| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09082757B2 |
Stacked semiconductor devices
A stacked semiconductor device includes a first and second semiconductor device having a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface, the first major surface of the first and second semiconductor devices include active circuitry. The first and second semiconductor devices are stacked so that the first major surface of the first semiconductor device faces the first major surface of the second semiconductor device. At least one continuous conductive via extends from the second major surface of the first semiconductor device to the first major surface of the second semiconductor device. Conductive material fills a cavity adjacent to the contact pad and is in contact with one side of the contact pad. Another side of the contact pad of the first semiconductor device faces and is in contact with another side of the contact pad of the second semiconductor device. |
| US09082756B2 |
Semiconductor device and power source device
A manufacturing of a semiconductor device includes forming one of a layer with a first metal and the layer with a second metal on one of a semiconductor chip mounting area of a support plate and a back surface of the semiconductor chip; forming the other of the layer with the first metal and the layer with the second metal on an area corresponding to a part of the area, in which one of the layer with the first metal and the layer with the second metal, of the other one of the semiconductor chip mounting area and the back surface of the semiconductor chip; and forming a layer which includes an alloy with the first metal and the second metal after positioning the semiconductor chip in the semiconductor chip mounting area to bond the semiconductor chip with the semiconductor chip mounting area. |
| US09082755B2 |
Semiconductor device having multi-layered bit line contact
A method for forming a semiconductor device is disclosed. A method for forming a semiconductor device includes forming a first bit line contact over a semiconductor substrate, forming a second bit line contact that is coupled to the first bit line contact and has a larger width than the first bit line contact, and forming a bit line over the second bit line contact. When using the semiconductor device having a buried gate, although the bit line is formed to have a small width and the bit line pattern is misaligned, the method prevents incorrect coupling between a bit line and a bit line contact, so that it basically deteriorates unique characteristics of the semiconductor device. |
| US09082754B2 |
Metal cored solder decal structure and process
A method and system of producing metal cored solder structures on a substrate which includes: providing a decal having a plurality of apertures, the apertures being tapered from a top surface to a bottom surface; positioning a carrier beneath the bottom of the decal, the carrier having cavities located in alignment with the apertures of the decal; positioning the decal on the carrier having the decal bottom surface in contact with the carrier top surface to form feature cavities defined by the decal apertures and the carrier cavities; positioning a plurality of metal elements in the feature cavities; filling the feature cavities with molten solder and cooling the solder; separating the decal from the carrier to partially expose metal core solder contacts; positioning the metal core solder contacts on receiving elements of a substrate; and exposing the metal core solder contacts on the substrate. |
| US09082753B2 |
Severing bond wire by kinking and twisting
An electrically conductive lead is formed using a bonding tool. After bonding the wire to a metal surface and extending a length of the wire beyond the bonding tool, the wire is clamped. Movement of the bonding tool imparts a kink to the wire at a location where the wire is fully separated from any metal element other than the bonding tool. A forming element, e.g., an edge or a blade skirt provided at an exterior surface of the bonding tool can help kink the wire. Twisting the wire while tensioning the wire using the bonding tool can cause the wire to break and define an end. The lead then extends from the metal surface to the end, and may exhibits a sign of the torsional force applied thereto. |
| US09082743B2 |
3DIC packages with heat dissipation structures
A package includes a first die and a second die underlying the first die and in a same first die stack as the first die. The second die includes a first portion overlapped by the first die, and a second portion not overlapped by the first die. A first Thermal Interface Material (TIM) is over and contacting a top surface of the first die. A heat dissipating lid has a first bottom surface contacting the first TIM. A second TIM is over and contacting the second portion of the second die. A heat dissipating ring is over and contacting the second TIM. |
| US09082741B2 |
Semiconductor device including first and second semiconductor materials
A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor region including a first semiconductor material. The semiconductor device further includes a second semiconductor region adjoining the first semiconductor region. The second semiconductor region includes a second semiconductor material different from the first semiconductor material. The semiconductor device further includes a drift or base zone in the first semiconductor region. The semiconductor device further includes an emitter region in the second semiconductor region. The second semiconductor region includes at least one type of deep-level dopant. A solubility of the at least one type of deep-level dopant is higher in the second semiconductor region than in the first semiconductor region. |
| US09082740B2 |
Battery heating circuits and methods using resonance components in series and bridge charge storage components
Under one aspect, a battery heating circuit includes damping and current storage components connected with the battery to form a first part of a first loop. First and second switch units are connected with the first part of the first loop. Third and fourth switch units are connected with the first part of the first loop to form a second loop. A charge storage component is connected across the first and second loops. The first and third switch units and charge storage component form branches transferring energy between the battery and charge storage component, and the fourth and second switch units and charge storage component form branches transferring energy between the battery and charge storage component. The switching control module switches on and off the first through fourth switch units to control energy flow between the battery and charge storage component. |
| US09082739B2 |
Semiconductor device having test structure
A semiconductor device is provided. First and second pads are electrically connected to a plurality of test structures. Each test structure includes an active region, active patterns, gate electrodes and an electrode pattern. The active region includes a rounded corner portion. The active patterns protrudes from the semiconductor substrate and extends in parallel in a first direction. The gate electrodes crosses over the active patterns in a second direction. One gate electrode is electrically connected to the first pad. The electrode pattern is disposed at a side of the gate electrode electrically connected to the first pad. The electrode pattern is electrically connected to the second pad. The electrode pattern crosses over the active patterns. An overlapping area of the electrode pattern and the active patterns in each test structure is different from an overlapping area of the electrode pattern and the active patterns in other test structures. |
| US09082733B2 |
Display unit and electronic apparatus
A display unit comprising an organic layer between a light-emitting section portion of a first electrode layer and a light-emitting section portion of a second electrode layer. Light is emissible from within the organic layer. An aperture-defining insulating film is between a contact section of the first electrode layer and a gap section portion of the second electrode layer. The thickness of the gap section portion of the second electrode layer is greater than the thickness of the light-emitting section portion of the second electrode layer. |
| US09082723B2 |
Semiconductor package and fabrication method thereof
A semiconductor package is provided, which includes: a first dielectric layer having opposite first and second surfaces and a cavity penetrating the first and second surfaces; a first circuit layer embedded in the first dielectric layer and exposed from the first surface of the first dielectric layer; at least an adhesive member formed in the cavity and adjacent to the first surface of the first dielectric layer; an electronic element disposed on the adhesive member; a second dielectric layer formed on the second surface of the first dielectric layer and in the cavity to encapsulate the adhesive member and the electronic element; a second circuit layer formed on the second dielectric layer; and a plurality of conductive vias formed in the second dielectric layer for electrically connecting the second circuit layer and the electronic element, thereby reducing the package size and cost and increasing the wiring space and flexibility. |
| US09082721B2 |
Structures comprising masks comprising carbon
The critical dimension (CD) of features formed during the fabrication of a semiconductor device may be controlled through the use of a dry develop chemistry comprising O2, SO2 and a hydrogen halide. For example, a dry develop chemistry comprising a gas comprising O2 and a gas comprising SO2 and a gas comprising HBr may be used to remove exposed areas of a carbon-based mask. The addition of HBr to the conventional O2 and SO2 dry develop chemistry enables a user to tune the critical dimension by growing, trimming and/or sloping the sidewalls and to enhance sidewall passivation and reduce sidewall bowing. |
| US09082720B2 |
Semiconductor device manufacturing method
A direction change of space formed in an etching target layer can be suppressed while maintaining an etching selectivity for the etching target layer against a mask. A semiconductor device manufacturing method MT includes exciting a first gas by supplying the first gas containing a fluorocarbon gas, a fluorohydrocarbon gas and an oxygen gas into a processing chamber 12 (ST2); and exciting a second gas by supplying the second gas containing an oxygen gas and a rare gas into the processing chamber (ST3), and a cycle including the exciting of the first gas (ST2) and the exciting of the second gas (ST3) is repeated multiple times. |
| US09082719B2 |
Method for removing a dielectric layer from a bottom of a trench
Embodiments provide a method for removing a dielectric layer from a bottom of a trench while maintaining the dielectric layer on sidewalls of the trench. The method includes etching the dielectric layer at the bottom of the trench and generating a passivation layer on the dielectric layer at an upper portion of the trench by adjusting the conditions of a plasma etch process to a first mode; and a step of etching the dielectric layer at the bottom of the trench and etching the passivation layer at the upper portion of the trench by adjusting the conditions of the plasma etch process to a second mode before the dielectric layer at the bottom of the trench is completely removed. |
| US09082718B2 |
Fine pattern structures having block co-polymer materials
Various embodiments are directed to fine pattern structures, such as fine pattern structures having block co-polymer materials, methods of forming fine pattern structures with block co-polymer materials, and methods of fabricating semiconductor devices including fine pattern structures with block co-polymer materials. According to some embodiments, a method of fabricating a fine pattern structure includes providing a layer of alternating protrusion portions and recess portions, forming polymer patterns in recess regions formed in the recess portions, forming brush patterns on top surfaces of the protrusion portions, forming first polymer block patterns on the brush patterns and second polymer block patterns on the polymer patterns, and removing the second polymer block patterns and the polymer patterns. |
| US09082717B2 |
Isolation region, semiconductor device and methods for forming the same
An isolation region is provided. The isolation region includes a first groove and an insulation layer filling the first groove. The first groove is embedded into a semiconductor substrate and includes a first sidewall, a bottom surface and a second sidewall that extends from the bottom surface and joins to the first sidewall. An angle between the first sidewall and a normal line of the semiconductor substrate is larger than a standard value. A method for forming an isolation region is further provided. The method includes: forming a first trench on a semiconductor substrate, wherein an angle between a sidewall of the first trench and a normal line of the semiconductor substrate is larger than a standard value; forming a mask on the sidewall to form a second trench on the semiconductor substrate by using the mask; and forming an insulation layer to fill the first and second trenches. A semiconductor device and a method for forming the same are still further provided. In the semiconductor device, a material of the semiconductor substrate is interposed between a second groove bearing a semiconductor layer for forming an S/D region and the first and second sidewalls. The present invention is beneficial to reduce leakage current. |
| US09082716B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, includes the steps of forming a top surface nitride film on a top surface of a substrate and a bottom surface nitride film on a bottom surface of the substrate, forming a protective film on the top surface nitride film, removing the bottom surface nitride film by wet etching while the top surface nitride film is being protected by the protective film, removing the protective film after the removing of the bottom surface nitride film, patterning the top surface nitride film so as to form an opening in the top surface nitride film, and forming a second oxide film on the bottom surface of the substrate while forming a first oxide film on a surface portion of the substrate which is exposed by the opening. |
| US09082711B2 |
Organic solar cell module and organic solar cell panel
An organic solar cell module having a transparent substrate; a transparent electrode layer formed on the transparent substrate; a photoelectric conversion layer that is formed in a pattern on the transparent electrode layer and includes plural kinds of photoelectric conversion sections having different absorption wavelength regions; a plurality of back surface electrode layers respectively formed on the photoelectric conversion sections; an insulating layer that is formed so as to cover the plurality of back surface electrode layers and has an opening for each of the photoelectric conversion sections; and a plurality of charge-collecting wirings that are formed on the insulating layer and are disposed so as to be connected to the back surface electrode layers located at the openings of the insulting layer for the respective kinds of the photoelectric conversion sections. |
| US09082710B2 |
Chip packaging substrate and chip packaging structure
A chip packaging substrate includes a flexible substrate, a plurality of test pads, and a plurality of leads, wherein the flexible substrate has a first surface and a second surface, and the first surface has a user area and a test pad area configured thereon. The test pads are arranged in at least three rows within the test pad area. The lead connected to the test pad in the middle row includes a first section extending from the chip to the test pad area and a second section disposed on the second surface, wherein one end of the second section penetrates the flexible substrate to connect with the first section and the other end penetrates the flexible substrate to connect with the test pad, so as to increase the dimensions of the test pads. |
| US09082709B2 |
Hardening resin composition, sealing material, and electronic device using the sealing material
A hardening resin composition includes a base resin and a hardening agent. The base resin contains a maleimide compound having two or more maleimide groups in one molecule, and the hardening agent contains a diamine compound expressed by a general chemical formula (1), in which A is an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom, X is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group with a carbon number of six or less, or an aryl group, and n is a natural number of 1 to 10. |
| US09082707B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor element substrate, wherein an electrode pattern is formed on one surface of an insulating substrate and a back-surface electrode is formed on the other surface of the insulating substrate; a stress-relaxation adhesive layer made of resin that covers at least a part of a portion of the surface of the insulating substrate where the electrode pattern and the back-surface electrode are not formed; and a semiconductor element affixed, using a bonding material, to the surface of the electrode pattern opposite the insulating substrate, and a first sealing resin member which covers the semiconductor element and the semiconductor element substrate, and a modulus of elasticity of the stress-relaxation adhesive layer is lower than that of the first sealing resin member. |
| US09082705B2 |
Method of forming an embedded memory device
The present disclosure describes a method of forming a memory device. The method includes receiving a wafer substrate, forming a poly stack pattern on the wafer substrate, performing an ion implantation process to form a source and a drain in the wafer substrate, forming a memory gate and a control gate in the defined poly stack pattern, and forming a control gate in the control poly stack pattern. Forming the memory gate further includes performing a memory gate recess to bury the memory gate in an oxide layer. |
| US09082703B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, method for manufacturing same, and manufacturing apparatus
According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes: a semiconductor layer; a first insulating film provided on the semiconductor layer; a floating gate layer provided on the first insulating film; a second insulating film provided on the floating gate layer; and a gate electrode provided on the second insulating film, the first insulating film including silicon, oxygen, and carbon. Concentration of the carbon in a direction from the semiconductor layer side toward the floating gate layer side has a maximum between the semiconductor layer and the floating gate layer, and the maximum being located nearer to the semiconductor layer side than to the floating gate layer side. |
| US09082702B2 |
Atomic layer deposition methods for metal gate electrodes
Provided are devices and methods utilizing TiN and/or TaN films doped with Si, Al, Ga, Ge, In and/or Hf. Such films may be used as a high-k dielectric cap layer, PMOS work function layer, aluminum barrier layer, and/or fluorine barrier. These TiSiN, TaSiN, TiAlN, TaAlN, TiGaN, TaGaN, TiGeN, TaGeN, TiInN, TaInN, TiHfN or TaHfN films can be used where TiN and/or TaN films are traditionally used, or they may be used in conjunction with TiN and/or TaN. |
| US09082697B2 |
Variable resistive memory device including vertical channel PMOS transistor and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device having a vertical channel, a variable resistive memory device including the same, and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor device having a vertical channel includes a vertical pillar formed on a semiconductor substrate and including an inner portion and an outer portion surrounding the inner portion, junction regions formed in the outer portion of the vertical pillar, and a gate formed to surround the vertical pillar. The inner portion of the vertical pillar has a lattice constant smaller than that of the outer portion of the vertical pillar. |
| US09082695B2 |
Vialess memory structure and method of manufacturing same
A method of manufacturing a magnetic memory cell, including a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ), includes using silicon nitride layer and silicon oxide layer to form a trench for depositing copper to be employed for connecting the MTJ to other circuitry without the use of a via. |
| US09082694B2 |
Substrate processing apparatus, method for manufacturing substrate, and method for manufacturing semiconductor device
A substrate processing apparatus includes: a processing chamber that accommodates a substrate; a heating portion that is provided so as to surround a accommodating region of the substrate within the processing chamber; a gas nozzle that is provided inside the heating portion and that supplies a processing gas to the accommodating region of the substrate; and a gas heating mechanism that is provided inside the heating portion and that supplies the processing gas from an upstream side of the gas nozzle into the gas nozzle. A ratio of a flow channel circumferential length to a flow channel cross-sectional area in a gas flow channel of the gas heating mechanism is larger than a ratio of a flow channel circumferential length to a flow channel cross-sectional area in a gas flow channel of the gas nozzle. |
| US09082691B2 |
Nitride semiconductor device
A nitride semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first Inx1Ga1-x1-y1Aly1N layer, a second Inx2Ga1-x2-y2Aly2N layer, an interlayer insulating film, a source electrode, a drain electrode, a first gate electrode, a Schottky electrode, a second gate electrode, an interconnection layer. The second Inx2Ga1-x2-y2Aly2N layer is provided on a surface of the first Inx1Ga1-x1-y1Aly1N layer. The second Inx2Ga1-x2-y2Aly2N layer has a wider band gap than the first Inx1Ga1-x1-y1Aly1N layer. The first gate electrode is provided between the source electrode and the drain electrode on a surface of the second Inx2Ga1-x2-y2Aly2N layer. The Schottky electrode is provided on the second Inx2Ga1-x2-y2Aly2N layer between the first gate electrode and the drain electrode. The second gate electrode is provided on the second Inx2Ga1-x2-y2Aly2N layer between the Schottky electrode and the drain electrode. The interconnection layer electrically connects the source electrode, the Schottky electrode, and the second gate electrode. |
| US09082688B2 |
Display device
A display device including an oxide semiconductor, a protective circuit and the like having appropriate structures and a small occupied area is necessary. The protective circuit is formed using a non-linear element which includes a gate insulating film covering a gate electrode; a first oxide semiconductor layer which is over the gate insulating layer and overlaps with the gate electrode; and a first wiring layer and a second wiring layer each of which is formed by stacking a conductive layer and a second oxide semiconductor layer and whose end portions are over the first oxide semiconductor layer and overlap with the gate electrode. The gate electrode of the non-linear element is connected to a scan line or a signal line, the first wiring layer or the second wiring layer of the non-linear element is directly connected to the gate electrode layer so as to apply potential of the gate electrode. |
| US09082685B2 |
Optical-coupling semiconductor device
The optical-coupling semiconductor device includes: a primary support plate and a secondary support plate facing each other and spaced apart a predetermined distance; a light emitting device situated on the primary support plate; and a light receiving device including a light receiving surface to receive light from a light emitting surface of the light emitting device. The light emitting device is situated on a surface facing the secondary support plate of the primary support plate so that the light emitting surface is oriented toward the secondary support plate. The light receiving device is situated on a surface facing the primary support plate of the secondary support plate so that the light receiving surface faces the light emitting surface of the light emitting device. The light emitting device is on the light receiving surface of the light receiving device. |
| US09082683B2 |
Method of manufacturing silicon carbide semiconductor device
A first impurity region is formed by ion implantation through a first opening formed in a mask layer. By depositing a spacer layer on an etching stop layer on which the mask layer has been provided, a mask portion having the mask layer and the spacer layer is formed. By anisotropically etching the spacer layer, a second opening surrounded by a second sidewall is formed in the mask portion. A second impurity region is formed by ion implantation through the second opening. An angle of the second sidewall with respect to a surface is 90°±10° across a height as great as a second depth. Thus, accuracy in extension of an impurity region can be enhanced. |
| US09082682B2 |
Insulating sheet having heterogeneous laminated structure, method of manufacturing the same, and transistor including the insulating sheet
An insulating sheet has a heterogeneous laminated structure, and includes a graphene sheet and a hexagonal boron nitride sheet on the graphene sheet, the hexagonal boron nitride sheet having a root mean square (RMS) surface roughness of about 0.5 nm or less in a region having an area of about 200 nm×200 nm or less, and one or more of longitudinal and transverse lengths of about 1 mm or more. |
| US09082679B2 |
Method for manufacturing semiconductor device
The present invention provides a manufacturing technique of a semiconductor device and a display device using a peeling process, in which a transfer process can be conducted with a good state in which a shape and property of an element before peeling are kept. Further, the present invention provides a manufacturing technique of more highly reliable semiconductor devices and display devices with high yield without complicating the apparatus and the process for manufacturing. According to the present invention, an organic compound layer including a photocatalyst substance is formed over a first substrate having a light-transmitting property, an element layer is formed over the organic compound layer including a photocatalyst substance, the organic compound layer including a photocatalyst substance is irradiated with light which has passed through the first substrate, and the element layer is peeled from the first substrate. |
| US09082678B2 |
Display device including a touch sensor and method for manufacturing display device including a touch sensor
The thickness of a display device including a touch sensor is reduced. Alternatively, the thickness of a display device having high display quality is reduced. Alternatively, a method for manufacturing a display device with high mass productivity is provided. Alternatively, a display device having high reliability is provided. Stacked substrates in each of which a sufficiently thin substrate and a relatively thick support substrate are stacked are used as substrates. One surface of the thin substrate of one of the stacked substrates is provided with a layer including a touch sensor, and one surface of the thin substrate of the other stacked substrate is provided with a layer including a display element. After the two stacked substrates are attached to each other so that the touch sensor and the display element face each other, the support substrate and the thin substrate of each stacked substrate are separated from each other. |
| US09082677B2 |
Area sensor and display apparatus provided with an area sensor
An area sensor of the present invention has a function of displaying an image in a sensor portion by using light-emitting elements and a reading function using photoelectric conversion devices. Therefore, an image read in the sensor portion can be displayed thereon without separately providing an electronic display on the area sensor. Furthermore, a photoelectric conversion layer of a photodiode according to the present invention is made of an amorphous silicon film and an N-type semiconductor layer and a P-type semiconductor layer are made of a polycrystalline silicon film. The amorphous silicon film is formed to be thicker than the polycrystalline silicon film. As a result, the photodiode according to the present invention can receive more light. |
| US09082674B2 |
Microelectronic package with stress-tolerant solder bump pattern
A microelectronic package includes larger diameter solder bumps and smaller diameter solder bumps for coupling an interposer to a packaging substrate. The larger diameter solder bumps are positioned on a peripheral surface of the interposer and the smaller diameter solder bumps are positioned on a center surface of the interposer. The solder bumps positioned in the peripheral region can more reliably withstand the higher mechanical stresses that occur in this peripheral region during operation of the microelectronic package. |
| US09082672B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same, and wiring substrate and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device has a semiconductor substrate, an electrode pad formed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a protruding electrode electrically connected to the electrode pad. The protruding electrode comprises a pedestal part formed on the electrode pad and a protruding part formed on the pedestal part. The protruding part has a columnar part with a width smaller than that of the pedestal part, and a tapered part with a width gradually increased from an end of the columnar part side toward an end of the pedestal part side. An angle of inclination of a side surface of the tapered part with respect to a plane surface perpendicular to the surface is larger than an angle of inclination of a side surface of the pedestal part and an angle of inclination of a side surface of the columnar part with respect to the plane surface. |
| US09082671B2 |
Array substrate for liquid crystal display device and method of manufacturing the same
An array substrate for a liquid crystal display device comprises: gate and data lines crossing each other on a substrate to define a pixel region; a common line spaced apart from and parallel with the gate line; a thin film transistor in the pixel region and connected to the gate and data lines; a passivation layer on the thin film transistor; and pixel and common electrodes alternately arranged to produce an in-plane electric field, wherein each of the pixel and common electrodes has a double-layered structure of which the lower layer is formed of reflective conductive material and the upper layer is formed of transparent conductive material. |
| US09082670B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a transistor, a light-emitting element, a first wiring, a driver circuit having a function of controlling the potential of the first wiring, a second wiring, a first switch, a second switch, a third switch, a fourth switch, a first capacitor, and a second capacitor. One of a source and a drain of the transistor is connected to the light-emitting element. With this structure, voltage applied between the source and the gate of the transistor can be corrected in anticipation of variations in threshold voltage, so that the current supplied to the light-emitting element can be corrected. |
| US09082665B2 |
Fanout line structure of array substrate and display panel
A fanout line structure of an array substrate includes a plurality of fanout lines arranged on a fanout area of the array substrate, where resistance value of the fanout line is dependent on length of the fanout line. Each of the fanout lines comprises a first conducting film. Resistance values of a first part of fanout lines are less than resistance values of a second part of the fanout lines, and the first part of fanout lines are covered by an additional conducting film. In the fanout lines covered by the additional conducting film, as the resistance value of the fanout line, increases, area of the additional conducting film covering the fanout line correspondingly decreases. An additional capacitor is generated between the additional conducting film and the first conducting film. |
| US09082663B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
In a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor layer, a conductive layer is formed in contact with a lower portion of the oxide semiconductor layer and treatment for adding an impurity is performed, so that a channel formation region and a pair of low-resistance regions between which the channel formation region is sandwiched are formed in the oxide semiconductor layer in a self-aligned manner. Wiring layers electrically connected to the conductive layer and the low-resistance regions are provided in openings of an insulating layer. |
| US09082661B2 |
Scanner overlay correction system and method
A method includes performing a semiconductor fabrication process on a plurality of substrates. The plurality of substrates are divided into a first subset and a second subset. A rework process is performed on the second subset of the plurality of substrates but not on the first subset. A respective mean value of at least one exposure parameter for a lithography process is computed for each respective one of the first and second subsets of the plurality of substrates. A scanner overlay correction and a mean correction are applied to expose a second plurality of substrates on which the rework process has been performed. The mean correction is based on the computed mean values. |
| US09082660B2 |
Method of controlling threshold voltage and method of fabricating semiconductor device
A method of controlling a threshold voltage is provided. The method of controlling a threshold voltage includes performing a film-thickness measuring step to measure the thickness of a film layer on a wafer to obtain a film-thickness value. Then, at least one parameter is decided, selected, or generated according to the film-thickness value. Next, an ion implantation process is performed on the wafer, wherein the ion implantation process is executed according to the parameter to form a threshold voltage adjustment region in the wafer below the film layer. |
| US09082657B2 |
Semiconductor structure and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor structure and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The method comprises following steps. Semiconductor units are arranged on a substrate. A material layer is formed on the semiconductor units. A first patterned mask layer is formed on the semiconductor units. The first patterned mask layer has a mask opening corresponding to a portion of the semiconductor units and exposing the material layer. A portion of the material layer exposed by the mask opening is removed to remain a portion of the material layer on a sidewall of each of the semiconductor units exposed by the mask opening to form spacer structures. |
| US09082653B2 |
Semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating the same
A semiconductor device includes a lower insulating pattern on a semiconductor substrate, a lower gate pattern on the lower insulating pattern and formed of a doped polysilicon layer, a residual insulating pattern with an opening exposing a portion of a top surface of the lower gate pattern, an upper gate pattern on the residual insulating pattern, the upper gate pattern filling the opening, and a diffusion barrier pattern in contact with the portion of the top surface of the lower gate pattern and extending between the residual insulating pattern and the upper gate pattern. |
| US09082647B2 |
Semiconductor devices
There is provided a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device may include multiple contacts plugs, an insulation layer pattern, a metal oxide layer pattern, a metal pattern and a metal line. The contact plugs contact a substrate. The insulation layer pattern is formed between the contact plugs and has a top surface lower than those of the contact plugs. The metal oxide layer pattern is formed on the insulation layer pattern, and has a dielectric constant higher than that of silicon oxide. The metal pattern is formed on the metal oxide layer pattern and contacts sidewalls of the contact plugs. The metal line contacts top surfaces of the contact plugs and the metal pattern and extends thereon. |
| US09082646B2 |
Low threshold voltage metal oxide semiconductor
A semiconductor device includes a source region disposed with a semiconductor substrate; a drain region disposed with the semiconductor substrate; a gate region disposed onto the semiconductor substrate and positioned between the source region and the drain region. The semiconductor device also includes a gate oxide region disposed onto the semiconductor substrate in contact with the gate region and a well region implanted onto the semiconductor substrate and under the gate region and the gate oxide region. The gate oxide region has a lower outer edge portion that contacts the well region. |
| US09082645B2 |
Manufacturing method of semiconductor module
Parts of electronic components are not exposed to temperature deviating from an appropriate operation temperature range when an electric characteristic test of a semiconductor module having an interposer substrate over which plural kinds of electronic components are mounted is carried out. A heat sink for an electronic component is incorporated in a lid of a test socket used for an electric characteristic test of an MCM. A heat dissipation sheet is attached to part of the bottom face of the heat sink and an adiabatic sheet is attached to another part. The heat dissipation sheet has thermal conductivity larger than the adiabatic sheet and transfers heat generated from an electronic component of a high heat value to the heat sink during operation. The adiabatic sheet inhibits the heat generated from an electronic component of high heat value from being transferred to another electronic component through the heat sink. |
| US09082638B2 |
Semiconductor device with cross-talk isolation using M-cap
A semiconductor device is made by forming an oxide layer over a substrate and forming a first conductive layer over the oxide layer. The first conductive layer is connected to ground. A second conductive layer is formed over the first conductive layer as a plurality of segments. A third conductive layer is formed over the second conductive layer as a plurality of segments. If the conductive layers are electrically isolated, then a conductive via is formed through these layers. A first segment of the third conductive layer operates as a first passive circuit element. A second segment operates as a second passive circuit element. A third segment is connected to ground and operates as a shield disposed between the first and second segments. The shield has a height at least equal to a height of the passive circuit elements to block cross-talk between the passive circuit elements. |
| US09082635B2 |
Wiring method, structure having wiring provided on surface, semiconductor device, wiring board, memory card, electric device, module and multilayer circuit board
A wiring method is provided in which an insulating layer is formed on a surface of a semiconductor device 1 of which a plurality of connecting terminals are exposed, a resin film is formed on a surface of the insulating layer, a groove of a depth equal to or exceeding a thickness of the resin film is formed from a surface side of the resin film so that the groove passes in a vicinity of connecting terminals that are to be connected, and furthermore communicating holes which reach the connecting terminals to be connected from this portion that groove passes in the vicinity thereof are formed. |
| US09082633B2 |
Multi-die integrated circuit structure with heat sink
An integrated circuit structure can include a first die including a first surface and a second surface and a second die including a first surface and a second surface. The first surface of the first die can be coupled to the second surface of the second die. The integrated circuit structure also can include a heat sink coupled to the first surface of the first die and the first surface of the second die. |
| US09082630B2 |
Semiconductor device and fabricating method thereof
A semiconductor device and a method for fabricating the semiconductor device are provided in the present disclosure. The semiconductor device includes a substrate including a first area and a second area divided by a shallow trench isolation (STI) area, a first dummy structure on the STI area, a second dummy structure located on the STI area, a first semiconductor structure on the first area, and a second semiconductor structure on the second area of the substrate including a high-k dielectric layer and a metal gate layer over the high-k dielectric layer. The method for fabricating the semiconductor device is a high-k dielectric first, high-k metal gate last procedure. |
| US09082622B2 |
Circuit elements comprising ferroic materials
Ferroic circuit elements that include a set of conductive structures that are at least partially embedded within a ferroic medium are disclosed. The ferroic medium may be a voltage switched dielectric material that includes ferroic particles in accordance with various embodiments. A ferroic circuit element may be at least partially embedded within a substrate in accordance with embodiments of the current invention as an embedded ferroic circuit element. An embedded ferroic circuit element that is an inductor in accordance with embodiments of the current invention may be denoted as an embedded ferroic inductor. An embedded ferroic circuit element that is a capacitor in accordance with embodiments of the current invention may be denoted as an embedded ferroic capacitor. |
| US09082618B2 |
Method of forming a conductive film
A method of forming a conductive film, comprising the steps of: applying a composition comprising at least one metal compound selected from the group consisting of carboxylate salt, alkoxide, diketonato and nitrosylcarboxylate salt of a metal selected from among copper, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, nickel and bismuth and a solvent to a substrate to form a coating film; and supplying a hydrogen radical to the coating film to carry out a hydrogen radical treatment. |
| US09082617B2 |
Integrated circuit and fabricating method thereof
An integrated circuit and a method of fabricating the integrated circuit are provided. In various embodiments, the integrated circuit includes a semiconductor substrate, at least one deep n-well in the semiconductor substrate, at least one p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor in the deep n-well, at least one n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor outside of the deep n-well, an first interconnect structure, and a protection component. Both of the p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor and the n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor are disposed in the semiconductor substrate, and are electrically coupled by the first interconnect structure. The protection component is disposed in the semiconductor substrate, wherein the protection component is electrically coupled to the deep n-well. |
| US09082613B2 |
Graphene nanoelectronic device fabrication
Methods for fabricating graphene nanoelectronic devices with semiconductor compatible processes, which allow wafer scale fabrication of graphene nanoelectronic devices, is provided. One method includes the steps of preparing a dispersion of functionalized graphene in a solvent; and applying a coating of said dispersion onto a substrate and evaporating the solvent to form a layer of functionalized graphene; and defunctionalizing the graphene to form a graphene layer on the substrate. |
| US09082611B2 |
Methods of forming a layer
According to example embodiments, a method of forming a layer includes: forming a dielectric layer using a metal precursor expressed by one of R3yM(NR1R2)x-y and M(OR1R2) and using a silicon precursor expressed by HzSi(NR4R5)4-z. Each of “R1”, “R2”, “R3”, “R4”, and “R5” are hydrogen or hydrocarbon; “R3” is different than “R1” and “R2”; “x” is in the range of 3 to 5; “y” is in the range of 1 to 4; “z” is in the range of 2 to 3; and “M” is a metal. The dielectric layer is a metal silicate layer or a metal nitride layer doped with silicon. |
| US09082609B2 |
Electric charge flow element
An electric charge flow element including, on an insulating support, a stack of a first electrode, of a dielectric layer having at least one portion capable of letting charges flow by tunnel effect, and of a second electrode, wherein at least one of the electrodes is made of undoped polysilicon. |
| US09082607B1 |
Molded leadframe substrate semiconductor package
A process for forming an optical package comprises at least partially encasing a first leadframe strip in a first mold compound thereby forming a molded leadframe strip, mounting at least one optical semiconductor device on the molded leadframe strip, at least partially encasing the molded leadframe strip, and singulating the molded leadframe strip to form discrete packages for optical applications. An apparatus for forming an optical package comprises means for at least partially encasing a first leadframe strip in a first mold compound thereby forming a molded leadframe strip, means for mounting at least one optical semiconductor device on the at least one molded leadframe strip, means for at least partially encasing the molded leadframe strip, and means for singulating the molded leadframe strip to form discrete and grid array packages. |
| US09082605B2 |
Multireflection time-of-flight mass spectrometer
A method of reflecting ions in a multireflection time of flight mass spectrometer is disclosed. The method includes guiding ions toward an ion mirror having multiple electrodes, and applying a voltage to the ion mirror electrodes to create an electric field that causes the mean trajectory of the ions to intersect a plane of symmetry of the ion mirror and to exit the ion mirror, wherein the ion are spatially focussed by the mirror to a first location and temporally focused to a second location different from the first location. Apparatus for carrying out the method is also disclosed. |
| US09082599B2 |
Mass spectrometer ion trap having asymmetric end cap apertures
An ion trap for a mass spectrometer is disclosed. The ion trap includes a ring electrode and first and second electrodes which are arranged on opposite sides of the ring electrode. The ring electrode and the first and second electrodes are configured to generate an electric field based on the received RF signal. The first electrode defines a first aperture and the second electrode defines a second aperture, the first aperture and the second aperture being asymmetric relative to each other and configured to generate a hexapole field. |
| US09082597B2 |
Data acquisition system for a spectrometer using an ion statistics filter and/or a peak histogram filtering circuit
A data acquisition system and method are described that may be used with various spectrometers. The data acquisition system may include an ion detector, an initial processing module, and a spectra processing module. The initial processing module is provided for processing the ion detection signals and for supplying processed signals to the spectra processing module. The spectra processing module generates spectra from the processed signals and supplies the generated spectra to an external processor for post-processing. The spectra processing module may include an ion statistics filter and/or a peak histogram filtering circuit. |
| US09082596B2 |
Method of single point internal lock-mobility correction
A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed comprising passing ions through an ion mobility spectrometer and acquiring first ion mobility drift time data. A calibration function is applied to the first ion mobility drift time data to determine a physico-chemical property (e.g. CCS) of the ions. Second ion mobility drift time data is then acquired and the calibration function is applied to the second ion mobility drift time data to determine the physico-chemical property of one or more known or reference ions. The calibration function is then adjusted. |
