Document Document Title
US09119042B2 Method, communication module, message service server and system for handling of an external device
Method for handling at least one external device in an environment, wherein the environment comprises at least one central handling unit and at least one communication module, wherein at least one external device is assigned to the communication module, and wherein a dialogue session is established between the central handling unit and at least one of the further components of the environment, characterized in that, in the dialogue session at least one request message relating to the handling of the external device is transmitted, during the existence of the dialogue session a response message relating to the request message is generated, wherein the response message comprises handling information, relating to the handling of the external device, the response message is a confirmation message on the receipt of the request message at a component of the environment and the response message is transferred back within the same dialogue session.
US09119041B2 Personal media storage and retrieval for visual voice mail
A personal media storage system within a visual voicemail system may be implemented. A visual voicemail server may receive and store multimedia content on a personal media storage system and associate such content with a voicemail. A visual voicemail server may obtain such content if provided with location data for the content rather than the actual content. A visual voicemail client on a wireless device may transmit a request for content to the visual voicemail server, which may retrieve the content and send to the visual voicemail client using the communications link between the visual voicemail client and the visual voicemail server. The visual voicemail client may render the content within the client.
US09119040B2 Trilateration processing
Embodiments of the invention address how trilateration processes are affected by physical placement and sub-optimal selection of peer devices (PDs) used to obtain a location of a mobile computing device. Embodiments of the invention describe processes for selecting nearest PDs over further PDs, as received signal strength indicator (RSSI) measurements are more reliable—i.e., said “nearest PDs” provide more accurate distance measurements while improving the probability of finding more intersection points. Embodiments of the invention further describe selecting a physical spread of PDs to help increase the number of intersection points while helping distinction/resolution of the location of the mobile device in both the ‘x’ (longitude) and the ‘y’ (latitude) directions. Embodiments of the invention further enhance trilateration processes by utilizing dampening values for calculated location poll data.
US09119036B2 Enhanced measurement gap configuration support for positioning
A base station is configured to serve a wireless device in a serving cell on a serving frequency. The base station obtains information that indicates one or more non-serving frequencies on which the device is to perform one or more positioning measurements. These positioning measurements are to be used for determining the device's geographic position. For at least one non-serving frequency indicated by the information, the base station configures a measurement gap during which the device is to perform a corresponding positioning measurement. Specifically, the base station configures such measurement gap to occur during a period of time in which a neighboring cell transmits a positioning reference signal over that non-serving frequency. A positioning reference signal is specifically designed to be a signal on which a device performs positioning measurements. Thus, by aligning the measurement gap with a positioning reference signal, the positioning measurements will prove more reliable and accurate.
US09119033B2 System for sharing information about groups of individuals, drivers, vehicles or objects
An improved system and method for defining an event based upon an object location and a user-defined zone and managing the conveyance of object location event information among computing devices where object location events are defined in terms of a condition based upon a relationship between user-defined zone information and object location information. One or more location information sources are associated with an object to provide the object location information. One or more user-defined zones are defined on a map and one or more object location events are defined. The occurrence of an object location event produces object location event information that is conveyed to users based on user identification codes. Accessibility to object location information, zone information, and object location event information is based upon an object location information access code, a zone information access code, and an object location event information access code, respectively.
US09119031B2 Network architecture for synchronized display
Systems and methods are provided that couple one or more devices to one or more presentation screens and to one or more servers via network connections. Various devices can be identified on a network and location data regarding each of the mobile devices can be delivered to the servers. Data can be displayed on a presentation screen based on mobile devices in its proximity, for example.
US09119030B2 Method and system for monitoring a mobile station presence in a special area
Method for monitoring the presence of a mobile station in at least one special area, wherein a radio communication defining device transmits one radio distinctive defining signal that define the special area by its coverage, the mobile station processes a signal received in order to determine whether or not it is defining signal and more precisly a distinctive one that defines the special area, the mobile station sends an updating signal to a mobile telephone network, the network routes the updating signal to special operating means that adapt the value of an operating parameter. According to the invention, the special area is associated to the mobile station by transmitting to the mobile station a checking data used by the mobile station for determining whether or not the defining signal received is distinctive defining signal.
US09119027B2 Sharing of location-based content item in social networking service
A method and/or system allows a user of a social networking service to publish a content item tagged with location information for sharing with other users of the social networking service. The user publishing the content item performs operations on the originating device to generate the content item. The originating communication device attaches the location information to the content item, and transmits the content item to a social networking system. The social networking system may provide various location-based services based on the content item tagged with the location information.
US09119024B2 Wireless communication terminal, wireless communication device, and wireless communication method
A master device transmits a beacon signal including information related to a proximity wireless communication area in a predetermined cycle by using a transmission power which allows the beacon signal to reach beyond the proximity wireless communication area. When a slave device receives the beacon signal from the master device, the slave device estimates a distance to the master device in accordance with the information of the beacon signal. When a wireless communication terminal is located within the proximity wireless communication area, the slave device is connected to the master device by using a proximity wireless communication.
US09119023B2 Wireless communication network association and security for control of industrial equipment in harsh environments
In certain embodiments, a system includes a master node device. The master node device includes communication circuitry configured to facilitate communication with a welding power supply unit via a long-range communication link, and to facilitate wireless communication with one or more welding-related devices via a short-range wireless communication network. The master node device also includes control circuitry configured to associate the one or more welding-related devices with the short-range wireless communication network. The master node device further includes means for manually initiating association of the one or more welding-related devices with the short-range wireless communication network.
US09119022B2 Assisted device discovery
An electronic device may communicate according to a first communication standard and a second communication standard. The first communication standard may have a longer communication range than the second communication standard. The electronic device may send a capability indication through the first communication standard. The capability indication may indicate the electronic device is capable of communicating according to the second communication standard with a shorter communication range than the first communication standard. The electronic device may discover a second electronic device capable of communicating according to the second communication standard and positioned outside of a non-extended communication range of the second communication standard. Upon discovery, the electronic device may communicate with the second electronic device at an extended range of the second communication standard even though the second electronic device is positioned outside the non-extended communication range of the first electronic device.
US09119019B2 Wireless mesh network and method for remote seismic recording
A method of collecting data from wireless sensor units arranged in a mesh network is disclosed, each wireless sensor unit having one or more sensors arranged on or below the ground surface for remote seismic recording, the method comprising: clustering the wireless sensor units into two or more sub mesh clusters, each sub mesh cluster having an aggregator assigned to the sub mesh cluster; acquiring data with the wireless sensor units by sensing one or more physical parameters; within each sub mesh cluster, each of the wireless sensor units transmitting the acquired data directly or indirectly to the respective aggregator; each aggregator aggregating at least a portion of the acquired data received from the wireless sensor units within the respective sub mesh cluster into aggregated data; and each aggregator transmitting the aggregated data to a base node. A wireless mesh network for remote seismic recording is also disclosed.
