| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09077164B2 |
Cutting plate for joining together wiring harnesses of electrical cables on an aircraft
A cutting plate includes a planar interface able to accept electrical connectors, two ramps for supporting harnesses and two lateral walls, the dimensions of the interface and of the two ramps in a longitudinal direction being adapted to suit the number of connectors of the cutting plate and the dimensions in the directions other than the longitudinal direction and the dimensions of the lateral walls conforming to standard dimensions. |
| US09077162B2 |
Holding structure for option connector
A holding structure is provided for an option connector that is mounted at an end of a branch line of a wire harness of a vehicle. A fixing part is defined at an area of the branch line separated from the option connector by a predetermined distance. A holding part is provided on a peripheral component of the vehicle that is in a vicinity of the wire harness. The holding part is configured for releasably holding the fixing part of the branch line so that a tip area of the branch line that begins at the fixing part and includes the option connector extends out from the holding part. |
| US09077160B2 |
Enclosure for electrical distribution equipment and electrical distribution apparatus employing the same
An enclosure is for electrical distribution equipment including a number of inverters and alternating current distribution components. The enclosure includes: a first side; a second side adjacent to the first side; a third side adjacent to the second side; a fourth side adjacent to the first side and the third side; a top portion; a bottom portion; a number of first access panels installed on one of the first through fourth sides, the number of first access panels being configured to open to provide access to the number of inverters; and a second access panel installed on one of the first through fourth sides, the second access panel being configured to open to provide access to the alternating current distribution components. |
| US09077158B2 |
Spark plug for internal combustion engine
A spark plug for use in an internal combustion engine has a center electrode, an earth electrode, and an electrode chip formed on at least one of the center electrode and the earth electrode. A spark discharge gap is formed between the center electrode and the earth electrode. The electrode chip has a base section, a chromium rich layer formed on at least a part of the base section, and a diffusion layer formed between the base section and the chromium rich layer. The base section contains chromium within a range of 5 to 45 mass %, an element X within a range of 0.5 to 25 mass %, and a remainder composed of tungsten and unavoidable impurity. The chromium rich layer is larger in content of chromium than the base section. The element X contained in the base section is comprised of at least one of molybdenum, silicon, aluminum and lead. |
| US09077156B2 |
Spark plug
The invention relates to a spark plug of an internal combustion engine, preferably for spark-ignition gas engines, comprising a spark plug housing that surrounds an insulating body and comprising a center electrode and at least one ground electrode supported by a ground electrode carrier, wherein the ignition surface of the center electrode and the ignition surface of the ground electrode are surrounded by a wall, which forms a chamber open on the combustion chamber side. According to the invention, the ground electrode carrier, as viewed perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis (A) of the spark plug, is spaced further apart from the center electrode than the outer surface of the wall of the chamber therefrom and supports at least one finger-shaped ground electrode, which extends into the chamber through an opening in the wall, wherein the ignition surface of the ground electrode lies at the same height as the ignition surface of the center electrode in the chamber. |
| US09077153B2 |
Tapered waveguide high-power quantum cascade lasers
An improved quantum cascade laser, the improvement comprising a longitudinally non-uniform dielectric waveguide. The waveguide includes a longitudinally straight section and a longitudinally tapered section. The length of the tapered section is between 5% and 50% of the total cavity length. The tapered section tapers at a taper angle from the facet width to the ridge width. The taper angle is smaller than the delineation angle of the waveguide. |
| US09077148B2 |
Gain-equalized few-mode fiber amplifier
A few-mode rare-earth-doped amplifier fiber has equalized gain for the supported signal transmission modes. The fiber has a raised-index core surrounded by a lower-index cladding region. The core has a radius a1 and an index difference Δn1 relative to the surrounding cladding region and is configured to support, at a selected signal wavelength, a set of lower-order fiber modes having an optical field with a diameter greater than 2·a1. The fiber further includes an active region, doped with a rare-earth dopant, comprising an inner portion that is coextensive with the core and an outer portion that surrounds the inner portion and extends into the cladding. The active region has an outer radius a2 greater than a1 that encompasses the optical field of the set of lower-order fiber modes at the selected signal wavelength. |
| US09077146B2 |
Broadband or mid-infrared fiber light sources
An optical system for use in material processing includes a plurality of semiconductor diodes coupled to a beam combiner to generate a multiplexed optical beam. A cladding pumped fiber amplifier or laser receives the multiplexed optical beam and forms an intermediate beam having at least a first wavelength. An optical element receives the intermediate beam and forms an output beam with an output beam wavelength, wherein the output beam wavelength is at least in part longer than the first wavelength. A subsystem includes lenses or mirrors to deliver a delivered portion of the output beam to a sample. The delivered output beam has a temporal duration greater than about 30 picoseconds, a repetition rate between continuous wave and Megahertz or higher, and a time averaged intensity of less than approximately 50 MW/cm2. The output beam has a time averaged output power of 20 mW or more. |
| US09077144B2 |
MOPA laser source with wavelength control
The invention provides a wavelength-controlled pump MOPA laser and a method of operation thereof. A monolithic semiconductor MOPA laser chip has a DFB-laser based MO (master oscillator) and PA (power amplifier) sections formed in a same monolithic waveguide, and separate MO and PA electrodes for individual control of current injection into the MO and PA sections. The laser wavelength is defined by the DFB grating and is kept fixed by suitably controlling the MO current to compensate for a thermal crosstalk from the PA section, or tuned by suitably changing the MO current or direct heating of the DFB region. |
| US09077140B2 |
Laser device and method for generating laser light
The invention refers to a laser device comprising a plurality of linear resonator tubes (12) for a gas to be excited, the resonator tubes being in fluidic communication with each other and forming a common tubular space, connecting elements (20) arranged in corners between adjacent resonator tubes of a common tubular space, excitation means (50) for the resonator tubes for exciting the gas in the resonator tubes for generating a laser light, mirrors (22) arranged in the connecting elements for reflecting laser light between the resonator tubes, and a partially reflecting output coupler (42) for coupling out a laser beam. The resonator tubes are arranged in the shape of a helix, surrounding a free central space. The invention also relates to a method for generating laser light with such a laser device. |
| US09077139B1 |
Pointing devices, apparatus, systems and methods for high shock environments
Devices, apparatus, systems and methods for providing accurate linear and angular positioning with a payload mounted to a shaped beam having freely moveable ends. The shaped beam can be a center deflecting beam. The payload can be a laser module mounted on a firearm, which maintains the initial precise pointing during and after exposure in high G shock and vibration environments, a dual laser payload or a laser and detector payload, or an optical mirror payload. Vertical and lateral adjustment controls can adjust minute changes in beam orientation. The vertical and lateral adjustments can be a vertical cam control and a lateral cam control for adjusting vertical and later position of the payload. Precision adjustments can be performed in a zero G, one G, or high G environment and maintains the adjustment during and after being exposed to a high G shock or vibration environment. |
| US09077138B2 |
Semiconductor laser device
A semiconductor laser device having stable heat dissipation property is provided. The semiconductor laser device includes a semiconductor laser element, a mounting body on which the semiconductor laser element is mounted, and a base body connected to the mounting body. The base body has a recess configured to engage with the mounting body and a through portion penetrating through a part of a bottom of the recess. In the specification, the remainder, which is a part of the bottom of the recess except for the through portion has a thickness equal or less than half of the largest thickness of the base body. The lowermost surface of the mounting body is spaced apart from the lowermost surface of the base body through the remainder. |
| US09077135B2 |
Bush fitting machine
The present invention relates to a machine for delivering supplied hollow bushes and for fitting individual hollow bushes to a cable, and to a corresponding method. The apparatus has a picking apparatus which can pick up hollow bushes and arrange said hollow bushes so as to be axially aligned in front of the fitting tube, and a bush fitting apparatus for fitting individual hollow bushes to a cable, wherein the bush fitting apparatus has a fitting tube which can receive and hold, on the outer surface of said tube, the hollow bushes on the inner surface thereof, and in which the cable for fitting the hollow bushes can be arranged. Furthermore, the apparatus has a delivery apparatus with a slip-over device which is capable of moving relative to the picking apparatus and by means of which the hollow bushes can be delivered from the picking device to the fitting tube, and a filling mandrel, which can protrude through the fitting tube in order to deliver the hollow bush from the picking apparatus onto the bush fitting apparatus and can withdraw from the fitting tube in order to fit the hollow bush to the cable. |
| US09077134B2 |
Grounding system for a heated hose
A method of forming a grounded electrical circuit in a heated hose is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes: positioning a ground wire, a first heating wire, and a second heating wire axially within an inner wall of the hose; removing the end portions of the heated hose, such that end portions of the first heating wire, the second heating wire, and the ground wire are exposed; and positioning a ring around the first end portion of the hose. Exposed end portions of the first and second heating wires are folded to be positioned axially along an outer surface of the hose body. The exposed end portion of the grounding wire is folded radially inward, such that the grounding wire is positioned axially along an inner surface of the inner wall and against the ring. A stem of a first fluid coupling is inserted into the first end portion of the heated hose, such that the stem contacts the exposed end portion of the grounding wire. |
| US09077131B2 |
Coaxial connector
A coaxial connector includes an insulation housing having a receptacle opening portion for receiving a central conductive member of a coaxial plug; an outer conductive member for detachably attaching an outer conductive member of the coaxial plug; a connection member; a switching spring member capable of being elastically deformed downwardly; and an insulation member fixed to the connection member or the switching spring member so that the insulation member is situated between the connection member and the switching spring member. The switching spring member is pushed and displaced so that the switching spring member is disconnected from the connection member when the coaxial plug is inserted into the insulation housing. The connection member is pushed to displace the switching spring member through the insulation member so that the switching spring member is disconnected from the connection member when the coaxial plug is inserted into the insulation housing. |
| US09077127B2 |
Connector assembly
A film substrate with flexibility includes connection through holes and combining through holes into which connection posts and combining posts of the header are inserted, respectively. Each connection pad is formed around a corresponding connection through hole and adapted to be electrically connected to a corresponding connection post. Each combining pad is formed around a corresponding combining through hole and adapted to be electrically connected to a corresponding combining post. The film substrate includes slots each of which is formed to extend along a plane of the film substrate with a first end side thereof connected to a corresponding through hole. The film substrate includes pad-free parts with neither connection pad nor combining pad each of which is present at a second end side of a corresponding slot on the surface of the film substrate. |
| US09077125B2 |
High speed network cable transceiver connector
A device connects a computer network cable transceiver to a printed circuit board. The device includes a high-profile connector body that mounts to a printed circuit board. The height of the device above the printed circuit board is greater than the width of the device on the printed circuit board. The device has a receiving element that receives and electrically connects the network cable transceiver to an electrical connection element. The rotated aspect of this device controls the profile of the network cable transceiver that is inserted into the device. The electrical connection element is mechanically and electrically attached to the printed circuit board to enable data transfer to and from the network cable transceiver. Some embodiments of the invention have a variable-length electrical communication element that permits the electrical connection element to mount to the printed circuit board in a variety of positions and orientations rather than the fixed position and orientation of a low-profile network cable connector. |
| US09077124B2 |
Card edge cable connector assembly
A card edge connector assembly is disclosed. The card edge connector assembly includes an insulating housing, a first circuit board, a line transmission device, and a covering body. A plurality of first terminals and second terminals are inserted into the insulating housing. The first terminals and the second terminals are electrically connected to the line transmission device via the first circuit board. The first terminals are above the second terminals and mating portions of the first terminals and the second terminals stretch into a plug space of the insulating housing. In this way, the plug space can be used for the second circuit board to plug in such that the first terminals and the second terminals are electrically connected to the second circuit board. |
| US09077123B2 |
Electrical connector assembly with low profile
An electrical connector assembly mounted on a printed circuit board, includes a socket and a connector. The socket mounted on the printed circuit board, has an insulative housing with upper body and lower body formed with a receiving room. A number of contacts respectively received in the upper body and lower body with a same structure. The contacts have spring portions extending into the receiving room and soldering portions extending beyond the upper body and the lower body. The connector is mounted on the printed circuit board. A linking element mechanically and electrically connects the socket and the connector. |
| US09077118B2 |
Electrical connector with improved contacting portions
A plug connector includes a housing with a rear base and a front mating tongue in a mating direction and a plurality of terminals arranged in the housing in a lateral direction. The front mating tongue defines a first face and a second face. The first side defines a rib thereby the first face being divided to a first mating face, a third mating face and a second mating face on the rib. The second face is defined as a fourth mating face. The terminals include plate portions exposed upon the mating tongue and mounting legs outside the housing. The terminals are divided to four groups, the plate portions of the four groups are exposed upon the mating faces respectively. Each of the first and second groups of terminals includes grounding terminals and differential signal pairs, the plate portions of the differential signal pairs have a length equal to 3.2 mm. |
| US09077117B2 |
Communication connecting device and lead frame assembly thereof
A lead frame assembly includes two lead frames detachably coupled to each other. Each lead frame has an insulating frame, several signal terminals fixed on the insulating frame, and a ground terminal fixed on the insulating frame. One of the ground terminals has a shielding sheet and several groups of elastic arms, and the shielding sheet and the elastic arms are protruding from the corresponding insulating frame; another ground terminal has several shielding portions protruding from the corresponding insulating frame. The ground terminals are contact with each other along a shielding direction, and the groups of elastic arms are respectively abutted against the shielding portions. In a space, which is surroundingly defined by the contour of the shielding sheet extending along the shielding direction, the shielding direction passes through at least one of the shielding sheet, the elastic arms, and the shielding portions. |
| US09077111B2 |
Plug retention apparatus
Various embodiments are disclosed for a plug retention apparatus, which includes: a male retention portion including a first flexible clasp for applying a retaining force to a plug assembly inserted therein, the male retention portion further including a ratchet member configured with a toothed bar: and a female retention portion including a second flexible clasp for applying a retaining force to the plug assembly inserted therein, the female retention portion further including an opening to receive the ratchet member of the male retention portion, the female retention portion further including a pawl configured to engage the toothed bar of the ratchet member. |
| US09077106B2 |
Connector with intermediate housing between first and second identical inner housings and first and second differently shaped outer housings
A connector includes an intermediate housing (10) with a first fitting recess (12) and a second fitting recess (13), a first inner housing (30A) to be fitted into the first fitting recess, a first outer housing (50) separate from the first inner housing (30A) and to be externally fitted onto the first fitting recess (12), a second inner housing (30B) to be fitted into the second fitting recess (13), and a second outer housing (70) separate from the second inner housing (30B) and to be externally fitted onto the second fitting recess (13). The first and second outer housings (50, 70) are shaped differently from each other and the first and second inner housings (30A, 30B) are identically shaped. |
| US09077105B2 |
Structure of electromagnetic electrical connection device
The present invention relates to an improved structure of an electromagnetic electrical connection device. To this end, the present invention comprises first and second electromagnetic electrical connectors (100, 100a) which electrically connect the electromagnetic electrical connection device to an electronic product by magnetic force, and is capable of blocking of noise while being connected, and provides stability, convenience, and waterproofing functions, wherein the first and second electromagnetic electrical connectors (100, 100a) include an outlet body (110) fixedly provided on a product and a plug body (150) selectively detachable from the outlet body (110). |
| US09077102B2 |
Connector, and header and socket included in the same
In a connector, a socket fitting portion of the socket housing and a header fitting portion of the header housing are fitted to each other to bring socket and header terminals and into contact with each other. In the socket housing, a socket terminal group including the plural socket terminals arranged in the longitudinal direction of the socket housing is provided only in a single line. In the header housing, a header terminal group including the plural header terminals arranged in the longitudinal direction of the header housing is provided only in a single line. It is, therefore, possible to minimize the connector in the width direction. |
| US09077098B2 |
Electrical connector with sealed pins
An electrical accessory for a vehicle includes a housing having a connector portion having a connector cavity therein, and a plurality of terminals that electrically connect at a circuit element in the housing and that protrude at least partially into the connector cavity. The housing has at least one fill port and at least one channel for receiving a sealant material through the fill port, whereby the sealant material flows along the at least one channel and at and around at least one terminal to substantially seal the at least one terminal relative to the housing. The fill port is accessible from outside of the housing after the electrical accessory is assembled. |
| US09077093B1 |
Magnetic rotation actuator
An electrical power adapter employs a magnetically coupled mechanism to retract and deploy prongs used to interface with an electrical receptacle. The magnetically coupled mechanism is linearly displaced by a user, converting the linear displacement to rotary motion, pivoting the retractable prongs between a deployed position and a retracted position. When the retractable prongs are in the deployed position the adapter may be mated with a receptacle and when in the retracted position the adapter has a reduced physical size. |
| US09077089B2 |
Coaxial cable connector with continuity bus
A coaxial cable connector includes a continuity bus that extends a ground circuit from a coaxial cable outer conductor to a connector part such as a connector fastener and/or a connector post. |
| US09077084B2 |
Multi-band multi-antenna system and communication device thereof
A multi-band multi-antenna system and a communication device thereof are provided. The multi-band multi-antenna system includes at least one ground, two antenna units, a coupling conductor line and a grounding conductor line. Both of the two antenna units have at least one conductor portion, a low-pass filtering portion and an extending conductor portion. Each antenna unit generates at least one higher and lower operating bands. The low-pass filtering portion is electrically coupled between the conductor portion and the extending conductor portion, and effectively decreases dependent relationship between the higher and lower operating bands. The coupling conductor line is disposed nearby the two antenna units and has a first coupling portion and a second coupling portion. The grounding conductor line is disposed between the two antenna units and connected to the ground. |
| US09077083B1 |
Dual-polarized array antenna
A dual polarized array antenna is disclosed. The array antenna includes a plurality of electrically conductive elements or posts, arranged in rows and columns. Multiple parallel slots are formed that intersect different rows and columns of electrically conductive elements. The slots receive feed elements that include a linear array of feed points. The feed points within each linear array alternate between a feed point associated with a first polarization and a feed point associated with a second polarization. |
| US09077080B1 |
Inductively shorted bicone fed tapered dipole antenna
An antenna for passing a cable to a second antenna includes shorts positioned along a circumferential perimeter of the antenna, first and second bicone sections of oppositely directed conductive cone sections energized at respective apices and opening along an antenna axis, first and second dipole sections, where the first dipole section is joined together with and extending from the first conical section to the circumferential perimeter of the antenna, and where the second dipole section is joined together with and extending from the second conical section to the circumferential perimeter of the antenna. |
| US09077077B2 |
Mobile communication device and antenna device
A mobile communication device for operating in LTE and WWAN bands is provided in the invention. The mobile communication device includes a system circuit board and an antenna. The system circuit board includes a system ground plane. The antenna includes: an antenna substrate, substantially parallel to the system ground plane; a first radiation element, disposed on the antenna substrate; a second radiation element, disposed on the antenna substrate; an antenna ground plane, disposed on the antenna substrate, and coupled to the system ground plane; and a transmission line, disposed on the antenna substrate, coupled to the first and second radiation elements, and having a feed point. The mobile communication device is further configured to accommodate a data transmission component. |
| US09077075B1 |
Asymmetric planar radiator structure for use in a monopole or dipole antenna
The present invention is directed to a monopole/dipole asymmetric radiator structure that includes an asymmetric planar radiator. When the asymmetric is part of an operative monopole or dipole antenna, the antenna exhibits a wide or broad bandwidth, a VSWR of less than about 3:1, a relatively constant gain perpendicular or broad-side to the plane of the radiator, and is vertically polarized. In one embodiment, asymmetric planar radiator has an outer edge that is bilaterally asymmetrical. In another embodiment, the outer edge of the asymmetric planar radiator is symmetric and a closed inner edge of the radiator that defines a void is bilaterally asymmetric. |
| US09077074B2 |
Antenna wrapped around to speaker lid
An antenna includes a first portion and a second portion soldered together. The first portion includes conductive traces applied to a first device part. The conductive traces may wrap from one side of the first device part to another side. A second device part is attached to the first device part to enclose a speaker. The second portion of the antenna comprises FPC attached to the second device part. A section of the FPC portion of the antenna extends beyond an edge of the second part and folds over onto solder applied to a section of first portion of the antenna on the first device part. The solder may be melted to attach the first portion of the antenna on the first device part to the second portion of the antenna on the second device part. |
| US09077073B2 |
Integrated circuit package including miniature antenna
The present invention relates to an integrated circuit package comprising at least one substrate, each substrate including at least one layer, at least one semiconductor die, at least one terminal, and an antenna located in the integrated circuit package, but not on said at least one semiconductor die. The conducting pattern comprises a curve having at least five sections or segments, at least three of the sections or segments being shorter than one-tenth of the longest free-space operating wavelength of the antenna. |
| US09077067B2 |
Radio IC device
A radio IC device that can be used in a plurality of frequency bands for RFID tags and that is compact and has superior radiation characteristics is provided. A spiral line electrode portion and a first side electrode, extending from an inner end thereof, of a capacitor electrode portion are provided on a top surface of a sheet-shaped substrate, and a second side electrode arranged to face the first side electrode and a crossing line electrode are provided on a bottom surface of the substrate. A first radio IC chip is arranged at a location in the line electrode portion, and a second RFID tag radio IC is arranged so as to be connected to a front-to-back connection portion and an end of an electric-field radiation electrode portion. The radio IC chip rectifies an RF signal in a first frequency band and outputs and supplies power to the second RFID tag radio IC. |
| US09077065B2 |
Multi-band antenna
A multi-band antenna includes a base portion, a high-frequency radiating portion, a feeding portion and a low-frequency radiating portion. The base portion has a first transverse edge and a second transverse edge parallel to and opposite to the first transverse edge. The high-frequency radiating portion includes an inductance portion, a first extending portion, a second extending portion and a third extending portion. One side of a bottom of the feeding portion defines a feeding point. The low-frequency radiating portion has a bending portion, a coupling portion and an auxiliary portion. The base portion, the high-frequency radiating portion, the coupling portion and the auxiliary portion are coplanar. The base portion, the high-frequency radiating portion, the coupling portion and the auxiliary portion together with the bending portion are located in two perpendicular planes. |
| US09077063B2 |
Wide-band multi-mode filter
A multi-mode filter for realizing wide-band is disclosed. The multi-mode filter includes a housing; a plurality of cavities formed in the housing; a plurality of resonators located in each of the cavities; at least one connector formed through a side wall of the housing; and at least one coupling element connected to the at least one connector in the cavities, the at least one coupling element coupling the at least one connector with at least one of the resonators respectively, wherein each of the at least one coupling element has “T” shape in view of front section and “L” shape in view of side section. |
| US09077062B2 |
System and method for providing an interchangeable dielectric filter within a waveguide
A system including a first dielectric filter including a plurality of resonators, a second dielectric filter including a plurality of resonators, and a hollow waveguide configured to receive the first dielectric filter or the second dielectric filter by separating the hollow waveguide into at least a first part and a second part. A width of the plurality of resonators matches a width of a groove within the hollow waveguide to allow insertion of the first dielectric filter or the second dielectric filter into the hollow waveguide where sides of the resonators are in contact with inner sides of the groove of the hollow waveguide. Another embodiment of a system and a method are also disclosed. |
| US09077061B2 |
Directional coupler
A directional coupler used in a predetermined frequency band includes a main line connected between a first terminal and a second terminal. A first sub line is connected to a third terminal and is electromagnetically coupled to the main line. A second sub line is connected to a fourth terminal and is electromagnetically coupled to the main line. A low pass filter is connected between the first sub line and the second sub line and causes a phase shift to be generated in a passing signal passing therethrough in such a manner that the phase shift monotonically increases within a range from about 0 to about 180 degrees with increasing frequency in the predetermined frequency band. |
| US09077057B2 |
Structure for cooling battery cells accommodated in battery module case
A battery module case includes: a first case in which a plurality of first battery cells is held in a stacked state and which includes a first plate formed with a first cutout portion from which an end surface of one of the first battery cells which is adjacent to the first plate is exposed; and a second case in which a plurality of second battery cells is held in a stacked state and which includes a second plate confronting the first plate and formed with a second cutout portion from which an end surface of one of the second battery cells which is adjacent to the second plate is exposed. When the first and the second plates are arranged adjacent to each other, the first cutout portion and the second cutout portion define a passage in which cooling fluid can flow between the first plate and the second plate. |
| US09077053B2 |
Battery charger including multiple charging ports on surfaces forming an apex
A battery charger for charging a first battery pack and a second battery pack includes a housing, a charging circuit positioned within the housing, and a first charging port coupled to the housing and electrically coupled to the charging circuit. The first charging port is configured to support the first battery pack and defines a first connection axis along which the first battery pack is movable to connect with the charging circuit. The battery charger also includes a second charging port coupled to the housing and electrically coupled to the charging circuit. The second charging port is configured to support the second battery pack while the first charging port supports the first battery pack. The second charging port defines a second connection axis along which the second battery pack is movable to connect with the charging circuit. The first connection axis is angled relative to the second connection axis. |
| US09077049B2 |
Metal-air cell having high capacity
A zinc-air button cell comprising a zinc-containing anode and an air cathode as electrochemical active components and a casing surrounding the anode and the cathode and having 1 to 128 inlet openings through which atmospheric oxygen can enter the casing, wherein 1) the casing comprises a cell cup and a cell lid, 2) the inlet openings are introduced in a bottom portion of the cell cup, 3) at least a part of the inlet openings has an opening area of <0.025 mm2, and 4) the air cathode is a substantially flat layer and seated directly on the bottom portion of the cell cup. |
| US09077047B2 |
Secondary battery and method of manufacturing the same
A secondary battery according to an embodiment includes a container having a pouring hole through which an electrolyte is poured, and housing the electrolyte, poured through the pouring hole, together with an electrode body; and a sealing lid fixed to the container and closing the pouring hole. The container has a plurality of grooves extending in parallel along the outer edge of the pouring hole, in a predetermined region that surrounds the periphery of the pouring hole, and the sealing lid is provided on the plurality of grooves in such a manner as to close the pouring hole and is fixed to the container. |
| US09077042B2 |
Membrane electrode assembly and biofuel cell using the same
A membrane electrode assembly includes a proton exchange membrane, an anode and a cathode. The proton exchange membrane has two opposite surfaces, a first surface and a second surface. The anode is located adjacent to the first surface of the proton exchange membrane, and the cathode is located adjacent to the second surface of the proton exchange membrane. The anode includes a carbon nanotube structure. The carbon nanotube structure has a plurality of carbon nanotubes and a catalyst material dispersed on the carbon nanotubes. A biofuel cell using the membrane electrode assembly is also provided. |
| US09077041B2 |
Electrode structure for electrochemical cell
The present invention relates to the use of porous structures comprising electrode active materials, which can be used as electrodes in electrochemical cells. In certain embodiments, the electrodes described herein can comprise a first porous support structure (e.g., a plurality of particles, which can be porous in certain cases) in which electrode active material is at least partially contained. The first porous support structure can be, in some embodiments, at least partially contained within the pores of a second porous support structure (e.g., an agglomeration of elongated fibers, a porous web formed by sintered particles, etc.) containing pores that are larger than the components of the first porous support structure. |
| US09077029B2 |
Negative active material for rechargeable lithium battery and rechargeable lithium battery including the same
A negative active material for a rechargeable lithium battery including a flake powder including a plurality of flakes, each flake including a plurality of silicon atoms and a plurality of oxygen atoms, wherein an oxygen atom amount for each flake ranges from 5 wt % to 36 wt % based on a total amount of silicon atoms and oxygen atoms, each flake having a thickness ranging from 30 nm to 500 nm and a ratio of an average longest dimension to the thickness ranging from 10 to 100. |
| US09077026B2 |
Rechargeable battery pack
A rechargeable battery pack that accurately fixes connection locations of a connection tab and a first pad and strengthens the impact resistance of a connection unit. A rechargeable battery pack according to an exemplary embodiment may include a first unit cell and a second unit cell formed by a rechargeable battery; a connection tab electrically connecting the first unit cell and the second unit cell to each other; and a protection circuit module (PCM) where an aperture in the protection circuit module is formed in a first pad connected to the connection tab, wherein the connection tab includes a first portion inserted into the aperture in the protection circuit module, and a second portion bent and connected to the first portion and overlapped with the first pad and including an aperture in the second portion of the connection tab. |
| US09077025B2 |
Method for production of porous film, porous film, separator for non-aqueous electrolyte battery, and non-aqueous electrolyte battery using the separator
The method for producing a porous film of the present invention includes producing a stretched film by stretching a resin sheet containing at least polyolefin, and then irradiating the stretched film with a vacuum ultraviolet ray. The separator for a non-aqueous electrolyte battery of the present invention is composed of the porous film obtained by the production method of the present invention. The non-aqueous electrolyte battery of the present invention is provided with the separator for a non-aqueous electrolyte battery of the present invention. |
| US09077023B2 |
Cathode active material having manganese oxide and boron, cathode and lithium battery including cathode active material, and method of preparing the cathode active material
A cathode active material including: a lithium manganese oxide of which primary particles has a diameter of 1 μm or more and which has a spinel structure in which an X-ray diffraction (XRD) peak intensity ratio of I(111)/I(311) is 1.0 or more; and a boron element disposed at least one position selected from the group consisting of inside the primary particles and on surfaces of the primary particles. |
| US09077020B2 |
Battery module
A battery module including a plurality of sub battery modules stacked together, each sub battery module comprising a plurality of battery cells, each of the battery cells having terminals and a vent portion on a first side of the sub battery modules; a pair of end plates, one of the ends plates located at each end of the battery module; a top plate on the first side of the sub battery modules; and a controller configured to control the battery cells for each of the sub battery modules, wherein each of the sub battery modules has an individual degassing region controlled by the controller. |
| US09077018B2 |
Battery unit
A battery unit includes: a main accommodation casing that includes a power output terminal; at least one sub-module that is accommodated in the main accommodation casing; and a control unit that is accommodated in the main accommodation casing and controls at least one of charging and discharging of a unit battery, wherein in the sub-module, two or more battery blocks are accommodated inside a sub-accommodation casing so that the terminals of the battery blocks each including a plurality of unit batteries are not exposed and the battery blocks are connected to each other through an electric connection member. |
| US09077015B2 |
Battery pack
A battery pack includes a plurality of battery modules including a plurality of cells 100 aligned and accommodated in a case, wherein a battery assembly 200 in which the plurality of cells 100 are aligned in a row is used as a unit, and the multiple ones of the battery assembly 200 are aligned in each battery module. The battery modules are a first battery module 300 in which the plurality of battery assemblies 200 are aligned in parallel and second battery modules 400A, 400B in which the plurality of battery assemblies 200 are aligned in series, and the first battery module 300 and the second battery modules 400A, 400B are combined with each other to form the battery pack. |
| US09077008B2 |
Integrated power generation and chemical production using fuel cells
In various aspects, systems and methods are provided for operating a molten carbonate fuel cell to reduce or minimize losses due to loss of heat energy. A molten carbonate fuel cell can be operated based on a desired ratio of heat generated by exothermic reactions in the fuel cell relative to heat consumed by endothermic reactions in the fuel cell and any optional integrated endothermic reaction stages. |
| US09077007B2 |
Integrated power generation and chemical production using fuel cells
In various aspects, systems and methods are provided for operating a molten carbonate fuel cell with an excess of reformable fuel relative to the amount of oxidation performed in the anode of the fuel cell. Instead of selecting the operating conditions of a fuel cell to improve or maximize the electrical efficiency of the fuel cell, an excess of reformable fuel can be passed into the anode of the fuel cell to increase the chemical energy output of the fuel cell. This can lead to an increase in the total efficiency of the fuel cell based on the combined electrical efficiency and chemical efficiency of the fuel cell. |
| US09077005B2 |
Integration of molten carbonate fuel cells in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis
In various aspects, systems and methods are provided for integration of molten carbonate fuel cells with a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis process. The molten carbonate fuel cells can be integrated with a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis process in various manners, including providing synthesis gas for use in producing hydrocarbonaceous carbons. Additionally, integration of molten carbonate fuel cells with a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis process can facilitate further processing of vent streams or secondary product streams generated during the synthesis process. |
| US09076992B2 |
Method for preventing short circuit between metal wires in organic light emitting diode display device
Disclosed is a method for preventing a short circuit between metal wires in an organic light emitting diode display device. The method includes: forming an inorganic layer on a substrate; forming a metal layer including two metal wires on the inorganic layer; forming an organic layer on the two metal wires; forming an indium tin oxide layer on the organic layer; coating a photoresist layer; performing an exposure step by utilizing a photo mask having a transparent area, an opaque material disposed in the transparent area, wherein a width of the opaque material is less than a width of the transparent area; performing a development step to the photoresist layer; and performing an etching step to remove a part of the indium tin oxide layer and a part of the organic layer. The present invention can prevent the short circuit between the metal wires. |
| US09076991B2 |
Mask management system and method for OLED encapsulation
A system and method for encapsulating an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) device by enabling a substrate and a plurality of masks to be efficiently received into a vacuum processing environment, transferred between one or more process chambers for the deposition of encapsulating layers, and removed from the processing system. A method of encapsulating an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) device includes positioning one or more masks over a substrate to deposit encapsulating layers on an OLED device disposed on the substrate. A processing system for encapsulating an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) device includes one or more transfer chambers, one or more load lock chambers coupled to each transfer chamber and operable to receive a mask into a vacuum environment, and one or more process chambers coupled to each transfer chamber and operable to deposit an encapsulating layer on a substrate. |
| US09076990B2 |
Method of manufacturing organic el device, organic el device and electronic apparatus
A method of manufacturing an organic EL device according to the present application example includes forming a sealing layer by covering multiple organic EL elements and a connection terminal, forming a color filter as an organic layer that covers the sealing layer, patterning the color filter in such a manner that an opening extending up to the sealing layer is formed in a portion of the color filter, which overlaps the connection terminal, and etching the sealing layer in such a manner as to expose at least one part of the connection terminal with the pattern-formed color filter serving as a mask. |
| US09076988B2 |
Opto-electrical devices incorporating metal nanowires
The present disclosure relates to OLED and PV devices including transparent electrodes that are formed of conductive nanostructures and methods of improving light out-coupling in OLED and input-coupling in PV devices. |
| US09076986B2 |
Gas barrier laminate and circularly polarizing plate
A gas barrier multilayer body including a composite layer A which has a film (a) and an inorganic barrier layer (a), and a composite layer B which has an alicyclic olefin resin film (b) and an inorganic barrier layer (b), wherein a surface of the composite layer A and a surface of the composite layer B are faced and bonded to each other, a surface of the alicyclic olefin resin film (b) on a side facing to the composite layer A is an activation-treated surface, and the activation-treated surface of the alicyclic olefin resin film (b) is in contact with the composite layer A directly or via a metal alkoxide layer (b); and a circularly polarizing plate including the same. |
| US09076985B2 |
Display device and method for producing the same
A display device which can be produced at reduced material cost and has a smaller peripheral frame area, and a method for producing the same, are provided. A display device includes a first substrate including a display area, which includes an organic EL light emitting layer; a second substrate located so as to face the first substrate; a dam member located along, and outside with respect to, a part of an outer edge of the display area, the dam member joining the first substrate and the second substrate to each other; and a filler filling a space between the first substrate and the second substrate while being in contact with the dam member. |
| US09076984B2 |
Mother panel for display panel and method of manufacturing display panel using the mother panel
A mother panel for a display panel includes a first mother substrate and a second mother substrate that are spaced apart from each other to face each other, each of which includes at least one usable area that is usable as the display panel, and at least one unusable area that surrounds the usable area. The mother panel also includes a plurality of display panel patterns between the first mother substrate and the second mother substrate that are spaced apart from one another in the usable area, a seal pattern that adheres the first mother substrate with the second mother substrate and seals each of the plurality of display panel patterns, and an etching stopping unit that prevents an etchant from permeating between the first mother substrate and the second mother substrate and prevents a boundary area of an etching target surface from being etched. |