| US09082595B2 |
Sputtering apparatus
A coating apparatus is revealed that is designed to coat substrates by means of a physical vacuum deposition process or a chemical vacuum deposition process or a combination thereof. Said coating apparatus is particular in that it uses a rotatable magnetron (14) that is coverable with an axially moveable shutter (18). Such an arrangement enables to keep the magnetron target clean or to clean the target in between or even during subsequent coating steps. The shutter further provides for a controllable gas atmosphere in the vicinity of the target. The arrangement wherein the magnetron is centrally placed is described. Substrates are then exposed to the sputtering source from all angles by hanging them on a planetary carousel (24) that turns around the magnetron. |
| US09082589B2 |
Hybrid impedance matching for inductively coupled plasma system
In one aspect, a system includes a generator configured to generate and tune a frequency of a supply signal. The system includes an auto-matching network configured to receive the supply signal and to generate an impedance-matched signal for use in powering a plasma system. In some implementations, during a first stage of an impedance matching operation, the generator is configured to tune the frequency of the supply signal until the generator identifies a frequency for which the reactance of the generator and the reactance of the load are best matched. In some implementations, during a second stage of the impedance matching operation, the auto-matching network is configured to tune a tuning element within the auto-matching network until the auto-matching network identifies a tuning of the tuning element for which the resistance of the generator and the resistance of the load are best matched. |
| US09082586B2 |
Cathode operating temperature adjusting method, and writing apparatus
A cathode operating temperature adjusting method includes acquiring an approximate equation approximating a correlation between an emission current value in an electron beam source using a cathode and an operating temperature of the cathode at which a bias voltage becomes saturated at the emission current, measuring a current density of an electron beam from the cathode when in the state where an n-th emission current value and an n-th cathode operating temperature are set in the electron beam source, determining whether the measured current density is within a first tolerance range, changing the n-th emission current value to an (n+1)th emission current value when the measured current density is not within the first tolerance range, calculating an operating temperature of the cathode corresponding to the (n+1)th emission current value by the approximate equation, and setting the calculated operating temperature, as an (n+1)th cathode operating temperature, in the electron beam source. |
| US09082583B2 |
Sample holder and method for fixing observation sample
A sample holder is provided allowing for favorable observation of a cross-sectional sample using a retarding method. The sample holder includes: a sample placement member on which a first fixing member, a cross-sectional sample as an observation sample, and a second fixing member are placed in contact with each other, and inserted inside the electronic optical lens barrel of an electron microscope; and a voltage introduction means for introducing a voltage to the sample placement member. The sample placement member has a positioning section for positioning the first fixing member, the cross-sectional sample, and the second fixing member onto a placement position. A positioning section positions the first planar surface of the first fixing member and the second planar surface of the second fixing member which are disposed respectively adjacent to the observation surface of the cross-sectional sample, parallel to the observation surface at locations equidistant from the observation surface. |
| US09082579B2 |
Electromagnetic wave oscillator having multi-tunnel and electromagnetic wave generating apparatus including the electromagnetic wave oscillator
Electromagnetic wave oscillators each having a multi-tunnel and electromagnetic wave generating apparatuses including the electromagnetic wave oscillators are provided. The electromagnetic wave oscillator includes: a first waveguide which has a folded structure such that a path traveled by an electromagnetic wave through the first waveguide crosses an axial direction a plurality of times; an electron beam tunnel through which an electron beam passes, wherein the electron beam tunnel extends along the axial direction and crosses the first waveguide a plurality of times; and at least one auxiliary tunnel which extends parallel to the electron beam tunnel and which crosses the first waveguide a plurality of times. |
| US09082577B1 |
Adjustment method for electron beam device, and the electron beam device thus adjusted
An electron beam device including an electron source which generates an electron beam; three lenses for controlling the characteristics of the electron beam, including a first lens, second lens and third lens arranged in sequence from the upstream side in relation to the emission direction of the electron beam; and a beam definition aperture arranged on the second lens. The position of the second lens is adjusted such that the total lens magnification ratio obtained under maximum beam current substantially matches the ideal lens magnification ratio defined on the basis of electro-optical characteristics. |
| US09082575B2 |
Electromagnetic relay
An electromagnetic relay including a contact switching unit having a pair of contacts. An electromagnet block drives the contact switching unit to open and close the contacts. An arc-extinguishing member includes a connection member and permanent magnets. The connection member is formed by connecting, via a middle part, opposing walls arranged in a direction perpendicular to the touch/separation direction of the contacts. Permanent magnets are disposed on opposing sections of the opposing walls. |
| US09082574B2 |
Starter relay for a starting apparatus
A starter relay for a starting apparatus for an internal combustion engine has a reciprocating armature and a pull-in winding, to which current can be applied, and also a switch-on device for an electric starter motor. The switch-on device is operated by means of a switching element which is adjusted by an additional winding. |
| US09082572B2 |
Tank type vacuum circuit breaker
In a tank type vacuum circuit breaker in which each of movable side and fixed side connection terminals of a vacuum interrupter arranged in a main tank and the lower end of each of conductors of a pair of bushings arranged in a standing condition in the main tank are connected by a flexible conductor and a shield for surrounding connection portions is provided, the shield is configured by combining: a main body side shield which is provided on axial both sides of the vacuum interrupter and covers a connection portion of the flexible conductor and the connection terminal; and a bushing side shield which is provided on the lower end side of the conductor and covers a connection portion of the conductor and the flexible conductor. |
| US09082570B2 |
Switch device
Electrode sets each composed parallel electrode plates and a slider are arranged in a contact point accommodating chamber formed with wall portions of an upper case and a lower case. A lever of a knob penetrates through a slit hole in a ceiling wall. A tip end of the lever engages blocks in a box portion in the slider. The slider slides while an opening end surface of the box portion makes contact with a lower surface of the ceiling wall surrounding the slit hole. The slider presses a ball urged by a coil spring retained in the box portion press on a swing contact piece supported by a second of the electrode plates to roll thereon, thus switching a conducting state between the second electrode plate, and a first electrode plate and a third electrode plate. |
| US09082565B2 |
Composite switch and portable device with same
A composite switch comprises: a first switch that operates by applying a first load to a first key; and a second switch that operates by applying a second load to a second key disposed on the first key. |
| US09082562B2 |
Inrush-current suppressing device and inrush-current suppressing method
An inrush-current suppressing device includes: a residual-magnetic-flux calculating unit that calculates a residual magnetic flux in a reference phase of a three-phase transformer while assuming a maximum magnetic flux level generated at a time of applying a rated voltage as 1 PU based on a measurement result of a transformer-voltage measuring unit before and after opening a three-phase circuit breaker; a stationary-magnetic-flux calculating unit that calculates a stationary magnetic flux in the reference phase of the three-phase transformer with reference to the maximum magnetic flux level obtained as the 1 PU based on a measurement result of a power-supply-voltage measuring unit, in response to a closing command to the three-phase circuit breaker; and a control unit that actuates a switch of the three-phase circuit breaker corresponding to the reference phase at a timing when the stationary magnetic flux and the residual magnetic flux in the reference phase match each other. |
| US09082561B2 |
Medium voltage circuit breaker arrangement operated by a transmission mechanism
A circuit breaker arrangement includes at least one pole part for switching an electrical medium to high voltage circuit by a respective pair of fixed and movable electrical contacts. A pushrod of a respective movable electrical contact is operated by a common actuator unit, which is mechanically connected to each pushrod via a transmission mechanism for transferring a switching force from the actuator unit to each pushrod. The transmission mechanism includes a crankshaft having at least one crank which is pivotally attached to one end of a connection rod. An opposite end of the connection rod is pivotally attached to an end of the pushrod of a corresponding pole part. |
| US09082560B2 |
Heat reducing terminals including a surface having protrusions and electrical switching apparatus including the same
A terminal includes a fastener; a conductor member having a plurality of protrusions on a surface thereof facing the fastener; and a collar member. The collar member includes first, second, third and fourth surfaces, a tapped opening on the first surface engaging the fastener, and a conduit between the second and third surfaces. The tapped opening intersects and coincides with the conduit and is normal thereto. The fourth surface is opposite the first surface and contains another opening that intersects and coincides with the conduit. The other opening receives the conductor member. The protrusions and the surface of the conductor member are structured to engage a stranded conductor having a plurality of individual solid conductors. The fastener is structured to engage the stranded conductor. |
| US09082554B2 |
Biologically self-assembled nanotubes
A method of a general biological approach to synthesizing compact nanotubes using a biological template is described. |
| US09082553B2 |
Laminated ceramic capacitor and manufacturing method therefor
A laminated ceramic capacitor that includes a laminated body including dielectric ceramic layers having crystal grains and crystal grain boundaries, and including internal electrode layers. An external electrode is formed on a surface of the laminated body, and is electrically connected to the internal electrode layers exposed at the surface of the laminated body. The laminated body has a composition including a calcium zirconate based perovskite-type compound as a main constituent, and further including Mn, Sr, and Si. When the laminated body is dissolved, the Si contained therein is 0.1 parts by mol or more and 10 parts by mol or less with respect to 100 parts by mol of Zr, and the molar ratio of Mn to Sr is 0.3 or more and 3.2 or less. |
| US09082550B2 |
Electronic component
A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes flat inner electrodes that are laminated on each other. An interposer includes a substrate that is larger than the multilayer ceramic capacitor. A first mounting electrode to mount the multilayer ceramic capacitor is located on a first principal surface of the substrate, and a first external connection electrode for connection to an external circuit board is located on a second principal surface. A recess is located in a side surface of the interposer. A connecting conductor is located in the wall surface of the recess. The connecting conductor is located at a position spaced apart by a predetermined distance from the side surface of the interposer. |
| US09082548B2 |
Porous capacitors and method for manufacturing the same
One object is to provide a porous capacitor having an improved mechanical strength and a method of manufacturing the porous capacitor. In accordance with one aspect, the porous capacitor has a first conductor layer a second conductor layer opposed to each other at a certain distance, a dielectric layer made of an oxidized valve metal and disposed between the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer, a large number of holes in the dielectric layer substantially orthogonal to the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer, first and second electrodes made of a conductive material filled in the holes, insulators for electrically insulating the first electrodes from the second conductor layer and the second electrodes from the first conductor layer, wherein the levels of the ends of the first and/or second electrodes electrically insulated from the second and/or first conductor layers are uneven with each other. |
| US09082547B2 |
Automatic winding machine, air core coil, and winding method of the same
An automatic winding machine has a rotation drive mechanism, four winding core shafts protruding from the drive mechanism and being rotated integrally with a rotation center of the drive mechanism, the winding core shafts whose axial centers are parallel to the rotation center, a reciprocating mechanism for reciprocating the winding core shafts, at least one pressing roller biased in the direction of bringing close to a rotation passage of the winding core shafts from the outer circumferential side, and a conductive wire supply mechanism for continuously supplying a conductive wire between the winding core shafts and the pressing roller. |
| US09082545B2 |
Antenna device and communication device
An antenna device, capable of stable communications without increasing a space of the entire device by keeping a resonance frequency substantially constant even if the temperature changes, includes: an antenna circuit having an antenna coil with an electrically connected capacitor; the coil receiving a magnetic field transmitted from a reader/writer at a predetermined oscillation frequency; the circuit becoming communicable when inductively coupled to the reader/writer; and a magnetic sheet formed at a position superposed on the coil to change its inductance, wherein the coil has a temperature characteristic in which the inductance is changed with a temperature change, and the sheet has a temperature characteristic of changing the inductance to achieve a characteristic inverse to the inductance change with the temperature change in a predetermined use temperature range, and substantially matching a resonance frequency of the circuit with the oscillation frequency in the use temperature region. |
| US09082543B2 |
Inductor
An inductor (1) includes an inductor (L11P) formed into the shape of a spiral on the outer circumference of an inductor region and having a start point connected to a terminal (N11P), an inductor (L12P) formed into the shape of a spiral on the inner circumference of the inductor region and having a start point at the end point of the inductor (L11P) and an end point connected to a terminal (N12P), and an inductor (L13P) formed into the shape of a spiral in a region sandwiched between the inductor (L11P) and the inductor (L12P) and having a start point at a node between the inductor (L11P) and the inductor (L12P) and an end point connected to a terminal (N13P). |
| US09082542B2 |
Reactor
A reactor, which enables costs to be reduced while ensuring specific specifications for an electric vehicle such as an HV vehicle, is provided. The reactor for an HV vehicle includes: a reactor core in which a pair of roughly U-shaped core members, which have been integrally formed using an Fe—Si magnetic powder, are arranged in a circular shape by aligning two leg sections of each core member opposite to each other with gaps therebetween; and coils wound around the periphery of the leg sections of the core members, which are positioned opposite to each other with the gaps therebetween. |
| US09082537B2 |
R-T-B based permanent magnet
The present invention provides a permanent magnet which is excellent in the temperature properties and the magnetic properties of which will not be significantly decreased, compared to the conventional R-T-B based permanent magnet. In the R-T-B based structure, a stacked structure of R1-T-B based crystal layer and Y-T-B based crystal layer can be formed by alternatively stacking R1-T-B and Y-T-B. In this way, a high magnetic anisotropy field of the R1-T-B based crystal layer can be maintained while the temperature coefficient of the Y-T-B based crystal layer can be improved. |
| US09082535B2 |
Method and apparatus for orderly run-down of superconducting magnets
In a method and apparatus for maintaining operation of ancillary equipment associated with a superconducting magnet carrying a DC current, the DC current is directed through a DC-to-AC converter, and the magnitude of the current flowing through the superconducting magnet is ramped down at a controlled rate, thereby generating a controlled voltage across a controlled impedance, and powering the ancillary equipment by the controlled voltage and an associated current, and the ramping rate is controlled in order to maintain a required controlled voltage. |
| US09082534B2 |
Magnetic element having perpendicular anisotropy with enhanced efficiency
A material composition for forming a free layer in a STT structure (such as a single or dual MTJ structure) can include CoxFeyMz, where M is a non-magnetic material that assists in forming a good crystalline orientation and matching between the free layer and an MgO interface. The material M preferably either does not segregate to the MgO interface or, if it does segregate to the MgO interface, it does not significantly reduce the PMA of the free layer. The free layer can further include a connecting layer, where M is attracted to the insertion layer during annealing. The free layer can include a graded composition of CoxFeyMz, where z changes within the free layer. |
| US09082532B2 |
Ceramic electronic component
A ceramic electronic component includes an electronic component body and first and second metal terminals. The electronic component body includes a bare ceramic body and first and second outer electrodes. The first and second outer electrodes of the electronic component body are connected respectively to the first and second metal terminals by solders containing Sn as a main constituent. An alloy layer containing Ni—Sn is provided in at least a portion of a bonding interface between adjacent two of the first and second metal terminals and the first and second outer electrodes. |
| US09082531B2 |
Method for forming an enhanced communication cable
A cable and method of forming the cable are presented. The cable contains twisted wire pairs disposed in a cavity defined by a jacket. Each wire has a conductor and an insulator surrounding the conductor. The cable may also contain a spline that separates the twisted wire pairs. At least one of the insulators or the jacket is helically corrugated such that ridges extend radially inward or outward. The ridges of the insulators may be the same or different. The cable is extruded from an extruder. The jacket may contain corrugations after being extruded by the extruder. The cable may be passed through dies to form a helically corrugated jacket. The jacket heated by a heater prior to being passed through the dies, or may pass through the dies while still hot from the extruder. |
| US09082529B2 |
Shield conductor
A shield conductor is provided with electrical wires and a metal pipe that encloses the electrical wires and whose outer peripheral surface is covered with an orange (color other than a metallic color) resin layer. The pipe is routed so that at least a portion passes in proximity to an exhaust pipe of a vehicle. A section of the pipe passing in proximity to the exhaust pipe that faces the exhaust pipe does not have the resin layer and the metallic-colored outer peripheral surface of the section remains exposed. |
| US09082528B2 |
Method for making carbon nanotube-loaded electrode, carbon nanotube-loaded electrode made by the method, and applications thereof
The present invention provides a method for fabricating a carbon nanotube-loaded electrode enabling that hybrid carbon nanotubes comprising dendrimer-encapsulated metal nanoparticles covalently immobilized on carbon nanotubes via a first covalent bond are made and such hybrid carbon nanotubes are then covalently immobilized on a metal electrode coated with a self-assembled monolayer via a second covalent bond. Also provided is a carbon nanotube-loaded electrode made by the method. The electrode thus made possesses high durability, reactivity and stability. |
| US09082523B2 |
Transparent conductor
A transparent conductor comprising: a graphene layer and a permanent dipole layer on the graphene layer configured to electrostatically dope the graphene layer. |
| US09082518B2 |
Nuclear reactor vibration monitoring apparatus and method of monitoring nuclear reactor vibration
Vibration of a jet pump installed in a reactor pressure vessel of a boiling water reactor is monitored. Ultrasonic waves are transmitted from an ultrasonic sensor installed on an outer surface of the reactor pressure vessel toward a throat and a diffuser of the jet pump. When the ultrasonic waves reach respective outer surfaces of the throat and diffuser, reflected waves are generated at the respective outer surfaces. The ultrasonic sensor receives those reflected waves. The ultrasonic signal process section obtains a distance in the horizontal direction between the throat and the diffuser based on a time difference of the reflected waves reflected from respective reflection surfaces of the throat and diffuser and a sound speed in reactor water in the neighborhood of the throat and diffuser. A relative vibration is obtained based on the change with time of the distance. |
| US09082515B2 |
Variable resistance nonvolatile memory device and driving method of variable resistance nonvolatile memory device
A stable operation is implemented by reducing an abnormal current. A variable resistance nonvolatile memory device includes: a memory cell array having memory cells each including a variable resistance element and a current steering element that are connected in series, each of the memory cells being located at a three-dimensional cross point of one of bit lines and one of word lines, and the current steering element being assumed to be conducting when a voltage exceeding a predetermined threshold voltage is applied; and a detection circuit that detects a faulty memory cell that is in a second low resistance state where a resistance value is lower than a resistance value in a first low resistance state. Both the bit line and the word line that are connected to the faulty memory cell detected by the detection circuit are fixed in the inactive state. |
| US09082514B1 |
Method and apparatus for physically unclonable function burn-in
A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and apparatus for performing physically unclonable function (PUF) burn-in are disclosed. For example, the method identifies, by a processor, a natural output of an integrated circuit before the integrated circuit is initialized, identifies, by the processor, a physical characteristic of the integrated circuit associated with the physically unclonable function, and ages, by the processor, the physical characteristic of the integrated circuit to burn-in the natural output of the integrated circuit. |
| US09082510B2 |
Non-volatile memory (NVM) with adaptive write operations
A method of performing a write operation on memory cells of a memory array includes applying a first plurality of pulses the write operation on the memory cells in accordance with a first predetermined ramp rate, wherein the first plurality of pulses is a predetermined number of pulses; performing a comparison of a threshold voltage of a subset of the memory cells with an interim verify voltage; and if a threshold voltage of any of the subset of memory cells fails the comparison with the interim verify voltage, continuing the write operation by applying a second plurality of pulses on the memory cells in accordance with a second predetermined ramp rate which has an increased ramp rate as compared to the first predetermined ramp rate. |
| US09082509B2 |
Method and apparatus for reading variable resistance memory elements
In some embodiments, detecting resistance in a resistive memory cell may be done using a pulse edge. For example, a pulse may be applied through a resistive memory data cell and another through a reference delay circuit to determine which path has the larger delay in order to determine the resistive state of the data cell in question. |
| US09082507B2 |
Read assist circuit for an SRAM, including a word line suppression circuit
A memory circuit includes a bit cell that receives a word line, complementary bit lines and an array supply voltage; a word line driver coupled to the word line, the word line driver receiving the array supply voltage; and a word line suppression circuit coupled to the word line. The word line suppression circuit includes a diode and a first switch coupled in series and a second switch. The switches are responsive to a control signal. The word line suppression circuit limits a word line voltage to a value lower than the array supply voltage such that the static noise margin (SNM) of the bit cell is increased. |
| US09082506B2 |
Synchronous semiconductor memory device having delay locked loop circuit and method of controlling the delay locked loop circuit
An operating method of a delay locked loop (DLL) circuit for a semiconductor memory device is disclosed. The DLL circuit may include a plurality of sub-circuits. The method may include calculating an additive latency value based on predetermined parameters, and controlling a set of the plurality of sub-circuits of the DLL circuit to be maintained in a turn-off state based on the calculated additive latency value, during a period of time after the semiconductor device receives an operation command in a power saving mode. |
| US09082504B2 |
Semiconductor memory device storing refresh period information and operating method thereof
A semiconductor memory device which stores refresh period information thereby adjusting a refresh period and a method of operating the same. The semiconductor memory device includes a cell array and a refresh information storing unit. The cell array includes one or more cell regions each having a plurality of memory cells. The refresh information storing unit is configured to store first information including a first refresh period and second information including a second refresh period in correspondence to each of the cell regions. Memory cells included in each of the cell regions are refreshed at the first refresh period according to the first information in a first refresh time band and are refreshed at the second refresh period according to the second information in a second refresh time band. |
| US09082493B2 |
Adaptive erase methods for non-volatile memory
A method includes an erase of a plurality of blocks of memory cells in which the memory cells within a block are simultaneously erased. The erase of each block of the plurality of blocks is performed using an erase pulse applied multiple times. The erase pulse is applied to the plurality of blocks in parallel. An erase verify is performed after each application of the erase pulse. After a number applications of the erase pulse, it is determined if a condition comprising one of a group consisting of any memory cell has been more erased than a first predetermined amount and any memory cell has been erased less than a second predetermined amount has been met. If the condition has been met, erasing is continued by applying the erase pulse to the block having the memory cell with the condition independently of the other blocks of the plurality of blocks. |
| US09082492B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device and memory management method thereof
Embodiments include a memory managing method of a nonvolatile memory device, which includes detecting whether sub-blocks of memory blocks are programmed, and programming write data at a memory block having a programmed sub-block from among the memory blocks, prior to programming a memory block having no programmed sub-blocks from among the memory blocks, according to the detection result. Embodiments also include programming the write data at a sub-block, closest to a common source line, from among unprogrammed sub-blocks of the memory block. Embodiments also include erasing at least one sub-block that is farthest from the common source line, prior to erasing other sub-blocks from among the programmed sub-blocks in the memory block. Embodiments also include selectively programming or erasing sub-blocks according to read merge times. |
| US09082482B2 |
Semiconductor memory device, method of controlling read preamble signal thereof, and data transmission system
A system, includes a controller comprising a plurality of first external terminals configured to supply a command and an address, and communicate a data, and communicate a strobe signal related to the data; and a semiconductor memory device including a plurality of second external terminals corresponding to the plurality of first external terminals, at least one of the plurality of first external terminals and at least one of the plurality of second external terminals each being capable of supplying an information specifying a length of a preamble of the strobe signal before the semiconductor memory device communicates the data between the controller and the semiconductor memory device, the semiconductor memory device further including a preamble register configured to be capable of storing the information. |
| US09082480B2 |
Detection and decoding in flash memories with error correlations for a plurality of bits within a sliding window
Methods and apparatus are provided for detection and decoding in flash memories with error correlations for a plurality of bits within a sliding window. Data from a flash memory device is processed by obtaining one or more read values for a plurality of bits from one or more pages of the flash memory device; converting the one or more read values for the plurality of bits to a non-binary log likelihood ratio based on a probability that a given data pattern was written to the plurality of bits when a particular pattern was read from the plurality of bits; and decoding the plurality of bits using a binary decoder. The non-binary log likelihood ratio captures one or more of intra-page correlations and/or intra-cell correlations. A least significant bit and a most significant bit of a given cell can be independently converted and/or jointly converted to the non-binary log likelihood ratio. |
| US09082472B2 |
Back-up power management for efficient battery usage
Battery backup devices and methods of performing a backup operation using the same are provided. A battery backup device can include a partial battery power controller configured to shut off power to components to be backed up one by one as data backup is completed on each device. The battery backup devices and methods provided can efficiently utilize battery power such that power consumption and charging time can be reduced. |
| US09082469B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and writing method of ID codes and upper addresses
A semiconductor chip D1 of a flash memory which is stacked together with other semiconductor chips D2˜DN to form a multi-chip package (MCP), including a memory cell array 20 of the flash memory for storing an ID code and an upper address, wherein the ID code is written into the a fuse data region 20F of the memory cell array 20 before the assembly process. According to the invention, ID codes and upper addresses can be assigned and written to each of the semiconductor chips of a multi-chip package easily without increasing the size of the semiconductor chips in comparison with the prior art. |
| US09082468B2 |
High density semiconductor memory devices
High density semiconductor memory devices are provided. The device may include a cell array region including a lower structure, an upper structure, and a selection structure, the selection structure being interposed between the lower and upper structures and including word lines, and a decoding circuit controlling voltages applied to the word lines. The decoding circuit may be configured to apply a first voltage to a pair of the word lines adjacent to each other and to apply a second voltage different from the first voltage to the remaining ones of the word lines, in response to word line address information input thereto. |
| US09082465B2 |
Weak keeper circuit for memory device
A memory circuit is provided comprising a plurality of bit cells coupled to a bit line that permits accessing information from each of the plurality of bit cells. A sense inverter is coupled to an output of the bit line. A keeper circuit has an output coupled to the bit line to compensate for current leakage from the plurality of bit cells. The keeper circuit may comprise an n-channel metal-oxide-silicon (NMOS) transistor in series with a p-channel metal-oxide-silicon (PMOS) transistor. |
| US09082463B2 |
Multi-die memory device
A memory is disclosed that includes a logic die having first and second memory interface circuits. A first memory die is stacked with the logic die, and includes first and second memory arrays. The first memory array couples to the first memory interface circuit. The second memory array couples to the second interface circuit. A second memory die is stacked with the logic die and the first memory die. The second memory die includes third and fourth memory arrays. The third memory array couples to the first memory interface circuit. The fourth memory array couples to the second memory interface circuit. Accesses to the first and third memory arrays are carried out independently from accesses to the second and fourth memory arrays. |
| US09082457B2 |
Data decoding control apparatus, data storage apparatus and data decoding method
According to one embodiment, a data decoding control apparatus includes a reading controller and a decoding controller. The reading controller reads the encoded data of a symbol unit bit by bit from a storage medium. The decoding controller computes a log-likelihood ratio (LLR) value of the symbol unit for estimate decoding calculation relative to the encoded data based on the number of bit inversion in a symbol of the encoded data and a correction factor. |
| US09082455B2 |
Digital partial response asymmetry compensation
A method is provided for receiving and restoring data from an optical recording medium exhibiting strong asymmetry in the regenerated RF signal. The method provides digital partial response asymmetry compensation of a digital RF signal. The asymmetry of the digital RF signal is detected through the measurement of the envelopes of a short T pulse (xT pulse) and a long T pulse (yT pulse), where the T is the bit clock of the recovered bit stream. Through the evaluation of the xT upper and lower envelopes and the asymmetry factor, upper and lower thresholds are determined. Only the asymmetric parts of the digital RF signal are selected and compensated. |
| US09082452B2 |
Method for media reliving on demand
A method for viewing a collection of images or videos, includes analyzing the collection to determine properties of the images or videos and using the determined properties to produce icons corresponding to such properties; providing a time-varying display of the images or videos in the collection following an ordering of the images or videos in the collection and at least one of the corresponding icons; receiving a user selection of an icon; and changing the display of the images or videos in the collection following a reordering of the images or videos in the collection in response to the user selection. |
| US09082451B2 |
Method of driving optical disc and optical disc drive using the method
A method of driving an optical disc and an optical disc drive using the method is provided. The method includes rotating an optical disc by a spindle motor, transferring an optical pickup positioned to correspond to the optical disc by driving a sled motor, and decreasing a current supplied to the spindle motor while driving the sled motor. |
| US09082449B2 |
Disk drive device with structure that enables thinning and increase of recording capacity
A disk drive device includes: a chassis; an annular hub on which a recording disk is to be mounted; a fluid dynamic bearing mechanism that supports the hub freely rotatable relative to the chassis; an annular extended portion extending outwardly in a radial direction from the hub; and an annular recess which is provided in the chassis and where the annular extended portion at least partially enters in the radial direction, in which a gap between the annular recess and the annular extended portion includes a portion that forms a flexed labyrinth in a cross-sectional view. |
| US09082445B2 |
Disc chucking structure and optical disc drive including the same
Provided is a disc clamping structure, a spindle structure, and an optical disc drive having the disc clamping structure. The disc clamping structure includes a chucking spring comprising a pressing portion pressing an upper surface of the clamper, and elastic portions surrounding the pressing portion and providing an elastic force toward the clamper. The disc clamping structure does not require a magnetic thrust as does the conventional optical disc drive. |
| US09082444B2 |
Magnetic recording medium and method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium
[PROBLEMS] To appropriately form a DTR medium, a patterned medium, or the like in a manner less likely to cause the problems of prolonged process time and increased cost.[MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] A perpendicular magnetic recording layer 22 has a plurality of tracks 102 which define recording regions extending in a scanning direction of a magnetic head and which are arranged in parallel in a direction intersecting with the scanning direction. The perpendicular magnetic recording layer 22 has a guard band region 104 formed on its surface and provided with a groove portion 202 which extends along the tracks 102. In a cross-section of the perpendicular magnetic recording layer 22 taken along a plane perpendicular to the scanning direction, the maximum depth D of the groove portion 202 is in the range of 0.5 to 10 nm with reference to an average height (broken line 302) of the tracks 102 between which the groove portion 202 is interposed. The average height is obtained in the vicinity of the centers of the tracks 102 in a widthwise direction. The width W of a region of the groove portion 202 having a depth equal to or greater than ½ of the maximum depth is in the range of 5 to 30% of a track pitch. |
| US09082443B2 |
Glass substrate for magnetic disk and magnetic recording medium
With regard to a glass substrate 1 according to the present invention, a value of an amendment concentricity AC that has taken into consideration Sk and/or Ku calculated from a shape profile over the whole circumference of an inside hole, or the skewness is within a predetermined range. The glass substrate for a magnetic recording medium can stably read servo information including track information stored on a magnetic disk when the glass substrate is used for an HDD. |
| US09082436B1 |
Zig-zag MIMO head reducing space between three sensors
The embodiments disclosed generally relate to a magnetic recording head having three magnetoresistive effect elements. The structure comprises a first magnetoresistive effect element on a lower magnetic shield layer. Additionally, two lower electrodes are disposed on the two sides of the first magnetoresistive effect element. A second magnetoresistive effect element is disposed on a lower electrode while a third magnetoresistive effect element on another lower electrode. An upper magnetic shield layer is disposed between the second magnetoresistive effect element and the third magnetoresistive effect element. The upper magnetic shield also serves as an electrode of the first magnetoresistive effect element. |
| US09082427B1 |
Write head having reduced dimensions
A write head having reduced dimensions. In one implementation, the write head has a main pole having a leading side and a trailing side, a leading yoke on the leading side of the main pole, and a coil wrapped around the main pole and the leading yoke. The coil on the leading side and the leading yoke having a distance of no greater than 300 nm therebetween, and the coil on the trailing side and the main pole having a distance of no greater than 350 nm therebetween. In an alternate implementation, the write head has a trailing yoke, with the coil on the trailing side and the trailing yoke having a distance of no greater than 350 nm therebetween. |
| US09082425B2 |
Magnetic shield with flux concentration feature
A magnetic shield may be capable of enhancing magnetic writing, particularly in transducing elements accessing data bits from data tracks. At least one magnetic shield is adjacent a write pole. The shield has a flux concentration feature on an air bearing surface (ABS) capable of enhancing magnetic undershoot between the shield and the write pole. |
| US09082419B1 |
Disk drive configuring power mode of disk drive relative to servo gate
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk having a plurality of tracks, wherein each track comprises a plurality of data sectors and a plurality of servo sectors. The disk drive further comprises control circuitry including a read channel. The control circuitry configures a power mode of the read channel into a no-op mode, and when the head approaches a servo sector, configures the power mode into a servo mode. After configuring the power mode into the servo mode, the control circuitry waits for a pre-servo gate period, and after the pre-servo gate period, enables a servo gate to read the servo sector. After reading the servo sector, the control circuitry disables the servo gate and waits for a post-servo gate period. After the post-servo gate period, the control circuitry configure the power mode into the no-op mode. |
| US09082416B2 |
Estimating a pitch lag
An electronic device for estimating a pitch lag is described. The electronic device includes a processor and executable instructions stored in memory that is in electronic communication with the processor. The electronic device obtains a current frame. The electronic device also obtains a residual signal based on the current frame. The electronic device additionally determines a set of peak locations based on the residual signal. Furthermore, the electronic device obtains a set of pitch lag candidates based on the set of peak locations. The electronic device also estimates a pitch lag based on the set of pitch lag candidates. |
| US09082412B2 |
Decoder, encoder, and methods thereof
Disclosed is a decoder capable of improving the sound quality of a decoded sound signal in an encoding method which combines speech encoding and music encoding in a hierarchical structure. A transform-encoding decoding unit (202) decodes transform-encoded data to generate a spectrum of a decoded transform-encoded signal. A band decision unit (203) uses the spectrum of the decoded transform-encoded signal to decide whether each of a plurality of bands in which frequency components of an input signal are divided constitute a first band in which a transform encoded pulse is not established or a second band in which said pulse is established. A CELP component suppression unit (207) suppresses the spectrum of a CELP decoded signal, which is the frequency component of a decoded signal of CELP encoded data, to the extent that suppression in the first band is weaker than suppression in the second band. |
| US09082409B2 |
Binary-caching for XML documents with embedded executable code
A method, system and voice browser execute voice applications to perform a voice-based function. A document is retrieved and parsed to create a parse tree. Script code is created from the parse tree, thereby consuming part of the parse tree to create a reduced parse tree. The reduced parse tree is stored in a cache for subsequent execution to perform the voice-based function. |
| US09082408B2 |
Speech recognition using loosely coupled components
An automatic speech recognition system includes an audio capture component, a speech recognition processing component, and a result processing component which are distributed among two or more logical devices and/or two or more physical devices. In particular, the audio capture component may be located on a different logical device and/or physical device from the result processing component. For example, the audio capture component may be on a computer connected to a microphone into which a user speaks, while the result processing component may be on a terminal server which receives speech recognition results from a speech recognition processing server. |
| US09082403B2 |
Spoken utterance classification training for a speech recognition system
The subject disclosure is directed towards training a classifier for spoken utterances without relying on human-assistance. The spoken utterances may be related to a voice menu program for which a speech comprehension component interprets the spoken utterances into voice menu options. The speech comprehension component provides confirmations to some of the spoken utterances in order to accurately assign a semantic label. For each spoken utterance with a denied confirmation, the speech comprehension component automatically generates a pseudo-semantic label that is consistent with the denied confirmation and selected from a set of potential semantic labels and updates a classification model associated with the classifier using the pseudo-semantic label. |
| US09082402B2 |
Generic virtual personal assistant platform
A method for assisting a user with one or more desired tasks is disclosed. For example, an executable, generic language understanding module and an executable, generic task reasoning module are provided for execution in the computer processing system. A set of run-time specifications is provided to the generic language understanding module and the generic task reasoning module, comprising one or more models specific to a domain. A language input is then received from a user, an intention of the user is determined with respect to one or more desired tasks, and the user is assisted with the one or more desired tasks, in accordance with the intention of the user. |
| US09082398B2 |
System and method for post excitation enhancement for low bit rate speech coding
In accordance with an embodiment, a method of decoding an audio/speech signal includes decoding an excitation signal based on an incoming audio/speech information, determining a stability of a high frequency portion of the excitation signal, smoothing an energy of the high frequency portion of the excitation signal based on the stability of the high frequency portion of the excitation signal, and producing an audio signal based on smoothing the high frequency portion of the excitation signal. |
