techniques based on anodic alumina for interconnect structures
An aluminum (Al) layer is formed over a semiconductor substrate. A selective portion of the Al layer is removed to form openings. The Al layer is anodized to obtain an alumina dielectric layer with a plurality of pores substantially perpendicular to a surface of the semiconductor substrate. The openings are filled with a conductive interconnect material. The pores are widened to form air gaps and a top etch stop layer is formed over the alumina dielectric layer. |
| US09076785B2 |
Method and structures for via substrate repair and assembly
A component can include a substrate having an opening extending between first and second surfaces thereof, and an electrically conductive via having first and second portions. The first portion can include a first layer structure extending within the opening and at least partially along an inner wall of the opening, and a first principal conductor extending within the opening and at least partially overlying the first layer structure. The first portion can be exposed at the first surface and can have a lower surface located between the first and second surfaces. The second portion can include a second layer structure extending within the opening and at least partially along the lower surface of the first portion, and a second principal conductor extending within the opening and at least partially overlying the second layer structure. The second portion can be exposed at the second surface. |
| US09076784B2 |
Transistor and semiconductor structure
A semiconductor structure includes a work function metal layer, a (work function) metal oxide layer and a main electrode. The work function metal layer is located on a substrate. The (work function) metal oxide layer is located on the work function metal layer. The main electrode is located on the (work function) metal oxide layer. A semiconductor process forming said semiconductor structure is also provided. |
| US09076780B2 |
Power module and lead frame for power module
The present invention aims at providing a power module and a lead frame for the power module which can enhance adhesion between a heat sink and an insulating resin sheet while maintaining heat radiation properties. The power module includes: the lead frame including a conductor plate formed from Cu or a Cu alloy, and an Al film formed at least on the other side, opposite to one side on which to mount a semiconductor device, of the conductor plate; the semiconductor device mounted on the one side of the conductor plate; a sealing resin which seals at least the semiconductor device and the conductor plate; and an insulating resin sheet adhered to the conductor plate through the Al film therebetween. |
| US09076779B1 |
Packaging of electronic circuitry
The present disclosure includes novel techniques to provide wafer level fan-outs in electronic circuit packages housing one or more circuit devices, at least one of which has input and/or output nodes disposed on opposite facings. |
| US09076777B2 |
Manufacturing method of semiconductor device and semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a die pad, which includes an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface forming a rectangular shape in plan view; a plurality of support pins that support the die pad; a plurality of inner leads arranged around the die pad; a plurality of outer leads connected to each of the inner leads; a semiconductor chip which includes a main surface and a back surface and in which a plurality of electrode pads is formed in the main surface; a plurality of wires which electrically couple the electrode pads of the semiconductor chip to the inner leads respectively; and a sealing body that seals the support pins, the inner leads, the semiconductor chip, and the wires. A first support pin of the plurality of support pins is integrally formed together with the die pad. The first support pin is terminated inside the sealing body. |
| US09076776B1 |
Integrated circuit package with stand-off legs
Provided is a lead frame package with stand-off legs to prevent the die attach pad (DAP), which is part of the package substrate, to tilt or shift from its original position during the molding process. Also provided are methods for assembling such lead frame packages into various integrated circuit (IC) packages. Compared to conventional lead frame packages without stand-off legs, the lead frame packages of the present invention have less aesthetic and functional defects, thereby leading to an increase in product reliability and yield. |
| US09076772B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same
A semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a P-type region, on at least one main surface of which integrated circuits are formed; one or more via electrodes inserted into the P-type region of the semiconductor substrate; a dielectric layer formed between the semiconductor substrate and the via electrodes; an N-type region, which is formed in the semiconductor substrate to contact a portion of the dielectric layer and to expose other portion of the dielectric layer; and a power circuit, which is electrically connected to the N-type region and apply a bias voltage or a ground voltage thereto, such that electric signals flowing in the via electrodes form an inversion layer on a surface of the semiconductor substrate facing the exposed portion of the dielectric layer. |
| US09076765B2 |
Semiconductor device comprising trench gate and buried source electrodes
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a trench, a buried insulated source electrode arranged in a bottom portion of the trench, a first gate electrode and a second gate electrode arranged in an upper portion of the trench and spaced apart from one another. A surface gate contact extends into the upper portion of the trench and is in physical and electrical contact with the first gate electrode and second gate electrode. |
| US09076763B2 |
High breakdown voltage III-nitride device
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body having a compound semiconductor material on a substrate. The compound semiconductor material has a channel region. A source region extends to the compound semiconductor material. A drain region also extends to the compound semiconductor material and is spaced apart from the source region by the channel region. An insulating region is buried in the semiconductor body between the compound semiconductor material and the substrate in an active region of the semiconductor device. The active region includes the source, the drain and the channel region of the device. The insulating region is discontinuous over a length of the channel region between the source region and the drain region. |
| US09076762B2 |
Contact structure of semiconductor device
The embodiments described above provide mechanisms of forming contact structures with low resistance. A strained material stack with multiple sub-layers is used to lower the Schottky barrier height (SBH) of the conductive layers underneath the contact structures. The strained material stack includes a SiGe main layer, a graded SiG layer, a GeB layer, a Ge layer, and a SiGe top layer. The GeB layer moves the Schottky barrier to an interface between GeB and a metal germanide, which greatly reduces the Schottky barrier height (SBH). The lower SBH, the Ge in the SiGe top layer forms metal germanide and high B concentration in the GeB layer help to reduce the resistance of the conductive layers underneath the contact structures. |
| US09076760B2 |
JFET having width defined by trench isolation
A junction field-effect transistor (JFET) includes a substrate having a first-type semiconductor surface including a topside surface, and a top gate of a second-type formed in the semiconductor surface. A first-type drain and a first-type source are formed on opposing sides of the top gate. A first deep trench isolation region has an inner first trench wall and an outer first trench wall surrounding the top gate, the drain and the source, and extends vertically to a deep trench depth from the topside surface. A second-type sinker formed in semiconductor surface extends laterally outside the outer first trench wall. The sinker extends vertically from the topside surface to a second-type deep portion which is both below the deep trench depth and laterally inside the inner first trench wall to provide a bottom gate. |
| US09076758B2 |
Rectangular capacitors for dynamic random access (DRAM) and dual-pass lithography methods to form the same
A rectangular capacitor for dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and a dual-pass lithography method to form the same are described. For example, a capacitor includes a trench disposed in a first dielectric layer disposed above a substrate. A cup-shaped metal plate is disposed along the bottom and sidewalls of the trench. A second dielectric layer is disposed on and conformal with the cup-shaped metal plate. A trench-fill metal plate is disposed on the second dielectric layer. The second dielectric layer isolates the trench-fill metal plate from the cup-shaped metal plate. The capacitor has a rectangular or near-rectangular shape from a top-down perspective. |
| US09076757B2 |
Methods of forming a plurality of capacitors
A method of forming a plurality of capacitors includes providing a plurality of capacitor electrodes, an elevationally inner insulative retaining material received laterally about the capacitor electrodes, an elevationally outer insulative retaining material received laterally about the capacitor electrodes, a first material received laterally about the capacitor electrodes elevationally inward of the inner insulative retaining material, and a second material received laterally about the capacitor electrodes elevationally between the inner and outer insulative retaining materials. Openings are anisotropically etched to extend through the outer insulative retaining material and the second material. After the anisotropic etching, remaining of the second material is isotropically etched through the openings from being received laterally about the capacitor electrodes between the inner and outer insulative retaining materials. The isotropic etching of the second material is conducted selectively relative to the capacitor electrodes and the inner and outer insulative retaining materials. The capacitor electrodes are ultimately incorporated into a plurality of capacitors. |
| US09076754B2 |
3DIC packages with heat sinks attached to heat dissipating rings
A package includes a first die and a second die underlying the first die and in a same first die stack as the first die. The second die includes a first portion overlapped by the first die, and a second portion extending beyond edges of the first die. A first Thermal Interface Material (TIM) is overlying and contacting a top surface of the first die. A heat sink has a first bottom surface over and contacting the first TIM. A second TIM is overlying and contacting the second portion of the second die. A heat dissipating ring is overlying and contacting the second TIM. |
| US09076751B2 |
Semiconductor devices with self-heating structures, methods of manufacture thereof, and testing methods
Semiconductor devices with self-heating structures, methods of manufacture thereof, and testing methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a workpiece, an active electrical structure disposed over the workpiece, and at least one self-heating structure disposed proximate the active electrical structure. The active electrical structure may include a capacitor, a resistor, a conductive line, a segment of a conductive line, a transistor, or a combination thereof. |
| US09076749B2 |
Electronic system comprising stacked electronic devices comprising integrated-circuit chips
An electronic system includes a first integrated-circuit chip and a second integrated-circuit chip. A first substrate wafer is positioned between the first and second integrated-circuit chips and configured with a first connection network to make electrical connection to the first integrated-circuit chip. A second substrate wafer, configured with a second connection network to make electrical connection to the second integrated-circuit chip, is positioned facing the first substrate wafer. The connection networks of the first and second substrate wafers are electrically connected through connection structures. A third substrate wafer, including a third connection network, is thermally in contact with the first integrated-circuit chip and electrically connected to the first connection network of the first substrate wafer through further connection structures. The further connection structure may be formed using another substrate wafer. |
| US09076746B2 |
Organic light-emitting display device and method for manufacturing the organic light-emitting display device
A display device includes a power line configured to transmit an electric current. The display device further includes a plurality of pixel electrode units associated with a single pixel of the display device and configured to share the electric current. The display device further includes a common electrode overlapping the plurality of pixel electrode units. The display device further includes a plurality of light-emitting units associated with the single pixel of the display device and disposed between the common electrode and the plurality of pixel electrode units, wherein each light-emitting unit of the plurality of light-emitting units overlaps a pixel electrode unit of the plurality of pixel electrode units. |
| US09076741B2 |
Light-emitting element, image forming apparatus, image display apparatus and image reading apparatus
A light-emitting element having a light-emitting section and a light-receiving section provided on a substrate. The light-emitting section includes: an organic compound in which light is emitted; a translucent reflecting portion that transmits the emitted light which has spectral radiance changeable with changes in ambient temperature; and a transparent portion that radiates first part of the light coming through the translucent reflecting portion to outside and total-reflects second part that is light incident to a boundary surface therebetween at angles larger than a critical angle. Wherein, the light-receiving section is capable of receiving the light total-reflected at the boundary surface, the received light having a quantity of light changeable with changes in wavelength of the light passing through the translucent reflecting portion. The light-receiving section further outputs a signal which has an amplitude level in correlation to the quantity of light. |
| US09076740B2 |
Organic electroluminescence display and method of manufacturing the same
Disclosed herein is an organic electroluminescence display including a plurality of first electrodes, a hole injection/transport layer, a second organic light emitting layer for another color, a connection layer, a first organic light emitting layer for blue color, an electron injection/transport layer, and an electron injection/transport layer. The first electrodes are provided on a substrate on the basis of each of a first organic electroluminescence element for blue color and a second organic electroluminescence element for another color. The hole injection/transport layer is provided over the whole surface area on the first electrodes and having a property for one of hole injection or transport. The second organic light emitting layer for another color is provided over the whole surface area on the hole injection/transport layer and having a crystal part in a part. The connection layer is provided over the whole surface area on the second organic light emitting layer. |
| US09076738B2 |
Composition for resist underlayer film, process for forming resist underlayer film, patterning process, and fullerene derivative
The invention provides a composition for a resist underlayer film, the composition for a resist underlayer film to form a resist underlayer film of a multilayer resist film used in lithography, wherein the composition comprises at least (A) a fullerene derivative that is a reaction product of a substance having a fullerene skeleton with a 1,3-diene compound derivative having an electron-withdrawing group and (B) an organic solvent. There can be a composition for a resist underlayer film for a multilayer resist film used in lithography, the composition giving a resist underlayer film having excellent high dry etching resistance, capable of suppressing wiggling during substrate etching with high effectiveness, and capable of avoiding a poisoning problem in upperlayer patterning that uses a chemical amplification resist; a process for forming a resist underlayer film; a patterning process; and a fullerene derivative. |
| US09076737B2 |
Integrated circuit packaging system with bumps and method of manufacture thereof
A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: providing a base strip having a base top side; forming a terminal body with a substantially spherical shape partially in the base strip; attaching a device adjacent the terminal body and over the base top side, a device mount side of the device below a top portion of the terminal body; attaching a device connector to the device and the top portion of the terminal body; applying an encapsulant over the device connector, the device, and the top portion of the terminal body; and removing the base strip providing the terminal body partially exposed from the encapsulant. |
| US09076736B2 |
Patterning method for semiconductor device fabrication
A method includes forming a first pattern having a first opening on a semiconductor substrate. The first opening is then filled. A second pattern of a first and second feature, interposed by the filled opening, is formed on the semiconductor substrate. Spacer elements then are formed on sidewalls of the filled opening, the first feature and the second feature. After forming the spacer elements, the material comprising first and second features is removed to form a second opening and a third opening. The filled opening, the second opening and the third opening are used as a masking element to etch a target layer of the substrate. |
| US09076732B2 |
Method to prepare semi-conductor device comprising a selective etching of a silicium—germanium layer
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device by wet-process chemical etching, the device comprising at least one layer of silicon (Si) and at least one layer of silicon-germanium (SiGe) and at least one layer of photosensitive resin forming a mask partly covering the layer of silicon-germanium (SiGe) and leaving the layer of silicon-germanium uncovered in certain zones, characterized in that it comprises a step of preparation of an etching solution, having a pH between 3 and 6, from hydrofluoric acid (HF), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), acetic acid (CH3COOH) and ammonia (NH4OH), and a step of stripping of the layer of silicon-germanium (SiGe) at least at the said zones by exposure to the said etching solution. The invention will be applicable for the manufacture of integrated circuits and more precisely of transistors. In particular, for optimization of CMOS transistors of the latest generation. |
| US09076730B2 |
Metal silicide thin film, ultra-shallow junctions, semiconductor device and method of making
A metal silicide thin film and ultra-shallow junctions and methods of making are disclosed. In the present disclosure, by using a metal and semiconductor dopant mixture as a target, a mixture film is formed on a semiconductor substrate using a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process. The mixture film is removed afterwards by wet etching, which is followed by annealing to form metal silicide thin film and ultra-shallow junctions. Because the metal and semiconductor dopant mixture is used as a target to deposit the mixture film, and the mixture film is removed by wet etching before annealing, self-limiting, ultra-thin, and uniform metal silicide film and ultra-shallow junctions are formed concurrently in semiconductor field-effect transistor fabrication processes, which are suitable for field-effect transistors at the 14 nm, 11 nm, or even further technology node. |
| US09076726B2 |
Method for tuning the effective work function of a gate structure in a semiconductor device
A method for tuning the effective work function of a gate structure in a semiconductor device is described. The semiconductor device is part of an integrated circuit and the gate structure has a metal layer and a high-k dielectric layer separating the metal layer from an active layer of the semiconductor device. The method includes providing an interconnect structure of the integrated circuit on top of the gate structure, the interconnect structure comprising a layer stack comprising at least a pre-metal dielectric layer comprising a metal filled connecting via connected to the gate structure through the pre-metal dielectric layer, and the interconnect structure having an upper exposed metal portion; and, thereafter, exposing at least a portion of the upper exposed metal portion to a plasma under predetermined exposure conditions, to tune the effective work function of the gate structure. |
| US09076721B2 |
Oxynitride channel layer, transistor including the same and method of manufacturing the same
A transistor includes a channel layer including an oxynitride semiconductor doped with at least one of hafnium (Hf) and zirconium (Zr), a source on one side portion of the channel layer and a drain on another side portion of the channel layer, a gate corresponding to the channel layer, and a gate insulation layer between the channel layer and the gate. |
| US09076720B2 |
Magnetic random access memory and a method of fabricating the same
An aspect of the present embodiment, there is provided magnetic random access memory device including a semiconductor substrate, a selection transistor on the semiconductor substrate, the selection transistor including a diffusion layer, a contact plug on diffusion layer, an amorphous film on the contact plug, a lower electrode provided on the amorphous film, a first magnetic layer, a nonmagnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, an upper electrode stacked in an order and a sidewall contact film on the contact plug, the sidewall contact film being in contact with a sidewall of the upper electrode. |
| US09076715B2 |
Interconnect structure for connecting dies and methods of forming the same
A structure includes a first chip having a first substrate, and first dielectric layers underlying the first substrate, with a first metal pad in the first dielectric layers. A second chip includes a second substrate, second dielectric layers over the second substrate and bonded to the first dielectric layers, and a second metal pad in the second dielectric layers. A conductive plug includes a first portion extending from a top surface of the first substrate to a top surface of the first metal pad, and a second portion extending from the top surface of the first metal pad to a top surface of the second metal pad. An edge of the second portion is in physical contact with a sidewall of the first metal pad. A dielectric layer spaces the first portion of the conductive plug from the first plurality of dielectric layers. |
| US09076711B2 |
Interdigitated multiple pixel arrays of light-emitting devices
The present invention discloses a plurality of interdigitated pixels arranged in an array, having a very low series-resistance with improved current spreading and improved heat-sinking. Each pixel is a square with sides of dimension l. The series resistance is minimized by increasing the perimeter of an active region for the pixels. The series resistance is also minimized by shrinking the space between a mesa and n-contact for each pixel. |
| US09076710B2 |
Array substrate of display panel
An array substrate of display panel includes a plurality of gate lines, common lines, data lines and repairing segments. The data line includes a first data line, and the common line includes a first common line. The first common line penetrates through first, second and third pixel areas, and the first data line has a broken line defect on a side of the first pixel area. The first common line has a first cutting part in the second pixel area and a second cutting part in the third pixel area, and the first common line between the first and second cutting parts forms a floating common repairing segment. In the second pixel area, the first data line is electrically connected to the common repairing segment through the repairing segment. In the third pixel area, the first data line is electrically connected to the common repairing line through the repairing segment. |
| US09076702B2 |
Frontside-illuminated barrier infrared photodetector device and methods of fabricating the same
Frontside-illuminated barrier infrared photodetector devices and methods of fabrication are disclosed. In one embodiment, a frontside-illuminated barrier infrared photodetector includes a transparent carrier substrate, and a plurality of pixels. Each pixel of the plurality of pixels includes an absorber layer, a barrier layer on the absorber layer, a collector layer on the barrier layer, and a backside electrical contact coupled to the absorber layer. Each pixel has a frontside and a backside. The absorber layer and the barrier layer are non-continuous across the plurality of pixels, and the barrier layer of each pixel is closer to a scene than the absorber layer of each pixel. A plurality of frontside common electrical contacts is coupled to the frontside of the plurality of pixels, wherein the frontside of the plurality of pixels and the plurality of frontside common electrical contacts are bonded to the transparent carrier substrate. |
| US09076698B2 |
Flexible package-to-socket interposer
A flexible interposer for the attachment of a microelectronic package to a microelectronic socket, wherein a first portion of the flexible substrate may be positioned between the microelectronic package and the microelectronic socket, and a second portion of the flexible interposer may extend from between the microelectronic package and the microelectronic socket to electrically contact an external component. In one embodiment, the external component may be a microelectronic substrate and the microelectronic socket may be attached to the microelectronic substrate. |
| US09076697B2 |
Photoresist composition, method of manufacturing a polarizer and method of manufacturing a display substrate using the same
A photoresist composition includes about 65% by weight to about 80% by weight of a mono-functional monomer, about 5% by weight to about 20% by weight of a di-functional monomer, about 1% by weight to about 10% by weight of a multi-functional monomer including three or more functional groups, about 1% by weight to about 5% by weight of a photoinitiator, and less than about 1% by weight of a surfactant, each based on a total weight of the photoresist composition. |
| US09076693B2 |
Display signal lines and methods of fabricating the same
Display substrates are disclosed. In one aspect, display substrates include a first signal line, a second signal line, a first detour signal line and a second detour signal line. The first signal line includes a first region and a pair of second regions disposed on opposite sides of the first region. The pair of second regions are spaced apart from the first region. The second signal line crosses the first signal line. The second signal line includes a third region and a pair of fourth regions disposed on opposite sides of the third region. The pair of fourth regions are spaced apart from the third region. The first detour signal line electrically connects the pair of second regions to each other. The second detour signal line electrically connects the pair of fourth regions to each other. Related methods are also disclosed. |
| US09076687B2 |
Methods of forming semiconductor devices, including forming patterns by performing an oxidation process
Methods of forming semiconductor devices are provided. A method of forming a semiconductor device may include forming a structure including insulating layers and gate layers that are alternately and repeatedly stacked on a substrate. The method may include forming through-holes in the structure. The method may include forming first patterns on sidewalls of the gate layers, by performing an oxidation process. The method may include forming second patterns on portions of the substrate, by performing the oxidation process. The method may include removing the second patterns. Moreover, the method may include forming semiconductor patterns in the through-holes. |
| US09076684B1 |
3D memory structure and manufacturing method of the same
A 3D memory structure and a manufacturing method of the same are provided. The 3D memory structure includes a substrate, a plurality of stacked structures, a plurality of charge trapping layers, a plurality of bit lines, and a plurality of stair structures. The stacked structures are formed on the substrate, and each of the stacked structures includes a plurality of gates and a plurality of gate insulators alternately stacked on the substrate. The charge trapping layers are formed on the sidewalls of the stacked structures. The bit lines are arranged orthogonally over the stacked structures, the surfaces of the bit lines crossing the stacked structures for forming a plurality of memory elements. The stair structures, each electrically connected to the different gates, are stacked on the substrate. |
| US09076683B2 |
Operating method of nonvolatile memory and method of controlling nonvolatile memory
An operating method of a nonvolatile memory, which includes a plurality of cell strings, each cell string having a plurality of memory cells and a string selection transistor stacked on a substrate, includes detecting threshold voltages of the string selection transistors of the plurality of cell strings; adjusting voltages to be supplied to the string selection transistors according to the detected threshold voltages; and applying the adjusted voltages to the string selection transistors to select or unselect the plurality of cell strings during a programming operation. |
| US09076677B2 |
Method for fabricating semiconductor device with super junction structure
A semiconductor device with a super-junction structure is provided, including: a semiconductor substrate having a first conductivity type; an epitaxial layer having the first conductivity type formed over the semiconductor substrate; a first doping region having the first conductive type formed in a portion of the epitaxial layer; a second doping region having a second conductivity type formed in a portion of the of the epitaxial layer; a third doping region having the second conductivity type formed in a portion of the of the epitaxial layer, wherein the doping region partially comprises doped polysilicon materials having the second conductivity type; a gate dielectric layer formed over the epitaxial layer, partially overlying the well region; and a gate electrode formed over a portion of the gate dielectric layer. |
| US09076676B2 |
High-voltage transistor device and production method
A body region (3) with a first type of electric conductivity is arranged at the upper surface (10) of a substrate (1) in a well (2), wherein a portion of the well that is not occupied by the body region has a second type of conductivity opposite the first type of conductivity. At the upper surface, a source region is arranged in the body region and a drain region is arranged in the well at a distance from the body region; the source region and the drain region both have the second type of conductivity. The body region is arranged underneath a surface area of the upper surface that has a border (7) with opposing first border sides (8). The well has a varying depth in the substrate. The depth of the well is smaller underneath the first border sides of the body region than in a portion of the body region that is spaced apart from the first border sides. |
| US09076674B2 |
Method and apparatus for improving particle performance
A method for combinatorially processing a substrate is provided. The method includes providing a substrate disposed on a substrate support. The method further includes rigidly locking a top portion of a sleeve to a bottom portion of a process head of a combinatorial processing device, where the combinatorial processing device is operable to concurrently process different regions of the substrate differently. The method includes raising the substrate and the substrate support to contact a sealing surface of the sleeve with a surface of the substrate and combinatorially processing the different regions of the substrate. |
| US09076673B2 |
FinFET cell architecture with power traces
A finFET block architecture suitable for use of a standard cell library, is based on an arrangement including a first set of semiconductor fins in a first region of the substrate having a first conductivity type, and a second set of semiconductor fins in a second region of the substrate, the second region having a second conductivity type. A patterned gate conductor layer including gate traces in the first and second regions, arranged over channel regions of the first and second sets of semiconductor fins is used for transistor gates. Patterned conductor layers over the gate conductor layer are arranged in orthogonal layout patterns, and can include a plurality of floating power buses over the fins in the first and second regions. |
| US09076671B2 |
Power integrated circuit including series-connected source substrate and drain substrate power mosfets
A semiconductor device containing a high voltage MOS transistor with a drain drift region over a lower drain layer and channel regions laterally disposed at the top surface of the substrate. RESURF trenches cut through the drain drift region and body region parallel to channel current flow. The RESURF trenches have dielectric liners and electrically conductive RESURF elements on the liners. Source contact metal is disposed over the body region and source regions. A semiconductor device containing a high voltage MOS transistor with a drain drift region over a lower drain layer, and channel regions laterally disposed at the top surface of the substrate. RESURF trenches cut through the drain drift region and body region perpendicular to channel current flow. Source contact metal is disposed in a source contact trench and extended over the drain drift region to provide a field plate. |
| US09076666B2 |
Template layers for heteroepitaxial deposition of III-nitride semiconductor materials using HVPE processes
Methods of depositing III-nitride semiconductor materials on substrates include depositing a layer of III-nitride semi-conductor material on a surface of a substrate in a nucleation HVPE process stage to form a nucleation layer having a microstructure comprising at least some amorphous III-nitride semiconductor material. The nucleation layer may be annealed to form crystalline islands of epitaxial nucleation material on the surface of the substrate. The islands of epitaxial nucleation material may be grown and coalesced in a coalescence HVPE process stage to form a nucleation template layer of the epitaxial nucleation material. The nucleation template layer may at least substantially cover the surface of the substrate. Additional III-nitride semiconductor material may be deposited over the nucleation template layer of the epitaxial nucleation material in an additional HVPE process stage. Final and intermediate structures comprising III-nitride semiconductor material are formed by such methods. |
| US09076664B2 |
Stacked semiconductor die with continuous conductive vias
A stacked semiconductor device includes a first, a second, a third, and a fourth semiconductor device. A first major surface of each of the first and second semiconductor devices which includes the active circuitry directly face each other, and a first major surface of each of the third and fourth semiconductor devices which includes the active circuitry directly face each other. A second major surface of the second semiconductor device directly faces a second major surface of the third semiconductor device. The stacked semiconductor device includes a plurality of continuous conductive vias, wherein each continuous conductive via extends from the second major surface of the first device, through the first device, second device, third device, and fourth device to the second major surface of the fourth device. Each of the semiconductor devices may include a beveled edge at the first major surface on at least one edge of the device. |
| US09076658B1 |
High precision metal thin film liftoff technique
A metal film liftoff process includes applying a polymer layer onto a silicon substrate, applying a germanium layer over the polymer layer to create a bilayer lift off mask, applying a patterned photoresist layer over the germanium layer, removing an exposed portion of the germanium layer, removing the photoresist layer and a portion of the polymer layer to expose a portion of the substrate and create an overhanging structure of the germanium layer, depositing a metal film over the exposed portion of the substrate and the germanium layer, and removing the polymer and germanium layers along with the overlaying metal film. |
| US09076657B2 |
Electrochemical etching of semiconductors
Semiconductors are electrochemically etched in solutions containing sources of bifluoride and nickel ions. The electrochemical etching may form pores in the surface of the semiconductor in the nanometer range. The etched semiconductor is then nickel plated. |
| US09076656B2 |
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) clamp circuit with high effective holding voltage
Boosted Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) clamp circuit with high effective holding voltage. In some embodiments, an integrated circuit may include a trigger circuit operably coupled to a first voltage bus and to a reference bus; a diode including an anode terminal operably coupled to a second voltage bus, the second voltage bus distinct from the first voltage bus; a transistor including a gate operably coupled to an output terminal of the trigger circuit, a drain operably coupled to a cathode terminal of the diode, and a source operably coupled to the reference bus; and an input/output (I/O) cell operably coupled to the first voltage bus, the second voltage bus, and the reference bus. |
| US09076652B2 |
Semiconductor process for modifying shape of recess
A semiconductor process includes the following steps. Two gates are formed on a substrate. A recess is formed in the substrate beside the gates. A surface modification process is performed on a surface of the recess to modify the shape of the recess and change the contents of the surface. |
| US09076651B1 |
Gate stacks and ohmic contacts for SiC devices
SiC substrates are cleaned and provided to a process chamber. In-situ plasma surface treatments are applied to further clean the surface of the substrate. A dielectric interface layer is deposited in-situ to passivate the surface. Metal layers having a low work function are deposited above the dielectric interface layer. The stack is annealed at about 500C in forming gas to form low resistivity ohmic contacts to the SiC substrate. SiC substrates are cleaned and provided to a process chamber. In-situ plasma surface treatments are applied to further clean the surface of the substrate. A silicon oxide dielectric interface layer is deposited in-situ to passivate the surface. Optional plasma surface treatments are applied to further improve the performance of the silicon oxide dielectric interface layer. An aluminum oxide gate dielectric layer is deposited above the silicon oxide dielectric interface layer. |
| US09076647B2 |
Method of forming an oxide layer and method of manufacturing semiconductor device including the oxide layer
A method of forming an oxide layer. The method includes: forming a layer of reaction-inhibiting functional groups on a surface of a substrate; forming a layer of precursors of a metal or a semiconductor on the layer of the reaction-inhibiting functional groups; and oxidizing the precursors of the metal or the semiconductor in order to obtain a layer of a metal oxide or a semiconductor oxide. According to the method, an oxide layer having a high thickness uniformity may be formed and a semiconductor device having excellent electrical characteristics may be manufactured. |
| US09076646B2 |
Plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition with pulsed plasma exposure
The embodiments herein focus on plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) processes using pulsed plasmas. While conventional PEALD processes use continuous wave plasmas during the plasma exposure/conversion operation, the embodiments herein utilize a pulsed plasma during this operation to achieve a film with high quality sidewalls. Because conventional PEALD techniques result in films having high quality at the bottom and top of a feature, but low quality on the sidewalls, this increased sidewall quality in the disclosed methods corresponds to a film that is overall more uniform in quality compared to that achieved with conventional continuous wave plasma techniques. |
| US09076645B1 |
Method of fabricating an interlayer structure of increased elasticity modulus
Circuit structure fabrication methods are provided which include: providing an interlayer structure above a substrate, the interlayer structure including porogens dispersed within a dielectric material; and pulse laser annealing the interlayer structure to form a treated interlayer structure, the pulse laser annealing polymerizing the dielectric material of the interlayer structure to form a polymeric dielectric material, that includes pores disposed therein. The pulse laser annealing facilitates increasing elasticity modulus of the treated interlayer structure by, in part, maintaining structural integrity of the treated interlayer structure, notwithstanding that there are pores disposed within the polymeric dielectric material which, for instance, facilitates reducing dielectric constant of the treated interlayer structure. |