US09119017B2 Cloud based mobile device security and policy enforcement
The present disclosure relates to cloud based mobile device security and policy systems and methods to use the “cloud” to pervasively enforce security and policy on mobile devices. The cloud based mobile device security and policy systems and methods provide uniformity in securing mobile devices for small to large organizations. The cloud based mobile device security and policy systems and methods may enforce one or more policies for users wherever and whenever the users are connected across a plurality of different devices including mobile devices. This solution ensures protection across different types, brands, operating systems, etc. for smartphones, tablets, netbooks, mobile computers, and the like.
US09119016B2 Multiplexing multiple mobile services on a single mobile access point name
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for multiplexing multiple mobile services on a single mobile access point name (APN). A method includes, in a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, examining Internet Protocol (IP) packets that traverse a mobile GN link of a Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN), and applying a combination of packet protocols coupled with a carrier defined set of work flow rules to route the IP packets to their next destination and earmark billing CDRs for mediation and correlation by back office IT systems residing with a carrier in the mobile network.
US09119015B2 Mobile device application analysis
A mobile telecommunications device runs a plurality of applications installed on the device (for providing services to the device user). Monitoring means monitors the performance of the applications for generating performance data (for each application), and analyzing means analyzes the performance data (for each application) and to identify characteristics of the applications in dependence thereon. The mobile device may alert a user of the device of the problematic ones of the applications (for example via the GUI of the device). A mobile telecommunications device application performance analyzing apparatus may be coupled to the mobile telecommunications network that provides mobile telecommunications services to a plurality of mobile telecommunications devices and may receive the performance data and which includes analysis means for conducting analysis of the performance data to identify characteristics of the applications in dependence thereon.
US09119014B2 Method and apparatus for supporting wireless communication in a vehicle
A system, for a vehicle, including a first wireless client station implemented in the vehicle, a wireless access point implemented in the vehicle, and a controller implemented in the vehicle. The first wireless client station is configured to transmit a first packet. The first packet includes a first command to control an operation of the vehicle. The wireless access point is configured to receive the first packet and transmit the first packet. The controller is configured to receive the first packet from the wireless access point and to control the operation of the vehicle in accordance with the first command included within the first packet.
US09119012B2 Loudspeaker beamforming for personal audio focal points
In one embodiment, a method comprising receiving at a microphone located at a first location audio received from plural speakers, the audio received at a first amplitude level; and responsive to moving the microphone away from the first location to a second location, causing adjustment of the audio provided by the plural speakers to target the first amplitude level at the microphone.
US09119003B2 Sound generator and sound-generating apparatus
There are provided a sound generator with less peaks and dips in sound-pressure frequency characteristics, and a sound-generating apparatus which employs the sound generator. A sound generator and a sound-generating apparatus using the same are provided, wherein the sound generator includes at least a vibration plate, and a plurality of piezoelectric elements attached to the vibration plate so as to be spaced from each other to cause the vibration plate to vibrate. The plurality of piezoelectric elements includes piezoelectric elements having at least two different thicknesses. The piezoelectric elements having at least two different thicknesses are disposed in two directions that cross each other in a main surface of the vibration plate. Accordingly, it is possible to achieve a sound generator, as well as a sound-generating apparatus which have less peaks and dips in sound-pressure frequency characteristics.
US09118999B2 Equalization of speaker arrays
Methods and apparatus are described by which equalization and/or bass management of speakers in a sound reproduction system may be accomplished.
US09118998B2 Multiple sound channels speaker
A multiple sound channels speaker is disclosed herein and includes a first speaker, at least one second speaker, a sensing switch and an audio decoder. The second speaker is adjacent to the first speaker, and the sensing switch is disposed between the first speaker and the second speaker. The audio decoder is electrically connected to the sensing switch. When the second speaker and the first speaker are separated, the sensing switch outputs a signal to the audio decoder and the sound channels are switched.
US09118986B2 Flat speaker output device and method for starting the same
The present invention discloses a flat speaker output device and a method for starting the same. Wherein, a plurality of flat speakers utilizes an initial delay unit and a plurality of intermediary delay units connected in series. The initial delay unit connects with the power controller and a first one of the flat speakers. The intermediary delay units respectively connect with the residual each flat speakers. The power controller controls a power source to the initial delay unit to delay the start of the first one of flat speakers, and outputs the power source to the intermediary delay units to sequentially delay the starts time of the residual each flat speaker. The present invention can sequentially start flat speakers without using a high-output power supply device and thus decrease the required capacity of the external power supply device.
US09118981B2 Call management service
The invention pertains to a call management service for a communications system, configured to automatically: receive telephone call data identifying a destination end point and identifying a source end point; initiate a call-back telephone call to said source end point to set-up a first call leg responsive to receiving said telephone call data; initiate a telephone call to said destination end point to set-up a second call leg; combine said first and second call legs together thereby to provide voice communication between said source and destination end points; and transmit call leg status signals for said voice communication over a separate real-time communications connections signalling link to a communications client associated with at least one of said end points.
US09118979B2 Information descriptor and extended information descriptor data structures for digital television signals
According to an aspect, there is provided a digital television (DTV) data stream including program and system information protocol (PSIP) data associated with content of the DTV data stream, the PSIP data including a virtual channel table (VCT) and an event information table (EIT), the EIT comprising: a source identification field identifying a source of an associated event in a DTV data stream; an event identification field indicating an identification of the event; a start time field indicating a star time of the event; a title field indicating a title of the event; and a descriptor comprising: a descriptor tag identifying the descriptor as a genre descriptor; a descriptor length indicating a total length of the descriptor; and at least one category code for an associated event in a DTV data stream, each category code specifying genre, program type, or category information of the associated event, wherein the at least one category code specifies at least one of a set of basic categories.
US09118978B2 Systems and methods for capturing and storing an image related to a media asset
In one embodiment, the present invention is a t-commerce platform, which is linked to the content from a video signal that the user is currently watching. At some point during the broadcast of the content, a close-up of the product is shown. Simultaneous with this, a VBI-based trigger is added to the video signal of the broadcast. This trigger causes the television, a set-top box, or a similar device to capture in a memory, a “freeze-frame” of the image being shown. This action is transparent to the user while the video being displayed on the television is continuing normally. If the user chooses to perform an interactive “buy” transaction the saved image data is used as part of the interactive screen display.
US09118975B2 Method for mapping signaling information to announcement information and broadcast receiver
A method of providing a Non-Real-Time (NRT) service includes receiving a file configuring the NRT service, first signaling information, and second signaling information in a state of being IP-packetized and contained in a single ensemble, configuring and displaying a service guide using the first signaling information acquired from the ensemble, acquiring a first content identifier of content selected from the displayed service guide, accessing a FLUTE session using the second signaling information acquired from the ensemble and acquiring a second content identifier matched with the first content identifier from the accessed FLUTE session, and receiving and storing at least one file configuring the content based on the acquired second content identifier.