| US09082397B2 |
Encoder
An apparatus including at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to select at least two single frequency components; generate an indicator, the indicator being configured to represent the at least two single frequency components and is configured to be dependent on the frequency separation between the two single frequency components. |
| US09082394B2 |
Ultrasonic sensor and electronic device
The ultrasonic sensor includes: a plurality of transmission/reception dual-use elements, first electrode switches connected to the first electrodes of the transmission/reception dual-use elements; second electrode switches connected to the second electrodes of the transmission/reception dual-use elements; a control circuit; a transmitting circuit; a receiving circuit; a common-electrode connection wiring; and serial connection wiring. When an ultrasonic signal is to be transmitted, the control circuit connects the first electrode switches to the transmitting circuit, connects the second electrode switches to the common-electrode connection wiring so that the transmission/reception dual-use elements are connected in parallel to the transmitting circuit and the common electrode. When an ultrasonic signal is to be received, the control circuit connects the first electrode switches and the second electrode switches to the serial connection wiring so that the transmission/reception dual-use elements are serially connected to the receiving circuit. |
| US09082392B2 |
Method and apparatus for a configurable active noise canceller
A method and apparatus for active noise canceling. The method includes retrieving an input sample from at least one of a feedback or feedforward microphone digitized through the sigma-delta converter, retrieving the input sample and a related filter, wherein the filter is customized to the particular headset, outputting a filtered signal through a speaker without any interpolation and reducing order of CIC filters, and outputting a response sharply tapered down. |
| US09082391B2 |
Method and arrangement for noise cancellation in a speech encoder
The present invention relates to a method and arrangement for an improved noise canceller in a speech encoder. Sound signals are captured at a primary microphone in conjunction with a reference microphone. An adaptive shadow filter is adapted to the correlation between the signals captured at the primary and reference microphones. Further, a diffuse-noise-field detector is introduced which detects the presence of diffuse noise. When the diffuse-noise-field detector detects diffuse noise, the filter coefficients of the adapted shadow filter is used by a primary filter to cancel the diffuse noise at the signal captured by the primary microphone. Since the filter coefficients of the adapted shadow filter only is used for cancellation when diffuse noise is solely detected, cancellation of the speech signal is avoided. |
| US09082389B2 |
Pre-shaping series filter for active noise cancellation adaptive filter
A feed forward active noise cancellation (ANC) system for use in a portable audio device has an adaptive digital filter and a reference microphone. A non-adaptive pre-shaping digital filter has an input coupled to the reference microphone and is in series with, and in front of, the adaptive filter. The pre-shaping filter is minimum phase and presents at least 2 dB more gain over a low audio frequency band than over a high audio frequency band. This may help compensate for low frequency band difficulties, and may thereby extend ANC bandwidth at the low end without a worsening impact on the high end. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. |
| US09082385B2 |
Electric musical instrument
According to some embodiments, a stringed musical instrument is provided. The stringed musical instrument comprises a neck portion, a body portion coupled to the neck portion, and a strap anchor system attached to the body portion comprising a strap arm and strap arm wheel. |
| US09082384B1 |
Musical instrument with keyboard and strummer
A musical instrument is comprised of a keyboard, a strummer, and a processor. The keyboard and strummer send event messages to the processor whenever a key is pressed, or a string is plucked, respectively. At the time a string is plucked, the processor dynamically assigns a note to the string, based on which keys are depressed. The dynamic note assignment ensures that the top, or a predefined string is part of any selected chord or scale passage. In response to strummer and keyboard events, the processor selects different timbres or articulations of the note including: clean, thumb harmonics, muted, hammer-on, or pull-off. The processor plays back recorded samples or synthesized tones to emulate the sounds of different playing techniques on an acoustic, electric, bass guitar or other stringed instruments. |
| US09082382B2 |
Musical performance apparatus and musical performance program
The musical performance apparatus has a ROM 17cwhich stores sample values obtained by sampling a plurality of tones corresponding to a plurality of digital signals each having a different bit pattern so that the sample values of waveforms of the tones will correspond to sampling periods. In the ROM 17c, the sample values are stored in association with addresses. The musical performance apparatus also has a computer portion 17 and a tone generation circuit 15 which select one or more tones from the plurality of tones in accordance with musical score data SD formed of a plurality of bits, read out waveform data indicative of the selected tones from the ROM 17c, and reproduce the selected tones. The plurality of tones are formed of frequency components included in a certain high frequency band. |
| US09082378B2 |
Supporting structure for electronic pad of percussion instrument
A supporting structure for an electronic pad of a percussion instrument includes a pad member, a pair of a first engaging part and a second engaging part, and a connecting part which connects a first object (e.g. a leg fixed to a stand) and a second object (e.g. the second engaging part) in a rotatable manner about the rotation center. The connecting part includes a rotation-regulating unit which regulates the rotational displacement of the second object within the regulation range irrespective of a rotational torque less than a predetermined value which is applied to the second object disposed at the initial position relative to the first object. Due to a rotational torque above the predetermined value, the rotation-regulating unit shifts the regulation range so as to shift the initial position, and therefore the second object will be restored to the new initial position. |
| US09082377B2 |
Bass drum lifter and bass drum
A bass drum lifter is provided with a drum connection member, a pedal connection member including a lift portion, and a long screw for rotationally connecting the pedal connection member and the drum connection member to each other. The pedal connection member is rotational around the axis of the long screw between a storage position in the vicinity of a shell of a bass drum and a use position at which the bass drum is lifted up by the lift portion. The long screw is arranged in the vicinity of the shell and in the vicinity of the batter head. |
| US09082373B2 |
Device and method for cushioning the neck of a stringed instrument
A stringed instrument can be manufactured with a neck that contains a back-side soft surface layer and optionally also a front-side soft surface layer, whereby the soft surface layers can increase comfort and enjoyment, and prevent, reduce or alleviate injury during play of the instrument. Alternatively, a standard stringed instrument can be retrofitted with an installable soft surface component, which can be fitted on top of the surface of the back-side of the neck of the standard stringed instrument. Further disclosed is a method of using a neck mounted soft surface layer with a standard stringed instrument. |
| US09082369B2 |
Inverter for liquid crystal display
An inverter of driving a light source for a display device is provided. The inverter includes a temperature sensor sensing a temperature and generating an output voltage based on the sensed temperature, a buffer generating an output signal having a state depending on the output voltage of the temperature sensor, an oscillator generating an oscillating signal having a frequency depending on the state of the output signal of the buffer, and an inverter performing a switching operation in response to the oscillating signal from the oscillator. Therefore, the inverter increases the voltage applied to the light source when the temperature near the light source is lower than a predetermined temperature since the frequency of the oscillating signal is increased. |
| US09082367B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
In a liquid crystal display (LCD) device having a touch panel function, power consumption is reduced in the standby state. The display section is divided into blocks each of which is formed of a plurality of display lines. The counter electrode is disposed for each block. A driving circuit selectively supplies, to the counter electrode of each block, the voltage used for the liquid crystal display and the voltage used for the touch panel scanning. The driving circuit has a source amplifier that supplies the video voltages to the video lines. The driving circuit reduces the current in the source amplifier, such that the current is lower than current at the time of a normal operation, to lower the power consumption, and stops the operation of the source amplifier and supplies the GND voltage to the video lines to further lower the power consumption. |
| US09082366B2 |
Power converting circuit of a display driver
A power converting circuit of a display driver includes a positive voltage generator and a negative voltage generator. The positive voltage generator includes a first capacitive DC-DC converter and a first inductive DC-DC converter, and generates a positive source voltage by selectively using one of the first capacitive DC-DC converter, the first inductive DC-DC converter, or a first external power supply voltage. The negative voltage generator includes a second capacitive DC-DC converter and a second inductive DC-DC converter, and generates a negative source voltage by selectively using one of the second capacitive DC-DC converter, the second inductive DC-DC converter, or a second external power supply voltage. |
| US09082365B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and driving method of the same improving afterimage problem due to image data of black level
A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel; a gamma voltage supplying unit establishing a gamma voltage corresponding to each gray level according to a predetermined T-V curve; and a data driving unit changing digital image data into analog image data using the gamma voltage and outputting the analog image data to the liquid crystal panel, wherein the gamma voltage corresponding to a black level is configured to have a value within a range of 0 V to 0.005 V. |
| US09082364B2 |
Integrated source driving system
A source driving system includes first and second source driving integrated circuits. The first driving integrated circuit includes a first source driver for receiving first display data and driving pixels in a first block of a display panel according to the first display data. The second source driving integrated circuit includes a second source driver electrically connected to the first source driver for receiving second display data and driving pixels in a second block of the display panel according to the second display data. The first and the second source drivers generate first and second display parameters according to the first and the second display data respectively. The second display parameter is transmitted from the second source driver to the first source driver. The first source driver generates a third display parameter according to the first and second parameters and transmits the third display parameter to the second source driver. |
| US09082363B2 |
Driving device and display device and method for driving display panel
A driving device is configured for driving a display panel and includes a data driver, a plurality of switches, and an image determiner. The switch is electrically coupled between data lines of a first data line group. The data driver is configured to output data signals to the data lines of the first data line group. The data signals transferred by the data lines of the first data line group include a plurality of pulse transitions while the display panel displays an image. The image determiner is configured to determine the image displayed by the display panel and output a driving signal based on a determined result for activating a corresponding switch such that the data lines of the first data line group can perform charge sharing therebetween. Furthermore, a method for driving a display panel is disclosed herein. |
| US09082360B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and method of driving the same
A liquid crystal display device includes an array substrate, a counter substrate and a liquid crystal layer held between the array substrate and the counter substrate. A display portion having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix is formed of the substrates and the liquid crystal layer. Each of the pixels includes a pixel electrode and a counter electrode arranged opposing to the pixel electrode. A driving portion is formed on the array substrate to supply a pixel voltage to the pixel electrode. A correcting circuit is formed on the array substrate to correct the voltage supplied to the pixel electrode by adding a predetermined DC voltage to the voltage supplied to the pixel electrode corresponding to gradations to be displayed in the pixel. |
| US09082356B2 |
Liquid crystal display apparatus and method of driving the same
Present embodiments may include a liquid crystal display apparatus, using a line reversal method, wherein at least one pulse is inserted between charging periods, and a method of driving the liquid crystal display apparatus. According to present embodiments, in a liquid crystal display apparatus employing a polarity reversal method, audible noise may be removed without increasing a frame frequency and reducing a charging time of a storage capacitor. |
| US09082352B2 |
Electro-phoretic display apparatus and driving method thereof
A driving method for an electro-phoretic display apparatus is disclosed. The method includes generating a common voltage by a common voltage generator held at a first voltage level before a polarity transfer, generating the common voltage held at a second voltage level when the polarity transfer starts during a first timing period, and generating the common voltage transfers held at a third voltage level during a second timing period after the first timing period, in which the second voltage level is between the first and the third voltageE levels. |
| US09082350B2 |
Electronic device, display control method, and storage medium storing display control program
According to an aspect, an electronic device includes a display unit, and a control unit. The display unit displays information. The control unit determines a scrolling speed of the information in accordance with a speed of an operation, and changes a display size of the information to be scrolled on the display unit in accordance with the scrolling speed. |
| US09082347B2 |
Illumination modulation technique for microdisplays
A projection display may use pulse width modulation wherein the duty cycle may be varied. This duty cycle variation may improve bit depth in some embodiments. For example, on alternate frames, the duty cycle may be reduced by a given percentage. |
| US09082346B2 |
Light emitting diode circuitry, method for driving light emitting diode circuitry and display
A light emitting diode circuitry includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a third transistor, a fourth transistor, a storage capacitor, a fifth transistor, a sixth transistor and light emitting diodes. The first transistor is used for receiving a first control signal. The second transistor is used for receiving a second control signal. The third transistor is electrically coupled to the second transistor and the first transistor. The fourth transistor is used for receiving a data signal and a third control signal. The storage capacitor is electrically coupled to the second transistor. The fifth transistor is used for receiving a fourth control signal. The sixth transistor is used for receiving a fifth control signal. The light emitting diodes are coupled to the sixth transistor and a power source. |
| US09082342B2 |
AMOLED panel and driving circuit and method therefor
Embodiments of the present disclosure relates to an active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) panel and the driving circuit and method therefore. The driving circuit of the AMOLED panel comprises: a driving transistor; a first transistor; a second capacitor; an organic light emitting diode; a voltage adjustment module, which is connected to a first control signal terminal, a second control signal terminal and a high level signal terminal, and is connected with the second capacitor, the driving transistor and the first transistor, for adjusting a gate-source voltage of the driving transistor connected with the second capacitor, such that a driving current of the driving transistor in a saturation status is independent of its threshold voltage. |
| US09082340B2 |
Digital light modulator configured for analog control
This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for providing analog control for operating the states of a light modulator in a pixel. In one aspect, a pixel circuit can be coupled to the light modulator, and can control the duration for which the light modulator is operated in an open or closed state based on an analog data voltage. In some implementations, the pixel circuit includes a voltage controlled current source (VCCS), which draws a current of a magnitude that is based on the magnitude of the data voltage. The current drawn by the VCCS can be used to control a charge and a voltage on an actuation capacitor coupled to the light modulator. The rate of change of the voltage on the actuation capacitor, and the duration for which the light modulator is maintained in a particular state, is a function of the data voltage applied to the VCCS. |
| US09082339B2 |
Rendering texts on electronic devices
In one embodiment, dividing a set of texts into one or more text blocks, each text block including a portion of the set of texts; rendering each text block to obtain one or more rendered text blocks; determining a placement instruction for each rendered text block, the placement instruction indicating a position of the rendered text block when it is displayed; and sending the one or more rendered text blocks and their respectively associated placement instructions to a electronic device for displaying on the electronic device. |
| US09082338B2 |
Display apparatus configured for selective illumination of image subframes
Systems, apparatus, and methods are disclosed herein for displaying images. One such apparatus includes an input, subfield derivation logic, subframe generation logic, dark subframe detection logic, and output logic. The input is configured to receive image data associated with an image frame. The subfield derivation logic is configured to derive at least one color subfield for the received image frame. The subframe generation logic is configured to generate a plurality of subframes for each of the at least one derived color subfields. The dark subframe detection logic is configured to identify dark subframes. The output logic is configured to, in response to identification of a dark subframe, suppress the outputting of the dark subframe and to modify a display parameter associated with at least one other subframe based on a timing value associated with the identified dark subframe. |
| US09082336B2 |
Luminescence shock avoidance in display devices
A luminescence shock avoidance algorithm selectively limits the brightness level of a display device when the display device is activated in a dark environment to prevent the temporary vision impairment that can occur when a display device is activated in a dark environment. The algorithm receives the state of the display (e.g. on or in standby mode), and can optionally receive an ambient lighting value from an ambient light sensor and a user-selectable manual brightness adjustment setting to determine whether luminescence shock avoidance should even be triggered, and if it is triggered, how much should the brightness level of the display be limited. |
| US09082333B2 |
Integrated circuit configured to detect a short circuit therein and apparatus having the same
An integrated circuit is provided. The integrated circuit includes a plurality of output pads, a plurality of test pads, and a plurality of channel shift switches respectively connected between the plurality of output pads and the plurality of test pads and operated by a plurality of channel shift switch enable signals. A short path between the plurality of output pads may be detected when each of the plurality of channel shift switch enable signals are simultaneously at a high level. |
| US09082331B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel and array substrate thereof
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display panel and array substrate thereof. The array substrate includes at least a plurality of first scan lines, second scan lines, data lines and a plurality of pixel units arranged in a matrix form; pixel electrodes of pixel unit being divided into at least first sub electrode, second sub electrode and third sub electrode, and controlling first sub electrode and second sub electrode to have a default voltage difference when displaying voltage signal of a same image in 3D display mode. As such, the present invention can reduce signal crosstalk problem in 3D display mode, improve color difference in large view angle condition and reduce color distortion. |
| US09082330B2 |
Projection system and information processing apparatus
An information processor receives, from each of a plurality of projectors, the number of pixels to be projected and the number of pixels of a region to be superposed of the projector, and the information processor calculates the number of pixels of an integrated image based on the number of pixels to be projected and the number of pixels of a region to be superposed of each projection screen of the projectors. |
| US09082326B2 |
Self illuminated shaped and two-sided signage for printed graphics
Self illuminated back and front lit shaped and two-sided signage. The signage includes a turning film having a structured surface for redirecting light and a diffuser providing for diffusion. The shape of the signage from a viewer's perspective provides the content, such as letters, to be conveyed to the viewer. Two-sided signage includes two signs arranged back-to-back, each including a turning film having a structured surface for redirecting light, a diffuser providing for diffusion, and a printed graphic. In the two-sided signage, the turning films receive light from an ambient light source and direct the light via the structured surfaces toward viewers of the two graphics in order to passively illuminate the signage. The two-sided signage can be shaped to provide content via the shape and graphics. |
| US09082324B1 |
Signage support structure and signage assembly
A device for securing a sign to a mullion is provided. The device includes first and second body portions, and a tensioner operatively uniting same. The first body portion is characterized by adjacent mullion receiving elements and a sign support structure. A first mullion receiving element includes a substantially planar member receivable adjacent a mullion face. A second mullion receiving element extends from the first mullion receiving element for tensioned engagement with a first lateral mullion surface of opposingly paired lateral mullion surfaces adjacent the mullion face. The sign support structure is spaced apart and extends from the first mullion receiving element so as to thereby delimit a channel passing between the sign support structure and the first mullion receiving element. The second device portion is slidingly receivable within the channel of the first device body portion and is characterized by a mullion receiving element for tensioned engagement with a second lateral mullion surface of opposingly paired lateral mullion surfaces adjacent the mullion face. The tensioner is operable to draw the mullion receiving element of the second body portion towards the second mullion receiving element of the first body portion. |
| US09082322B2 |
Label for receiving indicia having variable spectral emissivity values
Labels that are conducive to the detection of bar-codes and other indicia having varying spectral emissivity values are provided. The labels include a substrate, a background layer, a thermally conductive layer and an adhesive layer. The background layer is preferably similar in visual appearance to the indicium that the label is to receive. Meanwhile, the thermally conductive layer is made from a material with high thermal conductivity that is used to substantially equalize the temperature across the label surface, thereby enabling a faster and cheaper detection of transitions of differential emissivity on the indicium surface. The adhesive layer is used for attaching the label to a document or other product. |
| US09082321B2 |
Perforated, combined receipt and label roll
A receipt and label roll comprises a core and a web having a longitudinally-extending axis and wound on the core along the axis. The web includes (i) a substrate having a front side and a back side opposite the front side, (ii) a thermally-sensitive coating disposed on the front side of the substrate, (iii) adhesive disposed on a portion of the back side of the substrate along the web axis, and (iv) a release coating disposed on the front side of the substrate along the web axis to prevent the adhesive from sticking to the front side of the substrate when the web is wound on the core. The web further includes (v) a longitudinal weakened structure extending along a direction parallel to the web axis and dividing the web into a first web portion on which the adhesive is disposed and a second web portion which is substantially devoid of adhesive. |
| US09082319B2 |
Method, apparatus, and system for computer-aided tracking, navigation and motion teaching
Methods, apparatuses, and systems for computer-aided tracking, navigation, and motion tracking. In one embodiment, a system for determining a spatial position, including a tracking device and a processor. The tracking devices has a working end, a reference end, a plurality of links connecting the working end to the reference end, wherein each link has at least one degree of freedom relative to an adjacent link, and a plurality of sensors measuring the orientation of the links in a plurality of degrees of freedom, wherein X is a minimum number of degrees of freedom about which information is required to define the spatial position. The processor receives information from the sensors and determine the spatial position of the working end of the tracking device relative to the reference end of the tracking device based on information from the sensors measuring Y degrees of freedom, wherein Y is greater than X. |
| US09082313B1 |
Interactive piano training system
A piano training device is described herein. The piano training device comprising a plurality of keys which may be illuminated by a light source associated with each key. The light source associated with each key is oriented such that the light source transmits light toward the front surface of the key. The key is further manufactured so that the light transmitted toward the front surface of the key is redirected to the top surface of the key. |
| US09082306B2 |
In-vehicle display apparatus, display method, and information display system
An in-vehicle display apparatus includes a communication device and an in-vehicle device. The communication device acquires information posted by the user and geographical location data indicating the destination of the posted information and classifies the acquired posted information into categories. The communication device generates map data in which the posted information is displayed in a display format corresponding to the classified category at a position on the map specified by the geographical location data that is acquired together with the posted information and transmits the map data to the in-vehicle device. The in-vehicle device displays the received map data on, for example, a liquid crystal monitor. |
| US09082301B2 |
Aircraft stopping performance display and warning
A system and method for determining a predicted stopping performance of an aircraft moving on a runway. A predicted stopping force acting on the aircraft to stop the aircraft is determined by a processor unit as the aircraft is moving on the runway. A predicted deceleration of the aircraft moving on the runway is determined by the processor unit using the predicted stopping force acting on the aircraft to stop the aircraft. The predicted stopping performance of the aircraft on the runway is determined by the processor unit using the predicted deceleration of the aircraft. |
| US09082298B2 |
Remote control apparatus providing infrared control
A remote control apparatus includes a wireless module, a microprocessing module, an infrared module, a power supply module, and a housing. The wireless module, the microprocessing module, and the infrared module are electrically connected to each other in series. The power supply module is electrically connected to and supplies electricity to the wireless module, the microprocessing module, and the infrared module. The housing is located in a position outside of an electric appliance and corresponding to an infrared reception end of the electric appliance. The wireless module is connected to a handheld device for receiving a wireless control signal from the handheld device. The microprocessing module unit converts the remote control signal from the wireless module into an enabling signal. The infrared module transmits an infrared control signal to the infrared reception end of the electric appliance upon reception of the enabling signal from the microprocessing module. |
| US09082297B2 |
System and method for verifying parameters in an audiovisual environment
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes communicating a code to initiate cycling through a plurality of potential audiovisual inputs. The method includes receiving image data that is rendered on a display, the image data being based on a first one of the audiovisual inputs. The method also includes comparing the image data of the first one of the audiovisual inputs to a stored test pattern image associated with a selected audiovisual application to verify if the image data matches the stored test pattern for the selected audiovisual application. In more specific embodiments, the cycling through of the plurality of potential audiovisual inputs is terminated if the image data matches the stored test pattern for the selected audiovisual application. The code represents one or more infrared audiovisual commands being repeatedly sent to the display. The commands are sent until the stored test pattern image is detected on the display. |
| US09082285B2 |
System and method for determining vehicle driving status information-based driving concentration
A method and system for determining driving concentration which is capable of analyzing a driver's driving concentration on the basis of variation of a steering angle and driving status information of a vehicle acquired from a front camera sensor. The method includes storing output data of a steering angle sensor and a front camera sensor mounted in a vehicle at a predetermined time interval, calculating a quantitative index include a value for recognizing a vehicle status based on information stored in a storage unit, statistically processing the calculated value to output status information which is an index for determining driving concentration, and comparing the information calculated in the statistically processing to the predetermined reference data and determining the driving concentration according to the comparison result. |
| US09082284B2 |
Real time safety systems
A method for managing hazards in a construction site is presented. One aspect of the inventive subject matter includes a hazard management process that utilitizes a hazard context database, a sensor interface, and a hazard analysis engine. The sensor interface is configured to acquire a site data feed that is representative of a construction site. The hazard analysis engine is configured to (i) instantiate a hazard object by comparing the site data feed to hazard criteria of the plurality of hazard contexts, (ii) update the hazard object based on the site data feed, (iii) generate hazard notification criteria related to the hazard object, (iv) obtain worker attributes from the site data, and (v) transmit a hazard notification to an output device when the worker attributes cause satisfaction of the hazard notification criteria. |
| US09082282B1 |
Determining usefulness of a data alert
An alert may provide a user with notification when a trigger condition regarding the operation of an enterprise is satisfied. Prior to setting the alert, a proposed alert with the trigger condition may be received. The trigger condition may be compared with a database of operational data related to operation of the enterprise over a period of time to obtain historical trigger data. The historical trigger data may indicate how the proposed alert would have functioned if applied to the operational data for the period of time, for example, by indicating how many times the alert would have been triggered during the period of time. The historical trigger data may be provided to a user, and may facilitate user determination of whether the proposed alert will perform as desired. Once the desired proposed alert has been entered, the user may set the proposed alert as an actual alert. |
| US09082277B2 |
Method, system and wireless device for monitoring protective headgear
A wireless device includes a sensor module that generates sensor data in response to an impact to the protective headgear. The sensor module includes an accelerometer and a gyroscope and wherein the sensor data includes linear acceleration data and rotational velocity data. A device processing module generates event data in response to the sensor data. A short-range wireless transmitter transmits a wireless signal that includes the event data. |
| US09082275B2 |
Alarm device for alerting hazardous conditions
A smoke alarm device includes a motion detection module generating a motion detection signal on detecting human motion within a detection zone, a primary sensing module arranged to generate an alarm signal where the primary sensing module senses a hazardous condition, at least one secondary sensing module arranged to generate an alarm signal where the secondary sensing module senses a hazardous condition, and a controller arranged to activate an audible alarm module on receiving any of the alarm signals. The controller has a timer and is arranged to be in a hush state for a preset time period upon receiving the motion detection signal. In the hush state, the controller is arranged to activate the audible alarm module upon receiving alarm signals from both the primary and the at least one secondary sensing modules, or from either the primary or any one of the at least one secondary sensing module. |
| US09082273B2 |
Stimulation apparatus
An apparatus (1) for applying stimulation to a body has a distributed control system comprising a first CPU (7) in a main unit (24), a second CPU (30) in a display and control unit (2) and a further CPU 5 in each of one or more interface cards (3, 4). The second CPU (30) is configured to control the operation of the first CPU (7), while the first CPU (7) is configured to control and coordinate the operation of the CPUs (5) in each interface card (3, 4). |
| US09082272B2 |
Circuit for applying heat and electrical stimulation
A circuit (51) for applying heat and electrical stimulation comprises a substrate (500). The substrate (500) comprises an electrode (514) for applying electrical stimulation and a heating element (502). At least one of the electrode (514) and the heating element (502) comprises an electrically conducting region patterned on a surface of the substrate (500). The substrate (500) can be flexible. |
| US09082271B2 |
Customized audio alerts
A methods and systems for generating customized audio alerts are described. The method includes identifying occurrence of an event on a communication device. The event is associated with at least one attributes. The at least one attribute associated with the event is compared with user-defined attributes. Further, a customized audio alert is generated on the communication device based on the comparing. |
| US09082269B2 |
Haptic directional feedback handles for location devices
Locating devices and systems providing haptic tactile feedback are disclosed. In one embodiment, a locator includes a haptic handle configured to provide directional signals through an operator's sense of touch to aid in locating and tracing a buried conductor or other object such as a pipe or cable. |
| US09082265B2 |
Gaming machine which rearranges symbols after varying and displaying the symbols
Provided is a gaming machine in which elaborate presentation effects for rearranging wild symbols are devised and which has a high game feeling. In the gaming machine, when the wild symbols are rearranged in a plurality of columns, on the condition that winning has occurred in a drawing, premium presentation effects are performed. When it is determined that the wild symbols are rearranged in the plurality of columns, the wild symbols are rearranged in each one column when the character appears at one time. |
| US09082263B2 |
Method and apparatus for conducting a game of chance
A system and method are provided for playing a game of chance. The game of chance may include, for example, a lottery-type game. A result of the game of chance is revealed to a player in another medium. In one example, the result is revealed during multiple game instances of one or more online games. In one example, the online game is a bingo game. |
| US09082262B2 |
Gaming device providing an award based on a count of outcomes which meets a condition
Methods and apparatus for providing an award based on a multiplicity of game outcomes. In one implementation the invention provides a method for providing a game. The method includes placing a bet by a player, playing of a game to produce a game outcome, evaluating a primary game outcome, paying a direct award if the primary outcome merits it, advancing a bonus accumulator if the primary outcome merits it, and if the bonus accumulator has advanced sufficiently, paying a bonus award to the player and clearing the bonus accumulator. |
| US09082256B2 |
Backlight for video display
A gaming system including an electronic gaming machine (EGM) having a backlit video display, is described. In particular, the EGM can be configured with a display that allows display elements, such as mechanical stepper reels, positioned behind the display to be either revealed or obscured by using directional lighting. The display assembly can include an edge-lit light guide having different regions that can extract light coming from a particular direction. |
| US09082253B1 |
Banking system controlled responsive to data bearing records
An apparatus that operates to cause financial transfers responsive to data read from data bearing records includes at least one processor that is in operative connection with a card reader and a touch screen display. The at least one processor causes the machine to operate to read card data from a user card, and to cause a determination that the read card data corresponds to an authorized financial account. Data corresponding to a user input character is resolved by the at least one processor responsive to contact with the touch screen display input surface, which may not include any visible output indicia that corresponds to the input character. |
| US09082251B2 |
Systems for providing an interactive networked product container
Networked product containers such as vending machines identify the presence of a potential customer via sensors, and present customized interactive marketing content to consumers. Consumers interact with a touch screen to win prizes, make purchases, or have a fun and interactive experience. The prizes and purchases offered by the product container may be determined by the product container or by one or more content servers in communication with the container. The content server may also provide digital content for display on the product container and remotely update the product container's content. The networked product container also includes a wireless access point to provide nearby wireless-enabled devices network connectivity via the product container. |
| US09082247B2 |
Automated collection point
A modular automated collection point (ACP) comprises an array of electronically controlled lockers for receiving items for sale or for delivery to customers, a controller and user interface, a parcel weighing and dimensional measuring unit, and a package deposit unit with a one-way door for depositing items for subsequent delivery to other customers or ACPs. Each door preferably moves rapidly from the fully-open position to a partially-open position, and then slowly from the partially-open position towards a fully-closed position. Each locker may comprise a retractable handle and an elongate, rotating closure element which moves the locker door between the fully-closed (locked) position and a nearly-closed (unlocked) position. Preferably the closure element has a cylindrical outer wall which conforms slidingly to the fascia of the lockerbank so as to present a seamless appearance and prevent prising. |
| US09082246B2 |
Media item transportation
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for transporting items of media along a transport path. The apparatus comprises a first transport member having a first end region and a further transport member having a further end region, wherein the first end region is spaced apart from the further end region, and a bridge member extending between the first end region and the further end region, wherein a length of the bridge member is adjustable responsive to a one of the first and further end regions being moved with respect to a remainder one of the first and further end regions. |
| US09082244B2 |
Method of controlling access to an area
A method of controlling access to an area accessible by persons, particularly to a space closed by a door, utilizes a first mobile communications unit on which at least one access code is filed and a receiver unit for receiving the access code. In a first variant of the method, when an activation signal is transmitted by the communications unit within a predetermined range of the receiver unit, the receiver unit is activated and the access code is transmitted from the communications unit to the receiver unit. After a successful check of the access code by the receiver unit the access is freed. In a second variant, when the activation signal is transmitted by the receiver unit within a predetermined range of the communications unit, the receiver unit is activated. The access code is subsequently transmitted from the communications unit to the receiver unit and after a successful check of the access code by the receiver unit the access is freed. |
| US09082241B2 |
Wireless communications circuit
In accordance with one or more example embodiments, wireless communications are facilitated based on user-motion. A portable motion-sensing circuit, carried by a user, indicates that motion is sensed in response to detecting whether the user has been moving for a predetermined period of time. A communication circuit operates in active mode and inactive modes respectively consuming higher and lower power, permits or inhibits access authentication communications in the active and inactive modes, and operates in the active mode in response to the motion being sensed at the motion-sensing circuit. |
| US09082231B2 |
Symmetry-based visualization for enhancing anomaly detection
Disclosed herein is a framework for facilitating symmetry-based visualization. In accordance with one aspect of the framework, one or more medical images are received. The medical images include first and second regions, wherein the first region is substantially symmetric to the second region. A transformation is performed on at least the second region to generate a transformed second region. The transformed second region is registered with the first region to generate an aligned second region. The aligned second region and the first region are then alternately displayed to assist anomaly detection. |
| US09082229B1 |
Transforming animations
A system includes a computing device that includes a memory configured to store instructions. The computing device also includes a processor configured to execute the instructions to perform a method that includes identifying one or more frames included in series of frames that represent a portion of an animated character. The identified one or more frames can be reconstructed from a portion of the series of frames absent the identified one or more frames. The method also includes removing the identified one or more frames from the series of frames to produce a reduced series of frames, and, transforming the reduced series of frames to produce an animation model that is capable of reconstructing the series of frames for an interactive virtual environment. |
| US09082222B2 |
Physical face cloning
A computer-implemented method is provided for physical face cloning to generate a synthetic skin. Rather than attempt to reproduce the mechanical properties of biological tissue, an output-oriented approach is utilized that models the synthetic skin as an elastic material with isotropic and homogeneous properties (e.g., silicone rubber). The method includes capturing a plurality of expressive poses from a human subject and generating a computational model based on one or more material parameters of a material. In one embodiment, the computational model is a compressible neo-Hookean material model configured to simulate deformation behavior of the synthetic skin. The method further includes optimizing a shape geometry of the synthetic skin based on the computational model and the captured expressive poses. An optimization process is provided that varies the thickness of the synthetic skin based on a minimization of an elastic energy with respect to rest state positions of the synthetic skin. |
| US09082221B2 |
Method for the real-time composition of a video
A method for real time construction of a video sequence comprising a modelled 3D object is provided. The method comprises pre-calculating data representative of a first image of a three-dimensional environment and a first associated depth information. A live calculating of data representative of a second image representing the modelled object on which is mapped a current image of a live video stream, and a second depth information associated with the second image is performed. The sequence is composed by combining the first image and the second image according to the first and second depth information. |
| US09082219B2 |
Orientation invariant object identification using model-based image processing
