最新美国发明专利
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US09112040B2 Amorphous oxide thin film transistor, method for manufacturing the same, and display panel
Embodiments of the disclosed technology provide an amorphous oxide thin film transistor (TFT), a method for preparing an amorphous oxide TFT, and a display panel. The amorphous oxide thin film transistor includes: a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer, a semiconductor active layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode. The semiconductor active layer comprises a channel layer and an ohmic contact layer, and the channel layer has a greater content of oxygen than the ohmic contact layer; the channel layer contacts the gate insulating layer, and the ohmic contact layer comprises two separated ohmic contact regions, one of which contacts the source electrode and the other of which contacts the drain electrode.
US09112039B2 Field-effect transistor, display element, image display device, and system
A field-effect transistor, which contains: a gate electrode configured to apply gate voltage; a source electrode and a drain electrode, which are configured to extract electric current; an active layer formed of a n-type oxide semiconductor, provided in contact with the source electrode and the drain electrode; and a gate insulating layer provided between the gate electrode and the active layer, wherein the n-type oxide semiconductor is a triclinic crystal compound, a monoclinic crystal compound, or a trigonal crystal compound, each of which is substitutionally doped with at least one dopant selected from the group consisting of a divalent cation, a trivalent cation, a tetravalent cation, a pentavalent cation, and a hexavalent cation, and wherein a valence of the dopant is greater than a valence of a metal ion constituting the n-type oxide semiconductor, excluding the dopant.
US09112035B2 Semiconductor substrate, field-effect transistor, integrated circuit, and method for fabricating semiconductor substrate
A semiconductor substrate includes a substrate, an insulating layer, and a semiconductor layer. The insulating layer is over and in contact with the substrate. The insulating layer includes at least one of an amorphous metal oxide and an amorphous metal nitride. The semiconductor layer is over and in contact with the insulating layer. The semiconductor layer is formed by crystal growth.
US09112032B1 Methods of forming replacement gate structures on semiconductor devices
One illustrative method disclosed herein includes, among other things, forming a fin protection layer around a fin, forming a sacrificial gate electrode above a section of the fin protection layer, forming at least one sidewall spacer adjacent the sacrificial gate electrode, removing the sacrificial gate electrode to define a gate cavity that exposes a portion of the fin protection layer, oxidizing at least the exposed portion of the fin protection layer to thereby form an oxidized portion of the fin protection layer, and removing the oxidized portion of the fin protection layer so as to thereby expose a surface of the fin within the gate cavity.
US09112026B2 Semiconductor devices and method of making the same
In one embodiment, the semiconductor devices relate to using one or more super junction trenches for termination.
US09112022B2 Super junction structure having a thickness of first and second semiconductor regions which gradually changes from a transistor area into a termination area
A super junction semiconductor device includes a super junction structure including first and second areas alternately arranged along a first lateral direction and extending in parallel along a second lateral direction. Each one of the first areas includes a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type. Each one of the second areas includes, along the first lateral direction, an inner area between opposite second semiconductor regions of a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type. A width w1 of the first of the first semiconductor region in a transistor cell area is greater than in an edge termination area, and a width w2 of each one of the second semiconductor regions in the transistor cell area is greater than in the edge termination area.
US09112018B2 Insulating substrate, method of manufacturing the same, and semiconductor device
An insulating substrate includes: a transparent insulating layer; a first metal layer that is provided on a first face of the transparent insulating layer; and a second metal layer that is provided on a second face of the transparent insulating layer that is opposite from the first face. The first face of the transparent insulating layer is formed with an exposed section that is an area not provided with the first metal layer. The second metal layer includes an area that is overlapped with the exposed section when seen in an orthogonal direction to the first face.
US09112015B2 Semiconductor devices
In a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same, the semiconductor device includes a gate structure crossing an active region of a silicon substrate. Spacers are provided on both sides of the gate structure, respectively. Silicon patterns fill up recessed portions of the silicon substrate and on both sides of the spacers and has a shape protruding higher than a bottom surface of the gate structure, a lower edge of the protruded portion partially makes contact with a top surface of the isolation region, a first side and a second side of each of the silicon patterns, which are opposite to each other in a channel width direction in the gate structure, are inclined toward an inside of the active region. A highly doped impurity region is provided in the silicon patterns and doped with an N type impurity. The semiconductor device represents superior threshold voltage characteristics.
US09112008B2 MEMS device and method of forming the same
A MEMS device and a forming method thereof are provided. The MEMS device includes a semiconductor substrate with a well region formed therein. A source region, a drain region and a channel region are formed in the well region. The source region and the drain region are covered by an isolating layer, and the channel region is covered by a gate dielectric layer. The device further includes a gate electrode layer which is disposed above the gate dielectric layer, with a gap disposed therebetween. The width of the gap corresponds to the width of the channel region. The MEMS can work well at high voltages with less leakage current.
US09112007B2 Through via structure and method
An apparatus comprises a through via formed in a substrate. The through via is coupled between a first side and a second side of the substrate. The through via comprises a bottom portion adjacent to the second side of the substrate, wherein the bottom portion is formed of a conductive material. The through via further comprises sidewall portions formed of the conductive material and a middle portion formed between the sidewall portions, wherein the middle portion is formed of a dielectric material.
US09111996B2 Semiconductor-on-insulator structure and method of fabricating the same
Methods for forming a layer of semiconductor material are provided. A substrate is provided. An amorphous layer is formed over the substrate, where the amorphous layer includes a semiconductor or a semiconductor alloy. A seed wafer is bonded to the amorphous layer, where the seed wafer includes a crystalline semiconductor structure. A solid-phase epitaxial (SPE) growth process is performed to crystallize the amorphous layer, where the SPE growth process uses the crystalline semiconductor structure of the seed wafer as a crystal template. The seed wafer is debonded from the structure.
US09111994B2 Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same
A semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate in which a multi-depth trench is formed, the multi-depth trench including a shallow trench and a deep trench arranged below the shallow trench, a first dielectric material formed in partial area of the multi-depth trench, the first dielectric material including a slope in the shallow trench that extends upward from a corner where a bottom plane of the shallow trench and a sidewall of the deep trench meets, the slope being inclined with respect to the bottom plane of the shallow trench, and a second dielectric material formed in areas of the multi-depth trench in which the first dielectric material is absent.
US09111992B2 Semiconductor device including an n-well structure
A device comprising a p-type base region, and a p-type region formed over the p-type base region and in contact with the p-type base region is disclosed. The device also includes an n-well region surrounded by the p-type region, wherein the n-well is formed from an n-type epitaxial layer and the p-type region is formed by counter-doping the same n-type epitaxial layer.
US09111991B2 Method of thin silicon deposition for enhancement of on current and surface characteristics of semiconductor device
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is provided. A fin portion protruding from a substrate is formed. A sacrificial layer is formed to cover top and side surfaces of the fin portion. A gate dielectric is formed on the fin portion by oxidizing the sacrificial layer.
US09111986B2 Self-aligned emitter-base-collector bipolar junction transistors with a single crystal raised extrinsic base
Fabrication methods, device structures, and design structures for a bipolar junction transistor. An intrinsic base layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate, an etch stop layer is formed on the intrinsic base layer, and an extrinsic base layer is formed on the etch stop layer. A trench is formed that penetrates through the extrinsic base layer to the etch stop layer. The trench is formed by etching the extrinsic base layer selective to the etch stop layer. The first trench is extended through the etch stop layer to the intrinsic base layer by etching the etch stop layer selective to the intrinsic base layer. After the trench is extended through the etch stop layer, an emitter is formed using the trench.
US09111983B1 Methods for removing adhesive layers from semiconductor wafers
Various embodiments of semiconductor manufacturing methods include releasing a transparent carrier from a semiconductor wafer assembly that includes a semiconductor wafer in which a plurality of semiconductor devices are formed, an adhesive layer coupled to the semiconductor wafer, a carrier release layer coupled to the adhesive layer, and the transparent carrier coupled to the carrier release layer. The method further includes controlling a laser system to emit a first beam characterized by first laser parameters toward the adhesive layer, where the first laser parameters are selected so that the first beam will compromise a physical integrity of the adhesive layer. The method further includes, after controlling the laser system to emit the first beam toward the adhesive layer, removing the adhesive layer from the semiconductor wafer.
US09111981B2 Method for reversibly mounting a device wafer to a carrier substrate
New temporary bonding methods and articles formed from those methods are provided. The methods comprise bonding a device wafer to a carrier wafer or substrate only at their outer perimeters in order to assist in protecting the device wafer and its device sites during subsequent processing and handling. The edge bonds formed by this method are chemically and thermally resistant, but can also be softened, dissolved, or mechanically disrupted to allow the wafers to be easily separated with very low forces and at or near room temperature at the appropriate stage in the fabrication process.
US09111971B2 System and method for temperature control of a semiconductor wafer
A semiconductor wafer is received at a first chamber that is at a first pressure level. The semiconductor wafer is at a first temperature and is heated, by a first heating module, to a second temperature while the pressure level of the first chamber is reduced from the first pressure level to a second pressure level. The semiconductor wafer is then provided to a supporting element of a second chamber which maintains a third pressure level that is closer to the second pressure level than to the first pressure level; the supporting element being at a third temperature that is closer to the second temperature than to the first temperature.
US09111966B2 Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method
A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a substrate holder which holds a substrate having a pattern formed in a surface of the substrate in a predetermined positional relationship with a reference indicator of the substrate; and a cleaner which abuts an adhesive member on the surface of the substrate which is held by the substrate holder and peels off the adhesive member along the surface of the substrate in a peeling direction which is not at right angle to a direction of the pattern, thereby cleaning the surface of the substrate.
US09111962B1 Selective dielectric spacer deposition for exposing sidewalls of a finFET
Angled directional ion beams are directed to sidewalls of a gate structure that straddles at least one semiconductor fin. The directions of the angled directional ion beams are contained within a vertical plane that is parallel to the sidewalls of the at least one semiconductor. A pair of gate spacers are formed on sidewalls of the gate structure by accumulation of the deposited dielectric material from the angled directional ion beams and without use of an anisotropic etch, while the sidewalls of the semiconductor fins parallel to the directional ion beams remain physically exposed. A selective epitaxy process can be performed to form raised active regions by growing a semiconductor material from the sidewalls of the semiconductor fins.
US09111954B2 Power conversion module
A power conversion module includes a circuit carrier board, a semiconductor module and an inductor module. The circuit carrier board has plural bonding pads. The semiconductor module is disposed on a first surface of the circuit carrier board. The inductor module has plural pins. The pins are extended from the inductor module along a first direction and connected with corresponding bonding pads on the circuit carrier board, so that a receptacle is defined between the inductor module and the circuit carrier board for accommodating the semiconductor module.
US09111953B2 Integrated circuit devices with capacitor and methods of manufacturing the same
An integrated circuit device with capacitors and methods of forming the integrated circuit device are provided. The methods may include forming a first lower capacitor electrode pattern on an inner surface of a hole in a mold layer. The first lower capacitor electrode pattern may have a hollow cylindrical shape and an opening in an upper surface. The method may further include forming a second lower capacitor electrode pattern plugging the opening and an upper surface of the second lower capacitor electrode pattern may be planar. The first and the second lower capacitor electrode patterns may comprise a lower capacitor electrode including a void. Additionally, the method may include removing the mold layer to expose the lower capacitor electrode, forming a dielectric layer on the lower capacitor electrode, and forming an upper capacitor electrode layer on the dielectric layer.
US09111947B2 Chip arrangement with a recessed chip housing region and a method for manufacturing the same
A chip arrangement may include: a semiconductor chip; an encapsulating structure at least partially encapsulating the semiconductor chip, the encapsulating structure having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the encapsulating structure including a recess over the first side of the encapsulating structure, the recess having a bottom surface located at a first level; and at least one electrical connector disposed at the first side of the encapsulating structure outside the recess, wherein a surface of the at least one electrical connector facing the encapsulating structure may be disposed at a second level different from the first level.
US09111939B2 Metallization of fluorocarbon-based dielectric for interconnects
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards metallization of a fluorocarbon-based dielectric material for interconnect applications. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate, a device layer disposed on the semiconductor substrate, the device layer including one or more transistor devices, and an interconnect layer disposed on the device layer, the interconnect layer comprising a fluorocarbon-based dielectric material, where x represents a stoichiometric quantity of fluorine relative to carbon in the dielectric material, and one or more interconnect structures configured to route electrical signals to or from the one or more transistor devices, the one or more interconnect structures comprising cobalt (Co), or ruthenium (Ru), or combinations thereof. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09111934B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes an electric fuse and first and second large area wirings for applying a voltage to the electric fuse. The electric fuse includes a fuse unit which includes an upper-layer fuse wiring, a lower-layer fuse wiring, and a via connecting the upper-layer fuse wiring and the lower-layer fuse wiring, an upper-layer lead-out wiring which connects the upper-layer fuse wiring and the first large area wiring and has a bent pattern, and a lower-layer lead-out wiring which connects the lower-layer fuse wiring and the second large area wiring and has a bent pattern.
US09111933B2 Stacked through-silicon via (TSV) transformer structure
A distributed active transformer is provided comprising a primary and a secondary winding. The primary winding comprises a first set of conductive vias extending in a direction between a first surface and a second surface of an element, a first set of first electrically conductive lines extending along the first surface, and a first set of second electrically conductive lines extending along the second surface. The secondary winding comprises a second set of conductive vias extending in a direction between the first surface and the second surface, a second set of first electrically conductive lines extending along the first surface, and a second set of second electrically conductive lines extending along the second surface. When energized, the primary winding generates magnetic flux extending in a direction parallel to the first surface and the second surface. The secondary winding receives energy transferred by the magnetic flux generated by the primary winding.
US09111931B2 Method of forming an interconnect structure with high process margins
A method of forming an interconnect structure with high process margin. The present invention provides higher aligning margin for the connection of via parts and line parts. The method for forming the interconnect structure includes the steps of: forming a first mask layer with a plurality of first openings over the first insulating layer; forming a second insulating layer over the mask layer; forming a second mask layer with a plurality of second openings over the second insulating layer; performing an etching process by using the second mask layer to form a plurality of cavities penetrating through the second insulating layer, the first mask layer, and the first insulating layer; and filling the plurality of cavities with at least one conductive material.
US09111927B2 Space and cost efficient incorporation of specialized input-output pins on integrated circuit substrates
In some embodiments an Integrated Circuit package includes a plurality of system functional pins, at least one system functional pin depopulation zone, and at least one non-system functional pin located in the at least one functional pin depopulation zone. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09111923B2 Wiring substrate having conductive bumps with resin sealing between bumps and method of making
A wiring substrate may include: a base having a predetermined thickness; a plurality of electrode portions formed to protrude on one surface in a thickness direction of the base; a wiring provided in the base and electrically connected to the electrode portions; and a resin layer formed on the base to fill between the plurality of electrode portions. An upper surface of the resin layer may be formed in a concave shape lower than a maximum height of the electrode portion, and an upper surface of the electrode portion and the upper surface of the resin layer form a continuous curved surface.
US09111922B2 Semiconductor device with step portion having shear surfaces
A semiconductor device includes a source electrode pad formed to a front surface of a semiconductor chip and a metal clip (metal plate) to which a lead is electrically connected. The metal clip includes a chip-connecting portion electrically connected to the source electrode pad via a conductive bonding material, a lead-connecting portion electrically connected to the lead via a conductive bonding material, and an intermediate portion positioned between the chip-connecting portion and the lead-connecting portion. Further, between the intermediate portion and the chip-connecting portion, a step portion, which has shear surfaces disposed to face each other, is provided interposing a joining portion.
US09111916B2 In situ-built pin-grid arrays for coreless substrates, and methods of making same
A coreless pin-grid array (PGA) substrate includes PGA pins that are integral to the PGA substrate without the use of solder. A process of making the coreless PGA substrate integrates the PGA pins by forming a build-up layer upon the PGA pins such that vias make direct contact to pin heads of the PGA pins.
US09111915B1 Thermal conduction cooling
An assembly including a substrate that includes a plurality of conductive plane layers including a first group and a second group of common conductive plane layers, where electrically isolated first and second attach pads are on an edge surface of the substrate and at least thermally coupled to the first and second groups of common conductive plane layers, respectively. A surface mount technology (SMT) component, such as a thermal jumper, mounted on the first and second attach pads such that the SMT component is at least thermally coupled to the first and second groups of common conductive plane layers via the first and second attach pads, respectively. Methods of forming such an assembly also are disclosed.
US09111909B2 Method of forming a CMOS structure having gate insulation films of different thicknesses
The semiconductor integrated circuit device employs on the same silicon substrate a plurality of kinds of MOS transistors with different magnitudes of tunnel current flowing either between the source and gate or between the drain and gate thereof. These MOS transistors include tunnel-current increased MOS transistors at least one of which is for use in constituting a main circuit of the device. The plurality of kinds of MOS transistors also include tunnel-current reduced or depleted MOS transistors at least one of which is for use with a control circuit. This control circuit is inserted between the main circuit and at least one of the two power supply units.
US09111903B2 Heat dissipation device with fastener
A heat dissipation device includes a conductive plate and a fastener. The fastener includes a fastening element and an elastic element coiled around the fastening element. The fastening element includes a pole portion and a head portion formed at one end of the pole portion. The conductive plate defines a supporting portion through the conductive plate. The supporting portion defines a hole, an upper groove and a lower groove communicating with one another. The upper groove and the lower groove are coaxial with each other. A flange protrudes from a circumference of the pole portion. The pole portion enters the upper groove. The flange abuts a bottom of the conductive plate and is received in the lower groove. The elastic element elastically abuts the top of the conductive plate.
US09111902B2 Dielectric trenches, nickel/tantalum oxide structures, and chemical mechanical polishing techniques
A portion of a conductive layer (310, 910) provides a capacitor electrode (310.0, 910.0). Dielectric trenches (410, 414, 510) are formed in the conductive layer to insulate the capacitor electrode from those portions of the conductive layer which are used for conductive paths passing through the electrode but insulated from the electrode. Capacitor dielectric (320) can be formed by anodizing tantalum while a nickel layer (314) protects an underlying copper (310) from the anodizing solution. This protection allows the tantalum layer to be made thin to obtain large capacitance. Chemical mechanical polishing of a layer (610) is made faster, and hence possibly less expensive, by first patterning the layer photolithographically to form, and/or increase in height, upward protrusions of this layer.
US09111894B2 MOFSET mismatch characterization circuit
A semiconductor device comprises a plurality of transistor mismatch circuits formed on a semiconductor wafer; and a characterization circuit formed on the semiconductor wafer. The characterization circuit is coupled to receive input provided by the absolute value circuits simultaneously which themselves receive inputs from the mismatch circuits simultaneously and is configured to output a standard deviation of mismatch between transistors in the mismatch circuits.
US09111893B2 Display device
A display device including pixels, in which each of the pixels includes: a positive power supply line and a negative power supply line; a drive transistor that drives a current in a current path according to a gate-source voltage; an organic EL element including an anode and a cathode that are disposed in the current path; an electrostatic storage capacitor that stores the gate-source voltage by having a first electrode connected to a gate of the drive transistor, and a second electrode connected to a source of the drive transistor; a switch transistor that switches a conduction state between the second electrode and a data line; and a switch transistor for applying a negative power supply line voltage to the first electrode. A potential difference between a first power supply line voltage VDDp and a second power line voltage VEEp decreases with proximity to the center of a display unit.
US09111892B2 Organic electroluminescence display panel and method of manufacturing same
A organic EL display panel includes an inter-layer insulation film, a pixel electrode, auxiliary wiring, a partition layer, an organic light-emitting layer, and a common electrode. The inter-layer insulation film has at least one paired concave portion and non-concave portion disposed in a region over the auxiliary wiring, a top face of the concave portion being concave with respect to a top face of the non-concave portion, and the auxiliary wiring includes a part over the concave portion and a part over the non-concave portion, a top face of the part over the concave portion being concave with respect to a top face of the part over the non-concave portion.
US09111891B2 EL display apparatus and manufacturing method thereof
EL display device with long lifetime for electrons being injected into a light-emission layer at a high rate, and method of manufacturing the EL display device are provided. The EL display device includes: base; pixel electrode on the base; auxiliary wiring on the base, the auxiliary wiring not overlapping with the pixel electrode; light-emission layer above the pixel electrode; charge transport layer above the auxiliary wiring and the pixel electrode, the charge transport layer continuously extending over the auxiliary wiring and the pixel electrode; and common electrode on the charge transport layer, the common electrode continuously extending over the auxiliary wiring and connected with the auxiliary wiring. The common electrode includes at least one metal selected from a group consisting of alkali metals and alkaline-earth metals.
US09111890B2 Organic light emitting display device
An organic light emitting display device including: a first emission area including a first organic light emitting diode; a second emission area arranged adjacent to the first emission area and not overlapping with the first emission area, the second emission area including a second organic light emitting diode; a pixel circuit unit electrically connected to the first organic light emitting diode and the second organic light emitting diode; and a transmissive area adjacent to the first and second emission areas and not overlapping with the first and second emission areas, the transmissive area configured to transmit external light therethrough.
US09111882B1 Organic light emitting device and fabricating method thereof
A fabricating method of an organic light emitting device is provided. First to fourth lower pixel electrodes are respectively formed in first to fourth pixel regions of a substrate. By ink-jet printing processes, an interlayer is formed on the first to fourth lower pixel electrodes, and first to third color patterns are respectively formed on the interlayer in the first to third pixel regions. A fourth color layer is formed to cover the first to third color patterns and the interlayer in the fourth pixel region. Colors of the first to third color patterns and the fourth color layer are different. An upper pixel electrode is formed on the fourth color layer. A color filter arranging over the upper pixel electrode filters out a first color light, a second color light, light of third and fourth colors, and the fourth color light corresponding to the first to fourth pixel regions.
US09111880B2 Method of forming a pattern in a semiconductor device and method of forming a gate using the same
A method of forming a pattern in a semiconductor device is described. A substrate divided into cell and peripheral regions is provided, and an object layer is formed on a substrate. A buffer pattern is formed on the object layer in the cell region along a first direction. A spacer is formed along a sidewall of the buffer pattern in the cell region, and a hard mask layer remains on the object layer in the peripheral region. The buffer layer is removed, and the spacer is separated along a second direction different from the first direction, thereby forming a cell hard mask pattern. A peripheral hard mask pattern is formed in the peripheral region. A minute pattern is formed using the cell and peripheral hard mask patterns in the substrate. Therefore, a line width variation or an edge line roughness due to the photolithography process is minimized.
US09111878B2 Method for forming a semiconductor device assembly having a heat spreader
A method includes providing an integrated circuit (IC) die assembly that includes a substrate and an IC die mounted on a portion of a major surface of the substrate, dispensing an interface material on the IC die, positioning a portion of a heat spreader in contact with the interface material, and dispensing an adhesive between one side of the heat spreader facing the IC die assembly and exposed portions of a major surface of an encapsulant on the substrate.
US09111876B2 Methods for atomic layer etching
Provided are methods of etching a substrate using atomic layer deposition apparatus. Atomic layer deposition apparatus including a gas distribution plate with a thermal element are discussed. The thermal element is capable of locally changing the temperature of a portion of the surface of the substrate to vaporize an etch layer deposited on the substrate.
US09111875B2 Pattern formation method
According to one embodiment, a pattern formation method includes forming a layer above an underlying layer. The layer includes a block copolymer. The method further includes forming a first phase including a first polymer and a second phase including a second polymer in the layer by phase-separating the block copolymer, and selectively removing the first phase by dry etching the layer using an etching gas including carbon monoxide.
US09111874B2 Semiconductor structures and fabrication method thereof
A method is provided for fabricating a semiconductor structure. The method includes providing a to-be-etched layer; and forming a hard mask layer on the to-be-etched layer. The method also includes forming a photoresist layer on the hard mask layer; and forming a patterned photoresist layer having openings exposing the hard mask layer by exposing and developing the photoresist layer. Further, the method includes forming sidewall spacers on side surfaces of the openings; and forming a patterned hard mask layer by etching the hard mask layer using the patterned photoresist layer and the sidewall spacers as an etching mask such that patterns in the hard mask layer have a substantially right angle at edge. Further, the method also includes forming to-be-etched patterns by etching the to-be-etched layer based on the patterned hard mask layer.
US09111873B2 Low profile magnetic filter
A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber having a plasma processing space therein and a substrate support in the processing chamber at a first end for supporting a substrate. A plasma source is coupled into the processing space and configured to form a plasma at a second end of the processing chamber opposite said first end. The apparatus further includes a magnetic grid having an intensity of a magnetic flux therein, a plurality of passageways penetrating from a first side to a second side, a thickness, a transparency, a passageway aspect ratio, and a position within the processing chamber between the second end and the substrate. The intensity, the thickness, the transparency, the passageway aspect ratio, and the position are configured to cause electrons having energies above an acceptable maximum level to divert from the direction. A method of obtaining low average electron energy flux onto the substrate is also provided.
US09111871B2 Semiconductor structure and method for forming the same
Various embodiments provide semiconductor structures and methods for forming the same. In an exemplary method, a substrate can be provided. The substrate can have a plurality of isolation structures. A top surface of the plurality of isolation structures can be higher than a surface of the substrate. A device layer can be formed on the substrate and on the plurality of isolation structures. The device layer can be polished using a polishing process, such that the top surface of the plurality of isolation structures are exposed, with residue remaining on the device layer and on the plurality of isolation structures. The residue can be removed from the device layer and from the plurality of isolation structures using a non-polishing-removal process, such that the top surface of the plurality of isolation structures and a top surface of the device layer are substantially leveled and smooth.
US09111868B2 Semiconductor device with selectively etched surface passivation
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate configured to include a channel, first and second ohmic contacts supported by the semiconductor substrate, in ohmic contact with the semiconductor substrate, and spaced from one another for current flow between the first and second ohmic contacts through the channel, and first and second dielectric layers supported by the semiconductor substrate. At least one of the first and second ohmic contacts extends through respective openings in the first and second dielectric layers. The second dielectric layer is disposed between the first dielectric layer and a surface of the semiconductor substrate, and the second dielectric layer includes a wet etchable material having an etch selectivity to a dry etchant of the first dielectric layer.
US09111862B2 Semiconductor apparatus and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor apparatus and a manufacturing method therefor is described. The semiconductor apparatus comprises a substrate and a gate structure for a N-channel semiconductor device above the substrate. A recess is formed at a lower end portion of at least one of two sides of the gate where it is adjacent to a source region and a drain region, of the N-channel semiconductor. The channel region of the N-channel semiconductor device has enhanced strain. The apparatus can further have a gate structure for a P-channel semiconductor device above the substrate.
US09111860B2 Ion implantation system and method
An ion implantation system and method, providing cooling of dopant gas in the dopant gas feed line, to combat heating and decomposition of the dopant gas by arc chamber heat generation, e.g., using boron source materials such as B2F4 or other alternatives to BF3. Various arc chamber thermal management arrangements are described, as well as modification of plasma properties, specific flow arrangements, cleaning processes, power management, eqillibrium shifting, optimization of extraction optics, detection of deposits in flow passages, and source life optimization, to achieve efficient operation of the ion implantation system.
US09111859B2 Non-volatile memory device
According to an embodiment, a non-volatile memory device includes a first interconnection extending in a first direction, a plurality of second interconnections provided side by side on the first interconnection and extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction and a memory layer provided on a side surface of each second interconnection. The device also includes a control element provided between each of the second interconnections and the first interconnection, an element part extending in the second direction, and a control electrode facing a side surface of the element part via a first insulating film. An adjustment part is provided on the first interconnection and adjacent to a control element connected to a second interconnection disposed at an end position of the second interconnections arranged in the first direction, and a first outer electrode provided between the adjustment part and the control element disposed at the end position.
US09111858B2 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device and method for manufacturing the same
A non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes a cell array layer including a first wire, one or more memory cells stacked on the first wire, and a second wire formed on the memory cell so as to cross the first wire, wherein the memory cell includes a current rectifying element and a variable resistance element, and an atomic composition ratio of nitrogen is higher than that of oxygen in a part of a sidewall of the current rectifying element.
US09111846B1 Assembly structure for connecting multiple dies into a system-in-package chip and the method thereof
The present invention discloses an efficient way to connect multiple integrated circuit dies using redistribution layers (RDL) for making wire connections. Antenna diodes are used to create ground paths so as to remove non-sticking pads on the RDL to ensure the integrity of the wire connections before packaging the multiple integrated circuit dies into a system-in-package (SIP) chip, thereby eliminating unnecessary yield loss in a functional test caused by the non-sticking pads. In another aspect, electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection can be provided through the antenna diodes across two different power domains by disposing a diode in one integrated circuit die for ESD protection of a terminal in another integrated circuit die.
US09111843B2 LED display apparatus having active devices and fabrication method thereof
An active matrix LED display apparatus and a fabrication method thereof are provided. The active matrix LED display apparatus enables to miniaturize pixel by a formation of wiring on bottom layer and an assembly of each block through each eutectic layer into each transistor block receptor and/or each LED block receptor formed according to each color element unit, and to be embodied with high luminance, low power consumption, high reliability and superior optical property by assembling a transistor block having high electron mobility. And the fabricating method of the present invention enables to make efficiently an AM-LED display apparatus at room temperature in a short time by using different shapes of receptor and block depending on the function of a transistor and/or on the color of an LED.
US09111842B2 Display device
A display device having a first pixel electrode and a second pixel electrode whose areas are different from each other is provided. In the display device, the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode are electrically connected to a first transistor and a second transistor, respectively. Gates of the first transistor and the second transistor are electrically connected to each other. A potential is supplied to the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode through a wiring electrically connected to the first transistor and the second transistor.
US09111837B2 Image sensor
The present invention relates to an image sensor capable of obtaining a good-quality image with a simple configuration.A pixel accumulates a charge by performing photoelectric conversion on incident light, and outputs a pixel signal corresponding to the charge. A vertical scanning circuit controls the pixel to cause the pixel to perform a shutter process of discharging an unnecessary charge accumulated in the pixel, a charge accumulation process of accumulating a charge generated through photoelectric conversion in a predetermined exposure time in the pixel, and a read process of outputting a pixel signal corresponding to the charge accumulated in the pixel in the charge accumulation process. Also, the control means causes the charge generated through photoelectric conversion in the pixel to be discharged in a non-accumulation period, which is a period other than a period when the shutter process is being performed, a period when the charge accumulation process is being performed, and a period when the read process is being performed. The present invention can be applied to a CMOS sensor, for example.
US09111834B2 Solid-state imaging device and electronic apparatus
A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel region in which shared pixels which share pixel transistors in a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions are two-dimensionally arranged. The shared pixel transistors are divisionally arranged in a column direction of the shared pixels, the pixel transistors shared between neighboring shared pixels are arranged so as to be horizontally reversed or/and vertically crossed, and connection wirings connected to a floating diffusion portion, a source of a reset transistor and a gate of an amplification transistor in the shared pixels are arranged along the column direction.
US09111833B2 Method of manufacturing solid-state imaging device and solid-state imaging device
According to one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a solid-state imaging device includes a trench forming process, a concave portion forming process, a coating process, and a burying process. In the trench forming process, a trench is formed at the position to isolate a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements. In the concave portion forming process, a concave portion is formed at the position to form a light shielding film of shielding at least part of subject light incident on an adjustment photoelectric conversion element used for an image quality adjustment of an imaged image. In the coating process, inner circumferential surfaces of the trench and the concave portion are coated with an insulating film. In the burying process, a light shielding member is buried inside the trench and the concave portion whose inner circumferential surface are coated with the insulating film.
US09111828B2 Solid-state imaging device, method for manufacturing solid-state imaging device, and electronic apparatus
The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging device having good focusing properties, a method for manufacturing such a solid-state imaging device, and an electronic apparatus. The solid-state imaging device has a semiconductor substrate 11 and a photoelectric conversion part formed in the semiconductor substrate 11. In the solid-state imaging device, a laminate including an organic material layer and an inorganic material layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate with at least one stress relaxation layer 22 interposed between the organic and inorganic material layers. This technology is applicable to, for example, solid-state imaging devices having pixels and microlenses placed thereon.
US09111827B2 Manufacturing method of solid-state imaging apparatus, solid-state imaging apparatus, and electronic imaging apparatus
A manufacturing method of a solid-state imaging apparatus includes the steps of: preparing a solid-state imaging device having a light receiving region at a main surface thereof; preparing a light transmitting member having an extending portion extending from the solid-state imaging device; preparing a holding member having a space for holding the solid-state imaging device therein, and having a positioning portion for positioning the solid-state imaging device; fixing the light transmitting member to the main surface of the solid-state imaging device in parallel to each other to keep a constant interval therebetween; bringing a side of the solid-state imaging device to meet the positioning portion of the holding member; and fixing the extending portion of the light transmitting member to the holding member.