| US09076983B2 |
Organic light-emitting display device and method of manufacturing the same
An organic light-emitting display device and a method of manufacturing the organic light-emitting display device are provided. The organic light-emitting display device includes: a substrate including first and second areas; a pixel electrode formed in the first area of the substrate; an auxiliary electrode formed in the second area of the substrate; an intermediate layer including an organic emission layer and formed on the pixel electrode and the auxiliary electrode; a first common electrode formed on the intermediate layer; and a second common electrode formed on the first common electrode, where the second common electrode and the auxiliary electrode contact each other through a contact hole which penetrates the first common electrode and the intermediate layer formed on the auxiliary electrode. |
| US09076976B2 |
Light-emitting element, light-emitting device, electronic appliance, and lighting device
A light-emitting element which has low driving voltage and high emission efficiency is provided. The light-emitting element includes, between a pair of electrodes, a hole-transport layer and a light-emitting layer over the hole-transport layer. The light-emitting layer contains a first organic compound having an electron-transport property, a second organic compound having a hole-transport property, and a light-emitting third organic compound converting triplet excitation energy into light emission. A combination of the first organic compound and the second organic compound forms an exciplex. The hole-transport layer contains at least a fourth organic compound whose HOMO level is lower than or equal to that of the second organic compound and a fifth organic compound whose HOMO level is higher than that of the second organic compound. |
| US09076973B2 |
Phosphorescent materials
Novel organic compounds containing a twisted aryl group are provided. In particular, the compounds provided contain a 2-phenylpyridine ligand having a twisted aryl group on the pyridine portion of the ligand. The compounds may be used in organic light emitting devices, particularly as emitting dopants. Devices comprising the compounds containing twisted aryl may demonstrate improved color, efficiency, stability and manufacturing. Additionally, methods are provided for making homoleptic Ir (III) compounds which may contain a twisted aryl. |
| US09076969B2 |
Piezoelectric material, piezoelectric element, liquid discharge head, ultrasonic motor, and dust cleaning device
A piezoelectric material including a barium bismuth niobate-based tungsten bronze structure metal oxide having a high degree of orientation is provided. A piezoelectric element, a liquid discharge head, an ultrasonic motor, and a dust cleaning device including the piezoelectric material are also provided. A piezoelectric material includes a tungsten bronze structure metal oxide that includes metal elements which are barium, bismuth, and niobium, and tungsten. The metal elements satisfy following conditions on a molar basis: when Ba/Nb=a, 0.30≦a≦0.40, and when Bi/Nb=b, 0.012≦b≦0.084. The tungsten content on a metal basis is 0.40 to 3.00 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the tungsten bronze structure metal oxide. The tungsten bronze structure metal oxide has a c-axis orientation. |
| US09076968B2 |
Piezoelectric element, piezoelectric actuator, piezoelectric sensor, hard disk drive, and inkjet printer device
A piezoelectric element includes, as a piezoelectric layer, a thin film of potassium sodium niobate that is a perovskite compound represented by a general expression ABO3, in which Ta (tantalum) is substituted on both of an A site and a B site. Accordingly, the piezoelectric element is provided to increase a reliability of the piezoelectric element using the thin film of potassium sodium niobate and to improve piezoelectric characteristics thereof. |
| US09076961B2 |
Energy harvesting with a micro-electro-machanical system (MEMS)
Apparatuses and method are described to create an energy harvesting microstructure, referred to herein as a transduction micro-electro mechanical system (T-MEMS). A T-MEMS includes a substrate, a first buckled membrane, the first buckled membrane has a buckling axis and is connected to the substrate. The first buckled membrane further includes a transduction material, a first conductor, the first conductor is applied to a first area of the transduction material; and a second conductor, the second conductor is applied to a second area of the transduction material, wherein electrical charge is harvested from the transduction material when the first buckled membrane is translated along the buckling axis. |
| US09076960B2 |
Magnetic memory element
A magnetic memory element includes a memory layer having magnetic anisotropy on the film surface thereof in the perpendicular direction and in which the magnetization direction is variable, a reference layer having magnetic anisotropy on the film surface thereof in the perpendicular direction and in which the magnetization direction is not variable, and a tunnel barrier layer which is interposed between the memory layer and the reference layer. The memory layer is made of an alloy including cobalt (Co) andiron (Fe). A plurality of oxygen atoms are present on both interfaces of the memory layer. |
| US09076956B2 |
Saw array sensor
A surface acoustic wave (SAW) array sensor having an input interdigital transducer (IDT); first and second output IDTs that are disposed at both sides of the input IDT, respectively; a first delay line between the input IDT and the first output IDT; and a second delay line between the input IDT and the second output IDT, wherein the first and second delay lines have different lengths; and related devices. |
| US09076955B2 |
Curved ultrasonic HIFU transducer with air cooling passageway
A curved high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer comprising a curved piezoelectric array having opposite convex and concave back surfaces, the front surface comprising an acoustic transmitting surface, and a plurality of electrodes located on the convex back surface for applying electrical transmit signals to the array, and a printed circuit board spaced apart from and in opposition to the back surface of the curved piezoelectric array which couples electrical signals to the electrodes of the array, the space between the printed circuit board and the curved piezoelectric array comprising an acoustic air backing passageway of the piezoelectric array for air-cooling the curved piezoelectric array and the printed circuit board. |
| US09076954B2 |
Method and system for providing magnetic memories switchable using spin accumulation and selectable using magnetoelectric devices
A magnetic memory is described. In one aspect, the magnetic memory includes magnetic junctions and at least one semi-spin valve (SSV) line adjacent to the magnetic junctions. Each magnetic junction includes a magnetic free layer. The SSV line(s) include a ferromagnetic layer and a nonmagnetic layer between the ferromagnetic layer and the magnetic junctions. The SSV line(s) are configured to exert a spin accumulation induced torque on at least a portion of the magnetic junctions due to an accumulation of spin polarized current carriers from a current that is substantially in-plane. The free layer is configured to be written using at least the spin accumulation induced torque. In another aspect, the magnetic memory includes magnetic memory cells and at least one spin torque (ST) line that is analogous to the SSV line. Each magnetic memory cell includes magnetic junction(s) analogous to those above and magnetoelectric selection device(s). |
| US09076953B2 |
Spin transistors employing a piezoelectric layer and related memory, memory systems, and methods
Spin transistors and related memory, memory systems, and methods are disclosed. A spin transistor is provided by at least two magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with a shared multiferroic layer. The multiferroic layer is formed from a piezoelectric (PE) thin film over a ferromagnetic thin film (FM channel) with a metal electrode (metal). The ferromagnetic layer functions as the spin channel and the piezoelectric layer is used for transferring piezoelectric stress to control the spin state of the channel. The MTJ on one side of the shared layer forms a source and the MTJ on the other side is a drain for the spin transistor. |
| US09076950B2 |
High voltage LED with improved heat dissipation and light extraction
A lighting apparatus includes a polygon die including a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and a submount to which each of the LEDs is coupled. Each LED includes a plurality of epi-layers which contains a p-type layer, an n-type layer, and a multiple quantum well (MQW) disposed between the p-type layer and the n-type layer, and a p-type electrode and an n-type electrode which are electrically coupled to the p-type layer and the n-type layer, respectively. The p-type and the n-type electrodes are located between the submount and the epi-layers. The submount contains a plurality of conductive elements configured to electrically couple at least a portion of the plurality of LEDs in series. At least some of the plurality of LEDs have non-rectangular top view shapes. |
| US09076948B2 |
Light emitting apparatus and production method thereof
A light emitting apparatus comprises an electrically insulating base member; a pair of electrically conductive pattern portions formed on an upper surface of the base member; at least one light emitting device that is electrically connected to the pair of electrically conductive pattern portions; and a resin portion that surrounds at least a side surface of the at least one light emitting device and partially covers the pair of electrically conductive pattern portions. Each of the pair of electrically conductive pattern portions extends toward a periphery of the base member from resin-covered parts of the electrically conductive pattern portions. At least the resin-covered parts of each of the electrically conductive pattern portions has at least one elongated through hole extending in a direction in which the electrically conductive pattern portions extend from the resin-covered parts, wherein the resin portion contacts the base member via the through holes. |
| US09076943B2 |
Lead frame structure, a packaging structure and a lighting unit thereof
A lead frame structure, a packaging structure and a lighting unit are disclosed. The lead frame structure includes at least two first lead frame units having a space therebetween, and the two first lead frame units are arranged in an opposite manner. Each the first lead frame unit has a first conducting portion, a second conducting portion, and a first connection portion between the first and the second conducting portions. Moreover, the first connection portion has at least two grooves on a surface thereof. |
| US09076942B2 |
Lighting device and lighting system having the same
Provided are a lighting device and a lighting system having the same. The lighting device includes a board having a recess, a lead frame disposed in the recess and including a first lead frame protrusion protruding upward, and a light emitting device disposed on the lead frame. |
| US09076935B2 |
Light emitting diode
A light emitting diode includes a source layer, a metallic plasma generating layer, a first optical symmetric layer, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The source layer includes a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second semiconductor layer stacked in series. The first semiconductor layer includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The first electrode covers and contacts the first surface. The second electrode is electrically connected with the second semiconductor layer. The metallic plasma generating layer is disposed on a surface of the source layer away from the first semiconductor layer. The first optical symmetric layer is disposed on a surface of the metallic plasma generating layer away from the first semiconductor layer. A refractive index difference between the source layer and the first optical symmetric layer is less than or equal to 0.3. |
| US09076933B2 |
Ceramic conversion element, semiconductor chip comprising a ceramic conversion element and method for producing a ceramic conversion element
A ceramic conversion element includes an active ceramic layer that converts electromagnetic radiation in a first wavelength range into electromagnetic radiation in a second wavelength range, which is different from the first wavelength range, and a carrier layer transmissive to radiation in the first wavelength range and/or radiation in the second wavelength range, wherein an inhibitor layer is arranged between the active layer and the carrier layer, the inhibitor layer reducing diffusion of activator ions from the active layer into the carrier layer. |
| US09076930B2 |
Light emitting device and light emitting device package
Disclosed are a light emitting device and a light emitting device package. The light emitting device includes a light emitting structure including a first conductive semiconductor layer, an active layer on the first conductive semiconductor layer, and a second conductive semiconductor layer on the active layer, an adhesive layer contacting a top surface of the first conductive semiconductor layer, a first electrode contacting a top surface of the first conductive semiconductor and a top surface of the adhesive layer, and a second electrode contacting the second conductive semiconductor layer, wherein the adhesive layer contacting the first electrode is spaced apart from the second electrode. |
| US09076929B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting element
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting element includes a first electrode, first and second light emitting units, first and second conductive layers, a first connection electrode, a first dielectric layer, first and second pads, and a first inter-light emitting unit dielectric layer. The first light emitting unit includes first and second semiconductor layers, and a first light emitting layer. The first semiconductor layer includes a first semiconductor portion and a second semiconductor portion. The second light emitting unit includes a third semiconductor layer, a fourth semiconductor layer, and a second light emitting layer. The fourth semiconductor layer is electrically connected with the first electrode. The first conductive layer is electrically connected with the third semiconductor layer. The second conductive layer is electrically connected with the second semiconductor layer. The first connection electrode electrically connects the first conductive layer and the first semiconductor portion. |
| US09076927B2 |
(In,Ga,Al)N optoelectronic devices grown on relaxed (In,Ga,Al)N-on-GaN base layers
A method of fabricating a heterostructure device, including (a) obtaining a first layer or substrate; (b) growing a second layer on the first layer or substrate; and (c) forming the second layer that is at least partially relaxed wherein (1) the first layer and the second layer have the same lattice structure but different lattice constants, (2) the first layer and the second layer form a heterojunction, and (3) the heterojunction forms an active area of a device or serves as a pseudo-substrate for the device. |
| US09076925B2 |
Thermoelectric material, method for producing the same, and thermoelectric conversion module using the same
A thermoelectric material includes a semiconductor substrate, a semiconductor oxide film formed on the substrate, and a thermoelectric layer provided on the oxide film. The semiconductor oxide film has a first nano-opening formed therein. The thermoelectric layer has such a configuration that semiconductor nanodots are piled up on or above the first nano-opening so as to form a particle packed structure. At least some of the nanodots each have a second nano-opening formed in its surface, and are connected to each other through the second nano-opening with their crystal orientation aligned. The thermoelectric material is produced through steps of oxidizing the substrate to form the semiconductor oxide film thereon, forming the first nano-opening in the oxide film, and epitaxially growing to pile up the plurality of nanodots on the first nano-opening.As a result, it is possible to provide the thermoelectric material superior in thermoelectric conversion performance. |
| US09076924B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting device
In one embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting device includes a stacked structure, a first electrode, a second electrode and a transparent conductive film. The stacked structure includes a first semiconductor layer with a first conductivity type, a light emitting layer and a second semiconductor layer with a second conductivity type which are formed and stacked directly or indirectly. The stacked structure is taken out light from the light emitting layer side to the second semiconductor layer side. The first electrode is connected to the first semiconductor layer. The second electrode is connected to a first principal surface of the second semiconductor layer which is exposed at the light emitting layer side. The second electrode is arranged in parallel with the first electrode. The transparent conductive film is provided so as to cover a second principal surface of the second semiconductor layer. |
| US09076922B2 |
Method for fitting contact wires to a surface of a photovoltaic cell, photovoltaic cell, photovoltaic module, arrangement for fitting contact wires to a surface of a photovoltaic cell
In various embodiments, a method for fitting contact wires to a surface of a photovoltaic cell is provided. The method may include: feeding the contact wires to a contact wire positioning and placement device, wherein the contact wire positioning and placement device comprises a plurality of nozzles or eyes, wherein at least one contact wire is in each case passed through a respective nozzle or eye, for positioning and placement thereof onto the surface of the photovoltaic cell; positioning and placing the contact wires on the surface of the photovoltaic cell by means of the contact wire positioning and placement device; and attaching the contact wires to the surface of the photovoltaic cell. |
| US09076910B2 |
Solar cell module
A solar cell module with a simple configuration and high efficiency is provided. A solar cell module of the present invention is configured by electrically connecting a plurality of solar cell elements. Each of the plurality of solar cell elements includes a plurality of first connection parts representing wiring connection parts in a first electrode and a plurality of second connection parts representing wiring connection parts in a second electrode on the same surface. A first solar cell element and a second solar cell element arranged adjacent to each other have portions of the plurality of first connection parts of the first solar cell element and the plurality of second connection parts of the second solar cell element connected by a wiring having a linear form in plan view. |
| US09076905B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes a substrate and a first insulating layer. The first insulating layer includes a first lower layer and a first upper layer on the first lower layer. The first insulating layer has a first opening through the first lower layer and the first upper layer. A maximum width of the first opening at the first lower layer is different from a maximum width of the first opening at the first upper layer. |
| US09076898B2 |
Carrier for an optoelectronic structure comprising a structured electronically conductive layer at the top side of main body, and optoelectronic semiconductor chip comprising such a carrier
A carrier (1) for an optoelectronic structure (2) is specified, wherein in places an electrically insulating passivation material (16) is arranged between an electrically conductive layer (14) of the carrier (1) and a carrier-side connecting means layer (15). Furthermore, an optoelectronic semiconductor chip comprising such a carrier and an optoelectronic structure (2) is specified, said structure being electrically conductively and mechanically connected to the carrier (1) by means of the carrier-side connecting means layer (15). |
| US09076897B2 |
Optoelectronic semiconductor device and method for producing an optoelectronic semiconductor device
An optoelectronic semiconductor device includes an optoelectronic semiconductor layer sequence on a metal carrier element, which includes as a first component silver and as a second component a material having a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than silver, wherein the first and second components are intermixed in the metal carrier element. |
| US09076896B2 |
Method of fabricating nonpolar gallium nitride-based semiconductor layer, nonpolar semiconductor device, and method of fabricating the same
A method of fabricating a nonpolar gallium nitride-based semiconductor layer is provided. The method is a method of fabricating a nonpolar gallium nitride layer using metal organic chemical vapor deposition, and includes disposing a gallium nitride substrate with an m-plane growth surface within a chamber, raising a substrate temperature to a GaN growth temperature by heating the substrate, and growing a gallium nitride layer on the gallium nitride substrate by supplying a Ga source gas, an N source gas, and an ambient gas into the chamber at the growth temperature. The supplied ambient gas contains N2 and does not contain H2. |
| US09076895B2 |
Stereoscopic image display substrate
A stereoscopic image display substrate includes a base substrate, a data line, a plurality of gate line parts and a pixel electrode part. The data line is disposed on the base substrate. The data line extends in a first direction. The gate line parts are disposed on the base substrate. Each gate line part includes a plurality of gate lines extending in a second direction different from the first direction. The gate lines are adjacent to each other. The pixel electrode part is disposed between the gate line parts. The pixel electrode part includes at least three pixel electrodes connected to the data line. |
| US09076893B2 |
Task-lit cabinet
Methods, apparatuses, and products passively generate electrical energy from waste heat. Electronic components in cabinets generate waste heat that is used to illuminate an interior of a cabinet. A thermovoltaic semiconductor detects a temperature differential between a pair of terminals installed in the cabinet. The thermovoltaic semiconductor generates a low voltage output in response to the temperature differential. A power supply receives the low voltage output and produces a higher voltage for low-wattage light sources installed in the cabinet. |
| US09076891B2 |
Integrated circuit (“IC”) assembly includes an IC die with a top metallization layer and a conductive epoxy layer applied to the top metallization layer
An integrated circuit (“IC”) assembly includes an IC die with a metallization layer on a top surface thereof. A plurality of lead wires are bonded at first end portions thereof to the metallization layer. A conductive layer is attached to the metallization layer and covers the first ends of the lead wires. |
| US09076889B2 |
Replacement gate semiconductor device
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device including providing a semiconductor substrate having a first opening and second opening. A dielectric layer is formed on the substrate. An etch stop layer on the dielectric layer in the first opening. Thereafter, a work function layer is formed on the etch stop layer and fill metal is provided on the work function layer to fill the first opening. |
| US09076888B2 |
Silicided recessed silicon
Methods and structures are provided for full silicidation of recessed silicon. Silicon is provided within a trench. A mixture of metals is provided over the silicon in which one of the metals diffuses more readily in silicon than silicon does in the metal, and another of the metals diffuses less readily in silicon than silicon does in the metal. An exemplary mixture includes 80% nickel and 20% cobalt. The silicon within the trench is allowed to fully silicide without void formation, despite a relatively high aspect ratio for the trench. Among other devices, recessed access devices (RADs) can be formed by the method for memory arrays. |
| US09076886B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device and a method for fabricating the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a device isolation region, a trench formed in the device isolation region, a void connected to the trench in the device isolation region, a first mask pattern formed along sidewalls of the trench and protruding inwardly with respect to the void, a gate insulating film formed along the sidewall of the void, and a gate electrode filling the trench and at least a portion of the void. |
| US09076883B2 |
Integrated electronic device with transceiving antenna and magnetic interconnection
An embodiment of an integrated electronic device having a body, made at least partially of semiconductor material and having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side surface, and a first antenna, which is integrated in the body and enables magnetic or electromagnetic coupling of the integrated electronic device with a further antenna. The integrated electronic device moreover has a coupling region made of magnetic material, which provides, in use, a communication channel between the first antenna and the further antenna. |
| US09076880B2 |
Asymmetric high-voltage JFET and manufacturing process
A high voltage JFET has a deep well of a first type of conductivity made in a semiconductor substrate, a further well of an opposite second type of conductivity arranged in the deep well, a shallow well of a first type of conductivity arranged in the further well, a first contact region for source and a second contact region for drain arranged in the further well, a third contact region for gate arranged between the first contact region and the second contact region in the shallow well, a first distance between the first contact region and the third contact region being smaller than a second distance between the second contact region and the third contact region, and an electrical connection between the first contact region and the second contact region via at least one channel region present between the deep well and the shallow well in the further well. |
| US09076879B2 |
Three-dimensional semiconductor memory device and method for fabricating the same
A three-dimensional (3D) semiconductor memory device and a method for fabricating the same, the device including insulating layers stacked on a substrate; horizontal structures between the insulating layers, the horizontal structures including gate electrodes, respectively; vertical structures penetrating the insulating layers and the horizontal structures, the vertical structures including semiconductor pillars, respectively; and epitaxial patterns, each of the epitaxial patterns being between the substrate and each of the vertical structures, wherein a minimum width of the epitaxial pattern is less than a width of a corresponding one of the vertical structures. |
| US09076878B2 |
Non-volatile memory with vertical selection transistors
The present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing a non-volatile memory on a semiconductive substrate, comprising the steps of implanting in the depth of the substrate a first doped region forming a source region of selection transistors, forming in the substrate a buried gate comprising deep parts extending between an upper face of the substrate and the first doped region, implanting between two adjacent deep parts of the buried gate, a second doped region forming a common drain region of common selection transistors of a pair of memory cells, the selection transistors of the pair of memory cells thus having channel regions extending between the first doped region and the second doped region, along faces opposite the two buried gate adjacent deep parts, and implanting along opposite upper edges of the buried gate, third doped regions forming source regions of charge accumulation transistors. |
| US09076877B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
An object is to manufacture a semiconductor device with high reliability by providing the semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor with stable electric characteristics. In a transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer, a gallium oxide film is used for a gate insulating layer and made in contact with an oxide semiconductor layer. Further, gallium oxide films are provided so as to sandwich the oxide semiconductor layer, whereby reliability is increased. Furthermore, the gate insulating layer may have a stacked structure of a gallium oxide film and a hafnium oxide film. |
| US09076876B2 |
Semiconductor device
An object is to provide a semiconductor device having good electrical characteristics. A gate insulating layer having a hydrogen concentration less than 6×1020 atoms/cm3 and a fluorine concentration greater than or equal to 1×1020 atoms/cm3 is used as a gate insulating layer in contact with an oxide semiconductor layer forming a channel region, so that the amount of hydrogen released from the gate insulating layer can be reduced and diffusion of hydrogen into the oxide semiconductor layer can be prevented. Further, hydrogen present in the oxide semiconductor layer can be eliminated with the use of fluorine; thus, the hydrogen content in the oxide semiconductor layer can be reduced. Consequently, the semiconductor device having good electrical characteristics can be provided. |
| US09076872B2 |
Methods for manufacturing thin film transistors
Disclosed is a thin film transistor including a gate electrode on a substrate. A gate dielectric layer is disposed on the gate electrode and the substrate, and source/drain electrodes are disposed on the gate dielectric layer overlying two edge parts of the gate electrode. A channel layer is disposed on the gate dielectric layer overlying a center part of the gate electrode, and the channel region contacts the source/drain electrodes. An insulating capping layer overlies the channel layer, wherein the channel layer includes an oxide semiconductor. |
| US09076868B1 |
Shallow trench isolation structure with sigma cavity
Embodiments of the present invention provide an improved shallow trench isolation structure and method of fabrication. The shallow trench isolation cavity includes an upper region having a sigma cavity shape, and a lower region having a substantially rectangular cross-section. The lower region is filled with a first material having good gap fill properties. The sigma cavity is filled with a second material having good stress-inducing properties. In some embodiments, source/drain stressor cavities may be eliminated, with the stress provided by the shallow trench isolation structure. In other embodiments, the stress from the shallow trench isolation structure may be used to complement or counteract stress from a source/drain stressor region of an adjacent transistor. This enables precise tuning of channel stress to achieve a desired carrier mobility for a transistor. |
| US09076866B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate including a plurality of pillars, a gate electrode formed to surround a lower portion of the pillar and having a top surface lower than a top surface of the pillar, a salicide layer formed to cover the top surface of the pillar and surround an upper portion of the pillar, and an electrode formed to cover a top surface and a lateral surface of the salicide layer. |
| US09076862B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same
The invention provides a semiconductor device, including: a substrate having a first conductivity type, including: a body region having the first conductivity type; a source region formed in the body region; a drift region having a second conductivity type adjacent to the body region; and a drain region formed in the drift region; a multiple reduced surface field (RESURF) structure embedded in the drift region of the substrate; and a gate dielectric layer formed over the substrate; wherein the first conductivity type is opposite to the second conductivity type. |
| US09076860B1 |
Residue removal from singulated die sidewall
Methods of dicing semiconductor wafers, each wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits, are described. In an example, a method of dicing a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits involves forming a mask above the semiconductor wafer, the mask including a layer covering and protecting the integrated circuits. The method also involves patterning the mask with a laser scribing process to provide gaps in the mask, the gaps exposing regions of the semiconductor wafer between the integrated circuits. The method also involves plasma etching the semiconductor wafer through the gaps in the mask to singulate the integrated circuits. The method also involves, subsequent to plasma etching the semiconductor wafer, removing etch residue from sidewalls of the singulated integrated circuits. |
| US09076855B2 |
Laser machining method
An object to be processed 1 is irradiated with laser light L along a line to cut 5a while locating a converging point within the object 1, so as to form a modified region 7a. Thereafter, the irradiation with the laser light L is performed again along the line 5a, so as to form a modified region 7b between a front face 3 and the first modified region 7a in the object 1 and generate a fracture Cb extending from the modified region 7b to the front face 3. Therefore, a deflecting force F1 occurring when forming the modified region 7a in the object 1 can be released and canceled out by the fracture Cb. As a result, the object 1 can be inhibited from deflecting. |
| US09076853B2 |
High voltage rectifier and switching circuits
According to one exemplary embodiment, a rectifier circuit includes a diode. A first depletion-mode transistor is connected to a cathode of the diode. Also, at least one second depletion-mode transistor is in parallel with the first depletion-mode transistor and is configured to supply a pre-determined current range to a cathode of the diode. A pinch off voltage of the at least one second depletion-mode transistor can be more negative than a pinch off voltage of the first depletion-mode transistor and the at least one second depletion-mode transistor can be configured to supply the pre-determined current range while the first depletion-mode transistor is OFF. Also, the pre-determined current range can be greater than a leakage current of the first depletion-mode transistor. |
| US09076851B2 |
Planar electronic semiconductor device
An electronic device includes a substrate supporting mobile charge carriers, insulative features formed on the substrate surface to define first and second substrate areas on either side of the insulative features, the first and second substrate areas being connected by an elongate channel defined by the insulative features, the channel providing a charge carrier flow path in the substrate from the first area to the second area, the conductivity between the first and second substrate areas being dependent upon the potential difference between the areas. The mobile charge carriers can be within at least two modes in each of the three dimensions within the substrate. The substrate can be an organic material. The mobile charge carriers can have a mobility within the range 0.01 cm2/Vs to 100 cm2/Vs, and the electronic device may be an RF device. Methods for forming such devices are also described. |
| US09076850B2 |
High electron mobility transistor
According to example embodiments, a high electron mobility transistor includes: a channel layer including a 2-dimensional electron gas (2DEG); a contact layer on the channel layer; a channel supply layer on the contact layer; a gate electrode on a portion of the channel layer; and source and drain electrodes on at least one of the channel layer, the contact layer, and the channel supply layer. The contact layer is configured to form an ohmic contact on the channel layer. The contact layer is n-type doped and contains a Group III-V compound semiconductor. The source electrode and the drain electrode are spaced apart from opposite sides of the gate electrode. |
| US09076848B2 |
Semiconductor device channels
A semiconductor device and a method of manufacture are provided. The semiconductor device includes one or more layers having channels adapted to carry signals or deliver power. The semiconductor device may include at least two channels having a substantially equivalent cross-sectional area. Conductors in separate channels may have different cross-sectional areas. A spacer dielectric on a side of a channel may be included. The method of manufacture includes establishing a signal conductor layer including a first channel and a second channel having a substantially equivalent cross-sectional area, introducing a spacer dielectric on a side of the second channel, introducing a first conductor in the first channel having a first cross-sectional area, and introducing a second conductor in the second channel having a second cross-sectional area where the second cross-sectional area is smaller than the first cross-sectional area. |
| US09076842B2 |
Fin pitch scaling and active layer isolation
A first semiconductor structure includes a bulk silicon substrate and one or more original silicon fins coupled to the bulk silicon substrate. A dielectric material is conformally blanketed over the first semiconductor structure and recessed to create a dielectric layer. A first cladding material is deposited adjacent to the original silicon fin, after which the original silicon fin is removed to form a second semiconductor structure having two fins that are electrically isolated from the bulk silicon substrate. A second cladding material is patterned adjacent to the first cladding material to form a third semiconductor structure having four fins that are electrically isolated from the bulk silicon substrate. |
| US09076840B2 |
Method for manufacturing a bonded SOI wafer
According to the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing an SOI wafer having the step of performing a first sacrificial oxidation treatment on the aforementioned bonded SOI wafer in which the delamination has been performed after a first RTA treatment has been performed thereon and then performing a second sacrificial oxidation treatment thereon after a second RTA treatment has been performed thereon, wherein the first and second RTA treatments are performed under a hydrogen gas containing atmosphere and at a temperature of 1100° C. or more, wherein after a thermal oxide film has been formed on the aforementioned SOI layer front surface by performing only thermal oxidation by a batch type heat treating furnace at a temperature of 900° C. or more and 1000° C. or less in the first and second sacrificial oxidation treatments, a treatment for removing the thermal oxide film is performed. |
| US09076833B2 |
Tape for processing wafer, method for manufacturing tape for processing wafer, and method for manufacturing semiconductor device
In a wafer processing tape, circular or tongue-shaped notched parts facing the center of an adhesive layer, as seen in a plan view, are formed so as to correspond to a pasting region to a wafer ring to a depth that reaches a release substrate from the side of a base material film. Due to the formation of the notched parts, when a peeling force acts on the wafer processing tape, portions of a tacky material layer and the base material film which are more outward than the notched parts are peeled off first, and a portion that is more inward than the notched parts remains on the wafer ring in a protruding state. Accordingly, a peeling strength between the wafer processing tape and the wafer ring can be increased and the wafer processing tape can be suppressed from being peeled off from the wafer ring during processes. |
| US09076827B2 |
Transfer chamber metrology for improved device yield
Apparatus and method for control of epitaxial growth parameters, for example during manufacture of light emitting diodes (LEDs). Embodiments include PL measurement of a group III-V film following growth while a substrate at an elevated temperature is in a transfer chamber of a multi-chamber cluster tool. In other embodiments, a film thickness measurement, a contactless resistivity measurement, and a particle and/or roughness measure is performed while the substrate is disposed in the transfer chamber. One or more of the measurements performed in the transfer chamber are temperature corrected to room temperature by estimating the elevated temperature based on emission from a GaN base layer disposed below the group III-V film. In other embodiments, temperature correction is based on an absorbance band edge of the GaN base layer determined from collected white light reflectance spectra. Temperature corrected metrology is then used to control growth processes. |
| US09076826B2 |
Plasma confinement ring assembly for plasma processing chambers
A plasma confinement ring assembly with a single movable lower ring can be used for controlling wafer area pressure in a capacitively coupled plasma reaction chamber wherein a wafer is supported on a lower electrode assembly and process gas is introduced into the chamber by an upper showerhead electrode assembly. The assembly includes an upper ring, the lower ring, hangers, hanger caps, spacer sleeves and washers. The lower ring is supported by the hangers and is movable towards the upper ring when the washers come into contact with the lower electrode assembly during adjustment of the gap between the upper and lower electrodes. The hanger caps engage upper ends of the hangers and fit in upper portions of hanger bores in the upper ring. The spacer sleeves surround lower sections of the hangers and fit within lower portions of the hanger bores. The washers fit between enlarged heads of the hangers and a lower surface of the lower ring. The spacer sleeves are dimensioned to avoid rubbing against the inner surfaces of the hanger bores during lifting of the lower ring. |
| US09076825B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the semiconductor device
When an oxide semiconductor film is microfabricated to have an island shape, with the use of a hard mask, unevenness of an end portion of the oxide semiconductor film can be suppressed. Specifically, a hard mask is formed over the oxide semiconductor film, a resist is formed over the hard mask, light exposure is performed to form a resist mask, the hard mask is processed using the resist mask as a mask, the oxide semiconductor film is processed using the processed hard mask as a mask, the resist mask and the processed hard mask are removed, a source electrode and a drain electrode are formed in contact with the processed oxide semiconductor film, a gate insulating film is formed over the source electrode and the drain electrode, and a gate electrode is formed over the gate insulating film, the gate electrode overlapping with the oxide semiconductor film. |
| US09076823B2 |
Bi-layer metal deposition in silicide formation
A method includes performing a first sputtering to form a first metal film on a surface of a semiconductor region. The first sputtering is performed using a first ion energy. The method further includes performing a second sputtering to form a second metal film over and contacting the first metal film, wherein the first and the second metal films includes a same metal. The second sputtering is performed using a second ion energy lower than the first ion energy. An annealing is performed to react the first and the second metal films with the semiconductor region to form a metal silicide. |
| US09076820B2 |
Method for manufacturing semiconductor device and semiconductor device
According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a plurality of insulating isolation sections provided so as to extend in a first direction, isolate the stacked body in a second direction, and have a projection projecting from the stacked body. Each insulating isolation section has a side wall including recessed sections and projected sections repeated along the first direction. The method includes forming a sidewall film on a side wall of the projection of the insulating isolation section, and forming a plurality of first holes surrounded by the sidewall film and isolated by the sidewall film in the first direction, between the plurality of insulating isolation sections. The method includes forming a second hole in the stacked body provided under the first hole by etching with the insulating isolation section and the sidewall film used as a mask. |
| US09076802B1 |
Dual-sided film-assist molding process
Simultaneous semiconductor packages can be produced using a dual-sided film-assist molding process. The process involves using a film or membrane having opposing surfaces for receiving un-encapsulated semiconductor packages on both surfaces. A slot can be formed in the film or membrane to facilitate introduction and passage of the encapsulation therethrough such that upon removal of the film or membrane, increased throughput and productivity of the completed semiconductor packages can be carried out to achieve considerable cost savings. |
| US09076799B2 |
Indexing of electronic devices with multiple weight markers
A solution for indexing electronic devices includes corresponding electronic device including a die integrating an electronic circuit, the die having at least one index including a reference defining an ordered alignment of a plurality of locations on the die and a marker for defining a value of the index according to an arrangement of the marker with respect to the reference. In one embodiment, the marker includes a plurality of markers each one arranged at a selected one of the locations, the selected location of the marker defining a value of a digit associated with a corresponding power of a base higher than 2 within a number in a positional notation in the base representing the value of the index. |
| US09076797B2 |
3D memory array
A 3-D memory is provided. Each word line layer has word lines and gaps alternately arranged along a first direction. Gaps include first group and second group of gaps alternately arranged. A first bit line layer is on word line layers and has first bit lines along a second direction. A first conductive pillar array through word line layers connects the first bit line layer and includes first conductive pillars in first group of gaps. A first memory element is between a first conductive pillar and an adjacent word line. A second bit line layer is below word line layers and has second bit lines along the second direction. A second conductive pillar array through word line layers connects the second bit line layer and includes second conductive pillars in second group of gaps. A second memory element is between a second conductive pillar and an adjacent word line. |
| US09076796B2 |
Interconnection structure for package and fabrication method thereof
An interconnection structure for a package is disclosed. The interconnection structure includes a substrate body having a conductive portion formed on a surface thereof; a first photosensitive dielectric layer formed on the surface of the substrate body and having a via for exposing the conductive potion; a conductive via formed in the via; a second photosensitive dielectric layer formed on the first photosensitive dielectric layer and having a opening for exposing the conductive via and a portion of the first photosensitive dielectric layer; and a conductive trace layer formed in the opening of the second photosensitive dielectric layer so as to be electrically connected to the conductive portion through the conductive via, thereby simplifying the fabrication process and reducing the fabrication cost and time. |
| US09076792B2 |
Multi-layer barrier layer stacks for interconnect structures