A system for performing object identification combines pose determination, EO/IR sensor data, and novel computer graphics rendering techniques. A first module extracts the orientation and distance of a target in a truth chip given that the target type is known. A second is a module identifies the vehicle within a truth chip given the known distance and elevation angle from camera to target. Image matching is based on synthetic image and truth chip image comparison, where the synthetic image is rotated and moved through a 3-Dimensional space. To limit the search space, it is assumed that the object is positioned on relatively flat ground and that the camera roll angle stays near zero. This leaves three dimensions of motion (distance, heading, and pitch angle) to define the space in which the synthetic target is moved. A graphical user interface (GUI) front end allows the user to manually adjust the orientation of the target within the synthetic images. The system also includes the generation of shadows and allows the user to manipulate the sun angle to approximate the lighting conditions of the test range in the provided video. |
| US09082214B2 |
3D drawing system for providing a real time, personalized, and immersive artistic experience
A method for providing a three dimensional (3D) drawing experience. The method includes capturing a 3D image of a participant and then processing this image to key the participant's image from a background. The keyed participant's image is mixed with a 3D background image such as frames or scenes from a 3D movie, and the mixed 3D image is projected on a projection screen. For example, left and right eye images may be projected from a pair of projectors with polarization films over the lenses, and the projection screen may be a polarization-maintaining surface such as a silver screen. The user moves a drawing instrument in space in front of the projection screen, and spatial tracking performed to generate a locus of 3D positions. These 3D positions are used to create a 3D drawing image that is projected with the 3D background and participant images in real time. |
| US09082213B2 |
Image processing apparatus for combining real object and virtual object and processing method therefor
When an image in a virtual space in which a virtual object is arranged is generated using a ray tracing method, and when it is determined that a ray which is generated in accordance with the ray tracing method successively intersected an approximate virtual object such as a hand which is a real object at lest twice, an image corresponding to a first intersection is generated in accordance with the ray emitted to the first intersection. |
| US09082211B2 |
Measurement of blood flow dynamics with X-ray computed tomography: dynamic CT angiography
In various embodiments, systems and methods can provide accurate measurements of blood flow dynamics in a subject. Projection data acquired during a computed tomography (CT) scan of the subject can be used to determine information representing inflow of a contrast material. Accordingly, a measurement of flow velocity, in addition to other aspects of flow, may be obtained from the projection data. |
| US09082209B1 |
Method and apparatus for reworking inconsistencies on parts
A method and apparatus for reworking an inconsistency on a part. Image data for the inconsistency on the part may be identified using data for the part generated by a nondestructive evaluation system. Information about the inconsistency may be identified using the image data. Rework image data may be generated using the information identified about the inconsistency. The rework image data may comprise a number of patch images. The number of patch images may be projected onto a rework material for use in forming a patch for the inconsistency. |
| US09082206B2 |
Image processing apparatus having a buffer memory for image data storage
Two local buffers are provided between an image processing unit and an image compression and expansion unit for compression into a predetermined format. Write and read control units serve to alternately use the two local buffers. As a result, process flow starting from the image processing unit to generate compressed image data by the image compression and expansion unit requires no main memory, whereby high-speed image processing is allowed with low power consumption. |
| US09082204B2 |
Storage structures for stitching primitives in graphics processing
Techniques described in the disclosure are generally related to generating points of a domain. A tessellation unit may determine outer ring point coordinates for a point of an outer ring of the domain, and inner ring point coordinates for a point of an inner ring of the domain. The inner ring is inner to the outer ring within the domain. The tessellation unit may enqueue the inner ring point coordinates at a location of a queue, read the inner ring point coordinates from the queue, and read the outer ring point coordinates from the queue when the outer ring is not an outermost ring, where the outer ring point coordinates were previously enqueued in the queue when the outer ring was a previous inner ring. The tessellation unit may connect the inner ring coordinates and the outer ring coordinates each of which being read from the queue. |
| US09082203B2 |
Image processing system for image resizing based upon operational feedback parameters and related methods
An image processing system may include a transceiver configured to communicate with a remote terminal over a communications channel. Furthermore, an image processor may cooperate with the transceiver and be configured to determine an operational parameter associated with at least one of the communications channel and the remote terminal, generate a resized image from an original image based upon an energy function and the operational parameter, and transmit the resized image to the remote terminal over the communications channel. |
| US09082200B2 |
System for histogram computation
A system and method includes reception of a first image data value of a digital image, determination of a first index based on the first image data value, determination of a value stored in a first array of a first shared memory at the first index, and determination of whether the value stored in the first array of the first shared memory at the first index is equal to the first image data value. If the value stored in the first array of the first shared memory at the first index is equal to the first image data value, 1 is added to a count value stored in a second array of the first shared memory at the first index. If the value stored in the first array of the first shared memory at the first index is not equal to the first image data value a count value stored in a second shared memory in association with the first image data value is updated. |
| US09082192B2 |
Text image trimming method
A text image trimming method, according to the following steps: step 1, obtaining text image data; step 2, using straight line detection method to detect the straight lines of the text image, obtaining edges of a trimmed quadrangle; step 3, detecting text on the image data, obtaining the coordinates of the boundary points of a text region; and step 4, obtaining the final trimming result according to the results of steps 2 and 3. The method can automatically detect the edges of the text region and utilize the detected text region to verify and remove unrelated redundant information thereby, allowing the user to only see the portion containing the text region useful to the user when viewing image data. |
| US09082191B2 |
Level set segmentation of volume data
A method for segmenting a volume dataset is provided. During initialization a level set field within a volume dataset is initialized and an initial set of active voxels is determined in dependence upon the initialized level set field. In an iteration process the level set field for the set of active voxels is updated followed by updating of the set of active voxels. The iteration is continued until the number of active voxels is less than a predetermined threshold. Level set segmentation data are then determined in dependence upon the level set field and provided for, for example, graphical display or storage. |
| US09082188B2 |
Optical topographic imaging
Methods and devices of studying a predefined portion of an object having a feature of interest are disclosed. The feature of interest defines a class of objects that includes the object. Light sources directly illuminate the object from different illumination directions. The light sources are maintained in a stable configuration relative to the object. For each illumination direction, an image is generated from light scattered from the object with a camera maintained in a stable configuration relative to the light sources. A methodology derived from machine learning for the class of objects is applied to filter the generated images are filtered for a characteristic consistent with the feature of interest. Surface gradients are determined from the filtered images and integrated to generate a topography of a surface of the object. |
| US09082187B1 |
Method and apparatus for correcting distortion in an image due to rotational motion of an image capture device occurring while the image is being captured
A system is operable to correct for distortion in an image. The distortion in the image was caused by rotation of an image capture device while the image was being captured by the image capture device. The system includes an orientation sensor configured to perform a first measurement concurrently with the image capture device capturing the image. The system further includes a rotation module configured to generate, based on the first measurement, a rotation matrix. The system further includes a correction module configured to, based on the rotation matrix, correct the distortion in the image caused by the rotation of the image capture device. The system further includes a restoration module configured to selectively reverse the correction of the distortion in the image based on (i) the image as corrected by the correction module and (ii) the rotation matrix. |
| US09082183B2 |
Image processing device and image processing method
A data input unit is configured to receive an input image, depth data and a shooting parameter. A parameter input unit receives a transformation parameter as a parameter on projective transformation of a three-dimensional model, a transformed image generating unit that generate a transformed image by performing projective transformation based on the transformation parameter in the three-dimensional model obtained from the input image, the depth data, and the shooting parameter. A blank area detecting unit detects a blank area in the transformed image, the blank area being a group of blank pixels having no corresponding pixel in the input image, and an output unit is configured to output the transformed image in the case where a blank value indicating size of the blank area is smaller than or equal to a threshold value. |
| US09082182B2 |
Extracting patient motion vectors from marker positions in x-ray images
A method and a system for determining patient motion in an image. The method includes obtaining an image based on image data generated by a scanner during a scan. The image includes at least three markers assumed to be in a rigid or semi-rigid configuration. Each of the at least three markers has actual measured positions on a detector panel of the scanner in a first dimension and a second dimension. The method further includes determining a reference three-dimensional position for each of the at least three markers and defining equations describing the relationship between the reference three-dimensional position and the actual measured positions of each of the at least three markers, geometric parameters of the scanner, and patient motion. The method finally includes solving numerically the equations to derive a six-component motion vector describing patient motion for the image that accounts for differences between the reference three-dimensional position of each of the at least three markers and the actual measured positions for each of the at least three markers. |
| US09082177B2 |
Method for tracking X-ray markers in serial CT projection images
A method and system of rapidly detecting and mapping a plurality of marker points identified in a sequence of projection images to a physical marker placed on a patient or other scanned object. Embodiments of the invention allow a marker physical mapping module executable by an electronic processing unit to obtain a sequence of images based on image data generated by a scanner. Each image in the sequence of images represents an angle of rotation by the scanner and includes a plurality of marker points each having a U position and a V position. Expected U and V positions for the physical marker are calculated and a list of candidate marker points is created based on the expected positions. The images are processed and selected candidate marker points are added to a good point list. |
| US09082176B2 |
Method and apparatus for temporally-consistent disparity estimation using detection of texture and motion
An apparatus and method estimate disparities of pixels in a frame. In order to acquire temporally-consistent disparity maps it is determined whether to enforce a temporal consistency with respect to pixels. In order to determine whether to enforce the temporal consistency, a texture, motion, or a matched motion in the frame may be detected or estimated. A disparity of a pixel where the temporal consistency is enforced may be calculated based on a disparity of a corresponding pixel in a previous frame. |
| US09082175B2 |
Method for retrieving associated information using an image
A method for retrieving associated information using an image (10), comprising: locating a spatial pattern (13) in an image (10) captured by an image capture device, the spatial pattern (13) providing an instruction (12, 14, 15) or a specification for further processing to occur; wherein if a first predetermined spatial pattern is located in the image (10), a steganographic signal (12) is decoded from the image (10) for extracting a profile configuration of the image (10) in order to retrieve the associated information; and if a second predetermined spatial pattern is located in the image (10), image features of the image are recognized (15) in order to retrieve the associated information. |
| US09082171B2 |
Image processing device for reducing image noise and the method thereof
An image processing device for reducing image noise and the method thereof are provided. The method for reducing image noise includes the following steps. A filtering operation is performed on a plurality of pixel values of a first image according to a high-pass (HP) filtering mask, a first default filtering mask and a second default filtering mask to obtain a high-pass filtering image, a first low-pass (LP) image and a second LP image, respectively. A difference between the first and the second LP images is calculated to obtain a LP difference image. A pixel weighting calculation is performed according to the HP image and the LP difference image to obtain a pixel weighting mask corresponding to the first image. The first image is calculated according to the pixel weighting mask and one of the first and the second LP images to obtain a noise reducing image. |
| US09082162B2 |
System and method for enabling image searching using manual enrichment, classification, and/or segmentation
A system includes an image analysis module that is configured to programmatically analyze individual images in a collection of images in order to determine information about each image in the collection. The system may also include a manual interface that is configured to (i) interface with one or more human editors, and (ii) displays a plurality of panels concurrently. Individual panels may be provided for one or more analyzed images, and individual panels may be configured to display information that is at least indicative of the one or more images of that panel and/or of the information determined from the one or more images. |
| US09082159B2 |
Non-rigid composition of multiple overlapping medical imaging volumes
A method, including: registering a new image volume with a composed image volume, wherein the new image volume and the composed image volume overlap each other in an overlap region, the composed image volume includes at least two image volumes that overlap each other, and each voxel in the composed image volume includes a weight; determining a deformation between the new image volume and the composed image volume; updating the weights of the voxels in the composed image volume that are overlapped by the new image volume; performing an alpha morphing on the overlap region using the updated weights and the deformation; obtaining a blend region of the overlap region by performing an alpha blending using results of the alpha morphing and the updated weights; and incorporating the blend region into the composed image volume to obtain a new composed image volume. |
| US09082156B2 |
Emergency management system
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for: 1) displaying all vital central station (CS) information and controls on a single screen; 2) linking peripheral central stations (pCSs) to a master central station (mCS); 3) operating the system disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 10/460,458, without medical professionals (MPs) in the mCS or without any mCS; 4) linking a remote controlled defibrillator (RCD™) unit to an arrest sensor; 5) operating an RCD unit in a motor vehicle and linking an RCD unit to a vehicle communications system; 6) linking an RCD unit to a CS through a network of: a) non-vehicle-based stationary units (SUs), b) vehicle-based SUs/vehicle communication systems, or c) non-vehicle-based SUs and vehicle-based SUs/vehicle communication systems; 7) using an RCD unit with a chest compression device; 8) using the network of RCD units and MPs for disaster monitoring; and 9) monitoring and treating hospital patients and motor vehicle passengers. |
| US09082151B2 |
Financial-service structured content manager
A financial-service system that manages content objects includes a chronicles platform with a chronicle associated with a loan request. A content manager determines a set of content objects to be associated with the chronicle and generates a bucket for each content object of the set of content objects. Each bucket is associated with a name and is configured to receive an associated content object. The chronicle is populated with the generated buckets. An interface that detects a user action and that thereafter receives or generates a content object, which is detected by the content manager and associated with a bucket. The content manager causes the bucket to receive the content object and presents representations of the buckets to a user. Representations of one or more buckets that have received a content object differ from representations of one or more other buckets that have not received a content object. |
| US09082142B2 |
Using a mobile device to assist in exception handling in self-checkout and automated data capture systems
Self checkout and automated checkout systems and methods for multiple lane checkout stations, the automated checkout lane having a conveyor system that automatically transport objects through a portal data reader, wherein an operator (such as a checkout clerk) is provided with a portable/handheld data input and display device that allows the operator to move between multiple checkout stations for handling reading exceptions at the checkout station by employing the portable device. |
| US09082138B2 |
Network-based systems and methods for defining and managing multi-dimensional, advertising impression inventory
A method for representing and managing an inventory of overlapping multi-dimensional items such as advertising or ad impressions. The method uses an inventory management module to generate unique segment identifiers for sets of inventory items by processing descriptions of the sets of impressions including defining criteria. The method includes processing the unique segment identifiers to create a representation of the inventory as a plurality of inventory regions, which may include non-overlapping regions that correspond to inventory items in a single set of the inventory and also include overlapping regions that correspond to inventory items in two or more of the sets (e.g., items that match two or more sets of defining criteria or attributes). Availability and selection of inventory is determined using the information on inventory regions to control effects of cannibalization, such as by implementing logically necessary allocation to only cannibalize a region on a limited or forced basis. |
| US09082137B2 |
System and method for hosting images embedded in external websites
A system and method are provided for hosting digital images embedded in an external website, wherein the digital images are modified to include additional content such as advertisements when served to a guest of the external website. In general, a host website including a web server and an image database operates to host digital images for external websites. When the web server associated with the host website receives a request for a digital image embedded within a webpage of the external website, the web server analyzes metadata associated with the digital image to produce selection criteria and selects additional content to add to the digital image based on the selection criteria. The web server then modifies the digital image to include the additional content, thereby generating a modified image, and provides the modified image to the requesting node. |
| US09082130B1 |
On-line authentication of prebiotics or enzyme formulations to ensure source and quality
Disclosed is encoding of probiotic and/or prebiotic and/or enzyme formulations, in order to alert both consumer and producer to counterfeiting and to allow purchasers of authentic product to gain access to quality (and probiotic growth and activity) testing of the product. The purchaser would preferably also provide, along with its identifying information, any product complaints, adverse reaction and positive responses, and consumer interest in and reaction to different formulations and products, as well as demographic, general health and education information, and other information about the purchaser (including any information useful for marketing and future product development and selection). |
| US09082124B2 |
System and method for tracking authenticated items
A system for tracking an authenticated item is provided. The system includes an authentication device affixed to the item. An item registration system receives authentication device data from the authentication device and associated item data and stores the authentication device data and the associated item data. An owner registration system receives owner registration data after a buyer has acquired the item. A buyer verification system receives the authentication device data, the associated item data and the owner registration data and stores buyer verified data if the associated item data correlates to the owner registration data, such as if the external tag number or event data entered by the owner matches external tag number or event data for the item. |
| US09082122B2 |
Systems and methods for transaction authorization and dynamic memberhips to facilitate E-commerce
A method for managing an e-commerce system comprising: accepting an order to sell one or more goods or services from a seller to a buyer; charging the buyer an amount according to the order; holding the amount in an intermediary; receiving a first signal from the buyer upon the seller's delivery of said one or more goods or services; retrieving a second signal; verifying the first signal against the second signal; and making at least a portion of the amount available to the seller if the first signal and the second signal satisfy a predetermined relationship. |
| US09082118B2 |
Transaction flow control using credit and token management
Embodiments of a local interface unit are disclosed that may allow for managing credits and tokens as part of flow control method. The local interface unit may include a transmit unit and a receive unit. The transmit unit may be configured to receive credits and tokens, determine an available number of credits based on the number received tokens, determine an available number of tokens based on the number of received tokens, and send the available credits to an arbitration unit. The available credits may then be updated, by the transmit unit in response to receiving a selected transaction from the arbitration, and the transmit unit may then transmit the selected transaction, and update the available credits and the available tokens once the transaction has been sent. The receive unit may be configured to send credits and tokens to a transmit unit, and receive a transaction sent by a transmit unit. |
| US09082113B2 |
Licensing media consumption using digital currency
Methods and apparatus for issuing licenses to allow end users to consume digital media content on a user device by responding to licensing requests by determining the number of digital currency tokens required to license the requested consumption and then issuing the license if the end user's account has a sufficient number of digital currency tokens. The end user may further use the digital currency tokens to purchase new features, which are internal and/or external to the digital media content. Other embodiments may be disclosed or claimed. |
| US09082109B2 |
Method for assembling a business process and for orchestrating the process based on process beneficiary information
A system for assembling a business process or a portion thereof includes a rules base containing executable rules and defined business process elements, a workflow orchestration engine, and at least one interface available to a process beneficiary. Information known about and or provided by a process beneficiary interacting with the at least one interface is used to execute one or more of the rules causing assembly of a new business process or a portion thereof according to workflow orchestration rules the new or modified process directing servicing of the process beneficiary accordingly. |
| US09082101B2 |
Facilitating online to offline commerce
Systems and methods for facilitating online to offline commerce are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system configured to receive a request to check-in a customer at a merchant facility is disclosed. The system receives a request to access real-time pre-sale transaction data associated with a first customer and transmits the real-time pre-sale transaction data associated with the first customer to a mobile client device. The request to check-in and the request to access the real-time pre-sale transaction data are transmitted by the first mobile client device. The system is configured to authenticate the request to check-in at the merchant facility, process the request to access the real-time pre-sale transaction data, and responsively access the real-time pre-sale transaction data associated with the first customer from a point of sale device located at the merchant facility. |
| US09082100B2 |
Enhanced location information for points of interest
Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for identifying a serviceable address that is associated with a street network connection point and an actual location point. For example, in one embodiment, the serviceable address may be associated with a street network connection point that is part of a digital map. The serviceable address may also be associated with an actual location point, such as a parcel drop-off point. |
| US09082097B1 |
Systems and methods for monitoring location of a vehicle or freight carried by a vehicle
Monitoring location of a vehicle or freight carried by the vehicle includes receiving a request for information regarding the location of the vehicle or the freight carried by the vehicle, correlating the vehicle or the freight carried by the vehicle to a communications device, transmitting a request for location information of the communications device to a location information provider, receiving an indication that a user of the communications device consented to transmission of location information, receiving the location information of the communications device from the location information provider, correlating the location information of the communications device to the location of the vehicle or the freight carried by the vehicle based on the correlation of the vehicle or the freight carried by the vehicle to the communications device, and transmitting the location of the vehicle or the freight carried by the vehicle. |
| US09082094B1 |
Equitable shift rotation and efficient assignment mechanisms for contact center agents
Systems and methods are provided for facilitating equitable assignment of rotating shifts to agents in a contact center. In one embodiment, points are allocated to agents indicating their frequency of receiving undesirable shift assignments. Based on the previously allocated points, future undesirable shifts are assigned to agents. The point allocation scheme accommodates various exceptions scheduling periodic rotating shifts, such as skipping assignment of an agent from an upcoming undesirable shift, agents leaving, swapping a shift, and agents being added. In another embodiments, agents are assigned to rotating shifts using constructs of a cycle and a rotation template, which facilitates assigning agents to a work schedule with a calendar in a repetitious manner, and where certain shifts are non-rotational in nature and other shifts are rotational in nature. |
| US09082090B2 |
System, method, and computer program product for resource collaboration optimization
A method including receiving a plurality of roles in a data processing system and adding a part-time resource to at least one role. The method also includes determining, in the data processing system, if a project duration has changed as a result of adding the part-time resource, and if the project duration has changed, repeating the process at the adding step. The method also includes storing results corresponding to the resources assigned to roles. There is also a similar data processing system and machine-usable medium. |
| US09082089B2 |
System and method for managing bandwidth utilization
An approach is provided for managing bandwidth utilization. A networking device (e.g., router) corresponding to a customer is audited to determine utilization of a communication link serving the customer. A determination is made whether bandwidth, allocated to the customer, of the communication link is under-utilized. A notification is generated to inform the customer of the under-utilization based on the determination. Further, a determination can be made whether the allocated bandwidth of the communication link is over-utilized, in which case, the notification includes an indication of one or more sources of traffic through the networking device. |
| US09082082B2 |
Network information methods devices and systems
Methods and systems for predicting links in a network, such as a social network, are disclosed. The existing network structure can be used to optimize link prediction. The methods and systems can learn a distance metric and/or a degree preference function that are structure preserving to predict links for new/existing nodes based on node properties. |
| US09082081B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program
There is provided an information processing apparatus including a reward estimator generator using action history data, including state data expressing a state, action data expressing an action taken by an agent, and a reward value expressing a reward obtained as a result of the action, as learning data to generate, through machine learning, a reward estimator estimating a reward value from inputted state data and action data. The reward estimator generator includes: a basis function generator generating a plurality of basis functions; a feature amount vector calculator calculating feature amount vectors by inputting state data and action data in the action history data into the basis functions; and an estimation function calculator calculating an estimation function estimating the reward value included in the action history data from the feature amount vectors according to regressive/discriminative learning. The reward estimator includes the plurality of basis functions and the estimation function. |
| US09082080B2 |
Systems and methods for organizing data sets
A method is provided for organizing data sets. In use, an automatic decision system is created or updated for determining whether data elements fit a predefined organization or not, where the decision system is based on a set of preorganized data elements. A plurality of data elements is organized using the decision system. At least one organized data element is selected for output to a user based on a score or confidence from the decision system for the at feast one organized data element. Additionally, at least a portion of the at least one organized data element is output to the user. A response is received from the user comprising at least one of a confirmation, modification, and a negation of the organization of the at least one organized data element. The automatic decision system is recreated or updated based on the user response. Other embodiments are also presented. |
| US09082078B2 |
Neural processing engine and architecture using the same
A neural processing engine may perform processing within a neural processing system and/or artificial neural network. The neural processing engine may be configured to effectively and efficiently perform the type of processing required in implementing a neural processing system and/or an artificial neural network. This configuration may facilitate such processing with neural processing engines having an enhanced computational density and/or processor density with respect to conventional processing units. |
| US09082076B2 |
Data quality management for profiling, linking, cleansing, and migrating data
A data quality management system includes a rules repository configured to store profiling data quality rules, cleansing data quality rules, and linking data that links profiling data quality rules to cleansing data quality rules. The data quality management system also includes a rules management module configured to manage the rules repository. The data quality management system further includes a data quality job management module configured to migrate data quality rules from the rules repository to a data quality processing system and manage a data quality process performed by the data quality processing system using the migrated data quality rules. |
| US09082072B1 |
Method for applying usage based data
A method for measuring volatility of usage based data. Usage based data are measureable parameters of a system and parameters in which the system operates in order to infer the manner in which the system is operated. The method allows for inferences regarding the operator or operators of the system and the environment in which it operates. This invention is described with reference to consumer automobiles and drivers in typical environments, primarily for application in the automobile insurance industry where measuring volatility to determine behavior. However, this method may be applied to other systems including commercial automobiles and trucks, motorcycles, all terrain automobiles, snow mobiles, water craft, air craft, space craft, assembly line operation, robotic devices, remote operational devices, and military automobiles. This method may also be applied to applications other than assessing risk including, but not limited to, marketing, profiling, sales, optimization, operations and control. |
| US09082069B1 |
Relocation of blank pages in booklet making
Methods and devices receive instructions to print (on print media sheets) a booklet from a document, and automatically format the booklet to arrange multiple pages of the document to print on each of the print media sheets by performing duplex printing with multiple pages of the document being printed on each side of the print media sheets. The methods and devices automatically determine the number of blank page locations of the pages of the document occurring on the last pages of the booklet, and output a message that identifies the number of blank page locations and an option to relocate the blank page locations to different locations within the booklet. The methods and devices then receive a response regarding relocating at least one of the blank page locations, and automatically reformat the booklet to reposition the blank page locations. |
| US09082068B1 |
Color shift printing without using special marking materials
Methods and devices receive a document having an apparent color shift region. Such methods and devices automatically select first and second colors to have different reflectance properties for use in the apparent color shift region, and these methods and devices automatically control a first pixel density of the first color to be less than a second pixel density of the second color within the apparent color shift region. The methods and devices print the document. The selection of the first color and the second color, and the control of the first pixel density to be less than the second pixel density causes the second color to have a greater change in brightness appearance relative to a change in brightness appearance of the first color when the printed document is viewed from different angles relative to a light source. |
| US09082066B2 |
Image processing device for generating coating data, and printing device using the same
A print-data generating section generates print data in accordance with a high-resolution raster image generated by a high-resolution rasterizing processor. A low-resolution rasterizing processor generates a low-resolution raster image having lower resolution than that of the high-resolution raster image. An overcoating-data generating section generates coating data in accordance with the low-resolution raster image. Overcoating data is handled with low resolution, resulting in less processing time for overcoating than when the overcoating-data is handled with high resolution. |
| US09082064B2 |
Thumbnail creation method and image forming apparatus
A thumbnail creation method is provided, which includes receiving a selection of an XPS file, analyzing a structure of the XPS file, creating a thumbnail image representing the XPS file according to the analyzed structure, and adding the created thumbnail image to the XPS file. Therefore, it is possible for a user to easily add thumbnails to the XPS file. |
| US09082063B2 |
Systems and methods for implementing selectable roll positioning for web printing in a post processing device of an image forming system
A system and method are provided for implementing selectable roll positioning for web printing in devices, including post processing devices, for advanced image forming systems. A selectable drive system for continuous feed or web material image receiving medium substrate can “with the flip of a switch” transition the drive system from a tensioned web (transport) pulling system in a downstream device to a slack web nip-drive system as may be dictated by other system and/or operating characteristics. The selection of a particular drive method is based on a constitution of the continuous feed or web material image receiving media; a composition of a marking material deposited on the continuous feed or web material image receiving media; or a post-processing technique that the continuous feed or image receiving media, as marked, may undergo in the production of an output document. |
| US09082061B2 |
Method for interconnecting a conductive pad and an electrical contact via a spring, and corresponding device
A device having an integrated-circuit chip includes an insulating body containing at least one conductive pad, at least one electrical contact opposite the electrically conductive pad, and at least one recess in the body, including a bottom and one aperture. The recess is connected, at the bottom thereof, to the conductive pad and, at the aperture thereof, to the electrical contact. At least one coil spring is arranged in the recess and connecting the conductive pad to the electrical contact. The installation of the spring in the recess is facilitated by means of the friction of the central portion of the spring relative to the walls of the recess. The invention also relates to a method for producing an electrical connection between at least one conductive pad arranged in an insulating body and at least one electrical contact arranged opposite the electrically conductive pad. |
| US09082059B2 |
Method and device for producing individually coded read patterns
A device for producing individually coded read patterns, especially resonators for use in RFID chips. The device includes a structuring apparatus for producing a basic pattern with at least one group of individual patterns on a carrier substrate, and a processing apparatus for forming at least one individually coded read pattern flat a time with read elements from a subset of a total set of the individual patterns of each group. The invention also relates to a corresponding method and a read structure, produced according to the described method and/or the described device. |
| US09082055B2 |
Method and communication system for the authorization-dependent control of a contactless interface device
A method for the authorization-dependent control of a contactless interface device of a communication device includes authenticating a user to the communication device. The contactless interface device is then deactivated so as to prevent a data transmission via the contactless interface device. |
| US09082054B2 |
Authentication device for security documents
An optical based authentication device that is attachable to a security document having a substrate. The authentication device includes: a piezoelectric material layer for generating an electric field in response to mechanical stress; and an optically responsive layer directly attached to the piezoelectric material layer, the attached layers being absent a direct electrical connection, the optically responsive layer being operable between a first state and a second state having different ocular perceptions. The optically responsive layer changes from the first state to the second state in response the electric field generated by the piezoelectric material layer. |
| US09082046B2 |
Method for creating and using affective information in a digital imaging system
An image file for storing a still digital image and metadata related to the still digital image, the image file including digital image data representing the still digital image, and metadata that categorizes the still digital image as an important digital image, wherein the categorization uses a range of levels and the range of levels includes at least three different integer values. |
| US09082041B2 |
Pattern identifying apparatus
The present invention enables a pattern identifying apparatus that calculates a feature amount and identifies a predetermined pattern, such as a face, based on the calculated feature amount to perform processing for reading a large volume of data at a high speed. To achieve this, a coprime relationship is established between an interval between adjoining processing windows arranged in an image and the number of memories in which the image is interleaved and stored, thereby always establishing an exclusive relationship between the memories from which data at the same position relative to reference points in the respective processing windows is read. It is thus possible to read data simultaneously, resulting in achievement of speedup. |
| US09082037B2 |
Method and system for automatically determining the issuing state of a license plate
Methods and systems for automatically determining the issuing state of a license plate. An image of a license plate acquired by an ALPR engine can be processed via one or more OCR engines such that each OCR engine among the OCR engines is tuned to a particular state. Confidence data output from the OCR engine(s) can be analyzed (among other factors) to estimate the issuing state associated with the license plate. Multiple observations related to the issuing state can be merged to derive an overall conclusion and assign an associated confidence value with respect to the confidence data and determine a likely issuing state associated with the license plate. |
| US09082034B2 |
Barcode reader having multiple illumination systems and multiple sets of imaging optics
A barcode reader comprises a first lens assembly with a first field of view and a first optical path for first illumination from the first field of view to project to a first image sensor section. The barcode reader further comprises a second lens assembly with a second field of view and a second optical path for second illumination from the second field of view to project to a second image sensor section. The barcode reader further comprises a first illumination system positioned outside of the first field of view projecting the first illumination into the first field of view at a first angle from the first optical path. The barcode reader further comprises a second illumination system positioned between the second lens assembly and a point from which the first illumination system projects the first illumination into the first field of view. |
| US09082033B2 |
Apparatus for and method of optimizing target reading performance of imaging reader in both handheld and hands-free modes of operation
An imaging reader reads targets by image capture in both handheld and hands-free modes of operation. Upon detection of the mode of operation, a controller sets the resolution and frame rate of a solid-state imaging sensor to different values in each mode to optimize target reading performance in each mode. |
| US09082030B1 |
Multi-mode ring scanner
A multi-mode ring scanner (MMRS) has a ring unit for wearing on a finger. The MMRS optionally has a wrist unit coupled to the ring unit, such as via a cable. The MMRS optionally communicates wirelessly with a computing device. The ring unit has one or more scanners (such as an optical scanner or an RFID tag reader). The ring unit optionally has two paddle switches for activation by inward pressure from fingers adjacent to the finger. The two switches enable specifying operation of the MMRS in a plurality of modes and/or to communicate a plurality of information codes to the computing device. The computing device is optionally enabled to assign a function to each combination of activation of the two switches. A scanning system including the MMRS optionally provides feedback to a user based on feedback from a host processor. |
| US09082027B2 |
Near field communication tag reader, mobile terminal for interworking with the reader, and operating method thereof
A mobile terminal acquires an item group identifier and an item identifier from a near field communication tag reader which recognizes an item group identification tag and an item identification tag. The mobile terminal acquires item group information related to an item group corresponding to the item group identifier, and extracts information related to an arrangement location of an item corresponding to the item identifier from the item group information. The mobile terminal checks whether or not the item has been correctly arranged based on the arrangement location and an identified location of the item corresponding to the item identifier, so as to display information indicating that the item has been incorrectly arranged. |
| US09082025B2 |
Conformal electronics integrated with apparel
A system is provided for integrating conformal electronics devices into apparel. The system includes a flexible substrate onto which a flexible device is disposed. The flexible device can include a stretchable coil that can be used to receive and transmit near field communications. The flexible device also includes an integrated circuit component and a memory unit. In some examples, the device also includes a sensor that is configured to record measurement of the wearer of the apparel and/or the surrounding environment. |
| US09082023B2 |
Method for operating a laser scanner