| US09076644B2 |
Substrate processing apparatus, substrate supporter and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A substrate processing apparatus of the present invention includes a substrate placement stage installed in the process chamber, and configured to place the substrate on a substrate placement surface, with a flange provided on its side face; a heating element arranged in the substrate placement stage and configured to heat the substrate; a plurality of struts configured to support the flange from below, and an exhaust unit configured to exhaust an atmosphere in the process chamber, wherein the supporting member is provided between the substrate placement stage and the plurality of struts. |
| US09076643B2 |
Supercritical processing apparatus, substrate processing system and supercritical processing method
Disclosed is a supercritical processing apparatus which can suppress the occurrence of pattern collapse, improve the throughput, and prolong a maintenance interval. In the disclosed supercritical processing apparatus to remove a liquid remained on a substrate by a super-critical state processing fluid, a heating unit heats the processing fluid to place the processing fluid into a processing receptacle in a supercritical state, and a cooling mechanism forcibly cools an area capable of transferring the heat to the substrate from the heating unit in order to suppress the liquid from being evaporated from the substrate until the substrate is disposed on a seating unit. |
| US09076637B2 |
Plasma processing method and plasma processing apparatus
The invention provides a plasma processing apparatus and a dry etching method for etching a multilayered film structure having steps with high accuracy. The plasma processing apparatus comprises a vacuum reactor 107, a lower electrode 113 placed within a processing chamber of the vacuum reactor and having a wafer 112 to be etched mounted on the upper surface thereof, bias supplying units 118 and 120 for supplying high frequency power for forming a bias potential to the lower electrode 113, a gas supply means 111 for feeding reactive gas into the processing chamber, an electric field supplying means 101 through 103 for supplying a magnetic field for generating plasma in the processing chamber, and a control unit 127 for controlling the distribution of ion energy in the plasma being incident on the wafer 112 via the high frequency power. |
| US09076636B2 |
Plasma processing apparatus, plasma processing method and storage medium for storing program for executing the method
There is provided a plasma processing apparatus including a susceptor 114, having a substrate mounting portion for mounting thereon a substrate, to which a high frequency power is applied; a focus ring 210, disposed to surround the substrate mounted on the substrate mounting portion, including an outer ring 214 having a top surface higher than a top surface of the substrate and an inner ring 212 extending inwardly from the outer ring so as to allow at least a part of the inner ring to be positioned below a periphery of the substrate, the outer ring and the inner ring being formed as a single member; a dielectric ring 220 positioned between the focus ring and the susceptor; a dielectric constant varying device 250 for varying a dielectric constant of the dielectric ring. |
| US09076635B2 |
Substrate treatment installation
A substrate treatment installation includes an installation chamber and a light source for the exposure of substrates to light. The light source is arranged in the interior of the substrate treatment installation and includes at least one discharge lamp arranged in a housing, which is permeable to light at least in sections and has a vacuum-tight cavity for accommodating the lamp, and also at least one reflector element arranged in spatial proximity to the at least one lamp and having an electrical connection. |
| US09076630B2 |
Electron microscope and a method for measuring the defocus variation or the limit resolution
An electron microscope and a method for measuring the defocus spread or the limiting resolution of an electron microscope takes advantage of the fact that, in the case of tilted illumination, any aberration that may be present and the defocus spread of the electron microscope anisotropically change the intensity distribution in the diffractogram. In particular, the envelope of the diffractogram is anisotropically narrowed. If both the tilt of the electron beam and any aberration that may be present are known, and the focus distribution is assumed to be Gaussian-shaped, the defocus spread of the electron microscope is the only parameter still unknown that influences the anisotropic changes in intensity distribution. Quantitative conclusions as to the defocus spread can thus be drawn from the changes. However, the focus distribution can also be determined from the anisotropic narrowing without the use of a model, and without a priori assumptions about the shape thereof. In this way, the limiting resolution of the electron microscope can be determined. |
| US09076629B2 |
Particle detection system
This invention provides a design to process a large range of detection beam current at low noise with a single detector. With such a design, the detection system can generate up to 1010 gain and maximum signal output at more than mini Ampere (mA) level. A condenser lens is configured to increase bandwidth of the detector that scan speed can be enhanced. |
| US09076626B2 |
Plasma source apparatus and methods for generating charged particle beams
A plasma source apparatus for generating a beam of charged particles is disclosed. The apparatus comprises: a plasma chamber provided with an inlet for the ingress of gas and an aperture for the extraction of charged particles from the plasma chamber; a radio frequency (RF) plasma generation unit for generating a plasma inside the plasma chamber, the radio frequency plasma generation unit comprising first and second resonant circuits each tuned to resonate at substantially the same resonant frequency, the first resonant circuit comprising a first antenna and a first, RF power source adapted to drive the first resonant circuit at substantially its resonant frequency, and the second resonant circuit comprising a second antenna, whereby in use an RF signal is induced in the second antenna by the first resonant circuit due to resonant coupling, the second resonant circuit being configured to apply the induced RF signal to the plasma chamber to generate a plasma therein; and a particle accelerating unit for extracting charged particles from the plasma and accelerating the charged particles to form a beam, the particle accelerating unit comprising a second power source configured to apply potential between the plasma chamber and an accelerating electrode, the region between the plasma chamber and the accelerating electrode constituting an acceleration column. The second power source is adapted to output a high voltage relative to that output by the first, RF power source. |
| US09076625B2 |
Indirectly heated cathode cartridge design
An apparatus and method for producing electrons in a plasma flood gun is disclosed. The apparatus includes an indirectly heated cathode (IHC) which is contained within a pre-fabricated cartridge. This cartridge can be readily replaced in a plasma flood gun. In addition, the use of an IHC reduces the amount of contaminants that are injected into the workpiece or wafer. |
| US09076624B2 |
Generating microwave radiation
A method for operating a device having an anode and a cathode for generating microwave radiation with an accelerating voltage is provided. A chronological sequence of the accelerating voltage is provided by a series of voltage pulses. A first voltage pulse with an operating amplitude is applied between the anode and the cathode in order to determine whether an electric flashover occurs during the applied first voltage pulse. A second voltage pulse is applied following the first voltage pulse with a deionization amplitude that is smaller than the operating amplitude when the electric flashover occurs during the applied first voltage pulse. |
| US09076616B2 |
Methods and apparatus for improved latching relay driver
Methods and apparatus provide for at least one relay with contacts transitioning from: an OFF state to an ON state in response to an ON-pulse of current through a coil in a first direction; and the ON state to the OFF state in response to an OFF-pulse of current through the coil in a second, opposite direction. A driver circuit operates to produce the ON-pulse through the coil of the relay in response to a control signal commanding the ON-state of the contacts; produce the OFF-pulse of current through the coil of the relay in response to a control signal commanding the OFF-state of the contacts; and produce the OFF-pulse of current through the coil of the relay in response to a loss of operating potential across the pair of operating power nodes. |
| US09076614B2 |
Switchgear
A switchgear includes a fixed contactor provided in a tank filled with insulating gas, and a movable contactor provided in the tank, the movable contactor being connected to and disconnected from the fixed contactor so as to move forward and backward. The switchgear includes an arc extinction member including a surrounding portion which is slidably connected to the outer circumferential surface of the movable contactor halfway in a movement range from a close contact state to an open contact state and is formed so as to surround an arc space portion in a sealed manner, the surrounding portion being formed with a through hole through which the arc space communicates with the outside of the arc space. |
| US09076608B2 |
Push switch
A push switch includes an operating slider, an actuator with a sliding member, a return spring, a housing, a main body in which the operating slider, the actuator, and the return spring are supported by the housing, a heart cam mechanism (including an engagement pin and a cam groove) incorporated in the main body, an operating knob which caps the operating slider, and a fixed contact provided for a circuit board such that the sliding member is allowed to be brought into contact with and separated from the fixed contact. When the operating slider is moved upward or downward, the actuator is driven to be laterally slid. The housing is snap-fitted to an outer casing (upper casing) holding the circuit board. A space is provided between the housing and the circuit board. |
| US09076606B2 |
Magnet arrangement for a low-voltage circuit-breaker
An exemplary magnet arrangement improves the running characteristics of a switching arc generated upon the interruption of a current circuit in a pre-chamber of a low-voltage circuit-breaker, in which the switching arc is directed between two electric arc running rails. The exemplary arrangement includes an open magnetic circuit having a magnetic material and at least one permanent magnet that delivers magnetic flux to the magnetic circuit, with magnetic induction generated in a vicinity of the pre-chamber acting upon the switching arc. The magnetic material can be configured as a U-section sheet metal plate which extends along the length of the pre-chamber and includes a material recess which extends through this pre-chamber metal sheet and is arranged to contain the at least one permanent magnet. The exemplary arrangement is of a simple construction and permits adjustment of magnetic induction acting in the pre-chamber of the low-voltage circuit-breaker. |
| US09076605B2 |
Touch panel
The Present Disclosure provides a touch panel, which consists of a main panel and a light-emitting touch module mounted under the main panel. The light-emitting touch module consists of a first circuit board provided with a plethora of touch sensors and light-emitting devices under the main panel. These touch sensors are used to induce the approaching signals of the operator, and transmit the induction signals to a touch control circuit for controlling the light-emitting status of the corresponding light-emitting device. The light-emitting touch module also consists of a second circuit board, electrically connected with the first circuit board. The touch control circuit is provided on the second circuit board, spatially separated from the first circuit board by a certain distance, so that the electromagnetic interferences of the touch control circuit on the touch sensors may be reduced. |
| US09076603B2 |
Switch packing and electronic key using the same
A switch packing includes a switch mechanism part disposed between an operation button and a switch element, and configured to be elastically deformed by pushing the operation button so as to have the switch element change to a first state and provide an operational feeling via the operation button, and a sealing part configured to prevent penetration of a liquid. The switch mechanism part and the sealing part are integrated with each other. |
| US09076602B2 |
Electrical isolator
An electrical isolator includes a body defining an aperture therethrough, a first electrical contact disposed at a first end of the aperture, a second electrical contact movably disposed at a second end of the aperture, the second contact configured to be operatively movable through the aperture to electrically connect to, or disconnect from, the first contact and at least two concave electrical field control screens fixed to the body at respective ends of, and about, the aperture such that the screens lie transverse to the aperture and an open-end of each concave screen is directed towards the other. |
| US09076600B2 |
Thin film capacitor
A thin film capacitor includes two or more of dielectric body layers that are alternately laminated on an under-electrode, and internal electrode layers that are laminated between the dielectric body layers, and are exposed off the dielectric body layer, and a connection electrode that is electrically connected to the internal electrode layers via the exposed portion of the internal electrode layers, A relationship between an average grain size D of crystal grains in the internal electrode layers and an average grain size d of crystal grains in the connection electrode is D>d. |
| US09076599B2 |
Laminated ceramic electronic parts
A compact laminated ceramic electronic component having superior moisture resistance and electrical properties is provided.A laminated ceramic electronic component 1 includes an inner layer portion that contains a plurality of dielectric layers 2a and internal electrode layers 3 comprising Ni as a main component that are laminated alternately, and a pair of dielectric outer layer portions 2b which sandwich the inner layer portions. And Ni particles are segregated in the dielectric outer layer portions 2b. And the amount of Ni particles existing in the dielectric layers 2a is smaller than that in the dielectric outer layer portions 2b. |
| US09076593B2 |
Heat conductor for use with an inverter in an electric vehicle (EV) or a hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV)
A heat conductor for use with an inverter in an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle, the inverter including a direct current link capacitor having multiple film capacitors configured in a stack to form a substantially polygonal prism. Each film capacitor has orthotropic characteristics. The heat conductor has a first substantially planar member configured to contact a first side of the polygonal prism formed by one of the film capacitors, and a second substantially planar member configured to contact a second side of the polygonal prism opposite the first side of the rectangular prism, the second side of the rectangular prism formed by another one of the film capacitors. The first and second planar member are thermally conductive for dissipating heat generated by the film capacitors, are attached by an interconnect, and have sufficient rigidity to confine expansion of the film capacitors across the thicknesses thereof. |
| US09076591B2 |
High energy density electrochemical capacitors
Electrochemical capacitors and methods for producing such electrochemical capacitors. The electrochemical capacitor can have an initial charged state and a cycled charged state and can include an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte. The anode can include a first mixture having a first plurality of electrically conductive carbon-comprising particles having a first average porosity. The cathode can include a second mixture having a second plurality of electrically conductive carbon-comprising particles having a second average porosity greater than said first average porosity. The electrolyte can be physically and electrically contacting said anode and said cathode, and the first mixture in the cycled charged state can be substantially free of lithium metal particles and can further include a plurality of lithium ions intercalating the first plurality of carbon comprising particles. The mass ratio of the cathode and the electrolyte can be less than 1. |
| US09076590B2 |
Electroconductive polymer suspension solution, electroconductive polymer material, and electrolytic capacitor and method for producing the same
The present invention provides an electroconductive polymer suspension solution and an electroconductive polymer material which has a high electroconductivity and in which the time-related deterioration of the electroconductivity is suppressed. Also, the present invention provides an electrolytic capacitor with a low ESR using the electroconductive polymer material as a solid electrolyte and a method for producing the same.In the present invention, electroconductive polymer particles 1 in the electroconductive polymer material are bonded via organic dispersant 2 and cross-linker 3 to obtain a strong bond between electroconductive polymer particles 1. |
| US09076589B2 |
Ionic gel electrolyte, energy storage devices, and methods of manufacture thereof
An electrochemical cell includes solid-state, printable anode layer, cathode layer and non-aqueous gel electrolyte layer coupled to the anode layer and cathode layer. The electrolyte layer provides physical separation between the anode layer and the cathode layer, and comprises a composition configured to provide ionic communication between the anode layer and cathode layer by facilitating transmission of multivalent ions between the anode layer and the cathode layer. |
| US09076588B2 |
Dielectric fluids comprising estolide compounds and methods of making and using the same
Provided herein are dielectric fluids comprising at least one estolide compound of formula: in which n is an integer equal to or greater than 0; m is an integer equal to or greater than 1; R1, independently for each occurrence, is selected from optionally substituted alkyl that is saturated or unsaturated, and branched or unbranched; R2 is selected from hydrogen and optionally substituted alkyl that is saturated or unsaturated, and branched or unbranched; and R3 and R4, independently for each occurrence, are selected from optionally substituted alkyl that is saturated or unsaturated, and branched or unbranched. Also provided herein are uses of dielectric fluids and electrical devices such as transformers that comprise a dielectric fluid comprising at least one estolide compound. |
| US09076585B2 |
Electronic component and method for manufacturing the same
The present invention relates to an electronic component having a primary coil pattern and a secondary coil pattern with at least one selected from a dielectric and an insulator interposed therebetween, which includes at least one discharge terminal for discharging overvoltage or overcurrent applied to the primary coil pattern or the secondary coil pattern, and a method for manufacturing the same. Since it is possible to efficiently discharge overvoltage or overcurrent applied to an electronic component, it is possible to improve reliability of various electronic devices to which the electronic component in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is applied as well as to extend lifespan of the electronic component itself. |
| US09076584B2 |
Powder for magnet
Provided are a powder for a magnet, which provides a rare-earth magnet having excellent magnet properties and which has excellent formability, a method for producing the powder for a magnet, a powder compact, a rare-earth-iron-based alloy material, and a rare-earth-iron-nitrogen-based alloy material which are used as materials for the magnet, and methods for producing the powder compact and these alloy materials. Magnetic particles 1 constituting the powder for a magnet each have a texture in which grains of a phase 3 of a hydride of a rare-earth element are dispersed in a phase 2 of an iron-containing material, such as Fe. The uniform presence of the phase 2 of the iron-containing material in each magnetic particle 1 results in the powder having excellent formability, thereby providing a powder compact 4 having a high relative density. The powder for a magnet is produced by heat-treating a rare-earth-iron-based alloy powder in a hydrogen atmosphere to separate the rare-earth element and the iron-containing material from each other and then forming a hydride of the rare-earth element. The powder for a magnet is subjected to compacting to form the powder compact 4. The powder compact 4 is subjected to heat treatment in vacuum to form a rare-earth-iron-based alloy material 5. The rare-earth-iron-based alloy material 5 is subjected to heat treatment in a nitrogen atmosphere to form a rare-earth-iron-nitrogen-based alloy material 6. |
| US09076571B2 |
Thick-film conductive compositions with nano-sized zinc additive
The present invention is a thick film silver composition for use a solar cell device. The thick film paste composition comprises an electrically conductive silver powder, one or more glass frits, a nano-sized additive wherein the nano-sized additive is selected from metallic zinc, zinc alloys or a mixture of metallic zinc and zinc oxide, all dispersed in an organic medium. |
| US09076570B2 |
Nano-composite structures, methods of making, and use thereof
The present invention relates to a polymer-free nano-composite structure containing nanostructured carbon and nanoparticles. Also disclosed are methods of making the polymer-free nano-composite structures. The present invention also relates to a lithium ion battery, a capacitor, a supercapacitor, a battery/capacitor, or a fuel cell containing the polymer-free nano-composite structures of the present invention. |
| US09076568B2 |
Conductive elements in cable jackets and separators
A cable, of the twisted pair or fiber optic type, includes conductors for permitting patch cord tracing between ports. In the case of a twisted pair cable, the conductors may be embedded within, or attached to a surface of, a separator. Alternatively, in the case of a twisted pair cable, the conductors may be embedded within, or attached to a surface of, a jacket. In the case of a fiber optic cable, the conductors may be located amongst strength members. Alternatively, in the case of a fiber optic cable, the conductors may be embedded within, or attached to a surface of, a jacket. |
| US09076564B2 |
Multi charged particle beam writing apparatus and multi charged particle beam writing method
A multi charged particle beam writing apparatus according to an embodiment, includes a setting unit to set a second region such that more openings in remaining openings except for an opening through which the defective beam passes are included in the second region, a selection unit to select a mode from a first mode in which a pattern is written on a target object by using multiple beams having passed openings in the second region and a second mode in which multiple writing is performed while shifting a position by using at least one of remaining multiple beams in the state where the defective beam is controlled to be beam off and additional writing is performed for a position which was supposed to be written by the defective beam, and a writing processing control unit to control to write in the mode selected. |
| US09076553B2 |
SPSRAM wrapper
Among other things, one or more techniques or systems for facilitating access operations to a single port memory device are provided. Multiple access operations to a single port memory device, such as a 6 transistor bitcell array of an SPSRAM, are performed during a single clock period of a system clock. In an embodiment, a wrapper controller initiates a first access operation during a first clock period of the system clock based upon a rising edge of the system clock. Responsive to receiving an operation complete signal during the first clock operation, the wrapper controller initiates a second access operation to the single port memory device during the first clock period. In this way, multi-port access functionality is implemented, such as in a serial manner to mitigate operation disturbs, for a single port memory device that occupies a relatively smaller area than a multi-port memory device for improved storage density. |
| US09076551B2 |
Multi-phase ground-referenced single-ended signaling
A system includes a control circuit and first, second, and third ground-referenced single-ended signaling (GRS) driver circuits that are each coupled to an output signal. The control circuit is configured to generate a first, second, and third set of control signals that are each based on a respective phase of a clock signal. Each GRS driver circuit is configured to pre-charge a capacitor to store a charge based on the respective set of control signals during at least one phase of the clock signal and drive the output signal relative to a ground network by discharging the charge during a respective phase of the clock signal. |
| US09076549B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and refresh method thereof
A semiconductor memory device includes: a normal memory cell block including a first plurality of memory cells; a redundancy memory cell block including a second plurality of memory cells and configured for use in replacing memory cells of the normal memory cell block; a weak cell information storage configured to store information regarding weak memory cells in the normal and redundancy memory cell blocks; and a refresh control circuit configured to control a refresh rate of memory cells in the normal and redundancy memory cell blocks based on the information regarding weak memory cells in the weak cell information storage. The weak memory cells in the normal and redundancy memory cell blocks are refreshed at least once more than other memory cells in the normal and redundancy memory cell blocks during a refresh cycle. |
| US09076548B1 |
Semiconductor memory device including refresh control circuit and method of refreshing the same
A method of refreshing a semiconductor memory device includes performing a first refresh operation for memory cells included in a memory cell array, and determining whether a command other than a refresh command is applied to the semiconductor memory device in a refresh cycle of the first refresh operation. The method further includes continuing to perform the first refresh operation when a command other the refresh command is applied to the semiconductor memory device in one refresh cycle of the first refresh operation, and performing a second refresh operation when a command other than the refresh command is not applied to the semiconductor memory device in one refresh cycle of the first refresh operation. A refresh time of the second refresh operation is greater than a refresh time of the first refresh operation. |
| US09076545B2 |
Dynamic adjustment of read voltage levels based on memory cell threshold voltage distribution
A system and methods to find the threshold voltage distribution across a set of nonvolatile memory cells, such that embodiments may incorporate this distribution information into calculations that may change the read compare voltages used to read the memory cells, while ensuring adequate separation in read voltage between different data states at which the memory cells may be read. |
| US09076543B2 |
Techniques for providing a direct injection semiconductor memory device
Techniques for providing a direct injection semiconductor memory device are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a direct injection semiconductor memory device including a first region coupled to a source line, a second region coupled to a bit line. The direct injection semiconductor memory device may also include a body region spaced apart from and capacitively coupled to a word line, wherein the body region is electrically floating and disposed between the first region and the second region. The direct injection semiconductor memory device may further include a third region coupled to a carrier injection line configured to inject charges into the body region through the second region. |
| US09076539B2 |
Common source semiconductor memory device
A memory device includes a cell array and a common source line compensation circuit. The cell array includes a plurality of normal cell units connected between a plurality of bit lines and one common source line, respectively. The common source line compensation circuit supplies a plurality of compensation write currents to the common source line to compensate for a plurality of write currents concurrently input into or output from the common source line through the normal cell units. |
| US09076536B2 |
Non-volatile semiconductor memory device and memory system
A non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array and a control circuit. A control circuit performs an erase operation providing a memory cell with a first threshold voltage level for erasing data of a memory cell, and then perform a plurality of first write operations providing a memory cell with a second threshold voltage level, the second threshold voltage level being higher than the first threshold voltage level and being positive level. When the control circuit receives a first execution instruction from outside during the first write operations, the first execution instruction being for performing first function operation except for the erase operation and the first write operations, the circuit performs the first function operation during the first write operations. |
| US09076529B2 |
Level shift circuit and semiconductor device using level shift circuit
A level shift circuit, for outputting a data output signal with a second level via an output inverter after a data input signal with a first level is stored in a latch, includes a level set circuit, when the output data signal outputs with a low level, setting the output data signal to a low level in response to a change of the input data signal. The level set circuit is connected to an output terminal of the output inverter, and has an NMOS transistor having a drain electrode and a source electrode coupled to a ground, wherein the NMOS transistor turns on in response to the input data signal with a high level. |
| US09076527B2 |
Charge sharing in a TCAM array
A memory cell includes a storage capacitor, a read line, and a storage transistor, where the storage transistor is connected to the read line and is subject to activation by a charge in the storage capacitor. An in-memory processor includes a memory array which stores data, and an activation unit to activate at least two cells in a column of the memory array at generally the same time, thereby to generate a Boolean function output of the data of the at least two cells, wherein each of the at least two cells includes at least a storage capacitor, a storage transistor and a read line, where the storage transistor is connected to the read line and subject to activation by a charge in the storage capacitor. |
| US09076523B2 |
Methods of manufacturing embedded bipolar switching resistive memory
Non linear current response circuits can be used in embedded resistive memory cell for reducing power consumption, together with improving reliability of the memory array. The non linear current response circuits can include two back to back leaky PIN diodes, two parallel anti-directional PIN diodes, two back to back Zener-type metal oxide diodes, or ovonic switching elements, along with current limiting resistor for standby power reduction at the low voltage region. Also, the proposed embedded ReRAM implementation methods based upon 1T2D1R scheme can be integrated into the advanced FEOL process technologies including vertical pillar transistor and/or 3D fin-shaped field effect transistor (FinFET) for realizing a highly compact cell density. |
| US09076520B2 |
Semiconductor device and driving method thereof
The storage device includes a volatile first memory circuit and a nonvolatile second memory circuit which includes a transistor whose channel is formed in an oxide semiconductor layer. In the case of high-frequency driving, during a period when source voltage is applied, a data signal is input to and output from the first memory circuit, and during a part of a period when source voltage is supplied, which is before the supply of the source voltage is stopped, a data signal is input to the second memory circuit. In the case of low-frequency driving, during a period when source voltage is applied, a data signal is input to the second memory circuit, the data signal input to the second memory circuit is input to the first memory circuit, and the data signal input to the first memory circuit is output. |
| US09076517B2 |
Memory apparatus with gated phase-change memory cells
A memory apparatus includes a plurality of gated phase-change memory cells having s≧2 programmable cell-states, the cells each having a gate and being arranged in series between a source and drain; a bias voltage generator configured to apply a bias voltage to the gate of each cell; and a controller configured to control the bias voltage generator, in a write operation for programming the state of a cell, to apply a first bias voltage to the gate of each cell except an addressed cell for the write operation, wherein application of the first bias voltage to a cell reduces the cell resistance such that application of a programming signal between the source and drain effects programming of the addressed cell only. |
| US09076516B2 |
Method for programming a nonvolatile memory device
Provided is a method for programming a nonvolatile memory device, which includes memory cells arranged in a plurality of rows. The programming method includes alternately selecting word lines to program data at a first page portion and a second page portion associated with the memory cells. After the first and second page portions are programmed, the method includes programming data at a third page portion associated with the memory cells according to an order in which word lines are arranged. The word lines may be sequentially selected one by one from a word line adjacent to a ground selection line. |
| US09076515B2 |
Memory devices, systems and methods employing command/address calibration
During a command/address calibration mode, a memory controller may transmit multiple cycles of test patterns as signals to a memory device. Each cycle of test pattern signals may be transmitted at an adjusted relative phase with respect to a clock also transmitted to the memory device. The memory device may input the test pattern signals at a timing determined by the clock, such as rising and/or falling edges of the clock. The test pattern as input by the memory device may be sent to the memory controller to determine if the test pattern was successfully transmitted to the memory device during the cycle. Multiple cycles of test pattern transmissions are evaluated to determine a relative phase of command/address signals with respect to the clock for transmission during operation of the system. |
| US09076514B2 |
Methods of copying a page in a memory device and methods of managing pages in a memory system
A method of copying a page in a memory device having a plurality of memory blocks and a plurality of sets of bit lines is disclosed, wherein each of the plurality of memory blocks includes a plurality of pages, and each set of bit lines corresponds to a respective memory block, wherein first bit lines of a source memory block that includes a source page are respectively coupled to second bit lines of a target memory block that includes a target page. The method includes disconnecting between the first bit lines of the source memory block including a source page and from the second bit lines of a the target memory block including a target page; transferring data stored in the source page to the first bit lines of the source memory block; transferring the data from the first bit lines of the source memory block to the second bit lines of the target memory block; and writing the data transferred to the second bit lines of the target memory block into the target page. |
| US09076511B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device and memory system including the same
A nonvolatile memory device includes a memory cell array; and a high voltage generator arranged to generate a high voltage to be supplied to the memory cell array. The high voltage generator includes a pump unit block having a plurality of pump units supplied with an external voltage and at least one of the pumps is engaged in pumping the external voltage to a higher, output, voltage, at a steady clock rate. The number of pumps engaged in pumping is increased until a predetermined period has elapsed. The rate at which the number of pumps is increased depends upon the value of the external voltage. |
| US09076509B2 |
Methods and apparatus for varying a supply voltage or reference voltage using independent control of diode voltage in asymmetrical double-gate devices
Methods and apparatus are provided for varying one or more of a supply voltage and reference voltage in an integrated circuit, using independent control of a diode voltage in an asymmetrical double-gate device. An integrated circuit is provided that is controlled by one or more of a supply voltage and a reference voltage. The integrated circuit comprises an independently controlled asymmetrical double-gate device to adjust one or more of the supply voltage and the reference voltage. The independent control may comprise, for example, a back gate bias. The independently controlled asymmetrical double-gate device may be employed in a number of applications, including voltage islands, static RAM, and to improve the power and performance of a processing unit. |
| US09076508B2 |
Built-in self trim for non-volatile memory reference current
A non-volatile memory built-in self-trim mechanism is provided by which product reliability can be improved by minimizing drift of reference current used for accessing the non-volatile memory and for performing initial trimming of the reference current. Embodiments perform these tasks by using an analog-to-digital converter to provide a digital representation of the reference current (Iref) and then comparing that digital representation to a stored target range value for Iref and then adjusting a source of Iref accordingly. For a reference current generated by a NVM reference bitcell, program or erase pulses are applied to the reference cell as part of the trimming procedure. For a reference current generated by a bandgap-based circuit, the comparison results can be used to adjust the reference current circuit. In addition, environmental factors, such as temperature, can be used to adjust the measured value for the reference current or the target range value. |
| US09076505B2 |
Memory device
A memory device including first to fourth memory cell arrays and a driver circuit including a pair of bit line driver circuits and a pair of word line driver circuits is provided. The first to fourth memory cell arrays are overlap with the driver circuit. Each of the pair of bit line driver circuits and a plurality of bit lines are connected through connection points on an edge along the boundary between the first and second memory cell arrays or on an edge along the boundary between the third and fourth memory cell arrays. Each of the pair of word line driver circuits and a plurality of word lines are connected through second connection points on an edge along the boundary between the first and fourth memory cell arrays or on an edge along the boundary between the second and third memory cell arrays. |
| US09076497B1 |
Electronic device with disk drive mounting assembly
A disk drive mounting assembly is configured to mount a disk drive. The disk drive mounting assembly can include a carrier configured to receive a disk drive and a retainer configured to be coupled to the disk drive and retain the disk drive in the carrier. The retainer can include a main body, a head extending from the main body, and two wings extending from two opposite sides of the main body and configured to be coupled to the disk drive. The head has a distal end spaced from the main body and the wings. The head has a distal end moving toward the main body when the head is pressed, and has the end moving away from the main body retain the disk drive in the carrier when the head is released. |
| US09076496B2 |
Tape cleaning device and drive device
A tape cleaning device includes a blade that, while touching a recording tape that is running, scrapes foreign bodies from the recording tape; a roller that touches the recording tape and rotates along with the running of the recording tape, the foreign bodies scraped off by the blade being transferred to the roller; and a removal mechanism that removes the foreign bodies that have been transferred to the roller from the roller. |
| US09076495B2 |
Reproducing apparatus, reproducing method, computer program, program storage medium, data structure, recording medium, recording device, and manufacturing method of recording medium