A semiconductor device includes a recess defined in a dielectric layer and an interconnect structure defined in the recess. The interconnect structure includes a first barrier layer lining the recess, the first barrier layer including an alloy of tantalum and a first transition metal other than tantalum, wherein a first interface between the first barrier layer and the dielectric layer has a first stress level. A second barrier layer is positioned on the first barrier layer, the second barrier layer including at least one of tantalum and tantalum nitride, wherein a second interface between the second barrier layer and the first barrier layer has a second stress level that is less than the first stress level. The interconnect structure further includes a fill material substantially filling the recess. |
| US09076791B1 |
MOS transistor operated as OTP cell with gate dielectric operating as an e-fuse element
A process and device are provided for a high-k gate-dielectric operating as a built-in e-fuse. Embodiments include: providing first and second active regions of a transistor, separated by a gate region of the transistor, on a substrate; forming an interfacial layer on the gate region; minimizing the interfacial layer; forming a high-k gate dielectric layer on the interfacial layer to operate as an e-fuse element, the high-k gate dielectric layer and interfacial layer having a combined breakdown voltage less than three times a circuit operating voltage associated with the transistor; and forming a metal gate on the high-k gate dielectric layer. |
| US09076788B2 |
Insulating film and semiconductor device including the same
It is made possible to provide an insulating film that can reduce the leakage current. An insulating film includes: an amorphous oxide dielectric film containing a metal, hydrogen, and nitrogen. The nitrogen amount [N] and the hydrogen amount [H] in the oxide dielectric film satisfy the following relationship: {[N]−[H]}/2≦1.0×1021 cm−3. |
| US09076787B2 |
Fabrication of nickel free silicide for semiconductor contact metallization
A semiconductor device with an n-type transistor and a p-type transistor having an active region is provided. The active region further includes two adjacent gate structures. A portion of a dielectric layer between the two adjacent gate structures is selectively removed to form a contact opening having a bottom and sidewalls over the active region. A bilayer liner is selectively provided within the contact opening in the n-type transistor and a monolayer liner is provided within the contact opening in the p-type transistor. The contact opening in the n-type transistor and p-type transistor is filled with contact material. The monolayer liner is treated to form a silicide lacking nickel in the p-type transistor. |
| US09076786B2 |
Wiring substrate and manufacturing method therefor
A wiring substrate includes a semiconductor substrate, an insulator and a plurality of columnar conductors. The insulator is made of an insulating material filled in a groove or hole provided in the semiconductor substrate. The plurality of columnar conductors are filled in grooves or holes provided in the insulator. The grooves or holes are arranged at a narrow pitch in a plane of the insulator. The insulating material has a Si—O bond obtained by reacting Si particles with an organic Si compound. |
| US09076782B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing same
A semiconductor device has a plurality of electronic components mounted on an insulating substrate formed with a metal layer, and electrically connected to each other or to the metal layer; a positioning wire member having a predetermined diameter and a predetermined length, and bonded to each of the plurality of electronic components or to the metal layer; a lead frame disposed to bridge and electrically connect the plurality of electronic components to each other or between the metal layer and the electronic components; and an opening having a size capable of inserting the wire member therethrough formed to penetrate through the lead frame, to join the lead frame to each of the electronic components or the metal layer at a predetermined position therein. The lead frame is positioned on the insulating substrate by inserting the wire member into the opening. |
| US09076775B2 |
System and method of varying gate lengths of multiple cores
A method includes forming a first poly-silicon gate of a first transistor, the first poly-silicon gate having a first length. The first transistor is located in a first core. The method also includes forming a second poly-silicon gate of a second transistor, the second poly-silicon gate having a second length that is shorter than the first length. The second transistor is located in a second core. The first core is located closer to a center of a semiconductor die than the second core. |
| US09076771B2 |
Varactor that applies bias voltage to two through wafer vias to determine capacitance of depletion region capacitor formed between the two through wafer vias
A varactor is provided. A substrate includes a first surface, a second surface and a first opening and a second opening in the substrate. A conductive material is filling the first and second openings, to form a first through-wafer via (TWV) and a second through-wafer via. A first capacitor is coupled between the first through-wafer via and a first terminal. A second capacitor is coupled between the second through-wafer via and a second terminal. A capacitance of a depletion-region capacitor between the first through-wafer via and the second through-wafer via is determined by a bias voltage applied to the first through-wafer via and the second through-wafer via. |
| US09076770B2 |
Integrated circuit die stacks having initially identical dies personalized with fuses and methods of manufacturing the same
Integrated circuit die stacks having a first die mounted upon a substrate, the first die manufactured to be initially identical to a second die with a plurality of through silicon vias (‘TSVs’), the first die personalized by blowing fuses on the first die, converting the TSVs previously connected through the blown fuses into pass-through vias (‘PTVs’), each PTV implementing a conductive pathway through the first die with no connection to any circuitry on the first die; and the second die, manufactured to be initially identical to the first die and later personalized by blowing fuses on the second die, the second die mounted upon the first die so that the PTVs in the first die connect signal lines from the substrate through the first die to TSVs in the second die. |
| US09076769B2 |
Fixing device and thermal module incorporating the same
An exemplary fixing device is for mounting a heat conduction plate to two electronic components. The fixing device includes a first mounting clip and a second mounting clip connected to the first mounting clip through arms. The first mounting clip includes a pressing plate pressing a first contacting portion of the heat conduction plate against one electronic component. The second mounting clip includes two pressing tabs pressing a second contacting portion of the heat conduction plate against the other electronic component. The pressing plate and the two pressing tabs are made of a single monolithic piece of material. |
| US09076768B2 |
Systems and methods for producing low work function electrodes
According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, systems and methods are provided for producing low work function electrodes. According to an exemplary embodiment, a method is provided for reducing a work function of an electrode. The method includes applying, to at least a portion of the electrode, a solution comprising a Lewis basic oligomer or polymer; and based at least in part on applying the solution, forming an ultra-thin layer on a surface of the electrode, wherein the ultra-thin layer reduces the work function associated with the electrode by greater than 0.5 eV. According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, a device is provided. The device includes a semiconductor; at least one electrode disposed adjacent to the semiconductor and configured to transport electrons in or out of the semiconductor. |
| US09076764B2 |
Tunneling transistor with asymmetric gate
An asymmetric gate tunneling transistor includes a substrate, a first-polarity portion, a second-polarity portion, a channel portion, a gate structure and an insulation body. The first-polarity portion and the second-polarity portion are disposed on the substrate. The channel portion is connected with the first-polarity portion and the second-polarity portion, and includes a first section and a second section. The gate structure includes an enveloping portion surrounding the first section, and a flat portion covering one side of the second section away from the substrate. The insulation body includes a first insulation portion disposed between the first section and the enveloping portion, and a second insulation portion disposed between the second section and the flat portion. Through the asymmetric design of the gate structure, the tunneling transistor is offered with features of a high ON current and a low OFF current. |
| US09076759B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method of the same
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a metal gate structure, at least an epitaxial layer, an interlayer dielectric, at least a contact hole, at least a metal silicide layer and a fluorine-containing layer. The semiconductor substrate has at least a gate region and at least a source/drain region adjoining the gate region. The gate structure is disposed on the semiconductor substrate within the gate region. The epitaxial layer is disposed on the semiconductor substrate within the source/drain region. The interlayer dielectric covers the semiconductor substrate, the gate structure and the epitaxial layer. The contact hole penetrates the interlayer dielectric to reach the epitaxial layer. The metal silicide layer is formed in the epitaxial layer and is located on the bottom of the contact hole. The fluorine-containing layer is disposed on or in the epitaxial layer and is around sides of the metal silicide layer. |
| US09076756B2 |
Semiconductor device, semiconductor device unit, active matrix substrate, liquid crystal panel, and liquid crystal display
A semiconductor device (10) provided with at least a plurality of transistors and bootstrap capacitors (Ca1 and Cb1), the semiconductor device (10) includes: a semiconductor layer (22) made of the same material as a channel layer of each of the transistors; a capacitor electrode (24) formed in an upper layer of the semiconductor layer (22); and a clock signal line (17) formed in an upper layer of the capacitor electrode (24), the capacitor electrode (24) being connected to a gate electrode of each of the transistors, the clock signal line (17) being supplied with a clock signal (CK) from outside the semiconductor device (10), the capacitors (Ca1 and Cb1) each being formed in an overlap section where the semiconductor layer (22), the gate insulating film (23) and the capacitor electrode (24) overlap one another, the overlap section and the clock signal line (17) overlapping each other when viewed from above. |
| US09076755B2 |
Method for producing substrate for power module with heat sink, substrate for power module with heat sink, and power module
A method for producing a substrate for a power module with a heat sink includes a heat sink bonding step for bonding a heat sink to the surface of a second metal plate. The heat sink bonding step includes: a Cu layer forming step for forming a Cu layer on at least one of the surface of the second metal plate and a bonding surface of the heat sink; a heat sink laminating step for laminating the second metal plate and the heat sink via the Cu layer; a heat sink heating step for pressing in the lamination direction and heating the second metal plate and the heat sink, to diffuse Cu in the Cu layer into the second metal plate and the heat sink; and a molten metal solidifying step for solidifying the molten metal formed with Cu diffusion, to bond the second metal plate and the heat sink. |
| US09076753B2 |
Apparatus for the compact cooling of modules
An apparatus for the compact cooling of modules. The apparatus includes a clip, a first cover plate coupled to a first side of the clip, a second cover plate coupled to a second side of the clip opposite to the first side of the clip, a first frame thermally coupled to the first cover plate, and a second frame thermally coupled to the second cover plate. Each of the first frame and the second frame may include a plurality of channels for passing coolant through the first frame and the second frame, respectively. Additionally, the apparatus may further include a filler for directing coolant through the plurality of channels, and for blocking coolant from flowing along the first side of the clip and the second side of the clip. |
| US09076745B2 |
Organic light emitting display device and method for manufacturing the same
An OLED device is disclosed. The OLED device includes: a substrate defined into an active area in which a plurality of pixels are formed in a matrix shape, a GIP (gate-in-panel) area in which drive elements are formed, a ground contact area, and a seal line area; a thin film transistor formed in each pixel region within the active area; an organic light emission diode formed on a protective film and configured to include a first electrode, an organic light emission layer and a second electrode; a bank layer formed to divide the organic light emission diode into pixel units; a signal wiring formed in the ground contact area and the seal line area; and an extended portion formed from the same material as the first electrode of the organic light emission diode and configured to cover the signal wiring. |
| US09076744B2 |
Organic-based electronic component containing pixels
The invention relates to an organic-based electronic component, especially a component with reduced pixel crosstalk. According to the invention, the crosstalk is reduced by a grid electrode. |
| US09076739B2 |
Organic light-emitting display apparatus and method for manufacturing the same
An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes an insulating layer including a inclined structure; a first electrode on the insulating layer; a pixel defining layer on the insulating layer and the first electrode, and defining an emissive region and a non-emissive region; a bump on the pixel defining layer; an organic emission layer on the first electrode; and a second electrode on the organic emission layer. |
| US09076731B2 |
Architectural panels with organic photovoltaic interlayers and methods of forming the same
A method of making a photovoltaic panel includes previously preparing one or more pre-formed substrates with a first temperature and pressure to be non-planar, textured, embossed, colored, or combinations thereof. A manufacturer can then prepare a laminate assembly comprising one or more organic photovoltaic components one or more pre-formed substrates, and a barrier layer with one or more thermally-activated thermoplastic tie layers there between. The manufacturer can then finish the photovoltaic panel lamination by subjecting the assembly to a second set of temperatures and pressures sufficient to activate and bond the pre-formed substrate, barrier layer, and photovoltaic components without significantly softening the pre-formed substrates or otherwise degrading/damaging the organic photovoltaic components. A non-planar panel made by this method can be used in both exterior and interior decorative and/or structural applications where electrical generation is desired. |
| US09076729B2 |
Method of forming interconnection structure having notches for semiconductor device
A semiconductor device is disclosed. The device includes a substrate, a first dielectric layer disposed over the substrate and a metal structure disposed in the first dielectric layer and below a surface of the first dielectric layer. The metal structure has a such shape that having an upper portion with a first width and a lower portion with a second width. The second width is substantially larger than the first width. The semiconductor device also includes a sub-structure of a second dielectric positioned between the upper portion of the metal structure and the first dielectric layer. |
| US09076727B2 |
Damascene non-volatile memory cells and methods for forming the same
A non-volatile memory cell formed using damascene techniques includes a floating gate electrode that includes a recess lined with a control gate dielectric and filled with the control gate electrode material. The control gate material is a composite ONO, oxide-nitride-oxide sandwich dielectric in one embodiment. The floating gate transistors of the non-volatile memory cell include a high gate coupling ratio due to the increased area between the floating gate electrode and the control gate electrode. |
| US09076725B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method therefor
A semiconductor device manufacturing method is disclosed by which electron beam irradiation is accomplished at a low cost while exhibiting uniform characteristics. A wafer stack consisting of multiple stacked wafers is irradiated with an electron beam from both the front surface and reverse surface. As such, a semiconductor device manufacturing method is provided whereby the electrical characteristics are extremely uniform between wafers, and costs are reduced by reducing the number of electron beam irradiations. |
| US09076722B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes fin-type stacked layer structures. Each of the structures includes semiconductor layers stacked in a perpendicular direction. Assist gate electrodes are disposed in an in-plane direction and divided on a surface in the perpendicular direction of the structures. |
| US09076719B2 |
Doping of a substrate via a dopant containing polymer film
Disclosed herein is a method for doping a substrate, comprising disposing a coating of a composition comprising a dopant-containing polymer and a non-polar solvent on a substrate; and annealing the substrate at a temperature of 750 to 1300° C. for 1 second to 24 hours to diffuse the dopant into the substrate; wherein the dopant-containing polymer is a polymer having a covalently bound dopant atom; wherein the dopant-containing polymer is free of nitrogen and silicon; and wherein the method is free of a step of forming an oxide capping layer over the coating prior to the annealing step. |
| US09076713B2 |
Locally passivated germanium-on-insulator substrate
The invention relates to a method for fabricating a locally passivated germanium-on-insulator substrate wherein, in order to achieve good electron mobility, nitridized regions are provided at localized positions. Nitridizing is achieved using a plasma treatment. The resulting substrates also form part of the invention. |
| US09076704B2 |
Photoelectric conversion apparatus and manufacturing method for a photoelectric conversion apparatus
A photoelectric conversion apparatus has multiple photoelectric converting units disposed in a semiconductor substrate, and isolation portions disposed in the semiconductor substrate. Each photoelectric converting unit includes a second semiconductor region, a third semiconductor region, disposed below the second semiconductor region and a fourth semiconductor region disposed below the third semiconductor region. Each isolation portion includes a fifth semiconductor region, placed deeper than the surface of the semiconductor substrate and at least extending laterally to the second semiconductor region, containing a first conductivity type impurity, and a sixth semiconductor region, below the fifth semiconductor region and at least extending laterally to the third semiconductor region, containing the first conductivity type impurity, and the diffusion coefficient of the impurity contained in the fifth semiconductor region is lower than the diffusion coefficient of the impurity contained in the sixth semiconductor region. |
| US09076701B2 |
Wafer supporting structure, intermediate structure of a semiconductor package including the wafer supporting structure
A wafer supporting structure includes a supporting substrate for supporting a wafer, a release layer for detaching the wafer from the supporting substrate, and an adhesive layer for attaching the wafer to the supporting substrate. |
| US09076700B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing same
In a semiconductor device in which a plurality of semiconductor chips are stacked, performance is enhanced without deteriorating productivity. The semiconductor device has a plurality of elements, an interlayer insulating film, a pad, and a bump electrode electrically connected with the pad sequentially formed on a main surface of a silicon substrate and has a back-surface electrode formed on a back surface of the silicon substrate and electrically connected with the bump electrode. The bump electrode has a protruding portion penetrating through the pad and protruding toward the silicon substrate side. The back-surface electrode is formed so as to reach the protruding portion of the bump electrode from the back surface side of the silicon substrate toward the main surface side and to cover the inside of a back-surface electrode hole portion which does not reach the pad, so that the back-surface electrode is electrically connected with the bump electrode. |
| US09076699B2 |
TSV backside reveal structure and exposing process
A TSV exposing process is provided, including: performing a mechanical grinding process on the substrate back surface of a substrate with a TSV conductive column, a liner between the substrate and the TSV conductive column; performing a first and a second chemical mechanical polishing process on the grinded substrate back surface; then performing an etching on the substrate back surface, and making the TSV backside reveal more than 10 μm. |
| US09076696B2 |
Method of manufacturing flexible display
Provided is a method of manufacturing a flexible display, which can simplify manufacturing processes and reduce manufacturing expenses. A method of manufacturing a flexible display according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include: forming a sacrificial layer on a carrier substrate; forming a flexible substrate on the sacrificial layer; forming a TFT array on the flexible substrate; etching the sacrificial layer to separate the flexible substrate from the carrier substrate; attaching the flexible substrate to an adhesive roll; and attaching the flexible substrate, which has been attached to the adhesive roll, to a rear substrate. |
| US09076694B2 |
Light-emitting device and driving method thereof
Charge corresponding to a potential difference between electrodes of an electroluminescence element is accumulated in a period in which the electroluminescence element emits light; the potential difference is detected without decrease in the luminance at the time of light emission of the electroluminescence element; and a reference potential of one electrode of the electroluminescence element is changed based on the detected potential difference, so that reduction in luminance of the electroluminescence element due to deterioration of the electroluminescence element is compensated. |
| US09076691B2 |
Thin film transistor array panel and method of manufacturing the same
A method of manufacturing a thin film transistor array panel includes: a gate insulating layer disposed on a gate electrode, a semiconductor disposed on the gate insulating layer, a source electrode opposite a drain electrode disposed on the semiconductor, a color filter disposed on the gate insulating layer, an overcoat disposed on the color filter and including an inorganic material. A first dry etching is performed using the photosensitive film pattern as a mask to etch the overcoat and provide a preliminary contact hole, through which a portion of the color filter is exposed. A second dry etching is performed using the overcoat as a mask to etch the color filter through the preliminary contact hole and to provide a contact hole, through which a portion of the drain electrode is exposed. A pixel electrode is connected to the drain electrode through the contact hole, on the overcoat. |
| US09076689B2 |
Reducing resistance in source and drain regions of FinFETs
A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor fin on a top surface of a substrate, wherein the semiconductor fin includes a middle section having a first width; and a first and a second end section connected to opposite ends of the middle section, wherein the first and the second end sections each comprises at least a top portion having a second width greater than the first width. The semiconductor structure further includes a gate dielectric layer on a top surface and sidewalls of the middle section of the semiconductor fin; and a gate electrode on the gate dielectric layer. |
| US09076688B1 |
Scatterometry for nested and isolated structures
Methodologies and an apparatus for enabling scatterometry to be used to estimate dimensions of fabricated semiconductor devices are provided. Embodiments include initiating scatterometry on a fabricated test structure comprising a two-dimensional array of features, each of the features being horizontally separated from an adjacent one of the features by a narrow trench region extending a first distance in a horizontal direction and each of the features being vertically separated from an adjacent one of the features by an isolated trench region extending a second distance in a vertical direction. A scattering spectra corresponding to one or more physical characteristics of the fabricated test structure based on results of the scatterometry is determined. The scattering spectra is associated with the one or more physical characteristics in a library for estimating at least one physical dimension of a fabricated structure. |
| US09076686B1 |
Field effect transistor constructions and memory arrays
A field effect transistor construction comprises two source/drain regions and a channel region there-between. The channel region comprises a transition metal dichalcogenide material having a thickness of 1 monolayer to 7 monolayers and having a physical length between the source/drain regions. A mid-gate is operatively proximate a mid-portion of the channel region relative to the physical length. A pair of gates is operatively proximate different respective portions of the channel region from the portion of the channel region that the mid-gate is proximate. The pair of gates are spaced and electrically isolated from the mid-gate on opposite sides of the mid-gate. Gate dielectric is between a) the channel region, and b) the mid-gate and the pair of gates. Additional embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09076678B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device has at least a first capacitor and a second capacitor. First electrodes of the first and second capacitors are connected in common, a first voltage (½ VPERI) is applied to the first electrodes, a second voltage (for example, VPERI) that is different from the first voltage is applied to either one of the second electrodes, and the first voltage is applied to the other second electrode. A capacitor which constitutes a dummy capacitance is provided by applying one of the second electrodes of the first and second capacitors with the same voltage as the voltage applied to their first electrodes, whereby making it possible to increase the area of the compensation capacitance in the semiconductor device without changing a specified capacitance value. |
| US09076668B2 |
Method of manufacturing the trench of U-shape
The present invention relates to the manufacture of CMOS semiconductor device. This invention includes: Step S1, a layer of silicon oxide is deposited covering the surface of the polysilicon gates and the exposed upper surface of the silicon substrate, the silicon oxide layer is removed on the upper surface of the exposed silicon substrate, and then the barrier layer is formed at the surface of the polysilicon gates; Step S2, the ions are implanted into the exposed substrate, and then several doped silicon regions are formed in the silicon substrate; Step S3, the doped silicon regions are etched to form the trench of U-shape, then the barrier layer is removed. The present invention protects the polysilicon gate and the substrate during the process of forming the trench. The rate of etching is increased and the productivity is improved and it is possible to control the depth of the U-shaped trench. |
| US09076662B2 |
Fin-JFET
Methods, devices, and systems integrating Fin-JFETs and Fin-MOSFETs are provided. One method embodiment includes forming at least on Fin-MOSFET on a substrate and forming at least on Fin-JFET on the substrate. |
| US09076661B2 |
Methods for manganese nitride integration
Described are methods of forming a semiconductor device. Certain methods comprises depositing a film comprising manganese nitride over a dielectric; depositing a copper seed layer over the film; and depositing a copper fill layer over the copper seed layer. Also described are semiconductor devices. Certain semiconductor devices comprise a low-k dielectric layer; a manganese nitride layer overlying the low-k dielectric layer; a seed layer selected from a copper seed layer or electrochemical deposition seed layer overlying the manganese nitride layer; a copper layer overlying the copper seed layer. |
| US09076660B2 |
Power module package
Disclosed herein is a power module package including: a first module configured of a first substrate having one surface and the other surface, a first semiconductor chip mounted on one surface of the first substrate, and a first sealing member formed to cover the first semiconductor chip mounted on one surface of the first substrate from both sides in a thickness direction of the first substrate and expose the other surface of the first substrate; and a case enclosing the first module. |
| US09076655B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of forming through-silicon-via with sacrificial layer
A semiconductor device can be formed by first providing a semiconductor wafer, and forming a conductive via into the semiconductor wafer. A portion of the semiconductor wafer can be removed so that the conductive via extends above a surface of the semiconductor wafer. A first insulating layer can be formed over the surface of the semiconductor wafer and the conductive via, followed by a second insulating layer, the second insulating layer having a different material composition than the first insulating layer. Portions of the insulating layers can be removed to expose the conductive via. |
| US09076654B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device has: a power supply line; a ground line; a signal line for transmitting a signal; a signal pad connected to the signal line; a protection element connected between the signal line and the ground line; and a trigger circuit configured to supply a trigger current to the protection element. The trigger circuit has: a PMOS transistor whose gate and backgate are connected to the power supply line and whose source is connected to the protection element; and an amplifier circuit part configured to amplify a first current flowing through the PMOS transistor to generate a second current. The trigger current includes the second current. |
| US09076640B2 |
Performance improvements for RF-only quadrupole mass filters and linear quadrupole ion traps with axial ejection
A RF only quadrupole rod set mass filter or mass analyzer and a linear quadrupole ion trap with axial ejection are disclosed comprising a first pair of rod electrodes, a second pair of rod electrodes and an energy filter. The first pair of rod electrodes is longer than the second pair of rod electrodes. Ions having desired mass to charge ratios experience fringing fields at an exit region which results in the ions possessing sufficient axial kinetic energy to be transmitted by the energy filter. Other ions possess insufficient axial kinetic energy to be transmitted by the energy filter and are attenuated. |
| US09076639B2 |
Transmissive-reflective photocathode
The present invention includes a transmissive-reflective photocathode including a membrane configured to absorb photons from an illumination source via a first surface of the membrane, the membrane further configured to emit photoelectrons in a reflection mode via the first surface, the membrane further configured to emit photoelectrons in a transmissive mode via a second surface, the first surface and the second surface being substantially parallel, and a membrane support structure configured to mechanically secure the membrane, the membrane support structure further configured to provide at least a first pathway between the first surface and free space and a second pathway between the second surface and free space. |
| US09076638B2 |
Mass spectrometer method and mass spectrometer
A variation in an ionization efficiency and the amount of sample which is introduced into an ion trap is corrected and quantified. Ions of an internal standard and ions of a sample are trapped in the ion trap at the same time, and a concentration of the sample is quantified according to an intensity of the ions of the internal standard which are mass-selectively ejected, and an intensity of fragment ions of the sample. |
| US09076633B2 |
Electron-beam device
In order to improve the performance of an electron-beam device, the ends of the cathode housing is provided with dome-shaped structures. |
| US09076632B2 |
Position sensitive STEM detector
A STEM system is disclosed wherein an imaging system is used to image the electron scatter pattern plane of the HAADF detector onto a two-dimensional array detector. A data acquisition system stores and processes the data from the two-dimensional array detector. For each illumination pixel of the STEM, one frame of data is generated and stored Each frame includes data of all scattered angles and can be analyzed in real time or in off-line at any time after the scan. A method is disclosed for detecting electrons emitted from a sample by detecting electrons scattered from the sample and generating plurality of corresponding signals, each signal indicative of scattering angle of a scattered electron; generating a plurality of signal groups, each signal group being a collection of signals of a user selected scattering angle. |
| US09076623B2 |
Switching micro-resonant structures by modulating a beam of charged particles
When using micro-resonant structures, a resonant structure may be turned on or off (e.g., when a display element is turned on or off in response to a changing image or when a communications switch is turned on or off to send data different data bits). Rather than turning the charged particle beam on and off, the beam may be moved to a position that does not excite the resonant structure, thereby turning off the resonant structure without having to turn off the charged particle beam. In one such embodiment, at least one deflector is placed between a source of charged particles and the resonant structure(s) to be excited. When the resonant structure is to be turned on (i.e., excited), the at least one deflector allows the beam to pass by undeflected. When the resonant structure is to be turned off, the at least one deflector deflects the beam away from the resonant structure by an amount sufficient to prevent the resonant structure from becoming excited. |
| US09076615B2 |
Method of forming an integrated electromechanical relay
A method is provided to form an electromechanical relay. A magnetic layer is etched to form a substrate-metal structure having a pattern of conductive contacts. The substrate-metal structure is electroplated. The electroplated structure is attached to a printed circuit board (PCB). A portion of the electroplated structure is removed to electrically decouple the conductive contacts. The PCB includes a common contact terminal aligned to one end of each conductive contact. The PCB includes magnetic actuators each having a magnetic core with a first core part disposed within a via extending through layers of the PCB, and an electrical coil disposed around the first core part within layers of the PCB. Each conductive contact is aligned to an associated magnetic actuator to enable electrical contact between the common contact terminal and the conductive contact upon activation of the associated magnetic actuator. |
| US09076613B2 |
Method of thermally operating an electrical interrupt switch
A thermally activated electrical interrupt device incorporates a thermally activated portion engaging with an electrical interrupt portion. The thermally activated material expands when heated, causing an interrupt control rod to open an electrical contact. When the interrupt device is placed into an interrupt state, a reset mechanism maintains the interrupt control rod in the interrupt state until specifically reset. An actuating shaft is in operational communication with at least one electrical contact. The actuating shaft is maintained in a thermal monitoring position until an interrupt control rod is moved via a thermally expanding material and engages with the actuating shaft, releasing it from the thermal monitoring position. The actuating shaft is projected via a biasing member to cause a change in state of the electrical contact. The actuating shaft remains in the interrupt state until the user resets the switch. |
| US09076612B2 |
Integrating impact switch
An integrating impact switch that can discriminate between accelerations due to different stimuli is provided. Embodiments of the present invention actuate only in response to an acceleration whose magnitude is equal to or greater than an acceleration threshold for a predetermined continuous period of time. Embodiments of the present invention comprise an impact switch having a throw that is operatively coupled with a viscous damper that dampens motion of the throw. As a result, a stimulus that imparts an acceleration that meets or exceeds an acceleration threshold for a time period less than a predetermined time-period threshold does not actuate the switch. A stimulus that imparts an acceleration whose magnitude is equal to or greater than the acceleration threshold for a time period equal to the time-period threshold, however, does actuate the switch. |
| US09076610B2 |
Rotary knob assembly
A rotary knob assembly having a lightpipe affixed to a push button within a rotary knob portion that may be rotatably affixed to a vehicle control panel. The lightpipe engages a halo ring surrounding the push button and is disposed between the push button and the rotary knob portion. The lightpipe has a plurality of concentric circles recessively disposed thereon to provide illumination to the knob assembly specifically, to the halo ring and a graphic display of the push button. The rotary knob assembly has a first light emitting diode in communication with the control panel to provide light to the lightpipe. Light is transmitted and refracted through the lightpipe illuminating the halo ring surrounding the push button as well as distributes light to the recessed portion or gaps between the plurality of concentric circles which allow light to flow directly to the graphic display of the push button. |
| US09076609B2 |
Touch input device
A touch input device includes: a film that extends from a bulging portion bulging upward to a flat surface; a first detection region that is formed in the bulging portion and detects coordinates in a first direction and a second direction intersecting with the first direction in response to a touch to a surface of the film by an object; and a second detection region that detects a touch without detecting the coordinates in response to a touch to the surface by the object in a region other than the first detection region. |
| US09076601B2 |
Insulation failure inspecting apparatus, insulation failure inspecting method using same, and method for manufacturing electrochemical cell
A method for manufacturing an electrochemical cell includes housing a main cell body in an outer packaging body of packaging material formed by laminating a metal foil layer and a heat-sealable resin layer, provided the tip ends of a first metal terminal and a second metal terminal are protruding outside the outer packaging body, heat-sealing a peripheral edge portion of the outer packaging body so the outer packaging body has the first and second terminals protruding; applying a voltage between the first terminal and the foil layer or between the second terminal and the foil layer; and inspecting for insulation failure from a short circuit between the first or second terminal and the foil layer or from a crack in the heat-sealable resin layer, based on a variation of a voltage held between the one of the metal terminals and the metal foil layer after halting the voltage. |
| US09076598B2 |
Paste for dye-sensitized solar cell, transparent insulation film for dye-sensitized solar cell, dye-sensitized solar cell, and dye-sensitized solar cell fabrication method
A paste containing a silica polymer, made by substituting at least some of the surface functional groups thereof with alkyl groups, and solvent-removable inorganic particles is prepared, and the paste is applied and fired to form a transparent insulating film in a dye-sensitized solar cell. |
| US09076597B2 |
Monolithic ceramic capacitor
A monolithic ceramic capacitor includes an element body including a multilayer portion including a plural conductor layers and plural ceramic dielectric layers alternately stacked in a thickness direction. The element body is divided in the thickness direction into thickness-direction first and outer layer portions made of the ceramic dielectric layers, and a thickness-direction inner layer portion including the multilayer portion. The element body bulges to the outer side at a center portion in a length direction, and center portions in the length direction of the plural conductor layers are curved to the outer side. The thickness of a portion of the first outer layer portion adjacent to a first extension portion is larger than the thickness of a center portion thereof, and the thickness of a portion of the second outer layer portion adjacent to a second extension portion is larger than the thickness of a center portion thereof. |
| US09076595B2 |
Capacitor
A capacitor includes a dielectric layer having a first plane, a second plane opposite to the first plane, and first and second through-holes communicated with the first plane and the second plane; a first external conductor layer disposed on the first plane; a second external conductor layer disposed on the second plane; a first internal electrode formed in the first through-hole, connected to the first external electrode layer, disposed in the second hole diameter part at a tip and separated from the second external electrode layer; and a second internal electrode formed in the second through-hole, connected to the second external electrode layer, and separated from the first external electrode layer. |
| US09076594B2 |
Capacitors using porous alumina structures
Capacitors and methods of making the same are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a capacitor comprises a structure having first and second oppositely facing surfaces and a plurality of pores each extending in a first direction from the first surface towards the second surface, and each having pore having insulating material extending along a wall of the pore; a first conductive portion comprising an electrically conductive material extending within at least some of the pores; and a second conductive portion comprising a region of the structure consisting essentially of aluminum surrounding individual pores of the plurality of pores, the second conductive portion electrically isolated from the first conductive portion by the insulating material extending along the walls of the pores. |
| US09076592B2 |
Wet capacitor cathode containing a conductive coating formed anodic electrochemical polymerization of a microemulsion
A wet electrolytic capacitor that contains an anodically oxidized porous anode body, a cathode containing a metal substrate coated with a conductive coating, and a working electrolyte that wets the dielectric on the anode. The conductive coating is formed through anodic electrochemical polymerization (“electro-polymerization”) of a microemulsion on the surface of the metal substrate. The microemulsion is a thermodynamically stable, isotropic liquid mixture that contains a precursor monomer, sulfonic acid, nonionic surfactant, and solvent. |
| US09076586B2 |
Coil component
A coil component includes a coil element, a body having a square pole shape which accommodates the coil component therein, and a pair of terminals. The first ends of the terminals are respectively fixed to the side surfaces, opposite to each other, of the body. The terminals are bent from the side surfaces toward the bottom surface of the body. The second end of each of the terminals includes corner parts at the both side portions thereof. The bottom surface of the body is provided with recesses at locations not overlapping with the coil component, viewed from the bottom surface. The recesses are recessed from the bottom surface of the body and penetrating to one of the side surfaces. The corner parts of the terminals are locked on the bottom surface of the body, by being bent along inner walls of the recesses. |
| US09076582B2 |
Magnetic component and bobbin thereof
A bobbin can be used for a magnetic component. The magnetic component includes at least one coil, and the coil includes at least one pin. The bobbin includes a body and a pin holder. The body includes a winding part and two plates. The winding part is used for winding the coil. The plates are respectively disposed on the opposites of the winding part. The pin holder is disposed on one of the plates, and it includes at least one locating hole for inserting the pin. |
| US09076581B2 |
Method for manufacturing high temperature electromagnetic coil assemblies including brazed braided lead wires
By way of example, a method for manufacturing an electromagnetic coil assembly includes the steps of providing a braided aluminum lead wire having a first end portion and a second end portion, brazing the first end portion of the braided aluminum lead wire to a first electrically-conductive interconnect member, and winding a magnet wire into an electromagnetic coil. The second end portion of the braided aluminum lead wire is joined to the magnet wire after the step of brazing. |
| US09076580B2 |
Coil for enhancing the degree of freedom of a magnetic field
A coil for forming an induced magnetic field may include a first coil bundle formed of a first conducting wire wound in a first direction, the first coil bundle having an inner space of a prescribed inner width, a second coil bundle formed of a second conducting wire wound in a second direction, the second coil bundle having a prescribed outer width that is smaller than the inner width of the first coil bundle, and a connector that electrically connects the first conducting wire and the second conducting wire to each other. The second coil bundle may be provided in the inner space of the first coil bundle. The conducting wires of the first and second coil bundles may be wound in opposite directions and gaps between coil bundles may be changed. Accordingly, the magnetic field can be more evenly distributed in a wider area while maintaining a constant inductance. |
| US09076579B2 |
Magnetic exchange coupled core-shell nanomagnets
A permanent magnet is fabricated such that it has a magnetically hard core surrounded by a thin magnetically soft shell. The magnetically hard core provides a relatively high intrinsic coercivity (Hci), and the magnetically soft shell provides a relatively high magnetic flux density (B). Due to magnetic exchange coupling between the core and shell, a relatively high maximum energy product (BH)max is achievable over a wide temperature range, including temperatures above 150° C. Further, such effects can be achieved without using rare-earth metals or precious metals helping to keep the manufacturing costs of the magnet low. To allow sufficient exchange magnetic coupling between the core and shell, the width of the shell is less than about 40 nanometers, and the overall dimensions are controlled such that the width of the shell is less than two times the Bloch domain wall thickness of the core. |
| US09076578B2 |
Dielectric composition and ceramic electronic component including the same