A method for operating an indicia reader such as a laser scanner is provided. The method affords a simplified technique for monitoring the offset between the drive frequency and the resonant oscillation frequency of the laser scanner. The phase offset between the drive frequency and the sense frequency is monitored to derive the drive frequency's offset from the resonant oscillation frequency. |
| US09082021B2 |
Obstacle alert device
An obstacle alert device is capable of indicating clearly presence of an obstacle approaching a vehicle to a driver, without impairing visibility of a peripheral situation of the vehicle. The device includes a photographed image acquisition section acquiring a photographed image photographing a scene in the periphery of the vehicle, a photographed-image-of-interest generation section generating a photographed image of interest based on the photographed image, a masked region setting section setting a masked region making un-displayed at least a portion of the scene of the vehicle periphery in the photographed image of interest, an object presence determination section determining whether an object is present or not in an outside region outside the photographed image of interest, a clear indication image outputting section outputting a clear indication image including a clear indication indicator clearly indicating presence of the object to be displayed at an end of the photographed image of interest on the side of the outside region where the object is present in case the object in the outside region moves to the side of a region corresponding to the photographed image of interest, and a motion image outputting section outputting an image in which the clear indication indicator becomes absorbed from the side of the masked region where the object is present in case the object in the outside region has entered the region corresponding to the photographed image of interest. |
| US09082015B2 |
Automatic building assessment
Disclosed systems and methods automatically assess buildings and structures. A device may receive one or more images of a structure, such as a building or portion of the building, and then label and extract relevant data. The device may then train a system to automatically assess other data describing similar buildings or structures based on the labeled and extracted data. After training, the device may then automatically assess new data, and the assessment results may be sent directly to a client or to an agent for review and/or processing. |
| US09082013B2 |
Image recognition device, image recognition method, program, and integrated circuit
An image recognition device including: a first recognition unit that performs image recognition within an image to find a first object; an obtaining unit that obtains an attribute of the first object found by the first recognition unit; an object specifying unit that refers to object correspondence information showing identifiers of second objects and associating each identifier with an attribute, and specifies an identifier of one of the second objects that is associated with the attribute of the first object; an area specifying unit that refers to area value information showing values that are associated with the identifiers of the second objects and are related to a first area occupied by the first object, and specifies a second area within the image by using a value associated with the identifier of the one of the second objects; and a second recognition unit that performs image recognition within the second area to find the one of the second objects. |
| US09082010B2 |
Apparatus and a method for processing an image of photoreceptor cells of a fundus of an eye
An image processing apparatus for processing an image of photoreceptor cells of a fundus of an eye includes a conversion unit configured to convert the image of photoreceptor cells into an image indicating periodicity of the photoreceptor cells, and an acquisition unit configured to acquire intensity information in a plurality of directions of the image indicating the periodicity. |
| US09082007B2 |
Image recreation using templates
Embodiments of the invention include systems, methods, and computer-program products for providing recreated image documents using templates or generic control documents. In this way, an entity may store limited amounts of image data from an original document and subsequently recreate the document image using document templates. As such, the invention may compile templates for image documents. Upon receiving a document from a transaction for storage, the system may store the metadata associated with that document, instead of storing the entire document as a high resolution image file. Using the template, in combination with the metadata, the system may recreate the image as a system generated image for user recall and reconciliation. |
| US09082005B2 |
Smart scribbles for sketch segmentation
A method is provided for sketch segmentation via smart scribbles, the results of which are especially suitable for interactive real-time graphics editing applications. A vector-based drawing may be segmented into labels based on input scribbles provided by a user. By organizing the labeling as an energy minimization problem, an approximate solution can be found using a sequence of binary graph cuts for an equivalent graph, providing an optimized implementation in a polynomial time suitable for real-time drawing applications. The energy function may include time, proximity, direction, and curvature between strokes as smoothness terms, and proximity, direction, and oriented curvature between strokes and scribbles as data terms. Additionally, the energy function may be modified to provide for user control over locality control, allowing the selection of appropriately sized labeling regions by scribble input speed or scribble input pressure. Once the drawing is labeled, a wide range of drawing applications are enabled. |
| US09082002B2 |
Detection device and detection method
A detection device capable of reliably detecting an object to be detected. An intersection region pattern setting unit (106) sets a configuration pattern of a first intersection region pattern group in sequence for each unit image pair. Each intersection region pattern is defined by set image information which denotes locations and sizes of regions (where n is a natural number greater than 1) within respective unit images (e.g., unit image plane coordinates), as well as whether each region is set within either or both of a first unit image and a second unit image. A detection unit (108) detects the object to be detected, based on a total feature value relating to each configuration pattern of the first intersection region pattern group, computed by a feature value computation unit (107), and a strong identification apparatus configured from a plurality of weak identification apparatuses and stored in an identification apparatus storage unit (112). |
| US09081998B2 |
Method for utilizing soft X-ray microimaging for cancer cell image recognition
This invention discloses a method for utilizing soft X-ray microimaging for cancer cell image recognition. The method comprises the steps of 1) sample preparation; 2) pathological examination; 3) soft X-ray imaging; and 4) analysis and recognition. This invention applies soft X-ray microimaging for cancer cell image recognition, successfully obtains the soft X-ray microscopic image of a cancer cell by scanning the cancer cell with synchrotron radiation soft X-ray microimaging, provides recognition steps and experimental data, and establishes a method for utilizing soft X-ray microimaging for cancer cell image recognition. This invention creates a method for analyzing soft X-ray microscopic images, provides a novel synchrotron radiation soft X-ray pathological diagnosis method for cancer diagnosis, and provides an extremely valuable basis for the creation and clinical application of soft X-ray pathology in the 21st century. |
| US09081995B2 |
Bar code symbol reading system employing EAS-enabling faceplate bezel
An apparatus includes the primary components of an EAS system and a hand-supportable and countertop-supportable bar code symbol reading system having a housing with a light transmission window covered by an optically transparent faceplate having outer dimensions closely matched to the light transmission window. About the optically transparent faceplate, a faceplate bezel is mounted embodying a coil of electrically conductive wire having terminals connected to an electrical interface circuit, which is connected to a flexible EAS cable extending from the electrical interface circuit. The flexible EAS cable extends towards electrical drive circuitry associated with the EAS subsystem, for powering the coil during EAS tag deactivation operations controlled by the host computer system. |
| US09081991B2 |
Ring oscillator based design-for-trust
A ring oscillator (RO) based Design-For-Trust (DFTr) technique is described. Functional paths of integrated circuit (IC) are included in one or more embedded ROs by (1) selecting a path in the IC, based on path selection criteria, that has one or more unsecured gates, and (2) embedding one or more ROs on the IC until a stop condition is met. An input pattern to activate embedded RO is determined. Further, a golden frequency which is a frequency at which the embedded RO oscillates, and a frequency range of the embedded RO are determined. A Trojan in the IC may be detected by activating the embedded RO (by applying the input pattern), measuring a frequency at which the embedded RO oscillates, and determining whether or not a Trojan is present based on whether or not the measured frequency of the RO is within a predetermined operating frequency range of the RO. |
| US09081988B2 |
Apparatus and methods for computerized authentication of electronic documents
A computerized method for authenticating documents having VIZ sections, the method comprising capturing an image of a document to be authenticated from a scanner and enhancing the captured image, and using a processor for identifying and cropping a VIZ section in the image. |
| US09081985B1 |
System and method for operating a computing device in a secure mode
A computing device operates in a secure operating mode in response to user selection. Computer hardware is initialized to verify a bootloader of an operating system, and the bootloader verifies the operating system kernel. The kernel then verifies operating-system level executable files. After verification, a limited set of the verified files is loaded into a portion of the memory that is subsequently marked by the kernel as read-only. These files are executed to provide a basic Internet browser session; all other files are identified as non-executable. When the user accesses an authorized website and conducts a transaction that requires a user to provide information, the information is encrypted during transmission of the network. In addition, such information cannot be accessed by other parties since the information provided is not persisted at the computing device. |
| US09081982B2 |
Authorized data access based on the rights of a user and a location
Access to files is properly granted regardless of whether an accessing user is located at their primary location or at any “roaming” location. In particular, the techniques herein consider the user rights, rights of any computer from which the user is accessing files, and the rights associated with the files themselves, such as by determining the User ∩ Computer intersection of access rights (an overlap between rights of the user and rights of the computer), and applying these access rights to file rights (e.g., file metadata) to determine what access the user has to the files (e.g., viewing, modifying, etc.). |
| US09081981B2 |
Techniques and system to manage access of information using policies
An information management system approves or denies user requests to access information of the system. The information includes all types of information including documents and e-mail. The information management system is driven using a policy language having policies and policy abstractions. The information management system may approve or deny many different types of requests including opening a document or file, copying a file, printing a file, sending an e-mail, reading an e-mail, cut and paste of a portion of a document, saving a document, executing an application on a file, and many others. |
| US09081976B2 |
Method for redirecting of kernel data path for controlling recording of media
A method of preventing unauthorized recording of electronic media according to one embodiment is described. The method comprises activating a compliance mechanism in response to a client system receiving media content. The compliance mechanism is coupled to the client system. The client system has a media content presentation application operable thereon and is coupled to the compliance mechanism. The method further comprises controlling a data path of a kernel-mode media device driver of the client system with the compliance mechanism upon detection of a kernel streaming mechanism operable on the client system. The present method further comprises directing the media content from the kernel-mode media device driver to a media device driver coupled with the compliance mechanism, via the data path, for selectively restricting output of the media content. |
| US09081974B2 |
User interface for selection of multiple accounts and connection points
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a user interface that enables a user to more easily identify servers that may be used to set access permissions for content items. The method and system described herein includes receiving user credentials that are associated with a user. In response to receiving the user credentials, one or more servers associated with the user credentials are displayed. The one or more servers are configured to manage information rights for a content item created by the user. Upon receiving a selection of one of the one or more servers, a list of one or more templates supported by the selected server is displayed to the user. The one or more templates identify information rights that may be applied to the content item. |
| US09081971B2 |
Method of parsing optional block data
A computer program product is provided and includes a tangible storage medium readable by a processing circuit and on which instructions are stored for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method. The method includes initially verifying a presence of parameters passed to a parameter database and that a selected group of the parameters are greater than or equal to zero, parsing optional block data to validate the optional block data, determine a length thereof and a number of optional blocks contained therein and proceeding with one of a secondary info-parsing and a secondary data-parsing operation with respect to the optional block data in accordance with content of the parameters passed to the parameter database. |
| US09081966B2 |
System and method for protection from buffer overflow vulnerability due to placement new constructs in C++
Systems and methods for protection from buffer overflow vulnerability due to placement new constructs in C++ are provided. A system for protecting from buffer overflow vulnerability due to placement new constructs, comprises a compiler which is capable of receiving a program including a placement new instruction, and runtime which is capable of receiving binary code from the compiler and determining whether the program includes the placement new instruction and whether the placement new instruction would lead to buffer overflow, wherein the runtime is linked to a library including methods for preventing the buffer overflow, and selects a method for preventing the buffer overflow if the runtime determines that the placement new instruction would lead to the buffer overflow. |
| US09081965B2 |
Systems and methods for command-based entry into basic input/output system setup from operating system
In accordance embodiments of the present disclosure, a method may include, during execution of an operating system on an information handling system and responsive to a user input indicating a desire to invoke a basic input/output system (BIOS) setup program for configuring a BIOS, prompting for and receiving user-provided credentials via a user interface communicatively coupled to the processor. The method may also include, during execution of the operating system, passing BIOS credentials to the BIOS based on the user-provided credentials. The method may additionally include, during execution of the operating system determining, by the BIOS, if the BIOS credentials are valid. The method may further include, responsive to determining that the BIOS credentials are valid, setting a flag to a value indicating that the BIOS setup program is to be invoked on a subsequent boot of the information handling system. |
| US09081963B1 |
Protecting against use of unauthorized electronic hardware devices
Some of the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method comprising acquiring an electrical circuit identifier for an electrical circuit, wherein the electrical circuit identifier is stored in a programmable identifier unit of the electrical circuit; generating, by a computing device external to the electrical circuit, an encrypted identifier that is unique for an electrical device that includes the electrical circuit, wherein the encrypted identifier is based upon the electrical circuit identifier and an encryption block; and storing the encrypted identifier in the programmable identifier unit. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. |
| US09081956B2 |
Remote DOM access
A method for protecting a browser from malicious processes, comprises providing at least one process-proxy object and at least a browser-proxy object, interposed between the browser and a process, such that when the process invokes one of the DOM entry points, the process-proxy object isolates it from the real browser implementation and executes the process-proxy object's code instead. |
| US09081953B2 |
Defense against search engine tracking
Techniques for enhancing electronic privacy utilize noise to prevent third parties from determining certain information based on search queries. Users submit search queries as part of their normal activities. For a user, the search queries submitted and information regarding search results used to generate additional search queries on different, but related topics. The generated additional search queries are submitted automatically on behalf of the user at a sufficient frequency to prevent high accuracy data analysis on search queries. |
| US09081952B2 |
Systems and methods for providing secure electronic document storage, retrieval and use with electronic user identity verification
Systems and methods for efficient and timely electronic new user authentication in a digital mailbox system using a sliding scale approach to include one or more identity authentication systems as appropriate for system security needs are provided. The system first obtains new user name and address data. Because the address is an important data point, the system first verifies the address before expending the resources of an identity data search. If the address is valid, the system calls an identity verification system and provides an identity quiz to the user based upon additional identity verification data. If the user passes the quiz, then a new account is setup and any other systems users having an account at that address are notified. |
| US09081949B2 |
Information processor, authentication control method, and storage medium
An information processor is disclosed that includes an authentication part configured to authenticate a user based on predetermined information; an information obtaining part configured to obtain first information to be used to authenticate the user from an external device; and an authentication control part configured to cause the authentication part to authenticate the user by inputting information based on the first information to the authentication part as the predetermined information. The information obtaining part is configured to obtain the first information using a program module whose correlation with the information obtaining part is recorded in a recording medium. |
| US09081945B2 |
Information processing device and method
An information processing device includes a meeting determination unit, an authentication reception unit, and an authentication determination unit. The meeting determination unit determines whether a user who is an authenticatee meets a user who is an authenticator based on information received from terminals used by the users. The authentication reception unit receives information indicating that an authentication operation is performed for the authenticatee from the terminal of the authenticator who is determined to have met the authenticatee. The authentication determination unit permits the authenticatee to use a predetermined information service, when receiving, from a predetermined number of terminals of authenticators, the information indicating that the authentication operation is performed for the authenticatee. |
| US09081943B2 |
Storage device, protection method, and electronic apparatus
According to one embodiment, a storage device includes, when power is supplied to a storage unit, counting of an elapsed time is started. If a command is input from a host device, and the elapsed time from input of a previous command to input of a current command is calculated based on time information clocked by the host device and on a counter value counted until the corresponding command is input. Matching of the time information is determined based on a temporal relation between the adding result of adding the calculated elapsed time to the time information included in the previous command and the time information included in the current command. When the mismatching is determined, data in the storage unit is invalidated. |
| US09081942B2 |
Use of user location information for remote actions
Architecture that provides location broker services which share the user location with other parties (e.g., based on user consent). Stationary computing devices can also determine the location of the user operator and interact accordingly. In one embodiment, the user location is retrieved from the user mobile device (e.g., smart phone) and is transmitted to other mobile or non-mobile devices with which the user interacts. Moreover, existing infrastructure and systems can be employed using a device driver that emulates the user location so that any software that uses the location services does not need modification. |
| US09081941B2 |
Virtual machine
The present invention is directed to various systems and/or methods relating to a software platform that provides for authentication of a requestor. Preferably, this authentication happens before there is an opportunity for any resource intensive request to harm operation of the system. Preferably, a reliability level is based on authentication so that the amount and/or type of resource access is controlled based, at least in part, on the authentication information. Preferably, heap usage is controlled by this reliability level. Preferably, the software platform is a virtual machine, preferably the Java Virtual Machine. |
| US09081938B1 |
Systems and methods for determining whether profiles associated with social-networking websites have been compromised
A computer-implemented method for determining whether profiles associated with social-networking websites have been compromised may include (1) creating a database of validated-content identifiers that identify valid content published on a social-networking profile, (2) determining, by monitoring the social-networking profile, that at least one item of content has been illegitimately published on the social-networking profile, and then (3) performing at least one security action on the social-networking profile. Various other systems, methods, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US09081937B2 |
Systems and methods for managing subscription-based licensing of software products
One exemplary embodiment provides a synchronization device for updating information stored at a first device used for account management of a subscription for a software product. The synchronization device receives a status of the subscription from a second device that provides billing transactions associated with the subscription. The second device maintains the status of the subscription to reflect changes based on the billing transactions associated with the subscription. Based at least in part on the status of the subscription received at the synchronization device from the second device, the synchronization device provides information for the first device to update a status of the account associated with the subscription. |
| US09081936B2 |
System and method for tracking a downloaded digital media file
A system and method for tracking a downloaded digital media file which employs reheader splicing of the digit media file for digital rights management (DRM) are provided. The system and method provide for receiving a request for a first file from a client, accessing the first file and a second file that is representative of the first file, applying data identifying the client into the second file, and combining the first and second file such that a size of the combined file is substantially the same size as the accessed first file, and downloading the combined first and second file to the client. The combining of the first and second file includes replacing corresponding object components of the first file with the objects components of the second file. The data identifying the client includes at least one of a transaction ID, merchant ID, user ID and order ID. |
| US09081933B2 |
Methods and apparatus for RC extraction
The method for extracting a capacitance from a layout is disclosed. The method decomposes a first net into a first and a second component, and decomposes a second net into a third and a fourth component. The method may obtain a first capacitance for the first component and the third component by a first method, and obtain a second capacitance for the second component and the fourth component by a second method different from the first method. A library with a plurality of entries may be provided, wherein each entry has a component pair comprising a component of the first net and a component of the second net, and a pre-calculated capacitance for the component pair. The first method may be to search a library to find a pre-calculated capacitance. The second method may be to obtain the first capacitance by an equation solver on the fly. |
| US09081931B2 |
Cross-coupled transistor circuit having diffusion regions of common node on opposing sides of same gate electrode track and gate node connection through single interconnect layer
A first gate level feature forms gate electrodes of a first transistor of a first transistor type and a first transistor of a second transistor type. A second gate level feature forms a gate electrode of a second transistor of the first transistor type. A third gate level feature forms a gate electrode of a second transistor of the second transistor type. The gate electrodes of the second transistors of the first and second transistor types are electrically connected to each other through an electrical connection formed by linear-shaped conductive structures. The gate electrodes of the second transistors of the first and second transistor types are positioned on opposite sides of a gate electrode track along which the gate electrodes of the first transistors of the first and second transistor types are positioned. |
| US09081928B2 |
Embedded system development
A computer-implemented method of automatically generating an embedded system on the basis of an original computer program, comprising analyzing the original computer program, comprising a step of compiling the original computer program into an executable to obtain data flow graphs with static data dependencies and a step of executing the executable using test data to provide dynamic data dependencies as communication patterns between load and store operations of the original computer program, and a step of transforming the original computer program into an intermediary computer program that exhibits multi-threaded parallelism with inter-thread communication, which comprises identifying at least one static and/or dynamic data dependency that crosses a thread boundary and converting said data dependency into a buffered communication channel with read/write access. |
| US09081927B2 |
Manipulation of traces for debugging a circuit design
A viewer shows circuit design activities, displaying a signal, its corresponding trace, and the values of the trace over time. A global zoom-in, zoom-out, and zoom-fit are provided over the value display to adjust the time interval covered within the viewer. Non-linear manipulation of the traces within the viewer enables simultaneous zoomed in display of multiple time intervals, and zoomed out display of other time intervals. The non-linear manipulations may be performed within a same display region by designating zoom groups corresponding to the selection of a designated time period of activities of the circuit. Each zoom group may be scaled independently of other timer periods to zoom in or out of activities occurring within the designated time period. A list of behaviors may also be provided. Selection of a behavior generates a separate signal list for signals associated with the behavior and corresponding traces for enhanced debugging. |
| US09081919B2 |
Design-for-manufacturing—design-enabled-manufacturing (DFM-DEM) proactive integrated manufacturing flow
System and methods for design-for-manufacturing and design-enabled-manufacturing (DFM-DEM) proactive integrated manufacturing flow are presented. A method includes receiving design data related to layout of an integrated circuit (IC); extracting information from the design data; and performing analysis on the extracted information. The method also enables DFM-DEM aware manufacturing applications using information stored in a knowledge database. The method further updates the knowledge database with new information learned from at least the extracted information and the analysis. |
| US09081918B2 |
Methods and systems regarding models of underground formations
Models of underground formations. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including creating a model of an underground formation. The creating may include: calculating a set of probabilities associated with a first horizontal location, each probability indicative of a likelihood of finding abutting geological layers; estimating a plurality of successions of geological layers to create a plurality of estimated successions, and the estimating using the set of probabilities; determining, for each of the estimated succession, a value indicative of how closely each estimated succession matches a measured succession, the measured succession determined by a seismic survey; and selecting from the plurality of estimated successions based on the values, the selecting creates a selected succession of geological layers, and the plurality of modeled values associated with the first horizontal location determined based on the selected succession of geological layers. |
| US09081911B2 |
Mediating communication of a universal serial bus device
In an example, an apparatus includes a memory storing a hypervisor, where the hypervisor is configured to determine whether one or more universal serial bus (USB) devices in communication with the hypervisor are authorized to communicate with a guest operating system of the hypervisor and, after determining that the one or more USB devices are authorized to communicate with the guest, virtualize the one or more USB devices at the guest operating system and transfer messages between the one or more USB devices and the virtualized USB device. |
| US09081910B2 |
Methods and structure for fast context switching among a plurality of expanders in a serial attached SCSI domain
Methods and structure for enabling Fast Context Switching (FCS) among a plurality of FCS enhanced Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) expanders of a SAS domain. The FCS enhanced SAS expander is further adapted to detect completion of utilization of the first connection that utilizes an upstream PHY and a downstream PHY of the expander. The expander is further adapted, responsive to detecting completion, to determine whether a second connection between the initiator device and a second target device could be established utilizing the existing coupling between the upstream PHY and the downstream PHY. The expander de-couples the upstream PHY from the downstream PHY within the expander in response to determining that the second connection does not utilize the existing coupling and maintains the existing coupling in response to determining that the second connection utilizes the coupling between the upstream PHY and the downstream PHY. |
| US09081903B2 |
Interface device for communication between a medical device and a computer
The present invention relates to an interface device and a method for communication between a medical device and a computer system. In some embodiments, the interface device comprises a conversion device and/or a processor-transceiver and a memory in electrical communication with the conversion device, wherein the memory contains data to instruct the conversion device and/or the processor transceiver how to communicate with the medical device. |
| US09081901B2 |
Means of control for reconfigurable computers
A data flow controller for reconfigurable computers. The novel data flow controller includes a first circuit for selecting one of a plurality of operating conditions and a second circuit for determining if the selected condition is met and outputting a control signal accordingly. In an illustrative embodiment, the operating conditions include: when all enabled data available signals are asserted and all enabled space available signals are asserted; when any enabled data available signal is asserted and all enabled space available signals are asserted; when all enabled data available signals are asserted and any enabled space available signal is asserted; and when any enabled data available signal is asserted and any enabled space available signal is asserted. By allowing a configurable element to operate under different possible conditions, data flow signals can also then be used to control what operation the element performs, in addition to controlling when. |
| US09081898B1 |
Automatic capture of minimal portable executable bug repros
A minimal portable executable bug repro contains the inputs to a query optimizer, metadata, statistics, process and thread specific information such as stack traces, and state at the time of a crash necessary to reproduce the problem. Objects register with a handler prior to use, and the handler pre-allocates sufficient buffer space to store each. Upon a crash, the handler requests each object to serialize itself into the pre-allocated space, and captures the relevant information in a transactionally consistent way. The executable file may be loaded onto a debugging system, and the execution sequence replayed to analyze the problem. |
| US09081894B2 |
Non-instrusive network surveillance and characterization
In a system (20) handles plural communication channels (26), pre-configured instrumentation code (50) is loaded into a common program memory. The instrumentation code (50) is used to generate a surveillance element (70). The surveillance element (70) comprises multi-dimensional execution criteria and executable surveillance code configured to cause performance by a target processor unit of a surveillance element-specified surveillance action. The surveillance element (70) is executed by the target processor unit with respect to the respective subset of plural communication channels and permits continued transport of data over the plural communication channels. |
| US09081893B2 |
Dynamic lazy type system
A dynamic, lazy type system is provided for a dynamic, lazy programming language. Consequently, programs can benefit from runtime flexibility and lightweight notation in combination with benefits afforded by a substantial type system. |
| US09081888B2 |
Collecting and aggregating log data with fault tolerance
Systems and methods of collecting and aggregating log data with fault tolerance are disclosed. One embodiment includes, one or more devices that generate log data, the one or more machines each associated with an agent node to collect the log data, wherein, the agent node generates a batch comprising multiple messages from the log data and assigns a tag to the batch. In one embodiment, the agent node further computes a checksum for the batch of multiple messages. The system may further include a collector device, the collector device being associated with a collector tier having a collector node to which the agent sends the log data; wherein, the collector determines the checksum for the batch of multiple messages received from the agent node. |
| US09081883B2 |
Dynamic decision sequencing method and apparatus for optimizing a diagnostic test plan
A dynamic diagnostic plan generator arranges diagnostic test procedures related to a vehicle/power tool/patient symptom or operational problem in a sequence based on a probabilistic Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA). The diagnostic plan generator also tracks a vehicle/power tool/patient state, and provides instructions for test preparation steps and instructions for performing the diagnostic test procedures. The plan generator further generates schematic illustrations of the diagnostic test procedures, and creates a diagnostic data structure containing information related to the diagnostic test procedures. In addition, the diagnostic plan generator sends and receives information regarding actual failure mode occurrences, for example, to and from a central database. Furthermore, the diagnostic plan generator facilitates the creation of failure mode tests by an expert diagnostics author. |
| US09081882B2 |
Method and system for patient-specific modeling of blood flow
Embodiments include a system for determining cardiovascular information for a patient. The system may include at least one computer system configured to receive patient-specific data regarding a geometry of the patient's heart, and create a three-dimensional model representing at least a portion of the patient's heart based on the patient-specific data. The at least one computer system may be further configured to create a physics-based model relating to a blood flow characteristic of the patient's heart and determine a fractional flow reserve within the patient's heart based on the three-dimensional model and the physics-based model. |
| US09081877B2 |
Medical image interpretation system
In embodiments, a medical image interpretation system has at least a medical image storing part, a medical image referring part, a medical record storing part, a process controlling part, an information extraction processing part, an image region specifying part, and an image processing part. The process controlling part specifies a medical image and extracts a medical record of a patient of the medical image. The information extraction processing part classifies terms on a sentence written in the medical record into predetermined types to structure the sentence, and extracts a region term from the structured sentence. The image region specifying part specifies the range of images showing a region corresponding to the region term from the medical image and specifies the position and range of the region. The image processing part displays at least the region position and range in a visually recognizable manner. |
| US09081873B1 |
Method and system for information retrieval in response to a query
A machine-implemented system and method of information retrieval, comprising: receiving queries including an ordered set of clause definitions, each clause definition including a clause pipeline, wherein a clause pipeline includes an ordered set of clause specifications that comprises an expansion operation and/or a filter operation, where the queries are received from a calling application; parsing the queries into a collection of expression pools; processing data by the expression pools in the collection to generate a current object set; and returning the current object set to the calling application in response to the queries. |
| US09081869B2 |
System, method and computer program product for communicating data between a database and a cache
In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for communicating data between a database and a cache. These mechanisms and methods for communicating data between a database and a cache can enable improved application quality and performance, enhanced client application interaction, increased system performance, etc. |
| US09081864B2 |
Late resource localization binding for web services
Various embodiments provide a client-side approach to enable late-binding, at the client, of resources associated with linguistic strings that are retrieved from a data source that is secondary to a primary server. The client-side, late-binding approach can be performed in a manner that is generally imperceptible to users and which preserves user interface formatting and client functionality. |
| US09081862B2 |
Method and device for resource sharing
Methods and devices for resource sharing are disclosed. Address information of a resource to be shared can be acquired by a user device in response to a sharing request. A two-dimensional barcode corresponding to the address information of the resource can be generated by the user device. The generated two-dimensional barcode can be published by the user device to one or more of an Internet platform and a specified Internet communication application client via a network. The user device can include a first acquisition module, a generating module, and a publishing module. |
| US09081859B2 |
Apparatuses and methods for assessing user interest scores as altered by friends influence
Methods and apparatuses for assessing user interest scores of users of a mobile network are provided. A method includes for each of a plurality of users (A) determining initial interest scores corresponding to user's interests and interest scores of friends of the user for the user's interests, based on browsing information, and (B) assessing user's interest scores based on the initial interest scores, the interest scores of the friends and friends' influence. The method further includes outputting a list including a subset of the users selected based on the user's interest scores. |
| US09081854B2 |
Multilabel classification by a hierarchy
A technique of extracting hierarchies for multilabel classification. The technique can process a plurality of labels related to a plurality of documents, using a clustering process, to cluster the labels into plurality of clusterings representing a plurality of classes. The technique classifies the documents and predicts a plurality of performance characteristics, respectively, for the plurality of clusterings. The technique selects at least one of the clusterings using information from the performance characteristics and adds the selected clustering into a resulting hierarchy. |
| US09081850B2 |
Sequential chain registry
Systems and methods are disclosed for tracking an object as it traverses a sequential chain. The relationships between the object, its movement through space and time, and the entities associated with the object at a discreet point of time are captured by a sequential chain. A unique identifier may be created that is continuously modified as the object traverses the sequential chain. The unique identifier may be used to capture relationship information between the object and its related entities and movements. |
| US09081843B2 |
Data replication protocol with steady state data distribution and quorum formation
Steady state data distribution is provided between a client application, a leader machine, and a plurality of replica machines. The distribution comprises the leader machine receiving an operation request from the client application, the leader machine sending the prepare message to each of the plurality of replica machines, the replica machines recording in their logs information on the operation, the replica machines sending acknowledgement messages to the leader machine, and the leader machine sending commit command messages to the replica machines. A new quorum of the replica machines is created by using log information. Replica machines that become part of the new quorum are updated in an efficient manner. |
| US09081836B2 |
Method and system for implementing and accessing a virtual table on data from a central server
A method, mechanism, and computer program product for managing, referencing, and accessing centrally managed information are disclosed. Transparency is provided to the centrally managed data by introducing a mapping system between locally expected data and the central data repository. This allows, for example, local relational database systems to transparently access information from a central LDAP directory. |
| US09081835B2 |
Edge deployed database proxy driver
An edge-deployed database proxy. A database access system which has been configured with the database proxy can include a universal database connectivity driver having a first exposed interface through which access to a database server can be provided; a database proxy driver registered with the universal database connectivity driver; and, a database driven application programmatically linked to the database proxy driver. Significantly, the database proxy driver can have a second exposed interface which conforms with the first exposed interface of the universal database connectivity driver. The database proxy driver further can have a configuration for invoking at least one auxiliary task in addition to providing access to the database server through the first exposed interface of the universal database connectivity driver. |
| US09081834B2 |
Process for gathering and special data structure for storing performance metric data
A system to collect performance data and store it in a special data structure which records the metadata in the structure itself. The performance data for each day is recorded in time-series, converted into Unicode, and stored in a single directory. The performance metric data is compressed prior to transmission to a server over any data path. The data structure at the server where analysis is done has a subdirectory for every resource type. Each subdirectory contains text files each of which stores performance metric data values for a group of attributes with one section per attribute. The performance metric data values are recorded as a comma delimited list. Analysis of the performance metric data is done using regular expressions. |
| US09081832B2 |
Providing leaf page sublinks in response to a search query
Methods and apparatus for providing leaf pages as sublinks for a webpage in response to a search query. A search query may be received from a user and search results obtained based on the search query. A plurality of leaf pages associated with a webpage of the search results may be identified. The webpage may be provided as a main search result to the search query and sublinks to the leaf pages may be provided as sublinks of the main search result. At least one category of the leaf pages may be identified and the sublinks to the leaf pages may be sorted according to a sorting scheme of the category. |
| US09081824B2 |
Systems and methods for customized electronic communications
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods customizing electronic communications. A future event associated with a first user may be determined, and a second user that is associated with the first user may be identified. A plurality of communications involving the first user and the second user may be analyzed. A selection rule may be applied based on the analyzed plurality of communications, the selection rule identifying content from the database. Content from the database may be selected based on the application of the selection rule. An electronic message may be provided to the first user identifying the future event, and the selected content may be provided to the first user. |