US09111826B2 Image pickup device, image pickup module, and camera
An image pickup device includes a transparent member, an image pickup element chip including a photodiode, and a fixing member arranged around the image pickup element chip, a space being surrounded by the transparent member, the image pickup element chip, and the fixing member. The image pickup element chip includes a semiconductor substrate including a penetrating electrode penetrating through a first main face of the semiconductor substrate on a side of the transparent member and a second main face of the semiconductor substrate opposite the first main face. In an orthogonal projection with respect to the transparent member, the penetrating electrode is arranged in a fixing area corresponding to the fixing member, and a boundary with an area where the thickness of the semiconductor substrate is smaller than that of the semiconductor substrate in a first area corresponding to the space is arranged within the fixing area.
US09111820B2 Embedded package and method for manufacturing the same
An embedded package includes a semiconductor chip divided into a cell region and a peripheral region, having a first surface and a second surface which faces away from the first surface, and including an integrated circuit which is formed in the cell region on the first surface, a bonding pad which is formed in the peripheral region on the first surface and a bump which is formed over the bonding pad; a core layer attached to the second surface of the to semiconductor chip; an insulation component formed over the core layer including the semiconductor chip and having an opening which exposes the bump; and a circuit wiring line formed over the insulation component and the bump and electrically connected to the bump, wherein the insulation component formed in the cell region has a thickness larger than a height of the bump.
US09111818B2 Packaging substrate
A packaging substrate is provided, including a substrate body having a plurality of conductive pads, an insulating protective layer formed on the substrate body for the conductive pads to be exposed therefrom, and a plurality of conductive pillars disposed on the conductive pads. Each of the conductive pillars has a bottom end and a top end narrower than the bottom end, thereby forming a cone-shaped structure that does not have a wing structure. Therefore, the distance between contact points is reduced and the demands for fine-pitch and multi-joints are satisfied.
US09111815B2 Pixel structure, LCD panel, and manufacturing method thereof
An embodiment of the disclosed technology provides a pixel structure, comprising a TFT, a reflective region and a transmissive region, wherein the reflective region comprises a reflective region insulation layer, a reflection layer on the reflective region insulation layer and a reflective region pixel electrode on the reflection layer, and the transmissive region comprises a transmissive region pixel electrode, wherein the reflective region pixel electrode and the transmissive region pixel electrode form an integral structure, and the integral structure of the pixel electrodes is connected with the drain electrode of the TFT, wherein the organic layer in the reflective region is formed on an array substrate prior to a gate electrode of the TFT, and the reflection layer in the reflective region and the gate electrode of the TFT are formed in a same patterning process by using a same metal layer.
US09111810B2 Circuit board and display device including first and second channel layers made of different semiconductor materials
A circuit board (1) includes a plurality of transistor elements on an insulating substrate (2). At least one of the plurality of transistor elements is an oxide TFT (10) including, as a channel layer (11), an oxide semiconductor. At least one of the plurality of transistor elements is an a-SiTFT (20) (i) being different from the oxide TFT (10) in functions as circuit components and (ii) including, as a channel layer (21), an amorphous silicon semiconductor. The oxide TFT (10) is a top gate transistor, and the a-SiTFT (20) is a bottom gate transistor. This provides: a configuration that can (a) enhance the performance of the circuit board equipped with the TFTs differing in their respective functions as circuit components and (b) reduce the area necessary for mounting the TFTs; and a method for producing the circuit board.
US09111809B2 Circuit substrate, method for manufacturing the same, and electrooptical device
A circuit substrate includes, on an insulating substrate, a plurality of devices, a plurality of conductive layers connected in one-to-one correspondence with the devices, and an insulating layer provided between the devices and the conductive layers. The insulating layer includes a first insulating layer covering the devices, a second insulating layer formed on the first insulating layer, and a plurality of contact holes each passing through the first and second insulating layers in a thickness direction thereof. Side surfaces of the first and second insulating layers contact each other in at least part of the inside of each contact hole. Each conductive layer extends along an upper surface of the second insulating layer, at least a part of a side surface of the contact hole in which the side surfaces of the first and second insulating layers contact each other, and a bottom surface of the contact hole.
US09111806B2 Oxide semiconductor, thin film transistor, and display device
An object is to control composition and a defect of an oxide semiconductor, another object is to increase a field effect mobility of a thin film transistor and to obtain a sufficient on-off ratio with a reduced off current. A solution is to employ an oxide semiconductor whose composition is represented by InMO3(ZnO)m, where M is one or a plurality of elements selected from Ga, Fe, Ni, Mn, Co, and Al, and m is preferably a non-integer number of greater than 0 and less than 1. The concentration of Zn is lower than the concentrations of In and M. The oxide semiconductor has an amorphous structure. Oxide and nitride layers can be provided to prevent pollution and degradation of the oxide semiconductor.
US09111805B2 Thin film transistor panel having an etch stopper on semiconductor
A thin film transistor panel includes an insulating substrate, a gate insulating layer disposed on the insulating substrate, an oxide semiconductor layer disposed on the gate insulating layer, an etch stopper disposed on the oxide semiconductor layer, and a source electrode and a drain electrode disposed on the etch stopper.
US09111801B2 Integrated circuit devices and fabrication techniques
Integrated circuit devices and fabrication techniques. A semiconductor device fabrication method may include doping, in a same processing step, first and second portions of a substrate of an integrated circuit. The first portion corresponds to a doped region of a semiconductor device. The second portion corresponds to a via contact. The method may further include, after the doping, forming the gate of the semiconductor device.
US09111797B2 3-D nonvolatile memory device and method of manufacturing the same
A three-dimensional (3-D) nonvolatile memory device includes a support protruded from a surface of a substrate and configured to have an inclined sidewall; channel structures each configured to comprise interlayer insulating layers and channel layers which are alternately stacked over the substrate including the support, bent along the inclined sidewall of the support, wherein each of the channel structures comprises a cell region and a contact region, and the channel layers are exposed in the contact region; select lines formed over the channel structures; and a pillar type channels coupled to respective channel layers at the contact region and penetrating the select lines.
US09111796B2 Semiconductor structure and layout structure for memory devices
A layout structure for memory devices includes a plurality of first gate patterns, a plurality of first landing pad patterns, a plurality of dummy patterns, a plurality of second landing pad patterns, and a plurality of second gate patterns. The first landing pad patterns are parallel with each other and electrically connected to the first gate patterns. The dummy patterns and the first landing pad patterns are alternately arranged, and the second landing pad patterns are respectively positioned in between one first landing pad pattern and one dummy pattern. The second gate patterns are electrically connected to the second landing pad patterns.
US09111795B2 Semiconductor device with capacitor connected to memory element through oxide semiconductor film
Provided is a semiconductor device which has low power consumption and can operate at high speed. The semiconductor device includes a memory element including a first transistor including crystalline silicon in a channel formation region, a capacitor for storing data of the memory element, and a second transistor which is a switching element for controlling supply, storage, and release of charge in the capacitor. The second transistor is provided over an insulating film covering the first transistor. The first and second transistors have a source electrode or a drain electrode in common.
US09111788B2 Memory device constructions, memory cell forming methods, and semiconductor construction forming methods
Memory device constructions include a first column line extending parallel to a second column line, the first column line being above the second column line; a row line above the second column line and extending perpendicular to the first column line and the second column line; memory material disposed to be selectively and reversibly configured in one of two or more different resistive states; a first diode configured to conduct a first current between the first column line and the row line via the memory material; and a second diode configured to conduct a second current between the second column line and the row line via the memory material. In some embodiments, the first diode is a Schottky diode having a semiconductor anode and a metal cathode and the second diode is a Schottky diode having a metal anode and a semiconductor cathode.
US09111787B2 Arrangement of two substrates having an SLID bond and method for producing such an arrangement
An arrangement having a first and a second substrate is disclosed, wherein the two substrates are connected to one another by means of an SLID (Solid Liquid InterDiffusion) bond. The SLID bond exhibits a first metallic material and a second metallic material, wherein the SLID bond comprises the intermetallic Al/Sn-phase.
US09111781B2 Trench capacitors and methods of forming the same
A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming an opening having a sidewall in a substrate and forming a first epitaxial layer in the opening. The first epitaxial layer is formed in a first portion of the sidewall without growing in a second portion of the sidewall. A second epitaxial layer is formed in the opening after forming the first epitaxial layer. The second epitaxial layer is formed in the second portion of the sidewall. The first epitaxial layer is removed after forming the second epitaxial layer.
US09111780B2 Structure and method for vertical tunneling field effect transistor with leveled source and drain
The present disclosure provides one embodiment of a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate having a first region and a second region; a first semiconductor mesa formed on the semiconductor substrate within the first region; a second semiconductor mesa formed on the semiconductor substrate within the second region; and a field effect transistor (FET) formed on the semiconductor substrate. The FET includes a first doped feature of a first conductivity type formed in a top portion of the first semiconductor mesa; a second doped feature of a second conductivity type formed in a bottom portion of the first semiconductor mesa, the second semiconductor mesa, and a portion of the semiconductor substrate between the first and second semiconductor mesas; a channel in a middle portion of the first semiconductor mesa and interposed between the source and drain; and a gate formed on sidewall of the first semiconductor mesa.
US09111779B2 IC resistor formed with integral heatsinking structure
A resistor is formed on field oxide with a portion of the resistor body configured to overlap an active region in an integrated circuit (IC) substrate to provide heatsinking for the resistor body. In one embodiment, cooling fingers extend from the resistor body beyond the field oxide to overlap the active region. In another embodiment, minor areas of the resistor body overlap the active region. The resistor body may be formed of polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon), silicided polysilicon, or metal. An oxide having greater thermal conductance than the field oxide is formed between the overlapping parts of the resistor body and the active region.
US09111777B2 Light emitting device and light unit using the same
Provided is a light emitting device and light unit using the same. The light emitting device comprises: a body that includes a horizontal surface; an electrode at least partially disposed in the body; two or more mounting parts protruding from the horizontal surface, wherein the two or more mounting parts are separated from each other by a space, and wherein each of the at least two or more mounting parts includes a surface that is inclined relative to the horizontal surface; and two or more light emitting diodes, each mounted on the inclined surface of a corresponding one of the two or more mounting parts and electrically connected to the electrode.
US09111775B2 Silicon structure and manufacturing methods thereof and of capacitor including silicon structure
Provided is a silicon structure with a three-dimensionally complex shape. Further provided is a simple and easy method for manufacturing the silicon structure with the use of a phenomenon in which an ordered pattern is formed spontaneously to form a nano-structure. Plasma treatment under hydrogen atmosphere is performed on an amorphous silicon layer and the following processes are performed at the same time: a reaction process for growing microcrystalline silicon on a surface of the silicon layer and a reaction process for etching the amorphous silicon layer which is exposed, so that a nano-structure including an upper structure in a microcrystalline state and a lower structure in an amorphous state, over the silicon layer is formed; accordingly, a silicon structure with a three-dimensionally complex shape can be provided.
US09111771B2 Semiconductor device
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes: a first region including: a first semiconductor layer; a first semiconductor region; a second semiconductor region; a third semiconductor region having higher impurity concentration than the first semiconductor region; a first electrode; a second electrode; an insulating film; a third electrode; a fourth electrode, a second region including a pad electrode, and the third region including: the first semiconductor layer; the first semiconductor region; a third semiconductor region; the first electrode; the second electrode; and a first insulating layer.
US09111770B2 Power semiconductor device and fabrication method thereof
A power semiconductor device includes a cell region on a semiconductor substrate, at least a transistor device in the cell region, a peripheral termination region encompassing the cell region, a plurality of epitaxial islands arranged around the cell region, and a grid type epitaxial layer in the peripheral termination region. The grid type epitaxial layer separates the plurality of epitaxial islands from one another.
US09111767B2 Semiconductor device and driver circuit with source and isolation structure interconnected through a diode circuit, and method of manufacture thereof
Embodiments of semiconductor devices and driver circuits include a semiconductor substrate having a first conductivity type, an isolation structure (including a sinker region and a buried layer), an active device within area of the substrate contained by the isolation structure, and a diode circuit. The buried layer is positioned below the top substrate surface, and has a second conductivity type. The sinker region extends between the top substrate surface and the buried layer, and has the second conductivity type. The active device includes a source region of the first conductivity type, and the diode circuit is connected between the isolation structure and the source region. The diode circuit may include one or more Schottky diodes and/or PN junction diodes. In further embodiments, the diode circuit may include one or more resistive networks in series and/or parallel with the Schottky and/or PN diode(s).
US09111756B2 Integrated circuits with protected resistors and methods for fabricating the same
Methods and apparatus are provided for an integrated circuit with a transistor and a resistor. The method includes depositing a first dielectric layer over the transistor and the resistor, followed by an amorphous silicon layer. The amorphous silicon layer is implanted over the resistor to produce an etch mask, and the amorphous silicon layer and first dielectric layer are removed over the transistor. A contact location on the transistor is then silicided.
US09111753B2 Backside stress compensation method for making gallium nitride or other nitride-based semiconductor devices
A method includes forming a stress compensation layer over a first side of a semiconductor substrate and forming a Group III-nitride layer over a second side of the substrate. Stress created on the substrate by the Group III-nitride layer is at least partially reduced by stress created on the substrate by the stress compensation layer. Forming the stress compensation layer could include forming a stress compensation layer from amorphous or microcrystalline material. Also, the method could include crystallizing the amorphous or microcrystalline material during subsequent formation of one or more layers over the second side of the substrate. Crystallizing the amorphous or microcrystalline material could occur during subsequent formation of the Group III-nitride layer and/or during an annealing process. The amorphous or microcrystalline material could create no or a smaller amount of stress on the substrate, and the crystallized material could create a larger amount of stress on the substrate.
US09111746B2 Method for reducing damage to low-k gate spacer during etching
A method for performing a spacer etch process is described. The method includes providing a gate structure on a substrate having a low-k spacer material conformally applied over the gate structure, and performing a spacer etch process sequence to partially remove the spacer material from the gate structure and the substrate, while retaining a sidewall spacer positioned along a sidewall of the gate structure. The spacer etch process sequence may include depositing a spacer protection layer on an exposed surface of said spacer material, and performing one or more etching processes to selectively and anisotropically remove the spacer protection layer and the spacer material to leave behind the sidewall spacer on the sidewall of the gate structure, wherein, while being partly or fully consumed by the one or more etching processes, the spacer protection layer exhibits a reduced variation in composition and/or dielectric constant.
US09111740B2 Electron transfer dissociation device
A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an Electron Transfer Dissociation device comprising an ion guide. A control system determines the degree of fragmentation and charge reduction of precursor ions within the ion guide and varies the speed at which ions are transmitted through the ion guide in order to optimize the fragmentation and charge reduction process.
US09111732B2 Sputtering method and apparatus
The sputtering apparatus includes a vacuum vessel, a sputter electrode placed within the vacuum vessel to hold a target material to be sputtered, a radio frequency power source for applying radio frequency waves to the electrode, a substrate holder which is spaced from the electrode and on which a substrate is held, a thin film being to be deposited on the substrate from components of the target material, and an impedance adjusting circuit for adjusting a first impedance of the substrate holder. The impedance adjusting circuit has a first end directly set at a ground potential and has an impedance circuit which is adjustable for adjusting the first impedance, a second impedance of the impedance circuit is adjusted to thereby adjust the first impedance and, hence, a potential of the substrate.
US09111721B2 Ion beam device and machining method
Provided are a device and method capable of machining a machining target such as a sample, a probe, or a sample table without requiring a high degree of device operation skill. First, a shape generation process of determining a shape of a machining target on the basis of an ion beam scanning signal and an absorption current of the machining target is performed. Next, a machining pattern positioning process of positioning a machining pattern over an image of the machining target is performed. Further, an ion beam stopping process of stopping ion beam irradiation is performed from a result of comparison between the image of the machining target and the machining pattern while the machining target is machined through the ion beam irradiation.
US09111717B2 Ion beam apparatus
An ion beam apparatus includes an ion source configured to emit an ion beam, a condenser lens electrode that condenses the ion beam, and a condenser lens power source configured to apply a voltage to the condenser lens electrode. A storage portion stores a first voltage value, a second voltage value, a third voltage value, and a fourth voltage value. A control portion retrieves the third voltage value from the storage portion and sets the retrieved third voltage value to the condenser lens power source when an observation mode is switched to a wide-range observation mode, and retrieves the fourth voltage value from the storage portion and sets the retrieved fourth voltage value to the condenser lens power source when a processing mode is switched to the wide-range observation mode.
US09111716B2 Charged particle microscope
The ionized gas supplied to the emitter tip of a gas field ionization ion source is cooled and purified to enable supplying a reliable and stable ion beam. Impurities contained in the ionized gas destabilize the field ionization ion source. The invention is configured to include a first heat exchanger thermally connected to a part of the field ionization ion source, a cryocooler capable of cooling a second gas line and a cold head, the second gas line being connected to the first heat exchanger and circulating a refrigerant, and a second heat exchanger that cools the first and second gas lines and is connected to the cold head.
US09111710B2 Socketed high pressure gas discharge lamp
A socketed high pressure gas discharge lamp having a lamp vessel comprising a space sealed by at least one seal. The discharge lamp further comprising a socket in which the lamp vessel is mounted with its seal and fixed with cement. A lamp axis extending through the socket and through the space of the lamp vessel. The socket is provided with at least one opening extending axially through the socket from its base side to its front side. The opening has an annular wall which is either formed only by the socket or by a combination of both the socket and the seal of the lamp vessel. Preferably, the opening is located on either side of the seal.
US09111707B2 Installation switching device with a current sensing unit
An exemplary installation switching device includes such as a circuit breaker, residual current circuit breaker or motor circuit breaker, a housing, and at least one current path that passes through an internal conductor between at least one input terminal and at least one output terminal. The installation switching device also includes a current sensing unit inside the housing having an interface with at least two data connections and at least two power connections. The housing has an interface opening that is capable of accepting a connecting fixture for connecting the current sensing unit to a bus located outside the installation switching device and containing data and power lines such that the current sensing unit is electrically isolated from the current path and is supplied with power from outside the installation switching device.
US09111701B2 Rubber key
A rubber key comprising: a key top portion having a rectangular shape in planar view; a skirt portion formed along a perimeter of the key top portion; and a contact portion projecting within the skirt portion from the key top portion on a same side of the skirt portion in a convex state in a length direction of the key top portion, wherein a shortest distance from the contact portion to a virtual plane defined by a ring of an edge of the skirt portion is longer as measured at a portion closer to a center of the key top portion in the length direction than at a portion closer to an end of the key top portion in the length direction.
US09111698B2 Method for cutting off an electric arc, method and device for protecting an installation against voltage surges
The method comprising displacing the formed electric arc towards an electrode located in an intermediate position between both main electrodes; a separating the formed electric arc into two secondary electric arcs, a semiconductor switch, normally open, connecting the intermediate electrode to one of the main electrodes; closing the semiconductor switch in order to extinguish the secondary electric arc between both electrodes connected by the semiconductor switch; opening the semiconductor switch in order to extinguish the other secondary electric arc. The disclosure further relates to a protection method and a protection device, notably a protection device specially designed for applying the method.
US09111696B1 Electrical switching apparatus, and trip unit and interface assembly therefor
An interface assembly is for a trip unit of an electrical switching apparatus including a housing, separable contacts, and an operating mechanism for opening and closing the separable contacts. The trip unit cooperates with the operating mechanism and includes an enclosure, a controller, and a cover member having a plurality of indicia. The interface assembly includes at least one adjustment knob assembly having a post member and a ring member, which includes a cutout. The post member has first and second opposing ends. The ring member is disposed on the second end. The adjustment knob assembly pivots among a plurality of positions to adjust the controller. Each position corresponds to a predetermined setting of the trip unit. The ring member substantially overlays all but one of the indicia, which is exposed by the cutout to indicate the adjustment knob assembly position and corresponding trip unit setting.
US09111688B2 Method for producing reconstituted wafers with support of the chips during their encapsulation
A method for collectively fabricating a reconstituted wafer comprising chips exhibiting connection pads on a front face of the chip, comprises: positioning the chips on an initial adhesive support, front face on the support, vapor deposition at atmospheric pressure and ambient temperature, of an electrically insulating layer on the initial support and the chips, having a mechanical role of holding the chips, transfer of the chips covered with the mineral layer onto a provisional adhesive support, rear face of the chips toward this provisional adhesive support, removal of the initial adhesive support, overlaying the chips onto a support of “chuck” type, front faces of the chips toward this support, removal of the provisional adhesive support, deposition of a resin on the support of “chuck” type to encapsulate the chips, and then polymerization of the resin, removal of the support of “chuck” type, production of an RDL layer active face side.
US09111686B2 Flexible supercapacitor and preparation method thereof
A flexible supercapacitor and a preparation method thereof are provided. The flexible supercapacitor includes a polymer-based solid electrolyte layer, two active layers respectively disposed on opposite surfaces of the polymer-based solid electrolyte layer, and two electron conducting layers disposed on outer exposed surfaces of the two active layers.
US09111682B2 Multilayer ceramic electronic component
In a multilayer ceramic electronic component, internal electrodes arranged inside a ceramic body include exposed ends that are connected to end surfaces of the ceramic body. External electrodes, which are arranged on the end surfaces so as to be electrically connected to the internal electrodes, include first conductive portions that are arranged on the end surfaces so as to cover the exposed ends but so as not to wrap around onto the side surfaces, and include second conductive portions that are arranged on the end surfaces so as to cover the first conductive portions and so as to wrap around onto the principal surfaces and the side surfaces. In each external electrode, protruding portions are arranged on the end surface adjacent to the first conductive portion to stabilize the posture of the ceramic body when the second conductive portions are being formed.
US09111681B2 Thin film capacitor
A thin film capacitor includes a lower electrode layer, a dielectric layer that is provided on said lower electrode layer, and an upper electrode layer that is formed on the dielectric layer. Wherein, the lower electrode layer contains at least a Ni electrode layer, the upper electrode layer configured with at least two layers of a Ni electrode layer and a Cu electrode layer, and the dielectric layer is in contact with both the Ni electrode layer of the lower electrode layer and the Ni electrode layer of the upper electrode layer.
US09111680B2 Process for producing electrolytic capacitors with a polymeric outer layer
The invention relates to a process for producing electrolytic capacitors with low equivalent series resistance, low residual current and high thermal stability, which consist of a solid electrolyte and an outer layer comprising conjugated polymers, to electrolytic capacitors produced by this process and to the use of such electrolylic capacitors.
US09111677B2 Method of manufacturing a dry-type open wound transformer having disc windings
Method of manufacturing a dry-type open wound transformer having disc windings is provided. The transformer has one or more high voltage windings, each of which includes a plurality serially connected discs. Each disc has two or more sections, wherein the sections are separated from each other by spaces arranged in a circumferential configuration.
US09111674B2 R-T-B based permanent magnet
The present invention provides a permanent magnet whose magnetic properties will not be significantly decreased and which is excellent in the temperature properties compared to the existing R-T-B based permanent magnet. In the R-T-B based structure, a stack structure of R1-T-B based crystallizing layer and (Y,Ce)-T-B based crystallizing layer can be formed by alternatively stacking R1-T-B and (Y,Ce)-T-B. In this way, a high magnetic anisotropy field of the R1-T-B based crystallizing layer can be maintained while an improved temperature coefficient of the (Y,Ce)-T-B based crystallizing layer can be obtained. Further, a high coercivity can be obtained by adding the Ce-T-B based crystallizing layer with a low lattice distortion to the Y-T-B based crystallizing layer.
US09111672B2 Multilevel correlated magnetic system
A multilevel magnetic system described herein includes first and second magnetic structures that produce a net force that transitions from an attract force to a repel force as a separation distance between the first and second magnetic structures increases. The multi-level magnetic system is configured to maintain a minimum separation distance between a transition distance where the net force is zero and a separation distance at which a peak repel force is produced.
US09111671B2 On-chip impedance network with digital coarse and analog fine tuning
System and method for providing precision a self calibrating resistance circuit is described that provides for matching a reference resistor using dynamically configurable resistance networks. The resistor network is coupled to the connection, wherein the resistor network provides a configurable resistance across the connection. In addition, the resistor network comprises a digital resistor network and an analog resistor network. Also, the circuit includes control circuitry for configuring the configurable resistance based on a reference resistance of the reference resistor. The configurable resistance is configured by coarsely tuning the resistor network through the digital resistor network and fine tuning the resistor network through the analog resistor network.
US09111668B2 Method for production of an electrical winding, and electrical conductor
A method is specified for production of an electrical winding for an electrical appliance, in which the winding is embedded in a liquid which is used for cooling. A conductor is first of all produced, in which a multiplicity of insulated electrical individual conductors having a rectangular cross section are arranged in at least one stack, with their flat faces resting on one another. Winding material composed of insulating material is wound around the stack in order to produce common insulation, and the conductor is then shaped to form a single-part winding. A winding material in the form of ribbon or strip and composed of a plastic with impressed shape memory is used for winding around, and has a greater length than its original length, with this greater length being produced by stretching. The finishing winding is heated to a temperature at which the winding material becomes shorter in the winding direction.
US09111667B2 Graphene transfer method
A graphene transfer method comprising: attaching a first end of a first stacked structure, including a catalyst metal, graphene, and a supporting body stacked in the order stated, to a point of a target film that is transported in a roll-to-roll manner in a first direction; forming a second stacked structure by removing the catalyst metal of the first stacked structure, the second stacked structure having a surface whereon the graphene is exposed; and transferring the exposed graphene to a transfer surface of the target film by transporting the target film in a roll-to-roll manner and the second stacked structure in the first direction.
US09111663B2 Sintered composite oxide, manufacturing method therefor, sputtering target, transparent conductive oxide film, and manufacturing method therefor
A sintered composite oxide 2 composed mainly of zinc, aluminum, titanium and oxygen, the atomic ratio of the elements satisfying the following equations (1) to (3), the sintered composite oxide 2 comprising particles having a hexagonal wurtzite structure containing zinc oxide as the major component and having a mean particle size of no greater than 20 μm, and particles having a ZnTiO3-like structure and/or Zn2Ti3O8-like structure containing aluminum and titanium and having a mean particle size of no greater than 5 μm, and containing no particles with a spinel oxide structure of zinc aluminate with zinc and aluminum in solid solution, and a manufacturing method for the same. (Al+Ti)/(Zn+Al+Ti)=0.004-0.055  (1) Al/(Zn+Al+Ti)=0.002-0.025  (2) Ti/(Zn+Al+Ti)=0.002-0.048  (3) [In the equations, Al, Ti and Zn represent the contents (atomic percents) of aluminum, titanium and zinc, respectively.]
US09111656B2 Radiation beam collimation system and method
The invention provides a method for collimating a radiation beam, the method comprising subjecting the beam to a collimator that yaws and pitches, either separately or simultaneously relative to the incident angle of the beam. Also provided is a system for collimating radiation beams, the system comprising a collimator body, and a stage for pitching and yawing the body. A feature of the invention is that a single, compact mask body defines one or a plurality of collimators having no moving surfaces relative to each other, whereby the entire mask body is moved about a point in space to provide various collimator opening dimensions to oncoming radiation beams.
US09111655B2 Radiation generating apparatus and radiation imaging system
Provided is a radiation generating apparatus, including: a radiation generating unit for emitting radiation; and a movable diaphragm unit including a light projecting/sighting system for making a simulation display of a radiation field with visible light. The light projecting/sighting system includes: a light source of the visible light; a light guiding plate that is provided across a radiation axis, and causes the visible light from the light source to exit from a front surface of the light guiding plate; and a louver that gives directivity to the visible light exiting from the front surface of the light guiding plate.
US09111653B2 Boiling water nuclear plant and method of reducing dose in turbine system
An adsorbing substance made of a material having an acid center in its molecular frame is installed in a passage for steam generated in a reactor pressure vessel 1. The adsorbing substance adsorbs and holds N-16 compound for decay. Therefore, the amount of N-16 entering into a turbine system is decreased and dose in the turbine system can be reduced.
US09111651B2 Heat exchanger for passive residual heat removal system
Disclosed is a heat exchanger for a passive residual heat removal system, which improves heat transfer efficiency by expanding a heat transfer area. A heat exchange tube includes a first member connected to a steam pipe through which steam generated from a steam generator of a nuclear reactor circulates, and a second member connected to both of the first member and a feed water pipe used to supply water to the steam generator provided in the nuclear reactor, and the first member has the shape different from that of the second member, thereby expanding the heat transfer area so that the heat transfer efficiency is improved.
US09111648B2 Redundancy schemes for non-volatile memory based on physical memory layout
A method includes, for a memory die including at least first and second memory planes, each including multiple physical memory blocks, holding a definition of a redundancy mapping between first memory blocks in the first memory plane and respective second memory blocks in the second memory plane, such that a physical separation on the die between each first physical memory block and a corresponding second physical memory block meets a predefined criterion. Data is stored in one or more first physical memory blocks in the first memory plane. Redundancy information is stored relating to the data in one or more second physical memory blocks in the second memory plane that are mapped by the redundancy mapping to the one or more first physical memory blocks.
US09111645B2 Request-command encoding for reduced-data-rate testing
Embodiments of a memory device are described. This memory device includes a signal connector which is electrically coupled to a command/address (CA) link, and an interface circuit, which is electrically coupled to the signal connector, and which receives CA packets via the CA link. A given CA packet includes an address field having address information corresponding to one or more storage locations in the memory device. Moreover, the memory device includes control logic having two operating modes, where, during a first operating mode, the control logic decodes address information in the CA packets using full-field sampling, and, during the second operating mode, the control logic decodes a portion of the address information in the CA packets using sub-field sampling.
US09111639B2 Biasing split gate memory cell during power-off mode
A non-volatile memory (NVM) system has a normal mode, a standby mode and an off mode that uses less power than the standby mode. The NVM system includes an NVM array that includes NVM cells and NVM peripheral circuitry. Each NVM cell includes a control gate. A controller is coupled to the NVM array, applies a voltage to the control gates and power to the peripheral circuitry during the standby mode, and applies an off-mode voltage to the control gates and removes power from the NVM peripheral circuitry during the off mode.
US09111638B2 SRAM bit cell with reduced bit line pre-charge voltage
An SRAM bit cell comprises a first inverter including a PMOS transistor and an NMOS transistor, and a second inverter including a PMOS transistor and an NMOS transistor. The first and second inverters are cross-coupled to each other. A plurality of pass transistors couple the inverters to bit lines. Approximately one-half of a supply voltage is provided to the bit lines during pre-charge operations.
US09111634B2 Methods and structures for multiport memory devices
A memory device includes a storage unit formed using a substrate, a true bit line BL0 for carrying a bit of data, and a complementary bit line for carrying the bit of data carried by the first true bit line in complementary form. The true bit line is coupled to the storage unit and runs laterally over the substrate. The true bit line and the complementary bit line are adjacent to each other and are vertically stacked above the substrate.
US09111629B2 Smart charge pump configuration for non-volatile memories
A semiconductor memory device includes a non-volatile memory, a memory controller, and a charge pump system. The memory controller establishes first parameters for a first programming cycle of a first plurality of memory cells of the non-volatile memory prior to the first programming cycle being performed. The charge pump system includes a plurality of charge pumps and provides a first programming pulse for use in performing the first program cycle. The first programming pulse is provided by selecting, according to the first parameters, which of the plurality of charge pumps are to be enabled during the first program cycle and which are to be disabled during the first program cycle.
US09111625B2 Adaptive dual voltage write driver with dummy resistive path tracking
An adaptive dual voltage memory write driver system can include an adaptive write voltage generator circuit to provide a first adjustable write voltage and to provide a second adjustable write voltage. The adaptive dual voltage memory write driver system can include an array of dummy memory cells coupled to the adaptive write voltage generator circuit and configured to provide resistive path tracking information to the adaptive write voltage generator circuit. The adjustable write voltages can be automatically increased or decreased responsive to the resistive path tracking information. A tri-state write driver circuit can provide a first adjustable write voltage source for writing “0”s and a second adjustable write voltage source for writing “1”s. A method for generating adjustable memory write voltages using dummy resistive path tracking may include receiving resistive path tracking information from a dummy section, and generating adjustable write voltages based on the resistive path tracking information.
US09111624B2 Semiconductor memory device
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes first word lines connected to a memory cell array, second word lines connected to a redundancy area, a first row decoder configured to perform selecting from the first word lines based on a row address, a judgment circuit configured to determine whether or not a replacement operation with the redundancy area is needed based on a redundancy address included in the row address, and a second row decoder configured to perform selecting from the second word lines. The row address includes a first row address and a second row address input in order in a time-sharing method. The first row address includes all of the redundancy address.