There is provided a dielectric composition, including; a base powder including BamTiO3 (0.995≦m≦1.010); a first sub-component including 0.05 to 4.00 moles of an oxide or carbonate containing at least one rare-earth element based on 100 moles of the base powder; a second sub-component including 0.05 to 0.70 moles of an oxide or carbonate containing at least one transition metal; a third sub-component including 0.20 to 2.00 moles of a Si oxide; a fourth sub-component including 0.02 to 1.00 mole of an Al oxide; and a fifth sub-component including 20 to 140% of an oxide containing at least one of Ba and Ca, based on the third sub-component. |
| US09076577B2 |
Resistor arrangement and method of use
This disclosure relates to a semiconductor device including resistor arrangement including a first resistor electrically connected to a ground voltage and a second resistor in direct physical contact with the first resistor. The second resistor is configured to receive a temperature independent current and the second resistor has thermal properties similar to those of the first resistor. This disclosure also relates to a semiconductor device including a load configured to receive an operating voltage and a voltage source configured to supply the operating voltage. The semiconductor device further includes a resistor arrangement between the load and the voltage source. This disclosure also relates to a method of using a resistor arrangement to calculate an operating current. |
| US09076572B2 |
Conductive paste
A conductive paste is provided, which includes 3 wt % to 20 wt % of epoxy resin, 10 wt % to 25 wt % of solvent, 0.3 wt % to 5 wt % of latent curing agent, 3.5 wt % to 35 wt % of flaky metal powder surface-treated by saturated fatty acid, and 35 wt % to 75 wt % of flaky metal powder surface-treated by unsaturated fatty acid. |
| US09076569B2 |
Cu—Co—Si alloy material and manufacturing method thereof
A copper alloy material suitable for materials for electronic and electrical equipments such as movable connectors having excellent bending workability and being able to show high electrical conductivity was achieved by a Cu—Co—Si alloy material containing 1.5 to 2.5 wt % of Co and 0.3 to 0.7 wt % of Si, having a Co/Si element ratio of 3.5 to 5.0, containing 3,000 to 150,000 second phase particles per mm2 having diameters of from 0.20 μm or more to less than 1.00 μm, having a grain size of 10 μm or less, an electrical conductivity of 60% IACS or more, and good bending workability. The above alloy material contains 10 to 1,000 second phase particles per mm2 having diameters of from 1.00 to 5.00 μm, the 0.2% yield strength may be 600 MPa or more, the temperature of hot heating performed after casting and before solution treatment is a temperature that is 45° C. or more higher than the solution treatment temperature selected below, the cooling rate from the temperature at the start of hot rolling to 600° C. is 100° C./min or lower, the solution treatment temperature is selected from (50×Co wt %+775)° C. or more to (50×Co wt %+825)° C. or less, and can be manufactured employing aging treatment after solution treatment preferably at 450 to 650° C. for 1 to 20 hours. |
| US09076563B2 |
Anti-scatter collimators for detector systems of multi-slice X-ray computed tomography systems
A detector system for multi-slice X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) system is disclosed. The detector system comprises a plurality of X-ray detector modules for detecting X-ray photons; wherein each detector module is divided into individual detector elements organized in a matrix fashion with element rows (z-axis for row direction) and element columns (x-axis for column direction) for detecting X-ray photons; wherein the individual detector elements are interspaced by gaps (areas that do not detect radiation), which are also organized in a matrix fashion with gap rows and gap columns; and an anti-scatter collimator comprising a plurality of anti-scatter plates, which is placed above the detector modules and aligned to focus on an X-ray source of the CT system; wherein some or all of the anti-scatter plates are placed above the detector elements; wherein those anti-scatter plates that are placed above the detector elements block a portion of primary X-ray photons from the X-ray source in addition to scattered X-ray photons from reaching the detector elements. |
| US09076562B2 |
Phase plate
A phase plate for a charged particle beam system, such as a transmission electron microscope (TEM), is described. The phase plate comprises a support having a through-hole and an elongate member which is magnetisable in a direction along its length and which extends partially across the through-hole and which is narrower than the through-hole. |
| US09076561B2 |
Methods and apparatus for selective gaseous extraction of molybdenum-99 and other fission product radioisotopes
Methods and apparatus are provided for producing and extracting Mo-99 and other radioisotopes from fission products that overcome the drawbacks of previously-known systems, especially the excessive generation of radioactive wastes, by providing gas-phase extraction of fission product radioisotopes from a nuclear fuel target using a mixture including halide and an oxygen-containing species with heat to convert the fission product radioisotopes to gas (e.g., Mo-99 to MoO2Cl2 gas). The gaseous species are evacuated to a recovery chamber where the radioisotopes solidify for subsequent processing, while the substantially intact uranium target made available for further irradiation and extraction cycles. |
| US09076558B2 |
Memory test system and memory test method
A memory test system and a memory test method are provided. The memory test system includes a control unit, a data reading channel, a data writing channel and a test channel. The control unit generates and outputs a first read and a first write command. The data reading channel and the data writing channel coupled to the memory unit, and the control unit respectively reads data from the memory unit at a first time and writes the data back to the memory unit at a second time according to the first read command and the first write command. The test channel receives the data from the data reading channel through an input end and outputs the data back to the data writing channel through an output end after a time delay. The time delay is substantially equal to a time interval between the first time and the second time. |
| US09076557B2 |
Read margin measurement in a read-only memory
Read margin measurement circuitry for measuring the read margin of floating-gate programmable non-volatile memory cells. In some embodiments, the read margin of a cell with a floating-gate transistor in a non-conductive state is measured by periodically clocking a counter following initiation of a read cycle; a latch stores the counter contents upon the cell under test making a transition due to leakage of the floating-gate transistor. Logic for testing a group of cells in parallel is disclosed. In some embodiments, the read margin of a cell in which the floating-gate transistor is set to a conductive state is measured by repeatedly reading the cell, with the output developing a voltage corresponding to the duty cycle of the output of the read circuit. |
| US09076555B2 |
Failure diagnosis circuit
A failure diagnosis circuit includes a multiplexer and a controller. The multiplexer receives address signals, and selectively outputs one of the address signals to an addressable module in response to a selecting signal. The controller generates a first one of address signals and the selecting signal. A built-in self-test circuit generates the second address signal. The addressable module includes addressable components responsive to the address signal. The controller processes the output of the addressable module responsive to the address signal to make a failure diagnosis. The built-in self-test circuit performs signature analysis on the read out output of the addressable module. |
| US09076554B1 |
Low-noise low-distortion signal acquisition circuit and method with reduced area utilization
A sample and hold amplifier includes an input node for receiving an input current signal, a non-linear sampling capacitor circuit having an input coupled to the input node, an operational amplifier having a negative input coupled to an output of the non-linear sampling capacitor circuit, a positive input coupled to ground, and an output for providing a sample and hold voltage signal, and a linear capacitor coupled between the negative input and the output of the operational amplifier. The non-linear sampling capacitor includes a non-linear capacitor coupled between an intermediate node and ground, a first switch coupled between the input and the intermediate node configured to switch according to a first phase signal, and a second switch coupled between the output and the intermediate node configured to switch according to a second phase signal. |
| US09076552B2 |
Device including a dual port static random access memory cell and method for the formation thereof
A device includes a substrate and a dual port static random access memory cell. The substrate includes an N-well region, a first P-well region and a second P-well region. The first and second P-well regions are arranged on opposite sides of the N-well region and spaced apart along a width direction. The static random access memory cell includes first and second pull-up transistors that are provided in the N-well region, a first pair of pull-down transistors and a first pair of access transistors provided in the first P-well region, and a second pair of pull-down transistors and a second pair of access transistors provided in the second P-well region. Each of the first pair and the second pair of pull-down transistors includes a first pull-down transistor and a second pull-down transistor. Active regions of the first pull-down transistor and the second pull-down transistor are spaced apart along the width direction. |
| US09076550B2 |
Test circuit for testing refresh circuitry of a semiconductor memory device
A test circuit of a semiconductor apparatus includes a test temperature information generation section, an erroneous operation prevention unit, and a refresh cycle adjustment unit. The test temperature information generation section outputs test temperature information having a plurality of bits in a test operation mode, and irregularly changes logic values of the plurality of bits and transition time points of the logic values. The erroneous operation prevention unit generates a temperature compensation signal in response to the test temperature information. The refresh cycle adjustment unit changes a cycle of a reference refresh signal in response to the temperature compensation signal, and generates a refresh signal. |
| US09076542B2 |
Memory system having variable operating voltage and related method of operation
A magneto-resistive random access memory (MRAM) including an MRAM cell array having an MRAM cell, and a control and voltage generation unit configured to generate a back bias voltage for the MRAM cell. The control and voltage generation unit including a command decoder configured to generate a decoding signal in response to a command output from a memory controller, and a voltage controller and generator configured to generate the back bias voltage with a magnitude based on the decoding signal and a reset signal output from the memory controller. |
| US09076540B2 |
Symmetrical differential sensing method and system for STT MRAM
The invention relates to methods and systems for reading a memory cell and in particular, an STT MRAM. In one example, a system for reading a memory cell includes a sense path and an inverse path. A reference current is provided through the sense path and is sampled via a first sampling element in the sense path, and a cell current from the memory cell is provided through the inverse sense path and is sampled via a second sampling element in the inverse sense path. Subsequently, the memory cell is disconnected from the inverse sense path, the cell current is provided through the sense path, the reference source is disconnected from the sense path, and the reference current is provided through the inverse sense path. The output levels are then determined by the cell and reference currents working against the sampled reference and sampled cell currents. |
| US09076535B2 |
Array arrangement including carrier source
A source of charge carriers in thin film transistor-based memory devices is provided for a memory. The source of charge carriers can include a diode having a first and second terminal. A NAND string coupled on a first end via a first switch to a bit line, is coupled on a second end via a second switch to the first terminal of the diode. Separately drivable first and second supply lines are coupled to the first and second terminals, respectively of the diode. Circuitry is included that is coupled to the first and second supply lines, that is configured to bias the first and second supply lines with different bias conditions depending on the mode of operation, including forward bias conditions and reverse bias conditions. |
| US09076532B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and method of testing the same
A semiconductor memory device comprises a first-supplied-voltage-supplying pad, a second-supplied-voltage-supplying pad, a data input/output pad, a memory body, a buffer circuit and an impedance-controlling circuit. A first supplied voltage is supplied to the memory body. A second supplied voltage is supplied to the buffer circuit. The impedance-controlling circuit controls an impedance of the buffer circuit on a side connected to the data input/output pad. The semiconductor memory device comprises a voltage-generating circuit generating a first inner voltage. The impedance-controlling circuit comprises a first P-channel transistor. A source terminal of the first P-channel transistor is connected to the first-supplied-voltage-supplying pad, and the first inner voltage generated from the voltage-generating circuit is selectively supplied to a gate terminal of the first P-channel transistor. |
| US09076531B2 |
Memory device and redundancy method thereof
A memory device includes at least one memory, a controller controlling the at least one memory and a connect unit. The at least one memory includes a memory region comprising a plurality of memory cells, a redundant memory region comprising a plurality of memory cells and a redundancy information memory unit. The redundancy information memory unit stores redundancy information of the memory cells of the memory region. The controller includes a control unit. The control unit controls data read-out from the at least one memory and data to be written-in to the at least one memory according to the redundancy information stored in the redundancy information memory unit. |
| US09076530B2 |
Non-volatile write buffer data retention pending scheduled verification
Method and apparatus for managing data in a memory. In accordance with some embodiments, a non-volatile (NV) buffer is adapted to store input write data having a selected logical address. A write circuit is adapted to transfer a copy of the input write data to an NV main memory while retaining the stored input write data in the NV buffer. A verify circuit is adapted to perform a verify operation at the conclusion of a predetermined elapsed time interval to verify successful transfer of the copy of the input write data to the NV main memory. The input write data are retained in the NV buffer until successful transfer is verified. |
| US09076528B2 |
Apparatus including memory management control circuitry and related methods for allocation of a write block cluster
Memory system controllers can include non-volatile memory control circuitry including a plurality of channel control circuits. Each of the plurality of channel control circuits can be configured to be coupled to a respective number of logical units (LUNs). Memory management circuitry can be coupled to the non-volatile memory control circuitry and configured to allocate a write block cluster for host writes based on an information width of a host bus and a protocol of the host bus. The write block cluster can include one block from fewer than all of the LUNs. |
| US09076525B2 |
Semiconductor storage device and method of controlling data thereof
A semiconductor storage device includes a memory cell array, and a control circuit. The memory cell array has memory cells including variable resistive elements disposed at intersections of a plurality of first lines and a plurality of second lines. The control circuit performs a set pulse applying operation, and a cure pulse applying operation. The set pulse applying operation applies a set pulse to a variable resistive element so as to cause the variable resistive element to transition from a high resistance state to a low resistance state. The cure pulse applying operation applies a cure pulse to the variable resistive element. The cure pulse has a polarity that is opposite of a polarity of the set pulse, and is larger than the set pulse. |
| US09076522B2 |
Memory cells breakdown protection
A method is disclosed that includes the operations outlined below. A first voltage is applied to a gate of an access transistor of each of a row of memory cells during a reset operation, wherein a first source/drain of the access transistor is electrically connected to a first electrode of a resistive random access memory (RRAM) device in the same memory cell. An inhibition voltage is applied to a second electrode of the RRAM device or to a second source/drain of the access transistor of each of a plurality of unselected memory cells when the first voltage is applied to the gate of the access transistor. |
| US09076521B2 |
Method and apparatus for decoding memory
A thin-film memory may include a thin-film transistor-free address decoder in conjunction with thin-film memory elements to yield an all-thin-film memory. Such a thin-film memory excludes all single-crystal electronic devices and may be formed, for example, on a low-cost substrate, such as fiberglass, glass or ceramic. The memory may be configured for operation with an external memory controller. |
| US09076518B2 |
Three-dimensional memory structures having shared pillar memory cells
A three-dimensional non-volatile memory system is disclosed including a memory array utilizing shared pillar structures for memory cell formation. A shared pillar structure includes two non-volatile storage elements. A first end surface of each pillar contacts one array line from a first set of array lines and a second end surface of each pillar contacts two array lines from a second set of array lines that is vertically separated from the first set of array lines. Each pillar includes a first subset of layers that are divided into portions for the individual storage elements in the pillar. Each pillar includes a second subset of layers that is shared between both non-volatile storage elements formed in the pillar. The individual storage elements each include a steering element and a state change element. |
| US09076512B2 |
Synchronous nonvolatile memory device and memory system supporting consecutive division addressing DRAM protocol
A nonvolatile memory device and system having a nonvolatile memory device accessible with a DRAM protocol for generating a first command signal and a second command signal based on a row address strobe signal and a column address strobe signal and storing an n-bit row address signal based on the first command signal, an n-bit column address signal based on the second command signal, and decoding the n-bit row address signal and the n-bit column address signal to synchronously provide a row selection signal and a column selection signal to a memory cell array. |
| US09076507B2 |
Nonvolatile memory and method of operating nonvolatile memory
A nonvolatile memory includes multiple banks, control logic and multiple read and write (RW) circuits. Each bank includes multiple memory cells. The control logic includes multiple storage units corresponding to the banks, respectively, and configured to output write enable signals and read enable signals to respective banks based on mode information stored in respective storage units. The RW circuits are connected to the banks, respectively, and are configured to independently enable or disable write and read operations of the respective banks in response to the write enable signals and the read enable signals of the respective banks. In an initial state after the mode information is stored in the respective storage units, the control logic activates the write enable signals and the read enable signals of the respective banks regardless of the mode information stored in the respective storage units. |
| US09076506B2 |
Variable rate parallel to serial shift register
A shift register structure is presented that can be used in variable rate parallel to serial data conversions. In an N to 1 conversion, data is received from an (N×m)-wide parallel data bus in an N by m wide latch. This data can include m-bit wide units of data are to be ignore and the parallel bus clock will be of variable rate due to this data to be skipped, which is not to be put out on to the serial bus. The data is transferred from the latch to an N unit shift register, each unit holding m-bits. Multiplexing circuitry is included so that at least on unit of the shift can receive data from more than one latch location, thereby reducing the number of units in the shift register that may need to be skipped when the data is transferred out on to an m-bit wide serial bus with the bits to be ignored absent. |
| US09076504B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and refresh method thereof
A semiconductor memory device and a self-refresh method of the semiconductor memory device. The semiconductor memory device includes: a memory cell array including one or more memory cells; a sense amplifier connected to a sensing line and a complementary sensing line and sensing/amplifying data stored in the one or more memory cells; and a sense amplifier control circuit sequentially supplying a first voltage and a second voltage having different levels to the sense amplifier through the sensing line during a refresh operation. |
| US09076503B2 |
Semiconductor device
A word driver drives a word line with a first power supply voltage and with a second power supply voltage which has a potential lower than the first power potential, respectively in a first time period and in a second time period following the first time period for activating the word line. |
| US09076499B2 |
Refresh rate performance based on in-system weak bit detection
A memory subsystem can test a memory device in situ, testing the performance of the device in the system it is built into during production. Thus, the refresh rate can be adjusted specific to the memory device(s) of a specific system, rather than defaulting to a refresh frequency specified by a standard for the memory device(s). A test component embedded within the host memory subsystem can perform a test and identify specific bits or lines of memory that produce errors when a lower frequency refresh rate is used. The system maps out the identified bits or lines to prevent the bits/lines from being used in runtime of the system. The memory subsystem can then set its refresh rate to an adjusted refresh rate at which a threshold number of errors can be removed by mapping out the bits/lines. |
| US09076493B2 |
Video processing method apparatus
Embodiments of the present invention provide a video processing method, including: parsing, by a buffer server, a video file, and creating a video index file, where the index file includes a position of a key frame in the video file; receiving information about a target position of video dragging and sent by a client; determining a key frame closest to the target position according to the index file and the target position; and sending video file data that begins with a position of the closest key frame to the client so that the client starts playing from the target position. Correspondingly, the embodiments of the present invention further provide a buffer server, which solves the problem that a video without a file header and a video dragged beyond a storage range of a server cannot be played after being dragged, and improves user experience. |
| US09076491B2 |
Audio data inputting apparatus and audio data outputting apparatus
As for an audio data outputting apparatus and an audio data inputting apparatus for performing processing on audio data to transfer the audio data at each predetermined frame period, the processing on audio data performed at each frame period is done by hardware other than a CPU so that the CPU will not be interrupted at each frame period. In a case of transfer of audio data from a host to the audio data outputting apparatus, a reproduction control portion controls the data transfer in which a reception buffer and a reproduction buffer are involved, also controlling a receiving portion and a processing portion (DSP). In a case of transfer of audio data from the audio inputting apparatus to the host, a recording control portion controls the data transfer in which a transmission buffer and a recording buffer are involved, also controlling a transmitting portion and a processing portion. |
| US09076490B1 |
Disk drive writing radial offset spiral servo tracks by reading spiral seed tracks
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk comprising a plurality of spiral seed tracks. The head is positioned at a first radial location over the disk, and the head is servoed over the disk in response to the spiral seed tracks starting from the first radial location in order to write a first spiral servo track on the disk. The head is positioned at a second radial location over the disk different from the first radial location, and the head is servoed over the disk in response to the spiral seed tracks starting from the second radial location in order to write a second spiral servo track on the disk. |
| US09076488B2 |
Media file for multi-platform non-linear video editing systems
A system and method for ingesting (capturing) digital video media files for storage on a Linux® platform-based computing environment that creates Quicktime Reference-compatible Files in the Linux® environment. Quicktime Reference-compatible Files are created such that they are labeled as not created by Avid's codec, but rather, by a native Quicktime codec. Then, via the system and method of the invention, at the time the Quicktime Reference-compatible Files are created in the Linux® environment, the system and method automatically captures the Avid file and automatically creates hard-links to those files so that the QuickTime Reference-compatible Files refer to the hard links rather than to the original Avid files. That is, rather than using the direct reference to the media files, a hard link is created to provide a second reference to them. In this manner, via said hard links (e.g., object reference), a user is permitted indirect access to all digital audio and video data that is stored in the directory on the storage device, while not requiring access to the original Avid media files. Advantageously, there is no need to convert Avid-formatted files to the Quicktime format. |
| US09076486B2 |
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. |
| US09076482B1 |
Multi-directional media element magazine for media element storage library
Utilities that increase the volume of media elements that can be simultaneously loaded and/or unloaded into or from a storage library, facilitate mounting of media element magazines into a storage library, and limit access to an interior of a storage library by users during operation of robotics assemblies of the storage library. One disclosed utility includes a cartridge access port for use with a storage library that has a storage container that is pivotable (e.g., swingable) between at least first and second positions. In the first position, the storage container is adjacent an opening in the housing of the library for loading and unloading of media elements by a user into or from the container via the opening. After the storage container has swung into the second position, the storage container is spaced from the opening and faces the interior of the library for access by a robotics assembly. |
| US09076480B2 |
Method of producing glass substrate for information recording medium
Disclosed is a method of producing a glass substrate for an information recording medium including a precision polishing step of using a polishing material containing colloidal silica and performing precision polishing, under acidic conditions, on a glass material in which the amount of iron adhered on the surface is 0.5 ng/cm2 or less and the surface roughness Ra is 1 nm or less. Additionally disclosed is a glass substrate for an information recording medium produced by the foregoing method of producing a glass substrate for an information recording medium. |
| US09076479B2 |
Magnetic recording medium
A magnetic recording medium includes a substrate having sequentially formed thereon (a) a magnetic layer; (b) a protective layer having a thickness ranging from 1.0 nm to 2.5 nm and being composed of an amorphous metal layer having a thickness of at least 0.3 nm, the amorphous metal layer being composed of a metal selected from the group consisting of Si, Al, Ge, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo and W that is in an amorphous state; (c) a carbon layer formed on the amorphous metal layer and having a thickness of at least 0.3 nm, the carbon layer including amorphous carbon; and (d) a lubricating layer, wherein the carbon layer includes nitrogen atoms in a surface thereof in which a ratio of number of nitrogen atoms to total number of carbon atoms, nitrogen atoms, and oxygen atoms is 14 atomic % or less. |
| US09076477B2 |
System and method for supporting the processing of location specific orders, requests, and demands
The present invention is an applications gateway that offers multiple functions and features for specific geographic venue locations, while providing easy access to advertising, purchasing, and redemption opportunities for that specific geographic venue location. Venue locations can be stadiums, shopping malls, amusement parks, open air spaces where people can congregate, and/or buildings, which most often require the presence of a concentration of people. The venue location may correlate to the location of the hand-held mobile unit or it may be a remote geographic venue location not near the location of the hand-held mobile unit. Access to the gateway application is through a hand-held mobile unit, which can include a mobile phone, smartphone device, or portable computer having a wireless radio transmission connection. (e.g. iPhone, Droid, iPad, Slate, etc.) |
| US09076473B1 |
Data storage device detecting fly height instability of head during load operation based on microactuator response
A data storage device is disclosed comprising a first disk surface, a first head, and a first microactuator configured to actuate the first head over the first disk surface. The first microactuator is configured into a first sensor, and a first load operation is executed to load the first head over the first disk surface. A fly height instability of the first head is detected during the first load operation based on a first sensor signal generated by the first microactuator. |
| US09076467B2 |
Current-perpendicular-to-the-plane (CPP) magnetoresistive sensor with multilayer reference layer including a crystalline CoFeX layer and a Heusler alloy layer
A current-perpendicular-to-the-plane giant magnetoresistance (CPP-GMR) has a multilayer reference layer containing a Heusler alloy. The multilayer reference layer includes a crystalline non-Heusler alloy ferromagnetic layer on an antiferromagnetic layer, a Heusler alloy layer, and an intermediate crystalline non-Heusler alloy of the form CoFeX, where X is one or more of Ge, Al, Si and Ga, located between the non-Heusler alloy layer and the Heusler alloy layer. The CoFeX alloy layer has a composition (CoyFe(100-y))zX(100-z) where y is between about 10 and 90 atomic percent, and z is between about 50 and 90 atomic percent. The CoFeX alloy layer induces very strong pinning, which greatly lessens the likelihood of magnetic instability by the spin polarized electron flow from the free layer to the reference layer. |
| US09076459B2 |
Apparatus and method to classify sound to detect speech
Audio frames are classified as either speech, non-transient background noise, or transient noise events. Probabilities of speech or transient noise event, or other metrics may be calculated to indicate confidence in classification. Frames classified as speech or noise events are not used in updating models (e.g., spectral subtraction noise estimates, silence model, background energy estimates, signal-to-noise ratio) of non-transient background noise. Frame classification affects acceptance/rejection of recognition hypothesis. Classifications and other audio related information may be determined by circuitry in a headset, and sent (e.g., wirelessly) to a separate processor-based recognition device. |
| US09076447B2 |
Acoustic activity detection apparatus and method
Streaming audio is received. The streaming audio includes a frame having plurality of samples. An energy estimate is obtained for the plurality of samples. The energy estimate is compared to at least one threshold. In addition, a band pass estimate of the signal is determined. An energy estimate is obtained for the band-passed plurality of samples. The two energy estimates are compared to at least one threshold each. Based upon the comparison operation, a determination is made as to whether speech is detected. |
| US09076446B2 |
Method and apparatus for robust speaker and speech recognition
A method of processing a speech signal comprises converting the speech signal to digital signals, converting the digital speech signal into short-time frames, applying a Fast Fourier Transform to each of the short-time frames to obtain an original spectrum, deriving a varied spectrum based on the original spectrum, applying discrete cosine transform to compute original cepstrum coefficients for the original spectrum and varied cepstrum coefficients for the varied spectrum and generating a set of frontend feature vectors for each of the short-time frames. |
| US09076442B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding a speech signal
According to the present invention, a linear prediction filter coefficient of a current frame is acquired from an input signal using linear prediction, a quantized spectrum candidate vector of the current frame, corresponding to the linear prediction filter coefficient of the current frame, is acquired on the basis of first best information, and the quantized spectrum candidate vector of the current frame and the quantized spectrum vector of the previous frame are interpolated. Accordingly, in contrast to conventional phased optimization techniques, optimum parameters which minimize quantization errors, can be obtained. |
| US09076439B2 |
Bit error management and mitigation for sub-band coding
Systems and method for managing and/or mitigating the impact of bit errors on encoded frames received by an LC-SBC (Low Complexity Sub-band Coding) decoder are described herein. For example, in one embodiment, the impact of bit errors on an LC-SBC frame received by an LC-SBC decoder is estimated and one of a plurality of bit error management techniques is applied to the LC-SBC frame based on the estimated impact, wherein the bit error management techniques may include performing PLC, performing normal SBC decoding, or performing some other technique for managing and/or mitigating the impact of the bit errors. Techniques for concealing bit errors in LC-SBC frames are also described. |
| US09076431B2 |
Filter architecture for an adaptive noise canceler in a personal audio device
A personal audio device, such as a wireless telephone, includes an adaptive noise canceling (ANC) circuit that generates an anti-noise signal from a reference microphone signal and injects the anti-noise signal into the speaker or other transducer output to cancel ambient audio sounds. A processing circuit implements one or more adaptive filters that control the generation of the anti-noise signal. At least one of the adaptive filters is partitioned into a first portion having a fixed frequency response and a second portion having a variable frequency response. The partitioned filter may be an adaptive filter that generates the anti-noise signal directly from the reference microphone signal. An error microphone may be provided to measure the ambient sounds and transducer output near the transducer, and a secondary path adaptive filter included to generate an error signal from the error microphone signal, which may be partitioned, alone or in combination. |
| US09076429B2 |
Acoustic metamaterials
Metamaterial members for absorbing sound and pressure, and modular systems built of metamaterial members are provided. The metamaterial member includes an outer mass. The outer mass can have a cavity formed therein in which a stem coupled to an inner mass is disposed, or the outer mass can be solid and contain an inner mass embedded therein. The inner mass can include an inner core and an outer shell. Multiple metamaterial members can be attached to form a modular system for absorption of sound and pressure. |
| US09076428B2 |
Sound attenuation building material and system
A building material configured to enhance sound attenuation and reduction in dB across a walled partition, the building material comprising a facing membrane, a core matrix disposed about the facing membrane, the core matrix comprising a plurality of microparticles and a binder solution configured to support the microparticles, the building material comprising at least a substantially exposed face, wherein a side of the core matrix is at least partially exposed to increase sound attenuation by reducing reflections from sound waves impinging on the building material as compared to a control building material lacking an exposed face. Two building materials may be used in conjunction with one another about a building structure, such as a stud wall, to create and define a sound trap that functions to reduce sound transmission across the partition formed by the stud wall and building materials. |
| US09076425B2 |
Apparatus and method for reducing digital noise of audio signal
Provided are an apparatus and method for reducing digital noise. The digital noise reducing apparatus includes: a clarified signal generator configured to generate a clarity improvement pattern for increasing an energy ratio of an early reflection region with respect to all reverberations for a received audio source signal, to convolve the clarity improvement pattern with the audio source signal, and to output an audio source signal convolved the audio source signal with the clarity improvement pattern; an early reflection generator configured to output an early reflection signal convolved the audio source signal with an early reflection pattern; a late reverberation generator configured to receive the audio source signal, and to generate a late reverberation signal for attenuating digital noise of the audio source signal; and a noise attenuator configured to generate an audio signal added the early reflection signal and the late reverberation signal to the audio source signal. |
| US09076422B2 |
Generating a stream comprising synchronized content
A method of generating a stream comprising synchronized interactive content is described. The method comprises the steps of: transmitting a first stream from a studio to a terminal or a terminal system of a first user and to a buffer; transmitting in response to the first stream a second stream to a mixer connected to the buffer, the second stream comprising content generated in reaction to the content of the first stream; providing the mixer with a temporal relation between the packets in the first and second stream; generating a first output stream comprising a substantially synchronized content by mixing packets in second stream with packets of the buffered first stream on the basis of the temporal relation. |
| US09076416B2 |
Polyphonic tuner
The present invention relates to a musical instrument tuner, e.g. a guitar tuner, featuring tuning as a part of a user session. |
| US09076415B2 |
Musical percussion support stands having three supporting contact points and related systems and methods
In some aspects, a hi-hat musical cymbal set support stand includes a vertical stand tube defining a stand axis, and three support members associated with a lower end of the stand tube and disposed in a tripod arrangement for supporting engagement of the stand upon a supporting surface. Each supporting member defines a contact point with the supporting surface, and the three supporting members supporting the lower end of the stand tube in a position spaced apart from the supporting floor surface. At least one of the three supporting members includes a foot pedal cymbal operating device having an outward heel end defining one of the three contact points and an inward toe end suspended from the lower end of the stand tube, the heel end being disposed in engagement with the supporting surface, and the toe end being spaced from contact with the supporting surface. |
| US09076414B1 |
Reinforced drum shell
Disclosed herein is a hybrid edge drum shell having unpaired edges. The drum shell includes a substantially cylindrical drum wall having an upper edge and a lower edge; a sloped surface angled radially inward and vertically downward from the upper edge; the sloped surface having an inner edge radially inward and vertically below the upper edge; and wherein the lower edge of the drum wall is not substantially radially inward therefrom. The drum shell may be made of metal, wood, composites, or other materials. |
| US09076411B2 |
Guitar string regulator
A tuning key for guitar strings is provided, which enables the remaining portion of guitar strings which is left after being wound on the tuning key when the guitar strings are hung and set. The tuning key for guitar strings comprises a tuning peg on which a worm gear portion is arranged at one side, a coupling body in which a male screw portion is formed, a casing in which a bearing portion is formed, a rotary rod in which a spur gear is arranged, and a nut coupled to the male screw portion of the casing and fixes the casing from a head, wherein tuning keys for guitar strings are provided in the head, and a through-hole through which the remaining portion of guitar strings wound on a winding portion is penetrated and arranged is formed in the center of the rotary rod. |
| US09076410B2 |
Fallboard arrangement for keyboard instrument and opening and closing device for fallboard
A fallboard arrangement for a keyboard instrument, which makes it possible to make flat the entire upper surface of a keyboard instrument in a closed state. A fallboard back section is immovably provided in a rear part of the body, in a horizontal state. A fallboard is movable between a closed position where it is forward of the fallboard back section and has an upper surface thereof made flush with that of the fallboard back section in a state closing the performance section and an open position where it is upward of the fallboard back section so as to open the performance section. A hinge connects the fallboard to the fallboard back section in a manner pivotally movable between the closed position and the open position and is disposed downward of the fallboard in the closed position and the upper surface of the fallboard back section. |
| US09076407B2 |
Display device with electronic equipment therewith
Reduction in efficiency of a power supply circuit in a display device is prevented. A positive power supply generation circuit and a negative power supply generation circuit are placed close to a terminal portion to which a drive clock and a power supply electric potential are applied externally. The terminal portion 140 is formed in an edge portion of the TFT glass substrate 100. That is, the positive power supply generation circuit 131 and the negative power supply generation circuit 132 are placed closer to the terminal portion 140 than primary circuits of the liquid crystal display device, which are the pixel portion 105, the horizontal drive circuit 110 and the vertical drive circuit 120. With this, there is obtained a layout that minimizes wiring loads (resistive and capacitive loads associated with wirings to provide the power supply and the drive clock) to prevent reduction in circuit efficiency. |
| US09076406B2 |
Power supplying unit with linearly varying gate high voltage and liquid crystal display device including the same
A power supplying unit for a liquid crystal display device includes: a power integrated circuit for generating a source voltage and a compensation voltage, the compensation voltage linearly varying according to an ambient temperature; and a charge pumping part for generating a gate high voltage using the source voltage and the compensation voltage, the gate high voltage linearly varying when the ambient temperature is lower than a reference temperature. |
| US09076404B2 |
Array substrate and 3D display device
The present invention connects the first scan line of the (N+1)th set of scan lines to the second scan line of the first set of scan lines such that the vertical start pulse output signal of the first scan line of the (N+1)th set of scan lines serves as a vertical start pulse input signal of the second scan line of the first set of scan lines, and thereby turning on other second scan lines on the array substrate. The present invention can simplify the layout of the array substrate. |
| US09076397B2 |
Image display device and image display method
An object is to moderate the occurrence of mura in an oblique view in an image display device that conducts area active driving. An emission luminance calculator (151) computes a luminance (first emission luminance) (32) of LEDs in respective areas on the basis of an input image (31). The emission luminance corrector (152) applies a correction to the first emission luminance (32) on the basis of correction data (33) in an LED filter (155). Herein, provided that a first image is defined as an image displayed in the case of being externally given an image in which a high-gradation region and a low-gradation region neighbor each other as the input image (31), the emission luminance corrector (152) uses the LED filter (155) to compute a second emission luminance (34), thereby setting the values of correction data (33) stored in the LED filter (155) so as to yield a constant degree of spatial variation in the output gradations between the high-gradation region and the low-gradation region in the case of viewing the first image from a designated oblique direction. |
| US09076395B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and display defect correction method
A liquid crystal display device (100) according to the present invention includes a plurality of pixels arrayed in a matrix, n number of the pixels (n is an even number of 4 or greater) being included in a color display pixel (CP). The liquid crystal display device includes an active matrix substrate (10) including a plurality of scanning lines (12) extending in a row direction and a plurality of signal lines (13) extending in a column direction; and a signal line driving circuit (3) that supplies, as a display signal, a gray scale voltage of a positive or negative polarity to each of the plurality of signal lines. The plurality of signal lines include a first type of signal line (13a) which does not intersect another signal line, and a second type of signal line (13b) which intersects a signal line adjacent thereto outside a display area in the state where an insulating film (16) is interposed therebetween. The active matrix substrate further includes a correction line (40) which is provided in the vicinity of an intersection region (IR) where the second type of signal line intersects the adjacent signal line, is electrically separated from the plurality of signal lines, and is at a floating potential. |
| US09076393B2 |
Timing controller and liquid crystal display device comprising the same