| US09081817B2 |
Active learning of record matching packages
An active learning record matching system and method for producing a record matching package that is used to identify pairs of duplicate records. Embodiments of the system and method allow a precision threshold to be specified and then generate a learned record matching package having precision greater than this threshold and a recall close to the best possible recall. Embodiments of the system and method use a blocking technique to restrict the space of record matching packages considered and scale to large inputs. The learning method considers several record matching packages, estimates the precision and recall of the packages, and identifies the package with maximum recall having precision greater than equal to the given precision threshold. A human domain expert labels a sample of record pairs in the output of the package as matches or non-matches and this labeling is used to estimate the precision of the package. |
| US09081814B1 |
Using an entity database to answer entity-triggering questions
An embodiment may receive a question at a computing device; obtain a search result set in response to the question; identify, using the computing device, one or more entities that are associated with at least one document referenced by the search result set; select, using the computing device, one or more relevant entities identified as being associated with (i) documents referenced by the search result set and (ii) the question; and output, using the computing device, an answer to the question based at least on the selected one or more entities. |
| US09081811B2 |
Method of matching data and use in the verification of identity of a recipient of a mail
A method of matching identification data comprising: acquisition of a data record comprising a plurality of fields; selection of matched records stored in a database, the data records having fields of type corresponding to the fields of the record acquired, the selection comprising for each record of the database: comparison of at least one field with the corresponding field of the record acquired, the comparison defining a discrete metric with at least three states of which a first state corresponds to an identity; and search for the match by traversal of a finite automaton in which each transition corresponds to at least one state of the comparison metric for at least one field, the finite automaton having at least two final states: matched and unmatched. |
| US09081810B1 |
Remote device control using gestures on a touch sensitive device
An apparatus includes a touch sensitive area that is arranged and configured to receive one or more gestures, a memory that is arranged and configured to store one or more device gestures, where the stored device gestures correspond to a selection of one of one or more remote devices and a processor that is operably coupled to the touch sensitive area and the memory. The processor is arranged and configured to compare the gestures received in the touch sensitive area to the stored device gestures, determine a selected remote device based on the comparison and initiate contact with the selected remote device. |
| US09081808B1 |
Pre-selecting content to be delivered to a user
Methods, systems, and computer program products, including computer programs encoded on a computer readable storage medium, for pre-selecting content to be delivered to a user. A method includes: pre-selecting one or more content items for delivery to a user based at least in part on a user identifier, the user identifier identifying the user as being associated with a targeting group; storing the pre-selected content items in a list in association with the user; receiving a request for content, the request including the identifier; identifying one or more of the pre-selected content items eligible for delivery to the user based on the identifier; determining, based at least in part on evaluation criteria, that one of the pre-selected content items should be provided to the user responsive to the request; and providing, by a server system and responsive to the request, the determined content item to a client device. |
| US09081807B2 |
Event-driven invalidation of pages for web-based applications
Systems and methods for invalidating and regenerating pages. In one embodiment, a method can include detecting content changes in a content database including various objects. The method can include causing an invalidation generator to generate an invalidation based on the modification and communicating the invalidation to a dependency manager. A cache manager can be notified that pages in a cache might be invalidated based on the modification via a page invalidation notice. In one embodiment, a method can include receiving a page invalidation notice and sending a page regeneration request to a page generator. The method can include regenerating the cached page. The method can include forwarding the regenerated page to the cache manager replacing the cached page with the regenerated page. In one embodiment, a method can include invalidating a cached page based on a content modification and regenerating pages which might depend on the modified content. |
| US09081806B2 |
Automated Database Archiving
Various embodiments of systems and methods of optimizing a database are described herein. Database tables are rated based on at least one of table size and table growth rate. One or more of the database tables are then selected based on the rating of the database tables. Archiving objects for the one or more selected tables are obtained. An archiving object includes one or more archiving programs and defines data related to a business object. The archiving objects are ranked based on dependencies between them. Based on the ranking of the archiving objects, an archiving schedule including an archiving order for the archiving objects is generated. The archiving schedule is then displayed. |
| US09081805B1 |
Tenant-aware database for software as a service
A system for providing a tenant-aware database includes a relational database management system comprising a query engine, a transaction manager, a buffer manager, a recovery manager and a storage manager. The storage manager includes a tenant table, a tenant/user table, a tenant/object table, a multi-tenant table structure and multi-tenant index structure. The tenant table, the tenant/user table, the tenant/object table, the multi-tenant table structure and the multi-tenant index structure cooperate to provide a mechanism that has a single schema definition with multiple data instances for tables and their associated indexes, one for each tenant. The present invention also includes a variety of methods including: a method for reading or writing using the storage manager, a method for reading or writing using the multi-tenant table structure and the multi-tenant index structure, a method for determining the tenant of a user and a method for making multi-tenant schema changes. |
| US09081800B2 |
Object detection via visual search
One exemplary embodiment involves receiving a test image generating, by a plurality of maps for the test image based on a plurality of object images. Each of the object images comprises an object of a same object type, e.g., each comprising a different face. Each of the plurality of maps is generated to provide information about the similarity of at least a portion of a respective object image to each of a plurality of portions of the test image. The exemplary embodiment further comprises detecting a test image object within the test image based at least in part on the plurality of maps. |
| US09081791B2 |
Method and apparatus for reducing duplicates of multimedia data items in service system
A method of reducing duplicates of multimedia data items in a service system includes maintaining service system hash values for the multimedia data items of the service system; receiving a first multimedia data item; and hashing the received multimedia data item to provide a first hash value. The method further includes searching the first hash value from the service system hash values; and approving the received multimedia data item to the service system in response to the first hash value being not found when searching from the service system hash values. |
| US09081790B2 |
Methods and apparatus for increasing the efficiency of electronic data storage and transmission
An electronic data storage and transmission system. A plurality of electronic data objects may be associated to a plurality of electronic data indicators, and the associations may be combined. Contextual awareness of a second location may allow generation of streamlined electronic data objects. Electronic spatial data objects may be automatically contiguously combined and compression may be leveraged with combination efficiencies. Combinations of electronic data objects may be threshold limited. Transmission of electronic data may achieve effective compression and effective transmission rates exceeding a benchmark network transmission rate of an electronic data communications network. |
| US09081788B2 |
Customizable file-type aware cache mechanism
A caching mechanism is provided in a computer server system including at least one host coupled to at least one disk, one or more virtual machines, one or more images of the one or more virtual machines created in a file system of the disk, and a virtual machine manager for assigning hardware resources of the computer server system to the one or more virtual machines. The mechanism provides a masking cache layer between the one or more virtual machines and the virtual machine manager, the masking cache layer including at least one separate entry for every cacheable data block of the file system to be referenced, collects profiling information related to one or more of the cacheable data blocks (58) and stores the profiling information in the masking cache layer and configures the masking cache layer according to the profiling information, or provides a configuration for the masking cache layer. |
| US09081784B2 |
Delta indexing method for hierarchy file storage
A device relative to a delta indexing method for a hierarchy file storage including a from-end side file server and a back-end side file server is provided. The front-end side file server creates a file update list for accumulating a file update history in a file system therein, a search server requests the file update list to the front-end side file server, and the front-end side file server supplies path name information of a targeted file in the back-end side file server in addition to the file update list, thereby, the search accesses tot the back-end side file server to be able to acquire necessary information for a search index update. |
| US09081782B2 |
Systems and methods for dynamically generating graphical memorabilia projects for presentation and use
Systems and methods for generating and physically rendering graphical memorabilia projects are described herein. Generally, the methods comprise providing and organizing photos, selecting a theme-based kit, selecting a dynamic page layout template, selecting a design and color palette, personalizing a memorabilia project comprising the template, and physically rendering the memorabilia project. The page layout template is pre-designed template and configured to be selectively rotated and/or swapped to provide a refreshing theme and/or look, and can be used to more effectively utilize the memorabilia available for mounting and/or storage. The ability to rotate and/or swap the templates enables a user to reuse pre-established templates to create new looks and presentations. In one aspect, the described system is a web-based service that does not require any software to be installed on the user's computer device other than a web browser. |
| US09081780B2 |
System and method for assigning user preference settings for a category, and in particular a media category
A system and method for assigning user preference settings for fields in a category using selected settings for only a subset of the media category fields is disclosed. A subset of fields for a media category is defined. A base setting for each field in the subset of the category fields is established. The base setting may be a weight or preference value. The base setting may be established by the user selecting a base setting or may be a default base setting. Once a user selects the settings for the subset of category fields, a set weight for the fields in the category not in the subset is determined using the base setting. That is possible because the fields in the subset of category fields are chosen from fields that contain aspects and attributes of the other fields. |
| US09081779B2 |
Central storage repository and methods for managing tags stored therein and information associated therewith
An information system includes at least one data storage device accessible through a network for storing tags and tag attribute data, a server connected to the network and to the at least one data storage device for serving tags and tag attribute data and for receiving tags and tag attribute data, and one or more processors connected to the server and to the at least one data storage device, the processor or processors running sets of instructions for managing the tags and tag attribute data. |
| US09081778B2 |
Using digital fingerprints to associate data with a work
A computing device, during sampling or playback of a work, receives a command to associate data with the work at a particular point in the work. The computing device generates a digital fingerprint of a segment of the work, wherein the segment corresponds to the particular point in the work. The computing device then associates the data with the digital fingerprint. |
| US09081772B1 |
Method and apparatus for acid validation within a distributed relational database under controlled concurrent workloads
Testing a database is disclosed. A test description defining a test of a database is received. The test description specifies a relative timing between an issuance of a first command via a first session of the database when the test is conducted and an issuance of a second command via a second session of the database when the test is conducted. The database is configured to conduct the test defined in the test description. |
| US09081766B2 |
Memory and process sharing via input/output with virtualization
Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach for memory and process sharing via input/output (I/O) with virtualization. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide a circuit design/system in which multiple chipsets are present that communicate with one another via a communications channel. Each chipset generally comprises a processor coupled to a memory unit. Moreover, each component has its own distinct/separate power supply. Pursuant to a communication and/or command exchange with a main controller, a processor of a particular chipset may disengage a memory unit coupled thereto, and then access a memory unit of another chipset (e.g., coupled to another processer in the system). Among other things, such an inventive configuration reduces memory leakage and enhances overall performance and/or efficiency of the system. |
| US09081764B2 |
Iimplementing DMA migration of large system memory areas
A method, system and computer program product are provided for implementing memory migration of large system memory pages in a computer system. A large page to be migrated from a current location to a target location is converted into a plurality of smaller subpages for a processor or system page table. The migrated page is divided into first, second and third segments, each segment composed of the smaller subpages and each respective segment changes as each individual subpage is migrated. CPU and I/O accesses to respective subpages of the first segment are directed to corresponding subpages of the target page or new page. I/O accesses to respective subpages of the second segment use a dual write mode targeting corresponding subpages of both the current page and the target page. CPU and I/O accesses to the subpages of the third segment access the corresponding subpages of the current page. |
| US09081763B2 |
Ranking in cascading learning system
A ranking in cascading learning system is described. The cascading learning system has a request analyzer, a request dispatcher and classifier, a search module, a terminology manager, and a cluster manager. The request analyzer receives a request for search terms from a client application and determines term context in the request to normalize request data from the term context. The normalized request data are classified and dispatched to a corresponding domain-specific module with a request dispatcher ranking calibrator. Each domain-specific module of a search module generates a prediction with a trained probability of an expected output using a corresponding domain-specific ranking calibrator. The terminology manager receives normalized request data from the request dispatcher and classifier, and manages terminology stored in a contextual network. The cluster manager comprises a central ranking calibrator, a training and sot container, and a module generator configured to generate a pluggable module. |
| US09081762B2 |
Phrase-based dictionary extraction and translation quality evaluation
In one embodiment, a translator quality assurance system may rate a translation using a mapping chart. A data interface 150 may access a translation dictionary matching a source language to a target language. A processor 120 may map automatically a sentence pair having a source sentence 310 in a source language and a target sentence 320 in a target language at a linguistic level using the translation dictionary. A user output device 170 may display a translation quality report of the target sentence 320. |
| US09081758B2 |
Using persistent memory regions within memory devices to collect serial presence detect and performance data
An approach to determine a power-on-hour offset for a memory device that is newly-installed into a computer system is provided, which subtracts a current power-on-hour count of the memory device from a current power-on-hour value of a power supply that supplies operative power to the memory device within the computer system. In response to the computer system powering down, an accumulated power-on-hour for the memory device is determined by subtracting the power-on-hour offset of the memory from a current power-on-hour value of the computer system power supply. The determined power-on-hour offset and accumulated power-on-hour values are saved into one or more designated bytes of a free area of electrically erasable programmable read-only memory of the memory device that are available for data storage by a memory controller, and wherein data stored therein persists after operative power is lost to the memory device, the memory controller or the computer system. |
| US09081757B2 |
Systems and methods for tracking and updating hosted applications
Systems and methods for locally managing a user's interaction with content derived from web pages along with the tracking of the creation and update of the content in accordance with embodiments of the invention are illustrated. One embodiment of the invention includes a computing device configured to create a user hosted application including an application platform application stored in the storage of the computing device, where the application platform application includes a rendering engine process and an integration process, at least one hosted application including a background page file, wherein the virtual machine is configured to parse the instructions in the scripting language contained within the background page file, and to obtain at least one user hosted application, where a user hosted application and transmit a notification message based on obtaining the at least one user hosted application. |
| US09081755B2 |
Method for processing a data tree structure
A method of processing a tree data structure organized into interconnected elements. The method comprises the steps of: defining processing units as subsets of interconnected elements and allocating each processing unit a processing time on which the data of the allocated processing unit is to be used by a unit that is the destination for the data. The processing method can be applied to streaming metadata, in particular for adaptation of scalable multimedia content. |
| US09081750B2 |
Recovery escalation of cloud deployments
Methods and systems for escalating component failures in a cloud are provided. A cloud controller of a cloud receives an indication that a collection of virtual machines of the first cloud has failed based on a collection of virtual machines escalation policy. The cloud controller initiates relocating the collection of virtual machines to a second cloud. |
| US09081749B2 |
Automatic language sensitive, event based activity feeds
A post is generated that identifies different types of activity in a computer system, such as changes to the data in the computer system. The post is generated in a language-neutral way. An activity feed generator generates a language-specific post and distributes it, in an activity feed, to a set of users, based on user preferences. The activity feed generator can also access a security model so that only users with sufficient privileges receive the post in their activity feed. |
| US09081747B1 |
Computer program deployment to one or more target devices
Each target device to which a full operating system (O/S) or other image is to be deployed using a deployment solution undergoes pre-O/S processing before booting into a temporary O/S, where preparatory processing includes a real-time hardware scan that generates a hardware device ID list that is compared to a driver repository accessed by the target device using a special communication channel between the target device and the driver repository. Drivers corresponding to listed hardware devices IDs are delivered to the target device and are staged by the target device before booting into a full O/S that installs the drivers. During full O/S operation post-deploy processing includes one or more additional real-time hardware scans performed to discover additional hardware devices missed in earlier scans, again with drivers delivered to the target device for installation. |
| US09081743B2 |
Communication system and communicaton method
A communication system includes a first interface module which can be coupled to a first logic unit and a second interface module which can be coupled to a second logic unit. The first and second interface modules are interconnected by a virtual channel over a routing network. The first interface module is configured to receive messages from the first interface module and to send the received messages over the virtual channel to the second interface module. The second interface module is configured to transmit the received messages to the second logic unit. The second interface module is further configured to receive a processing complete signal from the second logic unit when the received messages have been processed in the second logic unit and is further configured to send an acknowledgement signal to the first interface module after reception of the processing complete signal. Further a communication method is provided. |
| US09081740B2 |
Signal processing system and method for processing signals in a bus node
A signal processing system having a bus node, which is designed for signal conversion between signals of an internal and an external bus system and in each case includes at least one interface to be coupled to the external bus system and to the internal bus system, and having at least one signal conditioning module, which is designed for physical conditioning and/or analog/digital conversion for signals from an external component and includes an interface for an internal bus system and at least one connection for the external component and is connected to the bus note via the internal bus system. The bus node is designed for internal raw data processing of the signals provided by the signal conditioning module and to output at least one output signal dependent on the processed signals to the internal and/or to the external bus system. |
| US09081737B2 |
Methods for predicting stability and melting temperatures of nucleic acid duplexes
The present invention provides methods that more accurately predict melting temperatures for duplex oligomers. The invented methods predict the Tm of chimeric duplexes containing various amounts of locked nucleic acid modifications in oligonucleotide strands. |
| US09081736B2 |
Modeling of mPGES-1 three-dimensional structures: applications in drug design and discovery
This invention relates to representations of prostaglandin synthase three-dimensional structures. Such representations are suitable for designing agents that modulate the activity of the enzyme by binding to the substrate binding domain. |
| US09081732B2 |
Recovery of a computer that includes virtual disks
Described is the backup and/or restore of virtual disks In general, metadata is backed up for restoring a virtual disk. To restore the disk, a physical disk is created, with the virtual disk the created on a partition of the physical disk. Backup and restore is described for nested virtual disks, including for block level restore. Further described is backing up of critical virtual disks and their containers, and virtual disk backup with respect to basic disks and dynamic volumes. |
| US09081730B2 |
System and method for archive verification according to policies
Embodiments of systems and methods for archive verification are disclosed. More specifically, embodiments of this archive verification can comprise loading media into a drive and reading data from the media to verify that the media and data on the media can be read. In one embodiment, media can be loaded into a drive and read according to a verification policy. As part of verifying that media and data on media can be read, read errors or other verification data associated with media can be obtained. Using this verification data a result for the media may be determined. |
| US09081729B2 |
Generating fault tolerant connectivity API
To make a connection between a user application and a data source fault tolerant, a user may use a wrapper generator to create an API wrapper that retries request that may have failed due to a service disruption. Generally, the wrapper manages a cache and contains the necessary information for retrying a connection after a service disruption. To create the wrapper, the wrapper generator may identify the different commands used by the user application to access the data source. The wrapper generator presents these commands to the user who organizes the commands to generate usage patterns for the different requests the user application may send to the data source. The user may also define a caching preference associated the commands in the usage patterns. To restart the connection, the wrapper may use the cache data to generate a new request to complete the original failed request. |
| US09081728B2 |
Efficient data storage system
A system and method are disclosed for providing efficient data storage. A plurality of data segments is received in a data stream. The system preliminarily checks in a memory having a relatively low latency whether one of the plurality of data segments may have been stored previously in a data segment repository. The memory having the relatively low latency stores data segment information. In the event that the preliminary check determines that one of the plurality of data segments may have been stored in the data segment repository, a memory having a relatively higher latency is checked to determine whether the data segment has been stored previously in the data segment repository. |
| US09081727B2 |
Method, apparatus and computer program for loading files during a boot-up process
A method, apparatus and computer program are provided for loading files during a boot-up process. In the context of a method, the method includes identifying at least one new file to be loaded in a computing device during a boot-up process of said computing device. Also, determining if loading at least one of the identified new file(s) causes the computing device to crash. Also, updating a list on the computing device in dependence on whether the loading of the identified new file(s) causes the computing device to crash. Also, loading at least one file in the computing device during a boot-up process in dependence on the list, to prevent the computing device crashing during the boot-up process. |
| US09081725B2 |
Digital information protecting method and apparatus, and computer accessible recording medium
In a method for protecting digital information, a processor converts a protected address range into a plurality of address blocks of a storage device based on a preset conversion unit, and generates an address block rearranging rule using the address blocks as a parameter. When it is desired to load data into a space of an address batch of the protected address range, the processor converts the address batch into a plurality of address blocks based on the conversion unit, locates rearranged addresses of the address blocks in the protected address range according to the address block rearranging rule, and loads the data into spaces of the rearranged addresses. |
| US09081720B2 |
Information processing apparatus, setting information management method and recording medium
An disclosed information processing apparatus includes a memory unit for storing first setting-values for setting-items for a program in accordance with multiple priority levels, a given one of the setting-items being for one or more of the first setting-values, and each of the first setting-values having one of the priority levels assigned thereto; a setting information management unit for obtaining the first setting-values from the memory unit, and creating second setting-values by selecting, as one of the second setting-values, one of the first setting-values for any given setting-item from the first setting-values for the given setting-item such that the one of the first setting-values selected for the given setting-item has a highest priority level among the first setting-values for the given setting-item; and a program management unit for starting the program that operates based on the created second setting values. |
| US09081717B2 |
Memory quality monitor based compensation method and apparatus
In one embodiment, an encoder reads a set of data from memory cells to obtain retrieved data influenced by one or more distortion mechanisms as a result of having been stored. A quality metric is generated responsive to the retrieved data that changes in value responsive to differences between the user data and the associated retrieved data. A quality monitor establishes a relationship between a current value of the quality metric and a threshold value and monitors the relationship as being indicative of a degradation of the quality of the retrieved data, and selectively initiates an error response. In another embodiment, a correction value is iterated through a set of values as a quality metric is monitored such that the value of the quality metric which most closely approaches the value of the quality metric immediately subsequent to an initial writing of the data can be selected. |
| US09081715B2 |
Utilizing a dispersed storage network access token module to retrieve data from a dispersed storage network memory
A method begins by a computing device determining that data is stored in dispersed storage network (DSN) memory and sending a data retrieval request to a DSN access token module regarding the data. The method continues with the DSN access token module generating a plurality of sets of data slice read requests and sending the plurality of sets of data slices read requests to the computing device. The method continues with, for a set of data slices read requests, the computing device sending the set of data slices read requests to the DSN memory, receiving data slices from the DSN memory, and sending the data slices to the DSN access token module. The method continues with the DSN access token module decoding the data slices to produce a decoded data segment and sending the decoded data segment to the computing device. |
| US09081714B2 |
Utilizing a dispersed storage network access token module to store data in a dispersed storage network memory
A method for storing data begins with determining, by a computing device, where to store the data and continues with managing, by a dispersed storage network (DSN) access token module, a pairing between the DSN access token module and the computing device. The method continues with sending, by the computing device, at least a portion of the data to the DSN access token module and encoding, by the DSN access token module, the at least a portion of the data using a dispersed storage error encoding function to produce one or more sets of encoded data slices. The method continues with sending, by the DSN access token module, the one or more sets of encoded data slices and storage information to the computing device and sending, by the computing device, the one or more sets of encoded data slices to the DSN memory for storage therein. |
| US09081713B1 |
Memory management system and method
A memory system and method of operating the same is described, where the memory system is used to store data in a RAIDed manner. The stored data may be retrieved, including the parity data so that the stored data is recovered when the first of either the stored data without the parity data, or the stored data from all but one memory module and the parity data, has been received. The writing of data, for low write data loads, is managed such that only one of the memory modules of a RAID stripe is being written to, or erased, during a time interval. |
| US09081711B2 |
Virtual address cache memory, processor and multiprocessor
An embodiment provides a virtual address cache memory including: a TLB virtual page memory configured to, when a rewrite to a TLB occurs, rewrite entry data; a data memory configured to hold cache data using a virtual page tag or a page offset as a cache index; a cache state memory configured to hold a cache state for the cache data stored in the data memory, in association with the cache index; a first physical address memory configured to, when the rewrite to the TLB occurs, rewrite a held physical address; and a second physical address memory configured to, when the cache data is written to the data memory after the occurrence of the rewrite to the TLB, rewrite a held physical address. |
| US09081705B2 |
Methods and apparatus for reliable detection and enumeration of devices
Methods and apparatus for reliable detection and enumeration of devices. In one embodiment, the controller comprises serialized bus protocol (e.g., a Universal Serial Bus (USB)) controller capable of supporting different bus architectures (e.g., USB 2.0 and USB 3.0) of the USB protocol (e.g., eXtensible Host Controller Interface (xHCI) controller). In one variant, when a USB-compliant device is detected over multiple bus architectures of a controller, the controller waits an additional period to allow the device to properly identify which bus architecture to use. After the time period has elapsed, if the device has been determined to be connected over the USB 3.0 bus architecture, the controller waits an additional period of time before enumerating the device. If the device is still present on the USB 3.0 bus architecture, the device continues to enumerate as a USB 3.0 advice to be made available to a host system. |
| US09081701B1 |
Systems and methods for decoding data for solid-state memory
Apparatus and methods provide relatively low uncorrectable bit error rates, low write amplification, long life, fast and efficient retrieval, and efficient storage density such that a solid-state drive (SSD) can be reliably implemented using various types of memory cells, including relatively inexpensive multi-level cell flash. One embodiment intelligently coordinates remapping of bad blocks with error correction code control, which eliminates the tables used to avoid bad blocks. |
| US09081694B2 |
Systems and methods for asymmetric multiprocessing
Systems and methods are described for managing applications in a computer system. An operating system kernel such as Linux can be started and executed at different addresses other than the address typically used for such kernels. An operating system kernel can accommodate end of memory and size of memory that do not comply with normal system specifications. Mechanisms are described that change methods for exception vector handling using a software fix. Dual and/or multi-core systems can run applications in both SMP and ASMP modes without needing any hardware changes. Separate instances or similar copies of an OS such as Linux can be executed on multiple cores in ASMP mode. In SMP mode, Linux or another OS can run as a single instance of the OS. |
| US09081692B2 |
Information processing apparatus and method thereof
Data representing the storage state of the main memory of an information processing device is saved in a secondary storage device. The data saved in the secondary storage device is transferred to the main memory in reactivation of the information processing device to restore the storage state of the main memory. A cache allocated in the main memory is deallocated before generating data to be saved. |
| US09081688B2 |
Obtaining data for redundant multithreading (RMT) execution
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for providing a cache block in an exclusive state to a first cache and providing the same cache block in the exclusive state to a second cache when cores accessing the two caches are executing redundant threads. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09081687B2 |
Method and apparatus for MONITOR and MWAIT in a distributed cache architecture
A method and apparatus for monitor and mwait in a distributed cache architecture is disclosed. One embodiment includes an execution thread sending a MONITOR request for an address to a portion of a distributed cache that stores the data corresponding to that address. At the distributed cache portion the MONITOR request and an associated speculative state is recorded locally for the execution thread. The execution thread then issues an MWAIT instruction for the address. At the distributed cache portion the MWAIT and an associated wait-to-trigger state are recorded for the execution thread. When a write request matching the address is received at the distributed cache portion, a monitor-wake event is then sent to the execution thread and the associated monitor state at the distributed cache portion for that execution thread can be reset to idle. |
| US09081681B1 |
Method and system for implementing compressed normal maps
A method for compressing normal maps in a computer system. The method includes accessing a map of input normals. A memory block having a first portion and a second portion is defined. A table of indices is stored in the first portion of the memory block and a table of normals is stored in the second portion of the memory block. The indices of the first portion of the memory block reference the normals of the second portion. The normals in the second portion of the memory block are unit normals of a sphere defined to represent the map of input normals. |
| US09081680B2 |
System-level issue detection and handling
Issue detection and handling technology in which issue definitions that enable detection of issues at different devices of an enterprise level system that operate different applications are maintained. Solution definitions that relate to resolving issues detected based on the issue definitions are also maintained. Issue detection logic based on the issue definitions is provided to each of the different devices of the enterprise level system. Issue detection information collected based on the issue detection logic is received from at least one of the different devices of the enterprise level system. Based on the issue detection information, an issue at the at least one device is determined. A solution definition related to resolving the determined issue is accessed from the solution definitions. Based on the accessed solution definition, an operation directed to handling the determined issue is performed. |
| US09081676B2 |
Operating computer memory
Operating computer memory in a computer including dynamically monitoring, by a predictive failure analysis (‘PFA’) module, correctable memory errors and memory temperature and managing cooling resources in the computer in dependence upon the correctable memory errors and memory temperature. |
| US09081675B2 |
Encoding data in a dispersed storage network
A method begins where a processing module segments data into data segments. On a data segment by data segment basis, the method continues with the processing module performing a decode threshold level of dispersed storage error encoding on a data segment to produce a set of decode threshold level encoded data slices and caching the set of decode threshold level encoded data slices. On a set by set basis, the method continues with the processing module performing a redundancy level of dispersed storage error encoding on the set of decode threshold level encoded data slices to produce a set of redundancy error coded data slices. The method continues with the processing module outputting at least one of at least some of a plurality of sets of decode threshold level encoded data slices and at least a corresponding some of a plurality of sets of redundancy error coded data slices. |
| US09081674B2 |
Dual mapping between program states and data patterns
The present disclosure includes methods and apparatuses for dual mapping between program states and data patterns. One apparatus includes a memory and a controller configured to control a dual mapping method comprising: performing a base conversion on a received data pattern and mapping a resulting base converted data pattern to one of a first number of program state combinations corresponding to a first group of memory cells; and determining a number of error data units corresponding to the base converted data pattern and mapping the number of error data units to one of a number of second program state combinations corresponding to a second group of memory cells. The number of error data units are mapped to the one of the second number of program state combinations corresponding to the second group of memory cells without being base converted. |
| US09081669B2 |
Hybrid non-volatile memory device
A hybrid non-volatile memory device includes a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) having an array of magnetic memory elements, the NVRAM being bit-accessible. The hybrid non-volatile device further includes a non-volatile page-mode memory (PMM) made of resistive memory and organized into pages, the non-volatile PMM being page-accessible. Further included in the hybrid non-volatile memory device is a direct memory access (DMA) engine that is coupled to the NVRAM and the non-volatile PMM and transfers data between the NVRAM and the non-volatile PMM during a DMA operation. |
| US09081666B2 |
Non-volatile memory channel control using a general purpose programmable processor in combination with a low level programmable sequencer
A system includes a control processor, a non-volatile memory device interface, and a micro-sequencer. The control processor may be configured to receive commands and send responses via a command interface. The non-volatile memory device interface may be configured to couple the system to one or more non-volatile memory devices. The micro-sequencer is generally coupled to (i) the control processor and (ii) the non-volatile memory device interface. The micro-sequencer includes a control store readable by the micro-sequencer and writable by the control processor. In response to receiving a particular one of the commands, the control processor is enabled to cause the micro-sequencer to begin executing at a location in the control store according to the particular command and the micro-sequencer is enabled to perform at least a portion of the particular command according to a protocol of the one or more non-volatile memory devices coupled to the non-volatile memory device interface. |
| US09081665B2 |
Apparatus, methods and architecture to increase write performance and endurance of non-volatile solid state memory components
A solid-state mass storage device for use with host computer systems, and methods of increasing the endurance of non-volatile memory components thereof that define a first non-volatile memory space. The mass storage device further has a second non-volatile memory space containing at least one non-volatile memory component having a higher write endurance than the memory components of the first non-volatile memory space. The second non-volatile memory space functions as a low-pass filter for host writes to the first non-volatile memory space to minimize read accesses to the first non-volatile memory space. Contents of the second non-volatile memory space are managed using a change counter. |
| US09081664B2 |
Memory system capable of preventing data destruction
According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a memory unit, a first controller, and a second controller. In the memory unit, first to fourth levels (first level |
| US09081663B2 |
Optimized garbage collection algorithm to improve solid state drive reliability
A method for managing memory operations in a storage device having a plurality of data blocks, the method including steps for determining a number of invalid pages, in each of the plurality of data blocks, determining a number of page reads for each of the plurality of data blocks and determining a dwell time for each of the plurality of data blocks. In certain aspects, the method further comprises steps for selecting a data block, from among the plurality of data blocks, for memory reclamation based on the number of invalid pages, the number of page reads, and the dwell time of the selected data block. A flash storage system and computer-readable media are also provided. |
| US09081659B2 |
Controlling method for connector, connector and memory storage device
A controlling method for connector is provided, which includes: receiving a first signal stream under a condition that a squelch detector is turned-off; determining whether the first signal stream contains a burst signal under a first operating frequency; if the first signal stream contains the burst signal, turning on the squelch detector and determining by the squelch detector under a second operating frequency whether a second signal stream is a waking signal, wherein the second signal stream is received after receiving the first signal stream and the second operating frequency is greater than the first operating frequency. The controlling method further includes: if the second signal stream is the waking signal, changing an operating state of the connector to an active state. In this way, the power consumption of the connector is reduced. |
| US09081652B2 |
Vehicle control system
A vehicle control system includes: an acceleration acquisition unit that detects or estimates an acceleration of a vehicle; and a control unit that is configured to change a running characteristic, which includes at least any one of a driving force characteristic, shift characteristic, steering characteristic and suspension characteristic of the vehicle, on the basis of the acceleration, wherein the control unit is configured to relatively delay a change of the running characteristic for decreasing quickness of behavior of the vehicle with respect to a change of the running characteristic for increasing quickness of behavior of the vehicle, and is configured to limit a change of the running characteristic when a jerk, which is a time differential value of the acceleration, is larger than a limit determination threshold as compared with when the jerk is smaller than or equal to the limit determination threshold. |