A reproducing apparatus includes a playback data acquisition unit for acquiring playback data containing encoded stream data, a decoding unit for decoding the stream data, a mixing unit for mixing data to be mixed, different from the stream data, with the stream data decoded by the decoding unit, and a selecting unit for selecting between supplying the stream data to the decoding unit and outputting the stream data, and a control unit for controlling the selecting unit. The control unit acquires, from the playback data acquired by the playback data acquisition unit, determination information indicating whether the playback data contains the data to be mixed with the stream data, and controls the selecting unit to output the stream data if the determination information determines that the playback data contains no data to be mixed and if data processed by the playback data processing unit is output as encoded data. |
| US09076489B1 |
Circular timeline for video trimming
Methods and apparatus provide for a self-enclosed timeline trimmer to create a circular timeline placed over a video that graphically represents the entire duration of a video. The self-enclosed timeline trimmer generates a self-enclosed timeline to represent a duration of the video incremented according to a first unit of time. The self-enclosed timeline is layered over at least a portion of the video. The self-enclosed timeline trimmer represents a start of the video on the self-enclosed timeline and an end of the video on the self-enclosed timeline. The self-enclosed timeline trimmer displays the duration of the video in its entirety by connecting the start and the end of the video on the self-enclosed timeline. Further, the self-enclosed timeline trimmer is well suited for video editing on mobile computer devices, wireless computer devices, and for portable computer devices. |
| US09076487B2 |
Randomly accessible visual information recording medium and recording method, and reproducing device and reproducing method
Access point pictures designated as randomly accessible positions are I pictures or P pictures. Information indicating the decoding sequence (I1, P1, B1, B2, B3, B4, P2, . . . ) of pictures functioning as access points and attribute information (picture_type) indicating whether a picture functions as an access point or is necessary for decoding of the access point following a given access point are recorded on the video information recording medium. Random access is possible even if the GOP interval is lengthened. |
| US09076485B2 |
Randomly accessible visual information recording medium and recording method, and reproducing device and reproducing method
Access point pictures designated as randomly accessible positions are I pictures or P pictures. Information indicating the decoding sequence (I1, P1, B1, B2, B3, B4, P2, . . . ) of pictures functioning as access points and attribute information (picture_type) indicating whether a picture functions as an access point or is necessary for decoding of the access point following a given access point are recorded on the video information recording medium. Random access is possible even if the GOP interval is lengthened. |
| US09076484B2 |
Methods for estimating playback time and handling a cumulative playback time permission
Methods for estimating playback time and handling a cumulative playback time permission are provided. In one embodiment, a file is streamed from a first device to a second device for playback. The amount of data of the file that was streamed to the second device is determined, and a playback time of the file is estimated using a time rate associated with the file and the determined amount of data of the file that was streamed to the second device. If the file is associated with a permission specifying an allowed cumulative playback time of the file, the estimated playback time can be accrued against the allowed cumulative playback time. Other embodiments are disclosed, and each of the embodiments described herein can be used alone or in combination with one another. |
| US09076483B2 |
DVD replications system and method
A system and method for replicating protected content on media includes a controller for enabling replicating of media content from partial encoded content received at a location of the controller. A media recorder is coupled to the controller and including a modulation process (104) to complete encoding of the partial encoded content to record media content on media readable by a device other than the media recorder. |
| US09076481B1 |
Disk drive device with disk detection mechanism
In a disk drive device, a guide section is formed to protrude from the front surface of a guide top and face a front panel of a frame member with a detection pin therebetween. The guide section forms an inclined side that faces a free end of the detection pin with a gap therebetween. If a disk is shifted from the middle of a disk insertion slot in the right-left direction and is inserted into the disk insertion slot, the detection pin is flexibly deformed by a disk insertion force and is brought into pressure contact with the inclined side. A component force is exerted on the detection pin in a direction in which the detection pin is moved away from the middle of the disk insertion slot in the width direction. The component force smoothly rotates a detection lever from an initial position to an operating position. |
| US09076476B2 |
Thin film media structure for perpendicular magnetic recording and storage devices made therewith
Iron-platinum (FePt) based magnetic recording media structures that provide small grain size and isolated-grain configurations suitable for high-density magnetic recording. In one of the structures, the recording media structure includes a thin film containing grains of L10 FePt and boron as a segregant contained in intergranular regions located among the FePt grains. In another structure, the recording media structure includes a thin film containing grains of L10 FePt, wherein the film is formed on an underlayer containing at least one material selected to control the size of the FePt grains in the film. Proper choices of materials, relative amounts of the materials, processing parameters, and other variables permit these structures to be formed with grain sizes, magnetization orientations, and perpendicular coercivities that allow designers to create magnetic storage devices having storage densities of 1 Tbit/in2 and greater. |
| US09076468B1 |
Scissor magnetic read sensor with shape enhanced soft magnetic side shield for improved stability
A scissor type magnetic sensor having a soft magnetic side shields for improved sensor stability. The soft magnetic side shield structure extends from the side of the sensor and although being constructed of a low coercivity soft magnetic material it has a shape the causes the magnetization of the side shield layer to remain oriented in a desired direction parallel to the media facing surface. The side shields include first and second magnetic layers with an antiparallel coupling layer sandwiched between them. Each of the magnetic layers of the side shield structure has a width measured perpendicular to the media facing surface and a thickness measured perpendicular to the width and parallel with the media facing surface, both the width and the thickness being less than 10 times an intrinsic exchange length of the magnetic layer. |
| US09076466B2 |
Asymmetric trailing shield writer for shingled magnetic recording (SMR)
In one embodiment, a magnetic head includes a main pole adapted for producing a writing magnetic field, a trailing shield positioned on a trailing side of the main pole, wherein a trailing gap is positioned between the trailing shield and the main pole, and a side shield positioned on at least one side of the main pole in a cross-track direction, wherein a side gap is positioned between the side shield and the main pole, wherein the main pole has an asymmetrical shape at an air bearing surface (ABS) thereof. In another embodiment, a method may be employed for forming a magnetic head having a main pole that has an asymmetrical shape at an ABS thereof. |
| US09076465B1 |
Magnetic head including a first and second insulating film between a coil element and a write shield
A magnetic head includes a coil, a main pole, a write shield, a first insulating film, and a second insulating film. The coil includes a specific coil element. The main pole has a top surface including an inclined surface portion and a flat surface portion. The write shield includes an inclined portion. The inclined portion includes a first portion opposed to the inclined surface portion, and a second portion located farther from a medium facing surface than the first portion. The specific coil element includes an interposition part interposed between the flat surface portion and the second portion. The first insulating film is interposed between the inclined surface portion and the first portion of the inclined portion, and between the interposition part and the second portion of the inclined portion. The second insulating film is interposed between the first insulating film and the second portion of the inclined portion. |
| US09076464B2 |
Optical information recording apparatus, optical information recording method, optical information reproducing apparatus and optical information reproducing method
An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus and an optical information recording/reproducing method that record information using holography, wherein the optical information recording/reproducing apparatus includes a signal generation unit that generates two-dimensional data by a two-dimensional encoding method in which a lower-limit value of a number of continuous ON/OFF pixels in an array in one direction of pixels in a two-dimensional spatial light modulator is K(K≧2, K: natural number); and a pickup that records the two-dimensional data, generated by the signal generation unit, on a hologram disc. |
| US09076462B2 |
Magnetic head having a short yoke with a tapered coil structure
In one embodiment, a magnetic head includes a main pole configured to write data to a magnetic medium using a magnetic field, a return pole positioned above the main pole at a media-facing surface of the magnetic head, the return pole being configured to return magnetic flux from the main pole after it has exited a magnetic medium, and a coil configured to produce magnetic flux in the main pole, the coil being positioned below the return pole, wherein a film thickness of a first turn of the coil on a media-facing surface side thereof is less than a film thickness of a second turn of the coil. Other magnetic heads having a shortened magnetic circuit length and methods of production thereof are presented in additional embodiments. |
| US09076457B1 |
Visual representations of audio data
This specification describes technologies relating to displaying visual representations of audio data for editing. In some implementations a method is provided. The method includes receiving digital audio data, displaying a first visual representation of the audio data in an interface, the visual representation displaying audio data as a function of time on a time axis and a feature on a feature axis, receiving an input to display one or more enlarged views of the visual representation of the audio data, and displaying a visual representation of the one or more enlarged views along with the visual representation of the audio data in the interface. |
| US09076454B2 |
Adjusting a speech engine for a mobile computing device based on background noise
Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for adjusting a speech engine for a mobile computing device based on background noise, the mobile computing device operatively coupled to a microphone, that include: sampling, through the microphone, background noise for a plurality of operating environments in which the mobile computing device operates; generating, for each operating environment, a noise model in dependence upon the sampled background noise for that operating environment; and configuring the speech engine for the mobile computing device with the noise model for the operating environment in which the mobile computing device currently operates. |
| US09076451B2 |
Operating system and method of operating
An operation determination processing section of a center extracts words included in the utterance of a driver and an operator, reads an attribute associated with each word from a synonym and related word in which an attribute is stored so as to be associated with each word, reads a domain of a candidate or the like for the task associated with the attribute from the synonym and related word in which domains of a candidate for a task associated with the read attribute or domains of a task to be actually performed are stored, totals the domains read for each word for words included in the utterance of the driver or the like, and estimates those related to a domain with a highest total score as the candidate for the task and the task to be actually performed. In this manner, it is possible to estimate the task with high accuracy. |
| US09076450B1 |
Directed audio for speech recognition
Techniques are described for selecting audio from locations that are most likely to be sources of spoken commands or words. Directional audio signals are generated to emphasize sounds from different regions of an environment. The directional audio signals are processed by an automated speech recognizer to generate recognition confidence values corresponding to each of the different regions, and the region resulting in the highest recognition confidence value is selected as the region most likely to contain a user who is speaking commands. |
| US09076445B1 |
Adjusting language models using context information
Methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for adjusting language models. In one aspect, a method includes accessing audio data. Information that indicates a first context is accessed, the first context being associated with the audio data. At least one term is accessed. Information that indicates a second context is accessed, the second context being associated with the term. A similarity score is determined that indicates a degree of similarity between the second context and the first context. A language model is adjusted based on the accessed term and the determined similarity score to generate an adjusted language model. Speech recognition is performed on the audio data using the adjusted language model to select one or more candidate transcriptions for a portion of the audio data. |
| US09076444B2 |
Method and apparatus for sinusoidal audio coding and method and apparatus for sinusoidal audio decoding
A method and apparatus for sinusoidal audio coding and decoding are provided. The method for sinusoidal audio coding includes performing sinusoidal analysis on an input signal and extracting sinusoids of a current frame; tracking and coding a continuation mode sinusoid of the current frame by using a sinusoid of a previous frame which continues to the continuation mode sinusoid; searching for a sinusoid having a closest frequency to a frequency of a birth mode sinusoid of the current frame; calculating and coding a difference between an amplitude of the sinusoid having the closest frequency and an amplitude of the birth mode sinusoid; and coding the frequency of the birth mode sinusoid. |
| US09076443B2 |
Device and method for quantizing the gains of the adaptive and fixed contributions of the excitation in a CELP codec
A device and method for quantizing a gain of a fixed contribution of an excitation in a frame, including sub-frames, of a coded sound signal. The gain is estimated in a sub-frame using a frame classification parameter, and is then quantized in the sub-frame using the estimated gain. The device and method can be used in jointly quantizing gains of adaptive and fixed contributions of an excitation. For retrieving a quantized gain of a fixed contribution of an excitation in a sub-frame, the gain of the fixed excitation contribution is estimated using a frame classification parameter, a gain codebook supplies a correction factor in response to a received, gain codebook index, and a multiplier multiplies the estimated gain by the correction factor to provide the quantized gain. |
| US09076441B2 |
Speech recognition circuit and method
A speech recognition circuit comprising a circuit for providing state identifiers which identify states corresponding to nodes or groups of adjacent nodes in a lexical tree, and for providing scores corresponding to said state identifiers, the lexical tree comprising a model of words; a memory structure for receiving and storing state identifiers identified by a node identifier identifying a node or group of adjacent nodes, said memory structure being adapted to allow lookup to identify particular state identifiers, reading of the scores corresponding to the state identifiers, and writing back of the scores to the memory structure after modification of the scores; an accumulator for receiving score updates corresponding to particular state identifiers from a score update generating circuit which generates the score updates using audio input, for receiving scores from the memory structure, and for modifying said scores by adding said score updates to said scores; and a selector circuit for selecting at least one node or group of adjacent nodes of the lexical tree according to said scores. |
| US09076435B2 |
Apparatus for text-to-speech delivery and method therefor
A method and apparatus for determining the manner in which a processor-enabled device should produce sounds from data is described. The device ideally synthesizes sounds digitally, and reproduces pre-recorded sounds, together with an audible delivery thereof, a memory in which is stored a database of a plurality data at least some of which is in the form of text-based indicators, and one or more pre-recorded sounds. The device is further capable of repeatedly determining one or more physical conditions, e.g. current GPS location, which is compared with one or more reference values provided in memory such that a positive result of the comparison gives rise to an event requiring a sound to be produced by the device. |
| US09076433B2 |
Apparatus and method for generating a synthesis audio signal and for encoding an audio signal
An apparatus for generating a synthesis audio signal using a patching control signal has a first converter, a spectral domain patch generator, a high frequency reconstruction manipulator and a combiner. The first converter is configured for converting a time portion of an audio signal into a spectral representation. The spectral domain patch generator is configured for performing a plurality of different spectral domain patching algorithms, wherein each patching algorithm generates a modified spectral representation having spectral components in an upper frequency band derived from corresponding spectral components in a core frequency band of the audio signal. The spectral domain patch generator is furthermore configured to select a first spectral domain patching algorithm from the plurality of patching algorithms for a first time portion and a second spectral domain patching algorithm from the plurality of patching algorithm for a second different time portion in accordance with the patching control signal to obtain the modified spectral representation. |
| US09076430B2 |
Sound masking system
A sound masking system according to the invention is disclosed in which one or more sound masking loudspeaker assemblies are coupled to one or more electronic sound masking signal generators. The loudspeaker assemblies in the system of the invention have a low directivity index and preferably emit an acoustic sound masking signal that has a sound masking spectrum specifically designed to provide superior sound masking in an open plan office. Each of the plurality of loudspeaker assemblies is oriented to provide the acoustic sound masking signal in a direct path into the predetermined area in which masking sound is needed. In addition, the sound masking system of the invention can include a remote control function by which a user can select from a plurality of stored sets of information for providing from a recipient loudspeaker assembly an acoustic sound masking signal having a selected sound masking spectrum. |
| US09076420B2 |
Electronic percussion instrument
An electronic percussion instrument includes a head, a frame, and an impact sensor. The back of the head is divided into a main area (e.g. a main strike area) and an auxiliary area. At least one connecting part is arranged above or below the main area in the back of the head and reduced in thickness compared to the auxiliary area, thus reducing vibration from being transmitted through the head. The impact sensor is attached to the back of the main strike area of the head via a cushion member. When the main strike area of the head is being struck with a beater, a vibration is caused to occur in the head and detected by the impact sensor to produce an electric signal which is used to generate an electronic musical sound while suppressing mechanical noise due to an impact between the beater and the head. |
| US09076412B1 |
Musical instrument string bender
A guitar string bender bridge mount couples to a guitar bridge through an existing bridge string mount. The bridge mount has a side wall and a slot in and extending to an edge of the side wall. A mounting screw couples into a standard hole on a guitar bridge and is rotatable to adjust the tuning of at least one of the guitar strings. A saddle lever is supported by the bridge mount and is pivotal through a limited arc, limited by low and high stops. The saddle lever is selectively and manually removable from the bridge mount. A string attachment receives and retains a first end of a guitar string. A body wraps about the axis of rotation and is partially wrapped by the guitar string, and the pivoting varies an extent of wrap about the body, to thereby vary a tension upon the guitar string. |
| US09076405B2 |
Display device, method for driving same, and liquid crystal display device
A display device includes a signal line drive circuit provided with an analog amplifier through which a stationary electric current flows. The display device further includes a control signal output section which suspends operation of the analog amplifier during a period (non-scanning period) from an start time after application to a data signal line S(i) of a voltage necessary for display is completed in a horizontal period to an end time in the horizontal period. The control signal output section sustains an AMP_Enable signal through which the analog amplifier is controlled at an L value (a low value) in the non-scanning period. As a result, stationary electric current flowing through the analog amplifier is cut off in the non-scanning period. According to this, the display device allows for reduction of electric power consumption while being capable of displaying a moving image without causing flickering. |
| US09076402B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes a pixel array substrate having signal lines and scan lines arranged in a matrix, and pixel circuits arranged at intersections of the signal and scan lines. A touch panel is attached on the counter substrate to draw pictures or characters on a display panel. A first voltage generation circuit generates an analog pixel voltage applied to the signal lines and a second voltage generation circuit generates a counter electrode voltage applied to the counter electrode. A settling adjustment circuit adjusts a settling time of at least one of the analog pixel voltage and the counter electrode voltage. |
| US09076398B2 |
Display and operating method thereof
A display and an operating method thereof are provided. The display includes a display panel, a timing controller, and a plurality of source drivers. The timing controller has a plurality of signal output terminals. The source drivers are coupled to the timing controller and the display panel. The timing controller outputs a plurality of training packets to the source drivers. When the source drivers lock a clock of the timing controller according to the training packets, the timing controller outputs a plurality of control packets and a plurality of color data packets to the source drivers. The source drivers respectively output a plurality of pixel voltages corresponding to the color data packets to the display panel according to the corresponding control packets. The training packets, the control packets, and the color data packets are serially transmitted to the source drivers via the signal output terminals. |
| US09076396B2 |
Timing controller, driving method thereof, and flat panel display device using the same
Discussed is a timing controller. The timing controller includes a receiver, a converter, an aligner, and an EPI transmitter. The receiver receives input RGB data from an external system. The converter converts the input RGB data into input WRGB data. The aligner converts one of W, R, G, and B data, composing the input WRGB data, into 0 to generate conversion WRGB data having bits less than the total number of bits composing the W, R, G, and B data. The EPI transmitter generates WRGB data by adding dummy bits to the conversion WRGB data, and outputs the WRGB data to a source driver IC. |
| US09076391B2 |
High dynamic range display with rear modulator control
Embodiments of the invention relate generally to computer-based image processing, and more particularly, to systems, computer-readable mediums, methods, and apparatuses to operate a rear modulator in a high dynamic range display to, among other things, characterize input images into pixel characteristics which may be data-reduced representations of a group of pixels corresponding to the input image, and to relate a modulation value intensity image to a weighted combination of the pixel characteristics. The modulation value intensity image may be used to derive a rear modulator drive signal, which, turn, may be configured to control one or more modulating elements to generate a low resolution image of the input image at the rear modulator. |
| US09076390B2 |
Display device and display device driving method
A display device includes a display unit including pixels, each of which emits light according to data voltages, respectively; and a timing controller which divides an area of the display unit into an upper, center and bottom portions, divides one frame time into light emission sub-frames of a light emission period and a blank sub-frame of a blank period in which is supplied a black data signal, divides the upper, center and the bottom portions into groups, differentiates a scan start time of a light emission sub-frame and a scan start time of the blank sub-frame of each group, and increases the light emission period and decreases the blank period in proportional to an increase ratio of the light emission period as a group is closer to a middle of the center portion. |
| US09076387B1 |
Display device with ADC and pixel compensation
A display device includes a display panel having data lines, gate lines and a plurality of subpixels. Each of the plurality of subpixels are defined by the data lines and the gate lines, and each of the plurality of subpixels includes a circuit having a transistor. A plurality of Digital Integrated Circuits (DICs) where a digital to analog converter (DAC) is disposed within each of the plurality of DICs. An analog to digital converter (ADC) is disposed within each of the plurality of DICS, where the ADC disposed in each of the plurality of DICs includes a plurality of sensing channels. The display device includes a pixel compensation circuit to compensate a characteristic of the transistor within each of the plurality of subpixels and an ADC compensation circuit to compensate a characteristic of the ADC within each of the plurality of DICs. |
| US09076381B2 |
Organic light emitting display device and driving method thereof
An organic light emitting display device, which can independently (or freely or individually or arbitrarily) control light emission times of red, green and blue subpixels and a driving method thereof. The organic light emitting display device includes a plurality of subpixels connected with scan lines, light emitting control lines, and data lines; a scan driver for driving the scan lines and the light emitting control lines; and a data driver for driving the data lines. Here, the subpixels connected with one of the light emitting control lines generate lights of a same color. |
| US09076378B2 |
Method of driving an electro-wetting display panel and electro-wetting display apparatus for performing the same
A method of driving an electro wetting display panel includes applying a first data voltage to a pixel part of the display panel during a first section of a frame and applying a second data voltage different from the first data voltage to the same pixel part during a second section of the frame. The first data voltage is converted from display data based on a first gamma curve. The second data voltage is converted from the display data based on a second gamma curve. Light transmittance through the pixel part is changed based on movement of a fluid within the pixel part. |
| US09076375B2 |
Backplane device for a spatial light modulator and method for operating a backplane device
A backplane device for a spatial light modulator for generating a two-dimensional and/or three-dimensional representation of a scene or of content. The spatial light modulator includes pixels having pixel addresses and being electronically controllable by the backplane device for assigning pixel values to the pixels. The backplane device comprises at least one electrode for each pixel, at least one analog line and at least one pixel addressing means. Such a pixel addressing means comprises x-addressing lines and y-addressing lines. Every pixel is connected to an analog line, to an x-addressing line and to a y-addressing line. As a pixel value assigning scheme a generating means is adapted to generate a voltage characteristic to be applied to the at least one analog line such that the voltage characteristic depends on the pixel values to be assigned to the pixels. |
| US09076374B2 |
Display device and driving method applicable thereto
A driving method applicable to a display device including multiple display driving circuits, includes: the display driving circuits synchronously receiving a start pulse and generating a synchronous timing signal; a previous display driving circuit sending out a first signal to a rear display driving circuit, so that the rear display driving circuit detects and stores a signal reception delay, the display reception delay denoting a delay between the synchronous timing signal and the first signal received by the rear display driving circuit; after storing the display reception delay, the rear display driving circuit temporarily stopping receiving a system clock signal and temporarily stopping generating the synchronous timing signal; and the previous display driving circuit sending a second X signal to the rear display driving circuit to wake up the rear display driving circuit for preparing to receive a display data. |
| US09076369B2 |
Image modulation apparatus, method, and program
An image modulation apparatus includes a device information obtaining unit to obtain device property information of a plurality of display devices respectively disposed at a plurality of image distribution destination apparatuses; a simulated image generator to generate a simulated image to be displayed on each of the display devices disposed at each of the image distribution destination apparatuses based on a distribution target image, to be transmitted to each of the image distribution destination apparatuses, and the device property information of each of the display devices obtained by the device information obtaining unit; and an image modulation unit to modulate the distribution target image based on a modulation instruction prepared for the plurality of the simulated images simulated by the simulated image generator. |
| US09076366B2 |
Clock recovery system
In a first embodiment of the present invention, a clock recovery system is provided comprising: a phase comparator; an integrator coupled to the phase comparator; a numerically controlled oscillator coupled to the integrator; and a mixer coupled to the numerically controlled oscillator and to the phase comparator. |
| US09076364B2 |
Electronic device and method for adjustting display screen
In a method for adjusting a display screen of an electronic device, the method obtains a current image and a previous image of a user captured by an image capturing device, detects a first face area from the current image and a second face area from the previous image. The method further rotates the display screen according to the movements of the user's face, and stops rotating the display screen when rotation angles of the display screen are equal to movement angles of the user's face. |
| US09076358B2 |
Reproducing device, setting changing method, and setting changing device
A reproducing device that can reproduce data and operates on a battery includes displaying means, attitude detecting means for detecting an attitude of the reproducing device, determining means for determining whether the reproducing device satisfies a predetermined condition, and controlling means for changing a setting of the reproducing device on a basis of a result of detection of the attitude detecting means when the determining means determines that the reproducing device satisfies the predetermined condition. |
| US09076344B1 |
Three dimensional learning and problem solving aid for teaching and illustrating exemplary thinking and problem solving
The invention provides a three-dimensional problem solving or learning apparatus for modeling and teaching exemplary problem solving or exemplary thinking. Some embodiments of the present invention provide a puzzle-like form. Another preferred embodiment of the present invention provides for the building of a problem or situation specific or custom learning or problem solving aid. Embodiments of the invention may also incorporate or use electrical, electronic, digital, electro-mechanical, mechanical or other devices, processors or mechanisms, or input or output to or from such or similar elements, and wired or wireless or other networks or interfaces. |
| US09076342B2 |
Automated execution and evaluation of network-based training exercises
This disclosure generally relates to automated execution and evaluation of computer network training exercises, such as in a virtual machine environment. An example environment includes a control and monitoring system, an attack system, and a target system. The control and monitoring system initiates a training scenario to cause the attack system to engage in an attack against the target system. The target system then performs an action in response to the attack. Monitor information associated with the attack against the target system is collected by continuously monitoring the training scenario. The attack system is then capable of sending dynamic response data to the target system, wherein the dynamic response data is generated according to the collected monitor information to adapt the training scenario to the action performed by the target system. The control and monitoring system then generates an automated evaluation based upon the collected monitor information. |
| US09076341B2 |
Vehicle to vehicle communication device and convoy travel control device
A vehicle-to-vehicle communication device mounted to a subject vehicle with a traveling control device is provided. The vehicle-to-vehicle communication device includes a communication portion, a connection transmission process portion, a connection control signal obtain portion, a connection signal obtain portion, and a connection control signal transmission process portion. The communication portion receives and transmits a signal between the subject vehicle and a preceding vehicle, and between the subject vehicle and a follower vehicle. The connection transmission process portion transmits a connection request signal. The connection control signal obtain portion obtains a connection control signal. A convoy travel control device includes the vehicle-to-vehicle communication device and the traveling control device. The traveling control device periodically outputs a first instruction and a second instruction to the vehicle-to-vehicle communication device. |
| US09076339B2 |
Facilitating vehicle merging utilizing road markers
Disclosed is an apparatus, system, and method to utilize a plurality of road markers to aid a vehicle in merging into a lane. The lane that the merging vehicle desires to merge into is determined. Further, the position of the merging vehicle is determined. Target vehicles are then notified about the merging vehicle utilizing the plurality of road markers. |
| US09076331B2 |
System and method to monitor vehicles on a roadway and to control driving restrictions of vehicle drivers
A system and method for tracking and monitoring vehicles on a roadway. RFID tags are positioned along the roadway and may be interrogated by vehicles equipped with an RFID scanner and a transceiver as the vehicles encounter the RFID tags along the roadway. The RFID tag information received by the RFID scanner is transmitted by the transceiver to a roadside repeater station which in turn sends the RFID tag information, as well as other identifying information, to a remote central tracking station. The remote central tracking station processes the RFID tag information and other information to determine a current position of a corresponding vehicle. Driver ranking profiles may be generated for drivers of vehicles and stored in a database in the central tracking station. The driver ranking profiles are used to restrict drivers in certain ways. |
| US09076325B1 |
Wireless sensor with digital detector
A wireless sensor with digital detector for monitoring the environment surrounding the sensor. The wireless sensor with digital detector comprises a configurable wireless transceiver with quadrature down and up converters, memory to store the real time received in phase and quadrature phase samples, a bank of phase rotators to phase rotate the received stored samples and a bank of in phase and quadrature phase constellation level slicers to detect the received bits. A control processor utilizes the received information, received signal strength and timing information to estimate and calculate various environmental parameters which can be used to activate different devices. |
| US09076324B2 |
Remote control system for in-vehicle device
A remote control system includes an in-vehicle controller that is installed in a vehicle and controls in-vehicle devices installed in the vehicle; a mobile communication device that remotely controls the in-vehicle devices via the in-vehicle controller; and a wireless communication device that is installed in the vehicle and intervenes and establishes wireless communication between the in-vehicle controller and the mobile communication device, wherein the wireless communication device includes a reception-mode switching unit that switches between a reception standby mode with consumption of a standby current to prepare for reception from the mobile communication device and a reception dormant mode without consumption of a standby current in accordance with a time schedule. |
| US09076323B2 |
Method and system for interfacing with multiple devices
Provided is a method of interfacing with a plurality of devices. A user command is received by a computing system. The computing system identifies a device, amongst a plurality of devices, to implement the user command. The user command is transmitted to the identified device through a remote control unit and implemented in the identified device. |
| US09076322B2 |
Determining commands based on detected movements of a remote control device
A method includes displaying a first set of menu options, that are selectable by a user, on a display screen; detecting a movement, of a remote control device, that corresponds to a particular command; and in response to detecting the movement that corresponds to a particular command, displaying a second set of options, that are selectable by the user, on the display screen. |
| US09076319B2 |
User interface broker for fire alarm systems
An interface system for providing a comprehensive user interface for alarm systems. The interface system may include two or more alarm system workstations, each having a user interface application installed thereon. One or more alarm panels may be connected to each of the alarm system workstations, and one or more points may be connected to each of the alarm panels. A broker workstation may be connected to the two or more alarm system workstations, and one or more client workstations may be connected to the broker workstation. A user interface broker may be installed on the broker workstation, wherein the user interface broker is configured to provide the one or more client workstations with a user interface that presents the status of, and that provides control over, all of the points. |
| US09076317B2 |
Method and system for monitoring intoxication
A method and system for monitoring a user's intoxication including receiving a set of signals, derived from a set of samples collected from the user at a set of time points; providing a sobriety task to the user proximal to a time point of the set of time points; generating a performance dataset characterizing performance of the sobriety task by the user; receiving a supplementary dataset characterizing a demographic profile of the user and/or a physiological state of the user; determining a set of values of an intoxication metric, derived from the set of signals; generating a predicted temporal profile of the intoxication metric for the user based upon the set of values, the set of time points, and the supplementary dataset; generating an analysis of the user's sobriety based upon the performance dataset and the predicted temporal profile; and providing a notification to the user based upon the analysis. |