Disclosed are a timing controller and an LCD device including the same. The timing controller sequentially drives a plurality of sub-pixels, which are arranged in parallel on the same horizontal line, during a plurality of horizontal period. The timing controller includes a timing signal generation unit generating a first data enable signal on the basis of an active period of a data enable input signal supplied from the reception unit, generating a second data enable signal on the basis of an abnormal period generated during the active period, and generating a data enable output signal on the basis of the first and second data enable signals, and a data processing unit selecting display data corresponding to sequential driving of the horizontal periods among from the temporarily stored data according to the data enable output signal, and outputting the selected display data. |
| US09076384B2 |
Pixel circuit and display device
A pixel circuit able to prevent a spread of the terminal voltages of drive transistors inside a panel and in turn able to reliably prevent deterioration of uniformity, wherein a source of a TFT serving as a drive transistor is connected to an anode of a light emitting element, a drain is connected to a power source potential, a capacitor is connected between a gate and source of the TFT, and a source potential of the TFT is connected to a fixed potential through a TFT serving as a switch transistor and wherein pixel circuit lines are connected by an upper line and bottom line and are arranged in parallel with pixel circuit power source voltage lines so as not to have intersecting parts. |
| US09076382B2 |
Pixel, organic light emitting display device having data signal and reset voltage supplied through demultiplexer, and driving method thereof
A method for driving an organic light emitting display device capable of reducing the number of output lines in a data driver, as well as ensuring a sufficient driving time. The method for driving the organic light emitting display device includes steps of supplying a data signal and a reset voltage to an output line during a horizontal period; supplying the data signal and the reset voltage, supplied to the output line, to a plurality of data lines using a demultiplexer; charging a voltage corresponding to the data signal in a pixel connected with one of the data lines during a period when a scan signal is supplied to a current scan line of the pixel; and allowing the pixel to emit light corresponding to the charged voltage. |
| US09076373B2 |
Display apparatus and method of controlling images
A display apparatus for displaying a three-dimensional image using a parallax barrier scheme includes a display module having a display region in which a plurality of pixels are arranged, and a parallax barrier facing the display region. In the parallax barrier, a plurality of aperture regions are formed as light-transmissive regions so that each one of the aperture regions corresponds to a predetermined number of the pixels. In one embodiment, each of the aperture regions is in a shape that exhibits an identical shape when rotated by 90 degrees. |
| US09076371B2 |
Display device and electronic apparatus using display device
A display device includes independently driven common and segment terminals. The common and segment terminals are connected to display components divided into display blocks that are turned ON to perform a display function and are turned OFF so as to not perform the display function. A first driver drives the common terminals using a scanning signal of a predetermined period and a second driver drives the segment terminals using a segment signal synchronized with the scanning signal to correspond to a display signal, so that the display components perform a display corresponding to the display signal. The first driver separates the common terminals into common terminal blocks and drives the common terminals. The first and second drivers perform the driving so that the common and segment terminals which are connected to display blocks that are turned OFF are not supplied with a turn-off signal and are maintained at ground potential. |
| US09076370B2 |
Scanning signal line drive circuit, display device having the same, and drive method for scanning signal line
The present invention is directed to suppress dullness of a scanning signal in a scanning signal line drive circuit. A bistable circuit is provided with an input terminal (43) for receiving a first clock signal (CK), an input terminal (48) for receiving a control signal (CT), an input terminal (49) for receiving a level down signal (LD), an output terminal (51), a thin film transistor (T2), and a thin film transistor (TA). The thin film transistor (T2) has a gate terminal connected to a first node (N1), a drain terminal connected to the input terminal (43), and a source terminal connected to the output terminal (51). The thin film transistor (TA) has a gate terminal connected to the input terminal (48), a drain terminal connected to the first node (N1), and a source terminal connected to the input terminal (49). The potential of the control signal (CT) becomes the high level in a control period as a period except for the first one horizontal scanning period in a vertical blanking period. The level down signal (LD) is a potential lower than DC power supply potential (Vss). |
| US09076368B2 |
Image generation systems and image generation methods
Image generation systems and image generation methods are described. In one aspect, an image generation system includes an attachment system configured to secure the image generation system to a head of a user in a position to be observed by the user; an illumination system having an exit pupil located at infinity and configured to emit light; a light modulator configured to receive the light from the illumination system and to selectively reflect at least some of the received light which corresponds to an image; a control system coupled with the light modulator and configured to access data content regarding the image, to generate a plurality of control signals according to the accessed data content, and to output the control signals to the light modulator to control the selective reflection of at least some of the received light; and an output optical system configured to direct the selectively reflected light towards an observer's eye to be observed by the observer. |
| US09076367B2 |
Color management for web server based applications
Method and apparatus for color management of documents retrieved and manipulated by a server based application and displayed on a client device through a browser application. Page elements of documents are manipulated to provide consistent and/or accurate color reproduction on the client device. Pages include untagged images, images tagged with color profiles, and tagged or untagged page elements specified by hex color values. Color values for images and untagged page elements specified by hex color values are adjusted by the server application before transmission to the client device to account for properties of browser applications and operating systems of different client devices. |
| US09076361B2 |
Display apparatus and controlling method thereof
An image processing apparatus and a method of controlling the same are provided. The image processing apparatus includes: one or more receiving units which receive a plurality of contents; a signal processing unit which outputs a first image frame by processing first content of the plurality of contents and outputs a second image frame by processing second content of the plurality of contents; an output unit which outputs a plurality of contents views by combining the first image frame and the second image frame; and a control unit which, if a sharing restriction command regarding a first contents view from among the plurality of contents views is obtained, restricts matching of a glasses apparatus with the first contents view. |
| US09076357B2 |
Redundant operation of a backlight unit of a display device under a shorted LED condition
Disclosed embodiments relate to techniques for operating a backlight unit of a display device in a redundant mode and a non-redundant mode in the event of a shorted LED failure condition. For instance, in a redundant mode, multiple LED strings arranged in an end-to-end configuration are each driven to provide a first quantity of light, such that the combined output from all LED strings is capable of providing a total light output corresponding to a maximum brightness setting for the display device. In the case that an LED on one of the strings fails due to a shorted LED failure condition, the remaining functional LEDs of the affected string may be driven to provide a second quantity of light, such that the combined output from the affected strings and the non-affected strings may still provide the same total light output for achieving the maximum brightness setting. The second quantity of light is greater than the first quantity. |
| US09076356B2 |
Method and system for renewing screen
A screen update method includes identifying image resource data associated with a first image update event from a basic recording space in case that the first image update event occurs; loading the identified image resource data in a buffer space including a plurality of buffers, in which the image resource data are loaded in rotation on the buffer by a frame, respectively; sequentially determining the image resource data loaded on the buffer for each buffer, rendering the determined image resource data, and generating a first image at a first frame rate; generating a second image associated with a second image update event at a second frame rate in case that the second image update event occurs; compositing the first image with the second image to generate an entire image; and displaying the entire image on a display means. |
| US09076355B2 |
Crutch decoration
The present invention provides crutch decorations that when applied to a crutch form a substantially flat surface between two opposing crutch columns. The flat surface is optimally used for placing printed advertising, designs, pictures, and the like, on the crutch. |
| US09076352B2 |
Multi-panel display device, blank, and method of forming the device
A multi-panel display device having a center panel positioned between a first side panel and a second side panel and a header panel and a blank for a multi-panel display device. In one aspect, the invention can be a blank for a multi-panel display device comprising: a center panel; a first side panel attached to the center panel along a first pre-weakened line; a second side panel attached to the center panel along a second pre-weakened line; and a header panel detachably coupled to the second side panel along a third pre-weakened line. |
| US09076351B2 |
Pallet and crate seal and method for securing a pallet or crate
Method and apparatus for securing a pallet, crate, or similar shipping containers against pilferage using a pallet seal including one or more parts, and having one or more locking devices are included. The seal can be secured against the clip on the pallet banding, completely covering and protecting the clip from tampering. The seal can have specific seal number and marking, color, or other features that makes it almost impossible to duplicate. Further the seal can have the capability to include RFID tags, Bar Code, and or custom marking and can be applied to the banding clips without a use of any tool or secondary seal or number. |
| US09076347B2 |
System and methods for improving language pronunciation
A system and methods for analyzing pronunciation, detecting errors and providing automatic feedback to help non-native speakers improve pronunciation of a foreign language is provided that employs publicly available, high accuracy third-party automatic speech recognizers available via the Internet to analyze and identify mispronunciations. |
| US09076346B2 |
Music wheel—method and apparatus of a music learning tool
A Music Wheel user interface or apparatus having a substantially flat surface area and being formed by a plurality of wheels stacked on top of each other. Each wheel can independently move in clockwise and anticlockwise directions. The face of each wheel displays relevant and fundamental information for musical instructions. Certain parts of the faces of certain wheels are cut out, or have windows, allowing the inscriptions of pitches or key tonalities letter, number, and symbol notes on the faces of the wheels at the bottom to be seen. The sizes of the wheels are ascending from top to bottom to allow the inscriptions on the rim of the wheels at the bottom to be seen. During operation, at least one wheel is stationary and three are movable. All moving parts can move independently of each other. |
| US09076345B2 |
Apparatus and method for tutoring in convergence space of real and virtual environment
An apparatus for tutoring in a convergence space of real and virtual environment, includes a character data processing unit for generating character shape and operation data of a participant or performing rendering on the character shape and operation data; a desk data processing unit for generating desk shape data or perform the rendering on the desk shape data; a voice and sound data processing unit for generating voice or sound data or outputs the voice or sound data; and a virtual space processing unit for generating real space data and providing the generated data to another participant, generating the convergence space data, or generating the character shape data, the operation data, the desk shape data, and the voice or sound data, then providing the generated data to the character data processing unit, the desk data processing unit, and the voice and sound data processing unit. |
| US09076343B2 |
Self-service system for education
An adaptive system enables providers to customize educational objects and support services to maximize user engagement. The system is a self-service system for education for providers that includes a learning environment with interfaces for stakeholders, metrics for measuring the level of user engagement, and a customizable service configured to maximize user engagement. The system may operate in many domains, such as higher education, retail, government, test preparation and certification services, negotiations, and others. |
| US09076340B2 |
Vehicle detecting system and method
A vehicle detecting system, a vehicle detecting method adapted for a vehicle, and a computer-readable storage medium encoded with a computer program are disclosed. The system controls two cameras to capture images in the front of the vehicle and at the back of the vehicle respectively, according to a speed and a direction of the vehicle. The system further determines whether or not two images from each camera are the same, if the two images from each camera are different, the vehicle is in a dangerous driving condition, and when times of the dangerous driving condition within a preset time period reaches a preset value, the system outputs a warning to prompt a driver. |
| US09076337B2 |
Method for determining trajectory of multi-motor control system avoiding obstacle
The optimization of cost function representing a movement of the mass by the multi-motor control system from an initial point to a final point is subject to non-convex constraints due to avoidance of a region of the obstacle located between the initial point and the final point. Hence, the method determines a union of convex regions connecting the initial point with the final point, such that each convex region does not intersect the region of the obstacle, a convex constraint for each convex region and a set of switching times when the trajectory crosses boundaries of the convex regions. The method optimizes the cost function by jointly updating the positions and the set of switching times to produce an optimal trajectory of the movement. The optimizing is subject to the set of convex constraints applied independently for each corresponding convex region. |
| US09076336B2 |
Personalized parking assistant
An in-vehicle parking system and method for displaying and analyzing parking information. |
| US09076335B2 |
Navigation server
According to a navigation server (1) of the present invention, in a mileage matrix containing elements which denote a mileage and are defined by respective mileage factors, a first element of the elements in the mileage matrix which is defined by recognized mileage factors is determined on the basis of the mileage of the recognized mileage of a first vehicle. A second element of the elements in the mileage matrix which is defined by unrecognized mileage factors is determined on the basis of the first element. According thereto, even when the mileage factors of a second vehicle are used to define the second element but not the first element, the previous mileage of the second vehicle can be evaluated with high accuracy in consideration of a relationship between the mileage and the mileage factors of the first vehicle estimated according to the known relationship therebetween. |
| US09076330B2 |
Estimation of arrival times at transit stops
Embodiments of the disclosure include a method for providing a consolidated estimated time of arrival in a scheduled transportation system. The method includes receiving at least one of a scheduled time of arrival, a real-time estimated time of arrival and a predictive estimated time of arrival and assigning a weight to each of the scheduled time of arrival, the real-time estimated time of arrival and the predictive estimated time of arrival. The method also includes calculating a confidence level and the consolidated estimated time of arrival based on the weights and the scheduled time of arrival, the real-time estimated time of arrival and the predictive estimated time of arrival. |
| US09076327B1 |
Method and system to predict airport capacity, landing direction, landing runway and runways available
The present invention provides a method and system for automatically predicting the airport capacity (i.e., arrival capacity—the number of aircraft that can land in a given amount of time or landing rate), the landing direction (the direction of the landing runways, i.e., north, south, east or west), the landing runway (the specific runway on which the aircraft is predicted to land) for a set of specified aircraft, during a specified time period, at a specified airport, based upon consideration of available aviation data regarding the weather, landings runways, airport configuration, departures, etc., to achieve a more accurate airport capacity, landing direction and landing runway prediction. |
| US09076320B2 |
Apparatus and method for processing sensor signal
A sensor signal processing apparatus receives a sensor signal from a sensor in order to detect an object, determines whether an object exists from the received sensor signal, and if an object exists, the sensor signal processing apparatus generates an alarm signal, and it removes an alarm signal corresponding to a false alarm signal from the alarm signal based on at least one of a length and energy of the alarm signal. |
| US09076316B2 |
System and method for verifying associations between intiating devices and notifications applicances in alarm systems
A method for verifying associations between initiating devices and notification appliances in an alarm system. The method may include including actuating an initiating device of the alarm system, thereby activating one or more notification appliances that are associated with the initiating device. The method may further include deactivating each notification appliance that is expected to be associated with the actuated initiating device and, at an alarm panel, providing an indication of whether there are any notification appliances that are still active. |
| US09076315B2 |
Interactive remote disease monitoring and management system
A system that requests clinical data from a patient and then provides the clinical data wirelessly to be reviewed or analyzed with a certified medical algorithm and/or decision tree. The certified algorithm and/or decision tree can provide a summary of the data, indication of severity, “smart” decision or intervention protocol to a nurse, doctor, and the like. In addition, the system with the certified algorithm and/or decision tree can provide the summary of the data, indication of severity, “smart” decision or intervention protocol to the nurse, doctor, and the like within a short time frame, e.g. within 5 minutes from the data being provided by the patient. The certified decision and/or protocol can be agreed to or changed by an individual, e.g. a doctor, which can then be forwarded or sent back to the patient. If the patient doesn't respond to the certified decision within a short time frame, e.g. within 3 minutes from the data being provided to the patient, then a series of triggers can take place, e.g., a text message to a caregiver and the like. |
| US09076313B2 |
Method for self-testing notification appliances in alarm systems
A method for self-testing notification appliances in an alarm system by determining whether the performance of the notification appliances has degraded over time. The method may include the steps of measuring and recording initial output levels of notification features of the notification appliances at a first time, measuring test output levels of the notification features at a second time after the first time, and comparing the test output levels to respective threshold output levels that are derived from the initial output levels. The method may further include recording a pass result for notification appliances whose notification features produced test output levels that exceeded the respective threshold output levels, and recording a fail result for notification appliances whose notification features produced test output levels that did not exceed the respective threshold output levels. |
| US09076308B2 |
Gaming system and a method of gaming
A gaming system is disclosed that comprised spinnable reels and a reel speed controller for controlling a speed at which the reels spin. The reel speed controller is arranged to control a spin speed of at least first and second reels such that the spin speed of the first reel varies with respect to the spin speed of the second reel. |
| US09076307B2 |
Methods and apparatus for an EGM bonus feature
A method of incorporating a bonus symbol into a plurality of symbols to be displayed in a display of an electronic gaming machine, the display adapted to display at least a selected portion of a plurality of standard symbols, the method including the steps of: determining a number of bonus symbols to be displayed; for each bonus symbol to be displayed, determining a location at which the bonus symbol is to be displayed within the plurality of standard symbols; incorporating a bonus symbol with a corresponding standard symbol for the determined location; whereby the bonus symbol is incorporated into the plurality of symbols without affecting the standard symbol probabilities. |
| US09076296B2 |
Gaming system, gaming device and method for normalizing different features of an on-demand bonus game
In various embodiments, the gaming system, gaming device, and gaming method disclosed herein provides a bonus game which enables players to combine different, independent features without introducing any significant advantage or significant disadvantage to players for combining certain features over other features. The gaming system utilizes one or more bonus game supplemental awards to insure that the average expected payout per selected feature remains the same or substantially the same regardless of which bonus game features or combinations of features are employed for a play of a bonus game. |
| US09076283B2 |
Systems, methods, and devices for playing wagering games with symbol-driven expected value enhancements and eliminations
Gaming devices, gaming systems, methods of conducting wagering games, and computer programs for executing wagering games are disclosed. A gaming system for conducting a wagering game includes an input device, a display device, a processor, and a memory device. The memory device stores instructions which cause the processor to operate with the display device to: randomly determine an outcome of the wagering game; display symbols indicative of the wagering-game outcome; determine if the displayed symbols include to an expected-value (EV) enhancement symbol combination or an EV-elimination symbol combination, the EV-enhancement and EV-elimination symbol combinations both including a common symbol arranged in a common manner; activate, responsive to the displayed symbols including the EV-enhancement symbol combination, an EV-increasing opportunity that modifies a wagering-game parameter thereby increasing the EV of the wagering game; and deactivate, responsive to the displayed symbol-combination corresponding to the EV-elimination symbol combination, one or more EV-increasing opportunities. |
| US09076281B2 |
Cashless gaming system and method with monitoring
A wagering game system is described herein. In embodiments the wagering game system comprises a plurality of player terminals configured to present wagering games and to collect player activity information associated with the wagering games, the player activity information indicating player inputs and financial transactions. In embodiments, the wagering game system further comprises one or more account servers configured to receive the player activity information and to perform the financial transactions on player accounts and a monitoring system configured to receive the player activity information and to remotely disable ones of the plurality of player terminals. |
| US09076278B2 |
Automated timing systems and methods having multiple time event recorders and an integrated user time entry interface
Systems and methods for timing of a passing of an object past a monitored location where the monitored location is being monitored by timing system having at least one automated object detection system for wirelessly detecting the passing of the object at the monitored location. The system comprises a remote entry computer system having a processor for executing computer executable instructions, a clock for determining a present time, a user interface for receiving user input data, a memory being a computer readable medium storing the computer executable instructions and the received user input data, and a communications interface for communicating with the timing system. The system includes a computer readable medium including the computer executable instructions for performing the method of receiving the user input data at the user interface, receiving from the clock a user data input time associated with the receipt of the received user input data at the user interface, and storing the received user input data and the user data input time in the memory. The computer executable instructions also include the method of creating a received user data message including the stored user input data and a time value as a datagram message and transmitting the user data message over the communications interface to the timing system. |
| US09076275B2 |
Vehicle measurement apparatus having a system-on-a-chip device and a sensor
A vehicle measurement apparatus and a method for measuring vehicle data are provided. For example, the vehicle measurement apparatus includes a system-on-a-chip (SoC) device configured to integrate a programmable module with a microcontroller unit to receive vehicle data, process the vehicle data, and communicate the processed vehicle data to a remote computer. |
| US09076274B2 |
Door courtesy switch abnormality detection apparatus and method
A door courtesy switch abnormality detection apparatus used in an on-vehicle system in which a door unlocked status is formed based on a wireless signal transmitted from an electronic key is disclosed. The apparatus is configured to generate information representing an abnormality in the door courtesy switch, if the electronic key in a cabin of a vehicle is detected by a antenna having the detection area thereof within the cabin of the vehicle in a situation where an ON/OFF signal of the door courtesy switch is not inverted after the door unlock operation is detected. |
| US09076273B2 |
Method and system for providing identity, authentication, and access services
Described herein are methods and systems for providing identity, authentication, and access control services in a mobile environment utilizing data encoded tags. A server computing device receives tag data and user data from a mobile device, the tag data read from a data-encoded tag in proximity to the mobile device using a short-range communication protocol, and the user data stored on the mobile device. The server computing device authenticates a user of the mobile device based on the user data, determines whether the user is authorized to access an access point associated with the data-encoded tag, transmits a message to the access point that instructs the access point to grant user access if the user is authorized, receives a response from the access point indicating that user access is granted and transmits a message to the mobile device indicating to the user that access is granted to the access point. |
| US09076267B2 |
Image coding device, integrated circuit thereof, and image coding method
To aim to achieve addition of blur to an image based on distance information of a subject and to appropriate determination of a block size that is a unit for coding. Blur is added to the image with use of one of disparity information for each pixel unit and distance information for each pixel unit and arbitrary blur conditions. A block size of each region of the image that are to be divided into blocks for coding is determined based on a blur value of the region. The image is divided into blocks based on the determined block sizes and coded in units of blocks. By increasing a block size with respect to a region included in an image having a high blur value, it is possible to reduce processing amount of reference block searching, thereby achieving speed-up of processing and reduction in processing amount. |
| US09076264B1 |
Sound sequencing system and method
A system and method for displaying, playing and modifying song and percussion sequences. Users can easily view and modify such sequences using a User Interface (UI), including while the sequences are playing. A user may quickly “zoom in” on specific sounds and rhythms, and modify the sound and/or rhythm while it plays. Users can also “zoom out” to view and manipulate a song at a pattern level, or at a song level with multiple sections of different sounds and rhythms. |
| US09076261B2 |
Virtual drafting tools
Various disclosed embodiments include methods and systems for creating a virtual geometric model. According to disclosed embodiments, a data processing system for creating a virtual geometric model includes at least one processor and a memory connected to the processor. The data processing system is configured to generate a virtual drafting tool and a virtual marking device. The data processing system is configured to position the virtual drafting tool on a page and to position the virtual marking device relative to the virtual drafting tool. The data processing system is configured to draw the geometric model on the page by laying down ink by the virtual marking device using the virtual drafting tool and to store the geometric model in the memory. |
| US09076258B2 |
Stylizing animation by example
The disclosure provides an approach for stylizing animations to synthesize example textures. In one embodiment, a synthesis application down-samples input and style buffers. To obtain a sequence of offset fields, each of which takes pixels in the output stylized frame to corresponding pixels in the stylized example image, the synthesis application may optimize each frame of the animation at level l−1, then advect the results of a previous frame to a next frame using velocity fields. After having processed the entire animation sequence forward through time, a similar sweep may be performed backwards. Then, the resulting offset fields may be up-sampled to level l and used as the starting point for optimization at that finer level of detail. This process may be repeated until returning to the original sampling, which yields the final output. |
| US09076257B2 |
Rendering augmented reality based on foreground object
A mobile device detects a moveable foreground object in captured images, e.g., a series of video frames without depth information. The object may be one or more of the user's fingers. The object may be detected by warping one of a captured image of a scene that includes the object and a reference image of the scene without the object so they have the same view and comparing the captured image and the reference image after warping. A mask may be used to segment the object from the captured image. Pixels are detected in the extracted image of the object and the pixels are used to detect the point of interest on the foreground object. The object may then be tracked in subsequent images. Augmentations may be rendered and interacted with or temporal gestures may be detected and desired actions performed accordingly. |
| US09076255B2 |
Method and system for reconstruction of tomographic images
Approaches are described for addressing artifacts associated with iterative reconstruction of image data acquired using a cone-beam CT system. Such approaches include, but are not limited to, the use of asymmetric regularization during iterative reconstruction, the modulation of regularization strength for certain voxels, the modification of statistical weights, and/or the generation and use of synthesized data. |
| US09076252B2 |
Image perceptual attribute adjustment
Techniques are described generally related to perceptual attribute adjustment. In some examples, the perceptual attribute adjustment may be performed by a color correction unit as part of the functionality of the color correction unit to correct deficiencies in the ability of a display to display particular colors. In this manner, the techniques may allow for current display processors to implement the described techniques without needing hardware modification. |
| US09076250B2 |
Apparatus for 3D reconstruction based on multiple GPUS and method thereof
An apparatus for 3D reconstruction based on multiple GPUs and a method thereof are disclosed. The 3D reconstruction apparatus according to the present invention includes a 3D reconstruction apparatus, comprising: a camera configured to generate depth data for 3D space; a first GPU configured to update first TSDF volume data with first depth data generated for a first area and predict a surface point of an object which is present in the space from the first updated TSDF volume data; a second GPU configured to update second TSDF volume data with second depth data generated for a second area and predict a surface point of an object which is present in the space from the second updated TSDF volume data; and a master GPU configured to combine a surface point predicted from the first TSDF volume data and a surface point estimated from the second TSDF volume data. |
| US09076245B2 |
Image display apparatus and imaging apparatus
An image display apparatus includes a display unit capable of performing a stereoscopic view display of a first image utilizing a disparity of human being, an image processing unit performing processing which changes a depth range in the stereoscopic view display on the first image, and a display controlling unit making the display unit to display the first image on which the processing is performed. |
| US09076239B2 |
Method and systems for thumbnail generation, and corresponding computer program product
An embodiment of a consumer electronics product having a thumbnail display feature includes a system for generating and storing thumbnails having a given size from images, such as JPEG images, for which a spatial frequency domain representation is available. The system includes a zooming processor to reduce the size of the images by zooming. The zooming processor is configured to perform both spatial frequency domain zooming to approximate the desired thumbnail size and then image pixel domain zooming to fit the desired thumbnail size. The product includes cache storage configured to store a plurality of thumbnails in a file system as free blocks in the file system, so that file system data structures are left unchanged. |
| US09076233B2 |
Image processing device and electronic apparatus using the same
An image processing device includes a compression circuit adapted to perform compression of image data after sorting the pixels in an arrangement included in a plurality of lines in image data into a plurality of lines corresponding respectively to color components, a memory adapted to store the image data thus compressed, and an expansion circuit adapted to expand the image data thus compressed to restore the arrangement of the pixels. |
| US09076224B1 |
Image processing for HDR images
Image encoding is described. Log-luminances in an HDR input image are histogrammed to generate a tone-map, along with which a log global tone-mapped luminance image is computed. The log global tone-mapped luminance image is downscaled. The log-luminances and the log global tone-mapped luminance image generate a log ratio image. Multi-scale resolution filtering the log ratio image generates a log multi-scale ratio image. The log multi-scale ratio image and the log luminances generate a second log tone-mapped image, which is normalized to output a tone-mapped image based on the downscaled log global tone-mapped luminance image and the normalized image. The HDR input image and the output tone-mapped image generate a second ratio image, which is quantized. |
| US09076216B2 |
Method of image segmentation
A method of processing of photo and video images is disclosed which searches for a minimum of cost functions carried out at an N-number of image detail levels, from coarser to finer, and at each image detail level the image is divided into regions; each region is assigned a single segmentation value by a η-number of successive iterations. The value of the cost function for the seams at the region boundaries is calculated with different types of image segmentation, and for every region a segmentation value is chosen which minimizes the sum of the cost functions of the seams and data. The technical result is the segmentation of an image with little use of the memory resources of a mobile device while maintaining both resistance to image noise and operating speed. |
| US09076215B2 |
Arithmetic processing device
An image processor sets a first predetermined number of first blocks at first intervals in a second image, calculates a first evaluated value, selects one of the first blocks, and calculates a first parallax between the selected first block and the matching target block. An image processor sets a second predetermined number of second blocks at second intervals in a second image, calculates a second evaluated value, selects one of the second blocks, and calculates a second parallax between the selected second block and the matching target block. A controller determines, based on the first evaluated value and the second evaluated value and based on the first parallax and the second parallax, whether or not to employ one of the first parallax and the second parallax. |
| US09076214B2 |
Image acquisition apparatus and image processing apparatus using selected in-focus image data
An image acquisition apparatus according to the present invention includes a first image capturing unit group including a plurality of image capturing units in which at least part of in-focus distance ranges overlap each other and a second image capturing unit group including a plurality of image capturing units in which at least part of in-focus distance ranges overlap each other. The second image capturing unit group is different from the first image capturing unit group. A first object distance to an object is obtained from image data acquired by the first image capturing unit group and a second object distance different from the first object distance is obtained from image data acquired by the second image capturing unit group. |
| US09076213B2 |
Light estimation from video
Embodiments of the invention include a method and/or system for determining the relative location of light sources in a video clip. The relative location of a light source can be determined from information found within the video clip. This can be determined from specular reflection on a planar surface within the video clip. An ellipse can be fit to glare that is indicative of specular reflection on the planar surface. An outgoing light angle can be determined from the ellipse. From this outgoing light angle, the incident light angle can be determined for the frame. From this incident light angle, the location of the light source can be determined. |
| US09076209B2 |
Augmented reality method applied to the integration of a pair of spectacles into an image of a face
Method for creating a final real-time photorealistic image of a virtual object, corresponding to a real object arranged on an original photo of a user, in a realistic orientation related to the user's position, includes: detecting the presence of an area for the object in the photo; determining the position of characteristic points of the area for the object in the photo; determining the 3D orientation of the face, the angles Φ and Ψ of the camera having taken the photo relative to the principal plane of the area; selecting the texture to be used for the virtual object, in accordance with the angle-of-view, and generating the view of the virtual object in 3D; creating a first layered rendering in the correct position consistent with the position of the placement area for the object in the original photo; obtaining the photorealistic rendering by adding overlays to obtain the final image. |
| US09076204B2 |
Image capturing device, image capturing method, program, and integrated circuit
An image capturing device includes: a pre-capturing module which captures an imaging target at each of different focus positions in a predetermined focus range and outputs, as a capturing result, a plurality of pre-captured images lower in resolution than the output image; an object sharpness evaluating module which computes a sharpness level of each of the pre-captured images captured by the pre-capturing module; a focus varying range determining module which determines a focus position varying range within the predetermined focus range based on sharpness levels computed by the object sharpness evaluating module, such that a signal-to-noise ratio of the output image is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold; and an image capturing module which captures the imaging target while varying the focus position according to the focus position varying range determined by the focus varying range determining module, and outputs the output image as a capturing result. |
| US09076203B2 |
Image guided surgery with dynamic image reconstruction
A method may include processing two or more fiducials included in a three-dimensional medical image and included in a current image to generate two or more transform coefficients of a transform, and applying the transform to the three-dimensional medical image to form a present image. |
| US09076200B2 |
Method and apparatus for reducing noise of digital image
There are provided a method and an apparatus for reducing noise in a digital image capable of reducing noise while preventing damage to an edge of a digital image. The apparatus includes: a high pass filtering unit determining an edge region of an input image; a low pass filtering unit performing low pass filtering on a region of the input image determined not to be the edge region by the high pass filtering unit; and a sigma filtering unit performing sigma filtering on the region of the input image determined not to be the edge region by the high pass filtering unit. |
| US09076199B2 |
System and method for determining and controlling focal distance in a vision system camera
This invention provides a system and method for determining and controlling focal distance in a lens assembly of a vision system camera using an integral calibration assembly that provides the camera's image sensor with optical information that is relative to focal distance while enabling runtime images of a scene to be acquired along the image axis. The lens assembly includes a variable lens located along an optical axis that provides a variable focus setting. The calibration assembly generates a projected pattern of light that variably projects upon the camera sensor based upon the focus setting of the variable lens. That is, the appearance and/or position of the pattern varies based upon the focus setting of the variable lens. This enables a focus process to determine the current focal length of the lens assembly based upon predetermined calibration information stored in association with a vision system processor running the focus process. |
| US09076198B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing system, information processing method, program and recording medium
The present invention provides an information processing apparatus capable of accurately separating parenchymal cells and stromal cells from each other regardless of the staining intensity of the cells. The information processing apparatus is an information processing apparatus 100 including: an image processing unit 110 for smoothing a tissue sample image 150 obtained by staining and then imaging a biological tissue containing parenchymal cells 151 and stromal cells 152 so that luminance values of cell components of each of the parenchymal cells 151 become less than those of each of the stromal cells 152; and a mask generation unit 120 for generating, through generating a binary image by binarizing the tissue sample image 115 smoothed by the image processing unit 110, a mask 125 for removing a region of the stromal cells from the tissue sample image 115. |
| US09076196B2 |
Iron quantification of brain microbleeds
An automatic method for detection and quantification of localized sources of magnetic susceptibility in images using a computer with instructions for a parameter module; an image input and filtering module; a second image filtering module; and a pattern quantification module. |
| US09076194B2 |
System and method for monitoring quilting machine
A monitoring system for use with a sewing machine. The monitoring system includes a camera assembly mounted to a base of the sewing machine with a camera that collects images from a bottom side of the fabric. The camera assembly delivers images of the back side of the fabric to a monitor assembly that includes a display device. The display device displays the images collected by the camera. The monitor can be mounted to an upper or arm portion of the sewing machine for convenient viewing by the operator during use of the sewing machine. |
| US09076188B2 |
Method and system for shipment authentication
In one embodiment of the present invention, a source point of a supply chain secures shipment of an object by devising an encryption key and encrypting a message using the encryption key to produce an encrypted message. A portion or portions of the encryption key and the encrypted message are included or incorporated within the object to be shipped, packaging surrounding the object, and/or labels affixed to the object or packaging, prior to shipping the object to a destination point within the supply chain. Upon receipt of the object from the supply chain, the destination point can extract the portion or portions of the encryption key and the encrypted message from the object, packaging surrounding the object, and/or labels affixed to the object or packaging, obtain the remaining portion of the encryption key directly from the source point, reassemble the encryption key, and decrypt the encrypted message to produce a computed message. The destination point can then obtain the original message from the source point and compare the original message to the decrypted message in order to determine whether or not the shipment is authentic. |
| US09076185B2 |
System and method for managing electronic real estate registry information
Electronic real estate registration systems include property transaction and location characteristic databases communicating via computer networks providing information related to transactions associated with registered real property interests linked to publicly recorded documentation that protect legal interests of parties and counterparties engaged in the public exchange of real property rights. Real property rights can be held or owned by a managed asset-titling entity thus share a registered asset identifier providing locational coordinates identifying real property interest assignments and transactional documentation in association with asset underwriting, asset performance, and asset class rating systems. Electronic real estate registry database devices capture, process, store, retrieve, transmit, and report useful and timely information concerning registered property interests, responding in a manner typically associated with exchange traded securities, providing borrowers, creditors, investors and governing regulators ready access to fair and clear valuation, underwriting and transactional records delineated by time, apportionments, and pricing of real property interests. |