US09118970B2 System and method for embedding and viewing media files within a virtual and augmented reality scene
A preferred method for viewing embedded media in a virtual and augmented reality (VAR) scene can include at a viewer device, defining a real orientation of the viewer device relative to a projection matrix; and orienting a VAR scene on the viewer device in response to the real orientation in block, in which the VAR scene includes one or both of visual data and orientation data. The preferred method can further include selecting a media file in the VAR scene, wherein the media file is selected at a media location correlated at least to the real orientation of the viewer device; and activating the media file in the VAR scene at the media location. The preferred method and variations thereof functions to allow a viewer to interact with media that is embedded, tagged, linked, and/or associated with a VAR scene viewable on the viewer device.
US09118964B2 Broadcast transmitting apparatus, broadcast receiving apparatus, and the method thereof
A broadcast receiving apparatus is disclosed. The broadcast receiving apparatus includes a receiver configured to receive a broadcast signal which includes video data; a detector configured to detect error information for determining whether there is an error in a packet identifier information, regarding the video data and correction information for correcting the packet identifier information; and a controller configured to detect the packet identifier information using the correction information, and detect the video data using the corrected packet identifier information, when it is determined that the error occurs in the packet identifier information.
US09118962B2 Methods and apparatus for using audience member behavior information to determine compliance with audience measurement system usage requirements
Example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture determine compliance with usage guidelines of an audience measurement system. Initially, location information associated with an audience member is obtained. It is then determined whether the audience member is in compliance with the usage guidelines based on the location information. Media monitoring information corresponding to the location information is then tagged as non-compliant if the audience member is not in compliance with the usage guidelines.
US09118960B2 Methods and systems for reducing spillover by detecting signal distortion
Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for reducing spillover in a media monitoring system are disclosed. An example method includes identifying media associated with media monitoring data. The media monitoring data is received from a first meter associated with a first media presentation device. The example method includes identifying an expected frequency spectrum associated with the media. The example method includes comparing the expected frequency spectrum to an actual frequency spectrum collected from the media by the first meter to determine if spillover occurred. The example method includes crediting the media as a media exposure if spillover did not occur.
US09118959B2 Personal multi-device nomadic media
Providing personal multi-device nomadic media is described herein. In different aspects, the techniques may include providing content to a user on a first device and suspending the delivery of the content on the first device. The user may register on a second device and resume delivery of the suspended content on the second device.
US09118953B2 Remote mobile communication system, server device, and remote mobile communication system control method
A server device includes: a storage unit that, upon receiving content storage instruction information from a mobile terminal via a packet forwarding device in a mobile network and a content stream or content file, stores the content stream or content file; a virtual client unit that, upon receiving content reproduction instruction information from the mobile terminal, reads, decodes and reproduces a content stream or content file stored in the storage unit to generate display screen data; and an encoder unit that transmits an encoding result obtained by compression-encoding part or all of the display screen data as a packet to the packet forwarding device.
US09118947B2 Multi-vision virtualization system and method
A multi-vision virtualization system includes a multi-vision virtualization server and two or more scene clients. The multi-vision virtualization server includes a multi-vision virtualization server configured to generate virtual machines for decoding processes based on image content segments, generate synchronous reproduction information for synchronization between two or more scene clients, transmit the generated synchronous reproduction information to a first scene client among the two or more scene clients, and decode the image content segments to generate decoded image segments; and the two or more scene clients including the first scene client that parses the received synchronous reproduction information, and shares the parsed synchronous reproduction information with remaining scene clients, and being configured to reproduce the decoded image segments on screens based on the parsed synchronous reproduction information.
US09118946B2 System, method, and apparatus for sharing contents using groups
A contents sharing server includes an identifier generation unit configured to assign at least one user identifier for each user, a group matching unit configured to match at least one user identifier with at least one of a plurality of groups, each of the plurality of groups having at least one contents identifier for identifying at least one content to be shared within each of the plurality of groups, a request reception unit configured to receive a request including a contents identifier and at least one user identifier, an identifier determination unit configured to search at least one group matched with the at least one user identifier, and determine whether the searched group has the contents identifier and a contents access authority assignment unit configured to assign authority for accessing contents corresponding to the contents identifier.
US09118944B2 System and method for rate control in a network environment
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving video data and gathering statistics associated with the video data. At least some of the video data is broken into slices, each of the slices representing a partition in a video frame within the video data. Each frame is encoded with one or more quality layers based on an outgoing rate and based on a number of central processing unit (CPU) cycles, wherein one or more quality layers of the frames are dropped in the encoding process. In more specific embodiments, the statistics relate to how many bits are used for encoding the quality layers of the video data and how much complexity is required for encoding the quality layers of the video data. After the statistics gathering, adjustments to a network rate are executed.
US09118942B2 On-demand session initiation and management
Methods and systems to provide and manage on-demand sessions are described herein. A request is received from a client to start an on-demand session. It is determined if there are sufficient resources to start the on-demand session for the client. The request is inserted into a queue if there aren't sufficient resources to start the on-demand session for the client. The on-demand sessions is started when there are sufficient resources available and it is the client's turn in the queue.
US09118941B2 Scrambled packet stream processing
A method for processing a packet-based scrambled stream, the method including receiving a plurality of scrambled packets in a packet stream, descrambling any of the scrambled packets, and transmitting a modified packet stream including at least one of the descrambled packets and at least one of the scrambled packets. Related apparatus and methods are also described.
US09118939B2 SVC-to-AVC rewriter with open-loop statistical multiplexer
A method is provided for processing multilayer bit streams that includes receiving the multilayer bit streams of Scalable Video Code (SVC) each having a base layer and at least one enhancement layer. One or more of the enhancement layers are extracted in whole or in part from at least one of the multilayer bit streams so that the multilayer bit streams are collectively reduced in their total bandwidth. Each of the extracted bit streams are rewritten to a single layer bit stream. The single layer bit streams are then multiplexed to form a multiplexed single layer bit stream that is non-SVC.
US09118938B2 Method for transmitting/receiving content and transmitter/receiver using same
The present invention relates to a method for transmitting/receiving contents through a network such as the Internet, and to a transmitter/receiver using same, the transmission method comprising: converting content stored in a file format into a delivery format; and transmitting the content converted into the delivery format using an IP packet, wherein the delivery format includes indicator information for expressing whether a program clock reference (PCR) has been transmitted to the IP packet.