| US09076312B2 |
Disposable and tamper-resistant RFID lock
Implementations described and claimed herein provide an RFID locking apparatus including an RFID tag, a locking member, and a disabling member. The RFID tag is disposed inside a housing and has a chip and an antenna that emits a signal. The locking member includes a tube that extends outwardly from within the housing and a cable connected to the disabling member and exiting the housing via the tube. The locking member configured to compress a spring into a loaded state by pulling the cable. The disabling member is disposed near the spring inside the housing and is configured to destroy the antenna and/or the chip, such that the signal cannot be emitted, upon release of the spring from the loaded state. The RFID locking apparatus is configured to release the spring when the locking member is damaged. |
| US09076311B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing remote workflow management
An approach is provided for remote workflow management. The workflow repository, management and monitoring is performed from a remote facility while the resources that are required to execute the workflow may be in a completely different network. The resources of a subscriber network are identified. The identified resources are registered within a repository, wherein the repository is maintained by a service provider. The repository is configured to store rules for allocating the identified resources according to the defined business process flow. The allocated resources are applied to a workflow. |
| US09076310B2 |
Method and electronic device for remote diagnosis
The present invention relates to a remote treatment method and an electronic device. More specifically, the present invention provides a remote treatment method and an electronic device that indicate a progress state of a checkup. |
| US09076309B2 |
Gaming system and a method of gaming
A method of gaming comprising: determining at least one game outcome; determining a total award from the at least one game outcome; modifying the total award based on a size of the total award to obtain a modified total award; and awarding the modified total award. |
| US09076305B2 |
Wagering on event outcomes during the event
Methods and systems are provided for managing a wagering system. In one exemplary embodiment, state information of a live event such as a sports game may be received in real time. During the event, a plurality of possible future states of the event and their associated probabilities (and odds) may be determined based on the state information, historical information, and current in-game information. A betting market is created for betting on the possible future states at determined odds. The betting market is closed, and winning and losing bets are resolved based on updated state information. |
| US09076303B1 |
Implementing contests in social networks
Various systems, methods, and programs embodied in computer-readable mediums are provided for implementing a contest between various social networks. A contest is staged between at least two teams using a server accessible by a plurality of clients. The contest requires each of the teams to achieve a predefined goal. The membership to each one of the teams is restricted to a plurality of individuals associated with a respective one of a plurality of social networks accessible by the server. |
| US09076302B2 |
Gaming machine with special symbol
A gaming machine having a display means and a game control means arranged to control images displayed on the display means, the game control means being arranged to play a game wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display means and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the machine awards a prize, wherein, when a special symbol is carried by a symbol-carrying element into a display position on the display means, the special symbol substitutes as more than one occurrence of a standard symbol of the game. |
| US09076298B2 |
Wagering games with unlockable bonus rounds
Method and system are disclosed for allowing players at wagering game terminals to select entire sets of bonus games instead of a single bonus game upon occurrence of a certain randomly selected basic game outcome. One or more of the bonus games or sets of bonus games may be temporarily unavailable or “locked” to the player. The player may unlock the bonus games or sets of bonus games by acquiring certain game assets, reaching certain game milestones, and/or exceeding certain wagering levels. The unlocked games may reveal credits, prizes, progressives, basic and/or bonus game updates, or additional bonus games, some of which may also be locked. The updates and additions may already be present in the wagering game terminals or they may be downloaded from a central location. The player may retain the locked and unlocked statuses of the bonus games across multiple wagering game sessions and/or wagering game terminals. |
| US09076295B2 |
System and method of revealing the outcomes of real world wagers through geolocation reveals
The invention relates to systems and methods of placing real-world wagers, obtaining outcomes of the real-world wagers, facilitating user interactions with various interactive media, and revealing the outcomes of the real-world wagers through location-based reveals to give an appearance that the outcomes of the real-world wagers resulted from the user location even though the outcomes resulted from the real-world wagers. The system may associate certain locations with a reveal such that when a user enters, is determined to be at, and/or leaves a reveal location, a reveal opportunity may be presented to the user. For example, the system may invite the user to make a purchase at a nearby partner retailer for a chance to win a payout or be guaranteed to win a payout and/or may simply obtain a particular payout (e.g., via cash, item, etc.) when a user enters a particular location. |
| US09076293B2 |
Method and apparatus for using conditional parameters to alternate between wagering games
A wagering method is provided that allows players or gaming establishments to specify conditions which when satisfied, reconfigure the gaming device to change game play from a first game to a second game. The condition may depend upon the value of a parameter—generally related to game play—to determine if the condition is valid and triggers the reconfiguration. The second game may be selected from a game on the same gaming device, from a game on a different gaming device, or a game played by a specific player. |
| US09076292B1 |
Encouraging player socialization using a nemesis and avenger system
In an approach, one or more player characters controllable by a first player account perform an action in an instance of a game world. In the event that the action meets one or more conditions for creating a nemesis, a computer system controlling the game instance selects a second player account to be invaded by a nemesis. When the second player account plays the game in the same or a different game instance, the computer system determines whether second one or more characters of the selected account meet one or more invasion conditions. If the invasion conditions are met, the computer system generates computer-controlled enemy NPCs for second one or more characters of the second player account to defeat. If the second account defeats the nemesis invasion, rewards are generated for the first and second player accounts. Otherwise, the computer system chooses a third player account for nemesis invasion. |
| US09076290B2 |
Application monetization platform
Various example embodiments are directed to a computer-implemented gaming management system for facilitating applications that support user wagering. The gaming management system may comprise a computer system in communication with a developer computer device. The computer system may be programmed to receive from the developer computer device configuration data for a contingent event to be associated with a user application; determine whether the configuration data meets at least one predetermined standard; and provided that the configuration data meets the at least one predetermined standard, provide the developer computer device with an application program interface (API) credential to be utilized by the user application, wherein the API credential is to give the user application access to an API for resolving the contingent event. |
| US09076288B2 |
Methods devices apparatus and systems for extending broadening and promoting gaming participation
Disclosed is a game participation extension system for extending, broadening and promoting gaming participation, in a regularly recurring game, including: a game instance tracking module to track one or more instances of the regularly recurring game, a virtual game generator to substantially in real-time generate virtual representations mirroring game events from the tracked game instance and to transmit the virtual representations to a computing appliance of a prospective player, and a virtual wager module to accept virtual wagers made by a prospective player through their respective computing appliance. |
| US09076286B2 |
Gaming machine and gaming method
A gaming machine including a plurality of reels, a first driver, a rendering device, a second driver, and a controller is provided. Each of the reels spins and rearranges a plurality of symbols in a game, and the first driver drive the reels. The rendering device renders a visual effect in synchronization with an operation of the reels, and the second driver drives the rendering device. The controller controls the reels and the rendering device and synchronizes the operation of the reels and an operation of the rendering device. |
| US09076282B2 |
Game device with feature for extending life of variable displays in configurable game buttons
A user-input button for a gaming device includes a movable member, a variable display, and a controller. The movable member activates a function associated with the user-input button. The variable display is proximate the movable member and displays an image associated with the function of the user-input button. The variable display includes a plurality of pixels for displaying the image. The controller is coupled to the variable display and is programmed to decrease the optical output of at least some of the pixels when the gaming device is in a static state. |
| US09076279B2 |
Coin conveyor for coin processing machines
Coin conveyor for coin processing machines, with a channel having: a first coin (16) reception segment (1), defined by a longitudinally movable wall (5) and by an opposite fixed wall (10), both converging towards each other towards the inside of said channel; a second coin transportation and alignment segment (2), defined by a longitudinally movable wall (5), by an opposite fixed wall (10) and by an also fixed bottom (12); a third coin separation segment (3), defined by the lateral surface of a freely rotating cylindrical roller (14), by a longitudinally movable wall (5), by an opposite fixed wall (10) supported on the lateral surface of said cylindrical roller along the length of an arch of approximately 90°, and by a fixed bottom (12); and a fourth coin delivery segment (4), defined by a longitudinally movable wall (5) and by an also fixed bottom (12). The longitudinally movable wall (5) of all segments is constituted by a single endless belt being mounted on pulleys (6-6′). |
| US09076277B2 |
Vehicle glass damage detection and reporting method
A method to detect objects striking the windshield or other glass in a vehicle and report this at the conclusion of a vehicle rental transaction. A microphone or other device capable of detecting the sound of objects striking the windshield or glass of a vehicle is used to convert the sound into an electrical signal which is further processed and results of a suspected glass strikes are stored. This stored result is communicated to the rental agency following the completion of the rental period so that a thorough inspection for damage can be made and such damage can be assigned to the responsible party. |
| US09076276B1 |
System and method for monitoring and predicting vehicle attributes
One embodiment of the system and method described herein provides a vehicle monitoring system that gathers reported data on a selected vehicle and alerts a user to selected events reported for that vehicle. In an embodiment, vehicle attributes are processed into a score for the vehicle, such as representing the likely life remaining, and changes in a score trigger alerts to the user. |
| US09076272B2 |
Wheel speed sensor and interface systems and methods
A measurement system includes a speed plus sensor and a control unit. The speed plus sensor is configured to detect a magnetic field in response to speed and resonance characteristics. The speed plus sensor is also configured to generate a sensor output signal having speed data and enhanced resonance data. The control unit is configured to receive the sensor output signal. |
| US09076270B2 |
Generating compositions
Implementations generally relate to generating compositional media content. In some implementations, a method includes receiving a plurality of photos from a user, and determining one or more composition types from the photos. The method also includes generating compositions from the selected photos based on the one or more determined composition types. The method also includes providing the one or more generated compositions to the user. |
| US09076265B2 |
System and method for performing depth testing at top and bottom of graphics pipeline
Embodiments of a system and method including graphics processing of a pixel sample are described. According to an embodiment, a first depth test processes a value, such as a z/stencil value, of a pixel sample and determines whether the value of the pixel sample satisfies the first depth test. If the value of the pixel sample satisfies the first depth test, the value of the pixel sample is not immediately written to storage, such as a Z-buffer. That is, if the value of the pixel sample satisfies the first depth test, the depth processing logic prevents or delays a write operation for the value of the pixel sample to storage at that time. A second depth test is performed on the value of the pixel sample if the value of the pixel sample satisfied the first depth test. If the value of the pixel sample satisfies the second depth test, the value of the pixel sample is then written to storage. |
| US09076263B2 |
Image processing apparatus, picture style conversion method and storage medium
An image processing apparatus includes a line drawing conversion module configured to executes line drawing conversion of a source image, an image conversion module configured to form a plurality of divisional images having geometrical shapes, by connecting lines of a line drawing obtained by the line drawing conversion by the line drawing conversion module, and a coloring module configured to color, in specific colors, areas in the respective divisional images formed by the image conversion module. |
| US09076259B2 |
Geospatial multiviewer
A geospatial multiviewer can include a geospatial application that provides geospatial data responsive to a user input, the geospatial data corresponding to a representation of at least one geographical region. A request engine is configured to provide a search query for requesting content from at least one data source. The search query is based at least in part on the geospatial data from the geospatial application. A graphics pipeline is configured to dynamically generate at least one transformation for adjusting objects in an output presentation in response to the user input. The output presentation is rendered based on the at least one transformation. The objects in the output presentation comprise received content and the representation of at least one geographical region. |
| US09076251B2 |
Component specific image modification using natural language color
Embodiments described herein include a component specific natural language color unit for modifying colors of image components in an image using component specific natural language commands. The CSNLC unit can receive a component specific natural language color command for a color modification of an input image. The component specific natural language color command can include a component identifier and a color modifier. The natural language command can be parsed to attribute the component identifier to an image component in the input image and to attribute the color modifier to a predefined color space associated with the image component. The color modifier can indicate the color modification to be performed. The color modification can be applied to the image component to adjust the color of the image component. |
| US09076247B2 |
System and method for visualizing an object in a simulated environment
A computer-implemented method for visualizing an object includes the steps of providing a simulated environment; rendering, with at least one processor, at least one virtual object based at least partially on the simulated environment, a viewable angle of the at least one virtual object, and object characteristics associated with the at least one virtual object, the object characteristics comprising at least one of the following: reflectance, transmittance, attenuation, or any combination thereof, and changing a viewable angle of the at least one virtual object in response to user input. A system and a computer program product for implementing the aforementioned method includes appropriately communicatively connected hardware components. |
| US09076246B2 |
System and method of overlaying images of different modalities
Systems and methods of overlaying a three-dimensional image of a tissue and an image of the tissue from an imaging transducer, having a field of view are disclosed. The method includes determining pixel dimensions of the field of view in the second co-ordinate space, scaling the three-dimensional image in the first co-ordinate space to match the pixel dimensions of the field of view in the second co-ordinate space, and displaying an overlaid image comprising the three-dimensional image and the field of view of the imaging transducer. |
| US09076244B2 |
Managing web page data in a composite document
A composite document system is implemented as instructions stored on a computer-readable medium. When executed on a processor, the instructions cause the processor to receive model data that describes a three-dimensional model of an object, where the three-dimensional model is generated using a modeling software, and where the model data conforms to a non-image format of the modeling software. The instructions further cause the processor to receive web page data that includes content and description of the content in a mark-up language, generate a composite document that includes the model data and the web page data, interpret the model data in the composite document to generate a visual representation of the three-dimensional model, and interpret the web page data in the composite document to generate a visual representation of the web page data. |
| US09076243B2 |
Digital interior system and method for controlling the same
A digital interior system includes a sensitivity-space-environment detection engine for collecting sensitivity information, space related information, or environmental information about an interior space. Further, the digital interior system includes an interior content generation system for generating interior content about each of objects in the interior space based on the sensitivity information, space related information or environmental information collected by the sensitivity-space-environment detection engine. Furthermore, the digital interior system includes a digital interior construction system for performing interior construction using each of pieces of interior content generated by the interior content generation system. |
| US09076241B2 |
Methods and systems for detecting patch panel ports from an image having perspective distortion
A method of estimating one or more dimensions of a patch panel may include receiving an image of a patch panel that comprises a plurality of ports and one or more gaps, extracting, by a computing device, a region of interest from the received image, detecting, by the computing device, one or more possible port edges from the region of interest, fitting the detected possible port edges to a cross-ratio constancy model to determine a port-to-gap-length ratio associated with the patch panel, using the port-length-to-gap-length ratio to determine a location of one or more final port edges, and determining a location of one or more final ports based on the location of the final port edges. |
| US09076240B2 |
System, method and computer program for automated window memoization
The present invention provides a system, method and computer program providing automated window memoization which is an automated optimization of image processing. The method comprises inputting to a memoization compiler an image set, hardware or software code implementing one or more image processing algorithms, and one or more design parameters. The memoization compiler processes the image set for the image processing algorithms and implements hardware or software code for optimizing the image processing algorithms based on the design parameters. |
| US09076238B2 |
Intelligent weighted blending for ultrasound image stitching
Ultrasound images are stitched together by extracting target image regions within each ultrasound image, identifying interest points for the extracted target images and then identifying interest point correspondences between the interest points of all the extracted target image regions. The interest point correspondence is used to define a common, word coordinate for all extracted target images, and the extracted target images are warped onto the world coordinates. A distance weight, w1, gradient weight w2, and histogram weight w3 is then determined for each pixel of the warped, target images. The three weights are then combined and normalized across all the warped, target images. The combined, normalized weights are used in the blending and stitching of the warped, target images. |
| US09076237B2 |
System and method for estimating a statistical noise map in x-ray imaging applications
Described here are a system and method for producing a statistical noise map that indicates the noise present in data acquired with an x-ray imaging system, such as an x-ray computed tomography system, an x-ray tomosynthesis system, a C-arm x-ray imaging system, and so on. In general, an image is reconstructed from the acquired data using, for example, any standard filtered back projection (“FBP”) image reconstruction algorithm. This image is used as a base line to estimate a noise standard distribution map. The raw projection data represents a typical measurement among many repeated measurements under the same experimental conditions; therefore, the measured projection data can be used to numerically generate an ensemble of many (e.g., twenty or more) noisy projection data sets. These noisy projection data sets are then used to reconstruct noisy images and from these noisy images and the original image, the statistical noise map can be computed. |
| US09076236B2 |
Guided image upsampling using bitmap tracing
A method of increasing resolution of an image includes generating vector contours associated with a first image and scaling the vector contours to a second resolution. The first image has a first resolution, and the second resolution is greater than the first resolution. The vector contours are rendered to generate a guiding image at the second resolution, and a second image is generated from the first image based on the guiding image, by using joint upsampling. The second image is generated at the second resolution. The vector contours can be generated by bitmap tracing binary images at different quantization levels. An apparatus and computer readable device implementing the method of increasing the resolution of an image are also provided. |
| US09076235B2 |
Image processing method, image processing apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable medium
An image processing apparatus which generates, from first image data having a first resolution, second image data having a second resolution lower than the first resolution, comprises: a determination unit configured to determine a pixel of interest in the first image data based on the first resolution and the second resolution; a selection unit configured to select one of a plurality of filters in accordance with a position of the pixel of interest in the first image data that has been determined by the determination unit; and a generation unit configured to generate second image data having the second resolution by performing filter processing for a region including the pixel of interest by using the filter selected by the selection unit. |
| US09076234B2 |
Super-resolution method and apparatus for video image
A super-resolution method and apparatus for a video image are disclosed. The method includes performing super-resolution processing based on fuzzy motion estimation by integral multiple times on an original low-resolution video image, to obtain an intermediate high-resolution video image. When resolution of the intermediate high-resolution video image is different from resolution of a target high-resolution video image, a non-integral multiple between the resolution of the target high-resolution video image and the resolution of the intermediate high-resolution video image is calculated. Super-resolution processing based on interpolation by the non-integral is performed multiple times on the intermediate high-resolution video image, to obtain the target high-resolution video image. |
| US09076231B1 |
Techniques for displaying content on a display to reduce screenshot quality
Techniques for displaying content on a display to reduce screenshot quality are described herein comprising generating a set of degradation frames based on a source frame, with each degradation frame in the set of degradation frames based on applying one or more alterations to the data in the source frame based on a set of degradation parameters. A frame display order is determined and at least a subset of the degradation frames is displayed, corresponding to the frame display order. |
| US09076230B1 |
Circuitry and techniques for image processing
A method for interpolating an image field with image processing circuitry includes identifying, from a first row in the image field, a pixel to be interpolated. Edge direction vectors from the identified pixel and a plurality of neighboring pixels in a second row of the image field are determined. The edge direction vectors may then be combined to produce an interpolated pixel. The edge direction vectors may be combined such that the pixel is interpolated along each edge direction vector to obtain multiple interpolated pixel values. The pixel may be interpolated based on a weighted average of the interpolated pixel values. |
| US09076229B2 |
Jagged edge reduction using kernel regression
An image decoder includes a base layer to decode at least a portion of an encoded video stream into a first image having a first image format. The image decoder can generate a color space prediction by scaling a color space of the first image from the first image format into a color space corresponding to a second image format. The image decoder includes an enhancement layer to decode the encoded video stream to generate a second image in the second image format based, at least in part, on the color space prediction. |
| US09076227B2 |
3D object tracking in multiple 2D sequences
A tumor is tracked in multiple sequences of images acquired concurrently from different viewpoints. Features are extracted in each set of current images using a window. A regression function, subject to motion constraints, is applied to the features to obtain 3D motion parameters, which are applied to the tumor as observed in the images to obtain a 3D location of the object. Then, the shape of the 3D object at the 3D location is projected onto each image to update the location of the window for the next set of images to be processed. |
| US09076226B2 |
Apparatus and method for calculating energy consumption based on three-dimensional motion tracking
An apparatus and method calculate an energy consumption based on 3D motion tracking. The method includes setting at least one specific portion of an analysis target as a reference point, analyzing the reference point before and after the lapse of a predetermined time, and determining an energy consumption of the analysis target on the basis of the analyzed reference point. |
| US09076225B2 |
Image processing device, an image processing method and a program to be used to implement the image processing
An image processing device may include an image scanning unit; an image memory; a sample area designating unit; a binarization unit for implementing a filtering process on a scanned multi-valued image, to produce the compensated image data and for binarizing the compensated image data; a correlation operation unit for acquiring each of the correlations between the binary image data and the scanned multi-valued image data; and an optimal binarization information selecting unit for selecting the optimal parameter value or binary image data based on the correlations. The binarization unit may include a parameter value setting section, a filtering process section, and a binarization process section for binarizing each of the compensated image data based on a predetermined binary threshold. |
| US09076222B2 |
Use of collection of plans to develop new optimization objectives
A radiation therapy system includes a diagnostic image scanner (12) which acquires a multidimensional dataset of a subject that is reconstructed into at least one image representation of an object of interest. An image processing apparatus (72), of radiation therapy system, includes a segmentation unit (74) which identifies a surface contour of the object of interest, or other critical structures. A masking unit (82) determines a non-constant margin, based on the identified surface contour and appends the determined non-constant margin to the identified surface contour. The non-constant margin is based on at least one of anisotropic motion, surface morphology, positional uncertainty, proximity to other organs, and probability of dose distribution. A planning processor (70) generates a radiation therapy plan which limits the delivery of therapeutic radiation to anatomy associated with the surface contour and appended non-constant margin. A radiation delivery system (40) delivers therapeutic radiation according to the generated plan. |
| US09076220B2 |
Method of processing an image based on the determination of blockiness level
A method for processing an image divided into blocks of pixels is described. The method includes detecting a largest sub-block whose pixels have an equal luminance value and identifying if the detected largest sub-block is or is not a natural texture. Thereafter, a weighted luminance difference is calculated between the detected largest sub-block and neighboring pixels and a block blockiness level is determined on the basis of the number of pixels within the detected largest sub-block, of the identification step and of the weighted luminance difference. The image is then processed on the basis of the block blockiness level. |
| US09076218B2 |
Method and image processing device for image dynamic range compression with local contrast enhancement
An image dynamic range compression with local contrast enhancement method for an image processing device is provided. The method includes the following steps. A plurality of input pixels of an image including a first input pixel are received, and an input luminance pixel value of each of the input pixels as well as a darkness intensity level of the image are obtained. A filter result of the first input pixel is obtained according to filter computation on the input luminance pixel values; an image-related parameter is obtained according to image-related computation on the darkness intensity level. The image-related parameter, the filter result of the first input pixel, and the input luminance pixel value of the first input pixel are transformed into an output luminance pixel value of the first input pixel according to a non-linear intensity transfer function and a dynamic range compression with local contrast enhancement algorithm. |
| US09076217B2 |
Image compression method and apparatus
A method and apparatus for image compression. The method includes: calculating a total bit length that is needed for compressing any one segment line and an ideal bit length that is needed for compressing any one segment; for each segment in any one segment line, acquiring a quantization parameter and a compression mode for compressing the segment and an actual bit length that is needed for compressing the segment by using the acquired quantization parameter and compression mode; distributing a redundancy bit length of one or more simple segments in the segment line to one or more complex segments in the segment line, and re-acquiring quantization parameters and compression modes for compressing every complex segment of the one or more complex segments; and compressing every segment in the segment line by using the acquired quantization parameters and compression modes. |
| US09076211B2 |
Screen printing device and screen printing method
Prior to a mark imaging process executed for the purpose of detecting a position of recognition marks for positioning the substrate and the mask, an optical axis calibration processing process of detecting a horizontal relative position between imaging optical axes, and a surface correction data creation processing process of detecting a local positional deviation of the imaging optical axes, which is caused by the travel of the imaging unit, are executed. Before starting production, a production pre-start precision evaluation process for evaluating a substrate positioning precision is executed by using a verification substrate and a verification mask, and after starting the production, a production post-start precision evaluation process for evaluating a substrate positioning precision after starting the production is executed by using a commercial production substrate and a commercial production mask. |
| US09076210B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding image
Methods and apparatuses for encoding and decoding an image in which a block is searched for based on a representative value, rather than being searched for on a pixel-by-pixel basis, thereby search speed may be increased and computational complexity of a search operation may be reduced. |
| US09076208B2 |
Imagery processing
In one aspect, a method related to imagery processing. In addition to the foregoing, other method and system and program product aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present application. |
| US09076202B2 |
Systems and methods for improved visualization during minimally invasive procedures
Systems and methods are provided for performing a minimally invasive procedure in an automated or semi-automated fashion, where an imaging probe having an imaging modality compatible with the presence of an intraluminal medium is employed to record images that are processed to identify regions of interest and direct a medium displacement operation during a subsequent minimally invasive operation that benefits from the displacement of the intraluminal medium. The minimally invasive operation may include recording images with a second imaging modality, or may be a therapeutic treatment. The method is may be performed in real-time, where images obtained from the first imaging modality are processed in real time to determine whether or not the minimally invasive operation is to be performed at a given position. |
| US09076201B1 |
Volumetric deformable registration method for thoracic 4-D computed tomography images and method of determining regional lung function
A method of deformable image registration for thoracic 4-D computed tomography (CT) images includes: receiving, by a processing device, a set of thoracic 4-D CT images; and iteratively solving, by the processing device, an energy function applied to subsequent images of the set of thoracic 4-D CT images to transform the subsequent images into respective optical flow fields between the subsequent images, the energy function enforcing the following constraints on the subsequent images: intensity constancy; mass conservation; gradient constancy; and spatio-temporal smoothness. A method of determining regional lung function includes: receiving, by a processing device, a set of thoracic 4-D CT images of a lung; transforming, by the processing device, the set of 4-D CT images of the lung into respective spatial voxel-wise deformation maps; and transforming, by the processing device, the spatial voxel-wise deformation maps into respective spatial voxel-wise strain maps of the lung indicating regional mechanics of the lung. |
| US09076197B2 |
Probability density function estimation
A PDF estimator for determining a probability that a detected object is a specific type of object is provided. Training data from a known set is used to functionally describe the relevant neighborhood for specific representation points. The neighborhood is selected based on the measured features of the object to be classified and weights are calculated to be applied to the representation points. A probability is determined based upon the stored training data, the measured features of the object to be classified, and the weights. |
| US09076195B2 |
Methods and apparatus to identify components from images of the components
Methods and apparatus to identify components from images of components are disclosed. An example method includes generating first keypoint signatures of an object from at least one image of the object and identifying the object using the first keypoint signatures. Identifying the object comprises: comparing the first keypoint signatures to assembly reference keypoint signatures at a first level in a hierarchical database, the assembly reference keypoint signatures comprising keypoint signatures of multiple views of assemblies containing sets of components; and based on the comparison of the first keypoint signatures to the assembly reference keypoint signatures, comparing the first keypoint signatures to component keypoint signatures at a second level in a hierarchical database lower than the first level, the component reference keypoint signatures comprising keypoint signatures of the components. |
| US09076191B2 |
Automatic determination of regularization factor for iterative image reconstruction with regularization and/or image de-noising
A processing component (122) processes images based on an iterative reconstruction algorithm with regularization and/or de-noising algorithm. The processing component includes a set point determiner (224) that determines a quality set point (216) between predetermined lower and upper quality bounds (226) based on a quality variable (228) indicative of an image quality of interest. The processing component further includes a comparator (214) that compares, each processing iteration, a quality metric of a current generated image with the quality set point and generates a difference value indicative of a difference between the quality metric and the quality set point. The processing component further includes a regularization factor updater (220) that generates an updated regularization factor for a next processing iteration based on a current value (222) of the regularization factor and at least the quality metric in response to the difference value indicating that the quality metric is outside of a predetermined range about the quality set point. |
| US09076190B2 |
Image quality control techniques
A technique for controlling the quality of one or more compressed images. The technique allows, for example, the selection of a target quality metric(s) and the compression of the image(s) such the compressed image(s) meets the metric(s). Alternatively, a target quality metric can be specified, and the image(s) compressed using parameters estimated to achieve the target quality. Optionally, the quality metric can also be made available to, for example, a user on an image processing system. The quality metrics can be, for example, for one or more layers, one or more images and/or one or more image sequences. |
| US09076189B2 |
Coding apparatus and method for encoding image data
When performing pipeline processes by a prediction method determination unit, prediction coding unit, and entropy coding unit, the size of a block of an integer conversion unit (transform unit: TU) is set smaller than the size of a CU (Coding Unit). A generated code amount is fed back to the prediction coding unit on the TU basis, reducing a feedback delay and increasing the quantization control accuracy. |
| US09076187B1 |
Medical device payment system
Methods of providing payment for use of a medical device on a per-treatment session basis are disclosed. The methods include downloading treatment credits to the device linked to a customer account and activating the medical device when the number of available treatment credits is greater the one. The number of treatment credits downloaded to the device is based on at least one of a credit limit provided to the customer account and a number of prepaid treatment credits purchased by the customer. In other embodiments, the medical device monitors the number of treatment sessions performed and activates the device only when a customer's account is current. |
| US09076186B2 |
Opt-in collector system and method