| US09076183B2 |
Multi-laterally traded contract settlement mode modification
Stored data may define a multilaterally-traded contract type and specify final settlement of contracts conforming to the contract type by delivery of a defined quantity of a commodity. Additional data may be received, which additional data may indicate potential invocation of an alternate cash settlement mode for a plurality of contracts. Each contract of the plurality may be a contract conforming to the contract type. Further data may be received, with the further data indicating the alternate cash settlement mode is invoked for a group of contracts. The group may be all of the contracts of the plurality or a sub-portion of the plurality. Data may be transmitted to indicate cash final settlement of each contract of the group by payment of a cash settlement value instead of by delivery of the defined quantity of the commodity. |
| US09076174B2 |
Method and service for providing access to premium content and dispersing payment therefore
A method and system for providing premium content and dispersing payment therefore. The method includes entering into an agreement with at least one partner that provides premium content and entering into an agreement with at least one customer that grants the customer access to premium content provided by at least one partner. The method further includes collecting defined parameter data of at least one customer accessing the premium content and dispersing payment to at least one partner where the payment is determined from the defined parameter data. The defined parameter data can be approximate time spent. |
| US09076160B2 |
System and method for suggesting recommended keyword
Provided are a system and method of suggesting at least one recommended keyword. The recommended keyword suggestion system may include a database storage device, the system including a keyword extracting unit to extract at least one keyword associated with a certain keyword from a related search word database stored in the database storage device, a display score providing unit to provide at least one display score for the at least one extracted keyword, each of the at least one display score being associated with an expected revenue from advertisement of each of the at least one extracted keyword, and a recommended keyword determining unit to determine at least one recommended keyword to be displayed for the certain keyword among the at least one extracted keyword, based on the provided at least one display score. |
| US09076155B2 |
Jukebox with connection to external social networking services and associated systems and methods
Entertainment systems interact with users to provide for social networking and/or other services. For instance, an entertainment system may be configured to provide jukebox-related and entertainment system mediated services that are accessible from within and from outside of the location, coordinating social networking services among and between patrons, while also providing for advertisement opportunities. The entertainment system within the location may be connected to one or more client devices, one or more displays, one or more bar-top or hand-held gaming devices, etc. The jukebox-related and entertainment system mediated services may provide mechanisms for enhancing patrons' experiences, creating a sense of ownership and/or belongingness to a connected community of entertainment system users. |
| US09076148B2 |
Dynamic pricing models for digital content
Dynamic pricing models which facilitate efficient distribution of digital content online. Particular implementations of the invention dynamically base pricing for digital content on relatively current, aggregated information regarding Internet user behavior and preferences, such as search query and/or page hit logs. Some implementations of the present invention are directed to pricing digital content based on the inherent properties of digital content and the mechanics of how electronic files are typically distributed on the Internet. |
| US09076147B2 |
Systems and methods for online marketing and advertising on e-mail systems
Methods for enhancing e-mail messages to provide preview enhanced e-mail messages that allow e-mail senders to associate customized preview content related to an e-mail message, including graphical images, that can be viewed by recipients directly from an e-mail inbox listing without opening the e-mail message itself. The e-mail messages have associated preview instructions, and have a preview trigger that upon actuation opens a temporary preview window on the inbox view and displays the preview content in accordance with the preview instructions while the preview trigger is actuated. The invention is applicable to web-based e-mail systems as well as to POP-based and proprietary e-mail systems. |
| US09076145B2 |
Systems and methods for purchasing electronic transmissions
Provided are methods, apparatus and systems for the sale of digital content over a network. The disclosure herein discusses the recording of a broadcast of a digital data stream by a broadcast receiving device. A listener may select a particular digital data stream to purchase by selecting a content identifier associated with the digital data stream of interest at the recording device. Upon obtaining the selection, a purchase request message is transmitted to an intermediary communication device. The purchase request message includes at least the content identifier. After the transaction is completed at a transaction server, a purchase confirmation message including at least a digital rights management key associated with the digital data stream is returned to and received by the broadcast receiving device. Upon receipt, of the digital rights management key, the recorded digital data stream is released for reproduction. |
| US09076144B2 |
Method and system for providing set-top box remote access functions in a browser extension based on advertising metadata
A method and a system for providing remote set-top box access functions in an Internet browser extension based on advertisement metadata is disclosed. A meta-data tag associated with an advertisement embedded on a currently viewed web page is scanned. It is determined that the meta-data tag is related to entertainment content. A media manipulation action for the entertainment content is determined. A notification that the media manipulation action is available for the entertainment content is displayed. Controls to store the media manipulation action on a user account are provided, and the manipulation action is stored to the user account. |
| US09076141B2 |
Transaction apparatus, systems and methods
Aspects and embodiments of the present invention relate to alternative kinds of transactions, which do not involve payment using only cash or a token device such as a smart card or chip and PIN card. In some embodiments, transactions involve a customer providing token-less transaction authentication information using customer interface means (150) that is adapted to receive, from a customer, in a first mode of operation, PIN or other token device authentication information, for use in a token device transaction, and token-less transaction authentication information, when operating in another mode of operation. In some embodiments, the customer interface means may be a specially-adapted chip and PIN card reader apparatus. Accordingly, such a customer input means facilitates manual input by a customer of voucher, coupon, accrued loyalty points, Air Miles, ticket or pass authentication information, without the need for a retailer to install new equipment or IT infrastructure. |
| US09076136B2 |
Bicycle rental system and station
A bicycle rental system and automated station that may be integrated with an automobile parking payment and management system. Users may pay for parking and/or rent and pickup bicycles at the station. The station has a meter, bicycle docks, and power plant. Transaction formalities for parking payment and rental may be handled at the meter. The bicycle docks each are adapted to secure a bicycle. The power plant uses a solar panel to collect power and stores it in energy storage device. Low-power operation may be achieved by placing some electronics in a low-power mode. Each bicycle dock may have a trigger mechanism that when activated powers on associated electronics. The bicycle docks may be divided among a number of bicycle modules. The bicycle modules provide flexibility and modularity so that the number of bicycle docks at a station may be changed. |
| US09076132B2 |
System and method of addressing email and electronic communication fraud
A system and method may respond to a fraudulent attack, such as a Phishing attack. The system and method may send a number of responses to party committing fraud, the responses designed to mimic the responses to a Phishing attack. The responses may include codes or marked information designed to entrap or detect the party committing fraud. |
| US09076131B2 |
Tracking interactive text-message communications
Internet or networked communication message items are selectively synchronized and tracked. An interactive communication application presents a message entry interface enabling a user to select a discrete question for tracking, creating tracking thread. The message is presented by visually distinguishing the tracked question from a remainder of message items, and the thread is updated in response to a reply message comprising a linked answer. A secondary tracking display interface presents thread pluralities and enables a user to select and resend an unanswered question or an unacknowledged answer. An answer may be automatically or explicitly linked to a question. Selecting or linking a question or answer may be effected through a cursor routine or special text string inputs, and the special text string inputs may be user defined. |
| US09076119B2 |
RFID-based inventory monitoring systems and methods with self-adjusting operational parameters
An inventory monitoring controller maintains information reflecting a current inventory of articles based on radio frequency identification (RFID) tag identifying information received from one or more RFID tag readers in the context of inventory polling operations. In an embodiment, the controller also adjusts an operational parameter (e.g., a missing article detection threshold or a variable polling parameter) based on an analysis of the RFID tag identifying information. For example, a variable polling parameter may be adjusted in response to an occurrence of a triggering event (e.g., an inventory change indicated by the RFID tag identifying information or an occurrence of a temporal event), and a missing article detection threshold may be adjusted based on historical information relating to the detection of (or failure to detect) a particular RFID tag. |
| US09076118B1 |
Harvest advisory modeling using field-level analysis of weather conditions, observations and user input of harvest condition states, wherein a predicted harvest condition includes an estimation of standing crop dry-down rates, and an estimation of fuel costs
A modeling framework for evaluating the impact of weather conditions on farming and harvest operations applies real-time, field-level weather data and forecasts of meteorological and climatological conditions together with user-provided and/or observed feedback of a present state of a harvest-related condition to agronomic models and to generate a plurality of harvest advisory outputs for precision agriculture. A harvest advisory model simulates and predicts the impacts of this weather information and user-provided and/or observed feedback in one or more physical, empirical, or artificial intelligence models of precision agriculture to analyze crops, plants, soils, and resulting agricultural commodities, and provides harvest advisory outputs to a diagnostic support tool for users to enhance farming and harvest decision-making, whether by providing pre-, post-, or in situ-harvest operations and crop analyses. |
| US09076107B2 |
Neural network system and uses thereof
A multifunctional neural network system for prediction which includes memory components to store previous values of data within a network. The memory components provide the system with the ability to learn relationships/patterns existent in the data over time. |
| US09076106B2 |
Systems and methods for management of risk in industrial plants
A system includes a risk assessment system. The risk assessment system includes a risk calculation system configured to calculate a risk based on one or more static inputs and one or more dynamic inputs. The one or more dynamic inputs includes a location of a human resource, a mobile resource, or a combination thereof. The risk assessment system further includes a decision support system (DSS) configured to use the risk to derive one or more decisions based on the risk, the one or more static inputs, and the one or more dynamic inputs. The one or more decisions are configured to aid in operating an industrial facility. |
| US09076102B2 |
Image forming apparatus, host apparatus, image forming system having the same, and method of controlling power thereof
An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus and a host apparatus. The image forming apparatus counts an idle state time during which the image forming apparatus is not in use, and, when the idle state time reaches a predetermined threshold time, transmits a notice screen display command to the host apparatus. The host apparatus displays a notice screen, and, when a turn on time extension menu is selected on the notice screen, transmits a turn on time extension command to the image forming apparatus. When the turn on time extension command is received, the image forming apparatus resets a timer unit and recounts the idle state time, and, when the turn on time extension command is not received for a predetermined time, is automatically turned off. |
| US09076100B2 |
Image forming apparatus, print system, and recording medium configured to analyze job data of a job and obtaining list display information
An image forming apparatus constituting a print system includes a reception unit configured to receive a job, a determination unit configured to analyze job data of the job, and determine whether or not the job involves a storage job for performing data storage processing to a non-volatile storage unit of the image forming apparatus, an analysis unit, and a communication unit. In a case where the job is determined to involve the storage job, the analysis unit performs simplified analysis processing for obtaining list display information for displaying storage target data stored by the storage job prior to the data storage processing. When the communication unit receives a display request for displaying a list of jobs including the storage job from a second image forming apparatus, the communication unit transmits, to the second image forming apparatus, list information including information about the storage target data. |
| US09076090B2 |
Card having structure for detaching and attaching to another card
A card is provided having structure, such as a teeth-like pattern, tongue and groove, etc., along at least one edge thereof. The structure is configured for matching or mating with a corresponding similar pattern along at least one edge of another card for selectively attaching and detaching the two cards. The card can be a credit card or other type of card having at least one magnetic stripe for effecting payment for purchases. The card can also be other types of cards, such as gift cards, library cards, identification cards, etc. |
| US09076079B1 |
Selecting photographs for a destination
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for computerized travel services. One of the methods includes identifying points of interest associated with a destination by querying a geographic data store; for each of the points of interest: identifying photographs using an index of photographs, the photographs being identified from the index as photographs geographically related to the point of interest, determining for each of the photographs a relevancy score based at least in part on selection success data of the photograph for image queries referring to the point of interest and references to the point of interest in documents associated with the photograph, and selecting a selected point of interest photograph from the photographs based at least in part on a respective visual quality score and the respective relevancy scores; and selecting a selected destination photograph from the selected point of interest photographs. |
| US09076077B2 |
Interactivity via mobile image recognition
Systems and methods of interacting with a virtual space, in which a mobile device is used to electronically capture image data of a real-world object, the image data is used to identify information related to the real-world object, and the information is used to interact with software to control at least one of: (a) an aspect of an electronic game; and (b) a second device local to the mobile device. Contemplated systems and methods can be used to gaming, in which the image data can be used to identify a name of the real-world object, to classify the real-world object, identify the real-world object as a player in the game, to identify the real-world object as a goal object or as having some other value in the game, to use the image data to identify the real-world object as a goal object in the game. |
| US09076075B2 |
Method and device for following an object in a sequence of at least two images
A method for following an object in a sequence of at least two images, termed previous and current, comprises a step of forming a first set Ep of points E p={Pp(1), . . . , Pp(i), . . . , Pp(N)} by extracting N characteristic points Pp(i) of the object present in the previous image and of forming a second set Ec of points Ec={Pc(1), . . . , Pc(i), . . . , Pc(M)} by extracting M characteristic points Pc(j) of the object present in the current image. The method further comprises a step of estimating the parameters of a model of movement of the object between the two images on the basis of pairs of matched points thus formed, and a step of selecting the pairs of matched points used to estimate the parameters of the movement model. The pairs of matched points may be selected solely from among those which are related to points of the first set of points which are singular. |
| US09076074B2 |
System and method for processing a digital image
A system and method for processing a digital image. A digital image and a definition of a segment therein may be obtained. A sampling area may be defined wherein the sampling area at least partly overlaps with the segment. A characteristic value for the sampling area may be determined The image may be represented based on the characteristic value. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09076071B2 |
Logo recognition
A computerized method for recognition of a logo is described herein. The method comprises obtaining a plurality of feed frame of a feed video wherein the feed video has a logo embedded therein. At least one feed frame from the plurality of feed frames is compared with each template from a plurality of templates. For each template compared with the feed frame, a correlation parameter is computed and the logo is recognized based on the computing. |
| US09076065B1 |
Detecting objects in images
Techniques for detecting the location of an object of interest in a visual image are presented. A detector component extracts Histogram of Gradient (HOG) features from grid regions associated with the visual image. A trained linear filter model uses a classifier to facilitate differentiating between positive and negative instances of the object in grid regions based on HOG features. A classifier component detects the K top-scoring activations of filters associated with the visual image. The classifier component detects the location of the object in the visual image based on a generalized Hough transform, given filter locations associated with the visual image. The classifier component projects the object location given filter activations and clusters the filter activations into respective clusters. The classifier component classifies whether a cluster is associated with the object based on the weighted sum of the activation scores of filters within the cluster and object detection criteria. |
| US09076061B2 |
System and method for updating geographic data
According to one aspect, embodiments of the invention provide a system and method for utilizing the effort expended by a user in responding to a CAPTCHA request to automatically transcribe text from images in order to verify, retrieve and/or update geographic data associated with geographic locations at which the images were recorded. |
| US09076057B2 |
Handwritten-information processing apparatus, handwritten-information processing method, and non-transitory computer-readable medium
A handwritten-information processing apparatus includes a handwritten-information acquisition unit and a handwritten-information insertion unit. The handwritten-information acquisition unit acquires a handwritten information item which has been handwritten by a user on a medium having a region inside a writing frame and a region outside the writing frame. The region inside the writing frame includes division regions. The region outside the writing frame is located outside the region inside the writing frame. When the handwritten-information acquisition unit has acquired an insertion mark which is a handwritten information item extending across a boundary between the region inside the writing frame and the region outside the writing frame, the handwritten-information insertion unit inserts, on the basis of the insertion mark, into the region inside the writing frame, a handwritten information item which has been handwritten in the region outside the writing frame. |
| US09076051B2 |
Collision detection method for a radio-frequency SIM card with low-frequency magnetic communication
A collision detection method for a radio-frequency SIM card with low-frequency magnetic communication comprises: transmitting by a card reader low-frequency card seeking characteristic information; determining by a radio-frequency SIM card A whether an intensity of a low-frequency magnetic induction signal reaches a preset threshold value; if yes, receiving low-frequency card seeking characteristic information and transmitting card seeking response information through a radio-frequency channel; receiving by the card reader the card seeking response information, establishing a radio-frequency connection with the radio-frequency SIM card A, and opening a preset time window; when the preset time window closes, interrupting by the card reader a transaction process with the radio-frequency SIM card A and re-transmitting the low-frequency card seeking characteristic information; if receiving by the card reader card seeking response information transmitted by another radio-frequency SIM card B, ascertaining that a radio-frequency SIM card collision exists. |
| US09076049B1 |
Encoding RFID tags of grouped items
Systems, methods of operation, and software are provided, for encoding RFID tags with which a predefined group of items is tagged. Encoding is by writing applicable Electronic Product Codes (EPCs) to the tags, so as to identify the individual items in the group. A base code can be read from each tag, and the applicable EPC is then written to it. |
| US09076048B2 |
Biometric identification, authentication and verification using near-infrared structured illumination combined with 3D imaging of the human ear
A biometric identification or authentication images an ear of the user. A source of near-infrared structured light illuminates the ear with at least one structured pattern and an image acquisition device captures a near-infrared image of an ear illuminated with a structured pattern of near-infrared light. An analysis area of the near-infrared image is processed to extract identifying features and it is determined if the identifying features correspond to an authorized user. The analysis area of the near-infrared image is processed to determine a reflectivity of the ear and it is determined if the reflectivity corresponds to an ear of a living person. The user is authenticated if the classified identifying features correspond to an authorized user and the reflectivity corresponds to an ear of a living person. |
| US09076043B2 |
Video summarization using group sparsity analysis
A method for identifying a set of key video frames from a video sequence comprising extracting feature vectors for each video frame and applying a group sparsity algorithm to represent the feature vector for a particular video frame as a group sparse combination of the feature vectors for the other video frames. Weighting coefficients associated with the group sparse combination are analyzed to determine video frame clusters of temporally-contiguous, similar video frames. A summary is formed based on the determined video frame clusters. |
| US09076037B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method
A background image holding unit is configured to hold a background image. A threshold table holding unit is configured to hold a threshold. A previous frame image holding unit is configured to hold a previous frame image. An object extraction unit is configured to perform a background subtraction process of calculating difference values between the background image and a latest image and detecting a pixel whose calculated difference value is equal to or larger than the threshold as an extracted object, and configured to perform a process of judging the magnitude of difference between the background image and latest image. The object extraction unit is configured to update the background image and threshold in accordance with the magnitude of difference between the background image and latest image. |
| US09076034B2 |
Object localization using vertical symmetry
A symmetric object in an image is identified by (a) converting an edge map of the acquired image into a binary image map including binary pixel values; (b) dividing the binary image map within a scanning window into multiple bins; (c) summing binary pixel values in each bin; and (d) identifying the symmetric object based at least in part on the summed binary pixel values in the bins. |
| US09076033B1 |
Hand-triggered head-mounted photography
Embodiments described herein may help a computing device, such as a head-mountable device (HMD), to capture and process images in response to a user placing their hands in, and then withdrawing their hands from, a frame formation. For example, an HMD may analyze image data from a point-of-view camera on the HMD, and detect when a wearer holds their hands in front of their face to frame a subject in the wearer's field of view. Further, the HMD may detect when the wearer withdraws their hands from such a frame formation and responsively capture an image. Further, the HMD may determine a selection area that is being framed, within the wearer's field of view, by the frame formation. The HMD may then process the captured image based on the frame formation, such as by cropping, white-balancing, and/or adjusting exposure. |
| US09076031B2 |
Image capture apparatus, control method of image capture apparatus, and recording medium
An image capture apparatus include transmission unit for transmitting first feature data concerning a face region included in an image captured by an image sensor to an external apparatus, reception unit for receiving a matching result between the first feature data and second feature data concerning a sub object from the external apparatus, storage unit for storing third feature data concerning a main object in a predetermined storage area in advance, matching unit for matching the first feature data with the third feature data and display unit for identifiably displaying, on a display device, the face region recognized as the sub object in the matching result received by the reception unit and the face region recognized as the main object in the matching result obtained by the matching unit. |
| US09076028B2 |
Facial recognition and transmission of facial images in a videoconference
Aspects herein describe new methods and systems of receiving one or more images by one or more cameras. Each of the one or more images is acquired by one or more cameras in which the one or more images comprise facial images corresponding to persons. In one embodiment, aspects of the disclosure describe a method for extracting each of the facial images from each of the images in which each of the facial images corresponds to each of one or more sets of extracted facial images. The method further includes sorting each of the extracted facial images per each set into separate groups of one or more groups wherein each group corresponds to facial images of each person. The method further includes selecting a preferred facial image from each group of the one or more groups to generate preferred facial images for transmission to a client using a display server. |
| US09076025B2 |
Card connector
A card connector includes an insulating body defining at least one receiving cavity for receiving an electronic card, electrical terminals disposed in the insulating body and projecting into the receiving cavity for contacting with the electronic card, and a securing part. One wall of the receiving cavity is opened with a slot and a ring-shaped receiving groove communicated with the slot and penetrating through the wall to communicate with the receiving cavity. A pillar is formed in the receiving groove. The securing part has a semi-ring elastic portion sleeved round the pillar and located in the receiving groove, and a pair of positioning arms parallelly extending from free ends of the elastic portion to be inserted in the slot and elastically abut against two inner sidewalls of the slot. The elastic portion projects into the receiving cavity for elastically resisting against one side edge of the electronic card. |
| US09076023B2 |
Method for remotely determining clothes dimensions
Method for remotely ordering clothing for a person (1), the person sends two profile images of himself/herself to the processing means (11), which determines there from two person profiles. The processing means determines the requested clothes size or clothes dimensions, by using a data set (12) with representations of virtual persons or pieces of clothing. The processing means use a matching, fitting or rendering algorithm for determining the largest similarity between the supplied person profiles and the representations of virtual people or clothes in said generic data set. Input into the processing means is done via a local terminal, via the Internet. |
| US09076022B2 |
Method and device for sensing and responding to an unauthorized opening of a biometric trait capture device
A biometric trait capture device includes a biometric trait capture sensor contained in a housing and configured to capture biometric data, such as a handwritten signature or other biometric trait(s) of a signor, in digitized form. A memory is provided in the housing and is not electronically accessible from outside of the housing. A value, such as an encryption key, is stored in the memory. A memory-erasure device erases or overwrites the value in response to an opening of the housing, thereby providing information indicating that the biometric trait capture device has possibly been tampered with by an unauthorized person. |
| US09076008B1 |
Content protection on an electronic device
Some embodiments enable a user of an electronic device to selectively secure applications and/or content of the electronic device. For instance, certain embodiments enable a user to password protect applications (e.g., email, calendar, contacts, photos) within a single environment. In some embodiments, a user can selectively secure specific content (e.g., work-related email messages, personal emails, work-related calendar entries, corporate contacts) within an application. Further, some embodiments enable a user to specify which applications and/or types of content the user would like to password protect. For instance, a user that has sensitive work-related information stored on or accessible through the user's device may choose to password protect work-related applications (e.g., work email account) and content (e.g., work documents, work-related calendar entries). By allowing the user to selectively secure certain applications and/or content on the electronic device, the user's interaction with the device is improved and made more convenient. |
| US09076005B2 |
Image processing apparatus
An image processing apparatus includes: a first acquisition unit acquiring input information from an outside for starting execution of an image processing function; a determination unit determining whether a specific apparatus connected through a network is logged in based on specific identification information corresponding to the input information; a first request unit requesting input of authentication information from the outside; and a function control unit controlling execution of the image processing function. When it is determined that the specific apparatus is not logged in, the first request unit requests the input of the authentication information from the outside. When it is determined that the specific apparatus is logged in, the function control unit permits the execution of the image processing function without the first request unit requesting the input of the authentication information from the outside. |
| US09076003B2 |
Method and apparatus for transparently encrypting and decrypting computer interface data
In general, embodiments of the invention include methods and apparatuses for securing otherwise unsecured computer interfaces by performing transparent data encryption and decryption. According to certain transparency aspects, the encryption and decryption functionality of the invention do not require any changes to the software layers such as file systems, device drivers, operating systems, or applications. Embodiments of the invention offload encryption key management to a centralized key management system that can be remotely located from the secured computer. Alternative embodiments perform key management locally. |
| US09076001B1 |
Method and apparatus for implementing a secure content pipeline
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with implementing a secure content pipeline are described. According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes a first processor, write-only memory, and unsecure memory. The write-only memory is accessible to the first processor for writing data, wherein the write-only memory is not accessible to the first processor for reading data. The unsecure memory is accessible to the first processor for writing and reading data. According to another embodiment, a method includes receiving data to be written to a write-only memory from a first processor; writing the data to the write-only memory; and preventing read access to the write-only memory by the first processor. |
| US09076000B2 |
Authentication device, authentication method, and program
An authentication device includes circuitry that holds L (L≧2) secret keys si (i=1 to L) and L public keys yi that satisfy yi=F(si) with respect to a set F of multivariate polynomials of n-th order (n≧2). The circuitry also performs with a verifier, an interactive protocol for proving knowledge of (L−1) secret keys si that satisfy yi=F(si). The circuitry receives L challenges from the verifier, arbitrarily selects (L−1) challenges from the L challenges received. The circuitry also generates, by using the secret keys si, (L−1) responses respectively for the (L−1) challenges selected, and transmits the (L−1) responses generated. |
| US09075997B2 |
Global variable security analysis
A method includes determining selected global variables in a program for which flow of the selected global variables through the program is to be tracked. The selected global variables are less than all the global variables in the program. The method includes using a static analysis performed on the program, tracking flow through the program for the selected global variables. In response to one or more of the selected global variables being used in security-sensitive operations in the flow, use is analyzed of each one of the selected global variables in a corresponding security-sensitive operation. In response to a determination the use may be a potential security violation, the potential security violation is reported. Apparatus and computer program products are also disclosed. |
| US09075996B2 |
Evaluating a security stack in response to a request to access a service
A process to evaluate a request to access a service received from a user's computing device having a software stack and a software stack provider over a computer network is disclosed. Prior to providing access to the service, a determination is made as to whether the software stack meets a set of conditions. If the set of conditions are met, the software stack provides verification information. The software stack provider is asked to validate the verification information. Access to the service if the software stack provider validates that the set of conditions are met. |
| US09075991B1 |
Looting detection and remediation
Security of sensitive information stored on a computing system is protected by monitoring a set of performance indicators of the computing system and executing remedial measures to protect the sensitive information when the set of performance indicators indicates a likelihood of malicious activity. A particular technique involves limiting the amount of sensitive information looted during a malicious attack on a computing system. The technique includes monitoring a set of performance indicators of the computing system. The set of performance indicators provides a measure of sensitive information being accessed on the computing system. The technique further includes testing whether the monitored set of performance indicators indicates a likelihood of looting, and temporarily reducing access to the sensitive information on the computing system in response to the act of testing indicating a likelihood of looting. |
| US09075990B1 |
Reliable selection of security countermeasures
Among other things, this document describes a computer-implemented security method such as for authenticated selection of security countermeasures and for reliable identification of computing devices. The method can include receiving, by a computing system, a request from a computing device for an electronic resource. The computing system can identify a security token received from the device that made the request. Based on the security token, particular security countermeasures can be selected that are to be applied to the electronic resource to be served in response to the request. The countermeasures can be operable to interfere with an ability of malware to interact with the served electronic resource when the served electronic resource is on the computing device. Portions of the electronic resource that are to be executed on the computing device can be re-coded using the selected particular security countermeasures. |
| US09075988B2 |
Inferring security decisions from trusted users
Inferring security decisions from trusted users, including: identifying, by a security inference module on a computing device, a candidate application to be installed on the computing device; identifying, by the security inference module, one or more trusted users; identifying, by the security inference module, trusted user installation activity associated with the candidate application; and determining, by the security inference module, whether to install the candidate application in dependence upon the trusted user installation activity associated with the candidate application. |
| US09075987B2 |
Methods and computing devices for password verification
A method for password verification comprises a first verification step for verifying a password that is input at least one time with a first preset password; and a second verification step for verifying the password that is input in another round with a second preset password when the password input in the first verification step is determined to be incorrect. The number of digits of the second preset password is larger than that of the first preset password. |
| US09075986B1 |
Systems and methods for software application security management
Apparatus and method for managing password information associated with a service account are disclosed. In some embodiments, a service account management system is configured to include a security account utility and a password information data store. In some embodiments, a security account utility is used when registering, tracking, and adjusting password change information. In some embodiments, notification of a password change date is transmitted to a service account owner and a security auditor for enforcement. Use of a security account management system with a middleware application is also disclosed. |
| US09075985B2 |
Restricted transmogrifying driver platform
A restricted transmogrifying driver platform is described herein. In one or more implementations, a platform is provided that enables a restricted execution environment for virtual private network (VPN) drivers and other transmogrifying drivers. The platform may be implemented as an operating system component that exposes an interface through which drivers may register with the platform and be invoked to perform functions supported by the platform. The restricted execution environment places one or more restrictions upon transmogrifying drivers that operate via the platform. For instance, execution may occur in user mode on a per-user basis and within a sandbox. Further, the platform causes associated drivers to run as background processes with relatively low privileges. Further, the platform may suspend the drivers and control operations of the driver by scheduling of background tasks. Accordingly, exposure of the transmogrifying drivers to the system is controlled and limited through the platform. |
| US09075984B2 |
Secure system for allowing the execution of authorized computer program code
Systems and methods for selective authorization of code modules are provided. According to one embodiment, file system or operating system activity relating to a code module is intercepted by a kernel mode driver of a computer system. The code module is selectively authorized by the kernel mode driver by authenticating a content authenticator of the code module with reference to a multi-level whitelist. The multi-level whitelist includes (i) a global whitelist database remote from the computer system that contains content authenticators of approved code modules that are known not to contain viruses or malicious code and (ii) a local whitelist database containing content authenticators of at least a subset of the approved code modules. The activity relating to the code module is allowed when the content authenticator matches one of the content authenticators of approved code modules within the multi-level whitelist. |
| US09075983B2 |
More secure image-based “CAPTCHA” technique
A more secure CAPTCHA makes use of a distorted alphanumeric character string or strings that include one or more glyphs, pictures or symbols foreign to a target audience. Adding at least one of a glyph, picture or symbol makes recognition of the distorted string trivial since humans who would know which of the character set to expect, but a very difficult decision for a computer already struggling to decide where a character begins and ends, let alone identifying the character as being valid. |
| US09075979B1 |
Authentication based on proximity to mobile device
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for performing multi-factor authentication. In one aspect, a method includes determining that a user has successfully completed an authentication factor, determining whether a mobile device associated with the user is proximate to a computer; and authenticating the user based on determining that the user has successfully completed the authentication factor, and that the mobile device is proximate to the computer. |
| US09075977B2 |
System for using spoken utterances to provide access to authorized humans and automated agents
Voice verification systems for controlling access to electronic accounts using spoken utterances are disclosed. These systems include a database of words and a sentence synthesis engine that uses the dictionary to construct challenge sentences. A challenge logic routine selects a challenge sentence and processes a spoken response from an entity to determine if the entity is authorized to access an electronic account. Both human and machine spoken utterances can be processed as responses, and in some embodiments, the entity may be an automated agent authorized by a human to conduct transactions in said electronic account. |
| US09075970B2 |
Systems and methods for secure handling of secure attention sequences
A method for authenticating, by a trusted component, a user of a desktop appliance to a remote machine includes executing, by a desktop appliance, a user interaction component, responsive to receiving a secure attention sequence from a user. The user interaction component receives authentication credentials associated with the user. The desktop appliance transmits, to a broker service, the received authentication credentials. The broker service authenticates the user, responsive to the received authentication credentials. The broker service transmits, to a remote machine, authentication data associated with the received authentication credentials. The remote machine authenticates the user, responsive to the received authentication data. The remote machine provides, to the desktop appliance, access to a resource requested by the user. In another aspect, a trusted component provides, to a user of a desktop appliance, access to secure desktop functionality provided by a remote machine. |
| US09075965B2 |
Execution-based license discovery and optimization
Systems and articles of manufacture for execution-based license discovery and optimization include collecting execution information for one or more software processes on one or more servers in an operating system, mapping the collected execution information for the one or more software processes to one or more software products, determining usage of a software product in the operating system based on the mapping of the collected execution information for the one or more software processes to one or more software products, and identifying one or more software product license optimization opportunities based on a comparison of the determined usage of the software product in the operating system and an indication of all installations of the software product in the operating system. |
| US09075964B2 |
Electronic system for the protection and control of license transactions associated with the alteration of replicated read only media and its bound licensed content
Distribution of content stored on read only media, and a system and method by which a consumer who purchased content stored on read only media implements a process in the field by which they alter the storage media. A system and tools are used by the consumer to identify, authenticate, disable, and confirm alteration in exchange for compensation, the acquisition of new usage rights to content, or the ability to restore access to or copy content to new media. The process may be conducted by the consumer in the field without assistance and or visual inspection, or be partially conducted in conjunction with an authorized intermediary. Furthermore, the process may restore access to content stored on new media without the need to transfer copies of content. |
| US09075956B2 |
Programmable customized user interface for transport refrigeration units