US09118937B2 Real-time video transmission system
A system for transferring real-time video data over a network comprises a video source, a video encoder for encoding and compressing video data supplied by the video source and a first network interface controller for transmitting compressed video data on the network. Furthermore a second network interface controller for receiving compressed video data from the network, a video decoder for decoding the video data received by the second network interface controller, and an image processor for processing and/or displaying the decoded video data from the video decoder are provided. The network controllers are configured for transmitting and receiving data in a continuous data stream which is synchronized with a clock signal and in a format which prescribes a pulse sequence of individual bit groups of which at least one is used for video data.
US09118934B2 Integration of remote electronic device with media local area network
A server is provided. The server comprises a processor, a memory, and an application stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor, receives a progressively uploaded media stream from a remote electronic device. The application also converts the progressively uploaded media stream from a first format to a second format and buffers the converted media stream. The application also transmits the buffered converted media stream to a bridge into a media local area network based on a mapping of the remote electronic device to the media local area network, wherein the mapping is stored in the memory.
US09118933B1 Method and device for interpolating images by using a smoothing interpolation filter
Provided are a method of interpolating an image by determining interpolation filter coefficients, and an apparatus for performing the same. The method includes: differently selecting an interpolation filter, from among interpolation filters for generating at least one sub-pel-unit pixel value located between integer-pel-unit pixels, based on a sub-pel-unit interpolation location and a smoothness; and generating the at least one sub-pel-unit pixel value by interpolating, using the selected interpolation filter, pixel values of the integer-pel-unit pixels.
US09118930B2 Motion vector coding and decoding methods
A motion vector coding apparatus includes a motion vector coding unit that codes a motion vector inputted from a motion vector detecting unit. A motion vector for each current block is coded based on a difference between the motion vector and a predicted vector obtained from motion vectors for previously coded neighboring blocks. The predicted vector is generated by one of: the motion vectors referring to the same picture are selected from among the motion vectors for the neighboring blocks; the motion vectors for neighboring blocks are ordered in the predetermined order and the motion vectors of the same order rank are selected; and the predicted vector for a second motion vector of the current block is the first motion vector, and when the second motion vector and the first motion vector refer to different pictures, the first motion vector is scaled based on temporal distance between the pictures.
US09118926B2 Method and apparatus for coding video, and method and apparatus for decoding video accompanied by inter prediction using collocated image
Provided is an inter prediction method including determining a collocated block of a current block of a current image from among blocks of an image that is restored prior to the current image; preferentially checking whether a first reference list from among reference lists of the collocated block is referred to and selectively checking whether a second reference list is referred to according to whether the first reference list is referred to; based on a result of the checking, determining a single collocated reference list from among the first reference list and the second reference list; determining a reference block of the current block by using motion information of the collocated reference list; and performing inter prediction on the current block by using the determined reference block.
US09118920B2 Method and apparatus for encoding image and method and apparatus for decoding image
An image encoding apparatus and method and an image decoding apparatus and method are disclosed. The image encoding method may include extracting a ROI from an input image, determining a compression rate of a remaining region excluding the ROI of the image based on a network state between the image transmitting apparatus and the image receiving apparatus, and encoding the remaining region based on the compression rate.
US09118918B2 Method for rate-distortion optimized transform and quantization through a closed-form operation
The present invention is directed to a rate-distortion optimized (RDO) transform and quantization system. A frame classification unit classifies an input frame as either a key frame or a non-key frame. A rate model update unit generates at least one model parameter of a rate model according to a transform coefficient and a bitrate resulted from an encoded key frame. An RDO transform and quantization unit processes the input frame, thereby generating a quantized transform coefficient according to the model parameter. A frame buffer is used to store a previous frame, according to which the bitrate is estimated.
US09118916B2 Method and apparatus for encoding video by using deblocking filtering, and method and apparatus for decoding video by using deblocking filtering
A method and apparatus for encoding video by using deblocking filtering, and a method and apparatus for decoding video by using deblocking filtering are provided. The method of encoding video includes: splitting a picture into a maximum coding unit; determining coding units of coded depths and encoding modes for the coding units of the maximum coding unit by prediction encoding the coding units of the maximum coding unit based on at least one prediction unit and transforming the coding units based on at least one transformation unit, wherein the maximum coding unit is hierarchically split into the coding units as a depth deepens, and the coded depths are depths where the maximum coding unit is encoded in the coding units; and performing deblocking filtering on video data being inversely transformed into a spatial domain in the coding units, in consideration of the encoding modes.
US09118914B2 Method and apparatus for encoding video by compensating for pixel value according to pixel groups, and method and apparatus for decoding video by the same
Provided are a method and apparatus of encoding a video by compensating for a pixel value and a method and apparatus of decoding a video by compensating for a pixel value. The method of encoding the video includes: encoding image data; decoding the encoded image data and generating a restored image by performing loop filtering on the decoded image data; determining a compensation value corresponding to errors between a predetermined group restored pixels in the restored image and corresponding original pixels, and a pixel group including a restored pixel to be compensated for by using the compensation value; and encoding the compensation value and transmitting the encoded compensation value and a bitstream of the encoded image data.
US09118907B2 Imaging device enabling automatic taking of photo when pre-registered object moves into photographer's intended shooting distance
An imaging device in the present disclosure includes: an imaging unit including an imaging optical system configured to form an image of an object and an imaging element configured to convert an optical image formed by the imaging optical system into an image signal and output the image signal; a distance-measuring section configured to obtain distance information of the object; an image display section configured to display an image of the image signal; an object recording section configured to previously register and record an object to be shot; and a distance designation section configured to designate a distance at which the object is to be shot. The imaging optical system performs a focusing operation for the distance designated by the distance designation section. The imaging unit performs shooting exposure when the object recorded previously by the object recording section is located at the distance designated by the distance designation section.
US09118903B2 Device and method for 2D to 3D conversion
A device and method are provided for two dimension (2D) to three dimension (3D) conversion. A 2D to 3D conversion device receives a 2D image data. The 2D to 3D conversion device assigns position data of a predetermined window. The 2D to 3D conversion device generates a depth map including a depth data of the 2D image data according to the 2D image data and the position data of the predetermined window. The 2D to 3D conversion device converts the 2D image data into a 3D image data according to the depth data of the depth map and the position data of the predetermined window.
US09118902B1 Stereoscopic conversion
In one aspect, a method is performed by one or more processors. The method includes receiving a primary view image showing a scene from a view of a primary camera; depth values for one or more objects in the scene; and a camera offset between the primary camera and a secondary camera. The method further includes determining disparities for each pixel in the primary view image. The method further includes generating a secondary view image using the primary view image, the depth values, and the camera offset. At least some of the pixels are repositioned according to the determined disparities.