Systems request and collect an opt-in from a network-connected communications device. The communications device has a unique identifier address. A server computer is connected to the network. A detector connects to a data channel over which the unique identifier address passes, and determines the unique identifier address. A dispatcher connected to and controlled by the server computer creates an opt-in request message directed to the communications device at the unique identifier address. A database is connected to the server computer. A record of the database is created for the communications device, which record includes the opt-in request message and unique identifier address. The server computer communicates the opt-in request to the communications device, and any reply message of the opt-in is received from the communications device and the database record updated accordingly. The opt-in reply message is a HIPAA authorization in a prescription drug benefit system. |
| US09076184B2 |
Method and apparatus for enchancing open house video tours for real estate properties
A method and a system to provide real estate agents across the United States the ability to support and enhance open house video tours for residential and commercial properties using the Internet. |
| US09076179B2 |
Recommendation system with user interface for exposing downstream effects of paricular rating actions
An interactive system generates personalized item recommendations for users based partly or wholly on ratings assigned by the users to particular items. The system includes an item rating user interface that enables a user to view, prior to rating an item, information regarding the types of items that will be recommended to the user if the user assigns a particular rating or type of rating to the item. The user interface thereby enables users to refrain from performing rating actions that will tend to result in low utility or “poor quality” recommendations from the users' perspectives. |
| US09076178B2 |
System for tracking the successful recommendation of a good or service
A system for tracking the successful recommendation of a good/service comprising a mobile phone possessed by a receiver, a second mobile phone possessed by a recommender, the mobile phones send and receive communication messages; at least one database; and an intermediary system. The recommender composes a first communication message to the intermediary system including the mobile phone number of the mobile phone, a unique identifier of the recommender and a reference code for a good/service associated with the selected good/service. The intermediary system receives the first communication message; parses the message to identify separate information included therein; creates a new referral record including the unique identifier of the recommender, the mobile phone number of the mobile phone and the reference code for the recommended good/service; composes a recommendation message recommending the recommended good/service and sends the recommendation message to the mobile phone using a phone number having a unique identification. |
| US09076177B2 |
System and method for providing commodity information, and storage medium containing related program
According to one embodiment, A system for providing commodity information includes a storage module configured to store a plurality of data files, each data file corresponding to a commodity and including a plurality of data fields, each of the data fields comprising: commodity identification information data, symbol identification data, detailed commodity information data, and producer information data, a first recognition module configured to identify the commodity by comparing an input commodity image to the commodity identification information data, a second recognition module configured to identify a symbol on the commodity by comparing an input symbol image to the symbol identification data, and an output module. The output module outputs the detailed commodity information data based on the identified commodity, and outputs the producer information data based on the identified symbol. |
| US09076173B2 |
Product identification using multiple services
A method and a system to determine a product identification of an item for sale in an online publication system is shown and described. For example, the method may be initiated when an input identifying an item is received from a user. An input type (e.g., image, text, audio recording, etc.) may be determined and one or more identification services may be selected based on the input type. At least a portion of the input is transmit to the selected one or more identification services. A product identification is received from each of the one or more identification services. Based on the received product identifications, a recommended product identification is determined. The recommended product identification is transmitted to the user. |
| US09076172B1 |
Generating item suggestions from a profile-based group
Disclosed are various embodiments relating to generating profile-based groups to obtain item suggestions. A network page is rendered in a client computing device comprising a topic field to input a topic and a third party criteria selection mechanism to select at least one third party user. The user inputs the topic and the third party criteria. A request for suggestions relating to the topic is then sent from the client computing device to a server computing device. |
| US09076170B2 |
Self-service checkout pay station located remote from a produce weighing scale and methods of operating such a self-service checkout pay station
A self-service checkout pay station is located at a store exit section of a retail grocery store and is located remote from a produce weighing scale located in a produce section of the retail grocery store. The self-service checkout pay station comprises a communications circuit arranged to (i) communicate with a communications circuit associated with the produce weighing scale, and (ii) communicate with a communications circuit associated with a barcode gun server which is located remote from the produce weighing scale. The self-service checkout pay station further comprises an electronic processor arranged to (i) receive from the barcode gun server a barcode list in response to receiving an end of transaction signal, (ii) recognize from the barcode list at least one barcode chit which is associated with a produce item, (iii) request produce item information from the produce weighing scale based upon at least some barcode information obtained from the at least one barcode chit, and (iv) receive from the produce weighing scale an image of the produce item which was previously captured at the produce weighing scale when a retail customer placed the produce item on the produce weighing scale. |
| US09076169B2 |
Digital delivery system and method
A digital delivery system and method. The method includes receiving identification information related to at least one digital book, and generating an anonymous receipt that has a single access code that represents the at least one digital book. |
| US09076168B2 |
Defining an authorizer in a virtual computing infrastructure
An authorizing entity is allowed to grant permission to a subject to perform an action on an object in a cloud computing environment. An authorizer is defined as the entity having granting authority to delegate a predetermined permission. A subject is defined as a group to whom the permission is being delegated. An object is defined upon which an action is authorized within the cloud computing environment. The action being authorized in the cloud computing environment is defined. Members of the subject group are authorized to perform the permitted action on the object. |
| US09076167B2 |
Method and system for automated online merchant charity donations
In one example, we describe methods and systems for automated online merchant charity donations. In one embodiment, a donation agent interacting with a merchant website can offer an online user an option to allocate at least a portion of a payment for or price of a purchase, associated with a transaction made by the user via the merchant website, to be donated by a merchant corresponding to the merchant website on behalf of the user to a charity of the user's choosing. If the online user exercises the option, the donation agent can calculate an amount of the donation to be made and store the calculated donation amount in a database. The donation agent can disburse the calculated donation amount to the charity selected by the customer. The method also works for the off-line model. The system and method perform authentication and the way the charity funding is distributed. |
| US09076166B1 |
Generating a proposed bid
A computer-implemented method for generating a proposed bid includes receiving an input generated by a first content provider as part of a bidding process where content providers bid for opportunities to provide content for publication. The input indicates (i) a resource for publishing first content from the first content provider and (ii) a campaign characteristic associated with the first content. The method includes determining a proposed bid for the first content provider based on the input and on historical data from the bidding process associated with the resource. The method includes presenting the proposed bid to the first content provider. |
| US09076164B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing targeted advertising in documents
A method, apparatus and computer program product for performing targeted advertising in documents is presented. A document is identified as having advertisements associated therewith. A statistical ranking of terms derived from said document is received and at least one term is selected from the results to use as a keyword for associating at least one advertisement with the document. The at least one term is stored with the document. When the document is viewed, the document is identified as being enabled to have advertisements associated therewith. The at least one stored term is retrieved from the document and is submitted to an advertisement aggregator. At least one advertisement is received from the advertisement aggregator and is rendered with the document. |
| US09076163B1 |
User ad creation
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, are provided for handling user-created advertisements. In one aspect, a method includes receiving data from a first end user to create a first advertisement; receiving targeting criteria associated with the first advertisement, the targeting criteria indicating a second end user to whom the first advertisement is to be shown: receiving, from a client device, a first indication of the second end user browsing a webpage; and providing the first advertisement to be displayed to the second user on the webpage upon receiving the first indication. |
| US09076161B2 |
System for printing advertisements on a ticket
Systems and methods for printing tickets are provided. In some embodiments, the printed ticket is a lottery ticket. According to a particular system provided in the present disclosure, the system comprises a server configured to manage the printing of tickets and advertisements. The system also comprises a ticket printing device operating in a predetermined location, the ticket printing device configured to print an advertisement on a ticket. A network is configured to enable communication between the server and the ticket printing device. The ticket printing device is configured to print the advertisement based at least on time parameters, the time parameters including at least a time period when an advertiser intends for the advertisement to be printed. |
| US09076159B2 |
Systems and methods for data collection and providing coupons at a point of return
Systems and methods are described for collecting data at a merchant's point of return for use in processing a merchandise return transaction that is being requested by a customer. In various embodiments, the data may be collected using a wide variety of data collection technologies and may be used in conjunction with stored data, including data collected from other merchants, by a return authorization system to make a determination whether to accept or deny the requested merchandise return and whether to provide a coupon to the customer. The data may additionally or alternatively be used to determine whether to issue a warning to the customer about limitations on future return transactions presented by the customer. Examples of data categories that may be collected include, but are not limited to, information about: the merchant, the customer, the requested transaction, the merchandise being returned, one or more receipts, a clerk processing the transaction, and other general applicable information. |
| US09076158B2 |
Integrated system and method for managing electronic coupons
A networked electronic coupon management system is disclosed for managing electronic coupons. The system includes tightly integrated database, application server, and client components facilitating performing electronic coupon definition, issuance, and redemption operations. The operations include creating electronic coupons, wherein each electronic coupon includes a unique coupon ID, creating customer accounts, wherein each customer account comprises a unique customer ID; creating manufacturer accounts, wherein each manufacturer account comprises a Unique ID; and creating retailer accounts, wherein each retailer account comprises a unique retailer ID; and assigning a unique electronic coupon ID to a unique customer ID. Thereafter the system validates the electronic coupon with a product purchase transaction by a customer associated with the unique customer ID. Furthermore, funds transfers associated with the product purchase transaction are tracked, and historical transactional level data is maintained for all customer, manufacturer and retailer accounts. |
| US09076157B2 |
Camera time out feature for customer product scanning device
A computer-implemented process for a customer to scan items for purchase and proceed to a rapid checkout can be operated within a processor of a portable computerized device. The process includes monitoring a scan of an item to be purchased, the scan comprising an image captured by a camera device of the portable computerized device, commanding deactivation of the camera device after execution of the scan, monitoring an indication by a user of the portable computerized device that an item is to be scanned, and commanding activation of the camera device based upon the monitored activation. |
| US09076153B2 |
Method, medium, and system for detecting data misuse
In general, a computer-implemented method of managing data exchange includes registering a plurality of data sellers with a computer-implemented data exchange; registering a plurality of data buyers with the computer-implemented data exchange; mediating data sharing arrangements between pairs of the buyers and sellers, the arrangement defining prices and permitted uses of data provided by a data seller to a data buyer; and enforcing, on behalf of the data seller, restrictions imposed by the negotiations on data use by the data buyer. |
| US09076152B2 |
Semantic analysis of information
Semantic information that describes data sets is inferred based upon a semantic analysis performed on data sets retained within a data repository. The semantic analysis can include a determination of formats associated with fields of the data sets and a comparison of values of the fields against reference data sets having predetermined semantic types. Correlations are inferred between data sets based upon respective semantic information. The correlations are incorporated into visualizations displayed in connection with a graphical user interface. |
| US09076151B2 |
Graphical certifications of online advertisements intended to impact click-through rates
Embodiments are directed towards improving a user's experience and confidence in advertisements shown within web pages or other online media, in part, by providing additional information for a given advertisement to be displayed along with the given advertisement to encourage, or discourage, a user to click on or interact with the advertisement. Such information to be displayed about a given advertisement may include, without limitation, information about the advertisement, such as its security status (e.g. it has been found to be free from malware), information about the advertiser, including if the advertiser is determined to be trusted based on some criteria, customer satisfaction information, information about the goods and/or services being advertised, including, for example, if how they compare to a competitor, and information about the destination Web page or Web site that the advertisement leads to when a user clicks it. |
| US09076150B1 |
System and method for online sales by hosting site with RSS feeds controlled by user/buyer
Online purchases by users/buyers are facilitated by an online hosting company operating an online website for providers/sellers/merchants. The merchant establishes criteria used to identify potential buyers. The online company would maintain a RSS feeder means. The user/buyer selects criteria at the online company regarding products and/or services desired and would be notified of availability by use of the RSS feed. The online company would match the user/buyer and the provider/merchant based upon the criteria provided by both. The online company would also provide secure credit/debit card pre-approval for user/buyers by establishing an account therewith. A notice on the merchant website would alert the user/buyer that the merchant is a participant/member in the online company. If the merchant is not a member, the user/buyer would be redirected to the merchant website. |
| US09076149B2 |
Shopper view tracking and analysis system and method
Devices, systems, and methods for tracking a view of a shopper are disclosed. The system may include camera coupled with a head of a shopper, and configured to capture one or more images in a field of view of the camera as captured image data. The shopper view tracking system may also include an analysis computing device configured to receive the captured image data, and an analysis program configured to determine an estimated shopper field of view having a boundary that is calculated to represent a probability of a person in a data sample having an actual measured focal point that occurs within the boundary, and to display the estimated shopper field of view superimposed on the one or more images in the captured image data. The analysis program further may be configured to generate an output including statistical measures based on the estimated field of view. |
| US09076146B2 |
Personal customer care agent
Aggregating information includes configuring, by at least one processor, a user profile that indicates user preferences for aggregated information. The at least one processor monitors information sources including the World Wide Web, business websites of interest, and online social media, based on the user preferences. Data obtained from the information sources is presented, based on the monitoring, by the at least one processor, in accordance with a presentation format, as the aggregated information, based on the user preferences. The at least one processor triggers updating of the presented aggregated information based on a change to the data at least one of the information sources and a change to the user profile. |
| US09076143B1 |
System and method for multiple user advertisement accounts
A multiple user advertisement account system includes an advertisement account database for storing information related to the account. The system is configured to grant multiple users access to the account and allow the users to view or update the information stored in the account database. The system tracks the updates to the information and generates a display of an activity log that contains entries related to the updates received. |
| US09076139B2 |
Apparatus for the delivery of a product
An apparatus for the delivery of a product having a delivery outlet, a delivery control device, a remote command device, and a mobile communications device is disclosed. The delivery control device is connected to the remote command device via a communications network and is adapted to activate the delivery outlet when in receipt of an activation signal from the remote command device. The mobile communications device is connectable to the remote command device via a communications network. The remote command device is adapted to send the activation signal to the delivery control device when in receipt of an activation request signal from the mobile communications device. |
| US09076138B2 |
Method and apparatus for obfuscating slice names in a dispersed storage system
A method begins by a processing module receiving a data segment for dispersed storage. The method continues with the processing module encoding the data segment in accordance with an error coding dispersed storage function to produce a plurality of error coded data slices. The method continues with the processing module generating a slice name for an error coded data slice of the plurality of error coded data slices, wherein the slice name includes a dispersed storage routing information section and a data identification section. The method continues with the processing module performing a securing function on at least the data identification section to produce a secure data identification section. The method continues with the processing module replacing, within the slice name, the data identification section with the secure data identification section to produce a secure slice name. |
| US09076135B2 |
Apparatus, method and computer-readable media for pre-processing information associated with a negotiable instrument to identify options for processing the negotiable instrument
Systems, methods, computer-readable media and apparatuses pre-processing a negotiable instrument, such as a check, are presented. An image of a portion of the check may be received, such as from a mobile device of a user. The portion provided in the image may include a convenience area of the check identifying an amount of the check as a numerical value and a quick response (QR) code. The QR code may contain data such as that contained in the magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) line of the check. The image may be processed to identify one or more options available for continued processing of the check or for cancelling the transaction. The options may be provided to the user, such as via a user interface. In some examples, the user interface may be provided on the mobile device used to capture the image of the portion of the check. |
| US09076134B2 |
Computerized money transfer system and method
A computerized money transfer system implements a money transfer service for trasferring money from a sending entity to at least one receiving entity. A plurality of agent terminals operable by agents of the money transfer service are interconnected by a communications network. A money transfer control system is connected to the communications network for controlling the implementation of the money transfer service. The money transfer control system includes an agent account data store storing account data for each agent and a transaction data store storing transaction data for transactions by agents implementing money transfers from a sending entity to at least one receiving entity. When data is input to an agent terminal by a sending agent instigating a money transfer requested by a sending entity to at least one receiving entity, the data is transmitted to the money transfer control system. The input data identifies the sending and receiving entities, sending agent and at least one receiving agent that is to remit the money transferred thereto to the or each receiving entity. The money transfer control system records the input data in the transaction data store as a transaction from a sending agent to at least one receiving agent for a sending entity and at least one receiving entity and updates the agent account data in the agent account data store for the sending and receiving agents. |
| US09076130B2 |
Identifying a webpage from which an E-mail address is obtained
Detecting an e-mail client generating a first e-mail identifying as a recipient e-mail address an e-mail address identified in the webpage. A screen shot of the webpage can be captured. An association can be automatically created between the screen shot of the webpage and the first e-mail, and the screen shot of the webpage is stored. The first e-mail is sent to the recipient e-mail address. Responsive to receiving or opening the first e-mail or a second e-mail related to the first e-mail, the screen shot of the webpage can be automatically retrieved and presented. |
| US09076129B2 |
Methods and systems for managing group chats among team members
A computer system for hosting electronic group chat is provided. The computer system includes a memory device for storing data and a processor coupled in communication with the memory device. The processor is programmed to electronically host a plurality of chat rooms, associate a first chat room of the plurality of chat rooms with a first element inputted into the computer system, and transmit chat communications between a plurality of users of the chat rooms. |
| US09076127B2 |
Method and system for managing distributor information
An embodiment of the invention provides a system that enables financial services companies to manage and track information about a sales force. The system includes components for managing distributors information, for validating and tracking licenses and credentials, for creating customized contracts, and for maintaining compensation structures. The system allows for configuring compensations, providing financial services companies a toolkit for creating and modeling their complex commission schedules used to compensate their sales force. The system also provides modeling tools for agreements and contracts between a financial services company or provider and the distributors who sell products. The system has a multi-component architecture comprising multiple modules, multiple data processing engines, a backbone and multiple data sources. The processing modules carry out information processing using one or more data processing engines. The data processing provides the tools to fetch data from the databases and process it. |
| US09076126B2 |
Document management system
A computer-based architecture and system provides operational control of the document management process, permitting a client seamless access to sophisticated document production operations. Direct client control over SEC compliant document management permits faster more accurate document production operations. |
| US09076125B2 |
Visualization of participant relationships and sentiment for electronic messaging
Providing for graphical visualization of contextual information pertinent to electronic messaging is described herein. By way of example, contextual network usage information or messaging disposition can be determined for a set of participants to electronic communication. The contextual information is compiled into categories and organized at least as a function of category. The compiled data can be transformed into a visualization of user disposition or context and output to a user device as a multi-dimensional graphical rendering. By rendering contextual data graphically, the rich and diverse information available from usage histories, current user context and user dispositions can be output and consumed rapidly and efficiently, resulting in productive electronic interaction. |
| US09076124B2 |
Method and apparatus for organizing and consolidating portable device functionality
Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that organizes and consolidates the functionality of a portable device. During operation, the system tracks the usage of at least one application and at least one data file by a user of the portable device. Next, the system determines usage-context information from the tracked usage and generates a chronological log that includes the tracked usage and the usage-context information. Finally, the system displays the chronological log to the user in a manner which enables the user to use the usage-context information to access the functionality of the portable device. |
| US09076122B2 |
Picking system, and article assortment method
Picking facilities are flexibly configured so that a desired article can be accurately picked from a storage location in a short time. A picking system is configured to include a container of which the upper surface is opened to contain the article; a caster rack of which the front surface is opened and where upper and lower plural stages of shelves on which the container is mounted are installed; a picking gate where upper and lower plural stages of horizontal bars attached with indicators of picking information are installed between vertical posts; and a picking information processing apparatus which processes the picking information and includes a management computer, a controller which controls operations of the indicators, and a handy terminal and an inspection processing terminal which transmit and receive information with the management computer. |
| US09076121B2 |
Dimensional translator
A dimensional translator may automatically translate a dimension from an entity to a different dimension of another entity. The dimensional translator may do so by comparing attributes of the input dimension (the dimension to be translated) to attributes of a target data structure. An attribute may include, for example, hierarchy of a data structure, relationships of a data structure, a keyword associated with a data structure, and a data value associated with the data structure. The dimensional translator may automatically determine how a target entity would categorize the item. In particular, a Universal Product Code dimension of an item provided by an entity may be translated into a data structure of a target entity such as a retailer in order to determine how an item identified by the UPC will be categorized by the retailer. |
| US09076120B2 |
System and method for locating sample vessels
A system and method for locating sample vessels are presented. The system comprises a holder having an array of positions for holding sample vessels. An information tag is attached to the holder for storing and/or retrieving machine-readable information related to the positions of sample vessels with respect to the array of positions. The system further comprises a handheld device capable of reading information on the information tag. The handheld device has an input for inputting information related to a to-be-located sample vessel and an output for outputting a position of the to-be-located sample vessel with respect to the array of positions based on information stored in the information tag. The method comprises inputting information related to a to-be-located sample vessel into the handheld device, reading information stored in the holder's information tag with the handheld device; and outputting a position of the to-be-located sample vessel. |
| US09076114B2 |
Multi-factor resource estimation
A method of estimating development resources in a feature development cycle may include receiving a selection of a feature and receiving a feature category value. The feature may be associated with a feature category. The method may also include determining one or more tasks associated with the feature category and assigning rating levels to each of the one or more tasks. The method may additionally include computing a task resource estimate for each of the one or more tasks using the corresponding rating levels. The method may further include computing a feature resource estimate for the feature using each task resource estimate and the feature category value. |
| US09076112B2 |
Consistent interface for financial instrument impairment expected cash flow analytical result
A business object model, which reflects data that is used during a given business transaction, is utilized to generate interfaces. This business object model facilitates commercial transactions by providing consistent interfaces that are suitable for use across industries, across businesses, and across different departments within a business during a business transaction. In some operations, software creates, updates, or otherwise processes information related to a financial instrument impairment expected cash flow analytical result business object. |
| US09076110B2 |
Print-shop job price optimization via the use of planning, scheduling and simulation
Methods and systems for improving resource usage in a print shop are disclosed A system may include a workflow management system and a plurality of resource in the print shop. The workflow management system may be configured to receive a plurality of print jobs for processing at the print shop and determine a cost per item for processing the plurality of print jobs based on economic data associated with the print jobs. The workflow management system may determine whether the cost per item will be reduced by adding, removing or modifying a print job. An added print job may be of a different type than the plurality of print jobs. The plurality of resources may be capable of processing the plurality of print jobs. |
| US09076109B2 |
Method and system for controlling the authentity of an object
A method, mobile terminal and server for controlling authenticity of a product. Authenticity control includes accessing a database using a unique code provided with the product; providing a secure code related to said product, and receiving authentication information about said product based on said secure code. |
| US09076105B2 |
Automated plant problem resolution
The illustrative embodiments provide an apparatus for performing horticultural tasks comprising a number of data storage devices, a diagnostic system, and a processor unit. The number of data storage devices includes a horticultural knowledge base, a logistics database, and a home site database. The processor unit executes the diagnostic system and accesses the horticultural knowledge base, the logistics database, and the home site database on the number of data storage devices to identify a horticultural need for a plurality of plants. |
| US09076104B2 |
Systems and methods for identifying drug targets using biological networks
Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for identifying drug targets using biological networks. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for predicting the effects of drug targets on treating a disease. The method can include constructing a structure of a Bayesian network based at least in part on knowledge of drug inhibiting effects on a disease; associating a set of parameters with the constructed Bayesian network; determining values of a joint probability distribution of the Bayesian network via an automatic procedure; deriving a mean Bayesian network with one or more averaged parameters based at least in part on the joint probability values; and calculating a quantitative prediction based at least in part on the mean Bayesian network. |
| US09076103B2 |
Device management system which cooperates with a power managment system for managing power consumption consumed by a plurality of electronic devices, control method for device management system, and storage medium
A device management system that manages specific information for specifying a plurality of image forming apparatuses that are the object of management, manages identification information corresponding to the image forming apparatus by association with the specific information, requests information related to power consumption of the image forming apparatus from the power management system by use of the identification information that is managed by a second management unit and manages information related to acquired power consumption by association with the specific information for the image forming apparatus. |
| US09076099B2 |
Image scaling mechanism
A method is disclosed. The method includes receiving an image, upsampling the image, eroding the upsampled image to compensate for dot gain and scaling the eroded image to scale the image to a desired size. |
| US09076096B2 |
Image formation apparatus and method for processing print setting information
Determination is made as to whether print setting information is designated for received print data, the print setting information being for designating a physical sheet size to be used for printing. When the print setting information is not designated and when specific character string information in the print data is set, a logical sheet size is set as the physical sheet size, and when specific character string information in the print data is not set, a default sheet size is set as the physical sheet size. |
| US09076091B2 |
RFID circuitry and methods of using the same to provide information of events pertaining to an electronic device
An electronic device with RFID circuitry is provided. The electronic device is operative to instruct the RFID circuitry to provide a desired message indicative of an event associated with the electronic device. For example, if the electronic device experienced some type of system failure, the device may instruct the RFID circuitry to provide a message indicative of that failure. |
| US09076089B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method for printing according to a dot-arrangement matrix
Provided are an image processing apparatus and an image processing method that are able to optimize the arrangement method and arrangement size of a plurality of dot-arrangement patterns for each printing mode and each nozzle array without creating a need to increase memory. In order for this, a dot-arrangement table that stores a plurality of patterns having different dot arrangements for each level of multi-value data, and a small matrix arrangement table that stores information about the arrangement of those patterns are prepared. Desired arrangement information is acquired from the small matrix arrangement table according to the size and reading starting address of arrangement information that was set for each printing mode, and a unique dot-arrangement matrix is generated for each printing mode. |
| US09076086B2 |
Display control apparatus, display control method, and storage medium storing instructions for display control apparatus
A display control apparatus includes a control section which controls a display to display contents in a first display area, a second display area, and a third display area on the display. The control section is configured to: display at least one setting value in the first display area for each of a plurality of setting items; allow a user to select one of the at least one setting value in a particular setting item; receive a user's selection of the setting value for each of the setting items; display the selected setting value in the second display area in receipt of the user's selection; determine whether there is an exclusive setting value in the setting values displayed in the first display area and belonging to any setting item other than the particular setting item, the exclusive setting value being inadequate to be selected with the selected setting value. |
| US09076084B2 |
Image forming apparatus having a default mode and method of operating the image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a user interface unit to display a user interface window to receive a user command, a job management unit to perform a job corresponding to the user command, a storage unit to store a plurality of user interface windows and UI information on a user interface window to be displayed at a pre-set point of time among the plurality of user interface windows, and a control unit to control the user interface unit so as to update the UI information stored in the storage unit based on the user command received with respect to the job and display a user interface window corresponding to the updated UI information at the pre-set point of time. |
| US09076082B1 |
Pausing and resuming a three-dimensional printjob
A computer program product includes computer readable program code embodied on a computer readable storage medium. The computer program product comprises computer readable program code for beginning a print job on a three-dimensional printer to manufacture an object, computer readable program code for pausing the print job while the object is incomplete, computer readable program code for determining the state of the print job when the print job was paused, and computer readable program code for printing information onto the incomplete object, wherein the information includes an identification of the print job. The information preferably takes the form of a matrix barcode printed on a surface of the incomplete object that will later be overwritten. |
| US09076080B1 |
Automated diagnostic analysis of image data
An information processing system is configured for automated diagnostic analysis of digital images. The system comprises an image classifier implementing an image processing engine for performing at least a portion of a classification operation on at least a portion of an image. The image processing engine comprises an interconnection of at least one image planner element, a plurality of image scrutinizer elements and at least one image aggregator element. The image planner element is configured to organize the plurality of image scrutinizer elements into two or more logical groups of image scrutinizer elements based at least in part on one or more criteria to be used in performing the classification operation. |
| US09076078B2 |
Image processing apparatus, method and program for determining arrangement of vectors on a distribution map