US09111619B2 Semiconductor memory devices and methods of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes a bit line, a first cell string and a second cell string. The first cell string includes a first selecting transistor connected to the bit line in series and having a threshold voltage greater than a first reference voltage, a second selecting transistor having a threshold voltage smaller than a second reference voltage, cell transistors and a ground selecting transistor. The second cell string includes a third selecting transistor connected to the bit line in series and having a threshold voltage smaller than the first reference voltage, a fourth selecting transistor having a threshold voltage greater than the second reference voltage, cell transistors and a ground selecting transistor. A channel region of the first selecting transistor has an enhancement mode and a first conductive type. A channel region of the third selecting transistor has a depletion mode and a second conductive type.
US09111614B2 Resistive switching memory device and method for operating the same
A resistive switching memory device and a method for operating the same are disclosed. The device includes a plurality of resistive switching memory units arranged in a matrix, each of which includes a switching element and a resistive switching device, and the switching element being connected to a word line at its control terminal, to the resistive switching device at one terminal, and to a bit line at the other terminal; a word line decoder adapted to decode an input address signal to switch on the switching element in at least one of resistive switching memory units; and a driving circuit adapted to apply a voltage pulse whose front edge changes slowly across the resistive switching device by the bit line synchronously with the switching-on of the switching element. Using the scheme of the above embodiments, the durability characteristic of the resistive switching device can be improved, such as degradation of high-low resistance value window and the failure of the device with transition times can be reduced.
US09111605B2 Semiconductor storage apparatus or semiconductor memory module
A semiconductor storage apparatus provides a large capacity phase-change memory possessing high speed operation, low electrical current, and high-reliability. During the period that a read-out start signal is activated in the memory region control circuit and the block of pairs of sense-latch and write driver is performing the verify read in the upper section memory region; the write enable signals in the memory region control circuit are activated and the block of pairs of sense-latch and write driver perform rewrite operation of the data in the lower section memory region. This type of operation allows cancelling out the time required for the verify read and the time required for the time-division write operation by performing the verify read in one memory region, while performing time-division rewrite in other memory region, to achieve both higher reliability rewrite operation along with suppressing the rewrite operation peak electrical current.
US09111604B2 Software and method that enables selection of on-line content from one of a plurality of network content service providers in a single action
Methods, systems, and computer program products for using a transport function to provide and receive identifications of content available over a network and to provide and receive user-selected content over the network.
US09111600B2 Memory cell with improved write margin
Described is an apparatus and system for improving write margin in memory cells. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises: a first circuit to provide a pulse signal with a width; and a second circuit to receive the pulse signal and to generate a power supply for the memory cell, wherein the second circuit to reduce a level of the power supply below a data retention voltage level of the memory cell for a time period corresponding to the width of the pulse signal. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a column of memory cells having a high supply node and a low supply node; and a charge sharing circuit positioned in the column of memory cells, the charge sharing circuit coupled to the high and low supply nodes, the charge sharing circuit operable to reduce direct-current (DC) power consumption.
US09111596B2 Memory access control in a memory device
A memory device comprises an array of bitcells arranged as a plurality of rows of bitcells and a plurality of columns of bitcells, and has a plurality of wordlines and a plurality of readout channels. A control unit is configured to control access to the array of bitcells, wherein in response to a memory access request specifying a memory address the control unit is configured to activate a selected wordline and to activate the plurality of readout channels, and to access a row of bitcells in said array storing a data word and addressed by the memory address. The data word consists of a number of data bits given by a number of bitcells in each row of bitcells. The control unit is further configured to be responsive to a masking signal and, when the masking signal is asserted when said memory access request is received, the control unit is configured to activate only a portion of the selected wordline and a portion of the plurality of readout channels, such that only a portion of the data word is accessed.
US09111593B2 Differential sense amplifier without dedicated precharge transistors
The invention relates to a differential sense amplifier for sensing data stored in a plurality of memory cells of a memory cell array, including a first CMOS inverter having an output connected to a first bit line and an input connected to a second bit line complementary to the first bit line, and a second CMOS inverter having an output connected to the second bit line and an input connected to the first bit line (BL). Each CMOS inverter includes a pull-up transistor and a pull-down transistor, with the sense amplifier having a pair of precharge transistors arranged to be respectively coupled to the first and second bit lines, to precharge the first and second bit lines to a precharge voltage. The precharge transistors are constituted by the pull-up transistors or by the pull-down transistors.
US09111591B2 Interconnections for 3D memory
Apparatuses and methods for interconnections for 3D memory are provided. One example apparatus can include a stack of materials including a plurality of pairs of materials, each pair of materials including a conductive line formed over an insulation material. The stack of materials has a stair step structure formed at one edge extending in a first direction. Each stair step includes one of the pairs of materials. A first interconnection is coupled to the conductive line of a stair step, the first interconnection extending in a second direction substantially perpendicular to a first surface of the stair step.
US09111587B2 Stacked memory with redundancy
A stacked memory is disclosed including a first integrated circuit memory chip having first storage locations and a second integrated circuit memory chip disposed in a stacked relationship with the first integrated circuit memory chip. The second integrated circuit memory chip has second storage locations. Redundant storage is provided including a first storage area dedicated to storing failure address information of failure address locations in the first or second integrated circuit memory chips. The redundant storage includes a second storage area dedicated to storing data corresponding to the failure address locations. Matching logic matches incoming data transfer addresses to the stored failure address information.
US09111582B2 Methods and systems for previewing content with a dynamic tag cloud
A video tapestry comprising a plurality of blended frames of a media presentation can be presented, with the frames comprising two or more frames displayed simultaneously. A dynamic tag cloud can be presented based on data identifying different portions of the tapestry for use in navigation or understanding the video content. A method can comprise obtaining a plurality of keywords for content of a media presentation, associating a first keyword with a first tag cloud and associating a second keyword with a second tag cloud, and generating a program component for providing a dynamic tag cloud using the first and second tag clouds. The program component can display the first tag cloud when the first portion of the video tapestry is referenced and the second tag cloud when the second portion of the video tapestry is referenced. The portions may be referenced by user input, a play head, or other activity.
US09111581B2 Recording medium, reproducing apparatus, and reproducing method
In a recording medium on which is recorded a multiplexed stream including a plurality of first packets (V_main) constituting a first I-picture in a first video stream and a plurality of second packets (V_sub) constituting a second I-picture in a second video stream, information for identifying the first I-picture and information for identifying the second I-picture are recorded on the medium. A recording medium can thereby be obtained that enables the rapid detection, from a small amount of information, of a particular picture included in a stream such as a TS in which multiple content streams are multiplexed.
US09111580B2 Time alignment of recorded audio signals
Systems and methods for time-aligning a first and second media signals. The first and second media signals may be audio signals recorded for combining as one audio performance or as an audio portion of an audio-video recording. The system retrieves the audio signals as digital samples generated using a common sampling rate. The system includes at least one coarse alignment function for reducing an initial misalignment between the first and second signal. The coarse alignment function may be configured to generate a coarse-shifted second signal. A fine alignment function determines an aligning time shift between the coarse-shifted second signal and the first signal by performing a cross-correlation between the first signal and the coarse-shifted second signal.
US09111578B1 Recording density variation of data tracks
Systems and methods are disclosed for recording density variation of data tracks. In some embodiments, an apparatus may comprise a circuit configured to record data to a first track of a data zone at a first recording density, and record data to a second track of the data zone at second recording density different from the first recording density. Recording density may be measured as a bits per inch (BPI) value for a data track. Different recording densities may be applied based on a width of the target track. In some embodiments, such as for shingled magnetic recording (SMR), data may be recorded to partially overlapped tracks at a first density, and to non-overlapped tracks at a second density.
US09111569B2 Randomly accessible visual information recording medium and recording method, and reproducing device and reproducing method
Access point pictures designated as randomly accessible positions are I pictures or P pictures. Information indicating the decoding sequence (I1, P1, B1, B2, B3, B4, P2, . . . ) of pictures functioning as access points and attribute information (picture_type) indicating whether a picture functions as an access point or is necessary for decoding of the access point following a given access point are recorded on the video information recording medium. Random access is possible even if the GOP interval is lengthened.
US09111568B2 Bulk data erase utilizing an encryption technique
Disclosed is a method for eliminating access to data on removable storage media of a removable storage media cartridge. A key is stored on the removable storage media cartridge, such that data on the removable storage media is accessible with the key. Upon receiving a command to eliminate access to data on the removable storage media the key is shredded such that access to data on the removable storage media is eliminated.
US09111567B1 Disk drive
A disk drive includes an insertion detection unit disposed at a position deviating from a transport center line in a first direction, a transport roller, and an opposing member that holds a disk together with the transport roller. The opposing member has a second guiding recess located in a second direction relative to the transport center line. The recess of the opposing member and the transport roller define a space therebetween to receive the disk inserted from a position deviating from the transport center line in the second direction.
US09111565B2 Data storage device with both bit patterned and continuous media
Embodiments of a single data storage device with multiple different data recording media surfaces are disclosed. In one embodiment, at least one of the data recording media surfaces is conventional, such as a continuous or discrete track recording media. Another of the data recording media surfaces is a relatively high areal density, high data rate recording media, such as a bit patterned media (BPM) recording media.
US09111564B1 Magnetic recording writer having a main pole with multiple flare angles
A method and system provide a magnetic transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS). The magnetic transducer includes a main pole and at least one coil for energizing the main pole. The main pole includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion includes a pole tip and at least one side surface. The pole tip has an ABS facing surface at the ABS. The first portion has a first flare angle between the ABS and a side surface. The second portion is on the first portion and recessed from the ABS. The second portion has a second flare angle greater than the first flare angle. The first portion is wider in a cross track direction than the second portion.
US09111563B2 Vibration control in data storage devices
A storage device has a device body and a read/write head for reading and writing data in a data track of a storage medium. An actuator system is mounted on the device body for effecting movement of the read/write head relative to the data track to align the head with the data track. The actuator system has a plurality of degrees of freedom, and a controller controls the actuator system to effect the movement. A body vibration sensor provided on the device body generates a signal indicative of vibration of the body. An actuator vibration sensor generates a signal indicative of vibration of the actuator system. The controller is adapted to process the signals from the sensors to derive a coupling signal indicative of vibration coupling between the degrees of freedom, and to control the actuator system dependent on the coupling signal and the signal from the body vibration sensor.
US09111559B1 Gimbal based DSA suspension with microactuator attached from load beam side of flexure
A gimbal dual stage actuated suspension has a microactuator attached at its distal end to the gimbal in order to effect fine movements of the head slider. The microactuator is mounted on the side of the flexure that is opposite the disk platter and the head slider, and extends in height through an aperture in the load beam. The driving voltage for the microactuator is provided through an aperture in the insulating layer of the flexure to a signal conducting layer in the flexure's electrical circuit. The electrical connection from the signal conducting layer to the microactuator can comprise an electrically conductive adhesive, or an electrically conductive adhesive that contacts an isolated island of the stainless steel support layer in the flexure which is in electrical contact with the conducting layer, which is plated all the way to the stainless steel layer or which is otherwise extended thereto.
US09111557B2 Electrically insulating magnetic material for a read head
An apparatus such as a magnetic recording head with at least two separately addressable read transducers that are coplanar in a cross track direction. The apparatus includes first coplanar electrical contacts respectively disposed on and in electrical contact with first surfaces of the at least two read transducers and an electrically insulating magnetic material disposed between the electrical contacts.
US09111555B2 Optical recording medium
An optical recording medium includes a recording layer including a reflective layer, two dielectric layers, and a phase-change recording layer. The phase-change recording layer-side dielectric layer of the two dielectric layers contains tantalum oxide or a composite oxide composed of silicon oxide, indium oxide, and zirconium oxide. The reflective layer-side dielectric layer of the two dielectric layers contains a composite oxide composed of silicon oxide, indium oxide, and zirconium oxide, a composite oxide composed of indium oxide and gallium oxide, or a composite oxide composed of zinc oxide and aluminum oxide.
US09111553B2 Optical information recording medium, reproduction apparatus, and reproduction method
The reliability of a super-resolution optical information recording medium whose capacity can be increased is increased. On an optical information recording medium (11) according to the present invention, a content is recorded as a pit group formed such that an average length Tm [nm] of a minimum mark length and a minimum space length becomes shorter than an optical system resolution limit, and reading speed information designating a reading speed in a range from 2×(4.92×Tm/149) [m/s] to less than (10000/60)×2×π×(24/1000) [m/s] is recorded as a reading speed for reproducing the content.
US09111551B2 Recording head structure
Implementations disclosed herein provide a transducer head including a writer feature extending to a transducer head surface, the transducer head surface being configured to face a storage medium surface; and a bumper structure configured on the transducer head surface, the bumper structure configured to be proximal to the writer feature and to protrude beyond the writer feature in response to energy.
US09111547B2 Audio signal semantic concept classification method
A method for determining a semantic concept associated with an audio signal captured using an audio sensor. A data processor is used to automatically analyze the audio signal using a plurality of semantic concept detectors to determine corresponding preliminary semantic concept detection values, each semantic concept detector being adapted to detect a particular semantic concept. The preliminary semantic concept detection values are analyzed using a joint likelihood model based on predetermined pair-wise likelihoods that particular pairs of semantic concepts co-occur to determine updated semantic concept detection values. One or more semantic concepts are determined based on the updated semantic concept detection values. The semantic concept detectors and the joint likelihood model are trained together with a joint training process using training audio signals, at least some of which are known to be associated with a plurality of semantic concepts.
US09111546B2 Speech recognition and interpretation system
A method of providing a task assistant comprising starting to receive speech input from a user, and identifying a format associated with a destination for speech input based on a flag associated with the destination field. When the format comprises dictation, converting the speech to text, and inserting it into the destination location, and when the format comprises an intent, determining a meaning of the input, and sending a formatted query to an application. The method further comprising receiving data from the application in response to the intent and providing a response to the user through multimodal output.
US09111542B1 Audio signal transmission techniques
A voice interaction architecture that compiles multiple audio signals captured at different locations within an environment, determines a time offset between a primary audio signal and other captured audio signals and identifies differences between the primary signal and the other signal(s). Thereafter, the architecture may provide the primary audio signal, an indication of the determined time offset(s) and the identified differences to remote computing resources for further processing. For instance, the architecture may send this information to a network-accessible distributed computing platform that performs beamforming and/or automatic speech recognition (ASR) on the received audio. The distributed computing platform may in turn determine a response to provide based upon the beamforming and/or ASR.
US09111541B1 Client-server speech recognition with processing level based on value received from client
Methods and systems for handling speech recognition processing in effectively real-time, via the Internet, in order that users do not experience noticeable delays from the start until they receive responsive feedback. A user uses a client to access the Internet and a server supporting speech recognition processing. The user inputs speech to the client, which transmits the user speech to the server in approximate real-time. The server evaluates the user speech using processing level based on the value received from each client.
US09111539B1 Editing voice input
A computer-implemented method of generating a voice command to perform an action includes receiving a voice request to perform the action, wherein the voice request comprises first audio information for one or more first data fields associated with the action; generating a GUI that when rendered on a display device comprises a prompt message prompting a user to speak second audio information for one or more second data fields associated with the action; and inserting into the one or more second data fields data indicative of one or more of (i) the first audio information, and (ii) the second audio information.
US09111538B2 Genius button secondary commands
Methods, systems and articles for receiving, by a telecommunication device, audio input through a unified audio interface are disclosed herein. The telecommunication device is further configured to perform at least one of a dictation action, an incoming message processing action, a navigation action, a content lookup action, or a contact lookup action while continuously or substantially continuously receiving voice commands from a user. In some aspects, the telecommunications device may continuously receive and process voice command while operating in a driving mode, which may be initiated by the telecommunications device.
US09111537B1 Real-time audio recognition protocol
An audio recognition service recognizes an audio sample across multiple content types. At least a partial set of results generated by the service are returned to a client while the audio sample is still being recorded and/or transmitted. The client additionally displays the results in real-time or near real-time to the user. The audio sample can be sent over a first HTTP connection and the results can be returned over a second HTTP connection. The audio recognition service further processes check-in selections received from the client for content items indicated by the results. Responsive to receiving the check-in selections, the service determines whether a user is eligible for a reward. If the user is eligible, the service provides the reward.
US09111536B2 Method and system to play background music along with voice on a CDMA network
A method and system for compressing an audio signal. The method includes receiving a segment of an audio signal and selectively disabling noise suppression for the received segment. The segment is filtered in a noise-suppression module if noise suppression is not disabled. The method also includes calculating an autocorrelation coefficient and an LSP coefficient, predicting a short-term coefficient and long-term coefficients according to the LSP coefficient and calculating one or more bandwidth-expanded correlation coefficients. Further, the method includes determining the type of packet in which to encode the segment. An encoding rate is selected from among a full rate encode, a half-rate encode, and an eight-rate encode if noise suppression is not disabled. An encoding rate is selected from among a full rate encode and a half-rate encode if noise suppression is disabled. Furthermore, the segment is formed into a packet of the determined type and selected rate.
US09111529B2 Method for encoding/decoding an improved stereo digital stream and associated encoding/decoding device
A method for encoding and decoding a digital audio signal composed of an original right-hand signal (SDO) and an original left-hand signal (SGO). The method combines the original right-hand signal (SDO) and the original left-hand signal (SGO) to obtain a single combined signal (SC), encodes the combined signal (SC) using a standard encoder to obtain a compressed combined signal (SCC), and decodes the compressed combined signal (SCC) using a standard decoder (8) to obtain a decompressed combined signal (SCD). After decoding, the method generates a reconstructed right-hand signal (SDR) and a reconstructed left-hand signal (SGR) from the decompressed combined signal (SCD), which are de-correlated from each other. Also, a treble-generating module enables the high-frequency component (SHF) of the right-hand (SDR) or left-hand (SGR) signals to be recreated, which signals had been deleted as a result of the compression.
US09111528B2 Matrix decoder for surround sound
A decoder and decoding method for use in surround sound system wherein at least four audio input signals representing an original sound field are encoded into two channel signals and said encoded signals are decoded into at least four audio output signals corresponding to the four audio input signals and have an amplitude ratio and a phase relationship. The decoder and method including means for: compensating the said encoded signals for variations in perceived loudness relative to frequency associated with the encoded two channel signals due to non linearity in human hearing response at least at some frequencies; producing steering signals in responsive to the phase relationship of the said compensated signals; decoding said encoded signals to produce audio output signals corresponding to audio input signals by varying at least the amplitude ratio of said encoded signals contained in each of the output signals in response to said steering signals.
US09111523B2 Device for and a method of processing a signal
A device (100) for processing a signal, wherein the device (100) comprises a processing unit (101) comprising an input terminal and two output terminals, wherein the processing unit is adapted for receiving a signal (104) at the input terminal, and wherein the processing unit is adapted for generating a reduction, signal based on the signal, wherein the reduction signal is adapted for reducing the signal. The device comprises further a first reproduction unit (102) coupled to the first output terminal of the processing unit, wherein the first reproduction unit is adapted for receiving and reproducing the signal, and a second reproduction unit (103) coupled to the second output terminal of the processing unit, wherein the second reproduction unit is adapted for receiving and reproducing the reduction signal.
US09111522B1 Selective audio canceling
The implementations described include an audio canceling device that receives and audio signal from within an environment, identifies desired and undesired audio from the received audio signal and generates an attenuation-signal for use in canceling out or reducing the volume of the undesired audio at a canceling location. In addition, the audio canceling device, may determine a time delay before the attenuation-signal should be transmitted from an output based on a distance between the undesired audio source location and the canceling location and a distance between the output and the canceling location.
US09111511B2 Guitar back plate
A back plate attachable to the back of a guitar is provided. The plate includes screw holes and string ferrule holes. The screw holes of the plate align with the screw holes on a guitar, and the string ferrule holes of the plate align with the string ferrule holes of the guitar. The plate may be bolted or screwed to the back of the guitar via the screw holes. Guitar strings may run through the string ferrule holes of the plate and guitar and attach to the pegs of the guitar.
US09111510B2 Display apparatus and method for rotating displayed content
A display apparatus includes a detector to detect an angle of a center line of the display apparatus relative to a horizontal line of the south geomagnetic pole when in the horizontal plane. The apparatus stores a reference angle. The apparatus determines the rotation angle of the display apparatus by subtracting the reference angle from the angle of the center line of the display apparatus relative to the horizontal line of the south geomagnetic pole; and rotates display content according to the rotation angle. A related method is also disclosed.
US09111508B2 Display device
Each of a plurality of timing controllers has a synchronization reference signal output terminal from which a synchronization reference signal is output and a synchronization reference signal input terminal to which the synchronization reference signal is input. A master timing controller outputs a predetermined signal of display signals which are input from an external device, from the synchronization reference signal output terminal of the master timing controller as the synchronization reference signal, and the synchronization reference signal is input to the synchronization reference signal input terminals of the master timing controller and a slave timing controller. Accordingly, a luminance difference can be prevented from occurring between divided regions of a display panel due to asynchronization between display signals input to respective timing controllers in a display device in which a plurality of timing controllers are used and the display panel is divided into a plurality of regions.
US09111503B2 Display device and method for driving same
In each pixel formation portion of a display device, an amplification electrode is provided which is connected to a drain electrode of a thin-film transistor whose gate electrode is connected to a gate bus line and whose source electrode is connected to a source bus line. A second-capacitor is formed by the amplification electrode and a pixel electrode. A selection period is constituted by a precharge period and an amplification period. In the precharge period, a video signal potential is applied to the pixel electrode and a potential of a control wire is applied to the amplification electrode. In the amplification period, a video signal potential is applied to the amplification electrode with the pixel electrode being in a floating state.
US09111502B2 Driving circuit and LCD device having data monitoring module
A driving method of a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel comprises a scan driving process and a data driving process. In the scan driving process, overlapping time regions are formed simultaneously between a positive edge and a negative edge of the scan lines when a drive of a last row of a scan line is switched to drive of a next row of the scan line. In the data driving process, when a time of data signal corresponding to the last row of the scan line overlaps a time of the overlapping time regions, the data signal corresponding to the next row of the scan line are outputted.
US09111501B2 Display device
The present invention aims to provide a display device capable of displaying an image in a color maintaining a hue and a tone expected from an input signal.In a field-sequential liquid crystal display device, when a red image is displayed, red light is transmitted in the first subframe period, and further, green light and blue light are transmitted in the second and third subframe periods, respectively. Therefore, the blue component of an input signal is adjusted such that the transmittance of the liquid crystal panel is at a predetermined value even in the third subframe period. As a result, the hue of an image displayed on the liquid crystal panel is the same as or almost the same as the hue of red expected from the input signal. Moreover, the color of red displayed on the liquid crystal panel maintains the tone value of the color expected from the input signal.
US09111496B2 Electro-optic device and electronic apparatus with a control signal including a precharge period
A signal supply circuit supplies, to a control line, a control signal which is set so as to have a precharge potential during a precharge period before start of a writing period and which is set so as to have a gray scale potential corresponding to a designated gray scale of each pixel in a time division manner during the writing period. A plurality of switches controls connection between the signal lines and the control line. A control circuit controls the plurality of switches so as to be concurrently turned on during a precharge period and controls the plurality of switches so as to be turned on sequentially during a plurality of unit periods of the writing period. The control circuit sets an initial unit period after elapse of the precharge period among the plurality of unit periods so as to be longer than the other unit periods.
US09111495B2 Liquid crystal display device, backlight used for same display device, method for driving same backlight and method for manufacturing same backlight
A Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), a backlight used for the LCD and a method for producing the LCD and the backlight are provided which are capable of inhibiting an increase in component counts and in assembling processes and of reducing them, thereby achieving low costs. A display image is obtained by arranging a backlight section being able to perform scanning as a single unit in a manner that it positionally matches a liquid crystal displaying section. The backlight section is provided with a plurality of scanning electrodes and light emitting layers each providing a different luminescent color, and being spatially separated from each other on a principal face of the backlight and scanning is performed on a plurality of light emitting layers providing a different luminescent color.
US09111490B2 Gate driving circuit and organic electroluminescent display apparatus using the same
A gate driving circuit generates a gate driving signal for a P-type transistor and a gate driving signal for an N-type transistor, a scanning signal and a light emission control signal, and the gate driving circuit provides a pulse width control function and a concurrent light emitting function.
US09111484B2 Electronic device for scene evaluation and image projection onto non-planar screens
An electronic device may have one or more imaging sensors. The imaging sensors may be used in combination with an optional mechanical gesture to analyze the lighting conditions of the environment around the electronic device. The electronic device may set auto-exposure, auto-white balance, and auto-focus settings based on the analysis. The electronic device may include a shaped display. The imaging sensors may be used in calibration of a projector for the shaped display and may be used in sending touch inputs associated with the shaped display. The electronic device may be able to capture a photograph during video capture. The electronic device may generate a display screen that identifies which portions of the scene being imaged correspond to the video and which portions correspond to the photograph.
US09111480B2 Liquid crystal display and a method of driving the same by converting three color input image signals based on a hue shift of yellow
A liquid crystal display that includes a plurality of pixels configured to display four colors, and a color gamut mapping unit configured to convert three color input image signals into four color image signals, wherein when the three color input image signals include yellow, the color gamut mapping unit converts the three color input image signals based on a hue shift of the yellow.
US09111478B2 Method of compensating color gamut of display
A method of compensating the color gamut of a display includes establishing a plurality of color gamut boundaries of four color hues, generating m sets of original luminance, chrominance and hue values according to m sets of tricolor grey level values, adjusting the chrominance of n sets of luminance, chrominance and hue values of the m sets of luminance, chrominance and hue values exceeding the plurality of color gamut boundaries with four color hues to generate n sets of corrected luminance, chrominance and hue values, generating m sets of four color grey levels according to the n sets of corrected luminance, chrominance and hue values and (m−n) sets of uncorrected luminance, chrominance and hue values, and displaying images on the display according to the m sets of four color grey levels.
US09111477B2 Language-based color calibration of displays
Described herein is a method of calibrating displays (or printers) using Natural Language-based commands. The exemplary method provides an easy-to-use solution to the common methods of color calibrating a display. Instead of using sliders or manual controls for the individual dimensions of a three-dimensional color problem, the user is able to make adjustments via natural language commands, such as “make reference patch less purple.” The method does not require the user to understand color mixing technology when making separate R, G, and B adjustments to match a specified patch. A user can easily express the necessary color adjustment in natural language terms, making the process simpler and faster.
US09111472B2 Light-emitting diode module, backlight assembly having the LED module and display device having the backlight assembly
A backlight assembly includes a light-emitting diode (LED) module and a bottom chassis. The LED module includes an LED package in which at least one LED chip is mounted, and first and second wire sockets respectively making contact with lead frames formed at two sides of the LED package. The bottom chassis has a coupling hole formed through a bottom portion for receiving a coupling hook of the LED module. Thus, a wire socket is configured to make contact with a lead frame formed at a side portion of an LED package and power is received through a wire inserted through the wire socket, so that an additional printed circuit board (PCB) or an additional flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) for providing the LED package with power may be omitted.
US09111470B2 Retractable electroluminescent display system
A portable display system having a portable housing including a base for supporting the housing on a flat surface and including an electroluminescent display panel which is flexible and provided in a first extended orientation wherein the display panel is visible to a bystander and a second rolled orientation with the display panel returned into a housing interior. An elongated frame supports the display panel in the first extended orientation, with the frame including a first end which engages the housing and a second end that engages the display panel. A return mechanism, such as a spring return, is provided within the housing for retracting the display panel from the first extended orientation into the second retracted orientation.
US09111469B2 Advertising display and method
A poster clamp comprising first and second members, the members comprising first and second gripping surfaces, respectively, for gripping opposing sides of a poster or a like, and a poster mounting system comprising a hoarding and a plurality of such clamps, and a wire on which the clamps are to be mounted for tightening a poster within the frame of the hoarding.
US09111468B2 Overhead support apparatus
A support component comprises a tab configured to be coupled to a bar (as comprises a part of an item to be suspended), the tab including a plurality of openings disposed therethrough and configured to receive an overhead support interface (such as a corresponding flexible link) to thereby provide overhead support to the bar. These openings can be laterally offset from one another to facilitate selecting a particular pitch orientation for the bar. The tab can have a non-circular hole disposed therethrough sized and configured to receive the bar. This hole can include a surface that is configured to key with respect to a corresponding bar surface to thereby prevent the bar from rotating.
US09111466B2 Efficient access to connectivity information using cable identification
Communication apparatus includes a memory and a communication interface, configured to send and receive messages to and from respective management agents in multiple items of communication equipment having ports that are interconnected by cables in a network, each of the cables having a unique identifier. A processor is configured to communicate with the management agents via the communication interface so as to collect physical connectivity information with respect to the cables and the ports, to store the physical connectivity information in the memory, and to provide the physical connectivity information to a user of the apparatus.
US09111462B2 Comparing display data to user interactions
A workstation system produces a display presentation responsive to composition data and responsive to input variables and/or a selected operating mode. A selection subsystem determines a selected operating mode and display format. A controller, responsive to the selection subsystem, provides means for selectively controlling the storing of display data in memory and selectively processing (e.g. altering) the stored display data responsive to the selected operating mode and the input variables to produce a particular one of a plurality of processed results, such as external communications, operating, mode, transformation, etc. The workstation can coordinate communications, or be a slave device, with one or more external devices, such as other workstations, a master workstation, a controller, etc.
US09111454B2 Associating diverse content
Diverse content items from within a network of federated systems is managed to allow automatic access of related content items from within the network based on access of a first content item. The related content items are ranked according to various criteria for relatedness and/or quality.
US09111451B2 Apparatus and method for driving guide of vehicle
An apparatus and method for a driving guide of a vehicle are provided and include a sensor unit that has at least one sensor mounted within the vehicle. In addition, a controller is configured to sense obstacles positioned at a front and side of the vehicle using sensing information received from the sensor unit and arrange data for the obstacles based on an angle to determine whether a passage is present in front of the vehicle. In addition, the controller is configured to provide the driving guide of the checked passage.
US09111449B2 Method and system for determining the state of occupation of a plurality of scheduled areas by vehicles
A method for determining the state of occupation of a plurality of scheduled areas by vehicles, comprising the steps of: associating with each area to be monitored a transmitter which periodically transmits a signal of fixed power; receiving in a concentrator the plurality of signals emitted by said plurality of transmitters; examining said plurality of signals and determining the occupied/vacant state of each area to be monitored; periodically transmitting a signal comprising information on the occupied/vacant state of each monitored area to an operating center; generating information indicative of the state of occupation of a plurality of areas.
US09111448B2 Warning system for a motor vehicle determining an estimated intersection control
A warning system for a motor vehicle includes a control system for estimating the type of intersection control for two or more roadways. The method of estimating the type of intersection control includes steps of classifying each roadway at an intersection and estimating the type of intersection control used for each roadway. Roadways can be classified by size, traveling speed, number of lanes as well as any other roadway characteristics. The warning system can be operated using the estimated intersection control device for each roadway. In some cases, information from a target vehicle can be used to determine a potential violation of an intersection control device.
US09111447B2 Emergency vehicle warning system and method
An aspect of some embodiments of the present invention relates to a warning system for use in an emergency vehicle. The system comprises a tone generator, configured for generating an output alert signal, and a radio wave generator. The radio wave generator is configured for receiving the output alert signal and encoding the output alert signal into an electrical signal, and for converting the electrical signal into an electromagnetic wave configured for being received by a radio and/or a cellular communication device within a desired distance from the emergency vehicle, thus enabling the receiving radio and/or cellular communication device to convert the electromagnetic wave to an audio signal that can be emitted by the radio and/or cellular communication device to warn a user of a proximity of the emergency vehicle.
US09111446B2 Method for the output of text information via a display
Method for the output of text information via a display in a driver information system in a motor vehicle is provided, the display having a predetermined display capacity, the extent of the information to be output being adapted to the capacity of the display, and the text information or the information elements to be output being divided into at least two components each. The information or information elements are output to the full extent if allowed by the display capacity, and an abbreviation is output for at least one component of an item of information or an information element to be output if the capacity of the display is not sufficient for output of the complete information or a complete unit of information.
US09111444B2 Video and lidar target detection and tracking system and method for segmenting moving targets
Embodiments of video and LIDAR target detection and tracking system and method for segmenting targets are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the system may perform moving target detection using three-frame difference processing on frames of LIDAR range images of a scene to identify a moving target and determine an initial position estimate for the moving target. The system may also perform segmentation of the moving target using a single frame of the LIDAR range images to generate a segmented target that may include a target mask and target centroid position. After segmentation, moving target registration including motion compensation may be performed by registering the segmented target in multiple LIDAR frames to determine a target position, a target orientation and a target heading. In some embodiments, a three-dimensional model of the moving target may be generated and added to a sequence of video frames.