US09118898B2 8-point transform for media data coding
In general, techniques are described for implementing an 8-point inverse discrete cosine transform (IDCT). An apparatus comprising an 8-point inverse discrete cosine transform (IDCT) hardware unit may implement these techniques to transform media data from a frequency domain to a spatial domain. The 8-point IDCT hardware unit includes an even portion comprising factors A, B that are related to a first scaled factor (μ) in accordance with a first relationship. The 8-point IDCT hardware unit also includes an odd portion comprising third, fourth, fifth and sixth internal factors (G, D, E, Z) that are related to a second scaled factor (η) in accordance with a second relationship. The first relationship relates the first scaled factor to the first and second internal factors. The second relationship relates the second scaled factor to the third, fourth, fifth and sixth internal factors.
US09118895B2 Data structure, image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program
A reproduction apparatus reproduces image data of a left eye image and a right eye image of a 3D content recorded in a recording medium. The recording medium stores information about black border widths according to each parallax amount in periphery of right and left image frames between the left eye image and the right eye image. A post processing unit generates and outputs a border-attached left eye image and a border-attached right eye image by inserting an image having the obtained black border width according to the parallax amount in the periphery of the right image frame and an image having the obtained black border width according to the parallax amount in the periphery of the left image frame into the left eye image and the right eye image. The present invention can be applied to an image processing apparatus for processing image data of 3D images.
US09118883B2 High dynamic range imaging with multi-storage pixels
High dynamic range imaging techniques with multi-storage pixels are provided. Multiple images may be captured during a single exposure using an image sensor with multi-storage pixels. During a single exposure, charge from photodiodes may be transferred alternately to multiple storage nodes of the multi-storage pixels. During readout of a multi-storage pixel, charge may be transferred from each of multiple storage nodes one at a time to a floating diffusion node. Each subsequent transfer of charge may be summed with the charge already stored in the floating diffusion node. A pixel signal may be read out from the multi-storage pixel after each charge transfer. Images formed from the pixel signals may be combined to produce a high dynamic range image.
US09118882B2 Updating information in time-shifted multimedia content
A method and apparatus updates supplement information (SI) in a time-shifted multimedia program that includes a primary multimedia-content feed and one or more SI overlays. In one embodiment, the invention identifies spatial, temporal, and/or logical occurrences of supplemental information (SI) in a recorded program and replaces this potentially outdated information with SI that is either less time-sensitive and/or updated to be relevant to the playback time of the program. In another embodiment, SI overlays are identified by tags that are embedded into a multimedia program feed and stored (time-shifted) along with the feed by an enhanced digital video recorder (EDVR) set-top. The set-top decodes the stored feed, reads the tags to determine sources for replacement SI, retrieves the replacement SI from the sources, and creates updated overlays from the replacement SI. The set-top then replaces the original overlays with updated SI overlays and outputs the result to a display.
US09118880B2 Image apparatus for principal components analysis based illuminant estimation
An image apparatus for providing an estimated illuminant of a scene and subsequently providing an adjusted image of the scene includes a capturing system and an illuminant database. The capturing system captures information for an input image of the scene. The input image is defined by a plurality of input colors. The illuminant database includes a separate subspace of information for a plurality of possible illuminants. The subspaces can be created from multi-dimensional color information from its respective possible illuminant that is computed using Principal Components Analysis. This allows for more accurate illuminant estimation of the scene and the use of Principal Components Analysis to generate the one or more subspaces allows for accurate and relatively easy generation of the subspaces. Additionally, the image apparatus can include a control system that compares the input colors to the subspaces in the illuminant database.
US09118879B2 Camera array system
A camera array system includes an image sensor device, a hybrid color filter array disposed above the image sensor device, and a lens array disposed above the hybrid color filter array. The hybrid color filter array includes plural kinds of monochromatic color filters and at least one mosaic filter; and the lens array includes a number of optic lenses. The at least one mosaic filter is utilized to perform stereo matching in order to estimate depth information.
US09118874B2 Image capturing device, color measuring device, color measuring system, image forming apparatus, and color measuring method
An image capturing device includes a sensor unit that captures a predetermined range including a subject; a reference chart that is captured by the sensor unit together with the subject; an illumination light source that illuminates the subject and the reference chart; a lens member including one or more lenses arranged in an optical path of reflected light extending from the subject and the reference chart to the sensor unit; and a lens moving unit that moves at least one lens of the lens member so as to change a position thereof in a direction along the optical path.
US09118871B2 Image formation apparatus
An image formation apparatus, for forming an image using color developers and a transparent developer, includes: a color developer threshold memory unit configured to store a color developer maximum threshold for each point of interest; a transparent developer threshold memory unit configured to store a transparent developer threshold for each point of interest; and an image signal converter configured to make color correction of the color developers in received image data when the image data contains a portion where a total amount of the color developers exceeds a color developer maximum threshold, and issue an instruction to apply the transparent toner to a portion where the total amount is not more than the transparent developer threshold.
US09118870B2 System and method for producing color shifting or gloss effect and recording medium with color shifting or gloss effect
A color shift image pattern is rendered on a recording medium, by creating, in a pre-defined image region, an image pattern including a first pattern having a first color and a second pattern having a second color, the first pattern having a width smaller than the second pattern, the first color being different from the second color; and rendering, using marking materials, the image pattern on a recording medium, a height of the marking materials used to render the second color being higher than a height of the marking materials used to render the first color such that the first pattern and the second pattern are visible when a relative angle between an observer's viewing angle and an angle of illuminating the recording medium by an illumination source is a first angle, and the first pattern is not visible when the relative angle between the observer's viewing angle and the angle of illuminating the recording medium by the illumination source is a second angle, the second angle being not equal to the first angle.
US09118868B2 Systems and methods for using playlists
Systems and methods for automatically generating a playlist of series assets and systems and methods for grouping assets of a playlist in clusters are provided. In one embodiment, series assets may automatically be included into a playlist for that series. In another embodiment, an interactive media guidance application may group assets in clusters based on one or more user selected parameters or may group assets in cluster based on automatically determined parameters. In yet another embodiment, the interactive media guidance application may group assets in clusters and display at least one identifier in connection with each cluster to indicate a basis for forming the cluster. The identifier may be a key word or catch phrase that succinctly identifies a trait or characteristic of assets in a particular cluster associated with the identifier.
US09118857B2 Solid-state imaging apparatus in which plural transistors are connected to a single initializing switch
A solid-state imaging apparatus includes: a plurality of first unit pixels configured to generate a signal by a photoelectric conversion; a first output line connected to the plurality of first unit pixels; and a first amplifier configured to amplify a signal from the first output line, wherein the first amplifier includes an operational amplifier (401), an initializing switch (404) having one terminal connected to an output terminal of the operational amplifier, and an offset adjusting unit (402) connected between the other terminal of the initializing switch and an input terminal of the operational amplifier, and the offset adjusting unit has a transistor having a source and a drain connected to each other.