There is provided an image processing apparatus that includes a feature data calculating unit, a distribution map generating unit, and a display control unit. The feature data calculating unit calculates feature data of each image contained in a group of sequential images that are taken by an image taking apparatus. The distribution map generating unit includes a representative vector calculating unit and a representative vector arrangement determining unit, and generates a distribution map that represents an overall trend of the group of sequential images. The representative vector calculating unit calculates a predetermined number of representative vectors that represent a plurality of images contained in the group of sequential images. The representative vector arrangement determining unit determines arrangement of the calculated representative vectors on the distribution map. The display control unit displays the distribution map on a display unit. |
| US09076076B1 |
Image similarity determination
A system and method is provided that determines whether objects in one image are visually similar to objects in another image by replacing the images' backgrounds with other images, such as a solid color or an image with texture, and comparing the resulting histograms. |
| US09076073B2 |
Photographing method, photo management method and device
A photographing method that includes: acquiring to-be-photographed first content; after determining a first subject with which a user is concerned in the first content, acquiring an image composition relationship between a second subject in the first content and the first subject, where the second subject is another background subject in the first content except the first subject; matching the image composition relationship between the second subject and the first subject with a preset image composition template to obtain a matching evaluation degree, and providing an image composition adjustment suggestion on the first content for the user according to the matching evaluation degree and the image composition template, where the adjustment suggestion is a tip on how to adjust the image composition relationship in the first content so that the image composition relationship completely matches the preset image composition template. |
| US09076070B2 |
Methods and apparatus to detect differences between images
Methods and apparatus to detect differences between images are disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein to recognize different image versions include generating a first signature representative of a sample image, and obtaining a reference image associated with a second signature determined to substantially match the first image signature. Such example methods also include generating a third signature representative of a first region of the sample image corresponding spatially to a first region of the reference image associated with a first version of the reference image, the third signature being different from the first signature. Such example methods further include comparing the generated third signature and a fourth signature representative of the first region of the reference image to determine whether the sample image corresponds to the first version of the reference image. |
| US09076069B2 |
Registering metadata apparatus
An adding metadata apparatus includes a first acquisition unit which acquires a first image, first metadata, and a first position within the first image, the first position being for displaying the first metadata; an extraction unit which extracts local features from the first image; a calculation unit which searches for a group of the local features within a predetermined distance from the first position, and calculates a representative point of the group; a search unit which matches the first image with a plurality of images stored in a database by using the local features, and searches for a second image which coincides with the local features; and a registration unit which calculates a second position, within the second image, corresponding to the representative point, and registers the second position and the first metadata as metadata for the second image. |
| US09076066B2 |
Image processing device and method for determining a similarity between two images
A computerized method determines a similarity between a first image and a second image. The first image is converted into a first grayscale image, and the second image is converted into a second grayscale image. A first feature vector of the first grayscale image and a second feature vector of the second grayscale image are extracted. A similarity value is calculated indicating the similarity between the first image and the second image according to the first feature vector and the second feature vector. If the similarity value is greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold, the first image is similar to the second image and a determination result is outputted denoting the first image is similar to the second image. |
| US09076064B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
For each of a plurality of second images other than a first image in an image group having a plurality of images, a feature point pair is generated by associating a second feature point of the second image with a first feature point of the first image based on a feature amount of the second feature point. A feature point pair is detected from the generated feature point pairs, where a position of the second feature point in the detected feature point pair is located within a predetermined region. A region including first feature points of the first image is extracted, where in the extracted region, detection counts of the feature point pairs exceed a predetermined threshold. |
| US09076063B2 |
Method and apparatus for obtaining symmetry information of objects
A method of obtaining symmetry information of objects, the method includes: acquiring at least one second feature point matched to at least one first feature point of the objects, which are extracted from an ultrasound image of the objects, from a mirror image obtained by reversing the ultrasound image based on an arbitrary axis; acquiring a third feature point corresponding to a location of the second feature point in the mirror image from the ultrasound image; determining a symmetry axis of the objects by using a center point between the first feature point and the third feature point; and acquiring symmetry information indicating whether the objects are symmetrical about the determined symmetry axis. |
| US09076058B2 |
Methods, systems and apparatus for determining orientation in a document image
Aspects of the present invention are related to systems, methods and apparatus for determining the orientation of a text line or a page in a document image. According to a first aspect of the present invention, an image of text blobs may be generated from a text mask associated with a document image. From the text-blob image, pixel-wise horizontal differences may be accumulated and compared to accumulated pixel-wise vertical differences. Text line orientation may be determined as horizontal when the accumulated pixel-wise horizontal differences are less than the accumulated pixel-wise vertical differences. According to a second aspect of the present invention, page orientation may be determined by reconciling an estimated text-line orientation with document language information. |
| US09076055B2 |
Detection system and method suitably used on production line
A detecting system and method suitably used on a production line are disclosed, where a sensing device is arranged on a fixed position of a conveying belt, an image acquiring device and a bar code reading device are vertically arranged above the conveying belt, respectively, a computing device calculates a picture acquiring time of the acquired picture comprising a detection printed circuit board (PCB) acquired by the image acquiring device, and the computing device calculates a position to be moved by the bar code reading device to control the bar code reading device to move and read the production serial number of the detection PCB, whereby a corresponding detection drafting is queried according to a production serial number and optically detecting the detection PCB according to the detection drafting. By means of the above technical means, the detection PCB may be detected on the production line, and thus promoting the production efficiency and detection efficiency of the detection PCB. |
| US09076053B2 |
Method of operating a spaced apart extended range RFID tag assembly
A method of operating a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag assembly having a a predetermined operating frequency with a body composed of an absorbing material coupled to a first side of the an RFID semiconductor chip, absorbing a substantial amount of a received energy in the absorbing material body, receiving at a second side of an antenna coupled to the RFID semiconductor chip mounted a first portion of the radio energy as transmitted from a remote base station transceiver, the receiving being at the first side being oriented away from the operating surface, receiving at a second side of the two-sided planar antenna a second portion of the radio frequency energy transmitted from the base station transceiver following the absorbing, the second side being oriented towards the operating surface and towards the absorbing material body, and processing the received first and second portions of the radio frequency energy. |
| US09076052B2 |
Radio frequency identification control system
A fixed reader in communication with a portable reader includes an induction circuit and a microcontroller. The induction circuit receives wireless signals sent by the portable reader, and outputs control signals according to the received wireless signals. The microcontroller is electronically connected to the induction circuit, and activates the fixed reader according to the control signals, to allow the fixed reader to enter into a working state or an idle state. |
| US09076046B2 |
Lane recognition device
Provided is a lane recognition device capable of extracting linear elements derived from lane marks from a linear element extraction image obtained by processing a captured image and recognizing lane boundary lines. Local areas 47 are set for a lane extraction area 45 set in a linear element extraction image 40 that each of linear elements is included in one or a plurality of the local areas 47, having a predetermined size, and a local straight line 44 of each local area is determined (vx) and (ψ) associated with the direction and the intersection x with a predetermined reference horizontal line 46 are calculated for each local straight line 44. Each local straight line 44 is defined as one vote, being casted to (vx, ψ) of a voting space 56. Lane boundary lines are recognized from detection straight lines, whose direction and the intersection x determined based on vote results. |
| US09076036B2 |
Video search device, video search method, recording medium, and program
A video search device for video searches in which a user specifies the position and orientation of an object that should appear in a video. A receiver receives input of a still image, two reference positions in the still image and two target positions in a video frame. An extractor extracts a reference image containing the two reference positions from the still image. A searcher searches for similar frame images in which local images similar to the reference image are depicted, from frame images in the video, traces movement tracks of two noteworthy pixels at start positions corresponding to the two reference positions in a local image when time advances or regresses from a similar frame image in the video, searches for a target frame image where the two movement tracks approach two target positions, and produces videos containing the similar frame image and the target frame image. |
| US09076035B2 |
Image processor, image processing method, control program, and recording medium
A registration image including a desired target can easily be registered. A domain near an assigned position assigned by a user on a photographed image is extracted from the photographed image to generate a search image, a classifier performs the processing to the generated search image, and a processing domain having the largest number of hierarchies to which a weak classifier can perform the processing is extracted from the photographed image to generate the registration image. |
| US09076030B2 |
Liveness detection
The present disclosure concerns a method of verifying the presence of a living face in front of a camera (112), the method including: capturing by said camera a sequence of images of a face; detecting a plurality of features of said face in each of said images; measuring parameters associated with said detected features to determine whether each of a plurality of liveness indicators is present in said images; determining whether or not said face is a living face based on the presence in said images of a combination of at least two of said liveness indicators. |
| US09076027B2 |
Authentication system using biometric information and authentication device
It is provided an authentication system comprising: an input device; an image pickup device for picking up an image of the living body; an image processing unit for processing the image picked up by the image pickup device; a storage device for storing a plurality of pieces of first feature data and a plurality of pieces of second feature data; and a matching processing unit for checking input data, which indicates features of a living body picked up by the image pickup device, against each of the plurality of pieces of first feature data and each of the plurality of pieces of second feature data. Each of the plurality of pieces of second feature data is data that is smaller in size than each of the plurality of pieces of first feature data and that includes at least a part of the features of the living body. |
| US09076021B2 |
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. |
| US09076016B2 |
Anonymization as a service
One or more network devices receive user criteria for providing anonymization of data from a user device and generate a default workflow for achieving the user criteria. The network devices provide, to the user device, the default workflow and receive user input to the default workflow. The network devices generate and send, based on the user input, final workflow instructions for transmitting data from the user device. The network devices also receive anonymized data transmitted from the user device based on the final workflow instructions. The network devices can provide trend observations of the anonymized data for use by third parties without granting access to the anonymized data. |
| US09076015B2 |
Methods for granting access to resources modifiable by users in a computer environment, and resources structured therefore
Method for accessing a resource in a data-processing environment. The resource includes a set of objects. The data-processing environment is capable of storing in association with at least one object of the resource at least one modified object. The data-processing environment is capable of storing in association with such an object information of degree of elaboration. The method performs the steps of identifying, for each object of the resource to which corresponds at least a modified object, by using the information of degree of elaboration, at least a most elaborate version of said object, and assembling the objects thus identified for them to be displayed in the resource. |
| US09076011B2 |
Secret information leakage prevention system, secret information leakage prevention method and secret information leakage prevention program
Provided is a system in which two or more clients, each including an application program that transmits a network access request, and a server are able to communicate, wherein at least one client includes first control means for controlling the access request transmitted to the server, based on a security level assigned to the application program, and the server includes second control means for determining whether the first control means has been introduced to the client that has transmitted the access request, authorizing the access request when the determination result is positive, and controlling the access request based on a security level assigned to an access target when the determination result is negative. |
| US09076010B2 |
Anonymization device
The present invention enables comparison of the number of data items between groups. The anonymization device according to the present invention refers to a user information storage unit storing data items including user information, detects a singularity group that does not satisfy a predetermined anonymity metrics when the data items corresponding to a plurality of users are grouped based on the user information, selects an acquired data item from each group based on a predetermined rule corresponding to the anonymity metrics, such that all groups satisfy the anonymity metrics when a data item is acquired from each of the groups other than the singularity group and the user information is generalized into the same value together with a data item of the singularity group, generates an anonymized data item by generalizing the user information of the data item of the singularity group and the acquired data items into the same value, and stores the generated anonymized data items in an anonymized user information storage unit, together with a data item of each group other than the singularity group, with this data item being other than the acquired data items. |
| US09076006B1 |
Sharing electronic resources
A method performed by one or more processing devices, comprising: receiving information corresponding to an electronic resource of a first user; generating a resource identifier for the electronic resource of the first user; receiving a request for access to an electronic resource that is shared with a second user of the second client device; identifying, based on the first information, that the electronic resource of the first user is the electronic resource for which the second user is requesting access; determining, in response to the request, second information that is based on the received first information; determining a correspondence between the first information and the second information; determining that the second user of the second client device is authorized to access the electronic resource of the first user; and enabling the second client device to access the electronic resource of the first user. |
| US09075999B2 |
Memory device and method for adaptive protection of content
A memory device and method for adaptive protection of content are disclosed. In one embodiment, a memory device is provided comprising a memory operative to store content and a controller in communication with the memory. The controller is operative to generate a content protection algorithm that is different from at least one content protection algorithm previously generated by the controller, protect the content in accordance with the content protection algorithm, generate virtual machine code containing instructions on how to unprotect the protected content, and provide the protected content and the virtual machine code to a host in communication with the memory device. In another embodiment, a method for adaptive protection of content is provided comprising generating a content protection algorithm that is different from at least one previously-generated content protection algorithm, protecting content in accordance with the content protection algorithm, generating virtual machine code containing instructions on how to unprotect the protected content, and providing the protected content and the virtual machine code to a host in communication with the memory device. |
| US09075995B2 |
Dynamically loaded measured environment for secure code launch
A “Secure Code Launcher” establishes platform trustworthiness, i.e., a trusted computing base (TCB), and uses hardware or firmware based components to securely launch one or more software components. The Secure Code Launcher measures and loads software components by interfacing with security extension functionality integral to one or more hardware or firmware-based components in the computing device. For example, various embodiments of the Secure Code Launcher include firmware-based components that interface with security extension functionality integral to the computing device to measure and load boot managers, operating system (OS) loaders, or other OS components including OS kernels. Similarly, the Secure Code Launcher is capable of measuring and loading software components responsible for installing an instance of an OS. In addition, various embodiments of the Secure Code Launcher provide a hypervisor loader that measures and loads a hypervisor which in turn measures and loads operating system components including virtual machines. |
| US09075981B2 |
Non-textual security using portraits
A user is authenticated using portraits of known contacts. During a challenge-response process, a collection of portraits are presented, some known to an authenticated user and some randomly selected. Responsive to correctly identifying the known portraits, the user is granted access to a system. |
| US09075980B2 |
Integrity protected smart card transaction
Systems, methods, and technologies for configuring a conventional smart card and client machine, and for performing a smart card authorization using the configured smart card and client. Further, the combination of methods provides for mutual authentication—authentication of the client to the user, and authentication of the user to the client. The authentication methods include presenting a specified token to the user sufficient to authenticate the client to the user and thus protect the user-provided PIN. Security is strengthened by using an integrity key based on approved client system configurations. Security is further strengthened by calculating a PIN′ value based on a user-specified PIN and a modifier and using the PIN′ value for unlocking the smart card. |
| US09075975B2 |
Online pseudonym verification and identity validation
Methods, systems, and computer program products for authenticating an online user. Authentication involves sending a code from a server to a user device equipped with a source of illumination and a camera capable of capturing video imagery of the online user. The user device receives the code, modulates the source of illumination in accordance with the code, and captures video imagery of the user while the source of illumination is being modulated according to the code. The captured video imagery of the online user is sent to the server where it is analyzed to detect evidence of changes in illumination that correspond to the code. If good correspondence is found, the user may be authenticated. Similar methods may be applied to other biometric data. Applications of the authentication include identify validation, pseudonym verification, and distinguishing human from non human access attempts. |
| US09075974B2 |
Securing information using entity detection
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, and including a method are provided where the method includes receiving information from an image processing source that includes one or more images of a view area associated with a device, wherein the view area is an area located in front of a display screen associated with the device, wherein the view area enables one or more entities to view the display screen; determining one or more entities located within the view area based at least in part on the one or more images of the view area associated with the device; validating the one or more entities located within the view area; and when an entity within the view area is not validated, producing a security response. |
| US09075972B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a control unit, a login information storage, a login information receiver, a login authenticator, a target function setter, an authorization information storage, an alternative function information storage and a target function changer. The target function changer sets a user alternative function matching a user authorized function related to an authenticated user as a target function out of functions alternative to a user prohibited function and determined by alternative function information instead of the user prohibited function different from the user authorized function related to the authenticated user out of target functions when the authenticated user is set in a login state. |
| US09075967B2 |
Mobile device security using multiple profiles
A mobile electronic device operates in accordance with at least two different application configurations. The device starts by operating in accordance with the first configuration after it receives a first access credential. The first configuration includes a hidden security application. When the device executes the hidden security application, a user may enter a second access credential via the second security application. When the device receives the second access credential, it then switches to a second application configuration. |
| US09075963B2 |
Systems and methods for generating and displaying an intellectual property rights profile for a media presentation
A system, computer readable media, GUI, and apparatus are provided that are configured to generate and display an intellectual property rights profile for a media presentation. Information to be included in an intellectual property rights profile may be entered into a provided data entry template by, for example, a user or administrator of the media presentation. Uploaded documents may be added to an intellectual property rights profile and later accessed by a subsequent user. In some cases, a status, for example, complete or incomplete, may be determined for an intellectual property rights profile and an action may be initiated based on the status. |
| US09075962B1 |
Secure video delivery
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for secure video delivery. A method includes providing a cryptographically signed manifest Uniform Resource Locator (URL) to the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) manifest format player, the signed URL including at least a validity time span and an identification of a video, in the manifest format player, loading the manifest URL, the manifest URL pointing to an instantiation of a proxy, in the proxy, loading the manifest URL and verifying a validity of the signed URL, in the proxy, retrieving the manifest URL contents, in the proxy, substituting each non-metadata entry in the manifest URL contents with signed URLs either to an underlying video segment or back to an instantiation of the proxy if an entry another manifest, and in the HTTP manifest player, processing the manifest altered with signed URLs as a standard manifest, playing the content. |
| US09075961B2 |
Method and system for embedding data in a text document
The present invention relates to a method and system of embedding data in text documents. The method includes obtaining a document having dimensions and at least a first character and a second character and determining a length between the first character and the second character to define an inter-character space. A reference length is determined, where the reference length is a function of the dimensions of the text document. A threshold length is determined, where the threshold length is a minimum length wherein information is not encoded in the inter-character space if the inter-character space is not within the threshold length. The information is encoded into an altered inter-character space wherein a length of the altered inter-character space is an integral multiple of the reference length or a non-integral multiple of the reference length. |
| US09075960B2 |
Digital media content management apparatus and method
A digital media content management apparatus and method for securely storing a content file on a computer readable medium and playing the content file from the computer readable medium is disclosed. The content file comprises control information readable by a content player and payload information including content data. The content file is deconstructed into at least one control information portion and at least one payload information portion being undetectable to a content player of a user device. The control information portion and the payload information portion are separately stored, and at least one of the portions is associated with packing data, and the packing data associated with at least one of the portions comprises a reference to the location of the other portion. |
| US09075955B2 |
Managing permission settings applied to applications
Some aspects of what is described here relate to managing permission settings applied to applications on a mobile device. Multiple management policies that apply to an application associated with a perimeter on a device are identified. A priority ranking for each management policy is determined for the application based on the perimeter with which the application is associated. A permission setting based on the priority rankings is applied to the application. |
| US09075953B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing notification of detected error conditions in a network
Methods for managing a communication session in a communication network are disclosed. For example, a method includes detecting, by a first endpoint comprising at least one processor, an error condition associated with the communication session, sending, by the first endpoint, a notification of the error condition to a second endpoint that is using a transport layer session and receiving, by the first endpoint, a communication from the second endpoint, proposing a response to the error condition. Another method includes receiving, by a first endpoint comprising at least one processor, a notification of an error condition associated with the communication session, selecting, by the first endpoint, a response to the error condition, and sending, by the first endpoint, a communication to a second endpoint that is using a transport layer session, proposing a response to the error condition. |
| US09075948B2 |
Method of improving timing critical cells for physical design in the presence of local placement congestion
Optimizing circuits having a congested placement with a timing critical placement map includes identifying critical circuit components in the placement map and determining failing circuit components in the placement map; determining “non-critical” circuit components safe to be moved; removing selected non critical from the placement map; and optimizing the critical circuit components in a new partial placement image of said map; and reinserting the “non -critical” circuit components back into said placement image. The optimization is performed by circuit transformation operating in congested regions of the placement image enabling cell insertion and modifications that increase cell size. |
| US09075947B2 |
Input/output cell design for thin gate oxide transistors with restricted poly gate orientation
An input/output circuit layout has a first section in which first transistors having a thicker gate oxide are located and a second section in which second transistors having a thinner gate oxide are located. Due to process technology constraints, the gates of all of the second transistors are oriented in a single common direction. The second section has a perimeter having a square shape including a first edge and a second edge adjacent to the first edge. First connection pins coupled to the second transistors are provided with an orientation that extends inwardly from and perpendicular to the first edge. Second connection pins coupled to the second transistors are provided with an orientation that extends inwardly from and perpendicular to said second edge. The square shape and presence of pins on adjacent first and second edges permits rotation of the second section to fit within different orientations of the layout. |
| US09075942B2 |
Dynamic simulation of fluid filled vessels
A system is provided. The system comprises a computer system comprising at least one processor, a thermodynamic state solver application, and a thermodynamic system solver application. When executed by the at least one processor, the thermodynamic state solver application computes a flash equilibrium state solution for each of a plurality of nodes in a thermodynamic network and determines for each of the plurality of nodes at least one sensitivity of a first thermodynamic property with reference to at least one second thermodynamic property. When executed by the at least one processor, the thermodynamic system solver computes a pressure at each of the nodes and flows between the nodes based at least in part on the sensitivities, wherein a result based on the pressures and flows is determined. |
| US09075941B2 |
Method for optimizing electrodeposition process of a plurality of vias in wafer
The presently claimed invention provides a method for optimizing an electrodeposition process of a plurality of vias in a wafer. Instead of simulating a large number of via on the wafer for via filling, a representative via is selected with the maximum value of critical factor, which is a function of process parameters. The filling of the representative via is simulated with different sampling points to find out the filling goodness in order to find out the optimized process windows of process parameters. An optimizer is also disclosed, which either provides sampling points or reduces sampling points under artificial neural network method. Calculation of filling goodness is used for evaluating via filling quality and further comparing among via fillings simulated at different sampling points. Consequently, the method of present invention is able to shorten the simulation time for via filling as well as provide a process window with high accuracy. |
| US09075940B2 |
Simulation method for high polymer material
A computerized simulation method for evaluating dispersion of fillers in a high polymer material is disclosed, wherein the simulation step includes a link step in which filler particles which are approached to less than a predetermined distance to polymer particles, are linked to the polymer particles. The filler particles constituting each filler model are a single center filler particle and at least four surface filler particles of which centers are positioned on a spherical surface of which center coincides with the center of the center filler particle. Between the center filler particle and the surface filler particles and also between the surface filler particles, equilibrium lengths are respectively defined. The polymer particles can be linked to only the surface filler particles. |
| US09075939B2 |
Method for co-simulation of two or more mathematical models
A method for the co-simulation of two or more interacting mathematical models in which each model has at least one input port and one output port for inputting and outputting values of parameters in a predefined parameter protocol. The unit of measurement is identified for each parameter in the model and a scaling factor is then generated to equalize the units of measurement for each parameter in each model. The parameter protocol for each port is then determined and a virtual bus with unique locations is configured for each parameter in the models. The parameters from the models are then configured as a function of the parameter protocol so that the same parameters from different models are associated with the same location in the virtual bus. |
| US09075934B2 |
Reticle defect correction by second exposure
Correction of reticle defects, including reticle weak spots or shortcomings, is accomplished with a second exposure. Embodiments include obtaining a reticle with a pattern corresponding to a wafer pattern design, exposing a wafer with the reticle, modifying the design, designating variations between the design and the modified design as reticle defects, and exposing the wafer with correction patterns containing structure corresponding to the modified design at defect positions. Other embodiments include modifying, eliminating, and/or shifting the pattern near a reticle blank defect position, and exposing a wafer with the reticle and with a correction pattern containing structure corresponding to the design at a defect position; modifying a patterned reticle surface layer near a defect forming an expanded defect, exposing a wafer with the modified reticle and with an expanded defect correction pattern; and exposing a wafer with a reticle and with a correction pattern larger than a detected reticle defect. |
| US09075932B1 |
Methods and systems for routing an electronic design using spacetiles
Various embodiments identify a routing layer of an electronic design, create spacetile(s) by performing spacetile punches for the muting layer, identify an area probe from the spacetiles, and routes the electronic design by using the one or more area probes for performing area search for routing solutions. Some embodiments identify two routing layers of an electronic design, perform spacetile punches to form spacetiles for the routing layers, determine a via spacetile layer, identify spacetiles as one or more area probes based on the via spacetile layer, and routes the electronic design by using the one or more area probes for performing area search for routing solutions while transitioning between the two muting layers. One of the two routing layers may be a tracked muting layer, and the other may be a trackless routing layer. The tracked muting may be gridded or gridless. |
| US09075929B2 |
Issuing requests to a fabric
In one embodiment, a method includes determining whether producer-consumer ordering rules have been met for a first transaction to be sent from a source agent to a target agent via a fabric, and if so a first request for the first transaction is sent from the source agent to the fabric in a first clock cycle. Then a second request can be sent from the source agent to the fabric for a second transaction in a pipelined manner. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09075928B2 |
Hazard detection and elimination for coherent endpoint allowing out-of-order execution
A coherence maintenance address queue tracks each memory access from receipt until the memory reports the access complete. The address of each new access is compared against the address of all entries in the queue. This check is made when the access is ready to transmit to the memory. If there is no address match, then the current access does not conflict with any pending access. If there is an address match, the current access is stalled. The multi-core shared memory controller would then typically proceed to another access waiting a slot to the endpoint memory. Stored addresses in the coherence maintenance address queue are retired when the endpoint memory reports completion of the operation. At this point the access is no longer a hazard to following operations. |
| US09075927B2 |
Asserting physical presence to a trusted platform module by physically connecting or disconnecting a hot pluggable device
A method includes asserting a physical presence signal to a trusted platform module of a compute node in response to detecting a change in the physical connection of a hot pluggable device to a port of the compute node. The change in the physical connection of the hot pluggable device to the port is selected from physically connecting the hot pluggable device to the port, physically disconnecting the hot pluggable device from the port, and combinations thereof. Optionally, the compute node has a USB port and the hot pluggable device has a USB connector that is selectively physically connectable to the USB port. In one example, detecting a change in the physical connection of the hot pluggable device to the compute node includes detecting a voltage change on the USB port. |
| US09075925B2 |
Serial peripheral interface and method for data transmission
A serial peripheral interface of an integrated circuit including multiple pins and a clock pin is provided. The pins are coupled to the integrated circuit for transmitting an instruction, an address or a read out data. The clock pin is coupled to the integrated circuit for inputting multiple timing pulses. The plurality of pins transmit the instruction, the address or the read out data at rising edges, falling edges or both edges of the timing pulses. |
| US09075922B2 |
Apparatus and method for decoding data transmissions
An interface comprising a single data connection, arranged to transfer data between the user equipment and an identity module. The data transferred over the interface may be arranged to be synchronized by at least one clock signal. The data transferred over the interface may comprise universal serial bus protocol data. |
| US09075920B1 |
Integrating software-tests with software development environments or tools that can assist software-testing
A dynamic-bridge connects a collection of tests (e.g., proprietary tests) to a testing-framework and effectively allows the collection of tests to interface with the testing-framework, thereby allowing the development environment and tools that support the testing-framework to also support the collection of tests. The dynamic-bridge provides a dynamic test wrapper which can be dynamically constructed for a test and present it as a test which conforms to or is compatible with the testing-framework and executed within the testing-framework. Test results are reported in a form that is expected or acceptable by the framework. In effect, the dynamic test wrapper simulates executing the test in the testing framework. As a result, tools which have been integrated with the testing-framework can be used to support tests which may originally not conform or be compatible with the testing-framework. |
| US09075919B2 |