US09111441B2 Control device, control system and control method
A control device which controls an operation of a controlled device, includes: an operation information storage unit to store operation information about an acceptable operation; a control information acquisition unit to acquire control information about the controlled device; and an association table generation unit to generate an association table for storing the operation information stored in the operation information storage unit associated with the control information acquired by the control information acquisition unit.
US09111433B2 Security and tracking system
A security and tracking apparatus includes at least a first signaling unit and a second signaling unit, wherein the apparatus is adapted for transmitting the location of each signaling unit when the first and second signaling units are separated by more than a preselected distance. A method to locate a person, animal, or object, includes providing in contact with or at least in close proximity to the person, the animal, or the object, at least a first signaling unit and a second signaling unit, wherein each respective signaling unit is adapted for identifying the location of the signaling units and for transmitting the location of the signaling units when the first and second signaling units are separated more than a preselected distance; and activating the signaling units to transmit the location of the signaling units.
US09111429B2 Apparatus and method for managing alarms of system
Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for managing alarms based on state information received from systems. The method includes receiving alarms including state information of a remote control system; displaying an alarm queue including at least one of the received alarms; setting important alarms from among the alarms displayed in the alarm queue; and deleting the important alarm from the alarm queue when a user confirms the important alarm or a signal notifying a recovery to a normal state of a system corresponding to the important alarm is received.
US09111428B2 Merchandise security device including strain relief block
A merchandise security device for displaying an electronic item of merchandise includes a strain relief block configured for attachment to the merchandise and an alarming power cable configured for being electrically coupled to a power input port provided on the merchandise. The alarming power cable is routed through the strain relief block for reducing strain applied to the alarming power cable, which may prevent damaging the power input port or the portion of the alarming power cable extending between the strain relief block and the power input port.
US09111405B2 Protected communications vending machine system
Vending Machines (VMs) employ a series of physical locks to prevent unauthorized access and/or control of the machine. In addition to the lock on the front door, in one embodiment of the invention an electrical door switch is employed that is used to enable a set of protected commands to the Vending Machine Controller Card (VMCC) only when the door has been opened. An electronic override of this switch, via remote control of a telemetry device (VIU) coupled to the VM, allows the VMCC to accept protected-mode commands from a central command server via a wireless network regardless of whether the door was actually opened. Other embodiments are described herein.
US09111404B2 Vending apparatus and method for providing training for a medicinal product or medical device or combination product
The present invention relates to a vending apparatus for at least one medicinal product, comprising of a housing, storage means adapted to store the at least one medicinal product, an input means adapted to process a costumer request for a medicinal product, processing means adapted to process the costumer request and being adapted to execute an interactive product-related training procedure to the customer, and delivery means for handing out the medicinal product to the costumer after passing the training procedure, wherein access to the medicinal product is only approved by the processing means if the customer successfully passes the training procedure.
US09111403B2 Systems and methods for tracking device control and report
Systems and methods for systems and method for tracking device control and reporting are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving first location information from a vehicle tracking device associated with a vehicle, the first location information indicating a location of a vehicle at a first location. The method also includes receiving second location information from the vehicle tracking device, the second location information indicating a location of the vehicle at a second location and a distance traveled by the vehicle from the first location. The method further includes determining based on the second location information, an actual distance traveled by the vehicle from the first location to the second location. The method also includes determining, based on the first location information and the second location information, an expected distance between the first location and the second location and comparing the actual distance traveled by the vehicle to the expected distance.
US09111402B1 Systems and methods for capturing employee time for time and attendance management
Systems and techniques to capture employee time for time and attendance management are disclosed. In general, in one implementation, a technique includes using a multi-touch tablet style device as a Cloud Clock for capturing employee time. Employees will punch in and out at the device by standing in front of the Cloud Clock with a personal ID card. The Cloud Clock device will use its front-facing video camera to identify the employee and log the time in a web-based application that tracks employee work hours. Such a Cloud Clock can also be used as a self-service station where employees can access their schedules, request time-off, and trade shifts. Such Cloud Clocks can be loaded with management software that allows the clocks to be remotely monitored for anomalies. The Cloud Clocks can also be updated remotely without requiring user intervention at the clock.
US09111401B2 Interactive reader commander
An access control system and a method of operating the same are provided. The access control system includes an interactive reader commander that intercepts commands transmitted from a computing device to a reader and determines if the intercepted commands are security-relevant. Security-relevant commands and possibly other commands are stored unless and until a valid user input is received at the interactive reader commander.
US09111400B2 System for detecting abnormal driving behavior
In an abnormal driving behavior detection system for a vehicle, an obtainer repeatedly obtains an observed value indicative of at least one of a running condition of the vehicle and a driver's driving operation of the vehicle. A mode-probability calculator calculates, each time an observed value is obtained at a given obtaining timing as a target obtained value, a mode probability for each of driving modes as a function of one or more previous observed values. A deviation calculator obtains a predicted observed value for each driving mode using a driver's normal behavior model defined therefor, and calculates a deviation of the target observed value from the predicted observed value for each driving mode. An abnormality determiner determines whether there is at least one driver's abnormal behavior based on the mode probability for each driving mode and the deviation calculated for each driving mode.
US09111391B2 Image generating device, image generating method, and non-transitory information storage medium
An image generating device includes: a gravity parameter changing section for changing a parameter relating to gravity of each of a plurality of rigid bodies which are constrained to one another and included in a first object based on a positional relationship between each of the plurality of rigid bodies and a second object; a physical calculation section for physically calculating a motion of each of the plurality of rigid bodies included in the first object based on the changed parameter; and an image rendering section for rendering an image representing a surface of the first object based on the motions of the plurality of rigid bodies included in the first object.
US09111389B2 Image generation apparatus and image generation method
An image generation apparatus includes: a pixel-shifted image generation unit which generates a first pixel-shifted image resulting from a process of shifting, based on an input image and a depth map, a pixel in the input image by a shift amount corresponding to the new viewpoint, and a second pixel-shifted image resulting from a process of shifting, by the same shift amount as for the first pixel-shifted image, a pixel in a background edge image included in the input image and containing a pixel located in a background region around an edge of a foreground object; an image fusion unit which fuses the second pixel-shifted image and the first pixel-shifted image to include a background region in the second pixel-shifted image into a hole; and a hole filling unit which fills the hole with pixel information based on the fused pixel-shifted image.
US09111386B2 Image viewing application and method for orientationally sensitive display devices
A system and method for presenting three-dimensional image volume data utilizing an orientationally-sensitive display device whereby the image volume is navigable simply by tilting, raising and lowering the display device. Doing so presents an image on the screen that relates to the angle and position of the display device such that the user gets the impression that the device itself is useable as a window into the image volume, especially when the device is placed on or near the source of the image data, such as a patient.
US09111383B2 Systems and methods for obtaining and using augmentation data and for sharing usage data
Computationally implemented methods and systems include receiving augmentation data associated with one or more first augmentations, the one or more first augmentations having been included in a first augmented view of a first actual scene that was remotely displayed at a remote augmented reality (AR) device, displaying one or more second augmentations in a second augmented view of a second actual scene, the displaying of the one or more second augmentations being in response, at least in part, to the augmentation data, and transmitting to the remote AR device usage data that indicates usage information related at least to usage or non-usage of the received augmentation data. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text.
US09111381B2 Shift-varying line projection using graphics hardware
Line segments are classified according to orientation to improve list mode reconstruction of tomography data using graphics processing units (GPUs). The new approach addresses challenges which include compute thread divergence and random memory access by exploiting GPU capabilities such as shared memory and atomic operations. The benefits of the GPU implementation are compared with a reference CPU-based code. When applied to positron emission tomography (PET) image reconstruction, the GPU implementation is 43× faster, and images are virtually identical. In particular, the deviation between the GPU and the CPU implementation is less than 0.08% (RMS) after five iterations of the reconstruction algorithm, which is of negligible consequence in typical clinical applications.
US09111374B2 Mobile terminal, method for controlling the same, and non-transitory storage medium storing program to be executed by mobile terminal
A non-transitory storage medium storing a program readable by a computer of a mobile terminal including: a storage configured to store an image data set containing image data having order numbers; and a display. The program causes the computer to function as a display controller that controls displays a first image based on image data that is a selected one of the image data. The display controller, where images respectively based on the image data have a two-page-spread relationship, displays the first image and a second image consecutive to the first image in a two-page spread layout in which the first image and the second image are arranged respectively on one and the other of the right and left pages; and where the images do not have the two-page-spread relationship, displays the first image in a layout that differs from the two-page spread layout.
US09111372B2 System and method for object identification and anomaly detection
A system for identifying dental objects, visualizing a dental image, and method for identifying dental anomalies are described. The system for identifying dental objects comprises a 3-D dental image, a database, a digital processing component, and an interactive graphical user interface is described. The 3-D dental image is generated by a medical imaging device. The database has data fields that include locations for teeth, locations for each section of tooth, standard shapes associated with individual teeth, standard shapes associated with each of the sections of tooth, and bone density data for each section of tooth. The digital processing component is configured to process the 3-D image and is in operative communication with the database. The digital processing component is configured to identify an object by combining a plurality of voxels having a common density and tagging the object. The interactive graphical user interface (GUI) permits the user to interact with the object.
US09111371B2 Workflow system for 3D model creation
A 3D modeling workflow system is disclosed that allows the user to create multiple 2D planes or paint canvases in the 3D scene each having a position and orientation. These 2D planes can be arbitrarily positioned in the 3D scene and can contain a combination of paint and model construction geometry. The construction geometry can span multiple 2D planes. The user is allowed to sketch on the planes using paint and create curve geometry in and between the planes using the sketches as a reference. Collectively the 2D planes allow a 3D object to be represented with different types of input where portions of the object are drawn in by paint and other or the same portions are composed of geometry. The user can swap between painting on the 2D planes and creating model geometry as needed.
US09111369B2 Graphics accelerator
Disclosed herein are various embodiments of a graphics accelerator, which may include an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit may include a local memory; a direct memory access (DMA) engine; a processor; and one or more processing pipelines. The local memory stores graphics data that includes a plurality of pixels. The DMA engine transfers the graphics data between the local memory and an external memory. The processor performs at least one operation, in parallel, on components of at least a portion of the pixels. The one or more processing pipelines process the graphics data. The graphics accelerator works on operands and produces outputs for one set of pixels while the DMA engine is bringing in operands for a future set of pixel operations, and transfers data from the external memory to the one or more processing pipelines by directing data to the one or more pipelines.
US09111367B2 Nonlocality based super resolution reconstruction method and device
The present invention relates to the field of digital image enhancement technologies, and more particularly to a non-locality-based super-resolution reconstruction method and device, so as to solve the problem of relatively low resolution of an image after non-locality-based super-resolution reconstruction in the prior art. The method in the embodiment of the present invention comprises: determining a position of a search window where a current macro-block is mapped in each of other image frames; determining a search window where the current pixel block is mapped in the each of the image frames, according to the position of the search window where the macro-block, where the pixel corresponding to the current pixel block is located, is mapped in the each of the image frames, and determining a similarity value of each determined pixel block in the determined search window relative to the current pixel block respectively; and determining an optimized central pixel value of each pixel block according to the determined similarity value. By use of the embodiments of the present invention, the resolution of an image subjected to non-locality-based super-resolution reconstruction is enhanced.
US09111366B2 Superresolution optical fluctuation imaging (SOFI)
Statistical analysis techniques based on auto- and cross-correlations/cumulants, of image stacks of fluctuating objects are used to improve resolution beyond the classical diffraction limit and to reduce the background. The time trajectory of every pixel in the image frame is correlated with itself and/or with the time trajectory of an adjacent pixel. The amplitude of these auto- or cross-correlations/cumulants of each pixel, at a given time lag or averaged or integrated over an interval of time lags, is used as the intensity value of that pixel in the generated superresolved optical fluctuation image.
US09111365B2 Edge-adaptive interpolation and noise filtering method, computer-readable recording medium, and portable terminal
An edge-adaptive interpolation and noise filtering method is provided including performing primary interpolation on a first color, based on a first preset number of directions, with respect to a first color window obtained from an input image window, estimating an edge direction within a primary interpolated first color window obtained by the primary interpolation, based on a second preset number of directions, the second preset number of directions being larger than the first preset number, with respect to the primary interpolated first color window, performing secondary interpolation on the first color, based on the estimated edge direction, with respect to the primary interpolated first color window, and performing interpolation on a second color, based on the estimated edge direction, with respect to a second color window obtained from the input image window.
US09111364B2 Method of content aware image resizing
Audiovisual content presentation to users has evolved from users receiving hardcopy printed materials to their searching and retrieving information by accessing any of hundreds of millions of web sites and billions of web pages. User retrieval being performed on a wide variety of platforms from high performance PCs to low performance cellular telephones. Accordingly substantial limitations exist in initially displaying this audiovisual content as well as when users dynamically manipulate browser dimensions or move through the content. Further additional limitations exist for those authoring both online and traditional content to manipulate sourced content to provide the published content. As such a requirement exists for dynamically resizing images that respects the information content within the audiovisual content. Embodiments of the invention provide for content aware resizing of audiovisual content both within authoring and user environments, and in dependence upon device characteristics such as display, processor, power, etc.
US09111360B2 Technique for improving the performance of a tessellation pipeline
A tessellation pipeline includes an alpha phase and a beta phase. The alpha phase includes pre-tessellation processing stages, while the beta phase includes post-tessellation processing stages. A processing unit configured to implement a processing stage in the alpha phase stores input graphics data within a buffer and then copies over that buffer with output graphics data, thereby conserving memory resources. The processing unit may also copy output graphics data directly to a level 2 (L2) cache for beta phase processing by other tessellation pipelines, thereby avoiding the need for fixed function copy-out hardware.
US09111358B2 Digital-watermark embedding device, digital-watermark embedding method, and digital-watermark detecting device
A digital-watermark embedding device includes a content obtaining unit that obtains content; a watermark-information obtaining unit that obtains digital-watermark information; a generating unit that generates a synchronization flag on a basis of the digital-watermark information; and an embedding unit that embeds the digital-watermark information and the synchronization flag into the content.
US09111356B2 Image segmentation method using higher-order clustering, system for processing the same and recording medium for storing the same
Disclosed herein is a method of processing images based on image segmentation using higher-order correlation clustering. In an image segmentation method according to an embodiment of the present invention, an input image is segmented into superpixels. A hypergraph is constructed by connecting two or more adjacent superpixels, among the superpixels, to one another. A joint feature map is created by extracting feature vectors from respective edges of the hypergraph, and partitioning the hypergraph based on higher-order correlation clustering in consideration of specific constraints.
US09111355B1 Selective color processing for vision systems that enables optimal detection and recognition
Described is a system for selective color processing for vision systems. The system receives a multi-band image as input. As an optional step, the multi-band image is preprocessed, and a transformation is performed to transform the multi-band image into a color space. A metric function is applied to the transformed image to generate a distance map comprising intensities which vary based on a similarity between an intensity of a pixel color and an intensity of a target color. A contrast enhancement process is applied to the distance map to normalize the distance map to a range of values. The range of values is expanded near the intensity of the target color. Finally, an output response map for the target color of interest is generated, such that the output response map has high responses in regions which are similar to the target color to aid in detection and recognition processes.
US09111354B2 Image processing method and image processing apparatus
An image processing apparatus includes a first error diffusion unit, a second error diffusion unit, and a first determining unit, wherein the second error diffusion unit performs error diffusion processing in parallel with the first error diffusion unit and has an operating unit and a calculation unit, and the first determining unit determines whether quantized data for the second pixel of interest is fixed by the second error diffusion unit on the basis of whether the total of value is equal to or lower than a first reference value and whether the total of value is equal to or higher than a second reference value that is higher than the first reference value.
US09111353B2 Adaptive illuminance filter in a video analysis system
Techniques are disclosed for removing false-positive foreground pixels resulting from environmental illumination effects. The techniques include receiving a foreground image and a background model, and determining an approximated reflectance component of the foreground image based on the foreground image itself and a background model image which is used as a proxy for an illuminance component of the foreground image. Pixels of the foreground image having approximated reflectance values less than a threshold value may be classified as false-positive foreground pixels and removed from the foreground image. Further, the threshold value used may be adjusted based on various factors to account for, e.g., different illumination conditions indoors and outdoors.
US09111348B2 Computer-based method and system of dynamic category object recognition
A computer-based method/system of dynamic category object recognition for estimating pose and/or positioning of target objects and target object's parts. The method/system may recognize a target object and the target object's parts. The method/system may segment and extract data corresponding to the target object and the target object's parts, and estimate the pose and positioning of the target object and the target object's parts using a plurality of stored object models. The dynamic method/system may supplement or modify the parameters of the plurality of stored object models and/or store learned object models. The learned object models assist in recognizing and estimating pose and/or positioning of newly encountered objects more accurately and with fewer processing steps. The method and system may include a processor, a sensor, an external device, a communications unit, and a database.
US09111347B2 Method for determining the pose of a camera with respect to at least one real object
A method for determining the pose of a camera with respect to at least one real object, the method comprises the following steps: operating the camera (1) for capturing a 2-dimensional (or 3-dimensional) image (4) including at least a part of the real object (3), providing a transformation matrix (T) which includes information regarding a correspondence between 3-dimensional points (Pi*) associated with the real object (3) and corresponding 2-dimensional points (or 3-dimensional points) (p,) of the real object (5) as included in the 2-dimensional (or 3-dimensional) image (4), and determining an initial estimate of the transformation matrix (Tl) as an initial basis for an iterative minimization process used for iteratively refining the transformation matrix, determining a Jacobian matrix (J) which includes information regarding the initial estimate of the transformation matrix (Tl) and reference values of 3-dimensional points (Pi*) associated with the real object (3). Further, in the iterative minimization process, in each one of multiple iteration loops determining a respective updated version of the transformation matrix (T) based on a respective previous version of the transformation matrix (T) and based on the Jacobian matrix (J), wherein the Jacobian matrix is not updated during the iterative minimization process, and determining the pose of the camera (1) with respect to the real object (3) using the transformation matrix (T) determined at the end of the iterative minimization process. As a result, the camera pose can be calculated with rather low computational time.
US09111337B2 Low dose cardiac CT imaging with time-adaptive filtration
A system and method for reducing image noise and artifacts in coronary computed tomography angiography includes acquisition of CT images at multiplicity of CT slices arranged in such a fashion throughout the phases of the cardiac cycle as to utilize the majority of the X-ray radiation to which the myocardium exposed during the cycle. The acquired imaging data is processed with the use of a TAF filter to reduce the amount of noise and artifacts associated with the CT's system operating at low tube current. The TAF filter is configured to adapt the filtering strength in time domain according to temporal variations of the same anatomical location as identified in its corresponding CT slices.
US09111336B2 Method and apparatus for image filtering
A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may include, for example, partitioning the image into a group of blocks, calculating principle bilateral filtered image components for a first subset of the group of blocks where the principle bilateral filtered image components are not calculated for a second subset of the group of blocks, and applying an infinite impulse response filter to the image using the principle bilateral filtered image components. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09111333B2 Predictive position encoding
A method and apparatus for position coding of three dimensional mesh models are described including estimating a symbol probability of a non-empty-child-cell Cl,k, where Ql,k denotes the kth cell at layer l, wherein the symbol probability is estimated based on an accuracy of a fitted plane P, sub-dividing the non-empty-child-cell to produce a sub-cell, if the non-empty-child-cell has more than one vertex, determining if there are more unprocessed non-empty-child-cells at layer l, if there are no more unprocessed non-empty-child-cells at layer l, determining if all non-empty-child-cells at layer l have only one vertex and a distance between the center of the sub-cell and a point inside the sub-cell is less than or equal to a first threshold and entropy coding symbols representing a position of the non-empty-child-cells, if all non-empty-child-cells at layer l have only one vertex and the distance between the center of the sub-cell and the point inside the sub-cell is less than or equal to the first threshold.
US09111332B2 Method and apparatus for hardness tester
A hardness tester has an indentation former forming an indentation by pressing an indenter against a surface of a sample; an image capture controller controlling a CCD camera to capture an image of the surface of the sample and obtain image data; an indentation area extractor extracting an indentation area based on the obtained image data; and a hardness calculator calculating hardness of the sample based on the extracted indentation area. The indentation area extractor has a reduced image generator reducing the image obtained from the image data of the surface of the sample at a scale ratio selected from a plurality of predetermined scale ratios and generating a reduced image; and a pattern matcher performing pattern matching with respect to the generated reduced image and extracting the indentation area.
US09111326B1 Designation of zones of interest within an augmented reality environment
An augmented reality system is configured to identify and track user gestures, sounds, and interaction with physical objects to designate active zones. These active zones may be allocated additional processing and functional resources. Gestures may include particular hand or body motions, orientation of a user's head, and so forth. Sounds may include clapping, clicks, whistles, taps, footfalls, humming, singing, speech, and so forth. Active areas as well as inactive areas of lesser or no interest may be designated as well.
US09111323B2 Methods for predictive consumer item ordering and devices thereof
A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and apparatus that generates preorder information identifying a plurality of consumer items to be prepared at designated begin times, based at least in part on historical purchase information. At each of the designated begin times a ticket is generated identifying a consumer item, wherein the consumer item has an associated duration such that the consumer item will be ready at a finished time. Each ticket is provided to a client computing device, wherein the tickets further include at least a remaining amount of time until the identified consumer item reaches the finished time. A request is received from the client computing device to claim one of the consumer items identified by one of the provided tickets. Each of the claimed consumer items is associated with a claimed status. The historical purchase information is updated based on the request.
US09111319B2 System, computer program product and computer-implemented method for sharing academic user profiles and ranking academic users
A system for sharing academic articles and credential information for a plurality of academic users is described herein. Embodiments of the system, computer program product and computer-implemented method perform a process for gathering data related to the academic user and a process for determining a reputation ranking for the academic user by executing the steps of: creating a user profile for the academic user from attribute information gathered from a user profile prompt, enabling the user profile from the academic user to be viewed by academic and non-academic users and selected for ranking by other academic users, enabling the other academic users to provide a rank selection for the user profile for the academic user according to at least one of research quality, credentials, research articles, and user activity, and determining a reputation ranking for the user profile from the rank selection of the other academic users.
US09111318B1 Providing social context to calendar events
A daily connection facility is available to the user either through a webpage or by e-mail in the form of a synopsis of connection identifiers between the user and their contacts. The web-based version presents connection information in the form of an agenda view, an engage view, and a reminder view. Each view type is selectable by corresponding tab on the webpage. The daily connected e-mail presents an agenda of meetings and events by location, title, and time. The daily connected e-mail also presents interesting profile and connection information about the attendees such as their communications in blogs and postings, recent communications with user, including messages and meetings, as well as contact information and a list of other contacts in common.
US09111317B2 Tagging posted content in a social networking system with media information
A social networking system allows a user to insert media information into content posted by the user, where the media information identifies a media item that the user is consuming while composing the posted content. When a user of a social networking system composes content via a composer interface, the user may select an option on the composer interface to record audio using a microphone on the user's device. A media item is identified from the recorded audio and information about the identified media item is added to the user's posted content. The system may also update information about the identified media item and the composing user.
US09111316B2 System and method to provide event data on a map display
A system and method are disclosed herein to determine an insurance premium discount based on telematics data. The system includes a computer memory and a processor in communication with the computer memory. The computer memory stores data indicative telematics data received from a sensor within a vehicle, including at least one of geo-position information of the vehicle and vehicle kinematics data. The processor is configured to identify safety events and associated safety event locations based on the telematics data. The processor is further configured to display to the driver indications of the safety events on a map display along with indications of safety events associated with other drivers.
US09111308B2 System and method for calculating and displaying price distributions based on analysis of transactions
Embodiments of systems and methods for the aggregation, analysis, display and monetization of pricing data for commodities in general, and which may be particularly useful applied to vehicles are disclosed. Specifically, in certain embodiments, historical transaction data associated with a particular vehicle configuration may be obtained and processed to determine pricing data associated with the vehicle configuration. The historical transaction data or determined pricing data may then be presented in an intuitive manner.
US09111307B1 Marketplace product catalog layering
A merchant system is disclosed that can provide multiple online marketplaces that utilize marketplace product catalog layering. Product catalogs associated with each marketplace may be defined and layered such that products sold by one marketplace may be displayed on and purchased by way of another marketplace. The merchant system might also provide a unified electronic shopping cart for storing purchases made at multiple marketplaces, a unified checkout user interface for completing the purchase of items from multiple marketplaces, and a unified order management user interface for managing purchases made from multiple marketplaces.
US09111300B2 Method and system for automated online college scholarship donations
In one example, we describe methods and systems for automated online merchant charity donations. In one embodiment, a donation agent interacting with a merchant website can offer an online user an option to allocate at least a portion of a payment for or price of a purchase, associated with a transaction made by the user via the merchant website, to be donated by a merchant corresponding to the merchant website on behalf of the user to a charity of the user's choosing. If the online user exercises the option, the donation agent can calculate an amount of the donation to be made and store the calculated donation amount in a database. The donation agent can disburse the calculated donation amount to the charity selected by the customer. The method also works for the off-line model. The points earned can be combined with a college scholarship award mechanism. The system and method describe authentication and the way the charity funding is distributed, with respect to the college tuition and scholarship award.
US09111298B2 System and method for concept development
A framework is provided for building a visual representation of a product concept including a textual component and/or a graphical component. A first element within one of the textual component and the graphical components is designated as a first dynamic element. A second element within one of the textual component and the graphical component is designated as a second dynamic element. The first dynamic element is associated with a first variant list. The second dynamic element is associated with a second variant list. A constraint is associated between at least a first element variant and at least a second element variant. A selection of a first element variant from the first variant list and a second element variant from the second variant list are received. A first instantiation of the visual representation is generated including the first element variant and the second element variant based upon the constraint.
US09111297B2 Providing supplemental content to wireless communication devices based on device status
A wireless communication system monitors device status of a wireless communication device to generate device status data. The system associates a device identifier with the device status data and an anonymous key. The system receives a content request from the wireless communication device and transfers the anonymous key and the device status data to an advertising system. The transferred device status data does not identify the wireless communication device. The system receives the anonymous key and advertising data transferred from the advertising system and associates the advertising data with the wireless communication device based on the anonymous key. The system transfers the content and the advertising data to the wireless communication device.
US09111296B2 Methods and systems for context-aware car diagnostics and commerce
Digital signage systems and methods are provided for advertising and vehicle maintenance-related content based on vehicle telematics data. Example method steps include receiving vehicle telematics data from an in-vehicle telematics device, creating a content production request based on the vehicle telematics data, retrieving context-aware information based on the content production request from a local database or a remote networked resource, creating a digital signage message based at least in part on the context-aware information and at least one predetermined rule, and causing display of the digital signage message on one or more displays.
US09111295B2 Program, system and method for linking community programs and merchants in a marketing program
The present invention is a system, data access management utility and a method of generating links between local merchants and community programs, whereby the merchant may provide incentives to customers in relation to community programs. The present invention may track community programs, as well as both online and offline customer transactions between participants that make use of the incentive. The present invention may include as participants, customers, merchants, community organizations, intermediaries, and other groups or individuals. Participants may have participant identifiers, which may be linked to a payment source. Data may be collected about all participants, either expressly, or from offline or online transactions between participants utilizing a participant identifier, and said data may be stored in a data storage area. All data in the data storage area may be utilized by logic tool, which may provide information, such as details of consumer behavior and analytic reporting. Matches between transactions and members and/or member activities may be identified by the system, and a level of certainty that the match is accurate may be determined.
US09111294B2 Keyword determinations from voice data
Topics of potential interest to a user, useful for purposes such as targeted advertising and product recommendations, can be extracted from voice content produced by a user. A computing device can capture voice content, such as when a user speaks into or near the device. One or more sniffer algorithms or processes can attempt to identify trigger words in the voice content, which can indicate a level of interest of the user. For each identified potential trigger word, the device can capture adjacent audio that can be analyzed, on the device or remotely, to attempt to determine one or more keywords associated with that trigger word. The identified keywords can be stored and/or transmitted to an appropriate location accessible to entities such as advertisers or content providers who can use the keywords to attempt to select or customize content that is likely relevant to the user.
US09111293B2 Mobile location and time sensitive messaging platform
We hereby report a location specific mobile messaging system. These messages could be displayed (by way of example but not by limitation) in a location viewable by a variety of people. The contents of these messages could be programmed to display messages specific to a location.
US09111291B2 System and method for providing sponsored applications in email
A method and system for providing targeted applications within an electronic message interface. The method comprises retrieving content from a user's electronic message in the electronic message interface, parsing and interpreting the user's context from the content, and accepting bidding on the user's interpreted context from one or more applications, the one or more applications including triggering conditions related to the user's interpreted context. The one or more applications are ranked based on the bidding. The method further comprises loading the one or more applications into the electronic message interface based on the ranking, and providing one or more follow-up transactions associated with the one or more loaded applications based on the user's interpreted context.
US09111288B2 Method and system for providing real time communications services by a service provider in collaboration with a communications service provider
The present invention provides a method and a system for providing at least one communications service to one or more service providers by a communications service provider. Communications capabilities of the communications service provider are sliced into a plurality of virtual slices and each of the plurality of virtual slices is configured for a different service provider from among the one or more service providers. At least one communications service is provided to each of the one or more service providers through a respective configured virtual slice by the communications service provider. Each of the one or more service providers further provides the communications service to a user through the respective configured virtual slice in collaboration with the communications service provider.
US09111284B2 Maintaining a history of query results
A method and system for maintaining history of query results is provided. In one aspect, a query and corresponding results retrieved for providing to the requestor are intercepted and saved. Related information about the query and the results are gathered and saved with the query and the results. The saved information may be filtered, consolidated, or otherwise processed and stored in a query storage. The saved information may be queried and be the basis of information from which results to other queries are obtained.
US09111280B2 General purpose messaging
Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for enabling entities, such as issuers, merchants, payment processing networks, and mobile-network operators, to send account-related messages and marketing messages to a user's mobile device in response to a message request sent from the user's mobile device. According to some embodiments, the account-related messages and the marketing messages are sent to the user's mobile device in accordance with message parameters that are defined by the user and that are embedded in the message request.
US09111274B2 Payment processing
A system may include a communication interface configured to communicate with a mobile device and processing logic. The processing logic may be configured to receive authorization from the mobile device, when the mobile device is located proximate to the system, for a first payment for a good or service, and transmit a communication to the mobile device subsequent to receiving the authorization from the mobile device, where the communication is transmitted when the mobile device is not located proximate to the system. The processing logic may further be configured to receive authorization from the mobile device for a second payment in response to the communication.
US09111271B2 System and method for controlling financial transactions over a wireless network
A system and method for controlling financial transactions is disclosed. A customer, using a wireless device, identifies a point of sale and the amount of a transaction at that point of sale is first communicated to a central service and then transmitted to the wireless device for display at the wireless device. The customer can either accept the transaction amount to complete the transaction or reject the amount to cancel the transaction. The customer may have to enter a password or personal identification number to verify the authorization to use the wireless financial system. The customer is billed for the transaction via credit, debit, ATM or other methods, such as the wireless carrier or an internet provider.
US09111267B2 Digital media content location and purchasing system
Systems and methods for locating digital media content. The systems and methods include receiving search terms from a client device through a single interface, searching a plurality of digital media content providers for digital media content using the search terms to obtain search results, sorting and organizing the search results, and returning the search results to the client device through the single interface.
US09111263B2 Adaptive meeting management
A template and/or knowledge associated with a synchronous meeting are obtained by a computing device. The computing device then adaptively manages the synchronous meeting based at least in part on the template and/or knowledge.
US09111262B2 Email message association
A method and computer program product for email message association is described. A method may comprise detecting an indication of an email target of an email message. The method may further comprise determining if the email target is an intended recipient of at least a portion of the email message. The method may also comprise associating the at least a portion of the email message with the email target by adding metadata to the email message.
US09111260B2 Facilitating retrieval of information within a messaging environment
Techniques and mechanisms are provided that allow participants in an electronic messaging conversation (e.g. email or instant message) to retrieve information related to words and phrases in the electronic messaging conversation without leaving the electronic messaging environment. An electronic messaging environment is provided that includes user interface tools that allow a user to (1) select text within the EM conversation, (2) submit the text to an information retrieval service, such as a search engine, and (3) display the results generated by the information retrieval service. To facilitate the selection of relevant text, certain “suggested words” within the conversation may automatically be highlighted by the instant messaging client. Various techniques are provided for customizing which words are suggested, which sources are searched, and which search terms are used.
US09111259B2 Affinity list generation
The present invention relates to analyzing communications involving a given user and determining a ranked list of the most relevant contacts for the user based on the analysis. As subsequent communications are analyzed, the list may be updated in a systematic fashion to provide a dynamic and up-to-date ranking of the most relevant contacts for the user at any given time. By having access to an up-to-date, ranked list of their most relevant contacts, the user can more readily initiate communications with others and avoid searching or sorting through more traditional contact listings.