A control device having a graphical user interface for controlling the operation of a transport refrigeration unit is disclosed. The graphical user interface may include a menu structure having multiple levels of menu options, executable functions and data items that may be navigated and viewed by a user. Access to the various menus may be user-specific and controlled so that a subset of the information in the menu structure is available to normal users, and larger subsets of the information are available to advanced users having higher levels of authorization to the menus and information contained in the graphical user interface device. The graphical user interface may also include programmable soft keys that may take users directly to frequently viewed menu options, functions and data items without the necessity of navigating through the levels of the menu structure. |
| US09075952B2 |
Controlling bandwidth allocations in a system on a chip (SoC)
In one embodiment, a fabric of a processor such as a system on a chip includes at least one data buffer including a plurality of entries each to store data to be transferred to and from a plurality of agents and to and from a memory, a request tracker to maintain track of pending requests to be output to an ordered domain of the fabric, and an output throttle logic to control allocation into the ordered domain between write transactions from a core agent and read completion transactions from the memory. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09075951B2 |
Executable computer-readable medium storing code that causes a system to implement a method
A computer-readable medium storing code when executed by one or more processors of a computer system causes the system to implement a method is disclosed. The method provides for: 1. preparing a GUI comprising a plurality of input fields and a graphical representation of output response data of the machine using parameters; 2. receiving a plurality of parameters into the plurality of input fields; 3. emulating a mechanical operation of the machine using the plurality of parameters inputted into the plurality of input fields by simulating the programmable logic control code; 4. generating the output response data based on the emulation of the mechanical operation of the machine; 5. calculating one or more predicted product values based at least in part on the output response data provided to the a product model; and, 6. preparing for display the one or more predicted product values. |
| US09075949B2 |
Supporting design of electronic equipment
Design information including layout information of a print circuit board associated with an electronic equipment, and component information is acquired, and a verification condition associated with crosstalk noise is input. Information of signal lines which should verify influence of the crosstalk noise are extracted from the design information. Based on the verification condition, a signal line, which crosses or overlaps a signal line other than the signal line corresponding to the extracted information planerly viewed from a laminating direction of layers of the print circuit board, of the signal lines corresponding to the extracted information is detected as a victim wiring. |
| US09075946B2 |
Method for designing semiconductor integrated circuit
A semiconductor integrated circuit according to one embodiment includes a plurality of flip-flop groups configured by dividing a plurality of flip-flops, connected in series, for carrying out a serial operation of serially transferring data, a continuous signal determination circuit configured to output a first signal if outputs of the flip-flops contained in the flip-flop group match, and output a second signal in other cases; and a clock gating circuit configured not to provide a clock signal when receiving the first signal and to provide a clock signal when receiving the second signal with respect to the flip-flops other than a head of the flip-flop group. |
| US09075938B2 |
Method and apparatus for mapping of multiple-floor structures
A method for mapping a multiple-floor structure includes building a plurality of maps that includes one map for each of at least two of the floors, detecting a set of anchor points, where the set of anchor points includes at least one anchor point on each of the maps, linking the anchor points to produce a set of linked anchor points, and aligning the maps around the set of linked anchor points to produce a set of aligned maps. A method for mapping a structure using a single robot includes generating, by the robot, a first map at a first point in time, storing the first map, generating, by the same robot, a second map at a second point in time subsequent to the first point in time, and aggregating the first map and the second map to produce an aggregated map. |
| US09075937B2 |
Tools for customized design of dental restorations
The present disclosure relates to tools in a system for the design of customized three-dimensional models of dental restorations for subsequent manufacturing. Dental restorations such as implant abutments, copings, crowns, wax-ups, bridge frameworks. Moreover, the disclosure relates to a computer-readable medium for implementing such a system on a computer. |
| US09075921B2 |
Error simulation
An error simulation module may receive an indication of an external function call made by a computer application program. In response to the function call, the error simulation module may provide a simulated output parameter to the computer application program. The error simulation module may receive an indication of a behavior of the computer application program in response to the simulated output parameter. |
| US09075917B2 |
Testing framework for dynamic web pages
A system and method for bucket testing includes: retrieving a user's information from a user in a bucket testing group when a request to serve a web page is received; determining from the user's information if the user has an active bucket identifier associated with the user's account in a persistent store; retrieving bucket parameters from the user's information when it is determined that the user has an active bucket identifier; determining if the bucket parameters are within a range assigned to the bucket testing group; passing the bucket parameters to the server; and loading configuration and files associated with the active bucket identifier. |
| US09075913B2 |
Validation of applications for graphics processing unit
The techniques described in this disclosure are directed to validating an application that is to be executed on a graphics processing unit (GPU). For example, a validation server device may receive code of the application. The validation server device may provide some level of assurance that the application satisfies one or more performance criteria. In this manner, the probability of a problematic application executing on the device that includes the GPU may be reduced. |
| US09075912B2 |
Method and system for software system performance diagnosis with kernel event feature guidance
A method includes generating a normal trace in a training stage for the monitored software systems and a monitored trace in the deployment stage for anomaly detection, applying resource transfer functions to traces to convert them to resource features, and system call categorization to traces to convert them to program behavior features, performing anomaly detection in a global scope using the derived resource features and program behavior features, in case the system finds no anomaly, generating no anomaly report, in case the anomaly is found, including the result in an anomaly report; and performing conditional anomaly detection. |
| US09075911B2 |
System and method for usage pattern analysis and simulation
Systems and methods are provided for analyzing usage patterns. In certain embodiments, a system includes a scenario observer, a scenario associator, and a scenario analyzer. The scenario observer is configured to acquire event data relating to a plurality of events on a system having software and hardware, wherein the plurality of events comprises user input. The scenario associator is configured to associate the event data with a plurality of scenarios. The scenario analyzer configured to analyze the plurality of scenarios to identify usage patterns of the system. |
| US09075910B2 |
Physiological monitor system for determining medication delivery and outcome
A method is described for the determination of the taking of a medication utilizing at least one physiological parameter monitoring platform. In addition, the method also may enable the determination of physiological effects or events resultant from the taking of a medication (or lack thereof) through the use of one or more physiological monitoring platforms. |
| US09075908B2 |
Partitioning medical binary decision diagrams for size optimization
In particular embodiments, a method includes accessing a first binary decision diagram (BDD) representing data streams from sensors, selecting portions from the first BDD, constructing a second BDD representing the selected portions and a third BDD representing the non-selected portions, determining sizes of the first, second, and third BDDs, and if the size of the first BDD is less than a sum of the sizes of the second and third BDDs, then storing the first BDD, else storing the second and third BDDs. |
| US09075900B2 |
Systems, methods and computer program products for providing compliant delivery of content, applications and/or solutions
Systems, methods and computer program products for providing device independent compliant applications include accumulating device, user and/or peripheral interface data corresponding to a mobile terminal of a user and associating the device, user and/or peripheral interface data with a unique identifier and storing the device, user and/or peripheral interface data and the unique identifier in a database. Before storing the device, user and/or peripheral interface data, the device, user and/or peripheral interface data is de-identified from the user. |
| US09075898B1 |
Generating and ranking incremental search suggestions for personal content
Providing incremental search suggestions from a content database include accessing the content database to determine possible candidates for the search suggestions, scoring each of the candidates based at least partially on a non-monotonic document frequency function, where candidates that appear a first amount corresponding to a relatively frequent occurrence in the content database and candidates that appear a second amount corresponding to a relatively infrequent occurrence in the content database both score lower than candidates that appear in the content database with a frequency that is between the first amount and the second amount, and ordering the possible candidates based on at least the scoring. Possible candidates may include named entities and n-grams. The n-grams may only be unigrams and bigrams. Stop words may be filtered out of the n-grams. Scoring may include taking into account term frequency. |
| US09075897B2 |
Storing and searching fingerprints derived from media content based on a classification of the media content
Attributes are identified in media content. A classification value of the media content is computed based on the identified attributes. Thereafter, a fingerprint derived from the media content is stored or searched for based on the classification value of the media content. |
| US09075896B2 |
Fast component enumeration in graphs with implicit edges
A method and system for graphical enumeration. The method includes creating an ordered set of vertices for a graph such that each vertex is associated with a corresponding index, and wherein each vertex in the ordered set of vertices includes information. A plurality of keys is created for defining the information. A plurality of lists of vertices is created, each of which is associated with a corresponding key such that vertices in a corresponding list include information associated with the corresponding key. For a first list of vertices, a least valued index is determined from a group of associated vertices based on vertices in the first list and vertices pointed to by the vertices in the first list. Also, all associated vertices are pointed to a root vertex associated with the least valued index. |
| US09075895B2 |
Case data visualization application
A case data visualization application is provided that, when executed on a device, allows a user to visualize a chronology of events associated with a case, view a summary of one or more supporting details of an event, and drill-down to view specific case data of each supporting detail of an event. Thus, the case data visualization application provides a way of collecting, organizing, visualizing, and sharing data associated with a case. Furthermore, the case data visualization application allow a plurality of users to collaborate on the case, and synchronizes a plurality of supporting details created by a plurality of users that are associated with an event. |
| US09075892B2 |
Method for automatically inserting an embedded toolbar into a web browser directly by way of a gateway device
The present invention is to provide a method applicable to a network system for automatically inserting an embedded toolbar into a web browser directly by way of a gateway device, wherein a toolbar request instruction written in a dynamic scripting language is inserted into a web page message by the gateway device while the web page message is transmitted from a web server to a terminal device (e.g., a personal computer, personal digital assistant, etc.) through the gateway device, so as to enable the web browser of the terminal device to request an embedded toolbar serve for providing an embedded toolbar message according to the toolbar request instruction and then show an embedded toolbar corresponding to the embedded toolbar message on a web page received from the web server according to the web page message. Thus, a user of the terminal device doesn't have to install the embedded toolbar additionally. |
| US09075887B2 |
Method and system for creating pervasive data form reporting
A content syndication system is disclosed where a syndicated data feed entry may include whatever information contributed to the content of that feed entry. Doing so allows business reporting and analytics tools to consume both the feed information (e.g., a summary of a report) and the underlying data (e.g., a collection of database records). A feed-reader application that does not understand the extended feed data (i.e., the information which contributed to the content of the feed entry) simply disregards the extended content. Thus, the extended feeds may be included in email messages, documents and other packaging and delivery mechanisms since no additional information is needed to consume or render formatted content. |
| US09075884B2 |
Collecting web pages/links from communications and documents for later reading
Systems, methods, and computer program products for collecting webpages/links from communications and documents for later reading is disclosed. User interface elements allow a user to select multiple webpages or links at once for addition to a reading list or other data structure for later reading. The selection mode may be entered using a variety of inputs. Animated user interface elements indicate the progress of adding the webpages or links to the data structure. |
| US09075878B2 |
Information processing apparatus, content item management system, non-transitory computer readable medium, and information processing method
Provided is an information processing apparatus including a data acquisition unit that acquires content item data indicating a content item, an identification information generation unit that generates identification information of the content item on the basis of the content item data acquired by the data acquisition unit according to a predefined rule, and a browsing history extraction unit that extracts a browsing history of a user regarding the content item in correlation with the identification information of the content item generated by the identification information generation unit. |
| US09075872B2 |
Content-based navigation for electronic devices
Content-based navigation of an electronic device includes receiving supplemental content to an electronic book. The supplemental content is created separately from the electronic book. The content-based navigation also includes associating an identifier of the electronic book with the supplemental content, storing the supplemental content with the identifier in a storage device, and creating an index to the supplemental content that is searchable by the identifier of the electronic book. The content-based navigation further includes providing end user devices with access to the supplemental content in the storage device via the index. |
| US09075870B2 |
System, method and apparatus for detecting related topics and competition topics based on topic templates and association words
A system for detecting related topics and competition topics for a target topic includes an information extracting apparatus configured to create topic templates and association words from documents created online to generate topic templates and association words. The system also includes a related topic detecting apparatus configured to detect and trace related topics and competition topics for the target topic based on the topic templates and the association words. |
| US09075867B2 |
Intelligent results using an assistant
Information may be presented to a user by using a first application to receive a character stream of one or more noncompletion characters. The noncompletion characters indicate that additional characters may be received. The character stream is exchanged with a host that analyzes the character stream to generate results that are responsive to the user's predicted interest. Results are received and displayed so that the user may select one of the results to launch a code segment related to the selected result. |
| US09075866B2 |
System and method for providing search keyword list
A method and system for providing a search keyword list are provided. The search keyword list providing system includes an initial letter receiving unit to receive at least one initial letter from a user terminal; a list providing unit to provide a first search keyword list that contains at least one automatically completed search keyword related to the at least one initial letter; and a middle letter receiving unit to receive a middle letter related to any one of the at least one initial letter from the user terminal, wherein the list providing unit provides the user terminal with a second search keyword list that contains at least one automatically completed search keyword related to the at least one initial letter and the middle letter when receiving the middle letter. |
| US09075865B2 |
System for estimating age of a user based on mass data
An initial weight is configured for each kind of basic age data, an age weight of the user in different basic age data is obtained according to the initial weight and age similarity of the user in different kinds of basic age data, and the age with the largest age weight is determined as the age of the user. |
| US09075856B2 |
Systems and methods for distributing replication tasks within computing clusters
A computer-implemented method for distributing replication tasks within computing clusters may include (1) identifying a primary volume that is replicated to a secondary volume, (2) identifying a computing cluster with access to the primary volume that includes at least a first node and a second node, (3) receiving a request to write data to the primary volume, (4) logging, via the first node, the request to write the data to the primary volume to a replication log, and (5) using the replication log to replicate, via the second node, the data to the secondary volume. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US09075854B2 |
Browser based database manipulation
Methods, program products, and systems implementing browser-based database manipulation are described. A browser on a client device can receive a form definition that is generated based on a schema of a relational database and a layout. The schema in the form definition can specify properties of data fields. The browser can display the data fields and other components of the layout in a list. The browser can receive a drag-and-drop input, the drag-and-drop input selecting a data field or a layout component from the list and dropping the selected data field or layout component in a drop zone in a form area in the browser. The browser can determine the drop location, and use the drop location as a parameter to modify the form definition. The layout and the schema can be modified based on the modified form definition. |
| US09075850B2 |
Monitoring system and monitoring method
A monitoring system quantifies either a configuration change or a status change of a monitoring target, and displays a change value thereof. Furthermore, the monitoring target refers to either a monitoring-target apparatus or a component of a monitoring-target apparatus. Moreover, in a case where multiple monitoring information acquisition intervals are used a change value may be computed and displayed for each of multiple monitoring targets. There may also be a case in which a time axis of a chronological graph of monitoring numeric values and a time axis of a chronological graph of change values are displayed collectively. |
| US09075849B2 |
Method and system for probabilistically quantifying and visualizing relevance between two or more citationally or contextually related data objects
In one embodiment a method for probabilistically quantifying a degree of relevance between two or more citationally or contextually related data objects, such as patent documents, non-patent documents, web pages, personal and corporate contacts information, product information, consumer to behavior, technical or scientific information, address information, and the like is provided. In another embodiment a method for visualizing and displaying relevance between two or more citationally or contextually related data objects is provided. In another embodiment a search input/output interface that utilizes an iterative self-organizing mapping technique to automatically generate a visual map of relevant patents and/or other related documents desired to be explored, searched or analyzed is provided. In another embodiment, a search input/output interface that displays and/or communicates search input criteria and corresponding search results in a way that facilitates intuitive understanding and visualization of the logical relationships between two or more related concepts being searched is provided. |
| US09075847B2 |
Methods, apparatus and system for identifying a document
A computerized method for identifying a document. A signature may be determined for a first document and compared with a signature for each of one or more additional documents. A document similarity score may be determined and one or more similar documents may be identified based on the document similarity score. |
| US09075843B2 |
Authorization check of database query through matching of access rule to access path in application systems
A method is provided to check user authorization to access a database, the method comprising: receiving a database query; producing an execution plan for the query; receiving an access rule applicable to a user associated with the query; determining whether the access rules permits processing of the query according to the plan; and rejecting the query in response to a determination that the access rule does not allow processing of the query according to the plan. |
| US09075842B2 |
Scalable deduplication system with small blocks
Exemplary method, system, and computer program product embodiments for scalable data deduplication working with small data chunk in a computing environment are provided. In one embodiment, by way of example only, for each of the small data chunk, a signature is generated based on a combination of a representation of characters that appear in the small data chunk with a representation of frequencies of the small data chunk. A signature is generated based on a combination of a representation of characters that appear. The signature is used to help in selecting the data to be deduplicated. Additional system and computer program product embodiments are disclosed and provide related advantages. |
| US09075831B2 |
Method and apparatus for modifying a row in a database table to include meta-data
One embodiment of the present invention provides a database system that facilitates modifying a row in a database table to include meta-data about operations performed on the row. During operation, the database receives a command to perform an operation on a row in a table of the database. The database then determines if executing the command necessitates updating an extensible row descriptor for the row, wherein the extensible row descriptor is a field in the row that contains meta-data about operations performed on the row. If so, the database updates the extensible row descriptor in a manner defined by an update rule for the extensible row descriptor. |
| US09075830B2 |
Propagation through perdurance
An event processor accepts event representations that comprise perdurance and epistemological relationships among entities or entity references, and the event processor stores information derived from event representations in a datastore. A search component searches entities based on local epistemological and perdurance properties, and a perdurance engine traverses the perdurance relationships obtained from the datastore. An epistemological propagator generates derived epistemological relationships using the perdurance engine and local epistemological data obtained from the datastore. |
| US09075826B2 |
Image matching
A method performed by a system. The method includes comparing at least one query image received from a mobile device with a plurality of planes stored in a memory, matching the query image with at least one of the plurality of planes, and determining a location based on the matching of the query image with the at least one plane. Comparing the at least one query image with the plurality of planes includes executing a warping function between the at least one query image and the plurality of planes to determine at least a first matching score for matching the at least one query image with at least one of the plurality of planes. |
| US09075814B2 |
Memory device, electronic system, and methods associated with modifying data and a file of a memory device
A memory device, system and method of editing a file in a non-volatile memory device is described. The memory device includes a controller and a memory array configured to copy an existing first file into a second file during editing and to maintain the first file while applying edits to the second file. When editing is completed, a first cluster pointer of the first file is redirected to point at the first cluster of the second file that has been edited. |
| US09075812B1 |
System and method for automatically selecting images to accompany text
A system for selecting an image to accompany text from a user in connection with a social media post. The system is capable of receiving text from the user, identifying one or more search terms based on the text, identifying candidate images from images in one or more image databases using the search terms, presenting one or more candidate images to the user, receiving from the user a selected image from the one or more candidate images, generating the social media post comprising the selected image and the user-submitted text, and transmitting the social media post for display. |
| US09075798B2 |
Verifying authenticity of input using a hashing algorithm
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for verifying a message based on application of a hashing algorithm. In one aspect, a method includes identifying a file and a key value and processing the file using multiple nonlinear functions to generate an output hash value, where the operations performed by the nonlinear functions are modified based on the key value. The file can then be verified based on the output hash value. |
| US09075796B2 |
Text mining for large medical text datasets and corresponding medical text classification using informative feature selection
Techniques include performing text mining on a set of case reports in text format to determine a set of grammar rules to be used to determine whether case reports meet a medical condition. The text mining includes performing feature selection, used to determine the set of grammar rules, that combines standardized case definitions with experience of medical officers for the medical condition and outputting the set of grammar rules. Another technique includes applying grammar rule(s) to new case report(s), the grammar rule(s) previously determined at least by performing text mining comprised of performing feature selection, used to determine the set of grammar rules, that combines standardized case definitions with experience of medical officers for the medical condition. Indication(s) are output of whether the new case report(s) meet or do not meet the medical condition. The techniques may be performed by a method, an apparatus, and a program product. |
| US09075794B2 |
Systems and methods for identifying and suggesting emoticons
Various embodiments provide a method that comprises receiving a set of segments from a text field, analyzing the set of segments to determine at least one of a target subtext or a target meaning associated with the set of segments, and identifying a set of candidate emoticons where each candidate emoticon in the set of candidate emoticons has an association between the candidate emoticon and at least one of the target subtext or the target meaning. The method may further comprise presenting the set of candidate emoticons for entry selection at a current position of an input cursor, receiving an entry selection for a set of selected emoticons from the set of candidate emoticons, and inserting the set of selected emoticons into the text field at the current position of the input cursor. |
| US09075791B2 |
Enterprise concept definition management
A system for managing an enterprise concept dictionary may include an electronic master dictionary and electronic local dictionaries. The master dictionary may include concept entries respectively associated with concept identifiers and with one or more concept definitions. The local dictionaries may include one or more of the concept identifiers of the master dictionary. A dictionary management module may be in signal communication with the master dictionary and the local dictionaries. The dictionary management module may be configured to query the master dictionary for a concept entry that corresponds to a concept associated with a modeling component. If a concept entry is found, the concept identifier may be provided. If a concept entry is not found, a new concept entry may be added to the master dictionary. A notification module may be in signal communication with the master dictionary and automatically provide notification when a concept entry is added or updated. |
| US09075790B2 |
Internal focus reference beads for imaging cytometry
The invention generally relates to analytical and monitoring systems useful for analyzing and measuring cells and biological samples. More particularly, the invention provides systems and methods for internal calibration and focus reference for cytometry imaging. |
| US09075789B2 |
Methods and apparatus for interleaving priorities of a plurality of virtual processors
Methods and apparatus for interleaving priorities of a plurality of virtual processors are disclosed. A hypervisor assigns a base priority to each virtual processor and schedules one or more virtual processors to execute on one or more physical processors based on the current priority associated with each virtual processor. When the hypervisor receives an indication from one of the virtual processors that its current priority may be temporarily reduced, the hypervisor lowers the current priority of that virtual processor. The hypervisor then schedules another virtual processor to execute on a physical processor instead of the virtual processor with the temporarily reduced priority. When the hypervisor receives an interrupt for the virtual processor with the lowered priority, the hypervisor raises the priority of that virtual processor and schedules the virtual processor with the restored priority to execute on a physical processor so that processor can handle the interrupt. |
| US09075787B2 |
Defining a reusable spreadsheet-function by extracting the function from a complex calculation in a spreadsheet document
The invention relates to a computer-implemented method for displaying data values calculated by a spreadsheet-function, the method comprising: Specifying one or more formal output parameters by specifying, for each formal output parameter, a first cell of a spreadsheet document, Specifying one or more formal input parameters by specifying, for each formal input parameter, a second cell, Specifying a spreadsheet-function body, wherein the specified spreadsheet-function in operation provides a user with the option for: Calculating a first output parameter value, Displaying the one or more first output parameter values or a data value having been derived thereof in a 3rd cell, Calculating a second output parameter value, and Displaying the one or more second output parameter values or a data value having been derived thereof in a 4th cell, wherein the 3rd cell and the 4th cell display their respective data content within the spreadsheet document at the same time. |
| US09075783B2 |
Electronic device with text error correction based on voice recognition data
During operation of an electronic device such as a cellular telephone with a touch screen display or other electronic equipment, a voice recognition engine may gather data on spoken words. Data on the spoken words that are recognized may be maintained in a spoken word database maintained by an input processor with an autocorrection engine. A user may supply text input that contains mistyped words to the electronic device using the touch screen or a keyboard. The input processor may use the autocorrection engine to automatically replace mistyped words with corrected versions of the mistyped words. The corrected words may be displayed in real time as the user supplies the text input. The autocorrection engine may make word correction decisions based at least partly on information in the spoken word database. |
| US09075779B2 |
Performing actions based on capturing information from rendered documents, such as documents under copyright
A hardware, firmware, and/or software facility (“facility”) for providing information relevant to rendered documents is described. In some embodiments, the facility identifies multiple versions of an electronic document corresponding to a rendered document captured by a capture device. The facility may then provide a person utilizing the capture device with various ways to interact with one or more versions of the electronic document. In some embodiments, the facility determines that use of a rendered document is restricted, such as by copyright, to some degree. The facility may then offer the person the option to obtain unrestricted use of the rendered document. If the person accepts, the person obtains the right to store captures of the rendered document. If the person declines, the facility automatically discards captures of the rendered document. In some embodiments, the facility may automatically purchase rights to restricted-use rendered documents based upon the person's predefined criteria. |
| US09075773B1 |
Prioritized repair of data storage failures
Embodiments are directed towards managing data storage that may experience a data failure. If a repair event is associated with a data storage failure, a new repair task may be generated and added to a task list. A priority value for each repair task in the task list may be determined based in part on the mean-time-to-data-loss (MTTDL) value associated with each repair task in the task list such that a lower MTTDL may indicate a higher priority value over a lower MTTDL. One or more repair tasks may be promoted to become active repair tasks based on the priority value the repair tasks such that the promoted repair tasks have a higher priority that than other repair tasks in the task list, if any. Each active repair task may be executed to repair one or more associated the storage failures. |
| US09075771B1 |
Techniques for managing disaster recovery sites
Techniques for managing disaster recovery sites are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for managing disaster recovery sites comprising generating a heartbeat at a first node, transmitting the heartbeat from the first node to a second node, determining whether a network connection between the first node and the second node has failed, determining whether the second node has received an additional heartbeat from the first node, and changing a state of the secondary node based on the determination of whether the second node has received the additional heartbeat. |
| US09075767B2 |
Parallel computer system, synchronization apparatus, and control method for the parallel computer system
A synchronization apparatus includes a receiver that receives data from a synchronization apparatus of another node that performs synchronization with its own node from among the plurality of synchronization apparatuses and extracts synchronization information from the received data, a transmitter that transmits the data to the synchronization apparatus of the other node, a receiving state register that stores the extracted synchronization information, a delay unit that delays the received data by a specified period of time, and a controller that stores the extracted synchronization information and synchronization information from its own controller in the reception state register and causes the transmitter to transmit the data to the other node and returns the data to its own node back to its own controller via the delay unit when the extracted synchronization information and the synchronization information from its own controller are stored in the reception state register. |
| US09075765B2 |
State change in systems having devices coupled in a chained configuration
The present disclosure includes methods, devices, and systems for state change in systems having devices coupled in a chained configuration. A number of embodiments include a host and a number of devices coupled to the host in a chained configuration. The chained configuration includes at least one device that is not directly coupled to the host. The at least one device that is not directly coupled to the host is configured to change from a first communication state to a second communication state responsive to receipt of a command from the host. |
| US09075760B2 |
Narration settings distribution for content customization
A content customization service is disclosed. A user computing device and/or a content customization server may customize a narration associated with an item of content at the request of a listener or a rights-holder. One or more user interfaces may be provided to facilitate these requests. Some examples of customization include specifying settings for the language, accent, mood, or speaker of the narration. Other examples of customization include specifying settings for the bass, treble, pitch, pace, or contrast of the narration. These settings may be collected as narration settings information. The content customization service may distribute this information over an electronic network. The content customization service may provide recommendations to help users select customizations. |
| US09075757B2 |
16-point transform for media data coding
In general, techniques are described for implementing a 16-point discrete cosine transform (DCT) that is capable of applying multiple IDCT of different sizes. For example, an apparatus comprising a 16-point discrete cosine transform of type II (DCT-II) unit may implement the techniques of this disclosure. The 16-point DCT-II unit performs these DCTs-II of different sizes to transform data from a spatial to a frequency domain. The 16-point DCT-II unit includes an 8-point DCT-II unit that performs one of the DCTs-II of size 8 and a first 4-point DCT-II unit that performs one of the DCTs-II of size 4. The 8-point DCT-II unit includes the first 4-point DCT-II unit. The 16-point DCT-II unit also comprises an 8-point DCT-IV unit that includes a second 4-point DCT-II unit and a third 4-point DCT-II unit. Each of the second and third 4-point DCT-II units performs one of the DCTs-II of size 4. |
| US09075755B1 |
Optimizing data less writes for restore operations
A method is used in managing restore operations in storage systems. A state of a logical object is retrieved and a second logical object is placed in a pre-step mode. An instantaneous restore operation between the first logical object and the second logical object is performed. Drivers that are associated with the instantaneous restore and utilize data-less writes are identified. A granularity value representative of a size at which the identified driver tracks changes is determined. Changed data extents in the first logical object are identified. Data-less writes are sent at the lowest determined granularity to any identified extents in the first logical object. |
| US09075754B1 |
Managing cache backup and restore
A method is used for managing cache backup and restore. I/O operations are quiesced at a cache module. A first snapshot of a storage object and a second snapshot of an SSD cache object are taken. The I/O operations at the cache module are unquiesced. A single backup image comprising the first snapshot and the second snapshot is created. |
| US09075753B1 |
Method and apparatus for managing interfaces on a network element
Interfaces may be created for applications on a network element without requiring the applications to include code specific for that type of interface. An Interface Management System (IMS) may be included to provide a media abstraction layer between applications and physical media to enable interfaces to be bound to applications without modifying the application to accommodate the interface and without modifying the interface to accommodate the application. The IMS also provides an environment to support distributed interface creation to enable interfaces to be created in a distributed fashion to avoid congestion in the IMS and to facilitate sparing of the IMS and interfaces. The interfaces communicate with applications and with each other through an IFID manager to streamline communications, and to enable the IMS to keep track of the interfaces that have been created on the network element. |
| US09075745B1 |
System and method for adding a drive to a storage system having multiple drives
A control module includes an encoder module, a detector module, a mapping module, and a difference module. The encoder module receives data, and based on the data, generates a first code word for drives. The drives are associated with a storage system. The detector module detects an addition of a second drive. The encoder module generates a second code word for the second drive. The mapping module: maps physical locations of the data in the drives to logical locations of the first code word; assigns a predetermined value to a logical location corresponding to an unused logical location; and based on the predetermined value, assigns the unused logical location to the second drive. The difference module generates a third code word based on each of the first and second code words. The encoder module, based on the first and third code words, generates a fourth code word for all drives. |
| US09075743B2 |
Managing bandwidth allocation in a processing node using distributed arbitration
Management of access to shared resources within a system comprising a plurality of requesters and a plurality of target resources is provided. A separate arbitration point is associated with each target resource. An access priority value is assigned to each requester. An arbitration contest is performed for access to a first target resource by requests from two or more of the requesters using a first arbitration point associated with the first target resource to determine a winning requester. The request from the winning requester is forwarded to a second target resource. A second arbitration contest is performed for access to the second target resource by the forwarded request from the winning requester and requests from one or more of the plurality of requesters using a second arbitration point associated with the second target resource. |
| US09075742B2 |
Memory device
According to one embodiment, a memory device comprises a writing device that writes data bits, check bits for error corrections, and overhead bit(s) into a memory, each bit of the overhead bit(s) corresponding to each group of bit group(s) including at least one bit of the data bits and/or the check bits, each bit of the overhead bit(s) indicating whether the corresponding bit group has been inverted, a reading unit that reads the data bits, the check bits, and the overhead bit(s) from the memory, a correcting unit that corrects an error in the data bits and overhead bit(s) read from the memory, based on the check bits, and an inverting unit that inverts the data bits contained in the bit group corresponding to the overhead bit and outputs the inverted data bits as data read from the memory when the error-corrected overhead bit indicates that inversion has been performed. |
| US09075737B2 |
Verification device, verification method and computer program product
According to an embodiment, a verification device includes an encoding rule generating unit, a test data generating unit, an error rule generating unit, a determined value generating unit, and a verifying unit. The encoding rule generating unit is configured to generate an encoding rule based on a definition document for a structured document. The test data generating unit is configured to generate test data in which all combinations of state transitions are expressed in bits in accordance with an encoding rule. The error rule generating unit is configured to add an error rule to the encoding rule. The determined value generating unit is configured to generate a determined value indicating whether a transition is normal. The verifying unit is configured to determine that a decoding device is not normal when the determined value and an output determined value resulting from inputting the test data to the decoding device are different. |
| US09075734B2 |
Method for updating betweenness centrality of graph
The present invention provides a method for updating betweenness centrality of a graph, which obtains the betweenness centrality of an unweighted graph, which is updated when edges are updated. First of all, the method is performed by obtaining a minimum union cycle (an MUC) of the updated graph, and extracting an MUC (MUCU) containing a vertex, which is incident to the updated edge. And a first betweenness centrality due to the shortest paths in the MUCU, and a second betweenness centrality due to the shortest paths, not included in the MUCU, are calculated. And finally, a final betweenness centrality of the graph is obtained by adding the first and second betweenness centralities. By using the method, the search space and calculation cost can be remarkably reduced. |
| US09075728B2 |
Disk array device and method for controlling disk array device
A disk array device includes, a cache memory, a plurality of types of disk drives of which data transfer capacity are different, redundant transmission paths that are data transfer paths between the cache memory and the disk drives, and a controller to divide the disk drives into two groups based on the data transfer capacity and allocate each of the two groups to each of the redundant transmission paths when the disk drives have three types. |
| US09075726B2 |
Conflict resolution of cache store and fetch requests