Asynchronous code testing
A method and system for asynchronous code testing. Test cases are generated from an input code that includes code blocks organized in a hierarchy of nesting levels characterized by respective nesting level numbers that increase with increasing separation of each respective nesting level from a reference level of the total input code. Each test case includes a respective launching priority that quantifies how strongly each test case is associated with at least one modified code block of the input code. Generating the test cases determines the respective launching priority for each test case by (i) determining an association strength of each modified code block as measured by the nesting level in the hierarchy of each modified code block and (ii) computing the launching priority as a sum of the association strengths of the modified code blocks. The test cases are run to produce a test result which is displayed. |
| US09075918B1 |
System and method for creating change-resilient scripts
A method for creating agnostic test automation script commands associated with a specified action and a user interface (UI) is provided. The method may include receiving a target element associated with the specified action. The method may also generate at least one anchor uniquely identifying the target element, wherein the target element is ambiguous. The method may further include generating an agnostic test automation script command based on the received target element and the at least one generated anchor. Additionally, the method may analyze, using the generated agnostic test automation script command, the at least one generated anchor to locate the target element within the user interface (UI), wherein the analyzing is based on an application on which the agnostic test automation script command is to be executed. The method may also include performing, using the generated agnostic test automation script command, the specified action on the located target element. |
| US09075909B2 |
System and method to enable detection of viral infection by users of electronic communication devices
A non-transitory computer readable medium that stores instructions for causing a computerized system to perform the following operations: determining, by the computerized system, that a first person is infected by a first infectious disease; wherein the determination is associated with a first person infection probability attribute; detecting, by the computerized system, based upon location information collected during at least a portion of a first infectious disease manifestation period, the location information being indicative of locations of the first person and other persons, a second person that was within an infection distance from the first person and is potentially infected by the first infectious disease; calculating, by the computerized system, a second person infection probability attribute; and updating, by the computerized system, the first person infection probability attribute in response to the second person infection probability attribute. |
| US09075906B2 |
Medical support system including medical equipment case
A medical equipment case is provided for containing and transporting at least one article of medical equipment and a two-way audio-visual system. Such equipment may be used, for example, for telemedicine applications by a patient discharged from a hospital, or other subject in need of remote health care monitoring. The medical equipment case may include features that provide for security and facilitate return of the medical equipment case and medical equipment and audio-visual system contained therein, such as machine-readable indicia encoding information for return of the case from a usage location. The medical equipment case and contained medical equipment and two-way audio visual system together form a medical support system that can be used by a patient discharged from a hospital. Methods of controlling the medical support system are also described. |
| US09075904B2 |
Vulnerability estimation for cache memory
A method of determining vulnerability of a cache memory includes associating a first counter with a cache element and periodically incrementing the first counter. When a read or other access that consumes the data in the cache element occurs, a current value of the first counter is accumulated. When a write or other cache access that modifies data in the cache element occurs, the first counter is reset. At the end of an evaluation period, the value in a total counter approximates the number of clock cycles during which data that was consumed was vulnerable. Dividing this value by the number of clock cycles approximates the vulnerability of this cache element. The vulnerability for a subset of all cache elements may be measured and extrapolated to obtain an estimate for the vulnerability of the cache memory as a whole. |
| US09075903B2 |
User interface for medical image review workstation
Methods, systems and computer program products for controlling display of different types of medical images and providing touchscreen interfaces for display on a mobile communication device and associated with different image types, e.g., different imaging modalities or different view modes. Detection of a multi-finger tap on the screen of the mobile communication device while viewing a first touchscreen interface for an image type invokes a second or auxiliary touchscreen interface for that image type having a subset of interface elements of the first touchscreen interface. |
| US09075902B2 |
Tracking errors in a computing system
Tracking errors in a computing system that includes a plurality of current error buckets and a plurality of historical error buckets, including: inserting, by an error repository manager into a current error bucket, error information describing a first error identified by a timestamp; moving, by the error repository manager, the error information in the current error bucket to a historical error bucket upon the expiration of the bucket interval, wherein each historical error bucket has a storage interval determined in dependence upon the base time interval associated with the error and a bucket number associated with the historical error bucket; and moving, by the error repository manager, the error information in a source historical error bucket to a destination historical error bucket upon the expiration of the storage interval associated with the source historical error bucket. |
| US09075899B1 |
Automated display settings for categories of items
Provided herein are various systems and methods for customizing display of items associated with medical exams based on one or more categories (for example) associated with respective items. |
| US09075894B2 |
System and method for identifying web objects unworthy of being cached
A caching device is configured to determine whether an object received or currently stored at the caching device should be (or continue to be) cached at the caching device, even if the object is otherwise cacheable. If so, the object is cached (or retained) at the caching device, otherwise, it is not. The determination as to whether or not the object should be cached or, if already cached, retained at the caching device may be made on the basis of a worthiness determination which evaluates the object on the basis of one or more parameters or attributes of the object, which worthiness may be one part of an overall value determination for the object. |
| US09075891B2 |
Method and device for editing an object represented in a web page
Method for editing an object represented in a page of a Web site, the method comprising a step of sending, by the server to said application, through a browsing link established between a server of said site and a terminal, first description data describing said object for a display of a graphical representation of said object in a user interface of said application and a set of program instructions, specific to a category of object to which said object belongs, said instructions being designed for execution by said application of functions for editing said graphical representation. |
| US09075890B2 |
Controller and method to build a combined web page using data retrieved from multiple APIs
Systems, devices, and methods for using an application program interface (API) client controller to build a model view include a requestor, an executor, a converter, and one or more web APIs. Developers can create web pages that are a collection of references to API queries. The requestor maps an API path to an API request or an API call. The executor executes the API request to an API to retrieve content data. The converter then converts the retrieved content data returned by the API request to a data structure. The retrieved content data (structure) can be stored in a memory device. Multiple content data structures may be requested and stored. The data structure or data structures are then inserted in a web page template to create a model view. |
| US09075886B2 |
Systems and methods for detecting the stockpiling of domain names
Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for detecting the stockpiling of domain names. In one exemplary embodiment, there is provided a method for detecting a status of a domain name. The method may include receiving information related to the domain name from a registrar. The method may include crawling the at least one domain name, wherein the crawling receives first information located on a website associated with the domain name and receives second information related to a registration of the domain name. The method may also include storing the first information and the second information, wherein the crawling is initiated at a first time prior to expiration of the at least one domain name and a second time after expiration of the at least one domain name. |
| US09075883B2 |
System and method for behavioural and contextual data analytics
A server arrangement for managing observation data of wireless devices, including data input logic for obtaining observation data from wireless devices, the obtained data including behavioral and contextual raw data relative to the wireless devices, data mining logic for establishing a number of derived data elements, on the basis of processing and analyzing the obtained observation and optional supplementary data, the processing and analyzing incorporating aggregation procedures. At least one derived data element includes usage metrics with contextual dimension relative to applications or other features of wireless devices and users, data storage for storing the obtained data and the number of derived information elements, and a data distribution logic providing derived data. The distribution logic may serve a data query constructed by an external entity through provision of derived information from derived data elements according to the query parameters. A corresponding method for execution by the server arrangement is presented. |
| US09075881B2 |
System and method for identifying the owner of a document on the world-wide web
A method and search engine for classifying a source publishing a document on a portion of a network, includes steps of electronically receiving a document, based on the document, determining a source which published the document, and assigning a code to the document based on whether data associated with the document published by the source matches with data contained in a database. An intelligent geographic- and business topic-specific resource discovery system facilitates local commerce on the World-Wide Web and also reduces search time by accurately isolating information for end-users. Distinguishing and classifying business pages on the Web by business categories using Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes is achieved through an automatic iterative process. |
| US09075880B2 |
Method of associating multiple applications
An exemplary information-processing device includes: a display controller configured, when a second application program, capable of performing a search is activated during execution of a first application program, to display a second image displayed as a result of execution of the activated second application program, and a first image that has been displayed as a result of execution of the first application program before activation of the second application program; and an execution controller configured to notify the second application program of an event corresponding to an input operation, to execute a process according to a procedure described in the second application program, while maintaining the first image to be displayed. |
| US09075879B2 |
System, method and computer program for searching within a sub-domain by linking to other sub-domains
The present invention may provide a system, method and computer program for searching a sub-domain that involves linking to other sub-domains. In particular, the present invention may provide a sub-domain search that ranks and/or weighs search results based on relevance, such relevance being determined by a calculation operating on a broader range of domain and/or sub-domains than a single sub-domain. The present invention may weight and score a search of web pages in a sub-domain based on the content of web pages in other sub-domains. |
| US09075877B2 |
System and method for transparent in-network adaptation of rich internet applications
A system and method that allows Rich Internet Applications content to be adapted for a web browser on a mobile device without requiring an installation of an RIA player. The method comprises receiving processing a request by communicating with the web server to acquire the RIA file and the parameters used to instantiate the RIA file, adapting the RIA content of the RIA file for display in the web browser without requiring an RIA player at the mobile device, and providing adapted RIA content to the web browser. |
| US09075876B2 |
Search method for video clip
The present invention provide an automatic, frame-by-frame, rapid, and accurate search method for video clip. It comprises the following steps. First, acquire and store a plurality of videos to a storage unit. Each video comprises a plurality of frames, respectively. Then, a processing unit extracts the characteristics of the plurality of frames and gives a plurality of characteristic values. Next, the processing unit calculates a plurality of difference values between the characteristic value of each frame and that of the previous frame and between the characteristic value of the subsequent frame and that of the current frame. Store a data set, which is produced by corresponding the plurality of difference values between all frames of each video to the time axis, to the storage unit. Finally, the processing unit compares a data set of any video with a plurality of data sets of other videos and gives a search result. |
| US09075873B2 |
Generation of context-informative co-citation graphs
Described herein are technologies pertaining to generating co-citation graphs. A context-informative co-citation graph includes a first node that represents a first research document, a second node that represents a second research document, and a third node that represents a third research document that includes a citation to both the first research document and the second research document. The context-informative co-citation graph also includes a first edge that couples the first node and the third node, and a second edge that couples the second node and the third node. The two edges visually indicate that the first research document and the second research document are co-cited by the third research document. The context-informative co-citation graph further includes at least a portion of a sentence in the third research document that includes a citation to at least one of the first research document or the second research document. |
| US09075869B1 |
System and method for facilitating the collection, analysis, use and management of clinical analytics results to improve healthcare
Systems and process for performing analytical processes on the health-related data for a person include components and steps for processing system multiple files from multiple sources containing health-related data for numerous individual. Such processing may include: staging health-related data; matching pieces of staged data to a person using one or more matching rules; compressing the matched staged data for the person into a compressed file through assignment of a universal identifier which is associated with the person; providing the compressed file to an analytics engine; and decompressing the at least one analytics results file using universal identifier to access the analytics results for the person. Additionally, the analytics results for the person may be provided to a user for intervention into the health of the person. |
| US09075864B2 |
Method and system for semantic searching using syntactic and semantic analysis
In one embodiment, there is provided a computer-implemented method and system for implementing the method. The method comprises: preliminarily analyzing at least one corpus of natural language text comprising for each sentence of each natural language text of the corpus, performing syntactic analysis using linguistic descriptions to generate at least one syntactic structure for the sentence; building a semantic structure for the sentence; associating each generated syntactic and semantic structure with the sentence; and saving each generated syntactic and semantic structure; for each corpus of natural language text that was preliminarily analyzed, performing an indexing operation to index lexical meanings and values of linguistic parameters of each syntactic structure and each semantic structure associated with sentences in the corpus; and searching in at least one preliminarily analyzed corpora for sentences comprising searched values for the linguistic parameters. |
| US09075862B1 |
Ranking user content by content attributes
System, methods, and apparatus for attribute-based rating of authors and content. In some methods, first content authored by a first author having an attribute that is common to other authors is received. A second author having the attribute is identified as well as content authored by the second author. A user feedback base rating that is assigned to the second author is identified. An initial rating for the first content is generated based on the user feedback based rating that is assigned to the second author, and the initial rating is assigned to the first content. |
| US09075861B2 |
Methods and systems for segmenting relative user preferences into fine-grain and coarse-grain collections
A method of segmenting relative user preferences into fine-grain and coarse-grain collections is provided. The method includes providing a set of content items having associated descriptive terms. The method also includes receiving user search input and, in response thereto, presenting a subset of content items. The method includes receiving user selection actions and analyzing the selections to learn the user's preferred descriptive terms. The method includes expressing the learned preferred descriptive terms as a segmented probability distribution function having at least one fine grain segment and at least one coarse grain segment. In response to subsequent search input, the method calls for selecting and ordering a collection of content items by promoting the ranking of content items associated with the learned preferred descriptive terms of the user according to the differentiation provided by the segmented probability distribution function. |
| US09075859B2 |
Parameterized database drill-through
A database interface for generating drill-through pats for various data cubes, derived from different report generating applications is disclosed. The interface comprises: (a) means for accepting a request from a user for data; (b) means for translating the request into a drill-through path selected from a plurality of possible drill-through paths between a source and a target; (c) means for applying one or more parameters to the selected drill-rough path to produce a valid drill-through path and to transfer the requested data over the valid drill-through path to an application; and (d) display means for displaying the requested data to the user. |
| US09075858B2 |
Non-disruptive data movement and node rebalancing in extreme OLTP environments
Systems and methods for non-disruptive cache startup, shutdown, data partition movement, and node rebalancing for a data fabric within a data grid in a database environment. The data grid is a clustered in-memory database (IMDB) cache comprising one or more data fabrics including multiple IMDB cache nodes. The method takes a time tag and moves data from source to destination nodes while allowing updates to data on the source nodes. The method propagates updates occurring after the time tag to destination nodes from source nodes and switches applications and ownership to the destination nodes. Another method slices data for a partitioned fabric and stores slices on nodes. Another method starts a data fabric by moving data from a grid backend to the nodes. In an embodiment, another method rebalances nodes in a non-disruptive manner. When a fabric is shutdown, the method saves data from the nodes to the grid backend. |
| US09075852B2 |
Search system, information processing device, method for controlling information processing device, program, and information recording medium
To provide a search system for requesting a user to select any of a plurality of options and searching based on a result of selection by the user, capable of assisting the user so as to readily select an option. A selection screen display control unit (72) displays on a display unit a selection screen showing a plurality of lower node information items corresponding to a plurality of lower nodes positioned immediately below the current node in a tree structure in which a search condition and a node are correlated with each other. A search result screen display control unit (76) displays on the display unit a search result screen showing a list of information items satisfying a search condition corresponding to the nodes from the top node to the current node. In the selection screen, the selection screen display control unit (72) outputs, so as to be correlated to each of the plurality of lower node information items, a display concerning a list of information items satisfying a search condition corresponding to nodes from the top node to a lower node corresponding to the lower node information item. |
| US09075846B2 |
Method for retrieval of arabic historical manuscripts
The method for retrieval of Arabic historical manuscripts using Latent Semantic Indexing approaches the problem of manuscripts indexing and retrieval by automatic indexing of Arabic historical manuscripts through word spotting, using “Text Image” similarity of keywords. The similarity is computed using Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI). The method involves a manuscript page preprocessing step, a segmentation step, and a feature extraction step. Feature extraction utilizes a circular polar grid feature set. Once the salient features have been extracted, indexing of historical Arabic manuscripts using LSI is performed in support of content-based image retrieval (CBIR). |
| US09075845B1 |
Correlating and reconciling descriptor data associated with computing systems
A system includes a memory operable to store instructions and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory and operable, upon executing the instructions, to determine that first probe information is associated with first device information based on the first probe information, determine that second probe information is associated with the first device information and second device information based on the second probe information, and determine that third probe information is associated with second device information based on the third probe information. The processor may be further operable, upon executing the instructions to modify the first device information to include particular information from the first probe information and particular information from the second probe information, and modify the second device information to include particular information from the second probe information and particular information from the third probe information. |
| US09075841B2 |
Distributed transaction management for database systems with multiversioning
The subject disclosure relates to a distributed transaction management technique that ensures synchronization between participating nodes in a global or distributed database transaction. The technique leverages a commit protocol that uses local clocks at the respective participating nodes. Participants in a global transaction are configured to utilize the same commit timestamp and logical read time and can advance their respective local clocks to establish this synchronization. In one embodiment, distributed commit utilizes a modified version of two-phase commit that includes an extra phase to collect commit timestamp votes from participants. Additionally, a heartbeat mechanism can be used to establish loose synchronization between nodes. In another embodiment, a node can respond to a remote transaction request by returning a list of nodes involved in generating the result of the transaction and the types of access used by such nodes in addition to the transaction result itself. |
| US09075840B1 |
Method and computer program product for allowing a software application to interact with a product
The functionality of a networked physical product is defined as an abstraction, or a virtual product, in such a way that the product functionality can be interpreted and managed by a business enterprise system. A software application and data model spans isolated databases to store and maintain the functional data and contextual information of a networked physical product and the associated business data needed to manage the product. The functional and contextual data is managed by a purpose-built and optimized heterogeneous database environment, and the associated business data is managed separately in another purpose-built and optimized database environment. An electronic template, similar to a bill of materials, describes the functional and interactive elements of a networked virtual product that represents the networked physical products as they are created. A business enterprise system links business management software to the data and information generated by the networked product. |
| US09075839B2 |
Method, apparatus and database system for restoring tenant data in a multi-tenant environment
A method, apparatus and database system restore tenant data in a multi-tenant environment. The method comprises: logging a plurality of tenants' requests to the database; with respect to a particular tenant who requires restoring tenant data, acquiring a log of events which affect contents of the database and start from a particular backup point; and only restoring in the database data of the particular tenant to the particular backup point, according to the acquired log of events. When a tenant performs a wrong operation on the database and wishes to roll back to a backup point, only information of the particular tenant in the database is changed into the information at the backup point, without affecting other tenants. |
| US09075838B2 |
Method and apparatus for an improved file repository
A method and apparatus for of storing data comprising monitoring a plurality of storage units within a mass storage area and detecting when a storage unit within the mass storage area is overloaded. The method further comprising randomly distributing the data on the overloaded storage unit to the other storage units within the mass storage area. |
| US09075835B2 |
Learning support device, learning support method and storage medium in which learning support program is stored
Provided is a learning support device that supports a user to solve a problem for which an explanation is not stored by referring to an explanation stored for another problem. A student terminal includes a storage unit in which example problems each including a problem and an explanation and exercises are stored; an input unit which designates any one of the exercises as a designated exercise based on a user's operation; a CPU which detects, from the example problems stored in the storage unit, an example problem having a problem similar to the designated exercise as a reference example problem; and a display unit which displays an explanation for the reference example problem and displays a portion in the explanation that corresponds to a difference portion between the problem of the reference example problem and the designated exercise in a discriminative manner. |
| US09075834B2 |
Detecting deviation between replicas using bloom filters
Techniques are provided for using near-full bloom filters for efficiently identifying hash slices in which the deviation between replicas is sufficient to justify remedial measures. Techniques are also described for adjusting the size of slices and the size of the bloom filters, so that the bloom-filter-to-bloom-filter comparison serves as an accurate indicator of the degree to which the contents of the slices of a slice pair have deviated. Slice size may vary from slice pair to slice pair, so that relatively sparsely populated portions of the ring (access key ranges into which fewer chunks fall) are represented by relatively larger slices, while relatively densely populated portions of the ring (access key ranges into which more chunks fall) are represented by relatively smaller slices. |
| US09075829B2 |
Clustering apparatus, and clustering method
A technique extracts an object that is characteristic although the number of appearances is less demanded. A clustering apparatus includes: a similarity degree calculating section calculating a similarity degree of a combination of optional two of objects to store the calculated similarity degree in a similarity degree table, excluding a combination of one of the optional two and itself; a merging object selecting section selecting as merging objects, two objects related to the similarity degree which satisfies a predetermined reference; a new object generating section generating a new object from the merging objects; a merging object removing section removing from the similarity degree table, a similarity degree between each of the two objects selected as the merging objects and each of the objects; and a new object adding section calculating a similarity degree between the new object and each of the plurality of objects other than the new object. |
| US09075828B2 |
Electronic device and method of controlling the same
An electronic device including a communication unit configured to communicate with at least one other party; a display module configured to display a message transmitted/received with the at least one other party in a predetermined area; and a controller configured to search for an image comprising a user of the electronic device and the at least one other party and control the display module to display in the predetermined area an image found in the search. |
| US09075825B2 |
System and methods of integrating visual features with textual features for image searching
The present invention includes a system and methods for image searching. Embodiments of the system integrate textual features and visual features for improved search performance. The system represents text terms in the visual feature space and develops a text-guided weighting scheme for visual features. The weighting scheme infers intention from query terms and enhances the visual features that are significant in light of such intention. |
| US09075824B2 |
Retrieval system and method leveraging category-level labels
An instance-level retrieval method and system are provided. A representation of a query image is embedded in a multi-dimensional space using a learned projection. The projection is learned using category-labeled training data to optimize a classification rate on the training data. The joint learning of the projection and the classifiers improves the computation of similarity/distance between images by embedding them in a subspace where the similarity computation outputs more accurate results. An input query image can thus be used to retrieve similar instances in a database by computing the comparison measure in the embedding space. |
| US09075823B2 |
Method and system of sharing a broadcast preset table between a vehicle tuner and an external device
A method of sharing a preset table between a vehicle infotainment system including a vehicle tuner, memory for storing a first preset table and a broadcast signal receiver that receives a broadcast signal based on the first preset table, and an external device coupled to the vehicle infotainment system, includes storing the first preset table in the memory, the first preset table including first regional information and at least one combination of first station identification information and a first tuning frequency corresponding to the first station identification information, receiving a second preset table from the external device, the second preset table including second regional information and at least one combination of second station identification information and a second tuning frequency corresponding to the second station identification information, comparing the first preset table with the second preset table, and making the first preset table and the second preset table identical, if the first preset table and the second preset table are different. |
| US09075822B2 |
Incremental testing of a navigation database
A navigation system utilizes a testing package tailor made for an incremental update to a map database. An incorrect incremental update may corrupt a navigation database. Testing an incrementally updated database after updating allows a corrupted database to be detected before the corrupted database is used by the map database system. Map tiles associated with a list of recompiled objects are used to populate a table. A test script is created from the list map tiles and, when executed, checks the validity of references in the map database associated with the map tiles. The test script generates a return value that indicates whether errors occurred, the type of the errors, the quantity of errors, or any combination thereof. The navigation system analyzes the errors and determines whether to finalize or roll back the update. |
| US09075820B2 |
Distributed file system at network switch
Embodiments herein relate to running a distributed file system on a network switch. The distributed file system is to manage access to a plurality of storage drives that store data and are connected to the network switch. |
| US09075818B2 |
Object store management operations within compute-centric object stores
Object store management operations within compute-centric object stores are provided herein. An exemplary method may include transforming an object storage dump into an object store table by a table generator container, wherein the object storage dump includes at least objects within an object store that are marked for deletion, transmitting records for objects from the object store table to reducer containers, such that each reducer container receives object records for at least one object, the object records comprising all object records for the at least one object, generating a set of cleanup tasks by the reducer containers, and executing the cleanup tasks by a cleanup agents. |
| US09075816B2 |
System and method of compressing data in font files
A compressed font file including compressed data is received. The compressed data is decompressed to generate decompressed data. An attempt to validate the decompressed data is made. Within the decompressed data, a predetermined pattern of invalid data corresponding to an element of a font file is detected. The font file is reconstructed by replacing at least some of the invalid data with the element. |
| US09075815B2 |
Records declaration filesystem monitoring
Techniques for managing records on a filesystem to enforce a record disposition protocol. Embodiments identify records on the filesystem using one or more record definitions. Each record definition may contain a conditional statement which, if satisfied by a particular file on the filesystem, indicates the particular file as a record. Embodiments may then monitor file activity for each of the identified records and upon detecting the file activity, may enforce the record disposition protocol for the record. Such enforcement may include preventing the file activity, and may further include logging information related to the file activity. |
| US09075813B2 |
Saving a snapshot of free space of a file system on persistent storage
A mechanism for saving a snapshot of free space of a file system on persistent storage is disclosed. A method of the invention includes determining whether generation numbers stored in each of a free space cache inode of an on-disk free space cache of a block group, a free space cache item, and a free space cache header are valid, determining whether a checksum generated for a first page of the free space cache matches a checksum stored in the file system and associated with the free space cache, and adding entries stored in the on-disk free space cache to an in-memory free space cache for the block group kept in volatile memory of a computing device, wherein the on-disk free space cache is stored in persistent data storage indexed by a file system of the computing device. |
| US09075805B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for synchronizing and tracking content
In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses synchronizing and tracking content receive a request corresponding to a specific content; review a record associated with the specific content in response to the request; selectively transmit a confirmation for the request based on the reviewing; and perform the request based on receiving the confirmation. |
| US09075802B2 |
Dynamic online presentation of solutions based on customer symptoms
A knowledge management system is disclosed providing the ability to use an issue's symptoms as search criteria for potential solutions within a solution network. User, system, and diagnostics information is received by the solution network. Symptoms of the issue are provided, which are then used with the user, system, diagnostics, and additional information to search the solution network for potential solutions. |
| US09075801B2 |
Method and apparatus for sharing content via encoded data representations
An approach is provided for a more efficient and user friendly mechanism for sharing content among users. The approach includes determining a first request from a first device for sharing at least one content item; causing, at least in part, a generation of a graphical code representing, at least in part, the at least one content item, wherein the graphical code is unique to the first request; causing, at least in part, a presentation of the graphical code at the first device; and causing, at least in part, a transfer of the at least one content item from the first device to a second device based, at least in part, on a scanning of the graphical code by the second device. |
| US09075797B2 |
Restore PCIe transaction ID on the fly
Restoring retired transaction identifiers (TID) associated with Direct Memory Access (DMA) commands without waiting for all DMA traffic to terminate is disclosed. A scoreboard is used to track retired TIDs and selectively restore retired TIDs on the fly. DMA engines fetch a TID, and use it to tag every DMA request. If the request is completed, the TID can be recycled to be used to tag a subsequent request. However, if a request is not completed, the TID is retired. Retired TIDs can be restored without having to wait for DMA traffic to end. Any retired TID value may be mapped to a bit location inside a scoreboard. All processors in the system may have access to read and clear the scoreboard. Clearing the TID scoreboard may trigger a DMA engine to restore the TID mapped to that location, and the TID may be used again. |
| US09075795B2 |
Interprocess communication
A system and methods for sending data from one process to another process (i.e., interprocess communication) are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment, an operating system recognizes a request by a sending process to perform an asynchronous write to a pipe, and a request by a receiving process to perform an asynchronous read from the pipe, occurring in either order. The operating system then selects one of a plurality of mechanisms for providing the data to the receiving process. |
| US09075788B1 |
Account state simulation service for cloud computing environments
Methods and apparatus for an account state simulation service for cloud computing environments are disclosed. A system includes a plurality of service managers coordinating respective distributed network-accessible services, and a metadata manager. The metadata manager receives an account state change simulation request, indicating (a) an initial account state of a client account and (b) a collection of operations to be simulated. The metadata manager generates a response to the account change state simulation request, comprising at least one of (a) a representation of an expected end state of the client account reachable as a result of performing the collection of operations (b) an indication of an expected failure of a particular operation of the collection of operations or (c) an estimate of an expected billing amount associated with an implementation of the collection of operations. |
| US09075786B2 |
User interface utilizing generic field for multiple input types