US09111258B2 Connecting to meetings with barcodes or other watermarks on meeting content
Methods and Systems for connecting to online meetings are provided. In order to connect to an online meeting, coordinates for the meeting can be discoverable by an image or audio watermark overlaid onto content being shared by the online meeting. A person attending a physical meeting in which at least one attendee device or meeting facilitation device is connected to an online meeting can discover the coordinates for the online meeting by capturing and decoding an image or audio watermark overlaid on the content of the online meeting. The image or audio watermark may include a barcode superimposed on a content screen that can be captured and decoded by the person's computing device. A meetings application client on the computing device can be used to navigate to the coordinates discovered by the person's computing device to enable the person to join the meeting.
US09111256B2 Selection information system and method for ingestible product preparation system and method
A computationally implemented system and method that is designed to, but is not limited to: electronically receiving user status information regarding a particular individual living being including living being identification associated with the particular individual living being to at least in part electronically generate, based at least in part upon the user status information, one or more selection menus electronically identifying at least in part one or more candidate ingestible products, the electronically generated one or more selection menus to be electronically outputted to provide, via electronically enabled input in response thereto, selection opportunity of the one or more candidate ingestible products subject to ingestion by the particular individual living being prior to selection of at least one candidate ingestible product as at least one selected ingestible products via the electronically enabled input in response to the electronically outputted one or more selection menus.
US09111254B2 System and method to manage electronic data related to a legal matter
A method includes receiving input at an online electronic data discovery system from a source device via a private network. The input indicates that data related to a legal matter is to be preserved, and identifies a custodian associated with the data. The method includes automatically accessing a directory via the private network and receiving information from the directory indicating a location of the identified custodian. The method includes sending a preservation notice to the identified custodian when the information received from the directory indicates that the custodian is accessible via the private network. The preservation notice indicates that data related to the legal matter is not to be discarded. The method includes sending the preservation notice to another custodian when the information received from the directory indicates that the identified custodian is not accessible.
US09111253B2 Groupware time tracking
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and apparatuses enabling groupware to track time associated with a workflow task. A workflow object representing a workflow task is provided. The workflow object is associating with a time period, a project code, and an identifier of a groupware client user participating in the workflow task. In response to an event indicating completion of the workflow task, the time period, the project code, and the identifier is automatically transmitted to a backend application.
US09111252B1 Product information update apparatus
An ultra-high frequency radio frequency identification reader-writer wirelessly sends a product information signal to an ultra-high frequency antenna. The ultra-high frequency antenna sends the product information signal to an ultra-high frequency side dual interface memory unit. The ultra-high frequency side dual interface memory unit utilizes an energy of the product information signal to update a product data corresponding to the product information signal. When a processing unit and a high frequency side dual interface memory unit are driven, the processing unit fetches the product information signal from the ultra-high frequency side dual interface memory unit. The processing unit sends the product information signal to the high frequency side dual interface memory unit. The high frequency side dual interface memory unit updates the product data corresponding to the product information signal.
US09111247B2 System and methods for excess capacity in dynamic production systems
The present application presents a new and improved system and method of enhanced Lean Document Production (LDP), which employs cellular manufacturing concepts. The LDP process utilizes a processor to compute a dynamic production algorithm to generate an indication of a manufacturing or print shop excess capacity level.
US09111246B2 Multiple simultaneous session support by a remote technician using preliminary queues
In a remote technical support system, a technical support controller receives an indication of a maximum number of support sessions to be serviced by a remote technician. Thereafter, the technical support controller receives a service request for a user device, which service request is classified into a category and added to a preliminary queue corresponding to the category. The technical support controller determines if handling of the service request by the remote technician would cause the number of support sessions currently being handled by the remote technician to exceed the previously-indicated maximum number of support sessions. If not, the service request is added to a work queue for the remote technician and removed from the preliminary queue.
US09111243B2 Global process template and adaptation of global process to local country to facilitate migration to shared service center
A method, apparatus and computer-usable medium for creating a Global Process Template (GPT) that describes standardized aspects of a business process used by clients of multiple Shared Service Centers (SSCs), wherein the GPT defines uniform business processes, core business processes, and local business processes.
US09111241B2 Creation of a social network of members of a virtualization infrastructure
A computer-implemented method for creating a social network of members of a virtualization infrastructure. At a virtualization infrastructure manager, at least a portion of the members of the virtualization infrastructure are identified. Parent/child relationships of identified members of the virtualization infrastructure are identified. A social network of the identified members of the virtualization infrastructure is generated based on the identified parent/child relationships. Affiliation relationships between parent members and child members of the virtualization infrastructure are established, wherein the child members can access shared message streams corresponding to the parent members, such that a child member can establish an association of a message from a shared message stream with an indication that the child member identifies with content of the message.
US09111240B2 System and method for transmitting pollution information over an integrated wireless network
A pollution information message system provides a system and method for generating and transmitting pollution information messages. In one embodiment, the pollution information message system employs a transceiver network with a plurality transceivers coupled to monitoring devices. Control room operators receive a pollution information message from an identifiable transceiver. The transceiver, identified by an identification code, indicates a location and the nature of the detected pollution. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.
US09111239B2 Activity recording of contact handling system agents
Methods and apparatus for recording agent activity and display information optionally redacting sensitive information from the recorded imagery prior to review by the agent's supervisor in a contact handling system are disclosed. The method can include recording image data displayed to the agent on a visual display during interaction by the agent with the contact media. The method can include audio recordings of what the agent heard and spoke that are combined with the recorded image data to simultaneously display the video and audio to a supervisor for quality assurance in the contact handling system. The method can further include modifying one or more selected pixels of the recorded image data to automatically exclude information from the recorded image data thereby creating redacted image data.
US09111237B2 Evaluating an effectiveness of a monitoring system
An approach that evaluates an effectiveness of a monitoring system is provided. In one embodiment, there is a performance evaluation tool, including an evaluation component configured to receive visual media at a monitoring system monitored by a set of users, and evaluate a monitoring performance of the set of users in response to a simulated alert within the visual media. The performance evaluation tool further comprises an analysis component configured to predict an effectiveness of the monitoring system based on the performance of the set of users in response to the simulated alert within the visual media.
US09111235B2 Method and system to evaluate risk of configuration changes in an information system
A system and method to manage configuration of an information system comprises an automated risk evaluation for a requested change of a configuration item in an information system. Change history information indicative of the effects of multiple historical changes to respective configuration items may accessed, and the automated risk evaluation may be based at least in part on the change history information. The requested change may be authorized or as part based on an assessment of a risk value which is calculated in the automated risk evaluation. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are described.
US09111234B2 Enabling notifications pertaining to an asset
A method for enabling notifications pertaining to an asset is disclosed. The method receives information from a first reporting source about an asset. In addition, information from a second reporting source about the asset is also received. A database is then populated with the information from the first reporting source and the information from the second reporting source such that information from the first reporting source and information from the second reporting source can be accessed from the database. A state machine for the asset is maintained based on the received information which enables providing notifications pertaining to the asset.
US09111231B2 Associating a web session with a household member
A method for associating a web session with a particular member of a group of users includes: receiving a plurality of training web sessions, each training web session including one or more web events generated by a respective known user having one or more demographic attributes; training one or more binary classifiers using the training web sessions and the demographic attributes of the users; receiving a plurality of target web sessions, each target web session including one or more web events that are generated by a respective unknown member of a group of users, wherein each user has one or more demographic attributes; and applying one or more of the binary classifiers to the target web sessions such that a respective target web session is uniquely associated with a member based on, at least in part, the demographic attributes of the member.
US09111228B2 System and method for combining segmentation data
Systems and methods are provided for combining multiple segmentations into a single unique segmentation that contains attributes of the original segmentations. This new segmentation forms an ensemble or combination segmentation that has a unique set of attributes from the original segmentations without enumerating every possible set of combinations. In one example, two or more segments are combined into a single segmentation using a technique such as k-means clustering or Self-Organizing Map Neural Networks. After the first combination phase is performed, a Bayesian technique is then applied in a second phase to adjust or further alter the ensemble combination of segments.
US09111221B1 Detector devices for presenting notifications and supporting context inferences
Techniques can relate to generating inferences based on network devices' measuring of environmental data points and generating notifications or controlling devices based on the inferences. One or more environmental data points can be accessed. Each environmental data point in the one or more environmental data points can include one measured by a detector device and that characterizes a corresponding environmental stimulus. At least one of the environmental data points can be indicative of a light intensity or power usage measured by a first device. An inference can be generated based on the one or more environmental data points. A notification or device control can be identified based on the inference. A communication can be generated and transmitted to a second device. Receipt of the communication can cause the second device to present the notification or to be controlled in accordance with the device control.
US09111219B1 Performance based recommendations
Systems and associated processes are disclosed for generating recommendations for users based on the computing device likely to be utilized by the user to execute an application, among other things. These systems and processes are described in the context of an interactive computing system that enables users to download applications for mobile devices or for other computing devices. The performance of applications running on the user's computing device can be monitored with the performance data being collected and provided to the interactive computing system. The interactive computing system can include a recommendation system or service that processes the performance data and using the performance data, among possibly other data, the recommendation system can recommend alternative applications to the user for download. Further, in some cases, the interactive computing system can recommend modifications to the user's computing device to improve the performance of the application running on the user's computing device.
US09111216B2 Information processing systems, reasoning modules, and reasoning system design methods
Information processing systems, reasoning modules, and reasoning system design methods are described. According to one aspect, an information processing system includes working memory comprising a semantic graph which comprises a plurality of abstractions, wherein the abstractions individually include an individual which is defined according to an ontology and a reasoning system comprising a plurality of reasoning modules which are configured to process different abstractions of the semantic graph, wherein a first of the reasoning modules is configured to process a plurality of abstractions which include individuals of a first classification type of the ontology and a second of the reasoning modules is configured to process a plurality of abstractions which include individuals of a second classification type of the ontology, wherein the first and second classification types are different.
US09111215B2 Conditional plasticity spiking neuron network apparatus and methods
Apparatus and methods for conditional plasticity in a neural network. In one approach, conditional plasticity mechanism is configured to select alternate plasticity rules when performing connection updates. The selection mechanism is adapted based on a comparison of actual connection efficiency and target efficiency. For instance, when actual efficiency is below the target value, the STDP rule may be modulated to increase long term potentiation. Similarly, when actual efficiency is above the target value, the STDP rule may be modulated to increase long term connection depression. The conditional plasticity mechanism dynamically adjusts connection efficacy, and prevents uncontrolled increase of connection weights, thereby improving network operation when processing information of a varying nature.
US09111214B1 Virtual assistant system to remotely control external services and selectively share control
A virtual assistant system includes a mobile device, an assistant server and devices and services included within the virtual assistant system desired to be controlled. The virtual assistant system can control any such devices and services by receiving an input to perform a function at the devices and services, translate the input into a language sharable by all of the external devices and services through a respective plugin so that such inputs can be understood between the plurality of devices and services, and functions can be performed at the desired device(s) or service(s) either remotely or locally. This control is sharable with other users as instructed.
US09111213B2 Method for constructing a tree of linear classifiers to predict a quantitative variable
A method is provided for predictive modeling of a physical process in order to determine and implement a solution to the physical process. The method includes storing representations of relevant physical relationships, observations, and outcome probabilities related to the physical process in a memory of a computer, recursively analyzing the stored representations by the computer, and generating at least one tree structure that models the physical process, the tree structure including at least one root node, a plurality of decision nodes, and a plurality of end nodes. The method also includes determining a solution to the physical process based on criterion variables, by the computer using the tree structure of the physical process to arrive at an end node, and implementing a physical solution to the physical process, the physical solution being based on the determined solution.
US09111210B2 Information processing apparatus and job setting method
In an information processing apparatus, if the number of specific items of a plurality of setting items included in pre-registration information selected by a selection portion is equal to or less than a threshold, a change portion changes a setting content of the specific item to a content within a range of use authority. A setting screen display portion displays a setting screen for setting the specific item whose setting content has been changed by the change portion. A second display control portion displays an authentication screen if the setting content of the specific item is set on the setting screen so as to be outside the range of the use authority.
US09111201B1 Hand-held printing device and method for tuning ink jet color for printing on colored paper
A hand-held printer is disclosed. The hand-held printer includes an image sensor configured to determine a color having plurality of color components associated with a print medium, an image processing module configured to process image data into a plurality of color layers; and a print module configured to receive information related to the plurality of color components from the image sensor and information related to the plurality of color layers from the image processing module. The print module being configured to enhance at least one of the plurality of color layers based on at least one of the corresponding plurality of color components associated with the print medium.
US09111196B2 Image forming apparatus and image forming method
A device for controlling an image forming apparatus includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire image data, and pixel piece insertion/extraction information indicating whether a pixel piece needs to be inserted into or extracted from each pixel of the image data, a generation unit configured to generate an exposure signal according to a pixel value indicating a pixel of interest in the image data and to pixel piece insertion/extraction information on the pixel of interest, and a control unit configured to control exposure by the apparatus according to the exposure signal. The generation unit causes the pixel of interest to be formed by a plurality of pixel pieces arranged in a direction in which the apparatus scans, presets at least one of the pixel pieces as an adjustment blank pixel piece, and deletes the piece when the width of the pixel of interest in the scanning direction is reduced.
US09111194B2 Contactless data transmission device, security and/or valuable document including the same and method for manufacturing the contactless data transmission device
This present invention serves to simplify manufacture of a contactless data transmission device (50). This device (50) has an electrically insulating carrier (1), a circuit element arranged on the carrier (1) made from a continuous antenna conductor track (2) in the form of at least one spiral winding (4, 5, 6) and respectively one terminal contact (15, 16) at the ends thereof as well as an electronic component (3) with at least two contact points (11, 12) electrically connected with the circuit element. The electronic component (3) is placed in a mounting region (10) above the at least one spiral winding (4, 5, 6). The at least two contact points (11, 12) of the component (3) are electrically connected with a respective terminal contact (15, 16) of the antenna conductor track (2). At least one spiral winding (4, 5, 6) is branched outside the mounting region (10) between two respective branching points (7′, 7″; 8′, 8″; 9′, 9″) into at least two spiral winding branches (4′, 4″; 5′, 5″; 6′, 6″). The data transmission device (50) is a component part of a valuable and/or security document (100).
US09111190B2 System for and method of locating radio frequency identification (RFID) tags associated with items in a controlled area
A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag reading system having a phased antenna array accurately locates RFID tags in a controlled area, by steering an interrogating beam over the controlled area to interrogate the tags and generate return modulated RF signals. A primary receiver steers a primary receive beam at a primary steering angle that is fixed during each tag interrogation. A primary demodulator demodulates and reconstructs the received return modulated signals. A secondary receiver, independently of the primary receiver, steers a secondary receive beam at a plurality of secondary steering angles. A secondary correlator/demodulator demodulates the combined return modulated signals, and utilizes the reconstructed signal reconstructed by the primary demodulator at each of the secondary steering angles. Both the primary and the secondary receivers cooperate to accurately locate the same tag.
US09111184B2 Entrance ticket with lighting effect
A apparatus having an embedded processor in a substrate for creating a synchronous lighting effect at a controlled access venue and a method for creating a lighting effect at a controlled access venue while controlling access to the venue simultaneously using a apparatus that coordinates with the performance allowing a holder of the apparatus to perform with the performance.
US09111181B2 Detecting and flagging likely confidential content in photographs to prevent automated dissemination
Automatic distribution of image data, such as a digital photographs, is prevented or delayed if the photograph is determined to likely contain confidential data. Online photo streaming services, albums, social media accounts, and backup services can be a source of inadvertent disclosure of confidential information due to these automatic dissemination functions of modern photo capturing devices. Detection criteria to trigger the blocking of dissemination may include recognition of faces of co-workers and clients, recognition of business furnishings such as whiteboards and conference room equipment, as well as geotags where the image was captured, the time, day of week, and date at which it was captured, and network identifiers associated with the network on which the capturing device is connected.
US09111175B2 Method and a system for registering a 3D pre-acquired image coordinate system with a medical positioning system coordinate system and with a 2D image coordinate system
Method for registering a three dimensional (3D) pre acquired image coordinates system with a Medical Positioning System (MPS) coordinate system and a two dimensional (2D) image coordinate system, the method comprising acquiring a 2D image of a volume of interest, the volume including an organ, the 2D image being associated with the 2D coordinate system, acquiring MPS points within the organ, the MPS points being associated with the MPS coordinate system, the MPS coordinate system being registered with the 2D coordinate system, extracting a 3D image model of the organ from a pre acquired 3D image of the volume of interest, estimating a volumetric model of the organ from the acquired MPS points, and registering the 3D coordinate system with the MPS coordinate system by matching the extracted 3D image model and the estimated volumetric model of the organ.
US09111174B2 Machine learnng techniques for pectoral muscle equalization and segmentation in digital mammograms
Image analysis techniques applicable to mammograms and other types of images may include image normalization, image segmentation, forming a prediction bias image, and creating an equalized image based on the prediction bias image. Creation of the equalized image may include subtraction of the prediction bias image from the original image. Forming the prediction bias image may involve the use of trained predictors.
US09111170B2 Methods and apparatus relating to text items in images
A method and an electronic device are provided for obtaining an image or a video frame, including applying to the image or the video frame, at least one image processing technique, scanning the image or the video frame, to identify a text item, determining an item type for the identified text item, and determining an action, corresponding to the item type.
US09111168B2 Method and system for resolution conversion of magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) content
A method and a system for resolution conversion of Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) content in an image are provided. The method is implemented in a computer system comprising one or more processors configured to execute one or more computer program modules. The method includes receiving image data of the image, the image data having a plurality of image planes in which one plane is a MICR image plane, wherein the plurality of image planes have essentially the same resolution; and converting the resolution of the MICR image plane to a resolution of a MICR print engine different from the remaining image planes.
US09111166B2 Cluster computing of bar code data
A reading system including: a primary reader for reading an information bearing device (IBD) having encoded IBD data provided therein for packetizing the encoded data and processing a first data packet of the packetized encoded data and transmitting a second data packet of the packetized encoded data; at least one auxiliary reader for receiving and processing the second data packet and the transmitting the processed second data packet; and wherein the processed first and second data packets are combined to produce decoded IBD data.
US09111165B2 Method and system for filtering detection patterns in a QR code
A method and system for filtering detection patterns in a QR code is provided in this invention. When multiple detection patterns get into a QR code image due to interference or other reasons, first of all, an side length is determined for each pattern to be detected, and then an average value of the side lengths of multiple patterns to be detected is determined, after which through comparing with a predetermined reference value, patterns to be detected meeting a predetermined condition are determined as detection patterns. An effective solution is provided to fill the gap in the prior art of unable to remove detection patterns caused by interference appropriately when more than three detection patterns are found.
US09111164B1 Custom functional patterns for optical barcodes
Systems and methods for custom functional patterns for optical barcodes are provided. In example embodiments, image data of an image is received from a user device. A candidate shape feature of the image is extracted from the image data. A determination is made that the shape feature satisfies a shape feature rule. In response to the candidate shape feature satisfying the shape feature rule, a custom graphic in the image is identified by comparing the candidate shape feature with a reference shape feature of the custom graphic. In response to identifying the custom graphic, data encoded in a portion of the image is decoded.
US09111158B2 Illumination apparatus for a camera-based code reader
An illumination apparatus (10) is provided for a camera-based code reader (100) having a plurality of light transmitters (16) arranged in ring shape and in a fixed position with respect to a base housing part (12) and having a plurality of optical transmission systems (20) associated with the light transmitters (20) in a front housing (14) supported rotationally movably with respect to the base housing part (12), wherein the optical transmission systems (20) can be set to adapt the illumination by rotation of the front housing (14). The front housing (14) has a plurality of front lenses (20) and the front housing (14) is supported in a thread (15) with respect to the base housing part (12) so that front lenses (20) can be associated with the light transmitters (16) at a changed spacing by a rotational movement of the front housing (14).
US09111156B2 Systems and methods for compressive sensing ranging evaluation
RFID systems for locating RFID tags utilizing phased array antennas and compressed sensing processing techniques in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, an RFID system includes at least one exciter that includes at least one transmit antenna, a phased antenna array that includes a plurality of receive antennas, and an RFID receiver system configured to communicate with the at least one exciter and connected to the phased antenna array, where the RFID receiver system is configured to locate an RFID tag by performing reads of the RFD tag at multiple frequencies, generating a measurement matrix, and determining a line of sight (LOS) distance between the activated RFID tag and each of the plurality of receive antennas by eliminating bases from the measurement matrix.
US09111153B2 Alerting a smart card reader of probable wireless communication
A wireless device may alert a wireless smart card reader that communication of data between the wireless device and the wireless smart card reader is probably imminent by sending an activation alert. Upon receipt of the activation alert, if the wireless smart card reader is in a low-power state, the wireless smart card reader may enter a higher-power state. If the wireless smart card reader is in the higher-power state upon receipt of the activation alert, the wireless smart card reader may remain in the higher-power state until a timeout period has expired. The wireless device may instruct the wireless smart card reader to enter the low-power state by sending a deactivation alert if the wireless device detects that communication of data between the wireless device and the wireless smart card reader is not likely to occur within a specified period of time.
US09111152B2 Verification object specifying apparatus, verification object specifying program, and verification object specifying method
In a verification object specifying apparatus that specifies a verification object for biometric authentication, a biometric information acquisition unit acquires biometric information from a biometric information source part. An abnormality detection unit detects an abnormal portion in the biometric information source part based on the biometric information. A verification object specifying unit determines whether biometric information located in the abnormal portion is to be included in a verification object, and specifies biometric information to be used as the verification object based on the determination result. The verification object specifying apparatus causes a registration unit to register the biometric information as registration information when serving as a registration apparatus, and causes a verification unit to verify the biometric information against registration information when serving as a verification apparatus.
US09111151B2 Network on chip processor with multiple cores and routing method thereof
An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure illustrates a network on chip processor including multiple cores and a Kautz NoC. Each of the cores is assigned with an addressing string with L based-D words, and the addressing string does not have two neighboring identical words, wherein L present of an addressing string length is an integer larger than 1, D present of a word selection is an integer larger than 2. Each of the cores is unidirectionally link to other (D−1) cores through the Kautz NoC, and in the two connected cores, the last (L−1) words associated with the addressing string of one core are same as the first (L−1) words associated with the addressing string of the other core.
US09111150B2 Authentication system, and method for registering and matching authentication information
A certain amount of unique data of a target is extracted from image information that was read, and it is determined whether or not the target is valid on the basis of the extracted unique data. Processes are executed by means of an image reading unit which extracts an image by scanning a target, an individual difference data calculating unit which calculates individual difference data from the obtained image, an individual difference data comparing unit which compares the calculated individual difference data, and a determination unit which determines whether or not to grant validation.
US09111145B2 Parking lot information system using image technology for identifying available parking spaces
A parking lot information system comprising a digital camera for obtaining an image of parking spaces in the parking lot where each parking space is marked with a visual identifier, a computer coupled to the digital camera for identifying available parking spaces by recognizing the identifiers marking the available parking spaces, and a display coupled to the computer for displaying information on the available parking spaces.
US09111144B2 Eye color paternity test
A method, system, and apparatus for determining paternity based on eye color. Determining paternity may include accessing a color digital image of at least one of a male parental candidate, a female parental candidate, and a child candidate. An eye color of each of the male parental candidate, the female parental candidate, and the child candidate may be determined, wherein the eye color of at least one of the male parental candidate, the female parental candidate, and the child candidate is determined based on the accessed color digital image. A paternity likelihood of the male parental candidate with regard to the child candidate may be determined based on the determined eye color of the male parental candidate, the female parental candidate, and the child candidate.
US09111140B2 Identification and separation of form and feature elements from handwritten and other user supplied elements
A system and methods for progressive feature evaluation of an electronic document image to identify user supplied elements is disclosed. The system includes a controller in communication with a storage device configured to receive and accessibly store a generated plurality of candidate images. The controller is operable to analyze the electronic document image to identify a first feature set and a second feature set, wherein each of the first and second feature sets represents a different form feature, compare the first feature set to the second feature set, and define a third feature set based on the intersection of the first and second feature sets, wherein the third feature set represents the user provided elements.
US09111139B2 Method and apparatus for on-top writing
A handwriting recognition apparatus facilitates user entry of strokes one on top of another. The apparatus, which includes a processor and a display integrated with a touch sensitive screen, receives a series of strokes via the screen. Each stroke is defined by contact, trace, and lift occurrences. Each stroke appears on the display until occurrence of a prescribed event, and then disappears. The apparatus accumulates strokes into a buffer and interprets all accumulated strokes collectively against a character database and optionally a linguistic database, to identify multiple candidate strings that could be represented by the accumulated strokes. The apparatus displays candidate strings for user selection after all strokes have faded, or after receiving a user submitted delimiter, or after a given delay has elapsed following user entry of the latest stroke. Alternatively, candidate strings are displayed after each stroke without waiting for timeout or explicit delimiter.
US09111138B2 System and method for gesture interface control
A method is provided in one example and includes generating a histogram associated with at least one object; receiving image data; comparing the image data to the histogram in order to determine if at least a portion of the image data corresponds to the histogram; identifying a pose associated with the object; and triggering an electronic command associated with the pose. In more particular embodiments, the image data is evaluated in order to analyze sequences of poses associated with a gesture that signals the electronic command to be performed.
US09111133B2 Use of unknown user data for identifying known users
A device may receive an image of a user. The device may compare the image to an image of a known user and an image of an unknown user. The device may select, based comparing the image to the image of a known user and the image of an unknown user, one of: the image of the known user, or the image of the unknown user. The device may identify, when the image of the known user is selected, the user as the known user. The device may not identify the user when the image of the unknown user is selected.
US09111131B2 Human head detection in depth images
Systems, devices and methods are described including receiving a depth image and applying a template to pixels of the depth image to determine a location of a human head in the depth image. The template includes a circular shaped region and a first annular shaped region surrounding the circular shaped region. The circular shaped region specifies a first range of depth values. The first annular shaped region specifies a second range of depth values that are larger than depth values of the first range of depth values.
US09111121B2 Method and apparatus for securing a programmable device using a kill switch
A kill switch is provided that, when triggered, may cause the programmable logic device (PLD) to become at least partially reset, disabled, or both. The kill switch may be implemented as a fuse or a volatile battery-backed memory bit. When, for example, a security threat is detected, the switch may be blown, and a reconfiguration of the device initiated in order to zero or clear some or all of the memory and programmable logic of the PLD.
US09111115B2 Oblivious transfer with hidden access control lists
A method, apparatus, and a computer readable storage medium having computer readable instructions to carry out the steps of the method for anonymous access to a database. Each record of the database has different access control permissions (e.g. attributes, roles, or rights). The method allows users to access the database record while the database does not learn who queries a record. The database does not know which record is being queried: (i) the access control list of that record or (ii) whether a user's attempt to access a record had been successful. The user can only obtain a single record per query and only those records for which he has the correct permissions. The user does not learn any other information about the database structure and the access control lists other than whether he was granted access to the queried record, and if so, the content of the record.
US09111114B1 Method of transforming database system privileges to object privileges
Coarse-grained system-wide database privileges are transformed into new finer-grained database object privileges that are user-centric and specific to particular objects by creating an object class defining certain generic operations on objects, and defining within the object class a new object that embodies permissible actions on a particular database object. The new object is stored in a catalog table that comprises an object privilege table and is associated in the object privilege table with a consolidated grouping of object privileges of users relative to the new object.
US09111113B2 Trusted online advertising
Online advertisements are delivered to one or more users. An authorization to access one or more data streams for a given user is received. The authorization is explicitly granted by the user. The data streams are stored within a user data repository. Upon the user conducting an online action that initiates a dynamic advertisement (DA) request, the authorized data streams for the user are used to generate a customized DA that is optimally relevant to the user. The customized DA is then delivered to the user. The customized DA is also monetized.
US09111104B2 Entitlements determination via access control lists
Entitlements to resources can be determined by using access rules that are organized as respective ranges in an entitlement space. An access rule can represent a range between two rational numbers in the entitlement space; the range can be represented by a single rational number. Due to the way the rational numbers are chosen, a child rule is completely covered by its parent, and a parent has remaining room in the entitlement space for unlimited additional children. Entitlement checking for a large batch of resources can be performed quickly based on reusing calculated permitted ranges in the entitlement space. Implied permissions can be supported. Content can easily be added, and the access rules can be modified without unduly impacting the underlying tree structure, if at all.
US09111101B2 Information processing apparatus capable of enabling selection of user data erase method, data processing method, and storage medium
A mechanism which makes it possible to automatically and appropriately select an erase method of erasing user data in a shorter time such that the user data can by no means be reproduced, according to the type of a connected nonvolatile storage device. An information processing apparatus determines an erase method of erasing an erase area of the nonvolatile storage device according to a management table generated based on attribute information acquired from the nonvolatile storage device. Then, the image forming apparatus erases information stored in the erase area according to the determined erase method.
US09111097B2 Secure execution architecture
The present invention relates to circuitry and a method for providing data security, which circuitry contains at least one processor and at least one storage circuit. The invention is based on the idea that circuitry is provided in which a processor is operable in at least two different modes, one first secure operating mode and one second unsecure operating mode. In the secure mode, the processor has access to security related data located in various memories located within the circuitry. The access to these security data and the processing of them need to be restricted, since an intruder with access to security data could manipulate the circuitry. When testing and/or debugging the circuitry, access to security information is not allowed. For this reason, the processor is placed in the unsecure operating mode, in which mode it is no longer given access to the protected data.
US09111094B2 Malware detection
First data relating to a selected file is obtained. Based upon the first data it is determined if malware detection processing can be selected. Malware detection processing of the file is selected based upon said first data if it is determined that malware detection processing can be selected based upon the first data. If it is determined that, based upon the first data, malware detection processing cannot be selected based upon the first data, second data relating to the selected file is obtained and malware detection processing of the file is selected based upon said first and second obtained data. The selected malware detection processing is applied to said selected file. In an exemplary embodiment the first data is metadata and represents a faster scan of the file, and the second data is content of the file's header and represents a more in-depth scan of the file.
US09111089B1 Systems and methods for safely executing programs
A computer-implemented method for safely executing programs may include identifying an attempt to launch an executable file. The computer-implemented method may also include identifying a reputation associated with the executable file. The computer-implemented method may further include determining, based on the reputation, that the executable file is not trusted. The computer-implemented method may additionally include, in response to determining that the executable file is not trusted, fulfilling the attempt by sandboxing a process instantiated from the executable file. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09111085B1 Computer-implemented system and method for electronic personal identity verification
A system and method for electronic personal identity verification is provided. A user is registered with an authentication service, which includes providing to the service a biometric signature associated with the user and information personally known to the user. Identification data that includes the biometric signature is sent from an identification device worn by the user to a user device associated with the user. An input personally known to the user is received into the user device. Encrypted credentials are sent from the user device to the authentication service. The received encrypted credentials are compared to the biometric signature and the information provided to the authentication service. A claims token is sent from the authentication service to the user device upon the encrypted credentials matching the biometric signature and the information provided to the authentication service. An application is accessed via a third party provider using the claims token.
US09111084B2 Authentication platform and related method of operation
An authentication platform comprises an authentication unit configured to authenticate the user based on received input data, and a control unit configured to enable communication between a client device and an authentication host as a consequence of successful authentication of the user by the authentication unit.
US09111082B2 Secure electronic identification device
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention a secure electronic identification device is presented. The secure electronic identification device includes a display mode for displaying government furnished information, a display mode for displaying user furnished information, and a public display mode for displaying public information.
US09111081B2 Remote direct memory access authentication of a device
An approach is provided in which a server receives a first request from a client over a command port connection. The server, in turn, sends a first phase authentication token to the client over the command port and receives a second request from the client over a management port connection. In response, the server sends a second phase authentication token to the client over the management port connection, which the server receives back from the client over the command port connection. In turn, the server authenticates the client to utilize the command port connection accordingly.
US09111079B2 Trustworthy device claims as a service
Embodiments of the invention make the issuance of trustworthy device claims available to client devices as a service, so that a client device to which device claims are issued may use the device claims in relation to an attempt to access a network application. The service may conduct an assessment of the device's characteristics and/or state, characterize the results of this assessment in device claims, and issue the device claims to the device. The service may be accessible to a client device from outside administrative boundaries of an entity that makes a network application accessible, and thus may be useful to entities making network applications accessible in business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) topologies, such as over the publicly accessible Internet.