US09118853B2 Image pickup apparatus
An image pickup apparatus including: an image pickup element; an image pickup optical system for forming an image of an object by using a beam; a phase modulating element disposed on a pupil plane, for modulating a phase state of the beam; a modulating element controller for controlling the phase modulating element; and an image pickup element controller for dividing the image pickup element into multiple areas, and reading, for each of the multiple divided areas, information on the image in a time-sharing manner, in which, when the image pickup element controller reads the information on the image formed on the image pickup element by an area-by-area basis for the multiple divided areas in the time-sharing manner, the modulating element controller controls the phase modulating element so as to reduce a wavefront aberration in the divided area from which the information is to be read.
US09118852B2 Adaptive gain control image processing system and method
By utilizing scene metrics in an image processing system (such as night vision goggles or a camera), a setpoint controller can set a setpoint used by a gain controller. Using the setpoint and an average video level of a frame, the gain controller can set gain control signals sent to an image sensor and/or a high voltage power supply to adaptively adjust for higher and lower light scenarios. Scene metrics can include an amount of saturation in a frame, a number or percentage of pixels above a first threshold and a number or percentage of pixels below a second threshold.
US09118851B2 High dynamic range image sensor read out architecture
A method of controlling a pixel array includes reading out image data from pixel cells of a row i of the pixel array with second transfer control signals that are coupled to be received by transfer transistors included in the pixels cells of the row of the pixel array that is being read out. Exposure times for pixel cells are independently controlled in other rows of the pixel array that are not being read out with first transfer control signals coupled to be received by transfer transistors included in the pixel cells in the other rows of the pixel array that are not being read out while the image data is read out from the pixel cells of row i of the pixel array.
US09118845B2 Method, apparatus and handset
A method of annotating, on a display, a plurality of objects in an image of a scene captured by a camera, the method comprising: receiving i) metadata representing the different annotations to be applied to each of the objects, and ii) position information identifying the real-world position of each object in the scene to which the annotations in the image are to be applied; determining the focal length of the camera and the tilt applied to the camera; determining the position of the camera with respect to the scene being captured; and applying the annotation to the image captured by the camera in accordance with the position information.
US09118843B2 Methods and systems for creating swivel views from a handheld device
Examples of methods and systems for creating swivel views from handheld video are described. In some examples, a method may be performed by a handheld device to receive or capture a video of a target object and the video may include a plurality of frames and content of the target object from a plurality of viewpoints. The device may determine one or more approximately corresponding frames of the video including content of the target object from a substantially matching viewpoint and may align the approximately corresponding frames of the video based on one or more feature points of the target object to generate an aligned video. The device may provide sampled frames from multiple viewpoints from the aligned video, configured for viewing the target object in a rotatable manner, such as in a swivel view format.
US09118836B2 Imaging device
An imaging device which can more reliably guide eye lines of a subject to a lens even when the subject is a child or an infant is provided. The imaging device according to the present disclosure includes: an optical system; an imaging sensor which captures a subject image condensed by the optical system; a monitor which displays the captured subject image; and a controller which displays an on-screen display (OSD), which moves in a center direction of the optical system, on a display surface of the monitor oriented toward a subject before start of shooting a still image of a subject or during shooting of a moving image.
US09118832B2 Input method
A method comprises causing a user interface to provide an output directly or indirectly specifying at least one object, analyzing substantially real-time data from a camera to determine if the at least one object is located in the field of view of the camera, and, in response to determining that the at least one object is located in the field of view of the camera, causing an indication that the object has been located to be provided through the user interface.
US09118831B2 Image processing apparatus and camera system
An image processing apparatus or camera system comprises an image sensor 1, a geometrical position calculation device 6 for performing predetermined correction of a distortion, a first address table 10 for storing information correlating an input side address based on the calculation results of the geometrical position calculation device 6 to an output side address as a reference, a sort unit 11 for sorting the output side addresses according to the input side addresses, a second address table 12 for storing information correlating the output side address to the sorted input side address as a reference, and an address matching device 13 for matching the input side address of input side image data DI with the input side address stored in the second address table 12 and outputting output side image data DO.
US09118829B2 Imaging device
An imaging device is provided that includes an imaging component, an image processor a display component, and a controller. The imaging component is configured to capture a subject image and produce image information that corresponds to the subject image. The image information has a first region and a second region. The image processor is configured to perform a vignette processing on the second region to produce a vignetted image. The image processor is further configured to enlarge at least part of the first region to produce an enlarged image according to an operation signal from an interface component. The display component is configured to display the vignetted image on the second region and the enlarged image on the first region. The controller is configured to control at least one of the imaging component, the image processor, and the display component.
US09118827B2 Camera device, camera system and camera control method
A camera device includes: an imaging unit taking image light to obtain a video signal; an output unit outputting the video signal obtained in the imaging unit to a connected cable; a detection unit detecting current variation or voltage variation of the video signal to be outputted from the output unit; and a control unit determining a control signal transmitted through the cable based on the signal variation detected by the detection unit and performing operation control corresponding to the determined control signal.
US09118825B2 Attachment of wafer level optics
A technique for assembling camera modules that includes attaching optical elements, such as an optics stack, directly to the upper surface of an image sensor. A housing may be provided to partially surrounded the optics stack. Alternatively, the housing can be provided by a transfer molding process. This technique can be applied in array processing scenario and solder balls can be attached to the bottom of the image sensor to provide an efficiently-produced and low cost camera module.
US09118823B2 Image generation apparatus, image generation method and storage medium for generating a target image based on a difference between a grip-state image and a non-grip-state image
An image generation apparatus comprises: a first-image obtaining unit adapted to obtain an image obtained by causing an image capturing unit to capture the grip unit controlled so as to place the target object in one predetermined orientation of a plurality of predetermined orientations with respect to the image capturing unit and the target object in the one predetermined orientation as a grip-state image; a second-image obtaining unit adapted to obtain, as a non-grip-state image corresponding to the one predetermined orientation, an image of the grip unit that does not grip the target object and is placed in a predetermined orientation coincident with the orientation controlled to place the target object in the one predetermined orientation; and an image generation unit adapted to generate a target object image including only the target object for the one predetermined orientation based on a difference between the grip-state image and the non-grip-state image.
US09118817B2 System and method for in-vivo imaging
An in-vivo imaging device including a camera may include a frame storage device. Systems and methods which vary the frame capture rate of the camera and/or frame display rate of the display unit of in-vivo camera systems are discussed. The capture rate is varied based on for example, a physical quantity experienced by the camera system, or physical measurements related to the motion of the camera. Alternatively, the frame capture rate is varied based on comparative image processing of a plurality of frames. The frame display rate of the system may be varied based on comparative image processing of a multiplicity of frames. Both the frame capture and the frame display rates of such systems can be varied concurrently.