| US09081651B2 |
Route navigation with optimal speed profile
Energy consumption of a vehicle is optimized while traveling a route assembled of road segments between a first position and a destination. A speed profile generator is located at least partially off of the vehicle and uses an energy consumption model of the vehicle together with road grade data corresponding to the route to calculate an optimal speed profile. The speed profile specifies target speeds for respective locations on the route for traversing the route with an optimized energy consumption. The speed profile generator compares energy consumption for a plurality of feasible speed profile trajectories between a maximum trajectory and a minimum trajectory in order to identify the optimal speed profile. A speed updater is responsive to a current position of the vehicle and the optimal speed profile to initiate the target speed for the current position. |
| US09081650B1 |
Traffic based driving analysis
A driving analysis server may be configured to receive vehicle operation data from vehicle sensors and telematics devices of a first vehicle, and may use the data to identify a potentially high-risk or unsafe driving behavior by the first vehicle. The driving analysis server also may retrieve corresponding vehicle operation data from one or more other vehicles, and may compare the potentially high-risk or unsafe driving behavior of the first vehicle to corresponding driving behaviors in the other vehicles. A driver score for the first vehicle may be calculated or adjusted based on the comparison of the driving behavior in the first vehicle to the corresponding driving behaviors in the other vehicles. |
| US09081647B2 |
System and method of reconstructing complex custom objects
A system and method is provided for reconstructing one or more collections of objects across platforms. More particularly, Java Annotations are used to assist a Web Services Description Language (WSDL) wizard in reconstructing a collection of objects. In implementation, the system and method parses the object types such that a wizard can recreate or reconstruct the collection of objects for use by a receiving service. The method includes reconstructing a collection using one or more annotations that document a base object of the collection. |
| US09081645B2 |
Software product licensing based on a content space
A computer-implemented method for generating software license types, includes collecting, by a processor, a plurality of software product functions, creating, by the processor, a plurality of content space specification files that includes the plurality of software product functions, processing, by the processor, the plurality of content space specification files to generate a plurality of software license types and outputting, by the processor, the plurality of software license types. |
| US09081644B2 |
Dynamic insertion and removal of virtual software sub-layers
The disclosure is directed to dynamic insertion and removal of virtual software sub-layers. In one example, a virtual layer associated with a software application is virtually installed and activated in a computing device. A virtual sub-layer associated with a component of the software application is dynamically inserted in the virtual layer. The virtual layer remains active during the dynamic insertion of the virtual sub-layer. In certain embodiments, a process is executed from the virtual layer, a determination is made as to whether the process launched before or after the insertion of the virtual sub-layer, and the inserted virtual sub-layer is selectively made visible or invisible to the process based on the determination. |
| US09081643B2 |
System and method for efficiently updating firmware for nodes in a mesh network
A technique for providing an improved way to update the nodes of a wireless mesh network is described. An upgrade engine executing on a server connected to the wireless mesh network determines a topology of the network, subdivides the network into a plurality of clusters based on the topology of the network, and seeds a small number of nodes within each cluster. The upgrade engine manages the upgrade process, notifying particular nodes within each cluster when to search for an upgrade package (e.g., an image of a new firmware) stored in an adjacent node. The upgrade engine also monitors success and failure of each node and delivers the upgrade package to a node directly when the node fails to download the upgrade package from an adjacent node within the network. |
| US09081642B2 |
Evaluating computer driver update compliance
Evaluating computer driver update compliance including applying a hashing algorithm to the contents of a driver repository, yielding a first hash value, the driver repository containing installed drivers for a computer; dating the first hash value; storing the first hash value and the date of the first hash value; identifying a candidate update for a driver installed in the repository, the candidate update having an update date; again applying the hashing algorithm to the contents of the driver repository, yielding a second hash value; comparing the first hash value and the second hash value; if the first hash value and the second hash value match, comparing the date of the first hash value and the update date; and if the update date is later than the date of the first hash value, reporting that the candidate update has not yet been installed. |
| US09081637B2 |
System and method for a software product manager
A component-based software product manager system and method are provided. Various software products for electronic appliances include common components that are shared there between and variable components that are not commonly shared there between and instead are exclusive to individual products. The component-based software product manager system and method combine and associate components with one another while managing a large-scale software asset in units of the components. The system and method described herein improve the cooperation and the reusability of software products. |
| US09081634B1 |
Digital signal processing block
An apparatus is disclosed. This apparatus includes a digital signal processing (“DSP”) block having a preadder-register block coupled to receive first through fourth input operands. A multiplier is coupled to the preadder-register block to receive a multiplicand operand and a multiplier operand. A first register block is coupled to the multiplier to receive sets of partial products from the multiplier. A second register block coupled to receive the third operand input. An arithmetic logic unit (“ALU”) block is coupled to the pre-adder-register block, the first register block and the second register block. The ALU block includes four input multiplexers and an ALU, where the ALU is coupled to receive outputs from each of the four input multiplexers. |
| US09081632B2 |
Collaboration methods for non-programmatic integration systems
Methods and systems for collaborating when one or more other users view or access the same, similar, or otherwise data. The collaboration method includes automatically non-programmatically collecting application data from a first mapped location of a mapped source reference of an application used by a first user and automatically non-programmatically collecting application data from a second mapped location of a mapped source reference of an application used by a second user. The integration application determines whether the collected application data from the first mapped location matches the collected application data from the second mapped location, and if the first collected application data matches the second collected application data, that integration application automatically notifies at least one of the first user and second user. The match determination may occur when the users are simultaneously accessing the data or at different times. |
| US09081631B2 |
Method for executing a toolkit action in an IC card
An approach for executing a toolkit action in an IC card includes storing in the IC card one or more identifiers and corresponding toolkit actions, and passing a web page in input to a converter in the IC card. The converter is configured to identify one or more of the identifiers in the html page and related text information associated with the identifiers. The approach includes sending the toolkit actions corresponding to the identifiers identified and the related text information to an application SIM Application Toolkit (SAT) of the IC card, for displaying the text information of the web page as SIM Application Toolkit menu. |
| US09081628B2 |
Detecting potential access errors in a multi-threaded application
In one embodiment, a method includes maintaining thread analysis metadata for a multi-threaded application. The metadata may include a thread vector clock for threads of the application and a synchronization vector clock for synchronization objects of the application. In addition, an initialization log and an access log can be generated and maintained for memory accesses occurring during execution of the application. From this metadata, it may be determined if an access to a memory element by a thread is a potential invalid access for a different scheduling of the application. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09081627B1 |
Workload management with resource transfer sequence planned as a function of ranking of resource allocations
A computer system includes computing resources and workload containers to which the resources can be allocated. A workload manager plans 1) a reallocation of the computing resources among said containers, and 2) a transfer sequence for units of the computing resources to implement said reallocation. The transfer sequence is selected as a function of a ranking of resource allocations and/or delay-related costs in implementing the reallocation. |
| US09081625B2 |
Method for reducing execution jitter in multi-core processors within an information handling system
A method of reducing execution jitter includes a processor having several cores and control logic that receives core configuration parameters. Control logic determines if a first set of cores are selected to be disabled. If none of the cores is selected to be disabled, the control logic determines if a second set of cores is selected to be jitter controlled. If the second set of cores is selected to be jitter controlled, the second set of cores is set to a first operating state. If the first set of cores is selected to be disabled, the control logic determines a second operating state for a third set of enabled cores. The control logic determines if the third set of enabled cores is jitter controlled, and if the third set of enabled cores is jitter controlled, the control logic sets the third set of enabled cores to the second operating state. |
| US09081619B2 |
Provisioning a web hosting resource using a cloud service
A method of provisioning a Web hosting resource includes providing a cloud service. A request for a Web hosting resource is received by the cloud service, wherein the request is provided by a client. The cloud service identifies a Web host based on the received request for a Web hosting resource. The cloud service sends a request to the Web host to provision a first Web hosting resource for use by the client. |
| US09081618B2 |
Method and apparatus for the scheduling of computing tasks
Described herein are methods and related apparatus for the allocation of computing resources to perform computing tasks. The methods described herein may be used to allocate computing tasks to many different types of computing resources, such as processor cores, individual computers, and virtual machines. Characteristics of the available computing resources, as well as other aspects of the computing environment, are modeled in a multidimensional coordinate system. Each coordinate point in the coordinate system corresponds to a unique combination of attributes of the computing resources/computing environment, and each coordinate point is associated with a weight that indicates the relative desirability of the coordinate point. To allocate a computing resource to execute a task, the weights of the coordinate points, as well as other related factors, are analyzed. |
| US09081617B1 |
Provisioning of virtual machines using an N-ARY tree of clusters of nodes
Various systems and methods for management and provisioning of virtual machines are disclosed. This invention may be used, e.g., in conjunction with clusters of nodes that are potentially capable of hosting one or more virtual machines. In one aspect of this invention, the nodes may rank themselves, or be ranked, based on their ability to support a requested virtual machine configuration. Each of the clusters may also be ranked based on, for example, the aggregate ranks of the nodes within that cluster. After the nodes and/or clusters have been ranked, a cluster and/or a node may be selected to host the virtual machine, and the virtual machine may be provisioned on that cluster and/or node. |
| US09081616B2 |
System and method for adjusting a number of processing modules based on processing load
Systems and methods improve the equitable distribution the processing capacity of a computing device processing work items retrieved from multiple queues in a workflow system. A retrieval priority is determined for each of the plurality of queues and work items are retrieved from each of the multiple queues according to the retrieval priority. The retrieved work items are then stored in a central data structure. Multiple processing components process the work items stored in the central data structure. The number of processing components is selectively adjusted to maximize efficiency. |
| US09081615B2 |
Device cooperation system, image forming apparatus, and function providing method
In a device cooperation system, devices connected via a network take partial charge of providing a function. A first device acquires image data to be output; receives a condition used when the first device and a second device output the image data; stores a possible output amount that can be output by the first device; determines whether a total page number, which is obtained from the condition and a number of pages of the acquired image data, is less than or equal to the possible output amount; determines first and second output numbers to be respectively allocated to the first and second devices; sends the image data and the second output number to the second device; and updates the possible output amount according to a number output by the first and second devices. |
| US09081613B2 |
Unified resource manager providing a single point of control
An integrated hybrid system is provided. The hybrid system includes compute components of different types and architectures that are integrated and managed by a single point of control to provide federation and the presentation of the compute components as a single logical computing platform. |
| US09081611B1 |
System for iteratively identifying available next higher priority tracks when identified track matching the task's native track priority is unavailable
Embodiments are directed towards coordinating parallel execution of tasks. An ordered priority for each of a plurality of tracks may be established. Furthermore, each of a plurality of tasks may be assigned a native priority. A track for executing a task may be identified based on a match of the task native priority and a track priority. The task can execute at the identified track if the track is available. If the identified track is not available, then another track with a next higher priority than the previously identified track maybe iteratively identified. Next higher priority tracks may be iteratively identified until an available track is identified. If an available track is identified then the task can execute at the available track; otherwise, the task may be put into a wait mode before re-attempt to execute at the track with a priority that matches the task native priority. |
| US09081608B2 |
Residue number arithmetic logic unit
Methods and systems for residue number system based ALUs, processors, and other hardware provide the full range of arithmetic operations while taking advantage of the benefits of the residue numbers in certain operations. In one or more embodiments, an RNS ALU or processor comprises a plurality of digit slices configured to perform modular arithmetic functions. Operation of the digit slices may be controlled by a controller. Residue numbers may be converted to and from fixed or mixed radix number systems for internal use and for use in various computing systems. |
| US09081607B2 |
Conditional transaction abort and precise abort handling
A method for executing a transaction in a data processing system initiates the transaction by a transactional-memory system coupled to that memory component. The method includes initiating the transaction by a transactional-memory system that is part of a memory component of the data processing system. The transaction includes instructions for comparing multiple parameters, and aborting the transaction by the transactional-memory system based upon a comparison of the multiple parameters. |
| US09081599B2 |
Adjusting transfer rate of virtual machine state in virtual machine migration
Systems and methods for adjusting the rate of transmission of the execution state of a virtual machine undergoing live migration. An example method may comprise: determining, by a migration agent executing on a computer system, a first rate being a rate of change of an execution state of a virtual machine undergoing live migration from an origin host computer system to a destination host computer system; determining a second rate being a rate of transferring the execution state of the virtual machine from the origin host computer system to the destination host computer system; determining that a ratio of the first rate to the second rate exceeds a threshold convergence ratio; and reducing the rate of transferring the execution state of the virtual machine from the origin host computer system to the destination host computer system. |
| US09081598B2 |
Ensuring hardware redundancy in a virtualized environment
An Availability Management Framework (AMF) configuration is generated, in which service units of a service group are allocated to node groups and the node groups are allocated to physical nodes. Each service unit is a unit of redundancy for services provided and protected by the service group. Each node group includes a group of virtual machines. Each node group is mapped to a different host group that includes one or more physical nodes. Collocation and separation rules are generated for the virtual machines to specify which virtual machines are collocated in a same node group and which virtual machines are separated by different node groups. Each service unit of the service group is mapped to a different node group to guarantee hardware separation in the AMF configuration for different service units of the service group and for the virtual machines allocated to the different service units. |
| US09081597B2 |
Database change compensation after a transaction commit
A virtualization manager receives a request to perform a command in a virtual machine system and executes a plurality of transactions associated with the command, each of the plurality of transactions comprising one or more operations executed on entities in the virtual machine system. The virtualization manager commits changes made to the entities in the virtual machine system as a result of the plurality of transactions to a management database for the virtual machine system. In addition, the virtualization manager generates a business entity snapshot corresponding to a first transaction of the plurality of transactions, the business entity snapshot comprising state information for one or more entities in the virtual machine system affected by the first transaction. |
| US09081595B1 |
Displaying violated coding rules in source code
A device performs a verification analysis of source code, where the verification analysis includes a coding rules check of the source code based on coding standards, and run-time error check of the source code. The device provides, for display, results of the coding rules check of the source code, and provides, for display, results of the run-time error check of the source code. The device provides, for display, from the results of the coding rules check of the source code, at least one of a coding rule error violation associated with the source code, or a coding rule warning violation associated with the source code. |
| US09081593B2 |
Information processing apparatus, method for controlling same, installation method, and storage medium
A PC 1 recognizes a connection of the multipurpose machine 3 to the network 4, and a first driver, which corresponds to information equipment provided by the recognized device, is installed on the PC 1. The PC 1 acquires a supplement installer that installs a second driver, which enables the functions of the device to be used, on the PC 1 from the IHV Web server 100 upon installation of the first driver on the PC 1. Then, the supplement installer determines whether or not the second driver needs to be installed on the PC 1. When the second driver needs to be installed on the PC 1, the second driver is installed on the PC 1. |
| US09081591B2 |
User interface generation apparatus
A user interface generation apparatus 1 has an application program execution unit 11, a user interface generation unit 13, a user interface display unit 24, and a memory unit 50 for storing information on characteristics of an apparatus itself as well as object definition information defining objects composing a user interface. The user interface generation unit 13 generates a compound user interface by selecting object definition information stored in the memory unit 50, setting a margin for when the selected object is arranged based on the object definition information and the information on characteristics of the apparatus itself, and arranging the object in a predetermined area of the display unit based on the margin. |
| US09081589B2 |
Persistent web plug-ins
Persistent plug-ins are described in a web browser. The browser displays various plug-in instances on a current page, where a plug-in instance is made up of a plug-in player running within the current page and playing content viewable by the user. When a page is changed, a command is issued to close the current page with all of its plug-in instances. If there is a persistence indicator associated with a plug-in instance, the current content state is preserved in memory. If the user desires to return to the original web page or any other page that references the persistent plug-in instance, the plug-in player searches the memory for the current content state and plays the content to return the display of the plug-in instance at the same content state as when the user last left the plug-in instance. |
| US09081586B2 |
Systems and methods for customizing optimization/transformation/ processing strategies
A method for tailored compiler optimization is provided. The method includes extracting kernels from an application program, performance tuning the kernels to determine a tailored optimization strategy for each of the kernels, the tailored optimization strategy different than a default optimization strategy of a compiler for each of the kernels, and annotating the application program, using a computer, to identify the tailored optimization strategy determined for each of the kernels. In an embodiment, the method also includes the design and implementation for adjusting a compiler to customize optimization strategies for different kernels. |
| US09081584B2 |
Recording medium storing compiling program, compiling method, and compiling device
A recording medium storing therein a compiling program to be executed by a computer, the program includes: compiling a portion of a source corresponding to at least one operation of a plurality of operations into at least one partial object of a plurality of partial objects included in an object; generating first information for identifying a portion involved in the compiling of the at least one partial object; and storing, in a memory, object expansion information including second information, which indicates the at least one operation, and the first information, with associating the object expansion information with the at least one partial object, wherein the object expansion information identifies a partial object generated by a portion involved in the compiling relating to a compilation failure. |
| US09081583B2 |
Compile time execution
When compiling high level, graphical code (e.g. LabVIEW™ code) representative of a design, parts of the code that do not depend on external input data may be executed during the compilation process. Specific variables and/or value traces of specific variables in the program, e.g. constant values and/or repeating patterns may be recorded then analyzed, and certain transformations may be applied in the compilation process according to the results of the analysis, thereby optimizing the design. In one approach, the graph may be dynamically stepped through one node at a time, and it may be determined whether all inputs to the stepped-through node are known. If those inputs are known, type conversion and the operation corresponding to the stepped-through node may be dynamically performed. In another approach, a subset of the graphical code not depending on external data may be compiled and executed, thereby obtaining the same results as described above. |
| US09081580B2 |
Real-time menu architecture
A system and method for implementing a dynamic menu characterized by a real-time menu architecture. An example method includes determining a menu structure, with reference to a data set, for use with user interface software. A menu is then displayed, wherein the menu includes menu items arranged according to the menu structure. An initial drop-down menu list of the menu includes one or more of the menu items. Each menu item is associated with a data object of the data set. A signal is generated when a change is made to a data set corresponding to a menu item. The menu is then updated based on the signal. In an illustrative embodiment, the example method further includes employing a browser to trigger implementation of the method. The browser communicates with a web server, which communicates with an application that is adapted to analyze the data set and associated data structure and provide an update in response thereto via, the signal, to the web server. The web server includes software for enabling the browser to render an updated menu or graphical representation thereof. |
| US09081576B2 |
Task scheduling method of a semiconductor device based on power levels of in-queue tasks
A task scheduling method of a semiconductor device, the method including: determining whether a power level of a first queue task disposed in a first queue and a power level of a first core task are the same as each other, wherein the first queue task is to be processed by a first core after the first core task; and in response to the power level of the first queue task and the power level of the first core task being different, moving the first queue task to a second queue, wherein the second queue corresponds to a second core that processes a second core task having the same power level as that of the first queue task. |
| US09081573B2 |
Method and apparatus for automatically repainting an external display during transitioning to a low power state
A computer system may include a main display and an external display coupled, for example, to the computer system through a universal serial bus digital visual interface link. In response to the detection of an indication of a suspension of the system to a reduced power consumption state, such as the S3 sleeping state, the external display may be automatically repainted. In addition, the current image layers and coordinates may be automatically stored to a frame buffer. |
| US09081570B2 |
Network access device with flexible precise low-power remote wake-up mechanism applicable in various application layer handshake protocols
A network access device is disclosed, having a transceiving circuit, a demodulation circuit, and a control circuit. The transceiving circuit is used to receive network signals. The demodulation circuit is coupled with the transceiving circuit and used to generate data frames according to the network signals. The control circuit is coupled with the demodulation circuit and used to wake up one or more components of an electronic device when at least two fields of the data frame match predetermined values, or when the data frames are received in a predetermined order. |
| US09081567B1 |
Method and apparatus to control routing convergence during node reboot by entering a freeze state that inhibits routing convergence during the reboot process
In one embodiment, a technique may enable control of routing convergence in a computer network during reboot of a node of a routing topology represented by a directed acyclic graph (DAG). The rebooting node, e.g., a DAG root node, may transmit a reboot notification message to nodes of the routing topology indicating that the rebooting node is unavailable during a subsequent reboot process. In response to receiving and processing the reboot notification message, the nodes of the routing topology may enter a DAG freeze state that inhibits (prevents) routing convergence in the routing topology during the reboot process so as prevent adverse consequences on network stability, such as collapse of the DAG. Thereafter upon completion of the reboot process, the rebooting node may transmit a clear message to the nodes of the routing topology that instructs the nodes to exit the DAG freeze state. |
| US09081564B2 |
Converting scalar operation to specific type of vector operation using modifier instruction
A data processing apparatus having processing circuitry, a scalar register bank and a vector register bank, including decoding circuitry arranged to decode a sequence of instructions to generate control signals for the processing circuitry. The decoding circuitry is responsive to a decode modifier instruction within the sequence of instructions to alter decoding of a subsequent scalar instruction in the sequence by mapping at least one scalar operand specified by the subsequent scalar instruction to at least one vector operand in the vector register bank, and, in dependence on the scalar operation specified by the subsequent scalar instruction, determining a vector operation to be performed on at least a subset of the operand elements within the at least the one vector operand. Such an approach enables a wide variety of vector operations to be specified without the need to individually define separate vector instructions for those vector operations. |
| US09081552B1 |
Integrated data and power cord for use with modular display panels
In one embodiment, a display panel includes a plurality of display elements, and image control circuitry coupled to the display elements. A power supply circuitry is coupled to the display elements. A housing encloses the display elements and the image control circuitry. The housing is sealed with respect to external elements. A first integrated data and power cable extends from outside the housing, through a housing wall and electrically connected to the image control circuitry and the power circuitry. A second integrated data and power cable extends from outside the housing, through the housing wall and electrically connected to the image control circuitry and the power circuitry. |
| US09081551B2 |
Casing structure and electronic device
A casing structure has an outer casing, a base plate, and a supporting unit. The base plate disposed inside the outer casing has an inner plate, an elastic arm, and a fixing body connected to the inner plate. The inner plate has a first plane and a second plane. The first plane is seamlessly abutted on the outer casing. One end of the elastic arm is angularly connected to the inner plate, and the other end of the elastic arm is defined as a free, and resiliently movable end. The fixing body is arranged correspondingly to the elastic arm. The supporting unit has a positioning body and a contacting body extended from the positioning body. The positioning body has a substantially frame shape, and the shape of the positioning body is matching to a space, which is surroundingly defined by the fixing body and the free end. |
| US09081549B2 |
Supporting apparatus, support member, and electronic device
According to one embodiment, a supporting apparatus includes a supporting portion and a suction module. The supporting portion is configured to support a wall of an electronic device. The electronic device includes a first surface with a honeycomb rib protrusion. The supporting portion includes a second surface including a first groove and an inlet. The first groove is configured to receive the rib in a state in which the supporting portion supports the wall. The inlet is configured to open toward a first face at a position within a hexagonal ring-like part of the first groove. The suction module is configured to take in air through the inlet. |
| US09081548B2 |
Assembly mechanism and electronic device therewith
An assembly mechanism with easy assembly is disclosed. The assembly mechanism includes a first sliding member, an assembly member, a second sliding member and a pushing structure. The first sliding member, whereon an opening is formed, is installed on a second module in a slidable manner. The assembly member with an end being detachably contained inside the opening and an another end being pivoted to a first module is driven by the first module to slide the first sliding member. The second sliding member is installed on the first sliding member in a slidable manner and for covering the opening to constrain the end of the assembly member inside the opening. The pushing structure is disposed on the second module for pushing the second sliding member to separate from the opening, so as to remove the end of the assembly member from the opening. |
| US09081543B2 |
Docking device and portable projector
A docking device for connecting an electronic device includes a base and a connector. The connector has a body and a connecting port on the base. The body is provided on the base to be moved between a first position and a second position. The connecting port is hidden in the base when the body is moved to the first position, and the connecting is exposed to connect the electronic device when the body is moved to the second position. The docking device may be incorporated in a portable projector. |
| US09081541B2 |
Mobile terminal and method for controlling operation thereof
Discussed are embodiments that provide an interface which is intuitional to users in a mobile terminal having a transparent display. In an exemplary embodiment, there is a mobile terminal that includes: a sensing unit configured to detect a user's direction with respect to the mobile terminal; a transparent display unit configured to display an image; and a controller configured to control the transparent display unit to change a display direction of the image. |
| US09081536B2 |
Performance enhancement in virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI)
In one embodiment, a method displays images from a remote desktop of a desktop GUI on a client device. The method receives a plurality of image blocks for a frame update of an image of the desktop GUI being displayed on the client device. The remote desktop is being run on a host. The client device determines that one or more missing image blocks have not been received for the frame update and determines if the frame update should be performed without the one or more missing image blocks. If the frame update of the desktop GUI should be performed without the one or more missing image blocks, the client device performs the frame update of the desktop GUI using the plurality of image blocks without using the one or more missing image blocks. |
| US09081531B2 |
System, image forming apparatus, and method therefor
An image forming apparatus receives a job list of a user using the image forming apparatus from a document management server, and, in response to the user instruction, receives from the document management server print data corresponding to a job selected from the job list, and prints the received print data. Further, in response to the user instruction, the image forming apparatus requests the document management server to enable a specified other user to print a job selected from the job list. According to the user instruction, the document management server adds data corresponding to the job selected from the job list of the user to the job list of the specified other user. |
| US09081529B1 |
Generation of electronic books
Described herein are systems and methods for modifying electronic books (“eBooks”). A server processes eBook data to determine portions of one or more source fonts comprising various glyphs used in presenting the eBook. An embedded font is generated which includes those portions of the one or more fonts which are used in the particular eBook data. Because the unused portions of the one or more fonts are omitted, the overall size of the embedded fonts may be less than those of the source fonts. A custom character map may be generated as part of the embedded font which provides for increased document security. |
| US09081528B2 |
Information processing system, method of processing information, program, and recording medium
An information processing system including at least one computer including a receiving unit that receives a request to a predetermined destination, a generating unit that generates authority identifying information for identifying operation authority of an apparatus in response to the request, and a sending unit that sends the authority identifying information to a destination different from a transmission source of the request. |
| US09081526B2 |
Peripheral device control system and method
A method used in first and second information processing apparatuses in communication with an image forming apparatus. The method includes a transfer step of transferring print setting information for controlling the image forming apparatus from the image forming apparatus to the second information processing apparatus, an acquisition step of acquiring the print setting information transferred in the transfer step from the second information processing apparatus, an input step of inputting the print setting information acquired in the acquisition step into a printer driver in a form that can be identified by the printer driver; and a print control step of controlling a printing operation by using the print setting information inputted in the input step. |
| US09081525B2 |
Image processing apparatus, information processing method, and storage medium for reducing image formation time after a fireware update
An image processing apparatus includes an image processing unit configured to perform image processing on input data, a storage unit configured to store image-processed data obtained by the image processing performed by the image processing unit, an output unit configured to output the image-processed data to a printing unit, an update unit configured to update firmware related to the image processing unit, and a control unit configured to, when the image processing by the image processing unit is changed by the updating of the firmware by the update unit, cause the image processing unit to perform the image processing on input data corresponding to the image-processed data stored in the storage unit and cause the storage unit to store image-processed data obtained by the image processing. |
| US09081523B2 |
Non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing job transmission program for transmission of job to electronic device and electronic device executing job
A non-transitory computer readable recording medium records a job transmission program for transmission of a job to an electronic device. The electronic device includes a job executable state and an energy saving state. The job transmission program includes the followings as processes that the computer executes: receiving a transmission instruction of a job; determining whether or not the job is set as an energy saving job that can save power consumption in the electronic device; acquiring a state of the electronic device; queuing, when the job is an energy saving job and the acquired state of the electronic device is the energy saving state, transmission of the energy saving job; and transmitting, when the state of the electronic device is changed from the energy saving state to the job executable state, the queued energy saving job to the electronic device. |
| US09081520B2 |
Remote print file transfer and spooling application for use with a one-way data link
A system for printing includes one or more printers, a send platform, a print spooling platform coupled to the one or more printers, and a one-way data link enforcing unidirectional data transfer from the send platform to the print spooling platform, wherein the send platform is configured to receive a print job, convert the print job into a print file in a printable format for the one or more printers, and send the print file to the print spooling platform across the one-way data link, and the print spooling platform is configured to receive the print file from the one-way data link, control spooling of the print file for the one or more printers, and send the print file to the one or more printers, and wherein the one or more printers cannot communicate to the send platform. |
| US09081517B2 |
Hardware-based automatic clock gating
A system and method for automatically updating with hardware clock tree settings on a system-on-a-chip (SOC). A SOC includes a hardware clock control unit (HCCU) coupled to a software interface and a clock tree. The SOC also includes multiple integrated circuit (IC) devices, wherein each IC device receives one or more associated core clocks provided by one or more phase lock loops (PLLs) via the clock tree. The HCCU receives a software-initiated request specifying a given IC device is to be enabled. The HCCU identifies one or more core clocks used by the given IC device. For each one of the identified core clocks, the HCCU configures associated circuitry within the clock tree to generate an identified core clock. The HCCU may also traverse the clock tree and disable clock generating gates found not to drive any other enabled gates or IC devices. |
| US09081515B2 |
Clock generation circuit and clock generation system using the same
A clock generation circuit includes a counting code generation unit configured to generate counting codes corresponding to a frequency of an input clock when an enable signal is enabled; a control code generation unit configured to decode the counting codes and generate control codes; and a cycle changeable oscillation unit configured to determine a frequency of an output clock in response to the control codes. |
| US09081510B2 |
Background migration of virtual storage
Described is a technology by which a virtual hard disk is migrated from a source storage location to a target storage location without needing any shared physical storage, in which a machine may continue to use the virtual hard disk during migration. This facilitates use the virtual hard disk in conjunction with live-migrating a virtual machine. Virtual hard disk migration may occur fully before or after the virtual machine is migrated to the target host, or partially before and partially after virtual machine migration. Background copying, sending of write-through data, and/or servicing read requests may be used in the migration. Also described is throttling data writes and/or data communication to manage the migration of the virtual hard disk. |
| US09081506B2 |
Tape apparatus, storage control apparatus, and storage control method
A tape apparatus includes a controller and a plurality of tape drives. The controller controls reading from and writing onto magnetic tapes by the use of the plurality of tape drives. Furthermore, when the controller receives a data write request, the controller writes received data both onto one of main data magnetic tapes and onto an auxiliary data magnetic tape. In addition, each time the controller receives a data write request, the controller writes received data onto a corresponding main data magnetic tape and adds the received data onto a common auxiliary data magnetic tape. |
| US09081503B2 |
Methods and systems for maintaining a storage volume with holes and filling holes
In one embodiment, a method for managing access to a fast non-volatile storage device, such as a solid state device, and a slower non-volatile storage device, such as a magnetic hard drive, can include a method of managing a sparse logical volume in which unmapped blocks of the logical volume are not allocated until use. In one embodiment, a method of sparse hole filling operates in which range locks are dynamically adjusted to perform allocations for sparse hole filling, and then re-adjusted to perform standard operations using a byte range lock. In one embodiment, a high level data structure can be used in the range lock service in the form of an ordered search tree, which could use any search tree algorithm, such as red-black tree, AVL tree, splay tree, etc. |
| US09081501B2 |
Multi-petascale highly efficient parallel supercomputer
A Multi-Petascale Highly Efficient Parallel Supercomputer of 100 petaOPS-scale computing, at decreased cost, power and footprint, and that allows for a maximum packaging density of processing nodes from an interconnect point of view. The Supercomputer exploits technological advances in VLSI that enables a computing model where many processors can be integrated into a single Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). Each ASIC computing node comprises a system-on-chip ASIC utilizing four or more processors integrated into one die, with each having full access to all system resources and enabling adaptive partitioning of the processors to functions such as compute or messaging I/O on an application by application basis, and preferably, enable adaptive partitioning of functions in accordance with various algorithmic phases within an application, or if I/O or other processors are underutilized, then can participate in computation or communication nodes are interconnected by a five dimensional torus network with DMA that optimally maximize the throughput of packet communications between nodes and minimize latency. |
| US09081497B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program
There is provided an information processing apparatus including a press-down detection unit for detecting a press-down operation, and an information processing unit for performing, in a case a plurality of press-down operations are successively detected by the press-down detection unit in a state where first information and second information related to the first information are held, a paste operation of the first information by a first press-down operation and processing according to the second information by a second press-down operation following the first operation. |
| US09081495B2 |
Apparatus and method for processing data in terminal having touch screen
An apparatus and a method for processing data of a terminal are provided. The method includes displaying a feature point extracting method selection window for selecting a feature point extracting method for extracting feature point information which specify data according to displayed data, in a Data save mode which saves at least one data displayed on one screen, extracting the feature point information according to the data by using the feature point extracting method selected through the feature point extracting method selection window, and saving at least one feature point information extracted according to the data as group feature point information. |