US09111078B2 Package manager service in gaming system
A slot management system includes a download and configuration server-based sub-system and method for use with game devices, systems, and methods. The slot machine management system is provided to enable users to monitor, control, and modify game devices and other related activities.
US09111076B2 Mobile terminal and control method thereof
A mobile terminal including a wireless communication unit configured to perform wireless communication; a touch screen display unit configured to switch between an inactivated state in which illumination is not applied to the display unit and an activated state in which illumination is applied to the display unit; and a controller configured to: sense a plurality of touch inputs on the display unit when the display unit is in the deactivated state and no illumination is applied to the display unit, and release a locked state of the mobile terminal and switch the display unit to the activated state in which illumination is applied to the display unit, when the plurality of touch inputs match a predetermined pattern.
US09111074B1 Login synchronization for related websites
Methods for or providing stored authentication information of one website for a related website are provided. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a first request to provide, for display, a webpage includes at least one authentication field, and receiving an identification of an absolute domain name for the webpage. The method also includes identifying a parent domain name from the absolute domain name, and determining whether stored authentication information for a user is available for the parent domain name. The method further includes providing, for display, a first notification to populate the stored authentication information for the user in the at least one authentication field when the stored authentication information is available for the parent domain name. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.
US09111063B2 Semiconductor device and layout design system
In a semiconductor device including a seal ring area containing multiple seal rings are coupled to each other at equal intervals via bridge patterns, improper local relocation of bridge patterns may reduce the reliability of the semiconductor device. A semiconductor device has a first group containing a predetermined number of the bridge patterns spaced at a first interval and a second group containing a predetermined number of the bridge patterns spaced at the first interval, the second group being located at a second interval from the first group. The second interval is larger than the first interval.
US09111061B2 Transistor characteristic calculation apparatus using large signal equivalent circuit model
A transistor characteristic calculation apparatus using a large signal equivalent circuit model has a buffer trap circuit provided between a drain terminal and a source terminal such that a parallel circuit including a resistor and a capacitor, a diode, and another parallel circuit including a resistor and a capacitor are in turn connected in series.
US09111059B2 System and methods for dynamic management of hardware resources
A dynamically reconfigurable framework manages processing applications in order to meet time-varying constraints to select an optimal hardware architecture. The optimal architecture satisfies time-varying constraints including for example, supplied power, required performance, accuracy levels, available bandwidth, and quality of output such as image reconstruction. The process of determining an optimal solution is defined in terms of multi-objective optimization using Pareto-optimal realizations.
US09111058B1 Solving a hierarchical circuit network using a barycenter compact model
Any primitive cells or blocks can be represented physically by a Barycenter compact model (or Barycenter model), and any black box model can also be physically represented by a Barycenter compact model physically. A hierarchical boundary condition between blocks is formulated by the Barycenter compact model. Hierarchical boundary condition problems between blocks can be limited within two levels only if using the Barycenter compact model.
US09111055B2 Virtual mass emulator
The present invention is directed to a system and method for emulating smart grid devices in a smart grid for demand-response program analysis and optimization. Smart grid devices may be emulated in a virtual environment on a server, and can also be emulated individually on smart grid devices themselves. Demand-response programs can be simulated in a virtual environment with virtual emulated smart grid devices, or they can be simulated in a hybrid real-virtual environment with both real smart grid devices and virtual emulated smart grid devices. Demand-response programs can be simulated serially or in parallel. Additionally, such hybrid demand-response program simulations can be enhanced and optimized by including data obtained from the real smart grid devices into the simulation feed-back loop.
US09111054B2 Data center design tool
A data center design tool is described herein. The tool receives a number of design specifications for a proposed facility of the data center. The tool determines requirements of the data center based on the design specifications. Further, the tool receives an equipment component input and attributes of the equipment component input for the data center. The tool determines additional equipment component inputs and additional attributes based on the received design specifications, the determined requirements, and the received equipment component inputs and attributes.
US09111047B1 Method, system, and computer program product for implementing firmware-driven, dynamically configurable pulse-density modulation audio intellectual property
A programmable intellectual property block includes a PWM processor core to perform audio processing on input audio signals with firmware-driven modules to generate PWM output samples without using digital-analog converters or application processors. PWM processor core directly writes PWM output samples to queues of PWM peripherals to generate and transmit PWM digital pulses used by power stage(s) to drive electroacoustic transducers. Audio processing module(s) and PWM processing module(s) are implemented as a part of the firmware stored on the programmable processor core and are co-optimized by accessing the firmware. PWM processor core is dynamically configurable by identifying appropriate modules or information from the firmware based at least in part upon optimization objectives. The programmable intellectual property block allows users to introduce custom-defined modules or changing the sequence of execution along the PWM path and may be configured based on user profile(s), system variable(s), and/or sensing different acoustic conditions.
US09111046B2 Implementing capacity and user-based resource allocation for a shared adapter in a virtualized system
A method, system and computer program product are provided for implementing capacity and user-based resource allocation for a hardware I/O adapter, such as, a Single Root Input/Output Virtualization (SRIOV) adapter in a virtualized system. Configuring a virtual function (VF) is provided by supplying a capacity value of a port. The capacity value represents a percentage of the available performance of the port. The adapter driver configures multiple adapter parameters to provide the available performance for the port. A user is enabled to specify a level of performance assigned to each protocol of the port.
US09111045B2 Intelligent controller system and method for smart card memory modules
A storage device contains a smart-card device and a memory device, both of which are accessed though a controller. The storage device may be used in the same manner as a conventional smart-card device, or it may be used to store a relatively large amount of data in various partitions corresponding to the protection level of the data stored therein. The smart-card device stores critical security parameters that are provided to the controller to protect access to some or all of the partitions of the memory device. A host connected to the controller issues commands, and the controller analyzes the commands and responds to them in various ways depending upon the nature of the command. In particular, depending upon the nature of the command, the controller may either pass the command to the smart-card device, or ignore the command either indefinitely or until a predetermined event has occurred.
US09111044B2 Automated network triggering-forwarding device
An automated network triggering-forwarding device connected with a control computer and an information input equipment by a network or a cable, respectively, is provided, which comprises a static output module, a dynamic forwarding module, and an information feedback module. A preset trigger signal is output by touching a key or combination of keys of a key output module, the output information of the information input equipment is forwarded to the control computer by the dynamic forwarding module, and the information fed back by the control computer is displayed on the feedback display module and a voice prompt is provided through the voice output module by the information feedback module. The buttons are imparted with different output definitions according to different service requirements, and tart triggering other recognizing devices to operate when needed according to operator demand. The dynamic output function can be externally connected with a plurality of non-network equipment.
US09111042B1 1588 deterministic latency with gearbox
Systems and methods are disclosed for precisely determining the delay between data being received at the pins of a circuit and being processed by gearbox circuitry, to being processed by a time-stamp unit of the circuit. In an exemplary embodiment, the gearbox circuitry may output a data valid signal which may be monitored by the time-stamp unit. By monitoring the data valid signal, the time-stamp unit may synchronize a local state machine with the internal state of the gearbox circuitry and thus determine the total delay through the combined processing circuitry with high accuracy.
US09111040B2 Integration of a software content space with test planning and test case generation
A computer-implemented method for test planning and test case generation, includes collecting, by a processor, a plurality of requirements, creating, by the processor, a plurality of content space specification files that includes the plurality of requirements, processing, by the processor, the plurality of content space specification files to generate a plurality of user stories, outputting, by the processor, the plurality of user stories and integrating, by the processor, the user stories into test planning and test case generation.
US09111039B2 Limiting bandwidth for write transactions across networks of components in computer systems
The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates use of a network of components in a computer system. The system includes a bandwidth-allocation apparatus that provides a write transaction limit for a component on the network. The system also includes a transaction-management apparatus that compares the write transaction limit to a set of outstanding write transactions for the component upon detecting a write transaction from the component to the network. If the write transaction causes the set of outstanding write transactions to exceed the write transaction limit, the transaction-management apparatus restricts transmission of the write transaction over the network.
US09111027B2 Similar case search apparatus and similar case search method
A similar case search apparatus includes: a keyword extracting unit which extracts a keyword from an image interpretation report; a diagnosis tree analyzing unit which extracts, based on the keyword, one or more target diagnosis flows corresponding to the image interpretation report, by referring to a diagnosis tree storage unit storing diagnosis trees; a similar diagnosis flow extracting unit which extracts one or more diagnosis flows similar to the one or more target diagnosis flows from among the plurality of diagnosis flows included in the diagnosis trees stored in the diagnosis tree storage unit, based on the degree of difficulty regarding a diagnosis item or the degree of difficulty regarding a disease name; and a similar case searching unit which searches out one or more case data sets corresponding to the similar diagnosis flows from among a plurality of case data sets stored in a case data storage unit.
US09111025B2 Providing automated performance test execution
A mechanism for automated performance test execution is disclosed. A method includes generating, by a computing device at periodic intervals, actual values of a performance test of a tested system. The method also includes computing a current value based on the generated actual values and computing a difference between the current value and another current value associated with a prior time. The another current value associated with the prior time is computed based on the generated actual values of the performance test at the prior time. When the computed difference is greater than a pre-determined threshold, the method further includes detecting a beginning of a warm-up period of the tested system.
US09111023B2 Bridge apparatus for coupling a medical network with a non-medical network
A bridge apparatus for coupling a medical network with a non-medical network includes a storage unit to store data from the medical network, a first interface device for coupling the storage unit with the medical network, and a second interface device for coupling the storage unit with the non-medical network. The bridge apparatus is configured to execute write-only access requests on the storage unit via the first interface device or to execute read-only access requests on the storage unit via the second interface device.
US09111020B2 Architecture and methods for sophisticated distributed information systems
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for distributed information systems and architectures. Certain embodiments provide a distributed healthcare information system. The distributed information system includes a back-end subsystem providing content including services, applications, and workflows for healthcare execution. The content is configured for generally application to a plurality of domains. The system also includes a platform subsystem providing domain specific extensions to customize the content of the back-end subsystem for particular domains. The platform subsystem is in communication with the back-end subsystem to access the content. The system further includes a front-end subsystem providing a graphical user interface for a user to access functionality and information based on the content as customized by the domain specific extensions. The front-end subsystem is in communication with the platform subsystem to access the content.
US09111013B2 Hierarchical associative memory-based classification system
A system and method for efficiently searching long strings of data, such as network messages, is described. The system preferably includes an associative memory structure, having a plurality of content addressable memories (CAMs). The CAMs are hierarchically arranged such the output of at least one CAM is used as the input to a second CAM. Preferably, a top-level CAM receives only a selected portion of the data string or network message as its input. The output of the top-level CAM is then joined with some or all of the remaining portions of the data string to form a new output that is provided to the CAM at the next lower level. The top-level CAM is programmed such that its output is substantially smaller (e.g., has fewer bits) than the selected data string portion that is input to the top-level CAM. The system can thus search data strings that are on the whole far longer than the widths of the respective CAMs forming the memory structure.
US09111009B2 Self-parsing XML documents to improve XML processing
A method, computer program product, and system for pre-parsing a large XML document to enable faster processing, comprising providing an XML document that is idle or is being generated, pre-parsing the XML document to generate one or more indices associated with the XML document, storing the indices in the XML document, and storing the XML document in a storage area. At the time of processing the XML document, an XML consumer is able to process the XML document more quickly than normal by using the one or more indices.
US09111008B2 Document information management system
A document information management system in which a search-engine-compatible interface unit makes a word in a document displayed on the screen to be specified, transfers the specified word to a search engine as a keyword to be used in the search engine, receives a search result from the search engine, and displays the search result on the screen, while a browser-compatible interface unit performs a search (a keyword search and/or global search) by using the keyword transferred from a browser and transfers a search result to the browser.
US09111004B2 Temporal scope translation of meta-models using semantic web technologies
Implementation of a meta-model service of a service oriented architecture industry model repository into a web ontology language representation of at least one topic map meta-model into a plurality of temporal scope topic map meta-models representing states of the at least one topic map meta-model at different times. The implementation includes assigning topics, occurrences, and attributes from the meta-model service to the at least one topic map meta-model. The topics, occurrences, and attributes are assigned from the at least one topic map meta-model to plurality of temporal scope topic map meta-models. The topics, occurrences, and attributes from the plurality of temporal scope topic map meta-models are converted into resource description framework triples; and the resource description framework triples are persisted into the resource description framework repository.
US09111003B2 Scalable derivative services
An efficient method for parsing HTML pages identifies pages containing a mix of static and dynamic content. The pages are parsed to form abstract syntax trees (ASTs), which are then cached along with the pages. When a later version of a page is retrieved, it is compared against the cached version, and only those portions of the AST that contain different content are reparsed.
US09110999B2 Virtual data sharing user application
Disclosed are an apparatus and method of retrieving a plurality of data memory containers from a database. One example method of operation may include displaying the plurality of data memory containers on a graphical user interface, receiving a selection of one or more of the data memory containers, and displaying a moving array of the plurality of data objects included in the selected one or more data memory containers. The objects may be images or other user defined data files that are distributed to a virtual house application.
US09110997B2 Updating weights of edges of a social graph based on sharing activity of users of the open web
A social graph is built which includes interactions, sharing activity, and connections between the users of the open Web and can be used to improve ad targeting and content personalization. Sharing activity between two users will affect ads or content that both users will be presented while surfing the Web. This sharing activity includes sending of links, sending of videos, sending of files, cutting and pasting of content, sending text messages, and sending of e-mails. The system includes receiving activity information, identifying nodes in a social graph related to the activity information, and updating weights of edges based on the activity information.
US09110992B2 Context-based selection of calls-to-action associated with search results
In one embodiment, access a search query provided by a user of a social-networking system; identify a set of search results in response to the search query; associate one or more call-to-action elements with one or more search results in the set of search results based on one or more factors associated with the social-networking system; and present the set of search results, including the one or more call-to-action elements, to the user.
US09110989B2 Methods, systems, and products for recalling and retrieving documentary evidence
Methods, systems, and products help users recall memories and search for content of those memories. When a user cannot recall a memory, the user is prompted with questions to help recall the memory. As the user answers the questions, a virtual recollection of the memory is synthesized from the answers to the questions. When the user is satisfied with the virtual recollection of the memory, a database of content may be searched for the virtual recollection of the memory. Video data, for example, may be retrieved that matches the virtual recollection of the memory. The video data is thus historical data documenting past events.
US09110984B1 Methods and systems for constructing a taxonomy based on hierarchical clustering
Methods and systems for constructing a taxonomy based on hierarchical clustering are provided. The taxonomy is generated by first constructing a hierarchy of clusters using a clustering algorithm. A first level of the hierarchy of clusters is generated by providing a plurality of content files to a clustering algorithm. Subsequent levels of the hierarchy are generated by providing the clusters of the preceding levels to the clustering algorithm. Labels that characterize each cluster within the hierarchy are assigned to corresponding clusters. Labels and clusters are combined to form the taxonomy.
US09110980B2 Searching and matching of data
Described herein is a technology for facilitating searching and matching of data. In accordance with one implementation, first and second feature sets are extracted. The first feature set is associated with an input data string including one or more first ideographic elements, while the second feature set is associated with a candidate string including one or more second ideographic elements. A match score of the candidate string is determined based on the first and second feature sets.
US09110979B2 Search of sources and targets based on relative expertise of the sources
A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to provide a ranking of citied objects and citing subjects identified as results of a search, where the relative expertise of subjects or sources of citations to said targets or objects is considered. The relative expertise is a function of the share of the subject's citations matching the query term or search criteria relative to the share of all subjects' citations matching the query term, weighted by the influence of the subjects. This allows the identification of “experts” on “topics” without any pre-defined categorization of topics or pre-computation of expertise. Under this novel approach, expertise can be determined on any query term in real-time.
US09110976B2 Supporting compliance in a cloud environment
Gathering auditable data concerning actions in a cloud computing environment is automated by determining that one or more auditable data items are available associated with a requester and with at least one application program; responsive to determining that data items are available, transmitting a list of the available auditable data items to a requesting cloud client computer; subsequent to transmitting the list, receiving a data request from the cloud client computer for one or more particular auditable data items from the list; preparing the requested particular auditable data items for transmission according to a predetermined format; and transmitting the prepared requested particular auditable data items to the cloud client computer. Optionally, in some embodiments, the requesting cloud client computer may negotiate a data exchange format with the cloud service provider for receipt of the requested auditable information.
US09110970B2 Destructuring and restructuring relational data
A computer system selects a first database corresponding to a first schema and a second database corresponding to a second schema. The computer system then generates a schema table based upon the selected databases. Next, the computer system destructures the schema table, which includes a first entry corresponding to the first database and a second entry corresponding to the second database. The computer system then selects a property map that links the first entry to the second entry, and restructures the destructured schema table using the selected property map, resulting in a restructured schema table. In turn, the computer system processes a user query using the restructured schema table.
US09110964B1 Metadata optimization for network replication using differential encoding
According to one embodiment, in response to a list of fingerprints representing data chunks of a first batch for replication, a second batch previously transmitted to the target storage system is identified based on at least a portion of the fingerprints of the first batch. Differential encoding information is generated representing a difference between fingerprints of the first batch and the second batch. The differential encoding information is transmitted to the target storage system, without transmitting all full fingerprints of the first batch, to allow the target storage system to determine which of the data chunks are missing at the target storage system. In response to information received from the target storage system indicating one or more data chunks that are missing at the target storage system, the missing data chunks are then transmitted to the target storage system.
US09110963B2 Transparent adaptive file transform
Embodiments of methods, systems, and services for transparent adaptive file transform are described. In one embodiment a method for transparent adaptive file transform is performed by a data processing device. The method may include automatically detecting a data transfer addressed to an external data storage. The method may also include redirecting data associated with the data transfer to a data transformer. Additionally, the method may include applying one or more data transforms to the data associated with the data transfer to generate a transformed data set. In an embodiment, the method may also include transferring the transformed data set to the external data storage. In one embodiment, the external data storage is a cloud storage facility.
US09110962B2 Data providing apparatus for implementing script, electronic apparatus for implementing script, data processing system for implementing script, and method of data processing for implementing script
A data processing system includes an electronic apparatus including a script implementation unit which receives a Web page including a script via a network, and sends a request for obtaining data based on the script to a data providing apparatus which is connected via a network, the request for obtaining data including identification data of target data to obtain, and attribute data of the electronic apparatus; and the data providing apparatus including a conversion unit which converts a data format of target data stored in a data storing unit identified by the identification data included in the request for obtaining data sent from the electronic apparatus to another data format based on the attribute data of the electronic apparatus included in the request for obtaining data, and a sending unit which sends the target data with the other data format to the electronic apparatus.
US09110960B2 Data staging
A set of inbound data is received in a computer. At least one attribute of the inbound data is determined. The inbound data is parsed. A set of staging records is generated in the computer that include at least some of the inbound data in one or more fields included in each of the staging records. It is determined that at least some of the staging records are ready for migration to a target environment. The staging records are migrated to the target environment in the computer.
US09110959B2 System and method for geo-location data type searching in an on demand environment
Methods and systems are provided for retrieving, from a database containing a list of records, a subset of the list of records located within a user defined distance from a target point, each record in the list of records having a compound geo-location data type including a first data field and a second data field. The method involves generating a circle around the target point; identifying records having a geo-location within the circle; including the identified records in a result set; and presenting the result set to a user on a display screen. The method further includes treating the first data field and the second data field as a single data element.
US09110951B2 Method and apparatus for isolating a fault in a controller area network
A controller area network (CAN) on a mobile system has a plurality of CAN elements including a communication bus and nodes. A method for monitoring the CAN includes detecting inactive nodes of the CAN and employing an off-board controller to identify a candidate fault in the CAN based upon the inactive nodes of the CAN and a network topology for the CAN. A fault is isolated in the CAN based upon the candidate fault.
US09110950B2 Expert locator based on user polling
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for locating experts is provided. The method includes receiving a first query from a first user requesting the identity of persons having desired skills. The names of persons in a database having the desired skills are then identified. A second query is sent to a plurality of additional users requesting the verification of the information relating to the skills of the identified persons. Responses from the plurality of users are used to amend the information relating to skills of the identified persons.
US09110943B2 Identifying an image for an entity
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for identifying an image for an entity. In one aspect, a method includes identifying a set of resources. Each resource can include at least one image and reference at least one entity. Each image is assigned to a particular entity based on an overall entity scores for the image relative to the entities. The overall entity score for an image and an entity can specify a measure of topical relatedness between the image and the entity. For each individual entity referenced by at least one of the resources, a group of images that have been assigned to the individual entity is identified. An image evocative of each individual entity is selected from the group based on image rank scores. The image rank score for an image can be determined based on visual characteristics of the image.
US09110931B2 Fuzzy database retrieval
A method for querying metadata associated with media, such as multimedia and/or streaming media, on a computer network includes separating the metadata into keywords. The keywords are compared with valid keywords. A score is calculated in accordance with the degree of similarity between the keywords and valid keywords. If the degree of similarity is above a threshold, the metadata is qualified as valid metadata. Valid metadata is available for comparison and correction of other (invalid) metadata.
US09110930B2 Parallel application checkpoint image compression
Parallel application checkpoint image compression may be carried out in a parallel computer. The parallel computer may include a plurality of compute nodes, where each node is configured to execute one or more parallel tasks of the parallel application. The parallel tasks may be organized into an operational group for collective communications. In such a parallel computer, checkpoint image compression may include: generating, by each task of the parallel application, an image for checkpointing the parallel application; selecting, by an image management task, one of the images as a base template image; constructing, by the image management task, a binary radix tree, including storing differences between each task's image and the base template image in the binary radix tree; and storing, by the image management task as a checkpoint for the parallel application, the binary radix tree and the base template image, without storing every task's image.
US09110926B1 Skew detection for vertical text
A method for detecting and correcting skew in scanned vertical text includes identifying an image of vertically oriented characters, and identifying a plurality of vertical lines corresponding to character positions of the vertically oriented characters in the image. The method further includes generating an average slope of a subset of the plurality of lines, and causing the image to be deskewed based on the average slope.
US09110924B2 User targeted medical imaging and information packaging, compression and distribution system
A computer-based method and system of distributing biological sample data acquired as a digital image of a subject biological sample. The acquired digital image and image capture data are processed according to at least one user. This results in processed image data and capture metadata. The processed image data represents biological sample data of the subject biological sample. A package processing combines the processed image data and capture metadata into a working Package. The method and system enables simultaneous electronic access to the working Package by multiple users, across multiple sectors, in addition to the one user.
US09110922B2 Joint embedding for item association
Methods and systems to associate semantically-related items of a plurality of item types using a joint embedding space are disclosed. The disclosed methods and systems are scalable to large, web-scale training data sets. According to an embodiment, a method for associating semantically-related items of a plurality of item types includes embedding training items of a plurality of item types in a joint embedding space configured in a memory coupled to at least one processor, learning one or more mappings into the joint embedding space for each of the item types to create a trained joint embedding space and one or more learned mappings, and associating one or more embedded training items with a first item based upon a distance in the trained joint embedding space from the first item to each said associated embedded training items. Exemplary item types that may be embedded in the joint embedding space include images, annotations, audio and video.
US09110913B2 Systems and methods for transformation of logical data objects for storage
Systems and methods for transforming a logical data object for storage in a storage device operable with at least one storage protocol, creating, reading, writing, optimization and restoring thereof. Transforming the logical data object comprises creating in the storage device a transformed logical data object comprising one or more allocated storage sections with a predefined size; transforming one or more sequentially obtained chunks of obtained data corresponding to the transforming logical data object; and sequentially storing the processed data chunks into said storage sections in accordance with a receive order of said chunks, wherein said storage sections serve as atomic elements of transformation/de-transformation operations during input/output transactions on the logical data object. The processing may comprise two or more data transformation techniques coordinated in time, concurrently executing autonomous sets of instructions, and provided in a manner preserving the sequence of processing and storing the processed data chunks.
US09110912B2 Storage systems and methods
Systems and methods for extent reference count updates are presented. In one embodiment; a reference count update method includes: receiving a plurality of data files associated with various modalities; performing an analysis on the data files including examining an impact of the plurality of data files on storage based upon a type of the modality; and forwarding resulting analysis information for presentation in a convenient user interface, including an indication of the impact of the plurality of data files on the storage based upon the type of the modality. In one embodiment the analysis includes resource consumption analysis of the storage associated with the type of modality. The analysis can include a cost analysis of the storage associated with the type of modality. The storage can be included in a cloud environment.
US09110911B2 System and method for the synchronization of a file in a cache
The present invention provides a system and method for file synchronization. One embodiment of the system of this invention includes a software program stored on a computer readable medium. The software program can be executed by a computer processor to receive a file from a server; store the file as a cached file in a cache; determine if the cached file has been modified; and if the cached file has been modified, communicate the cached file directly to the database.
US09110906B2 File converting method for computer system
A file converting method for a computer system includes utilizing software for converting a full-virtualized file into a para-virtualized file when the computer system receives a click signal; and activating a virtual machine, and uploading the para-virtualized file to a cloud server.
US09110905B2 System and method for assigning network blocks to sensors
A system includes a processor device. The processor device is configured to detect a physical topology of a network comprising hosts and sensors in the network. The processor device is also configured to generate a sensor policy for assignment of the sensors to network blocks of the hosts, that balances a processing load and accuracy of the sensors in the network based on physical closeness of the sensors to different divisions of hosts within a same network block.
US09110902B1 Application-driven playback of offline encrypted content with unaware DRM module
Application-driven interceptor module enables offline playback of Digital Rights Management (DRM) protected content to work in a same way as online playback. Communications with the DRM module are intercepted by the application-driven interceptor that is aware of the client device's network connection status. When the interceptor application determines that the client device is offline, requests for the protected content, and license/key to the protected content may then be managed by the interceptor application. In one embodiment, the interceptor application may retrieve requests for the key/license from a locally protected data store, and provide the key/license to the DRM module. In this manner, the DRM module may be unaware that its messages are being intercepted, and may then operate the same, unaware of whether or not the client device is online or offline.
US09110900B2 Generating simulated containment reports of dynamically assembled components in a content management system
A content management system (CMS) uses a simulated containment report generation mechanism to generate a simulated containment report for elements in the repository based on logged properties that represent potential use of the element during dynamic content delivery that are not represented in formal relationships in the content management system. Properties such as probability, popularity, and recent usage that are not explicit relationships between parent documents and child elements are logged and used to determine which document maps may potentially reuse a selected element. In this manner a simulated containment report can be created for an element that allows the user to see the document maps that are most likely to include the element.
US09110899B2 Multi-tenancy in database namespace
Methods for processing a query in a multi-tenancy environment utilizing an electronic computing device are presented, the methods including: causing the electronic computing device to receive the query to a database, where the query includes a number of objects; causing the electronic computing device to determine whether any of the number of objects correspond with the set of tenant database objects; if any of the number of objects correspond with the set of tenant database objects, causing the electronic computing device to process the number of objects from the tenant production table; and if any of the number of objects correspond with the set of instance database objects, causing the electronic computing device to process the number of objects from the instance production table.
US09110896B2 Active air flap apparatus for vehicle and defect diagnosis method thereof
An active air flap apparatus for a vehicle may include a drive flap positional sensor connected with a drive shaft connecting an actuator and a drive flap and detecting a rotational angle of the drive flap, a driven flap pivotally connected with the drive flap through a link mechanism, a driven flap positional sensor connected with a driven shaft pivotally connected with the link member and detecting a rotational angle of the driven flap, and a controller determining whether the drive flap positional sensor, the driven flap positional sensor, a motor of the actuator, and the link member may be defective by monitoring a feedback voltage value of the drive flap positional sensor, a feedback voltage value of the driven flap positional sensor, and a current applied to the motor of the actuator.
US09110894B2 Systems and methods for determining related places
Techniques for providing location-based recommendations are described. Some embodiments provide a Location-Based Recommendation System (“LRBS”) that provides recommendations regarding physical places based on content items, such as Web pages, user reviews, directory listings, or the like, that describe or otherwise reference those places. In one embodiment, the LBRS is configured to, in response to an indication of a first place, determine one or more other places that are similar to the first place, and then provide indications of the determined places as recommendations to a user or other entity. In another embodiment, the LBRS is configured to, in response to an indication of a user, determine one or more places that may be of interest to the user, and then provide indications of the determined places as recommendations. In some embodiments, the LBRS may determine recommendations based on content vectors associated with places and/or users.
US09110891B2 Auto-translation for multi user audio and video
The disclosed subject matter provides a system, computer readable storage medium, and a method providing an audio and textual transcript of a communication. A conferencing services may receive audio or audio visual signals from a plurality of different devices that receive voice communications from participants in a communication, such as a chat or teleconference. The audio signals representing voice (speech) communications input into respective different devices by the participants. A translation services server may receive over a separate communication channel the audio signals for translation into a second language. As managed by the translation services server, the audio signals may be converted into textual data. The textual data may be translated into text of different languages based the language preferences of the end user devices in the teleconference. The translated text may be further translated into audio signals.
US09110890B2 Selecting a language encoding of a static communication in a virtual universe
A static communication can be presented efficiently in different languages to facilitate propagation of the static communication across language boundaries. A static communication object that represents a static communication can be loaded with different language encodings of the static communication. When a trigger occurs (e.g., an avatar accesses the static communication object), a language encoding of the static communication that can be understood by the avatar is presented to the avatar. As the static communication propagates throughout the virtual universe, additional language encodings can be added to the static communication object.
US09110884B2 Message publishing and subscribing method and apparatus
A message publishing and subscribing method and apparatus, which relate to the information processing field and provide higher information transmission efficiency and better flexibility mainly by providing a corresponding dummy topic in a message broker for a publisher and a subscriber or by performing semantic recognition in the message broker for the publisher and the subscriber.
US09110881B2 Character input device and character input program
The object of the present invention is to provide a character input device that facilities the input of an added value in inputting text including numeric values. In a character input device that adopts a predictive conversion method, a preset mathematical operation is performed when a numeric value is inputted, and the result of the mathematical operation is displayed as a conversion candidate.
US09110880B1 Acoustically informed pruning for language modeling
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for pruning a language model are disclosed. The methods, systems, and apparatus include actions of selecting a candidate portion of the language model to evaluate for pruning, obtaining an entropy score representing information loss that would result from pruning the candidate portion of the language model, obtaining an acoustic score representing acoustic confusability of one or more words modeled by the candidate portion of the language model, and evaluating whether to prune the candidate portion of the language model using the entropy score and the acoustic score.
US09110876B2 Monitoring operation of communication protocol procedure
This document discloses a method, apparatus, and computer program for automatically detecting unallowed continuation of a communication protocol procedure in a communication device. The method comprises in a test tool: marking an invalid input applied to the communication device in a sequence of operations of the communication protocol procedure; marking, with a sequence marker, a location that should not be reached in the sequence of operations of the communication protocol procedure as a result of the invalid input; and upon detecting that the communication protocol procedure has reached the location marked with the sequence marker, outputting an indication that the communication device operates in an unallowed manner.
US09110875B2 XML post-processing hardware acceleration
Aspects of the invention are directed to XML post-processing hardware acceleration for high-speed simple type checking (e.g., string and format checking) and whitespace collapsing. An apparatus for processing text data according to an embodiment includes a post processing engine (PPE); a set of post processing state machines coupled to the PPE; and a memory for storing text data to be processed by the set of post processing state machines; wherein the set of post processing state machines includes a whitespace handler state machine for reading text data from the memory and for applying a whitespace facet to at least 4 bytes of the text data during a clock cycle.
US09110874B2 Document conversion apparatus and document conversion method
A template element, among template elements constituting a template, which corresponds to a document element constituting an original document is set as a corresponding template element and a content of format conversion processing for the document element is determined on the basis of the corresponding template element. Format conversion processing based on the determined content is performed. A result of format conversion processing is output as a result of conversion of the format of the original document.
US09110873B2 Platform-independent data application description language
Technologies are described herein for generating a platform-independent data application. In one method, a definition of a data schema is received for defining data types. A definition of a user interface is also received for access data stored in the data types. Further, a definition of business logic is received for enforcing validation rules and actions associated with the data types. The definitions of the data schema, the user interface, and the business logic are each received in a platform-independent format and used to generate the platform-independent data application.
US09110872B2 Computer method and system for storing and presenting sequence data
Genetic sequence data occurring in genome sequences is represented for efficient access of the sequence information in a defined storage scheme. A described replet-sequence matrix data structure allows the compression and efficient access of sequence information. The data structure allows the dynamic change of ontology: the replet-information table can evolve by adding, updating, removing replets, and the set of replets present in the table represent the ontology at the moment. The data structure enables the sequence information to be processed in parallel, and also enables multiple views of the sequence data to exist along with replet specific information.