US09118811B2 Predicted concurrent streaming program selection
Embodiments provide an apparatus, a system, and a method. A method includes determining a characteristic of a streaming content selected by a user and currently being displayed. The method also includes identifying a concurrently available streaming content in response to the determined characteristic. The method further includes saving at least a portion of the identified concurrently available streaming content.
US09118807B2 Split frame multistream encode
Presented herein are techniques for creating video for participants in a video conference. A designated primary video stream is decoded and the resulting video composed in accordance with a primary sub-picture portion of a frame. Other video streams are designated as secondary video streams output by secondary entities, and are decoded and composed in accordance with a secondary sub-picture portion of the frame structured for the secondary entities. The composed primary video stream is encoded for display at each secondary entity, to obtain encoded slices of a primary video stream. The composed secondary video stream is encoded for display at one of the secondary entities, to obtain encoded slices of a secondary video stream. The encoded primary and secondary video streams are combined at the encoded slice level into a single video stream for transmission to, and decode and display at, the one of the secondary entities.
US09118806B2 Device and method for multistream bandwidth control in videoconferencing
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a memory that stores executable instructions and a processor that executes the instructions. The processor may determine, for plural received compressed video inputs received from one or more endpoints in a video conference, at least one motion vector included in each of the plural compressed video inputs. The processor may calculate, based on the determined motion vectors, a motion value corresponding to each of the plural compressed video inputs, the motion values representing a level of motion over several frames for each of the plural compressed video inputs. The processor may allocate, based on the calculated motion values, bandwidth to the one or more endpoints in the video conference.
US09118805B2 Multi-point connection device, signal analysis and device, method, and program
Provided is a multi-point connection device including: a first signal receiving unit which receives a first signal containing a plurality of constituent elements and first analysis information expressing the relationship between the constituent elements contained in the first signal; a second signal receiving unit which receives a second signal containing a plurality of constituent elements and second analysis information expressing the relationship between the constituent elements contained in the second signal; a signal mixing unit which mixes the first signal and the second signal; and an analysis information mixing unit which mixes the first analysis information and the second analysis information.
US09118801B2 Optimizing video-call quality of service
Techniques to optimize video-call communications are disclosed. The link quality capability of a wireless video-call session and the requirements of the video-call session are determined. The link quality capability determination is based at least on measurements through the entire communications chain, including user, client device, operating system, application, air interface, cell sector, and backhaul parameters. Those parameters may be determined from static profiles, dynamically determined or be statistically derived. Client device response may include adapting the rate of data captured by a video camera, microphone, or other data capture device used in the video-call session. For video-conferencing scenarios, communications throughput is optimized by consolidating video streams.
US09118800B2 Image reading apparatus
An image reading apparatus includes: a document table that includes one surface on which a document is to be placed; an image reader that is provided over the other surface of the document table and is configured to read an image of the document being placed on the document table; and a resin housing that houses the document table and the image reader therein. The image reader includes: an image sensor including a plurality of reading elements arranged in a first direction; a holder configured to support the image sensor; a resin guide integrally formed with the housing; a reinforcement member which is made by a metal plate and provided at the guide; and a driver configured to move the holder along the guide in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction.
US09118799B2 Reading apparatus and composite apparatus
A reading apparatus includes a reading unit and a movement-restriction unit that restricts a movement of the reading unit. The reading unit includes a reading portion for reading an image, a holding portion that holds the reading portion. The holding portion has a first surface. The reading unit further includes a sliding portion that moves in contact with the movement-restriction unit. The sliding portion has a second surface facing the first surface. A first region is provided between the first surface of the holding portion and the second surface of the sliding portion so as to form a predetermined gap.
US09118795B2 Image sensors having variable voltage-current characteristics and methods of operating the same
Image sensors and methods of operating the same. An image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of pixels. Each of the plurality of pixels includes a photo sensor, the voltage-current characteristics of which vary according to energy of incident light, and that generates a sense current determined by the energy of the incident light; a reset unit that is activated to generate a reference current, according to a reset signal for resetting at least one of the plurality of pixels; and a conversion unit that converts the sense current and the reference current into a sense voltage and a reference voltage, respectively.
US09118794B2 Methods, systems and apparatus for displaying the multimedia information from wireless communication networks
Video signals for a mobile terminal are converted to accommodate reproduction by an alternative display terminal. The video signal is processed to provide a converted video signal appropriate for an alternative display terminal that is separate from the mobile terminal. This converted video signal is then provided for the alternative display terminal to accommodate the corresponding video display on a screen provided by the alternative (e.g., external) display terminal.
US09118790B2 Information processing apparatus, system, method, and storage medium
With respect to a job input to a printer, a job information management unit in a computer obtains information about a ratio of a color area in each page of the input job from the printer before the information is overwritten and stores the obtained information together with job identification information in a job information storage unit. Further, if information which is not recorded by another computer is included in a color information list of the printer regarding a copy job or a FAX job, the job information management unit obtains the information about a ratio of a color area in each page of the copy job of the FAX job from the printer.
US09118787B1 Photo imaging system including carriage and automatic image detection
This disclosure provides a self-contained imaging device that takes digital photographs of portions of documents (such as photos or photoalbums) instead of scanning those images. The imaging device uses a lens to zoom in on specific portions of the document that represent images that are to be digitized. Generally speaking, disclosed embodiments utilize a physical device having a housing, a location for retaining or holding an image to be imaged, such as a platen or image conveyance mechanism, a light source and the imaging system (which can be a digital camera). The disclosed device camera provides a low-cost mechanism that can at-once capture a high resolution image without the delays associated with most scanners.
US09118785B2 Compensating for image sensor profile variations
Disclosed is a method of scanning a physical medium by an image scanner comprising a first image sensor having a plurality of image sensor elements that provide an image, and a first light source associated with the first image sensor, the method comprising: guiding light from the first light source towards a first group of image sensor element(s); recording a first light calibration value using the first group of image sensor element(s). The method further comprises repeating the above step by using a second group of image sensor element(s) thus resulting in a second light calibration value; generating a first compensation signal for image sensor elements positioned between the first and the second group of image sensor element(s) by processing the first and the second light calibration value together; compensating said image signals provided by the first image sensor using the first compensation signal.
US09118782B1 Optical interference mitigation
Structured light generated by a projector may be recovered by a camera to determine three-dimensional data about a scene. The structured light signal acquired by the camera may be impaired due to interference from flickering sources of illumination such as lights, electronic displays, and so forth. This optical interference to an image acquisition system, such as a structured light system, is mitigated by modifying operation of a camera by applying a sampling coefficient to the camera's frame rate or by presenting structured light frames during times non-coincident with the interference.
US09118775B2 Mobile terminal and method of controlling operation of the mobile terminal
A mobile terminal and a method of controlling the operation of the mobile terminal are provided. The method according to one embodiment includes connecting a call between the mobile terminal and a counterpart mobile terminal; preparing a brain wave sensor and determining a state of mind of a user based on brain wave measurements obtained from the user by the brain wave sensor module; and performing a control operation relevant to the call according to the determined state of mind of the user.