| US09081494B2 |
Device, method, and graphical user interface for copying formatting attributes
An electronic device simultaneously displays on a touch-sensitive display a first user interface object and a second user interface object. The second user interface object has formatting attributes, one or more of which are distinct from corresponding formatting attributes in the first user interface object. The device detects a first contact on the first user interface object and a second contact on the second user interface object. While continuing to detect the first contact and the second contact, the device detects movement of the second contact across the touch-sensitive display, and moves the second user interface object in accordance with the movement of the second contact. The device changes one or more formatting attributes for the second user interface object to match corresponding formatting attributes for the first user interface object if the second user interface object contacts the first user interface object while moving. |
| US09081492B2 |
Apparatus, method, computer program and user interface
An apparatus, method, computer program and user interface wherein the apparatus includes a touch sensitive display; and a controller; wherein the apparatus has a restricted mode of operation in which user access to at least some functions of the apparatus is prevented and the touch sensitive display is configured to detect a user input while the apparatus is in the restricted mode of operation wherein the user input comprises actuation of a plurality of points of the touch sensitive display; and the controller is configured, in response to the detection of the user input including actuation of a plurality of points of the touch sensitive display, to control the apparatus to present information without exiting the restricted mode of operation of the apparatus. |
| US09081491B2 |
Controlling and editing media files with touch gestures over a media viewing area using a touch sensitive device
Methods, computer program products, and systems for controlling and editing video using a video editing application running on a touch screen device by using touch gestures on the media viewing area displayed by the video editing application. The methods involve displaying a frame of a video file in a preview area on a touch-sensitive display, detecting one or more touch points making initial contact at respective initial positions on the preview area, detecting the one or more touch points moving over the preview area, and in response to detecting the one or more touch points moving over the preview area determining a direction of motion of the one or more touch points, and if the direction of motion is horizontal, stepping through one or more frames of the video file in the preview area, and if the direction of motion is vertical, setting a cut point on the video file at the displayed frame of the video file. |
| US09081487B2 |
System and method for manipulating an image
A method and system for receiving input from a touch-sensitive device for manipulating an image shown in a display area. The method and system involve receiving an initial input for initializing an image manipulation for generating a mirror image in a mirroring direction, the mirroring direction is defined by a start and an end, the initial input corresponds to an initial location within the display area; receiving a first subsequent input corresponding to a first location, the first location corresponds to the start of the mirroring direction; receiving a second subsequent input corresponding to a second location, the second location corresponds to the end of the mirroring direction, the first and second locations are positioned on opposite sides of the initial location; and in response to the second subsequent input, generating the mirror image by mirroring the image according to the mirroring direction. |
| US09081484B2 |
System and method for creating photo books using video
A system and method are described for creating photo stories using video. The method includes receiving a user request to upload a user-specified video stream; determining whether the video stream meets one or more predetermined requirements, uploading the video stream; analyzing the video stream to select video frames for extraction based on a set of predetermined frame selection criteria; extracting the selected video frames from the video image; selecting a story book template to be used with the video images; and generating a preview of the story book template with the video images within a graphical user interface, the user editing the story book template with text and/or moving or modifying the video frames within the preview. |
| US09081481B2 |
Adjusting list views based on list sorting and item highlighting
The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for dynamically updating list views. In some implementations, a method for expanding items includes presenting media display including a list of a plurality of items. The presented list includes an expanded view of a first item from the plurality of items at a predefined position in the media content. A request to scroll to a second item from the plurality of items is received. A view of the second item is automatically expanding in response to at least the request. The expanded view of the second item is presented at the predefined position in the media display. |
| US09081480B2 |
Multiple menus for use with a graphical user interface
An approach for using multiple menus with a graphical user interface is disclosed. A multiple menu comprises a menu panel with two or more selection regions, each of which is associated with a base menu. A user requests the menu panel without selecting a menu object displayed on a display unit, such as by right-clicking. The menu panel is displayed along with one base menu, and other base menus are displayed by the user moving the cursor to another selection region. The user selects a menu item from a base menu to cause the application to execute the function associated with the menu item. The selection regions of the menu panel do not include information describing the content of the associated base menus. By arranging the base menus around the menu panel, cursor movement is minimized to improve user efficiency in using the application. |
| US09081479B1 |
User interface systems and methods
Systems and methods for providing user interfaces are disclosed. In certain embodiments, a menu having a number of icons can be provided on a display device such that the icons are arranged around an initial cursor position, or an area that is touched by a user's finger or stylus, for example. Due to the icons being arranged around the initial cursor position, any one of the icons from the menu can be chosen with relatively small cursor movement. In certain embodiments, the menu can be divided into regions that overlap with the icons, such that cursor movement from the initial cursor position into a given region has a similar effect as movement into the corresponding icon itself (without actually moving the cursor onto the desired icon). |
| US09081478B2 |
Unified process management software and method
A unified process management system for creating and executing processes from a remote computer, the system comprising a central server having an associated process database, a process builder and a process player tools located on the remote computer. The process builder tool the process builder tool is configured so as to allow a user to create or edit a process by linking smart icons having associated functionalities using directional links and storing the created process in the process database of the central server. The process player tool is configured so as to allow a user to execute a process selected process from a list of available processes in the database. |
| US09081473B2 |
Indicating an object at a remote location
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for identifying an object. In one aspect, a method includes receiving an image of a first location. The image depicts a layout of objects located at the first location and a visual code for each object. A user interface is generated for the first location using the image and the codes. The user interface depicts the objects and a user interface element for each visual code. Each user interface element is selectable to identify the object associated with the visual code. The user interface is provided for display at a second location. Selection data is received that specifies a selection of a particular user interface element. Command data is sent to a computer located at the first location, which causes the computer to highlight the object associated with the visual code of the selected user interface element. |
| US09081471B2 |
Providing modal window views for widgets on web pages
Popup modal windows are provided that allow for expanded views of information corresponding to a widget displayed on a page through an interface. Such a widget can include a grid, long edit box, spreadsheet, or any other such element, such that the widget has a viewable extent larger than can be displayed on a region of the page corresponding to the widget. A user opens a modal window for a widget and resizes and/or move the modal window in order to alter the viewable extent of the widget which is displayed. Edits can be accepted into the widget via the modal window and then be reflected in the view of the widget on the page after the modal window is closed. |
| US09081463B2 |
Systems and methods for run-time editing of a web page
Systems and methods for run-time editing of a web page are provided. In certain embodiments, an engine is provided for enabling run-time editing of a web page. A web page's source code includes code that defines run-time edit capabilities that are permitted for editing content of the output presentation of the page. A run-time edit engine is provided that is operable to interpret the code included in the page's source code that defines the run-time edit capabilities permitted for the page's output presentation. In response to a user requesting to perform run-time editing of an output presentation of a page that is being presented on a browser, a run-time edit engine may enable editing via the browser of the content of the output presentation in accordance with the run-time editing capability defined in the page's source code. |
| US09081461B2 |
Display device
A display device includes a display panel, and a flexible printed circuit that is a wiring connected to a terminal on a glass substrate of the display panel, and transmitting an image signal. The display panel includes a master driver circuit element, a slave driver circuit element, and an inter-driver signal line that is a wiring on the glass substrate for conducting a communication between the master driver circuit element and the slave driver circuit element. The flexible printed circuit includes a connection terminal portion that is connected to the terminal on the glass substrate, and an electromagnetic wave blocking portion that extends from the connection terminal portion toward the display area side, and is arranged on the inter-driver signal line, and has a rear surface conductive pattern which is a planer conductive pattern formed on a surface facing the glass substrate. |
| US09081459B2 |
Touch panel and display device provided with same
The touch panel of the present invention is a touch panel (1) that applies drive signals to drive electrodes (2) and carries out detection on the basis of the variation in the amount of charge that has been induced on detection electrodes (3), and is configured such that when drive signals are being applied to the drive electrodes, complementary signals having a different phase from the drive signals are applied to complementary electrodes (4), and the complimentary electrodes (4) are configured such that the amplitude (ΔVcm) of the complimentary signals satisfies the following formula: ΔVcm=−ΔVdr×(Cfo+Ccr)/Ccm. |
| US09081453B2 |
Single layer capacitive imaging sensors
Embodiments of the invention generally provide an input device that includes a plurality of sensing elements that are interconnected in desired way to acquire positional information of an input object, so that the acquired positional information can be used by other system components to control a display or other useful system components. One or more of the embodiments described herein, utilizes one or more of the techniques and sensor electrode array configuration disclosed herein to reduce or minimize the number of traces and/or electrodes required to sense the position of an input object within a sensing region of the input device. |
| US09081446B2 |
Touch display panels and manufacture methods thereof
A touch display panel is provided and includes a substrate, a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of data lines, a plurality of data output lines, a plurality of thin film transistors, and a plurality of detection capacitors. The gate lines are disposed on the substrate. The data lines are disposed on the substrate. The data lines and the gate lines define a plurality of pixel regions on the substrate. The data output lines are disposed on the substrate, and each data output line is disposed next to one data line. The thin film transistors are respectively disposed in the pixel regions. Each thin film transistor is electrically connected to the corresponding gate line and the corresponding data line. The detection capacitors are respectively disposed in the pixel regions. Each detection capacitor is electrically connected to the corresponding gate line and the corresponding data line. |
| US09081445B2 |
Display and user interface
A touchless method for registering commands from a display (e.g. reconfigurable display) may include any of various components. The method may use a light sensor in front of or behind the display to detect light reflected by a user's finger approaching a control option displayed on the display. Light used to display images may be provided at a frequency and/or time that can be identified by a processor connected to the light sensor, or can possess some other unique property (e.g. color) which may be distinguished by the processor. |
| US09081444B2 |
Touch display apparatus and method of determining touch position using the same
A touch display apparatus includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a light emitting part, a light receiving part and a light transmitting element. The second substrate faces the first substrate. The light emitting part is adjacent to a first side of the first substrate, and generates and emits light to the first substrate. The light receiving part is adjacent to a first side of the second substrate at a same side of the touch display apparatus as the first side of the first substrate, and receives light from the second substrate. The light transmitting element connects a second side of the first substrate opposing the first side of the first substrate to a second side of the second substrate opposing the first side of the second substrate. |
| US09081443B2 |
Shieldless touch sensor noise cancellation
An apparatus may include a controller and a capacitive sensor that includes electrodes. The controller includes a processor and a memory. When logic is executed by the processor, the logic is capable of selecting a first subset of electrodes for measurement and selecting one of the electrodes from a second subset of electrodes as a reference drive electrode. The logic is further capable of determining a difference between a capacitance measurement of the first subset and a capacitance measurement of the reference drive electrode. The logic is also capable of adjust the capacitance measurement of the first electrode based at least in part upon the difference. |
| US09081441B2 |
Method and device for analyzing two-dimension sensing information
A two-dimension (2D) sensing information is analyzed for determining touch related sensing information. The touch related sensing information may include touch related sensing information with inner low values within outer high values and with inner higher values within outer low values. |
| US09081437B2 |
Multi-touch and multi-user detecting device
A system and method are provided to enable the indication positions of respective indicators (e.g., fingers) to be detected (multiple-point detection) and also to enable detection of the users of the indicators (user detection). Signal generators for generating different signals for respective users are provided, and the signals from the signal generators are supplied to a sensor section through indicators. In a multi-touch and multi-user detecting device 1, a transmitting section 200 supplies determined signals to respective transmitting conductors 11Y. Respective receiving conductors 12X receive the signals from the transmitting conductors 11Y and also the signals from the signal generators of the users. Based on these signals, a user-and-position identifying circuit 33A and a position detecting circuit 34A in a receiving section 300A function to detect indication positions indicated by the respective indicators as well as the users using the indicators. |
| US09081435B2 |
Display apparatus
In a display apparatus, one frame includes a first sub-frame in which a previous image is held and a second sub-frame in which a present image is displayed. A plurality of sensors recognizes an object disposed on a display panel and sequentially outputs sensing signals in response to scan signals. Sensing signals are divided into a first sensing signal read out during a first sub-frame and a second sensing signal read out during a second sub-frame, and a control circuit generates a noise free signal using the first and second sensing signals. Thus, a coordinate value indicating the position of the object may be generated based on the noise free signal, thereby preventing mis-operation or malfunction caused by the noise. |
| US09081434B2 |
Touch panel and manufacturing method therefor
Disclosed herein is a touch panel including a glass cover, a light transmitting conductive film, a flexible circuit board, a light blocking print layer, and a colored print layer. |
| US09081433B2 |
Method of processing touch-sensor data and apparatus for performing the same
A method of processing touch-image data includes calculating a plurality of motion vectors using a plurality of low-resolution touch-image data frames, aligning sensing data corresponding to an object detected in the low-resolution touch-image data frames using the motion vectors to generate an overlapped touch-image data frame, generating high-resolution data corresponding to the detected object using the overlapped touch-image data frame and detecting the touch position and generating touch position data of the detected object using the high-resolution touch position data corresponding to the detected object. |
| US09081431B2 |
Touch panel
A touch panel connected to a control circuit and includes a substrate, at least one first sensing series, at least one second sensing series, and at least one third sensing series. The substrate has at least one first sensing region and at least one second sensing region alternatively arranged in a first direction. Each first sensing series extends along the first direction and includes at least one first-first sensing portion located in the first sensing region and at least one second-first sensing portion located in the second sensing region. A pattern or material of the second-first sensing portion is different from that of the first-first sensing portions. Each second sensing series extends along a second direction intersecting with the first direction and is intersected with the first-first sensing portion. Each third sensing series extends in the second direction and is intersected with the second-first sensing portion. |
| US09081429B2 |
Touch control device
A touch control device is provided, comprising a touch control module, a display module, a connecting member, and a ventilation film. The connecting member connects the touch control module with the display module, wherein a chamber is formed between the connecting member, the touch control module, and the display module. Specifically, the connecting member comprises a protruding portion forming a passage and a hole, wherein the passage communicates the chamber with the hole. Additionally, the ventilation film is disposed on the protruding portion and covers the hole, wherein the air in the chamber is exhausted from the touch control device through the passage and the hole. |
| US09081424B2 |
Input device error compensating method and terminal for supporting the same
A method of compensating an error of an input device and an apparatus thereof. An electromagnetic induction pen including a coil for electromagnetic induction spaced apart from a nib of the pen is prepared. A sensor board is provided in the apparatus in which a voltage or current for electromagnetic induction of the electromagnetic induction pen output. A disposition state of the sensor board is determined. The voltage or the current is adjusted and provided to the sensor board formed according to a sensed rotation state of the sensor board or terminal in order to compensate for an error generated due to a distance between the nib and the coil. An error is compensated for by allowing coordinates according to the electromagnetic induction formed on the sensor board and varied with the rotation disposition state of the sensor board to correspond to a position of the nib. |
| US09081422B2 |
System and method in a television controller for providing user-selection of objects in a television program
A system and method in a television controller for providing user-selection of objects in a television program, substantially as shown in and/or described in connection with at least one of the figures, as set forth more completely in the claims. |
| US09081409B2 |
Event detection control system for operating a remote sensor or projectile system
A damage detection and remediation system includes a sensing device for detecting damage events related to a structure of interest. Such damage events may include impact from a ballistic object, a tamper event, a physical impact, or other events that may affect structural integrity or cause failure. Illustratively, the sensing device is in communication with a measurement system to determine damage criteria, and a processing system which is configured to use the damage criteria to determine, for example, a direction of the initiation point of a ballistic causing the damage event. |
| US09081407B2 |
Voltage regulation system and method
A method for regulating a power line voltage includes determining a slow voltage variation by filtering an actual voltage at terminals of the voltage regulation apparatus. A fast active power variation is determined by filtering a measured active power of the DG system; wherein a first frequency of the slow voltage variation is smaller than a second frequency of the fast active power variation. The voltage regulation apparatus settings are controlled based on the slow voltage variation and a reactive power output of the DG system is controlled based on fast active power variation. |
| US09081406B2 |
Static var compensator including series circuits of three phases that are delta-connected to three-phase AC buses
Three-phase thyristor switched capacitors are delta-connected to three-phase AC buses. Each thyristor switched capacitor includes a reactor, a capacitor, and a thyristor switch that are electrically connected in series. The thyristor switches of the three phases are arranged so that the terminal-to-terminal distance between respective thyristor switches of respective phases are not uniform. The three-phase thyristor switched capacitors are configured so that the thyristor switched capacitors of two of the three phases having a shortest terminal-to-terminal distance therebetween are opposite to each other in terms of connection order in which the thyristor switch and the capacitor are electrically connected along a loop path made up of the delta-connected thyristor switched capacitors. |
| US09081405B2 |
Systems, methods and apparatus for encouraging energy conscious behavior based on aggregated third party energy consumption
Accessing an energy management policy for a plurality of devices is described, wherein the devices are coupled with a first structure. The energy usage of the devices is monitored. An energy usage rule and energy usage is then compared. The energy management policy and energy usage is also compared. Based on the comparing, an instruction is generated to modify an energy usage profile of said device to correlate with the energy usage rule associated with the devices and the energy management policy, thereby enabling efficient energy management. |
| US09081404B2 |
Voltage regulator having input stage and current mirror
A voltage regulator includes an output stage including a control terminal and a load path, with the load path coupled between the input terminal and the output terminal. The voltage regulator also includes a control circuit with an input stage, a first current mirror, and a second current mirror. The input stage includes a first control input configured to receive a first reference voltage, a second control input configured to receive a second reference voltage, a feedback input coupled to the output terminal, a first output terminal, and a second output terminal. The first current mirror includes a reference current path coupled between a first supply terminal and the first output terminal of the input stage, and an output current path coupled between the first supply terminal and the control terminal of the pass device. |
| US09081402B2 |
Semiconductor device having a complementary field effect transistor
A method for controlling power supply current in a CMOS circuit, the method including applying a first predetermined voltage to a diode connected n-channel replica transistor, the n-channel replica transistor operating in weak inversion, applying a first substrate voltage to the substrate of the n-channel replica transistor so that the current flowing in the n-channel replica transistor equals a first predetermined target current, and applying the first substrate voltage to substrates of n-channel transistors in the CMOS circuit. |
| US09081401B2 |
Switching regulator and control circuit and control method thereof
The present invention discloses a switching regulator and a control circuit and a control method thereof. The switching regulator generates a compensation signal according to a feedback signal, and generates a driving signal according to the compensation signal, to control a power stage for converting an input voltage to an output voltage. The compensation signal is adjusted according to the input voltage, such that when the input voltage is equal to or lower than a predetermined level, the compensation signal is kept at a predetermined value. |
| US09081394B2 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring a refrigeration-cycle system
A monitoring system for monitoring operation of a refrigerant-cycle system is disclosed. A condenser unit sensor measures an operating characteristic of a condenser unit, the condenser unit including a condenser and a compressor. An evaporator unit sensor measures an operating characteristic of an evaporator unit, the evaporator unit including an evaporator and a fan. An electrical sensor measures an electrical quantity indicative of power consumption of the refrigerant-cycle system. A processing system calculates an efficiency of the refrigerant-cycle system based on the power consumption of the refrigerant-cycle system, the operating characteristic of the condenser unit, and the operating characteristic of the evaporator unit. |
| US09081392B2 |
Mixing valve
A mixing valve (10) includes a valve body (12) having a hot fluid inlet (14), a cold fluid inlet (16), a mixed fluid outlet (18), and a cavity (20) in the valve body (12) between the inlets (14, 16) and the outlet (18). Mixing valve (10) includes a liner (30, 130, 230, 430, 530, 630, 730, 830) positioned in valve body (12) and a valve member (40, 140, 240, 340, 440, 540, 640, 740, 840) movable therein between a first position restricting the flow of hot fluid and a second position. Liner (30, 130, 230, 430, 530, 630, 730, 830) includes a downstream valve seat (74, 174, 274, 474, 574, 674, 774) that, when engaged by valve member (40, 140, 240, 340, 440, 540, 640, 740, 840), restricts flow of hot fluid past valve member (40, 140, 240, 340, 440, 540, 640, 740, 840). |
| US09081389B2 |
Flow control device and flow control method
A water flow control device (27) that may, for example, deliver water to a domestic dwelling (10). The device (27) includes a plurality of valves, which may include three valves (12, 13, 14). The valves (12, 13) are connected to an outlet conduit (16) by means of a flow restriction device (15). The valves (12, 13, 14) are electronically operated and are controlled by a programmable logic controller (PLC) (17). |
| US09081387B2 |
Method and device for the prediction and adaptation of movement trajectories of motor vehicles
A method and a device are for prediction and adaptation of movement trajectories of a vehicle for assisting the driver and/or for preventing or reducing the severity of a collision. Situatively required movement trajectories for assisting the driver or collision avoidance are determined using an environment sensor system. Physically possible movement trajectories are determined from characteristic properties of the driving dynamics of the vehicle and from the coefficient of friction between the tires and the road up to a maximum coefficient of friction. An intersection between the above two sets of trajectories is determined, and only trajectories that are included in this intersection are taken into account for the prediction and adaptation of movement trajectories for the driving assistance or collision avoidance function. |
| US09081378B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for advanced multiple variable control with high dimension multiple constraints
A method and apparatus for multiple variable control of a physical plant with high dimension multiple constraints, includes: mathematically decoupling primary controlled outputs of a controlled physical plant from one another and shaping the pseudo inputs/controlled outputs desired plant dynamics; tracking primary control references and providing pseudo inputs generated by desired primary output tracking for selection; mathematically decoupling constraints from one another; mathematically decoupling constraints from non-traded off primary controlled outputs of the controlled physical plant; shaping the pseudo inputs/constraint outputs desired plant dynamics; tracking constraint control limits; providing pseudo inputs generated by desired constraint output tracking for selection; selecting the most limiting constraints and providing the smooth pseudo inputs for the decoupled primary control; and controlling the physical plant using the decoupled non-traded off primary controlled outputs and the decoupled selected most limiting constraints. |
| US09081375B1 |
Method and system for music program selection
In providing a music program, a personal music player displays personal activity choices. A user selects a personal activity and provides a time duration for the activity. The player sends a request to a music program server for a music program. The request includes the personal activity and the time duration. The music program server selects a music program record from a plurality of music program records that has an activity attribute which matches the personal activity and a program duration which matches or is less than the time duration. The server extracts location information for the music program from the program entry in the music program record, and sends this to the player. The player uses the location information to obtain the music program. In this manner, a music program is provided to a user based on the personal activity of the user. |
| US09081374B2 |
Calibrating algorithms for determining electrical load and lifestyle characteristics
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for calibrating algorithms for determining electrical load and lifestyle characteristics. A model creation module creates an electrical usage model that includes an electrical device usage model for each electrical load assumed to be at simulated premises (an assumed load set). The simulated premises include characteristics from actual premises within an area serviced by an electric utility. A simulation module simulates a number of simulated electrical usages for a number of assumed load sets at the simulated premises. A load prediction module determines if a particular type of load is present within each simulated premises using a load prediction algorithm that includes algorithm parameters. An accuracy module determines an accuracy of the load prediction algorithm and an adjustment module adjusts the algorithm parameters of the load prediction algorithm in response to the determined accuracy. |
| US09081372B2 |
Distributed flight control system implemented according to an integrated modular avionics architecture
A flight control system for an aircraft, intended for controlling a plurality of actuators adapted for actuating control surfaces of the aircraft from information supplied by piloting members and/or sensors of the aircraft. The system includes a primary control system adapted for controlling a first set of control surface actuators and a secondary control system adapted for controlling a second set of control surface actuators, the primary and secondary systems being respectively powered by independent energy sources of different types. |
| US09081367B2 |
Timepiece
Timepiece including a back and display element, the timepiece being inscribed between first and second mutually parallel reference planes, the first plane being tangential to the back, and the second plane lying on the same side as the display element. The timepiece contains a movement which includes a framework. The framework includes at least two components positioned one on each side of a reference axis perpendicular to the first and second planes, on each of which components there are mounted a balance and an escapement, which together respectively form a platform escapement, each balance being mounted to pivot about an axis of rotation in the corresponding component. The framework further includes at least one support element having at least one bearing surface on which at least one of the platform escapements is positioned so that the axis of rotation is inclined with respect to the reference planes and intersects them. |
| US09081365B2 |
Regulating system for a horology movement
A regulating system (110) for a horology movement (12) comprising a first sub-system (11) including: a first oscillator (O111) which includes a first balance (B111) and a first balance spring (S111); a first element (M111) for displacement of the first balance spring (S111); and a first element (A111) for activation of the first displacement element (M111), at an instant, or substantially at an instant, when the speed of the first balance (B111) is zero. |
| US09081361B2 |
Image forming apparatus having controller configured to judge dew condensation
There is provided an image forming apparatus including: an image forming section including a photosensitive body, and an LED array configured to expose the photosensitive body; and a controller configured to: make a judgment of a dew-condensation state of the LED array, and change a power supply state of the LED array based on the dew-condensation state. |
| US09081358B2 |
Fixing apparatus, and image forming apparatus equipped with fixing apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly; a fixing unit including a fixing rotatable member for fixing an unfixed image formed on a recording material, and a frame for accommodating the fixing rotatable member, the fixing unit is detachably mountable to the main assembly; and an air feeding member for feeding air to the fixing rotatable member provided in the main assembly, wherein the frame is provided with an opening for applying the air fed from the air feeding member to the fixing rotatable member, and an openable member movable between a first position for closing the opening and a second position for opening the opening, wherein the openable member moves from the second position to the first position in response to an operation of taking the fixing unit out of the main assembly. |
| US09081356B2 |
Image forming apparatus
In one embodiment of an image forming apparatus of the present invention, the image forming apparatus includes an opening/closing cover that is supported so as to be capable of moving relative to an image forming apparatus main body and opens/closes an opening portion of the image forming apparatus main body; and a unit installed so as to be capable of swinging on an image forming apparatus main body side of the opening/closing cover, in which when the opening/closing cover is opened/closed, the unit moves in a track that moves around a guide shaft of the unit, and in a track that moves so as to follow opening/closing of the opening/closing cover. |
| US09081349B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming method
According to an embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a plurality of recording medium housing portions in which recording mediums to be reused are discriminated and housed respectively for degradation regions that are erased image regions; an obtaining unit to obtain image data;a printing region discriminating unit to discriminate a printing region at the time of printing from the obtained image data to the recording medium; a selecting unit to select the recording medium housing portion in which the recording medium not including the degradation region corresponding to the printing region discriminated by the printing region discriminating unit is housed from a plurality of the recording medium housing portions; and a printing portion to print the image data obtained in the obtaining unit on the recording medium fed from the recording medium housing portion which is selected by the selecting unit. |
| US09081348B2 |
Image forming apparatus and control method therefor
According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes: a toner cartridge which includes a storage section; a toner motor; a toner-motor driving section; a count measuring section configured to measure a driving time of the toner motor and calculate a consumption count value of the toner; an event detecting section configured to detect operation events; a main body counter configured to sequentially update a main body counter value with the consumption count value and stores the main body counter value; a toner counter configured to store a toner counter value in the storage section; a counter comparing section configured to perform counter comparison of the main body counter value and the toner counter value; and an event processing section configured to perform processing for keeping consistency of the main body counter value and the toner counter value on the basis of the counter comparison. |
| US09081346B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a control device executing: a holding process of holding developer attached on an image carrier at a holding member; a moving process of moving the developer from the holding member to the image carrier; and a collection process of collecting the developer attached on the image carrier into a collection member. The control device executes the moving process and the collection process after completing printing. The control device sets a first flag when predetermined time period elapses from start of the moving process and unsets the first flag at start of the printing. When the first flag is not set at a startup time, the control device executes the moving process and the collection process before the printing. When the first flag is set, the control device omits the moving process before the printing. |
| US09081345B2 |
Image forming apparatus
A sheet interval, serving as the distance between conveyed recording materials, is properly controlled based on a kind of a recording material and any one of a printing ratio, an adhesion amount of toner, and the presence or absence of graphic data, thus allowing printing at throughput suitable for, for example, the kind of the recording material and the printing ratio without changing an image forming condition such that image quality does not vary. |
| US09081343B2 |
Image forming apparatus controlling for glossiness
An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device for heating and pressing a toner image on a recording medium, a non-contact heating device arranged downstream of the fixing device for heating the toner image without coming into contact with the toner image, and a pressure contact device arranged downstream of the non-contact heating device and having a smooth surface. The pressure contact device has first and second arrangement states switched according to the kind of the recording medium. In the first arrangement state, the pressure contact device is arranged so as to make pressure contact with the toner image. In the second arrangement state, the pressure contact device is arranged so as not to make pressure contact with the toner image. |
| US09081342B2 |
Fixing device having guide for guiding movement of fusing belt
A fixing device includes: a tubular member; a heater; a nip member including a base portion, a connecting portion, and a flange portion; a backup member; and a guide member. The tubular member is circularly movable in a circularly-moving direction. The guide member has a part positioned upstream of the nip member in the circularly-moving direction and configured to guide the tubular member. The part has an end portion containing a most downstream end at which the tubular member is directed to a position between the nip member and the backup member. The nip member and the guide member define a first imaginary plane containing a line connecting a first curved portion provided by a boundary region between the connecting portion and the base portion, and the most downstream end. The first imaginary plane is positioned opposite to the heater relative to a first end of the flange portion. |
| US09081339B2 |
Fixing device and image formation device
Disclosed are a fixing device and an image formation device. The fixing device includes first and second sensors used to respectively detect first and second temperatures; first and second calculators used to respectively calculate, during a process of starting a heating source, first and second temperature gradients; a parameter storage used to store at least first and second temperature gradient thresholds; a determination part used to get a determination result; an information generation part used to generate, based on the determination result, restart prompt information indicating that the image formation device needs to be restarted because the voltage of an electrical source is too low; and an information transmission part used to transmit the restart prompt information to a display device. |
| US09081333B2 |
Image forming apparatus and transfer bias application device therein
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a transfer member disposed facing the image bearing member to form a transfer region therebetween, a transfer bias application device to apply to the transfer region a transfer bias including a direct current (DC) component and an alternating current (AC) component to transfer the toner image onto the recording medium as the recording medium passes through the transfer region, and a controller operatively connected to the transfer bias application device to allow, during a bias change period in a sheet absent period in which the image bearing member rotates and no recording medium passes through the transfer region, the transfer bias application device to selectively apply to the transfer region one of the transfer bias without the AC component and the transfer bias with a peak-to-peak voltage of the AC component less than that applied in image formation. |
| US09081330B2 |
Developing device and image forming apparatus
A developing device includes a developing-device body that includes a supply opening to which toner is supplied and a transporting member that is provided in the developing-device body and that transports the toner and a carrier while stirring the toner and the carrier. The transporting member includes a rotating shaft, a first transporting section, and a second transporting section. The first transporting section and the second transporting section are spirally formed around the rotating shaft. The number of spirals of the first transporting section is less than the number of spirals of the second transporting section. At least a portion of the first transporting section opposes the supply opening of the developing-device body. The second transporting section is formed at a portion other than the first transporting section that opposes the supply opening. |
| US09081326B2 |
Toner cartridge with memory for image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus mounted with a toner cartridge having a memory unit includes a toner cartridge which stores a plurality of control data depending on toner in the memory unit, an acquisition unit which selects one of the plurality of control data in the memory unit and acquires image formation-related information and a setting unit which sets image formation parameters on the basis of the image formation-related information. |
| US09081324B2 |
Developing device and image forming apparatus
A developing device is equipped with a photoreceptor drum on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a developing roller that supplies toner to the electrostatic latent image of the photoreceptor drum, a supply roller, a regulating roller, and a toner recovery unit that recovers at least toner adhering to the developing roller. The toner recovery unit includes a recovery member in which toner is recovered and which is disposed beneath the developing roller, the supply roller, and the regulating roller so as to be detachable. |
| US09081319B2 |
Electrophotographic photoconductor, manufacturing method thereof, and electrophotographic device
Provided is an electrophotographic photoconductor that has good coating solution stability and metal oxide dispersibility, is free of image defects including ground fogging and black spots, and affords good image characteristics in various environments, as well as a manufacturing method therefore and a device including the same. The electrophotographic photoconductor includes a conductive substrate; an undercoat layer; and a photosensitive layer. The undercoat layer contains, as a main component, a resin obtained by polymerizing, as starting materials, an aromatic dicarboxylic acid, at least one aliphatic dicarboxylic acid having 8 or more carbon atoms, and at least one diamine having a cycloalkane structure, and further contains a metal oxide. The aromatic dicarboxylic acid in the resin is present in an amount that ranges from 0.1 to 10 mol %, and the resin has an acid value and a base value that are each no greater than 10 KOH mg/g. |
| US09081313B2 |
Electrophotographic photoconductor, production method thereof, and electrophotographic device
An electrophotographic photoconductor including, in the order recited: a conductive substrate; an undercoat layer provided on the conductive substrate; and a photoconductive layer provided on the undercoat layer and containing at least a phthalocyanine compound as a charge generation material and, as a resin binder, a polyvinyl acetal resin composed of a repeating unit represented by formula (1): where, in formula (1), R is a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, an ethyl group or a propyl group; x, y and z represent mol % of the respective structural units, where x+y+z=100; n is an integer from 1 to 5; a degree of acetalization (x+z) is 86 to 99 mol %; and a molar ratio (x:z) of the structural units is 95:5 to 50:50. |