US09110870B1 Automated system for assisting the architectural process
There is disclosed an automated system for assisting the architectural process on an open-network. The system may include a data entry means for user-selected project features and at least one catalog database from which the user-selected feature is identified. The system may further incorporate filtering means for providing a graphical interface with filtered data associated with a user-selected feature, at least one user database which stores a unique identifier of the user-selected feature, automated selection means for incorporating data associated with the user-selected feature into at least one document, and generation means for creating an architectural document, such as a specification, detail, or schedule. The system may include at least one remote catalog database from which the user-selected feature is identified. Included are tracking the architectural process, querying a user database or a group of user databases, and generating Industry Foundation Class tags for industry compatibility searching.
US09110866B2 OpenFlow controller master-slave initialization protocol
A method for network controller initialization that includes identifying a controller connected to a network as a primary controller that manages switches in the network. One or more other controllers connected to the network are identified as secondary controllers. A failover priority table is created. The failover table indicates an order that the one or more other controllers will replace the controller as the primary controller in the event that the controller enters a failure mode. The failover priority table is broadcast to the switches in the network.
US09110861B2 Managing host computing devices with a host control component
Systems and methods are disclosed which facilitate the management of host computing devices through the utilization of a host computing device control component. The host computing device control component includes a state monitoring component that monitors operating states of the control component and a group of associated host computing devices. Based on a determination of a power event, the state monitoring component causes the initiation of a reboot of the grouping of host computing devices based on exchange priority information and additional reboot parameters.
US09110859B2 Signal processing device and signal processing method
A signal processing device includes an operation control unit configured to control a timing of an operation process executed by an operation unit; and a transfer control unit configured to control a timing of transferring data that is a target of the operation process, such that the data that is the target of the operation process is loaded by the operation unit according to the timing of the operation process controlled by the operation control unit.
US09110858B2 Apparatus and method for controlling memory in mobile communication system
An apparatus and method for controlling a low-voltage memory in a mobile communication system are provided. The apparatus includes a memory for storing data including at least one error caused by a low-voltage, and an error correction unit for identifying whether the at least one error exists in the memory according to a first bit set in a local buffer of an error correction code storage, for comparing location information on the error data read from the memory and location information on error data of at least one protection set in the local buffer of the error correction code storage when it is determined that the at least one error exists in the memory, for generating an error correction code as a result of the comparison, and for correcting the error data of the memory according to the error correction code.
US09110857B1 Systems and methods for identifying and compressing rarely used data
Systems and methods are disclosed for identifying and compressing rarely used data. A storage module may include a memory and a storage controller in operative communication with the memory. The storage controller is configured to identify an access of data stored at a first portion of the memory; determine, based on a first value of the access counter associated with the identified access and a second value of the access counter, that an age of the data stored at the first portion of the memory exceeds a threshold; identify data stored at a second portion of the memory that is associated with a third value of the access counter, where the third value of the access counter is within a range of the first value of the access counter; and compress together at least the data stored at the first and second portions of the memory.
US09110856B2 Interface control apparatus, data storage apparatus and method for interface control
According to one embodiment, an interface control apparatus includes an interface, and a controller. The interface is configured to transmit information between a host and a data storage apparatus. The controller is configured to fetch request information making a processing request for the data storage apparatus, from an element being a storage unit of a queue provided on the host through the interface. The controller is configured to execute read request processing of fetching first request information divided into a plurality of elements and stored, with priority over second request information which is different from the first request information, when the request information is fetched.
US09110854B1 Web-based community for disabled individuals
An Internet® or world wide web-based system that provides visitors access to databases that offer information and resources for support in coping with a mental or physical disability or an associated or similar condition. The visitor can access the status of a claim for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, a personalized report on Medicare options or a personalized report on available financial resources and life plan products for persons with a disability. A Service Provider employs a computer and software technology to establish and maintain a website that allows the visitor to access, join, and participate in a virtual community of individuals having shared experiences and needs.
US09110852B1 Methods and systems for extracting information from text
Information may be extracted from a text corpus. The text corpus may be parsed into a parse tree structure based on the parts of speech of the words of the text corpus. A path in the parse tree structure may be identified as linking an entity and a value, and the path may be applied to the same or other text corpuses to extract other instances of entity-value pairs. Extracted information, associated paths, or both may be validated in some instances.
US09110851B2 System and method for persisting transaction records in a transactional middleware machine environment
A transactional system can utilize the distributed storage and high availability (HA) capability provided by a clustered database to support easy and feasible disaster recovery. The transactional middleware machine environment comprises one or more transactional application servers associated with a transaction. The one or more transactional application servers operate to persist transactional log information associated with the transaction in a database that connects with said one or more transactional application servers at a local site. The database at the local site operates to replicate the persisted transactional log information to a remote database at a remote site. The remote database allows a different transactional application server at the remote site to recover the persisted transactional log information and complete the transaction, when a disaster disables the local site.
US09110848B1 Backup-instructing broadcast to network devices responsive to detection of failure risk
Embodiments relate to systems and methods for detecting failure-risk events at devices and facilitating local and/or remote data back-up and/or device operations. In some instances, a device characterizes a stimulus sensed at the device or an operation of a component of the device. A determination is made that a failure-risk condition is satisfied based on the characterization. In response to determining that the failure-risk condition is satisfied, the device initiates a data backing up of data in a non-volatile reserved memory or facilitates transmission of an alert communication from the device to another device.
US09110836B1 Integrated biosensor and simulation system for diagnosis and therapy
BioMEMS/NEMS appliance biologically monitors an individual, using biosensors to detect cellular components. Data is simulated or analyzed using systems-biology software, which provides diagnostic or therapeutic guidance.
US09110834B2 Utilizing local memory and dispersed storage memory to access encoded data slices
A method begins by a processing module establishing a dispersed storage (DS) error coding function based on a number of local memories associated with the computing device, wherein a decode threshold number of the DS error coding function corresponds to the number of local memories. The method continues with the processing module encoding a data segment of data utilizing the DS error coding function to produce a set of encoded data slices, of which the decode threshold number of encoded data slices is required to recover the data and the set of encoded data slices includes a pillar width number of encoded data slices. The method continues with the processing module storing the decode threshold number of encoded data slices in the local memories and outputting a remaining number of encoded data slices of the set of encoded data slices to the dispersed storage network (DSN) memory for storage therein.
US09110831B2 High-speed memory system
The disclosed embodiments relate to a Flash-based memory module having high-speed serial communication. The Flash-based memory module comprises, among other things, a plurality of I/O modules, each configured to communicate with an external device over one or more external communication links, a plurality of Flash-based memory cards, each comprising a plurality of Flash memory devices, and a plurality of crossbar switching elements, each being connected to a respective one of the Flash-based memory cards and configured to allow each one of the I/O modules to communicate with the respective one of the Flash-based memory cards. Each I/O module is connected to each crossbar switching element by a high-speed serial communication link, and each crossbar switching element is connected to the respective one of the Flash-based memory cards by a plurality of parallel communication links.
US09110830B2 Determining cache hit/miss of aliased addresses in virtually-tagged cache(s), and related systems and methods
Apparatuses and related systems and methods for determining cache hit/miss of aliased addresses in virtually-tagged cache(s) are disclosed. In one embodiment, virtual aliasing cache hit/miss detector for a VIVT cache is provided. The detector comprises a TLB configured to receive a first virtual address and a second virtual address from the VIVT cache resulting from an indexed read into the VIVT cache based on the first virtual address. The TLB is further configured to generate first and second physical addresses translated from the first and second virtual addresses, respectively. The detector further comprises a comparator configured to receive the first and second physical addresses and effectuate a generation of an aliased cache hit/miss indicator based on a comparison of the first and second physical addresses. In this manner, the virtual aliasing cache hit/miss detector correctly generates cache hits and cache misses, even in the presence of aliased addressing.
US09110829B2 MRAM smart bit write algorithm with error correction parity bits
Some aspects of the present disclosure relate a method. The method attempts to write an expected multi-bit word to a memory location in memory. After writing of the multi-bit word has been attempted, an actual multi-bit word is read from the memory location. The actual multi-bit word is then compared with the expected multi-bit word to identify a number of erroneous bits and a number of correct bits stored in the memory location. The number of erroneous bits is re-written to the memory location without attempting to re-write the correct bits to the memory location.
US09110827B2 Error detection and correction apparatus, mismatch detection apparatus, memory system and error detection and correction method
An error detection and correction apparatus includes a code word read-out unit to execute read processing to read out a code word including a plurality of code elements by detection of an erasure position as read data from a memory address and to execute re-read processing to read out the code word as re-read data from the memory address after a predetermined time is elapsed from the time to read out the read data; a timing control erasure position detection unit to detect a position of the code element having a value not matched as the erasure position in the code word by determining whether or not the value is matched per the code word in the read data and the re-read data; and an error correction unit to correct an error based on the erasure position in the code word where the erasure position is detected.
US09110824B2 Method, controller, and memory device for correcting data bit(s) of at least one cell of flash memory
A method for correcting data bit of at least a cell of a flash memory includes: determining a contributing factor of level distribution corresponding to an electric level of a first cell to generate a first determination result; and, correcting/modifying the data bit corresponding to the electric potential of the first cell according to the first determination result.
US09110823B2 Adaptive and prioritized replication scheduling in storage clusters
In one implementation, groups of objects may be maintained, each group including one or more objects that are to be replicated at one or more of the storage clusters. The objects may be assigned to the groups based on replication choices where at least some of the objects are assigned to multiple ones of the groups. A priority value may be determined and associated with each of the groups, the priority value of a particular group being determined based on priority values associated with objects within the particular group. The objects may be selected, for replication, in a replication order based on the priority value of the groups and replication of the selected objects may be initiated.
US09110822B2 Method and device for write abort protection
A data storage device includes a non-volatile memory that includes a three-dimensional (3D) memory. A method includes receiving first data and second data from a host device. A first error-correcting code (ECC) codeword associated with the first data is written to a first word line of the non-volatile memory, and a second ECC codeword associated with the second data is written to a second word line of the non-volatile memory. The first ECC codeword includes a first bit and a second bit, and the second ECC codeword includes a third bit and a fourth bit. The method further includes writing parity information to a parity storage portion of the non-volatile memory that is distinct from the first word line and from the second word line. The parity information includes a parity bit that is based on the first bit, the second bit, the third bit, and the fourth bit.
US09110821B2 Systems and methods for improved short media defect detection
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for media defect detection. As an example, a method is discusses that includes: receiving a decoded output including a first multi-bit symbol; receiving a detected output including a second multi-bit bit symbol; calculating values based upon respective combinations of the first multi-bit symbol and the second multi-bit symbols; calculating a first product and the second product based upon some of the aforementioned values; and asserting a suspect symbol indicator indicating a probability that the symbol is incorrect when at least one of the first product and the second product is negative.
US09110820B1 Hybrid data storage system in an HPC exascale environment
A computer-executable method, system, and computer program product for managing I/O requests from a compute node in communication with a data storage system, including a first burst buffer node and a second burst buffer node, the computer-executable method, system, and computer program product comprising striping data on the first burst buffer node and the second burst buffer node, wherein a first portion of the data is communicated to the first burst buffer node and a second portion of the data is communicated to the second burst buffer node, processing the first portion of the data at the first burst buffer node, and processing the second portion of the data at the second burst buffer node.
US09110817B2 Method for creating a markov process that generates sequences
The present invention relates to a method for creating a Markov process that generates sequences. Each sequence has a finite length L, comprises items from a set of a specific number n of items, and satisfies one or more control constraints specifying one or more requirements on the sequence. The method comprises the steps of receiving data defining an initial Markov process of a specific order d and having an initial probability distribution and of receiving data defining one or more control constraints. The method further comprises the step of generating data defining intermediary matrices, each matrix being of dimension nd by n, by zeroing out transitions in the initial Markov process data that are forbidden by the one or more control constraints.
US09110815B2 Enhancing data processing performance by cache management of fingerprint index
Various embodiments for improving hash index key lookup caching performance in a computing environment are provided. In one embodiment, for a cached fingerprint map having a plurality of entries corresponding to a plurality of data fingerprints, reference count information is used to determine a length of time to retain the plurality of entries in cache. Those of the plurality of entries having a higher reference counts are retained longer than those having lower reference counts.
US09110808B2 Formation of an exclusive ownership coherence state in a lower level cache upon replacement from an upper level cache of a cache line in a private shared owner state
In response to a memory access request of a processor core that targets a target cache line, the lower level cache of a vertical cache hierarchy associated with the processor core supplies a copy of the target cache line to an upper level cache in the vertical cache hierarchy and retains a copy in a shared coherence state. The upper level cache holds the copy of the target cache line in a private shared ownership coherence state indicating that each cached copy of the target memory block is cached within the vertical cache hierarchy associated with the processor core. In response to the upper level cache signaling replacement of the copy of the target cache line in the private shared ownership coherence state, the lower level cache updates its copy of the target cache line to the exclusive ownership coherence state without coherency messaging with other vertical cache hierarchies.
US09110807B2 Cache conflict detection
Methods, systems, and computer program products for cache conflict detection are provided. A computer-implemented method may include providing a partial graph of data to an application executing on a mobile device where the partial graph is derived from a document comprising a graph of data having a plurality of nodes, receiving a modified partial graph from the application where the modified partial graph includes one or more changes to the partial graph, and determining a document version used to derive the partial graph is no longer a most recent version of the document.
US09110806B2 Opportunistic page caching for virtualized servers
A system described herein includes a receiver component that receives an indication that at least one page in virtual memory is free and the at least one page in virtual memory is classified as short-lived memory, wherein the virtual memory is accessible to at least one virtual machine executing on a computing device. The system also includes a cache updater component that dynamically updates a cache to include the at least one page, wherein the cache is accessible to the at least one virtual machine.
US09110804B2 On-die electric cosmic ray detector
Described is a chip comprising: a substrate; a logic unit forming an active circuit on the substrate; and a cosmic ray detector embedded in the substrate, the cosmic ray detector to detect a cosmic ray and to generate a signal indicating detection of the cosmic ray, the signal for reducing error in the logic unit.
US09110798B2 Method and system for preventing holding-off of a protection switching for a plurality of alarms
The various embodiments herein provide a method and system for providing protection switching at a client layer on squelching of clients by a server layer protection controller in a nested protection system. The method comprises of marking a plurality of alarms of a pre-defined pattern and disabling a hold-off period for the plurality of marked alarms on receiving a squelch operation indication. The system comprises of one or more hold-off timers pre-configured with a hold off period and an alarm filter and hold-off processor (AFHP) for disabling the hold-off timer to invalidate the hold-off period for the plurality of marked alarms, wherein the plurality of marked alarms is an AIS generated due to squelching.
US09110797B1 Correlated failure zones for data storage
Techniques for optimizing data storage are disclosed herein. In particular, methods and systems for implementing redundancy encoding schemes with data storage systems are described. The redundancy encoding schemes may be scheduled according to system and data characteristics. The schemes may span multiple tiers or layers of a storage system. The schemes may be generated, for example, in accordance with a transaction rate requirement, a data durability requirement or in the context of the age of the stored data. The schemes may be designed to rectify entropy-related effects upon data storage. The schemes may include one or more erasure codes or erasure coding schemes. Additionally, methods and systems for improving and/or accounting for failure correlation of various components of the storage system, including that of storage devices such as hard disk drives, are described.
US09110793B2 Inner process
Methods, systems, and products for computer processing. In one general embodiment, the method comprises running an inner process in the context of an executing thread wherein the thread has an original address space in memory and hiding at least a portion of the memory from the inner process. The inner process may run on the same credentials as the thread. Running the inner process may include creating a new address space for the inner process in the memory and assigning the new address space to the thread, so that the inner process comprises its own address space. The inner process may he allowed to access only the new address space. The kernel may maintain the thread's original address space along with the new address space, so that multiple address spaces exist for a particular thread. The kernel may pass selected data from the thread to the inner process.
US09110789B1 Nonrepeating identifiers in an address space of a non-volatile solid-state storage
A method of applying an address space to data storage in a non-volatile solid-state storage is provided. The method includes receiving a plurality of portions of user data for storage in the non-volatile solid-state storage and assigning to each successive one of the plurality of portions of user data one of a plurality of sequential, nonrepeating addresses of an address space. The address range of the address space exceeds a maximum number of addresses expected to be applied during a lifespan of the non-volatile solid-state storage. The method includes writing each of the plurality of portions of user data to the non-volatile solid-state storage such that each of the plurality of portions of user data is identified and locatable for reading via the one of the plurality of sequential, nonrepeating addresses of the address space.
US09110788B2 Apparatus and method of using dummy data while storing data at a multi-bit storage element
A storage device includes a controller and a non-volatile memory that includes a three-dimensional (3D) memory. A method performed in the data storage device includes receiving, at the controller, first data and second data to be stored at the non-volatile memory. The method further includes sending, from the controller, the first data, the second data, and dummy data to the non-volatile memory to be stored at respective logical pages of a single physical page in the non-volatile memory. The single physical page includes multiple storage elements that are programmable into multiple voltage states according to a mapping of bits to states. The dummy data prevents a storage element of the single physical page from being programmed to a particular voltage state of the multiple voltage states.
US09110787B2 Initiating memory wear leveling
Systems and processes may use a host and an external host. The host may be a portable device that includes a memory, a memory controller, and a communication interface for communication with the external host. The portable device may receive a command signal from the external host and initiate a predetermined amount of wear leveling in response to the command signal.
US09110783B1 Application-transparent hybridized caching for high-performance storage
Systems, apparatus, and computer-implemented methods are provided for the hybridization of cache memory utilizing both magnetic and solid-state memory media. A solid-state cache controller apparatus can be coupled to a host computing system to maximize efficiency of the system in a manner that is transparent to the high-level applications using the system. The apparatus includes an associative memory component and a solid-state cache control component. Solid-state memory is configured to store data blocks of host read operations. If a host-read operation is requested, the controller communicates with a solid-state cache memory controller to determine whether a tag array data structure indicates a cached copy of the requested data block is available in solid-state memory.
US09110779B2 Allocate and reallocate CPU resources needed to utilize full available network adapter bandwidth capacity for logical partition migration
Automated techniques ensure that system central processing unit (“CPU”) power is not a bottleneck when migrating logical partitions from one system to another system or systems (e.g., in the event of a system evacuation). CPU resources needed to fully drive available bandwidth during the migration are computed. CPU resources of the system are then adjusted for the migration, which may comprise scaling down the CPU resources that are guaranteed for the executing partitions and/or adjusting relative partition variable weights to limit the amount of excess capacity that can be allocated to a partition.
US09110773B2 Automated collating conveyor system
A method of moving and boxing packages, including positioning a conveyor belt assembly having distal and proximal ends to receive a package at the distal end, sending a signal when a first package is placed upon the distal end, generating an air pulse to reorient the first package into a predetermined orientation, moving the first package to a loading area, and removing the first package into a shipping container. Next, the first package is moved far enough to make room for a second package, a second package is placed onto the distal end, a signal is sent when the second package is placed upon the distal end, and an air pulse is generated to reorient the second package into a predetermined orientation.
US09110771B2 Computations using a polychronous wave propagation system
The present invention relates to a polychronous wave propagation system that is based on relative timing between two or more propagated waves through a wave propagation medium. The relative timing may be associated with interference patterns of energy between the propagated waves. Operational behavior of the polychronous wave propagation system is based on the relative timing of the propagated waves and distances between initiators that transmit the propagated waves and responders that receive the propagated waves. The operational behavior may include arithmetical computations, memory storage, Boolean functions, frequency-based computations, or the like. The polychronous wave propagation system relies on time delays between the propagated waves that result from propagation velocities of the propagated waves through the wave propagation medium. By incorporating the time delays into the system, operational capacity may be greatly enhanced.
US09110768B2 Residue based error detection for integer and floating point execution units
An error detection unit including one or more register files that store at least one operand and at least one operand residue, an operand multiplexor operable to receive the operand, a residue multiplexor operable to receive the operand residue, a source operand residue generator operable to generate at least one generated residue from the operand, a first comparator that compares the operand residue to the generated residue, the result of the first comparator being sent to a reorder buffer, an execution unit that supplies the operand to a residue calculator and a result residue generator, wherein the residue calculator operable to determine an expected residue and the result residue generator operable to generate a result residue, and a second comparator that compares the expected residue with the result residue, the result of the second comparator being sent to the reorder buffer.
US09110767B2 Cobol reference architecture
The COBOL reference architecture (CRA) system and the transactional workflow driver (TWD) provide an efficient and effective way to extend an existing application using modern architecture techniques without rewriting the existing application. The (CRA) system and TWD provide a way to generate new and interchangeable COBOL language functionality for multiple interactive types (e.g., transaction servers and/or transaction managers) running in various computing environments.
US09110765B2 Displaying different hierarchy levels of computer program source code
The present disclosure describes methods, systems, and computer program products for displaying different hierarchy levels of computer program source code. One computer-implemented method includes generating, at a first hierarchy level of a plurality of hierarchy levels, a first code viewer box (CVB) in a software development environment, wherein the first CVB includes source code scaled according to the first hierarchy level, receiving a selection of a zoom level from a graphical controller, wherein the selected zoom level corresponds to a second hierarchy level, scaling, by operation of a computer, the source code according to the second hierarchy level to created newly scaled source code, and generating, based on the received selection, a second CVB at the second hierarchy level including the newly scaled source code.
US09110764B2 User feedback method and system for business suite customization
A computer-implemented user feedback method, system and program product for customizing business suite software is executable on a computer system. The method includes: acquiring a business logic software function associated with a feedback mechanism in a business suite software user interface for the business suite software; acquiring an existing customization requirement related to the business logic software function and the relationship between the existing customization requirement related to the business logic software function and another existing customization requirement related to the business logic software function; and presenting the acquired existing customization requirement and the relationship between the existing customization requirement related to the business logic software function and the other existing customization requirement related to the business logic software function. The system includes: a business logic software function collector; a customization requirement manager; and a customization requirement presenter.
US09110761B2 Resource data structures for firmware updates
A firmware update system is described that collectively handles firmware updates for hardware resources of a computing device. The firmware update system may be configured to handle firmware updates in a consistent manner across different computing platforms/architectures. A data structure is defined to associate each updateable resource with a corresponding identifier to enumerate the updateable resources to the firmware update system. The firmware update system may reference the data structure to produce representations of the each individual resource that provide an operating system level abstraction through which detection, analysis, acquisition, deployment, installation, and tracking of firmware updates is managed. Using the representations, the firmware update system operates to discover available firmware updates collectively for the enumerated resources, match the updates to appropriate resources, and initiate installation of the updates.
US09110758B2 Cross-platform software framework for embedded systems on data storage device
The embodiments of present invention relates to methods and systems for a cross-platform framework for embedded systems. One embodiment provides a framework for a network attached storage or other storage devices. The framework provides a standardized structure for modules of software, such as plugins, to implement various features on the embedded system. In addition, the framework supports interoperability between software modules written in either native code, such as C, C++, and interpreted code, such as JAVA™.
US09110757B2 Techniques for performing virtual machine software upgrades using virtual disk swapping
In one embodiment, a computer system creates a first template VM that includes a first OS VMDK and a first software binary VMDK, and clones the first template VM to create a linked clone VM. The linked clone VM executes a guest OS by accessing the first OS VMDK and a software application by accessing the first software binary VMDK. The computer system further creates a second template VM that includes a second software binary VMDK, where the second software binary VMDK includes one or more upgrades to the software application that are not included in the first software binary VMDK. The computer system then detaches the first software binary VMDK from the linked clone VM and attaches the second software binary VMDK to the linked clone VM. The linked clone VM thereafter executes the software application by accessing the second software binary VMDK.
US09110754B2 Computing device update control
Techniques for computing device update configuration are described. In implementations, an update service is employed to manage update groups for various types and/or classifications of computing devices. An update group can specify particular update statuses for functionalities of a computing device, such as device driver updates, software updates, firmware updates, and so forth. In at least some implementations, a computing device can be assigned to an update group based on attributes of the computing device, such as an identifier of a manufacturer for the computing device, a make identifier for the computing device, a model identifier, and so forth. Update information associated with the update group can be synchronized with the computing device.
US09110753B2 System and method for installing software applications
An example computer apparatus includes a processor coupled to a memory storing a program. The processor executes the program to perform operations including displaying an application menu screen displaying at least a selectable first menu item for an uninstalled first application and a selectable second menu item for an installed second application; periodically determining availability/unavailability of the first application for download from another computer apparatus; in response to selection of the first menu item if the most recent periodic determining has determined that the first application is unavailable for download from the server, providing announcement information about the first application; and in response to selection of the first menu item if the most recent periodic determining has determined that the first application is available for download from the server, initiating a process for downloading and installing the first application.
US09110751B2 Generating and caching software code
Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to generating and caching software code. In aspects, a target device may receive software to install. The software may include source code that has not been compiled. The target device may install the software and indicate the source code of the package is to be compiled into intermediate or executable code that is persistently stored. If the target device receives a request to execute the software prior to it being compiled, the target device may compile and execute the software without delay. If the target device receives a request to execute the software after it is compiled, the target device may obtain and execute the compiled code. The behavior above may also be applied to scripting code obtained from a server remote to the target device.
US09110750B2 Application installation system
A method, system and computer program product for controlling the installation of applications on a user terminal is disclosed. In one aspect, a catalog server identifies a first and a second installation control setting corresponding to a first and a second application on the basis of user identification data from a data store comprising entries for a plurality of applications and their corresponding installation control settings. Subsequently, the catalog server determines installation control data for at least one of the first and second application on the basis of the first and the second installation control setting. The determined installation control data is transmitted to the user terminal for controlling installation of at least one of the first and the second application.
US09110747B2 Obtaining program data over a network
A network comprises a data store storing for computing devices connectable to the network i) identification data associated with the computing devices and ii) source data identifying one or more sources of program data for the devices. The network also has one or more sources of program data associated with the identification data; and a plurality of computing devices. The computing devices each include a communications program configured to communicate with the data store, provide the identification data associated with the computing device and obtain from the data store the source data, and, having obtained the source data from the data store, communicate with the identified source to obtain program data from the identified source.
US09110744B2 Secure application firmware environment for X86 and non-X86 processors
Techniques for firmware providing a simulated system management mode (SMM) while being executed by a non-x86 platform, such as an ARM platform. In response to receiving a service call from an OS interface driver, the firmware may determine a requested service identified by the service call. Thereafter, the firmware may identify an appropriate service handler to perform the requested service. After the appropriate service handler performs the requested service, the appropriate service handler notifies the OS interface driver. Since the SMM is emulated by the firmware, the firmware may execute on an x86 platform or a non-x86 platform, such as an ARM platform.
US09110741B2 Warning track interruption facility
A program (e.g., an operating system) is provided a warning that it has a grace period in which to perform a function, such as cleanup (e.g., complete, stop and/or move a dispatchable unit). The program is being warned, in one example, that it is losing access to its shared resources. For instance, in a virtual environment, a guest program is warned that it is about to lose its central processing unit resources, and therefore, it is to perform a function, such as cleanup.
US09110740B1 Per-value user notification throttling in software application
The present invention throttles notifications to a user based on changes in particular state values. A computer-implemented method manages notifications of changes to one or more settings of an application. The method includes: displaying a first notification of a change of a setting to a value; updating a count of notifications displayed for the value; and throttling a subsequent notification of a subsequent change of the setting to the value if the count exceeds a threshold.
US09110726B2 Method and system for parallelization of pipelined computations
A method of parallelizing a pipeline includes stages operable on a sequence of work items. The method includes allocating an amount of work for each work item, assigning at least one stage to each work item, partitioning the at least one stage into at least one team, partitioning the at least one team into at least one gang, and assigning the at least one team and the at least one gang to at least one processor. Processors, gangs, and teams are juxtaposed near one another to minimize communication losses.
US09110725B1 User interface for dynamic environment using allocateable resources
The present invention discloses user interface for creating a dynamic computing environment using allocateable resources. The interface enables the fast, efficient selection and configuration of processing resources for the computing environment. The resources are fully selectable and allocable by a system architect. In a first embodiment, a primary company, Design2Deploy, Inc.® provides the ability for a customer or system architect to design a system by allocating resources and specifying how the resources are to be used. The system architect may create a computing environment from a remotely-accessible user interface such as a web page on the Internet. Thus, the system architect can create, modify and operate the environment from anywhere in the world.
US09110719B2 Decentralized distributed computing system
A distributed system includes a plurality of nodes connected over a network. Each node has a unique node identifier which identifies the node in the distributed system. Tasks are launched from any node in the distributed system and include one or more node identifiers. If a node receives a task including its node identifier, the node executes the task. Each node may store each task in a log. If a node fails, after recovering from the failure, the node queries the distributed system for tasks which were not received and tasks which were not completed due to the failure.
US09110718B2 Supporting targeted stores in a shared-memory multiprocessor system
The present embodiments provide a system for supporting targeted stores in a shared-memory multiprocessor. A targeted store enables a first processor to push a cache line to be stored in a cache memory of a second processor in the shared-memory multiprocessor. This eliminates the need for multiple cache-coherence operations to transfer the cache line from the first processor to the second processor. The system includes an interface, such as an application programming interface (API), and a system call interface or an instruction-set architecture (ISA) that provides access to a number of mechanisms for supporting targeted stores. These mechanisms include a thread-location mechanism that determines a location near where a thread is executing in the shared-memory multiprocessor, and a targeted-store mechanism that targets a store to a location (e.g., cache memory) in the shared-memory multiprocessor.
US09110716B2 Information handling system power management device and methods thereof
An information handling system includes a set of power and performance profiles. Based on which of the profiles has been selected, the information handling system selects a thread scheduling table for provision to an operating system. The thread scheduling table determines the sequence of processor cores at which program threads are scheduled for execution. In a power-savings mode, the corresponding thread scheduling table provides for threads to be concentrated at subset of available processor cores, increasing the frequency with which the information handling system can place unused processors in a reduced power state.
US09110715B2 System and method for using a sequencer in a concurrent priority queue
A system and method can support a concurrent priority queue. The concurrent priority queue allows a plurality of threads to interact with the priority queue. The priority queue can use a sequencer to detect and order a plurality of threads that contend for one or more requests in the priority queue. Furthermore, the priority queue operates to reduce the contention among the plurality of threads.
US09110714B2 Systems and methods for multi-tasking, resource sharing, and execution of computer instructions
In a multi-tasking pipelined processor, consecutive instructions are executed by different tasks, eliminating the need to purge an instruction execution pipeline of subsequent instructions when a previous instruction cannot be completed. The tasks do not share registers which store task-specific values, thus eliminating the need to save or load registers when a new task is scheduled for execution. If an instruction accesses an unavailable resource, the instruction becomes suspended, allowing other tasks' instructions to be executed instead until the resource becomes available. Task scheduling is performed by hardware; no operating system is needed. Simple techniques are provided to synchronize shared resource access between different tasks.
US09110711B2 Dynamic displays in a distributed computing environment
A mechanism for describing dynamic display objects in a distributed computing environment is described. A service in a distributed computing environment may generate results data for a client in response to client requests. The service may provide schemas describing the presentation characteristics of results data. The schemas may include information for use in presenting the results data. The results data may include data elements, and the presentation schema may include presentation elements each including information describing the presentation characteristics of one or more of the data elements. The client may map data elements to corresponding presentation elements from the schema, and may use the element corresponding to a data element to present the data element. Using the dynamic display objects, display behavior may be altered without having to rebuild code.
US09110710B2 Preserving changes to a configuration of a running virtual machine
A method is provided for preserving changes to a configuration of a running virtual machine. The method includes reading an initial configuration, starting the virtual machine under application of the initial configuration, modifying the configuration of the virtual machine during runtime, storing the modified configuration of the virtual machine during shutdown, and reading the modified configuration at re-start of the virtual machine and re-starting the virtual machine under application of the modified configuration.
US09110707B2 Assigning wideio memories to functions based on memory access and acquired temperature information
Temperature information of each of a plurality of memories of a WideIO memory device is acquired. In a case that the execution of a function is designated, a memory to be used by a function module corresponding to the function is determined based on the memory access amount of the function module corresponding to the function and the acquired temperature information of the plurality of memories.
US09110703B2 Virtual machine packet processing
Packet processing for packets from a virtual machine includes receiving a packet from an external switch at a computer system hosting a plurality of virtual machines. If the received packet is a learning packet, storing a packet signature determined from the learning packet. For a packet to be transmitted from a virtual machine in the computer system, determining if the packet's signature matches the stored packet signature. If the packet's signature matches the stored packet signature, performing an action associated with the packet signature.