A user interface features a single, generic input field configured to receive multiple types of available input information. In various embodiments, the generic input field of the interface may include a drop-down menu offering user selection from a plurality of available input types. The interface may reduce an amount of time consuming, error-prone manual activity required to navigate between, select, and enter data into multiple fields located in different regions of a screen. Embodiments may be particularly suited for interfaces with portable devices having small displays and cramped input environments (e.g. small keys, touchscreens, touchpads). |
| US09075781B2 |
System and method for coordinating field user testing results for a mobile application across various mobile devices
A system and method for coordinating field user testing results for a mobile application across various mobile devices is provided. The system may comprise a plurality of mobile devices configured to facilitate field user testing of a test application, and a computing device configured to provide analysis related to field user testing of the test application. A testing module of the mobile device may be configured to: perform one or more operations of the test application; collect a plurality of metrics related to an execution of the one or more operations of the test application; determine whether an error occurred with an operation of the test application based on the collected one or more metrics; and transmit, to one or more other mobile devices, one or more metrics related to the execution of the operation at which the error occurred. The testing module may be part of the operating system. |
| US09075780B2 |
System and method for comparing objects in document revisions and displaying comparison objects
A document comparison system compares revisions of a document by comparing content of a first revision of an object with content of a second revision of the object to produce a comparison object in a comparison document. The system then determines a footprint of the second revision of the object, where the footprint is a dimensional length and width of the object and its position relative to a page boundary of the document. Next, the system determines whether the entire compared content fits within the footprint of the second revision of the object. If the system determines that the entire compared content fits within the footprint of the second revision of the object, the system displays the comparison object having the same footprint as the second revision of the object. If the system determines that the entire compared content does not fit within the footprint of the second revision of the object, the system then displays the comparison object in a second manner. |
| US09075778B1 |
Predicting user navigation events within a browser
A method and system for predicting a next navigation event are described. Aspects of the disclosure minimize the delay between a navigation event and a network response by predicting the next navigation event. The system and method may then prerender content associated with the next navigation event. For example, the method and system may predict a likely next uniform resource locator during web browsing to preemptively request content from the network before the user selects the corresponding link on a web page. The methods describe a variety of manners of predicting the next navigation event, including examining individual and aggregate historical data, text entry prediction, and cursor input monitoring. |
| US09075774B2 |
Perplexity calculation device
A perplexity calculation device 500 includes: a weight coefficient calculating part 501 for, with respect to each of a plurality of text constituent words constituting a text, calculating a weight coefficient for correcting a degree of ease of word appearance having a value which becomes larger as a probability of appearance of the text constituent word becomes higher based on a statistical language model showing probabilities of appearance of words, based on word importance representing a degree of importance of the text constituent word; and a perplexity calculating part 502 for calculating perplexity of the statistical language model to the text, based on the calculated weight coefficients and the degrees of ease of word appearance. |
| US09075772B2 |
Storage apparatus, controller and storage apparatus control method
An apparatus including: a first storage for storing first data;second storages for storing the first data; a storage controller for storing the first data stored in the first storage into the second storage; a third storage for saving data including second data; a saving device for reading the data and saving the data in the third storage; a data set output device for outputting the data to a copy destination device; a restoration device for storing the data saved in the third storage into available ones of the second storages; and a suspending device for causing the data set output device to output all of the data stored in the second storage to the copy destination device and then suspending the output of the data by the data set output device to the copy destination device to place the data set output device in a suspend state. |
| US09075769B2 |
Communication control device and communication control method
A connection node is included in a connecting part of a plurality of rings in a ring network. The connection node includes a failure detecting unit, an optical-signal processing unit, an ODU switch, and an optical-signal processing unit. The failure detecting unit detects failure in the connecting part. The optical-signal processing unit receives data transmitted from another node on a ring to which the connection node belongs. Upon detection of the failure, the ODU switch determines whether to pass the data or return the data in reverse direction from the connection node depending on a destination to transfer the received data, and sets a transmission path of the data based on a result of the determination. The optical-signal processing unit transfers the data in accordance with the set transmission path. |
| US09075768B2 |
Hierarchical multi-core processor and method of programming for efficient data processing
A multi-core processor includes a tree-like structure having a plurality of computing cores arranged in hierarchical levels, the cores all having the same logical architecture. Each core can include computing, interconnecting, and/or storage elements. The functionality of an individual element can be supplied by an entire core in a lower level. A method for programming the processor includes hierarchically decomposing an application into interconnected sub-functions, mapping the sub-functions onto groups of cores at appropriate levels of the processor, and interconnecting the mapped sub-functions so as to hierarchically compose the complete application. Sub-functions can be sequential, concurrent, and/or pipelined. Interconnections can be static or dynamically switchable under program control. Interconnect elements can also be used to implement flow control as needed in pipelined operations to maintain data coherency. The decomposing and mapping process can be iterated on sub-functions so as to optimize load balancing, software performance, and hardware efficiency. |
| US09075766B2 |
Computer implemented methods and apparatus for determining whether to continue relationships in an online social network
Disclosed are systems, apparatus, methods and computer-readable storage media for determining whether to continue relationships in an online social network. For example, a server can maintain data entries in one or more database tables. A given data entry can include: an identification of an entity, an identification of a user having a social networking relationship with the entity, and an affinity score indicating an amount of interaction by the user with the entity. For each entry, a ratio of the affinity score to a measure of an amount of content associated with the entity and published in a feed accessible by the user can be determined. Depending on the implementation, such ratios can be compared with a threshold and/or ranked to identify candidates for discontinuing social networking relationships. |
| US09075764B2 |
Multiprocessor system-on-a-chip for machine vision algorithms
A multiprocessor system includes a main memory and multiple processing cores that are configured to execute software that uses data stored in the main memory. In some embodiments, the multiprocessor system includes a data streaming unit, which is connected between the processing cores and the main memory and is configured to pre-fetch the data from the main memory for use by the multiple processing cores. In some embodiments, the multiprocessor system includes a scratch-pad processing unit, which is connected to the processing cores and is configured to execute, on behalf of the multiple processing cores, a selected part of the software that causes two or more of the processing cores to access concurrently a given item of data. |
| US09075763B2 |
Merging command sequences for memory operations
Systems and processes may include a memory coupled to a memory controller. Command signals for performing memory access operations may be received. Attributes of the command signals, such as type, time lapsed since receipt, and relatedness to other command signals, may be determined. Command signals may be sequenced in a sequence of execution based on the attributes. Command signals may be executed in the sequence of execution. |
| US09075759B2 |
Fencing network direct memory access data transfers in a parallel active messaging interface of a parallel computer
Fencing direct memory access (‘DMA’) data transfers in a parallel active messaging interface (‘PAMI’) of a parallel computer, the PAMI including data communications endpoints, each endpoint including specifications of a client, a context, and a task, the endpoints coupled for data communications through the PAMI and through DMA controllers operatively coupled to a deterministic data communications network through which the DMA controllers deliver data communications deterministically, including initiating execution through the PAMI of an ordered sequence of active DMA instructions for DMA data transfers between two endpoints, effecting deterministic DMA data transfers through a DMA controller and the deterministic data communications network; and executing through the PAMI, with no FENCE accounting for DMA data transfers, an active FENCE instruction, the FENCE instruction completing execution only after completion of all DMA instructions initiated prior to execution of the FENCE instruction for DMA data transfers between the two endpoints. |
| US09075756B2 |
Method and apparatus for allowing access to individual memory
A method for detecting color temperature and an apparatus thereof are disclosed. According to the present invention, the apparatus for detecting color temperature converts RGB color information, generated by interpolating an image signal sequentially inputted in units of pixel from an image sensor, to a three-dimensional coordinate value of luminance, R-G color difference information, and B-G color difference information, and then renews the added value per color, if included in a filtering zone corresponding to a characteristic curve of the image sensor. Then, an average value per color is generated in units of frame, and the compensation rate per color is determined such that the average value per color becomes identical to each other. With the present invention, accurate colors can be displayed by detecting the color temperature of the current light source and correcting the distorted color information. |
| US09075751B2 |
Secure data protection with improved read-only memory locking during system pre-boot
Generally, this disclosure provides methods and systems for secure data protection with improved read-only memory locking during system pre-boot including protection of Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) tables. The methods may include selecting a region of system memory to be protected, the selection occurring in response to a system reset state and performed by a trusted control block (TCB) comprising a trusted basic input/output system (BIOS); programming an address decoder circuit to configure the selected region as read-write; moving data to be secured to the selected region; programming the address decoder circuit to configure the selected region as read-only; and locking the read-only configuration in the address decoder circuit. |
| US09075749B2 |
Discrete fourier transform in a complex vector space
An image-based phase retrieval technique has been developed that can be used on board a space based iterative transformation system. Image-based wavefront sensing is computationally demanding due to the floating-point nature of the process. The discrete Fourier transform (DFT) calculation is presented in “diagonal” form. By diagonal we mean that a transformation of basis is introduced by an application of the similarity transform of linear algebra. The current method exploits the diagonal structure of the DFT in a special way, particularly when parts of the calculation do not have to be repeated at each iteration to converge to an acceptable solution in order to focus an image. |
| US09075748B2 |
Lossless compression of the enumeration space of founder line crosses
Various embodiments provide lossless compression of an enumeration space for genetic founder lines. In one embodiment, an input comprising a set of genetic founder lines and a maximum number of generations G is obtained. A set of genetic crossing templates of a height h is generated. A determination is made if at least a first genetic crossing template in the set of genetic crossing templates is redundant with respect to a second genetic crossing template in the set of genetic crossing templates. Based on the at least first genetic crossing template being redundant is redundant with respect to the second genetic crossing template, the at least first genetic crossing template is removed from the set of genetic crossing templates. This process of removing the at least first genetic crossing template from the set of genetic crossing templates the redundant creates an updated set of genetic crossing templates. |
| US09075744B2 |
Performance and power improvement on DMA writes to level two combined cache/SRAM that is caused in level one data cache and line is valid and dirty
This invention optimizes DMA writes to directly addressable level two memory that is cached in level one and the line is valid and dirty. When the level two controller detects that a line is valid and dirty in level one, the level two memory need not update its copy of the data. Level one memory will replace the level two copy with a victim writeback at a future time. Thus the level two memory need not store write a copy. This limits the number of DMA writes to level two directly addressable memory and thus improves performance and minimizes dynamic power. This also frees the level two memory for other master/requestors. |
| US09075741B2 |
Dynamic error handling using parity and redundant rows
Embodiments of an invention for dynamic error correction using parity and redundant rows are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a storage structure, parity logic, an error storage space, and an error event generator. The storage structure is to store a plurality of data values. The parity logic is to detect a parity error in a data value stored in the storage structure. The error storage space is to store an indication of a detection of the parity error. The error event generator is to generate an event in response to the indication of the parity error being stored in the error storage space. |
| US09075740B2 |
Memory system
A memory system (10) is disclosed, which comprises a flash-EEPROM nonvolatile memory (11) having a plurality of memory cells that have floating gates and in which data items are electrically erasable and writable, a cache memory (13) that temporarily stores data of the flash-EEPROM nonvolatile memory (11), a control circuit (12, 14) that controls the flash-EEPROM nonvolatile memory (11) and the cache memory (13), and an interface circuit (16) that communicates with a host, in which the control circuit functions to read data from a desired target area to-be-determined of the flash-EEPROM nonvolatile memory and detect an erased area to determine a written area/unwritten area by using as a determination condition whether or not a count number of data “0” of the read data has reached a preset criterion count number. |
| US09075738B2 |
Efficient LDPC codes
A method includes accepting a definition of a mother Error Correction Code (ECC) that is represented by a set of parity check equations and includes first code words, and a definition of a punctured ECC that includes second code words and is derived from the mother ECC by removal of one or more of the parity check equations and removal of one or more punctured check symbols selected from among check symbols of the first code words. A mother decoder, which is designed to decode the mother ECC by exchanging messages between symbol nodes and check nodes in accordance with a predefined interconnection scheme that represents the mother ECC, is provided. An input code word of the punctured ECC is decoded using the mother decoder by initializing one or more of the symbol nodes and controlling one or more of the messages, and while retaining the interconnection scheme. |
| US09075736B2 |
Additional error protection for wireless transmission
Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatus for enhancing error protection for wireless transmissions. Certain aspects are generally directed to a method for wireless communications by an apparatus, comprising receiving a packet from another apparatus, the packet comprising a first error check value. The packet may further comprise a second error check value generated based at least in part on information known or expected by the apparatus. The apparatus may then perform a first and second error check, based at least in part on the first and second error check values and discard the packet based at least in part on performing the first and second error check. |
| US09075735B2 |
Systems and methods for efficient memory access
A computer-implemented method of accessing data comprises resetting the value of a register of a first processing core of a multi-core processor, copying the bits of a compressed pointer into the lowest order bits of the register, left shifting the register a predetermined number of bits, and executing on the first processing core a first instruction referencing memory at a virtual address specified by the register. |
| US09075732B2 |
Data caching method
Data caching for use in a computer system including a lower cache memory and a higher cache memory. The higher cache memory receives a fetch request. It is then determined by the higher cache memory the state of the entry to be replaced next. If the state of the entry to be replaced next indicates that the entry is exclusively owned or modified, the state of the entry to be replaced next is changed such that a following cache access is processed at a higher speed compared to an access processed if the state would stay unchanged. |
| US09075731B2 |
Using transaction entries to achieve crash consistency when performing write-behind caching using a flash storage-based cache
Techniques for achieving crash consistency when performing write-behind caching using a flash storage-based cache are provided. In one embodiment, a computer system receives from a virtual machine a write request that includes data to be written to a virtual disk and caches the data in a flash storage-based cache. The computer system further logs a transaction entry for the write request in the flash storage-based cache, where the transaction entry includes information usable for flushing the data from the flash storage-based cache to a storage device storing the virtual disk. The computer system then communicates an acknowledgment to the VM indicating that the write request has been successfully processed. |
| US09075727B2 |
Reducing penalties for cache accessing operations
A computer program product for reducing penalties for cache accessing operations is provided. The computer program product includes a tangible storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method. The method includes respectively associating platform registers with cache arrays, loading control information and data of a store operation to be executed with respect to one or more of the cache arrays into the one or more of the platform registers respectively associated with the one or more of the cache arrays, and, based on the one or more of the cache arrays becoming available, committing the data from the one or more of the platform registers using the control information from the same platform registers to the one or more of the cache arrays. |
| US09075715B2 |
Isolating and correcting VPD data mismatch and/or corruption
Disclosed is a method of detecting a product data error in a storage system. First and second vital product data (VPD) EEPROMs are read. Indicators of whether wither or both reads failed are received. Based on these indicators, the contents of the VPD EEPROMs may be compared. Based on a result of the comparing indicating a match, an arbitrary one of the VPD EEPROMS is used. Based on an indicator indicating an error with the first VPD EEPROM, the second VPD EEPROM is used. |
| US09075714B1 |
Electronic system with data management mechanism and method of operation thereof
An apparatus includes: a media; a head over the media; a read channel, coupled to the head, configured to extract data from the media; control circuitry, coupled to the read channel, configured to execute a read command; and wherein the read channel is further configured to: generate, based on extracting the data from the media, a data condition indicator, and provide, for use by the control circuitry, the data and the data condition indicator. |
| US09075710B2 |
Non-volatile key-value store
Apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed for a key-value store. A method includes encoding a key of a key-value pair into a logical address of a sparse logical address space for a non-volatile medium. A method includes mapping a logical address to a physical location in the non-volatile medium. A method includes storing a value of a key-value pair at a physical location. |
| US09075707B2 |
Data writing method and data storage device
The invention provides a data writing method for a memory. In one embodiment, the memory comprises a data area and a spare area, the data area comprises a plurality of data blocks storing data, and the spare area comprises a plurality of spare blocks having no data stored therein. First, a write command for writing a write data to a first data block of the memory is received from a host. The spare blocks of the spare area are then sorted according to the erase counts of the spare blocks. A first spare block with the least erase counts is then selected from the spare blocks of the spare area. The write data is then written to the first spare block. Data is then erased from the first data block to convert the first data block to a spare block. |
| US09075706B2 |
Electronic device with reversing stack data container and related methods
An electronic device may include a memory, and a processor coupled to the memory for storing and accessing data in the memory. The processor may arrange the data in a stack data container including values extending from a stack top to a stack bottom, operate the stack data container in first and second modes of operation, and while in the first mode of operation, push and pop a respective value from the stack top of the stack data container. The processor may also while in the second mode, reverse an orientation of the stack data container and the values therein, and push and pop a respective value from the stack bottom of the reversed stack data container. |
| US09075705B2 |
Information processing apparatus capable of appropriately providing notification of storage unit failure prediction, control method therefor, and storage medium
An information processing apparatus which is capable of reducing operational costs required for the information processing apparatus equipped with HDDs having a mirroring function and a self-diagnosis function. Status information indicative of statuses of the HDDs is obtained by the self-diagnosis function which the HDDs have. Based on the obtained status information obtained, whether or not the HDDs will fail is predicted. When a failure of the HDDs is predicted, and the mirroring function is disabled, an electronic device determined in advance is notified that replacement of the HDDs is necessary. When a failure of the HDDs is predicted, and the mirroring function is enabled, the electronic device is not notified that replacement of the HDDs is necessary. |
| US09075701B2 |
Apparatus and method for monitoring abnormal state of vehicle using clustering technique
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for monitoring abnormal state of a vehicle. In the method, CAN data collected from an ECU mounted on the vehicle is transformed into coordinates. The coordinates are applied to a distribution map in a specific space, a number of clusters is calculated based on results of the application, and an initial center point corresponding to the number of clusters is selected. Clustering is performed based on the initial center point, and then clusters are generated. At least one piece of data is extracted from each of the clusters, and a state feature of a corresponding cluster is decided on using a difference between maximum and minimum values of attributes constituting the at least one piece of data. A current state of the vehicle is monitored based on current CAN data of the vehicle and state features of the clusters. |
| US09075696B2 |
Apparatus and method for performing burst triggering in a test and measurement instrument
A test and measurement apparatus, system, and method for synchronizing an acquisition or triggering system to a specific burst of interest. The subject apparatus and method triggers on varying energy content of a signal qualified by time in the presence of high-frequency input signal bursts, by using an adjustable pulse width envelope detector, disposed in the signal path of the trigger circuitry, as a digital rectifier or to otherwise process and extract an envelope signal. An RF envelope probe having an analog envelope detector among other suitable components is disclosed. A method is implemented for isolating an interval of interest in a signal under test. An envelope detector circuit produces an envelope signal from the signal. Trigger circuitry receives the envelope signal from the envelope detector, and isolates the interval of interesting in the signal under test using the envelope signal. |
| US09075694B2 |
Process execution components
Automating processes in an automation platform. Specifying a program that when executed by the platform implements the process. The program including process description, process components. The description including component initialization instructions having input parameter(s) and initialized component execution instructions having an execution state. Components having an initialization interface, an execution interface, and at least one of simulation instructions and operation instructions. Components characterized by output parameters, and operative upon receiving input parameters via the initialization interface to initialize the component. Initialized components operative upon receiving an execution state via the execution interface to execute the initialized component in accordance with the execution state, and in absence of operation instructions, to return a simulated output in the format of the output parameters in accordance with the simulation instructions. Executing the instructions by initializing each component in accordance with the component initialization instructions, executing each initialized component in accordance with the instructions. |
| US09075691B2 |
Dynamically loaded plugin architecture
A method and architecture for using dynamically loaded plugins is described herein. The dynamically loaded plugin architecture comprises a parent context and a plugin repository. The parent context may define one or more reusable software components. The plugin repository may store one or more plugins. When a plugin is loaded, a child context may be created dynamically. The child context is associated with the plugin and inherits the one or more reusable software components from the parent context. |
| US09075689B2 |
Firmware update system increased in possibility of execution of automatic firmware update processing
A firmware update system capable of executing update processing despite that the combination of versions of firmware components installed in an image processing apparatus is normal. A HDD of the apparatus stores in advance a first version management list indicating versions of the respective firmware components and a representative version for managing the versions of the firmware components. Actual versions of the firmware components are collected. When the actual versions are different from the versions in the first version management list, the actual versions and the representative version are transmitted to a server. The server determines update firmware based on the actual versions and the representative version from second version management lists stored in the server. The firmware components installed in the apparatus are updated using the update firmware provided by the server. |
| US09075688B2 |
Enhanced upgrade path
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for establishing upgrade paths. In one aspect, a method includes establishing an interim environment and platform, migrating the data from the legacy environment and platform to the interim environment and platform, and migrating the data from the interim environment and platform to the upgraded environment and platform. |
| US09075686B2 |
System and method to improve control module reflash time
A control module reflash system includes a control module located in a vehicle that controls at least one function of the vehicle according to stored vehicle software. An external interface module receives a software file from a source external to the vehicle and receives a part number for the stored vehicle software in the control module. The external interface module retrieves a comparison software file from the source external to the vehicle corresponding to the part number and compares the software file and the comparison software file. The external interface module identifies differences between the software file and the comparison software file, generates a compressed file based on the differences, and provides the compressed file to the control module. The control module generates a flash file based on the received compressed file and the stored vehicle software and modifies the stored vehicle software based on the flash file. |
| US09075684B2 |
Downtime reduction for integration of customer transport requests into a software architecture update procedure
When customer transport requests are included in an update procedure performed on a customer-customizable business software architecture, versioning of the objects and other features imported via such transport requests can require an extended period of business downtime using conventional methods. Additional downtime can result if the objects of the customer transports are not automatically generated. Consistent with features described herein, versioning can be done for many object types in a second shadow system or instance during uptime. The generation of objects in the customer transports can also done in the second shadow system or instance during uptime. |
| US09075683B2 |
Memory database complex object deployment
A system and method include receiving an in memory database application code update at a program that interfaces with the in memory database, obtaining customization date identifying changes made to the in memory database by a customer, generating a customized application code update to the in memory database as a function of changes identified, and applying the customized application code update to the in memory database to update a complex object running in the memory database without adversely affecting changes made to the in memory database by the customer. |
| US09075681B2 |
Methods and devices for automated loading of software, in an apparatus such as an aircraft, including the updating of the associated documentation
The invention in particular has as an object methods and devices for automated loading of software, in a piece of equipment such as an aircraft, comprising the updating of the associated documentation. After having received an indication relating to a modification of a software application, a command making it possible to perform the required updating automatically is transmitted to a piece of equipment comprising this software application. In response, an indication relating to the execution of the command is received and a report of execution of the command is transmitted to the manufacturer in order to allow it to update the documentation of the piece of equipment accordingly. |
| US09075678B2 |
Client and server for installation of files embedded within a client profile
Example embodiments relate to distribution of a profile from a server to a client. In example embodiments, a server enables an administrator or other user to embed a file into a profile, where the profile is a structured document including the file and a storage location for the file on the client. The server may then transmit the profile to the client, which, upon receipt of the profile, may extract the embedded file from the structured document to a storage location on the client specified in the profile. |
| US09075676B2 |
Information processing system, information processing method, and device and program used for the information processing system and the information processing method
An information processing terminal is provided with a data acquiring means for reading data from an external recording medium; a program storing means for storing a plurality of application programs; a program executing means for executing the stored application programs; and a program selecting means for selecting the application program to be executed by the program executing means. The program selecting means selects the application program to be executed from the programs stored in the program storing means, corresponding to the data acquired through the data acquiring means, and processes the data acquired through the data acquiring means by the application program selected by the program selecting means. |
| US09075674B2 |
Systems with adjustable sampling parameters and methods of their operation
Embodiments include bitstring generators and methods of their operation. A sampling parameter of the bitstring generator is set to a current value, and values of one or more bits are then repeatedly sampled based on the current value of the sampling parameter. The repeated sampling results in a set of test bits, which is analyzed to determine a randomness measurement associated with the set of test bits. A determination is made whether the randomness measurement meets a criterion. If not, the current value of the sampling parameter is changed to a different value that corresponds to a lower probability of being able to correctly predict the values of the one or more bits produced by the bitstring generator. The steps of repeatedly sampling, analyzing the set of test bits, and determining whether the randomness measurement meets the criteria are then repeated. |
| US09075672B2 |
Monadic evaluation of injected query compositions
Embodiments enable the evaluation of injected queries within a monad. One or more operators with closures are received from a first process. The operators with closures represent one or more functions to be applied by a second process. The second process evaluates the received operators with closures to apply the functions within the monad. During evaluation, the second process converts the closures to simply typed closures. Further, the second process binds the converted closures within the monad to restrict execution of the functions. In some embodiments, the queries (e.g., sequences of one or more operators with closures) are composed using a set of query operators from the language integrated query (LINQ) framework encoded in uniform resource locators (URLs) in the representational state transfer (REST) style. |
| US09075670B1 |
Stream processing with context data affinity
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for stream processing with contextual data affinity. One of the methods includes receiving an event at a computing node of a stream processing system that includes one or more computing nodes and data representing a topology of functional modules. At a particular functional module of the topology, an operation that requests access to context data related to the event is determined based on a data attribute of the event. The context data is partitioned among the one or more computing nodes. Context data related to the event is obtained from the computing node. The operation of the particular functional module is processed using the context data, and a modified event is generated. The modified event is provided to a subsequent functional module according to the topology of functional modules. |
| US09075669B2 |
Time series data processing device, time series data processing method and time series data processing program storage medium
Provided is a time series data processing device with which it is possible to change to a new process during the execution of an old process, and to control the selection and the output sequence of output data when processes are switched. A first processing unit executes a first process and generates first results data, and a second processing unit executes a second process and generates second results data. When an instruction to change processes is received from the outside, the first process in the first processing unit is stopped, and output of the first results data is prohibited. Then, the process in the first processing unit is changed from the first process to a third process and is started, and output of third results data is enabled. On the basis of third identification information appended to the third results data and second identification information appended to the second results data, the set of the third results data or the set of the second results data is selected, and the results data contained in the selected set of results data is output. |
| US09075668B1 |
Method, apparatus and system for integrating dynamic recognition of complex events with case-based processing
In one aspect, an apparatus for integrating dynamic recognition of complex events with case-based processing comprises at least one processing platform. The processing platform comprises at least one server, computer or other processing device having a processor coupled to a memory. The processing platform implements a plurality of modules for integration of dynamic recognition of complex events with case-based processing, the modules comprising at least a complex event processing module and a case-based processing module coupled to the complex event processing module. Event recognition in the complex event processing module triggers one or more case-based activities in the case-based processing module. The plurality of modules may further include an event preprocessing module, a proactive risk assessment and forecasting module, and a temporal associative reasoning module. |
| US09075664B2 |
Application dependent data center integration
A method and apparatus for integrating a converged infrastructure platform in a data center is provided. The described apparatus configures the physical and virtual resources that run on the converged infrastructure to communicate with the rest of the data center. The network integration process understands the data center network already in place and extends the set up into the converged infrastructure to enable communication between the converged infrastructure and the rest of the network in the data center. The apparatus uses an infrastructure template that describes the data center and that may be pre-defined for a specific application deployed within the converged infrastructure platform. |
| US09075662B2 |
Stream processing with runtime adaptation
Embodiments of the disclosure include a method for providing stream processing with runtime adaptation includes registering one or more events, wherein each of the events is associated with a stream processing application. The method also includes monitoring, by a processor, for an occurrence of the one or more events associated with the stream processing application, wherein each of the one or more events is associated with one or more runtime metrics. The method further includes receiving an event notification, wherein the event notification includes event identification and an event context and executing an adaptation of the stream processing application. |
| US09075658B2 |
Apparatus and method of assigning jobs to computation nodes based on a computation node's power saving mode transition rate
A management node at first extracts free computation nodes executing none of jobs in order to assign a new job to any one of computation nodes, and specifies a communication target computation node when executing an execution target job. Subsequently, the management node calculates, with respect to all of the computation nodes executing none of the jobs at that point of time, a determination value Vi on the basis of a power saving mode transition rate Si and an average value Di of distance counts from the communication target node, and specifies the free computation node having the maximum determination value Vi as the execution target job assignment destination. |