According to an embodiment, a computer system for cache management includes a processor and a cache, the computer system configured to perform a method including receiving a first store request for a first address in the cache and receiving a first fetch request for the first address in the cache. The method also includes executing the first store request and the first fetch request, latching the first store request in a store write-back pipeline in the cache, detecting, in the processor, a conflict following execution of the first store request and the first fetch request and receiving the first store request from a recycle path including the store write-back pipeline and executing the first store request a second time. |
| US09075725B2 |
Persistent memory for processor main memory
Subject matter disclosed herein relates to a system of one or more processors that includes persistent memory. |
| US09075724B2 |
Method and apparatus for ensuring data cache coherency
A multithreaded processor can concurrently execute a plurality of threads in a processor core. The threads can access a shared main memory through a memory interface; the threads can generate read and write transactions that cause shared main memory access. An incoherency detection module prevents incoherency by maintaining a record of outstanding global writes, and detecting a conflicting global read. A barrier is sequenced with the conflicting global write. The conflicting global read is allowed to proceed after the sequence of the conflicting global write and the barrier are cleared. The sequence can be maintained by a separate queue for each thread of the plurality. |
| US09075721B2 |
Computer readable recording medium having stored therein information processing program, information processing apparatus and information processing method
A program for causing an information processing apparatus to execute a process of a virtual calculator, the process including judging, when a switching of a virtual address space being a processing target of a virtual calculation apparatus occurs, whether or not a there exits physical calculation apparatus in which cache information of a physical address space corresponding to a virtual address space of a switching destination is accumulated; selecting the physical calculation apparatus when there exists a physical calculation apparatus in which the cache information of the physical address space is accumulated, and selecting the physical calculation apparatus in which cache information itself is not accumulated when there exists no physical calculation apparatus in which the cache information is accumulated; and assigning the selected physical calculation apparatus to the virtual calculation apparatus in which the switching of the virtual address space being a processing target has occurred. |
| US09075712B2 |
Scheduling requests in a solid state memory device
An apparatus and method for a memory controller for managing scheduling requests in a solid state memory device. The memory includes a set of units wherein a unit within the set of units is erasable as a whole by a unit reclaiming process resulting in a free unit available for writing data to. The memory controller further includes a first queue for queuing user requests for reading and/or writing data from/to the memory, and a second queue for queuing unit reclaiming requests for executing the unit reclaiming process. A scheduler is provided for selecting user requests from the first queue and unit reclaiming requests from the second queue for execution according to a defined ratio. The defined ratio is a variable ratio, is dependent on the current number of free units, and permits the memory controller to select requests from both the first queue and the second queue. |
| US09075711B2 |
Non-volatile memory device using division addressing and electronic device including same
A non-volatile memory device uses division addressing scheme and N address input terminals. A address decoder of the non-volatile memory device simultaneously activates a row select signal and a column select signal by synchronizing a first N-bit address signal and a second N-bit address signal sequentially input after the first N-bit address signal. |
| US09075709B2 |
Flash memory controller
A flash memory controller includes a recording medium and a processing circuit. When the amount of stored data in a flash memory module is less than a first threshold, the processing circuit controls a read and write circuit of the flash memory module to program a target data block using program threshold voltages within a first voltage range so as to write data into the target data block. When the amount of stored data in the flash memory module is greater than a second threshold, the processing circuit controls the read and write circuit to program the target data block using program threshold voltages within a second voltage range so as to write data into the target data block, wherein the second threshold is greater than the first threshold and the first voltage range is less than the second voltage range. |
| US09075708B1 |
System and method for improving data integrity and power-on performance in storage devices
The present disclosure is directed to managing write commands for a storage system implementing address indirection. In some storage systems, a mapping table that provides logical-to-physical mapping may have individual entries that each references a logical address size that exceeds the size of an atomic write to the storage media. In such systems, a write to a logical address is not atomic as it may require several discrete physical writes that may individually fail. The techniques presented employ several pre-commit and post-commit actions to save data that enables the storage system to make writes to these logical addresses atomic and prevent undue delay on powerup. |
| US09075700B2 |
Data output device for vehicle
A data output device for a vehicle that performs data communication with an external diagnosis tool and performs data communication with an in-vehicle control unit, which outputs specific diagnosis data in response to a request from the diagnosis tool, includes: a cache memory section for storing the specific diagnosis data; a cache save section for controlling the cache memory section to store the specific diagnosis data output from the control unit; and a cache read section for reading the specific diagnosis data in the cache memory section and responding to the diagnosis tool based on the specific diagnosis data when the request from the diagnosis tool requests the specific diagnosis data. |
| US09075698B2 |
Automated system for analyzing phytotoxicity
A system for evaluating the phytotoxicity and/or injury of plants is described. Plants are planted in row sections and a cart is used to pass a radiometric sensor over the row sections. The cart has a radiometric sensor assembly positioned above the row section. Each sensor assembly generates a data signal and a computer receives and stores the data signals. The field cart is positioned above the row sections and measures the existence of plants in the row section and the quantity of vegetation in the row section. |
| US09075692B2 |
Method, device and system for activating on-line patch
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, a device and a system for activating an on-line patch. The method comprises: positioning an address of a patch function and an entry address of a to-be-patched function; writing, in a middle segment, a long-jump instruction for jumping to the patch function based on the address of the patch function and the entry address of the to-be-patched function, where the middle segment is a storage space, which is located before or after the entry position of the to-be-patched function and can at least store one long-jump instruction; and modifying an instruction at the entry position of the to-be-patched function to a short-jump instruction for jumping to the middle segment, so as to jump to the middle segment after the short jump instruction is executed, and then to jump to and execute the patch function through that instructions in the middle segment are executed. |
| US09075690B2 |
Automatically and securely configuring and updating virtual machines
An approach for automatically and securely updating software on a virtual machine (VM) is presented. A current version of the software on the VM is determined to not match an updated version of the software. With a proxy update server connected to a network and without the VM being connected to the network, the updated version of the software is downloaded, stored and pushed to the VM by using a virtualized mounted drive, the updated version is installed on the VM to replace the current version, and a confirmation indicating the installation is received. An update of the software is provided dynamically via a connectivity of the proxy update server to the network while the VM is prevented from being infected with a virus that requires a connection to the VM through the network. |
| US09075687B1 |
System and methods for declaration-based extension management for multi-tenant environments
A system and associated methods for enabling a tenant user of a multi-tenant computing platform to introduce an extension to the platform's functions and capabilities. A computing system, such as a distributed computing service platform, may manage independent customizations and/or extensions (collectively, “extensions”) of the service platform by multiple tenants in a manner that avoids undesirable behavior that may be caused by incompatible extensions. The service may accomplish this by requiring that a proposed extension provided by a tenant or extension vendor be accompanied by a formal declaration with respect to service platform component functionality and/or service platform data objects (collectively, “service platform resources”) that are utilized and/or modified by the extension. The service may further require that the extension be accompanied by validation code (e.g., one or more modules) that is capable of verifying that particular code modules or data objects of the extension are functioning as expected. |
| US09075685B2 |
Method and device for optimizing data updates in operationally approved software applications of aircraft
Optimizing data updates in an operationally approved software application of aircraft, comprising a first software component using a second software component. Following the receipt of a software component comprising an update of said second software component, said received software component is analyzed and a class of the update of said second software component is determined. Depending on said class, the update of said second software component is transmitted to said first software component and/or to a central download system. If the update of said second software component is transmitted to said first software component, said second software component is updated and a configuration report showing said update is created. |
| US09075679B1 |
Creating a prerequisite checklist corresponding to a software application
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a computer implemented method, computer program product, and system for creating a prerequisite checklist corresponding to a software application. In one embodiment, in accordance with the present invention, the computer implemented method includes the steps of identifying prerequisites of a software application that are present in source code of the software application, wherein the prerequisites are software and hardware components, and creating a prerequisite checklist that includes the identified prerequisites of the software application, wherein the prerequisite checklist is in a file format that is compatible with prerequisite checking software. In another embodiment, the computer implemented method includes the steps of analyzing a computer system utilizing the created prerequisite checklist as an input file into prerequisite checking software, and determining whether the computer system is capable if installing and running the software application. |
| US09075675B2 |
Randomized value generation
A data processing apparatus is provided for producing a randomized value. A cell in the data processing apparatus comprises a dielectric oxide layer and stress voltage circuitry is configured to apply a stress voltage across the dielectric oxide layer of the cell to cause an oxide breakdown process to occur. Oxide breakdown detection circuitry is configured to determine a current extent of the oxide breakdown process by measuring a response of the dielectric oxide layer to the stress voltage and randomized value determination circuitry is configured to determine a randomized value in dependence on the current extent of the oxide breakdown process. |
| US09075663B2 |
Cloud-based web workers and storages
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, web workers and local storages can be extended to a cloud-based environment. This allows web workers to be executed on any of a number of different cloud platforms located in a cloud, leveraging available resources to provide a quicker and more efficient processing environment for the various web workers. The present invention also provides these functionalities in a way that is transparent to not just the user, but also to the web page developer as well, eliminating the need for the web page developer to be aware of the cloud-based environment and design the web page for use therewith. |
| US09075659B2 |
Task allocation in a computer network
A method of allocating computing tasks in a communication network comprises providing a server that sends a request with an expiration time over the network to one or more processor computers for an allocation of a processing task to be performed by the server computer. The server computer performs the allocated processing task to completion if it's received within the expiration time and only if a higher priority task is not received before processing is completed. |
| US09075656B2 |
Cloud computing system and method for controlling same
A management application refers to an application management table, and acquires the operation states of all VMs included in an additional application of which the priority related to the execution of a job that has requested from the image forming apparatus. The management application detects the additional application including only VM that is not executing processing based on the operation states of the acquired VMs, and deletes the VM included in the detected additional application. |
| US09075655B2 |
System and method for high-performance, low-power data center interconnect fabric with broadcast or multicast addressing
A system and method are provided that support a routing using a tree-like or graph topology that supports multiple links per node, where each link is designated as an Up, Down, or Lateral link, or both, within the topology. The system may use a segmented MAC architecture which may have a method of re-purposing MAC IP addresses for inside MACs and outside MACs, and leveraging what would normally be the physical signaling for the MAC to feed into the switch. |
| US09075653B2 |
Embedding supplemental consumer data
Embodiments of the invention broadly described, introduce systems and methods for combining multiple field values into a normalized value, generating codes using the normalized value, and using the codes as activation codes. One embodiment of the invention discloses a computer-implemented method for generating a code. The method comprises receiving a plurality of field values associated with a set of fields, each of the fields being associated with a field radix, converting the field values into numeric field values, combining, by a processor, numeric field values, each associated with a field, each of the fields associated with a field radix, to generate a normalized value, and generating, by the processor, a code representative of the plurality of field values using the normalized value. |
| US09075643B2 |
Automatically selecting optimal transport protocol in a cloud computing environment
A method, system and computer program product for selecting an optimal transport protocol in a cloud computing environment. An application creates a socket to communicate with a destination Virtual Machine (VM). The application requests a daemon agent to query a virtual machine manager to determine if the destination VM is on the same hypervisor as the application. The daemon agent receives a VMCI address (“context ID”) and an indication of the hypervisor associated with the destination VM from the virtual machine manager. The daemon agent enables the transport layer to route traffic over the VMCI protocol to the destination VM using its context ID in response to the destination VM being on the same hypervisor as the application. In this manner, the application is able to route traffic using an optimal transport protocol, including VMCI, depending on peer hypervisor association without requiring any code modifications to the application. |
| US09075635B1 |
Systems and methods for merging virtual layers
A method for merging virtual layers may include creating a virtual merger layer. The method may further include identifying a first virtual layer to be added to the virtual merger layer, the first virtual layer being programmed to execute within a process space of the first virtual layer. The method may also include identifying a second virtual layer to be added to the virtual merger layer, the second virtual layer being programmed to execute within a process space of the second virtual layer that is distinct from the process space of the first virtual layer. The method may also include linking the first and second virtual layers to the virtual merger layer such that when the virtual merger layer is activated, the first and second virtual layers execute within a process space of the virtual merger layer. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US09075627B2 |
Server connected to image forming apparatus and client, client, and method of remotely installing driver of image forming apparatus
A server connected to an image forming apparatus and a client, a client, and a method of remotely installing a driver of the image forming apparatus. A method of remotely installing a driver of an image forming apparatus in which a server is connected to at least one image forming apparatus and at least one client, the method including selecting at least one client where a driver of the image forming apparatus is to be installed, selecting a kind of at least one driver to be installed in the selected at least one client, receiving status information from the selected at least one client, displaying installation information of the driver on the at least one selected client according to the received status information, and selectively installing the driver in the selected at least one client according to the display installation information. |
| US09075626B2 |
Computing device and product report method
A method for programming a measuring program into a computing device. The computing device selects a partial drawing from a panoramic drawing of a product using a frame, and marks the frame in the panoramic drawing. The computing device sets a pattern of a report and shows the partial drawing and the panoramic drawing in the report. The computing device adjusts a size of the panoramic drawing and the size of the panoramic drawing in the report until the panoramic drawing does not superpose on the partial drawing in the report. The computing device generate a measuring program which is capable of executing the procedure mentioned above. |
| US09075625B1 |
Predicated control flow and store instructions for native code module security
Some embodiments provide a system that executes a native code module. During operation, the system obtains the native code module. Next, the system loads the native code module into a secure runtime environment. Finally, the system safely executes the native code module in the secure runtime environment by using a set of software fault isolation (SFI) mechanisms that use predicated store instructions and predicated control flow instructions, wherein each predicated instruction from the predicated store instructions and the predicated control flow instructions is executed if a mask condition associated with the predicated instruction is met. |
| US09075615B2 |
Dynamic class loading
Approaches are described for loading code on an electronic device by altering the behavior of an application's classloader. The application can be received at an application store, and the application can be injected with code. The application can be downloaded from the application store and installed on the portable computing device or other device, and in response to starting the application, the injected code can be configured to select classes or other application code, and modify a classpath associated with the application to reference the selected classes or application code. |
| US09075613B2 |
Low power consumption circuit and method for reducing power consumption
An exemplary low power consumption circuit includes a microprocessor, a power supply switch module and a main circuit module. The microprocessor is capable of outputting a power control signal and changing a pulse characteristic of the power control signal when the microprocessor switches from a first working mode to a second working mode. The power supply switch module is capable of outputting a power supply signal. The power supply switch module is electrically coupled to the microprocessor to receive the power control signal and thereby modulates a duty cycle of the power supply signal according to a change of the pulse characteristic of the power control signal. The main circuit module is electrically coupled to the power supply switch module to receive the power supply signal and operative with energy provided by the power supply signal. Moreover, a method for reducing power consumption is also provided. |
| US09075608B2 |
Integrated circuit
An integrated circuit comprising: a first core circuit configured to operate at a first clock rate for carrying out a first range of tasks; and a second core circuit configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode, the second core circuit being configured to operate at a second clock rate for carrying out a second range of tasks in the second mode and being configured to operate in the second mode when the first core circuit carries out the first range of tasks, the second clock rate being greater than the first clock rate. |
| US09075606B2 |
Storage apparatus and method of determining device to be activated
In a storage apparatus, a calculation unit calculates first power consumption by adding the power consumption of a first storage device not in use to the total power consumption of a plurality of storage devices in operation, and calculates second power consumption by adding the power consumption of a second storage device not in use to the total power consumption of the plurality of storage devices in operation, and subtracting therefrom the power consumption of one of the plurality of storage devices in operation, from which data is movable to the second storage device. A determination unit determines to activate the first storage device when the second power consumption is not lower than the first power consumption, and determines to activate, the second storage device when the second power consumption is lower than the first power consumption. |
| US09075605B2 |
Methods and devices for treating and processing data
A data processing unit having a field of clocked logic cells (PAEs) which is operable in different configuration states and a clock preselecting means for preselecting logic cell clocking. The clock preselecting means is designed in such a way that, depending on the state, a first clock is preselected at least at a first cell (PAE) and an additional clock is preselected at least at an additional cell. |
| US09075603B2 |
Method and apparatus for waking device from power save mode
A method for waking a device from a power save mode to an active mode includes: transmitting, by a first device, a magic packet through a predetermined channel to a second device, which operates in the power save mode by repeating a doze state and an awake state according to a predetermined period of time, for notifying the second device to switch to the active mode; and retransmitting the magic packet to the second device through the predetermined channel if a response to the magic packet has not been received from the second device and a predetermined time has not elapsed after transmitting the magic packet through the predetermined channel. |
| US09075602B2 |
Method and device of power saving for transmitting signals
A method and device of the power saving for transmitting a signal is provided. The method comprises the steps of: transmitting a test signal with a first test amplitude from a local terminal, wherein the first test amplitude is selected from a plurality of preset amplitudes; acknowledging that the test signal with the first test amplitude has been received by a remote terminal if an acknowledgement signal is transmitted from the remote terminal for a response to the test signal; and transmitting a data signal having a data amplitude based on the first test amplitude. The device can transmit the data signal with a small data signal amplitude by the method to achieve the saving power. |
| US09075600B2 |
Program status word dependency handling in an out of order microprocessor design
A computer implemented method of processing instructions of a computer program. The method comprises providing at least two copies of program status data; identifying a first update instruction of the instructions that writes to at least one field of the program status data; and associating the first update instruction with a first copy of the at least two copies of program status data. |
| US09075594B2 |
Power negotiation protocol
In one embodiment, a method includes a first device providing a first power to a second device using a first set of conductors out of a plurality of conductors. The method includes the first device providing, in response to receiving a notification, a second power to the second device using the first and a second set of conductors out of a plurality of conductors. The notification indicates that the second device can be supplied with a second power using the first set of conductors and a second set of conductors out of the plurality of conductors, and can also specify the configuration for enabling the second power. |
| US09075591B2 |
Integrated interface system for power-system monitoring and control system
An integrated interface system for a power-system monitoring and control system is provided. The integrated interface system includes an input and output (I/O) interface unit 220 performing data transmission to and reception from the external data source system; and a data exchange unit exchanging data by using the naming of a fixed electrical bus number for data exchange between a power-system monitoring and control system and the external data source system having a DB different from the power-system monitoring and control system. |
| US09075590B2 |
Voltage identification definition reference voltage generation circuit and boot voltage generating method thereof
A voltage identification definition (VID) reference voltage generation circuit and a boot voltage generating method thereof are provided. In the boot voltage generating method, a VID reference voltage generation circuit is provided. The VID reference voltage generation circuit includes a preset voltage providing unit, a switch and a VID input signal detection unit. When the VID input signal detection unit detects no input of a VID signal, a control signal is generated to control the switch, such that the preset voltage providing unit provides an adjustable preset voltage. |
| US09075589B2 |
Management system, apparatus, and method for setting power consumption of an image forming apparatus
A management system which includes an image forming apparatus having a plurality of functions, and a management apparatus which manages the image forming apparatus, the management apparatus comprises: a power consumption acquisition unit which acquires information of power consumptions for the respective functions of the image forming apparatus; a supply power acquisition unit which acquires information of a supply power to be supplied to the image forming apparatus; a determination unit which determines a power consumption value to be consumed by the image forming apparatus based on the information of the power consumptions for the acquired respective functions and the information of the acquired supply power; and a setting unit which sets a power consumption of the image forming apparatus to be operated at the determined power consumption value. |
| US09075588B2 |
Voltage regulator and control circuit for supplying voltage to a plurality of subcircuits via a chain of switches
An example circuit includes a voltage regulator, a controller, and a chain of switches. The voltage regulator is configured to generate a supply voltage, the supply voltage connected to each switch in the chain of switches, and generate a supply voltage status signal, the supply voltage status signal indicating a status of the supply voltage. The chain of switches includes a first switch configured to switch the supply voltage to a first subcircuit of a plurality of sub circuits based on the supply voltage status signal and one or more second switches configured to switch the supply voltage to one or more respective subcircuits of the plurality of subcircuits. |
| US09075582B2 |
Valve controlled, node-level vapor condensation for two-phase heat sink(s)
A cooling apparatus and method are provided for cooling one or more electronic components of an electronic subsystem of an electronics rack. The cooling apparatus includes a heat sink, which is configured to couple to an electronic component, and which includes a coolant-carrying channel for coolant to flow therethrough. The coolant provides two-phase cooling to the electronic component, and is discharged from the heat sink as coolant exhaust which comprises coolant vapor to be condensed. The cooling apparatus further includes a node-level condensation module, associated with the electronic subsystem, and coupled in fluid communication with the heat sink to receive the coolant exhaust from the heat sink. The condensation module is liquid-cooled, and facilitates condensing of the coolant vapor in the coolant exhaust. A controller automatically controls the liquid-cooling of the heat sink and/or the liquid-cooling of the node-level condensation module. |
| US09075576B2 |
Keypads for mobile devices and method of manufacturing the same
A keypad is described herein in which the keypad can have a keypad sheet and a keymat layer molded onto the back side of the keypad sheet. The keypad sheet can include a plurality of keys formed on a front side of the keypad sheet and a plurality of actuators formed on a back side of the keypad sheet and protruding from the back side of the keypad sheet. Slits are cut around at least some of the keys to provide the keys with flexibility. The slits do not pierce the keymat layer. |
| US09075575B2 |
Multimedia device having detachable controller functioning as remote control while detached
Provided is a multimedia device that has a detachable controller. The detachable controller may attach to a main body of a multimedia device and act as a control panel of the main body. Further, the controller may be detached from the main body of multimedia device and act as a remote controller of the multimedia device. |
| US09075572B2 |
Media enhancement dock
Systems and methods are provided for enhancing the video and audio capabilities of an electronic device (102) using a media enhancement dock (150, 250). According to certain aspects, the systems and methods enhance a field of view of a camera (116) with one or more optical lenses (152, 252, 254). Three dimensional images may be captured and constructed based on images from multiple optical lenses and a shutter (256). The dock may also enhance the sound captured by providing one or more far-field microphones (154, 262, 264). A beamforming analysis of the audio signals from multiple microphones may increase the sensitivity and localization of sound. Internal and/or external light sources may be adjusted by the dock to achieve a sufficient level of ambient light in the environment. Videoconferencing and gesture control applications executing on the electronic device may be enriched through use of the media enhancement dock. |
| US09075568B1 |
Dynamic device skins
Themes or other groups of content or settings can be applied to change various aspects of a computing device. In addition to changing aspects of a user interface, additional display elements, lights, and other components can be updated as well to give the appearance of customizable hardware. For example, display elements on the back and/or sides of a device can be updated with colors, graphics, or animations that enable the device to appear as if it has a new skin or casing. The user can customize, create, and/or share these themes, and the themes can be configured to automatically rotate or change over time. |
| US09075567B2 |
Electronic device display structures
An electronic device may have a housing in which a display is mounted. A gasket may be mounted in a groove between the display and housing. The gasket may contain an embedded stiffener. Corner brackets may be installed in the corners of the housing. The housing may have inner and outer concentric ribs. Recesses in the housing may be configured to receive the corner brackets. The recesses may be formed between the inner and outer concentric ribs. Gap filling structures such as a foam layer may be interposed between a rear housing wall and a display backlight unit. Display color variations may be corrected by using a backlight unit having an array of light-emitting diodes of different colors. An electrostatic discharge protection layer may be grounded to a housing using conductive tape. Black edge coatings and adhesive-based structures may block stray light. Camera window regions may be supported using adhesive. |
| US09075557B2 |
Virtual channel for data transfers between devices
Apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed for a virtual channel for data transfers between devices. A method includes presenting an address space for a memory buffer. The address space may be larger than a physical capacity of the memory buffer. A method includes controlling, from a peripheral device, a rate at which a data source transfers data to a memory buffer using a presented address space based on a rate at which a data target transfers data from the memory buffer using the presented address space so that an amount of data stored in the memory buffer remains at or below a physical capacity of the memory buffer. |
| US09075554B2 |
Communication system, communication method, and image forming apparatus
In a communication system, an image forming apparatus sends an address of a receiving section to a mobile terminal. The mobile terminal receives a selection of an image data among plural thumbnails displayed on a display section, and wirelessly sends the selected image data to the image forming apparatus with the address. The image forming apparatus receives the selected image data sent with the address by the mobile terminal, and prints an image based on the selected image data. A communication between the mobile terminal and the image forming apparatus is performed wirelessly with an IEEE 802.11 standard. The image forming apparatus rejects a connection establishment request from another mobile terminal except for the mobile terminal, when the wireless communication with the mobile terminal is established. |
| US09075551B2 |
Printing device, printing method, computer program product, and recording medium
A printing device includes a print data management unit that is capable of storing and managing print data so as to be associated with corresponding identification information used in user identification; an identification information storing unit that stores the identification information; a receiving unit that receives the print data; an identification information obtaining unit that obtains the identification information included in the print data; a registration determining unit that determines whether the obtained identification information is already registered in the identification information stored in the identification information storing unit; an identification information registering unit that registers in the identification information storing unit the obtained identification information when the registration determining unit determines that the obtained identification information is unregistered; and a print data storing unit that stores the received print data in the print data management unit so as to be associated with the obtained identification information. |
| US09075550B2 |
Printing apparatus, printing method, and storage medium
A printing apparatus includes a storage unit configured to store print data including a password upon receipt of the print data, a receiving unit configured to receive a print instruction for the stored print data from a user, an authentication unit capable of performing user authentication, and a printing unit configured to perform printing without causing an authenticated user to enter a password in a case where an owner of the print-instructed print data matches the authenticated user, and to perform printing in response to a match between a password received from a user and the password included in the print data in a case where the owner of the print-instructed print data differs from the authenticated user, or in a case where a print instruction is received without user authentication by the authentication unit. |
| US09075545B2 |
Synchronizing sensor data using timestamps and signal interpolation
A method of synchronizing sensor data using timestamps and interpolation. The method includes receiving sequences of time-stamped data indicative of physical events from each of a plurality of sensors; generating an interpolation filter according to desired sampling times; and interpolating the sequences of time-stamped data with the generated filter to obtain sequences of data that are synchronized. |
| US09075541B2 |
Virtualizing storage for WPAR clients using node port ID virtualization
Systems, methods and media for providing to a plurality of WPARs private access to physical storage connected to a server through a VIOS are disclosed. In one embodiment, a server is logically partitioned to form a working partition comprising a WPAR manager and individual WPARs. Each WPAR is assigned to a different virtual port. The virtual ports are created by using NPIV protocol between the WPAR and VIOS. Thereby, each WPAR has private access to the physical storage connected to the VIOS. |
| US09075540B2 |
Virtualizing storage for WPAR clients
Systems, methods and media for providing to a plurality of WPARs private access to physical storage connected to a server through a VIOS are disclosed. In one embodiment, a server is logically partitioned to form a working partition comprising a WPAR manager and individual WPARs. Each WPAR is assigned to a different virtual port. The virtual ports are created by using NPIV protocol between the WPAR and VIOS. Thereby, each WPAR has private access to the physical storage connected to the VIOS. |
| US09075539B2 |
Virtualizing storage for WPAR clients that share a common operating system of logical partition
Systems, methods and media for providing to a plurality of WPARs private access to physical storage connected to a server through a VIOS are disclosed. In one embodiment, a server is logically partitioned to form a working partition comprising a WPAR manager and individual WPARs. Each WPAR is assigned to a different virtual port. The virtual ports are created by using NPIV protocol between the WPAR and VIOS. Thereby, each WPAR has private access to the physical storage connected to the VIOS. |
| US09075535B2 |
Source cleaning cascaded volumes using reference counts
A system, process, and product for source cleaning cascaded volumes include the ability to store a number of cascaded backup volumes and prepare received writes for storage. The system, process, and product also include the ability to examine a metadata set associated with a volume region for a write to determine whether another volume depends on the region and write the new data to the region if another volume is not dependent. The system, process, and product further include the ability to determine whether a write is for a volume region that is a canonical source and, if so, decrement a reference count in a metadata set associated with the region and establish the volume of the region as a canonical source for a metadata set associated with a new metadata set location identifier. |
| US09075533B2 |
Binary tree storage method and system
The present invention is applicable to the field of computer technologies and provides a binary tree storage method and system. The method includes: dividing a binary tree into a root tree and a plurality of subtrees, where the plurality of subtrees is layered and stored in N levels of storages; partitioning the plurality of subtrees into M types according to a preset rule, so that the plurality of subtrees is partitioned into N×M data blocks; and adjusting storage positions of the N×M data blocks in the storages, so that a storage at each level occupies the same number of storage units. In the present invention, storage spaces for nodes at each level, which are spaces of non-uniform sizes, are normalized into spaces of the same size, thereby increasing a space utilization rate of storages. |
| US09075532B1 |
Self-referential deduplication
A first value is calculated as a function of data in an nth data block of a backup copy. The first value is then compared with each of a plurality of values in a plurality of entries, respectively, of a first data structure. The plurality of entries in the first data structure include a plurality of pointers, respectively, that correspond to a plurality of data blocks, respectively, in a storage system. If the first value compares equally to a value contained in one of the plurality of entries of the first data structure, a pointer of the one entry is added to an nth entry of a second data structure. This pointer corresponds to a copy of the nth data block that is stored in the storage system. If the first value does not compare equally with any value contained in the plurality of entries of the first data structure, (1) the nth data block is stored in the storage system, and (2) a first pointer is added to the nth entry of the second data structure. The first pointer corresponds to the nth data block that is stored in the storage system. Eventually the second data structure is stored in the storage system after adding the pointer or the first pointer to the nth entry. |
| US09075530B2 |
Storage system and the storage system management method
Management of a storage system is facilitated by associating physical volumes of the storage system with virtual volumes corresponding to virtual machines according to specified storage policies in advance. A plurality of disk control devices manage a specified storage area provided by the plurality of physical disks as one or more logical volumes and map the one or more logical volumes matching a storage policy or policies, which include capacity information about a virtual machine(s) and are set to construct the virtual machine, to a virtual volume(s) provided to the virtual machine in response to a request from the management server; and wherein when one of the storage policies is selected, the management server constructs the virtual machine by associating the virtual volume, which complies with the storage policy, with the virtual machine. |
| US09075527B2 |
Computer realizing high-speed access and data protection of storage device, computer system, and I/O request processing method
In a computer, a logical partition for calculation in which an OS and an application operate and a logical partition for storage for providing a storage function are constructed. In the logical partition for calculation, a device corresponding to a storage device is provided, while the logical partition for storage provides a volume. A memory space that can be shared by the both logical partitions is prepared, and management information describing a sorting destination or a sorting method of an I/O request issued by an application is provided in the memory. If the logical partition for calculation receives an I/O request from the application, the partition refers to the management information and sorts the I/O request to the storage device or the logical partition for storage. The logical partition for storage processes the received I/O request by the storage function and transmits the result to the storage device. |
| US09075526B2 |
Capacitive touch keyboard
A capacitive touch keyboard includes an insulating substrate that defines a plurality of press key zones, and a first and a second conductive layers, both disposed on the insulating substrate. Each conductive layer includes a plurality of electrode lines arranged in two different directions. Each electrode line includes a plurality of electrode units connected in series. Each electrode unit is disposed at a position corresponding to a respective one of the press key zones. For each of the press key zones, the electrode units of the first the second conductive layers that are disposed therein are adjacent to each other and cooperate to form a touch sensing structure. |
| US09075525B2 |
User interface system
The user interface system of one embodiment of the invention includes a sheet that defines a surface on one side and at least partially defines a first cavity and a second cavity on an opposite side; a fluid network coupled to the first and second cavities; a displacement device coupled to the fluid network that displaces fluid within the fluid network and expands both the first and second cavities concurrently, thereby deforming a first and a second particular region of the surface; and a touch sensor coupled to the sheet and adapted to sense a user touch proximate the first and second particular regions of the surface. The user interface system of another embodiment of the invention includes a displacement device coupled to the fluid network that displaces fluid within the fluid network and selectively expands one of the first and second cavities. |
| US09075523B2 |
Remote control emulation methods and systems
An exemplary method includes a remote control emulation system directing a mobile device to display an emulation graphical user interface (“GUI”) on a display screen of the mobile device and directing the mobile device to emulate one or more user input devices by selectively positioning one or more interactive graphical depictions of one or more feature sets associated with the one or more user input devices within the emulation GUI. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed. |
| US09075521B2 |
Electronic chalkboard system and control method thereof and display apparatus
An electronic chalkboard system including a plurality of display panels, a pointing device which touches the plurality of panels, an image processor which processes an image to be displayed on one of the plurality of panels that is drawn by the pointing device, a controller which selects one of the plurality of panels based on a first panel of the plurality of panels if the first panel is touched by the pointing device, and controls the image processor to display on the selected panel a menu related to the image displayed on the first panel, and, if a second panel of the plurality of panels is touched by the pointing device while the menu is displayed on the selected panel, the controller newly selects one of the plurality of panels based on the second panel and transfers the displayed menu to the newly-selected panel. |
| US09075508B1 |
Next application suggestions on a user device
Methods and systems are presented for providing suggested next applications to open after a first application is opened on a user device (e.g., a mobile device). A list of next application suggestions may be generated based on past applications successively opened after respective openings of the first application. The list of next application suggestions may also be generated based on retrieved, shared data and third party data. The list of next application suggestions may be displayed on a user interface while first application is running, so that the user may select a next application to run without needing to return to a home or multi-tasking screen. |