US09110695B1 Request queues for interactive clients in a shared file system of a parallel computing system
Interactive requests are processed from users of log-in nodes. A metadata server node is provided for use in a file system shared by one or more interactive nodes and one or more batch nodes. The interactive nodes comprise interactive clients to execute interactive tasks and the batch nodes execute batch jobs for one or more batch clients. The metadata server node comprises a virtual machine monitor; an interactive client proxy to store metadata requests from the interactive clients in an interactive client queue; a batch client proxy to store metadata requests from the batch clients in a batch client queue; and a metadata server to store the metadata requests from the interactive client queue and the batch client queue in a metadata queue based on an allocation of resources by the virtual machine monitor. The metadata requests can be prioritized, for example, based on one or more of a predefined policy and predefined rules.
US09110693B1 VM mobility over distance
Migrating an active VM from a first data center to a second data center having a passive counterpart of the active VM includes freezing the active VM at the first data center, creating an active VM at the second data center that corresponds to the passive counterpart, and restarting the active VM at the second data center. Migrating an active VM from a first data center to a second data center may also include waiting for the passive counterpart to be synchronized with the active VM at the first data center prior to converting the passive counterpart. Creating the active VM at the second data center may include providing a snapshot of a volume containing the passive VM.
US09110692B2 Method and apparatus for a compiler and related components for stream-based computations for a general-purpose, multiple-core system
A method and system of compiling and linking source stream programs for efficient use of multi-node devices. The system includes a compiler, a linker, a loader and a runtime component. The process converts a source code stream program to a compiled object code that is used with a programmable node based computing device having a plurality of processing nodes coupled to each other. The programming modules include stream statements for input values and output values in the form of sources and destinations for at least one of the plurality of processing nodes and stream statements that determine the streaming flow of values for the at least one of the plurality of processing nodes. The compiler converts the source code stream based program to object modules, object module instances and executables. The linker matches the object module instances to at least one of the multiple cores. The loader loads the tasks required by the object modules in the nodes and configure the nodes matched with the object module instances. The runtime component runs the converted program.
US09110686B2 Web client command infrastructure integration into a rich client application
A command interface for a software application is implemented on a client computer. A first definition of the command interface is received from a server computer. The first definition includes rules for encoding the command interface on a web browser. A conversion of the first definition to a second definition is performed. The second definition includes language for encoding the command interface on a user interface of the software application. The second definition is used to render the command interface on the user interface of the software application.
US09110683B2 Predicting branches for vector partitioning loops when processing vector instructions
While fetching the instructions from a loop in program code, a processor calculates a number of times that a backward-branching instruction at the end of the loop will actually be taken when the fetched instructions are executed. Upon determining that the backward-branching instruction has been predicted taken more than the number of times that the branch instruction will actually be taken, the processor immediately commences a mispredict operation for the branch instruction, which comprises: (1) flushing fetched instructions from the loop that will not be executed from the processor, and (2) commencing fetching instructions from an instruction following the branch instruction.
US09110679B1 Pre-boot management of drivers and programs
Approaches for managing pre-boot drivers, programs, and data. A BIOS, operating in a pre-boot environment, establishes a connection to a remote server. The BIOS determines whether the server has any updates to be performed to the BIOS using the connection. The BIOS may also perform a discovery process to discover devices operationally connecting to the BIOS and load drivers associated therewith. The BIOS may also establishes a wireless connection to a device, such as a phone, while the BIOS operates in a pre-boot environment. The BIOS may provide, using the connection, the device with access to data stored upon the apparatus, such as picture files, music files, video files, documents, emails, and other media files or objects stored on said device.
US09110671B2 Idle phase exit prediction
A method and apparatus for exiting a low power state based on a prior prediction is disclosed. An integrated circuit (IC) includes a functional unit configured to, during operation, cycle between intervals of an active state and intervals of an idle state. The IC also include a power management unit configured to place the functional unit in a low power state responsive to the functional unit entering the idle state. The power management unit is further configured to preemptively cause the functional unit to exit the low power state at a predetermined time after entering the low power. The predetermined time is based on a prediction of idle state duration made prior to entering the low power state. The prediction may be generated by a prediction unit, based on a history of durations of intervals in which the functional unit was in the idle state.
US09110670B2 Energy management by dynamic functionality partitioning
A sensor and processing system dynamically partitions or allocates functionality between various remote sensor nodes and a processing subsystem based on energy management management considerations. Redundant functionality is located at the processing subsystem and each of the various remote sensor nodes, and each sensor node coordinates with the processing subsystem to determine the location (e.g., at the processing subsystem or at the sensor node) at which a particular functionality is executed.
US09110669B2 Power management of a storage device including multiple processing cores
A method of managing power of the storage device including a first processing core for controlling a first function block and a second processing core for controlling a second function block includes: analyzing a pattern of commands received from the outside; selecting an operation mode of the storage device based on the analyzed pattern; and managing the electric power of the storage device by using the first processing core if the selected operation mode is a first mode, and separately managing electric powers of the first and second function blocks by using the first and second processing cores, respectively, if the selected operation mode is a second mode.
US09110662B2 Temperature controller
A temperature controller capable of being connected to a computer is able to be stably operated at the time of being connected to the computer. The temperature controller is operated by a power source from the computer and operated by a general power source. A voltage used in the temperature controller includes a first voltage for processing a digital signal. The temperature controller includes a feedback circuit for monitoring a change in the first voltage of the temperature controller and when detecting that the first voltage exceeds a predetermined value, lowering the supply of the general power source, and the voltage of the power source supplied from the computer is smaller than the predetermined value.
US09110658B2 Automatic verification and synthesis for weak memory models
Techniques are provided for automatic verification and inference of memory fences in concurrent programs that can bound the store buffers that are used to model relaxed memory models. A method is provided for determining whether a program employing a relaxed memory model satisfies a safety specification. An abstract memory model is obtained of the relaxed memory model. The abstract memory model represents concrete program states of the program as a finite number of abstract states. The safety specification is evaluated for the program on the abstract memory model having the finite number of abstract states. Fence positions at one or more locations can be determined to ensure that the safety specification is satisfied.
US09110657B2 Flowchart compiler for a compound complex instruction set computer (CCISC) processor architecture
Systems and methods herein provide for a compiler to create executable programs for a compound instruction based processor directly from flowcharts. In one embodiment, a system receives one or more flowchart diagram files that represent a computer program for a Compound CISC (CCISC) processor. The system identifies a flowchart symbol in the one or more flowchart diagram files, identifies a computing category for the flowchart symbol, and generates one or more CCISC instructions based on the computing category for execution by the CCISC processor. Further, the one or more CCISC instructions generated by the flowchart compiler direct the CCISC processor to access and operate on at least two data values in a multi-channel memory during the same clock cycle.
US09110654B2 Dynamically building locale objects or subsections of locale objects based on historical data
During a first execution of software, historical data is logged that indicates which locale objects were used. During a second execution of the software, the historical data is read, and locale objects or subsections of locale objects are dynamically built from locale source files based on the historical data in the log that indicates which locale objects were used during the first execution. Any other locale objects or subsections that are needed that are not built initially during the second execution are dynamically built from locale source files when requested at run-time. Dynamically building locale objects or subsections based on which locale objects were used in one or more previous executions saves time that would otherwise be required to build the locale objects when they are needed at run-time. The result is significant savings in system-wide resources while still allowing for access to a large number of possible locales.
US09110653B2 Generating PLC code from CAD models
Product data management systems, methods, and mediums. A method includes receiving a functional model, and identifying a plurality of elements of the functional model. Each element corresponds to one or more machine operations. The method includes identifying concurrencies between elements to determine at least one set of elements. The method includes creating an execution thread for each of the sets of elements. The method can include generating a rule-based programmable logic controller (PLC) program corresponding to the functional model, based on the execution threads.
US09110649B2 Storage apparatus, control apparatus and control method
A storage apparatus that includes a power supply unit that supplies power to a controller when power supply from the outside to a storage apparatus stops, a surplus power determination unit that determines surplus power that is power, which is to be supplied by the power supply unit and by which power for the saving of data into a nonvolatile memory is exceeded, a target voltage determination unit that determines a first target voltage based on the surplus power, and a charging processing unit that carries out a charging process for the power supply unit with a first current value until the first target voltage reached and that carries out a charging process for the power supply unit with a second current value lower than the first current value until a second target voltage higher than the first target voltage is reached from the first target voltage.
US09110647B2 Method and apparatus for managing an energy consuming load
A method for managing an energy consuming load in a group of energy consuming loads and a method for managing the group of energy consuming loads. The method includes generating sets of load state data from the loads, making enablement state decisions for one or more loads using the sets of load state data, and implementing the enablement state decisions. Each of the enablement state decisions reflects an enablement state of a load, wherein the enablement state is either a load enabled state where the load is capable of operating even when the load is not actually operating or a load disabled state where the load is not capable of operating. A computer readable medium may include computer readable instructions for directing a processor to perform the methods and make the enablement state decision. Further, an apparatus comprised of a processor may be programmed to perform the methods.
US09110644B2 Providing additional current capacity to a processor for a turbo mode
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a primary voltage regulator to couple a regulated voltage to a processor via a supply line. This regulator includes a multi-phase controller to provide the regulated voltage in multiple phases and to provide a maximum current output sufficient to meet a thermal design power (TDP) of the processor. In addition, an auxiliary voltage regulator may be configured to provide an excess current to the processor via the supply line for a time limited duration, e.g., based on the supply line state. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09110641B2 Container data center
A container data center includes a container, a row of racks installed in the container, an air conditioner, and a heat insulation apparatus. A cool channel and a heat channel are defined at two opposite sides of the row of racks. The removable heat insulation apparatus divides the cool channel into a first space and a small second next to the racks, and maintains the cooled air in the second space. Cooled air from the air conditioner is fed into the second space air conditioner, flows through the racks to remove heat generated, and enters the heat channel.
US09110638B2 Pointing device
A pointing device includes an enclosure, a touch panel, and a securing panel. The enclosure includes an enclosure body, a first resisting portion and a second resisting portion extending from the enclosure body, and an elastic element mounted to the enclosure body. The touch panel is placed between the first resisting portion and the second resisting portion. The securing panel includes a panel body and a first resisting tab and a second resisting tab extending from the panel body. The first resisting tab is received in the first resisting portion, and the second resisting tab is received in the second resisting portion, thereby enabling the touch panel to be secured between the panel body and the enclosure body.
US09110637B2 Electronic device
An electronic device comprises a base, a display body, and a pivot mechanism. The pivot mechanism rotatably connects to the base and the display body to allow the display body to rotate relative to the base via the pivot mechanism. When one edge of the display body rotates to rest on the base, the pivot mechanism, the base, and the display body form a triangle to make the display body firmly supported by the pivot mechanism on the base.
US09110636B2 Portable electronic device with a supporting structure for supporting a display module
A portable electronic device includes a host module, a display module, a pivoting structure connected to the host module and the display module and a supporting structure connected to the display module for supporting the display module on a supporting surface. The supporting structure includes a supporting portion for contacting against the supporting surface and two supporting rods. Two ends of the two supporting rods are connected to two ends of the supporting portion respectively, and the other ends of each rod are rotatably connected to two side portions of the display module respectively, so that the supporting structure rotates relative to the display module. A sliding slot is formed on the other end of each supporting rod, and parts of the two side portions of the display module are installed inside the two sliding slots, so that the two supporting rods move relative to the display module.
US09110633B2 Electronic apparatus and base structure thereof
A base structure includes a main body, a cover, a rod and an operating element. The main body includes a hollow portion, a containing portion for placing a battery module and an electrical connecting portion. The cover is combined detachably with the main body to cover the hollow portion. The operating element passes through the main body to connect to the rod, and drives the rod to move relative to the main body. After the cover is combined with the main body, the rod in a first position locks the cover. When the rod is moved from the first position to a second position, the rod unlocks the cover and pushes the cover outwards from the main body, and the rod pushes the battery module to be electrically disconnected from the electrical connecting portion at the same time.
US09110631B2 Electronic device having base in the form of an outer support frame
The electronic device having a base in the form of an outer support frame is provided. The electronic device may include a base in the form of an outer support frame, the base having an opening extending therethrough formed by the outer support frame; a keyboard disposed within at least a portion of the opening and supported by the outer support frame; and a display attached to the base. The display may be slidably attached to the base. Further, the display may include a touchscreen.
US09110629B2 Adapter device for tablet computer
This application relates an adapter device for tablet computer. This adapter device comprises a stylus and an adapter for fixing the stylus onto the tablet computer. The adapter is comprised of a buckling part and a plug-in part, wherein the buckling part is configured to fix the stylus and the plug-in part is plugged into an interface port of the tablet computer. The stylus can be attached onto the tablet computer by the adapter so as to bring convenience for user to achieve and improve accuracy of input. It also provides convenient means for stylus storage to prevent the stylus from loss.
US09110618B2 Printing apparatus and log recording method
A printing apparatus including: a storage unit configured to store print data; a printing unit configured to print the print data; and a control device configured to, suspend, when a suspension condition of suspending the printing of the print data by the printing unit is satisfied, the printing of the print data until the suspension condition is not satisfied, and store a log related to the print data in a storage device, wherein, when the suspension condition is satisfied, the control device is configured to store the log in the storage device before the printing of the print data is started, and wherein, when the suspension condition is not satisfied, the control device is configured to store the log in the storage device after the printing of the print data is started.
US09110615B2 Point of sale control device, control method, and storage medium storing a program for a point of sale device
The effort required to develop a device object is reduced. A host computer 10 has objects including a printer CO 21 that provides a POS application program 11 with an interface for each type of device, and a printer SO 22 that provides the printer CO 21 with an interface to each device type and executes a process by device unit. A wrapper SO 30 executes the process instead of the printer SO 22 when at least one of the methods called by the printer CO 21 is called, and then calls a method of the printer SO 22 based on the result of the executed process. When the printer CO 21 calls other methods, the wrapper SO 30 calls the printer SO 22 method.
US09110611B2 Non-transitory computer-readable mediums and image processing apparatus
A process and system for minimizing an image processing apparatus from remaining in a waiting state when communication with a client application has been lost. Various implementations are described in which processing requests are canceled based on losses of communication with the client application.
US09110609B2 Printing system, information processing device, and non-transitory computer readable recording medium for controlling printing process by applying a printing rule to a print job
An information processing device includes: a rule acquiring part for acquiring a printing rule from a print server; a job generating part for generating a print job containing header information showing settings of the print job and sending the generated print job to the print server; an initial determination part for making an initial determination to determine whether or not the printing rule is applied to the print job generated by the job generating part based on the header information of the print job and displaying a result of the initial determination on a display part; and a job controlling part for continuing a process on the print job in response to a user instruction to continue, and suspending the process on the print job in response to a user instruction to suspend after the result of the initial determination is displayed on the display part.
US09110606B2 Method and apparatus for accessing home storage or internet storage
A method and apparatus are provided for accessing an Internet storage. In the method, access to a home storage is controlled, and an internet storage which has higher access reliability than the home storage is accessed, if the access to the home storage is not available. Accordingly, even when the home storage is not in operation, it is possible to obtain content and meta data of the content.
US09110604B2 System and method for full virtual machine backup using storage system functionality
Techniques for virtual machine full backup are described herein. According to one embodiment, in response to a request to back up a virtual machine (VM) of a client, a request of VM backup is sent out. A consistent state of the VM is then identified via a VM application program interface (VM API). Subsequently a request is sent to a storage system associated with the client to ask for VM disk image associated with the consistent state of the VM to a target backup storage system.
US09110602B2 Content aligned block-based deduplication
A content alignment system according to certain embodiments aligns a sliding window at the beginning of a data segment. The content alignment system performs a block alignment function on the data within the sliding window. A deduplication block is established if the output of the block alignment function meets a predetermined criteria. At least part of a gap is established if the output of the block alignment function does not meet the predetermined criteria. The predetermined criteria is changed if a threshold number of outputs fail to meet the predetermined criteria.
US09110592B2 Dynamic allocation of heterogenous memory in a computing system
A method of operating a computing device includes dynamically managing at least two types of memory based on workloads, or requests from different types of applications. A first type of memory may be high performance memory that may have a higher bandwidth, lower memory latency and/or lower power consumption than a second type of memory in the computing device. In an embodiment, the computing device includes a system on a chip (SoC) that includes Wide I/O DRAM positioned with one or more processor cores. A Low Power Double Data Rate 3 dynamic random access memory (LPDDR3 DRAM) memory is externally connected to the SoC or is an embedded part of the SoC. In embodiments, the computing device may be included in at least a cell phone, mobile device, embedded system, video game, media console, laptop computer, desktop computer, server and/or datacenter.
US09110591B2 Memory resource provisioning using SAS zoning
An example method for memory resource provisioning using SAS zoning can include a serial attached Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) (SAS) switch and a provisioning manager (PM) executing on the SAS switch. A plurality of servers are communicatively coupled to the SAS switch, each server executing an operating system (OS) having access to one or more OS volumes. A host provisioning agent (HPA) executes on the OS of each of the plurality of servers. A plurality of memory resources are communicatively coupled to the SAS switch. Each memory resource can have a number of physical hard drives. A first portion of the memory resources is associated with zone groups corresponding to the plurality of servers. A second portion of the memory resources is associated with a provisioning zone group (PZG) hidden from the plurality of servers but available to the PM.
US09110590B2 Dynamically located onscreen keyboard
A touch-sensitive display surface having touch-capacitive and vibration sensors. This surface allows the user to rest their fingers on the keys of an onscreen keyboard and type as they would on a regular keyboard. As the user places their fingers on the touch screen, the system relocates the onscreen keyboard to the location where the fingers are resting. The touch sensors report the signal strength level of each key touched to a processor, but no keystroke is issued by the processor until a corresponding “tap” (i.e., vibration) is detected. When a tap is detected, the processor references the status of the touch capacitance sensors before, during, and/or immediately after the moment in time the tap occurred. The size, position, and orientation of the onscreen keyboard keys are dynamically set as determined by the user initiating a home-row definition event by resting their fingers momentarily on a virtual home-row.
US09110589B1 Tab bar control for mobile devices
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing tab bar controls on a mobile computing device are described. In one aspect, a method includes displaying a first tab graphic in a first tab bar control, the first tab bar control being displayed at a first default position on a first edge of a touchscreen display, detecting a user selection in a first region of the touchscreen display, the first region associated with the first tab graphic, detecting user motion, animating the first tab bar control to extend from the first edge of the touch-screen display in response to detecting user motion, determining a measure of user motion, comparing the measure of user motion to a threshold measure, and performing one or more functions on the mobile device in response to the measure of user motion exceeding the threshold measure.
US09110587B2 Method for transmitting and receiving data between memo layer and application and electronic device using the same
A method for transmitting and receiving data between a memo layer and an application and an electronic device using the same are provided. The method includes executing an application and displaying the executed application on a touch screen, detecting a gesture on the touch screen during execution of the application, displaying a memo layer overlapped on the application according to the detected gesture, the memo layer including a handwriting input area for displaying data to be provided to the application and a display area for displaying data received from the application, receiving a handwriting image in the handwriting input area of the memo layer, recognizing the received handwriting image and comparing the recognized handwriting image with preset data, and displaying a feedback received from the application in the display area of the memo layer according to a comparison result.
US09110584B2 Controlling a cursor on a touch screen
In one embodiment, a method for controlling a cursor on a touch screen includes, in response to having entered a pointing mode, displaying the cursor on the touch screen; in response to a touch on the touch screen, calculating a movement velocity of a touch point of the touch; and controlling the movement of the cursor according to the movement velocity of the touch point; wherein at any moment in the pointing mode, an input area of the touch point is any area within the touch screen.
US09110582B2 Mobile terminal and screen change control method based on input signals for the same
A screen change control method based on input signals and a mobile terminal supporting the same are disclosed. The mobile terminal includes a display panel for outputting a screen assigned to a user function, and a control unit for collecting screen ratio information based on at least one of a proportion of a current screen on the display panel to a full screen assigned to the user function and a ratio of enlargement or reduction by zooming, and for automatically adjusting an amount of screen changes for an input signal according to the screen ratio information.
US09110581B2 Touch support for remoted applications
Touch, multi-touch, gesture, flick and stylus pen input may be supported for remoted applications. For example, a touch capable client device may receive touch input for a remoted application executing on a server. In such an instance, the touch input may be transmitted to the server for processing. The server may modify the application display or the application functionality and provide an output to the client device. In some arrangements, the output may correspond to instructions for modifying a display of the application while in other examples, the output may correspond to an image of the changed application display. Additionally or alternatively, determining a functionality associated with touch input may be performed based on user definitions, user preferences, server definitions (e.g., operating system on the server), client definitions (e.g., operating system on the client) and the like and/or combinations thereof. Aspects may also include resolving latency and enhancing user experience.
US09110579B2 Information processing apparatus, information processing method and information processing program
An information processing apparatus includes: an operation section; and a control section adapted to cause, when dragging is carried out through the operation section, a cursor interconnecting a start point and an end point of the dragging to be displayed on a display section in response to the dragging and execute, where a direction from one end portion of the cursor which is a start point side of the dragging to the other end portion of the cursor which is an end point side of the dragging is determined as a direction of the cursor, a process corresponding to the direction of the cursor for information displayed on the display section; the control section changing the information to be displayed on the display section when the other end portion of the cursor enters a predetermined region set on the screen by the dragging.
US09110575B2 Method and system for graphically emphasizing a path through a diagram
Methods and systems for graphically emphasizing a selected path through a diagram, where the diagram includes a number of nodes and a number of lines, the methods and systems including: applying a node highlight effect to a node of the number of nodes in the selected path, where applying the node highlight effect includes applying a node shadow to the node, applying a line highlight effect to a line of the number of lines in the selected path, where applying the line highlight effect includes applying a line shadow to the line, applying a node fade effect to a node of the number of nodes not in the selected path, and applying a line fade effect to a line of the number of lines not in the selected path.
US09110574B2 Augmented I/O for limited form factor user-interfaces
The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can enhance and/or simplify tactile-based I/O transactions in connection with a user-interface (UI) of limited form factor. In particular, the architecture can monitor a position of a selector object such as an operator's finger relative to a UI display as the selector object hovers or moves above the UI display. Based upon this position, an analogous coordinate in the UI display can be determined, and a portion of the UI display substantially centered at the coordinate can be modified. As one example, the UI display can be modified to increase the magnification scale (e.g., a virtual magnifying glass) of the portion of the display indicated by the selector object.
US09110572B2 Network based video creation
A computing device is configured to provide over a network an ability to create a 2.5D full motion custom multi-media file. In one example, a computing device makes available to a user a plurality of stored video templates into which a user may insert custom video, photos, and/or text. The computing device provides a low resolution preview of the custom video to the user over the network connection. The user then has the ability to edit the custom video prior to finalization. The computing device receives signals indicating purchase or licensing credentials and in response to receiving such credentials, finalizes and delivers a 2.5D video for the user. So configured, a user can relatively cheaply and quickly create video content such as an advertisement having modern visual features such as 2.5D video in a cost efficient and timely manner.
US09110570B1 Reversed links from graphical diagram representation
A method includes performing an analysis or synthesis operation on a graphical model representation, producing a report from the analysis or synthesis operation and generating associations representing elements of the graphical model representation with corresponding elements in the report and using these associations as a way to reposition viewer based on actions to the graphical model representation.
US09110567B2 System and method for enabling users to interact in a virtual space
The present invention provides a highly scalable architecture for a three-dimensional graphical, multi-user, interactive virtual world system. In a preferred embodiment a plurality of users interact in the three-dimensional, computer-generated graphical space where each user executes a client process to view a virtual world from the perspective of that user. The virtual world shows avatars representing the other users who are neighbors of the user viewing the virtual word. In order that the view can be updated to reflect the motion of the remote user's avatars, motion information is transmitted to a central server process which provides positions updates to client processes for neighbors of the user at that client process. The client process also uses an environment database to determine which background objects to render as well as to limit the movement of the user's avatar.
US09110566B2 Portable device and method for controlling user interface in portable device
A portable device and a method for controlling a user interface (UI) of the same are disclosed. The portable device includes a display unit including a touchscreen configured to display icons of a plurality of icon groups, a sensing unit for sensing a gesture input by a user, and a controller, if the sensed gesture is a gesture corresponding to an icon rearrangement command, configured to output the icon rearrangement command to the display unit in a manner that positions of icons of at least two icon groups of the plurality of icon groups move downward such that the icons are rearranged on the touchscreen.
US09110565B2 Systems, apparatus and methods for facilitating display and management of information for communication devices
Apparatus, methods and computer-readable storage media are provided for information management and display. In one embodiment, a method includes displaying, via a user interface of a communication device, a dynamically updatable wallpaper comprising a personalized theme personalized to a user of the communication device. The method also includes updating the dynamically updatable wallpaper to display one or more animated icons. Displaying the animated icons is based, at least, on detected activity of respective contacts associated with the one or more animated icons. In another embodiment, an apparatus comprises: a user interface component configured to display images indicative of contacts, wherein the plurality of contacts are predefined by a user of the apparatus. The apparatus also includes a messaging component configured to: integrate different types of text messages for one of the contacts; and provide concurrent display of the text messages and social media information for one of the contacts.
US09110560B1 Shop order status visualization system
A method and apparatus for processing shop order instances for an aircraft. The shop order instances for the aircraft are identified. A current state of assembly of the aircraft is identified. A status of the shop order instances is identified. Parts present in the aircraft are identified for the current state of assembly of the aircraft. Graphical representations of the parts present for the current state of assembly for the aircraft for a group of shop order instances in a graphical user interface are displayed on a display device using a model of the aircraft. A set of graphical indicators in association with the graphical representations of the parts displayed in the graphical user interface are displayed. The set of graphical indicators indicates the status of the shop order instances.
US09110550B2 Method for restructuring distorted capacitive touch data
In one embodiment, a method for restructuring distorted capacitive touch data includes receiving an array of touch amplitude data associated with an electrode line of a capacitive touch sensor in response to a touch on a touch sensitive display. The method also includes detecting a distortion in the array of touch amplitude data and calculating, in response to detecting the distortion, a corrected array of touch amplitude data such that the corrected array of touch amplitude data represents the touch on the touch sensitive display.
US09110548B2 Touch module
A touch module includes a transparent substrate, a shield layer, a touch electrode layer, a transparent insulation layer and a lead layer. The shield layer is coated on the transparent substrate. The touch electrode layer is coated on both the transparent substrate and the shield layer. The transparent insulation layer is disposed on the touch electrode layer and formed with at least one through hole. The lead layer is disposed on the transparent insulation layer and formed with a conduction section positioned in the through hole in electrical connection with the touch electrode layer. Therefore, the lead layer can directly electrically connect with the touch electrode layer through the through hole of the transparent insulation layer. Accordingly, the cost for the optical mask design and the lithographic and etching processes can be saved and the problem that the transparent substrates often fail to fully attach is eliminated.
US09110544B2 Touch sensing method and touch sensing apparatus of charge distribution type
A touch sensing method of charge distribution type is disclosed. Firstly, charges in a panel are removed. Next, a scanning signal is provided to scan a plurality of sensing regions of the panel. Subsequently, the panel is set in a first switching mode for charging the panel with the scanning signal. Thereafter, the panel is set in a second switching mode for modifying a distribution of charges injected into the panel. Next, an equivalent voltage is acquired after the charges are distributed at an equilibrium state. Furthermore, a touch sensing apparatus with charge distribution type is provided herein.
US09110541B1 Interface selection approaches for multi-dimensional input
Touch-based input to a computing device can be improved by providing a mechanism to lock or reduce the effects of motion in unintended directions. In one example, a user can navigate in two dimensions, then provide a gesture-based locking action through motion in a third dimension. If a computing device analyzing the gesture is able to detect the locking action, the device can limit motion outside the corresponding third dimension, or lock an interface object for selection, in order to ensure that the proper touch-based input selection is received. Various thresholds, values, or motions can be used to limit motion in one or more axes for any appropriate purpose as discussed herein.
US09110540B2 Touch-sensitive device and method for detection of touch
The present invention relates to a method and a device for detection of position of touch. The device comprises a waveguide, at least one light source, and at least one detector device. The waveguide has a touch-surface with a surface structure defining a pattern that defines active surface areas and passive surface areas. The pattern is distributed such that an object that contacts a first area will cause a different disturbance of light than an object that contacts a second area, and such that correct positions of a plurality of concurrent touches may be detected.
US09110537B2 In-vehicle apparatus including distortion detection element
An in-vehicle apparatus includes a plurality of operations sections, a detection section, and a cancellation section. The operation sections are configured to receive an operation by a user while driving of a vehicle and respectively include distortion detection elements that respectively transmit detection signals in accordance with loads generated due to the operation. The detection section detects the operation to the operation sections based on the detection signals. The cancellation section determines whether loads are generated in the operation sections in a same period based on the detection signals transmitted from the distortion detection elements and cancels the detection signals transmitted from the distortion detection elements in the same period when the loads are generated in the same period.
US09110530B2 Touch panel design and method thereof
Configurations of patterns on a touch panel and methods thereof are proposed. The proposed pattern uses a design unparallel to either one of the X axis and the Y axis of a black matrix of a pixel layout of an LCD panel to resolve the Moiré Phenomenon resulting from the interference between the touch panel and the pixel layout.
US09110520B2 Method and device for sensing rotation of wheel in portable terminal
A method of sensing the rotation of a wheel in a portable terminal is provided. The method includes producing at least one interrupt through any one of a plurality of sensors provided in the wheel according to the rotation of the wheel, confirming an interrupt value of the produced interrupt, and a status value of a sensor which did not produce the interrupt among the plurality of sensors, and determining that the wheel is rotated in a direction corresponding to the interrupt value and the status value.
US09110514B2 Electronic device with switchable display screen, computer system thereof and method for switching display screen
An electronic device with a switchable display screen, a computer system of the electronic device and a method therefor are provided. The electronic device includes a processing unit, a DisplayPort interface, a keyboard control unit, a switch module, and a display panel module. The processing unit generates a first display data according to a DisplayPort standard. When the DisplayPort interface is coupled to an external device, the DisplayPort interface receives an external display data transmitted by the external device. The keyboard control unit generates a switch signal according to a switch event. The switch module selects the first display data or the external display data to be a screen data according to the switch signal. The display panel module coupled to the switch module receives and displays the screen data on a display panel. Thus, the external device may share display content with the display panel of the electronic device.
US09110513B2 Information display apparatus with proximity detection performance and information display method using the same
An information display apparatus with proximity detection performance contains a display device that displays image information, a sensor constituted of plural detection electrodes, and an adjusting device of detection resolution that adjusts the detection resolution to be detected based on a distance between the sensor and an object that is contacted to any one of the detection electrodes.
US09110512B2 Interactive input system having a 3D input space
An interactive input system comprises computing structure; and an input device detecting at least one electronic device displaying a recognizable pattern within a three-dimensional (3D) input space and providing output to the computing structure. The computing structure processes the output of the input device to recognize the pattern displayed by the at least one electronic device in the 3D input space; detect the state of the at least one electronic device; and modify image data by applying a transition to digital content associated with the displayed pattern based on the detected state of the at least one electronic device.
US09110507B2 Generating perceptible touch stimulus
Apparatus including a first surface electrode and an arrangement of second insulated surface electrodes; a display configured to display an image; and a controller configured to apply a potential difference between the first surface electrode and the arrangement of second insulated surface electrodes and configured to control at least a variation in the applied potential difference in dependence upon the displayed image.
US09110505B2 Wearable motion sensing computing interface
An apparatus comprises a sensor configured to detect movement and generate movement data related to at least part of a detected movement; a messaging unit configured to create a message that is configured to include movement information based at least in part upon the movement data; a transmitter in data communication with the messaging unit and configured to transmit the message; and a housing configured to at least partially enclose at least one of the sensor, the messaging unit, and the transmitter, and including a finger grip configured to secure the housing to a human finger. Methods of using the apparatus are also provided.
US09110504B2 Gaze detection in a see-through, near-eye, mixed reality display
The technology provides various embodiments for gaze determination within a see-through, near-eye, mixed reality display device. In some embodiments, the boundaries of a gaze detection coordinate system can be determined from a spatial relationship between a user eye and gaze detection elements such as illuminators and at least one light sensor positioned on a support structure such as an eyeglasses frame. The gaze detection coordinate system allows for determination of a gaze vector from each eye based on data representing glints on the user eye, or a combination of image and glint data. A point of gaze may be determined in a three-dimensional user field of view including real and virtual objects. The spatial relationship between the gaze detection elements and the eye may be checked and may trigger a re-calibration of training data sets if the boundaries of the gaze detection coordinate system have changed.
US09110496B1 Dynamic provisioning of a virtual test environment
At least one test of a first computing system is launched utilizing a second computing system that includes a first set of computing devices. Progress of the test is monitored during a first period of time. Performance of the second computing system is also monitored during the first period. An additional second set of computing devices is automatically provisioned for inclusion in the second computing system based at least in part on the monitoring of the test progress and monitoring of the performance of the computing system during the first time period. The test can utilize the first and second sets of computing devices during a second period of time subsequent to the first period.
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