US09118771B2 Intuitive computing methods and systems
A smart phone senses audio, imagery, and/or other stimulus from a user's environment, and acts autonomously to fulfill inferred or anticipated user desires. In one aspect, the detailed technology concerns phone-based cognition of a scene viewed by the phone's camera. The image processing tasks applied to the scene can be selected from among various alternatives by reference to resource costs, resource constraints, other stimulus information (e.g., audio), task substitutability, etc. The phone can apply more or less resources to an image processing task depending on how successfully the task is proceeding, or based on the user's apparent interest in the task. In some arrangements, data may be referred to the cloud for analysis, or for gleaning. Cognition, and identification of appropriate device response(s), can be aided by collateral information, such as context. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
US09118769B2 Mobile phone and method for processing call signal thereof
The present invention discloses a method for processing a call signal of a mobile phone, the method includes detecting a current call state of the mobile phone; acquiring an environmental noise signal when the mobile phone enters an earphone call state; and performing a noise reduction processing to a call signal according to the environmental noise signal for acquiring a call signal with the noise reduction processing. The present invention further discloses a mobile phone. The present invention is capable of ensuring that a user is not affected by environmental noises for guaranteeing a better quality of a call when the user makes the call with an earphone.
US09118766B2 Communication method, communication system, and communication terminal
The invention relates to a one to multi communication method wherein each terminal participating in group communication can grasp the states of the other terminals, a communication system, and a communication terminal used for the same. Each terminal acquires information concerning its own state (for example the reception sensitivity of a signal from a base station) and transmits it via a communication management apparatus to the other communication terminals. Further, information concerning the states of the other communication terminals is displayed on a display part provided in each communication terminal. Due to this, each communication terminal can grasp correctly of the information concerning the states of the other communication terminals, therefore it becomes possible to judge whether or not the other communication terminals are in states where normal conversation is possible, and occurrence of a difference in recognition among users in the one to multi communication can be prevented.
US09118765B2 Agent skill promotion and demotion based on contact center state
A contact center is described along with various methods and mechanisms for administering the same. The contact center proposed herein provides the ability to, among other things, selectively promote and demote agent skills to respond to various changes in contact center conditions. This enables the contact center to respond to unexpected changes in processing conditions without significantly impacting the overall performance of the contact center.
US09118764B2 Method and system to determine and employ best contact opportunity
Contact centers, such as outbound call centers, are provided with means by which they may attempt to contact individuals at a time and via a channel preferred by the contact. A history of prior contact interactions is used as one means to establish a preferred contact time and channel. With a preferred contact time and/or channel established, the contact center may attempt to reach the contact with a decreased likelihood of the attempt being consider a nuisance.
US09118762B2 System and methods for selecting a dialing strategy for placing an outbound call
A dialing strategy determination engine (DSDE) for selecting a dialing strategy for placing an outbound call has determination software executing on a computerized server from a machine-readable medium, access to stored dialing strategies, contact data, and a rules set, and a port for receiving a request for dialing strategy from an outbound dialer. The determination software, upon receiving a request for a dialing strategy associated with a contact identification, consults the rule set and the contact data, selects a dialing strategy based on the rules and the data, and returns the selected strategy to the outbound dialer.
US09118760B2 Systems and methods for coordinated voice and data communications
Systems and methods for processing calls and data are described. A user interface is displayed on a communication terminal associated with a user, wherein the user interface includes: a menu item enabling the user to initiate a voice call with a specified entity and a menu item or form via which the user can provide contextual information relating to the voice call. Contextual information provided by the user is transmitted to the specified entity, optionally prior to the voice call being established between the specified entity and the user. A data session is established. A call request is received from the user. Contextual information provided by the user is provided for display to the specified entity. A voice session is established, including the establishment of the voice call between the specified entity and the user, while the contextual information is displayed to the specified entity.
US09118759B2 Customer service analysis
A method, a system and a computer program product for analyzing customer service quality is disclosed. A plurality of customer call service quality parameters is identified using historical data. The plurality of customer call service quality parameters is quantified and correlated. The customer service quality is analyzed using the plurality of customer call service quality parameters. A repository is generated using the historical data of a plurality of customer calls and a set of pre-defined customer call flow templates. A subset of service quality queries is identified using contextual information of the customer call from the repository of service quality queries. The subset of service quality queries is then interspersed in the customer call. The customer service quality is analyzed using responses to the subset of service quality queries.
US09118758B1 User feedback on calls
Various methods, systems, and computer program products are disclosed for determining relevance of a promotional message based on caller feedback. The method may include receiving at least one phone call, the at least one phone call indicating a phone number that was called to make the at least one phone call. The method may include associating the at least one phone call with a promotional message or promotional message group via the phone number, the promotional message group comprising one or more promotional messages. The method may include receiving feedback that indicates a user experience associated with the at least one phone call. The method may include determining a relevance of the promotional message or promotional message group based on the received feedback.
US09118749B2 Desktop-type universal dock
A universal dock for a mobile phone is provided. The universal dock includes a base supporter, a universal cradle coupled to the base supporter and adapted to cradle mobile phones of various sizes or types, and a connector rotatably mounted on the universal cradle.
US09118747B2 Multimedia providing service
At one of the timings: during a period between the moment when one of terminals which performs transmission calls out a communication partner and the moment of response and at the timing after the communication between the terminals is complete; a server reads out content data from a database and transmits the read out content data to the terminal. At this timing, the terminal reproduces the content data transmitted from the server.
US09118735B1 Finding people using social networks
Embodiments are described for assisting a first person in finding a second person using a social network. A person may send a request to a server that identifies that person, the person he or she is looking for, and the requestor's location. The server may then traverse that person's social network to identify someone who is in a similar location and who knows the person being sought. The server may send an identification of this person who knows the person being sought to the requestor. Various privacy mechanisms are also disclosed, including anonymizing identifying information, and encrypting communications.
US09118727B2 Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing metadata subscription services
Providing metadata subscription services includes receiving a notification subscription request containing an item selected from a plurality of items residing in a repository. The items are stored in hierarchically-arranged levels of storage within the repository. Providing the services also includes determining that metadata of the item has been modified and creating a notification including changes made with respect to the metadata and any others of the items residing in the repository at a storage level equal to a storage level of the item and any storage levels that are lower than the storage level of the item. Providing the services further includes transmitting the notification to a user-specified first address and transmitting a copy of the item including the changes to a user-specified second address. The user-specified second address is different than the user-specified first address.
US09118722B1 Peak traffic management
Users are allowed to communicate with a server via a local client even when the server experiences an abnormal peak of traffic. The local client is configured to send a new connection request only after a specified time interval passes from a previous connection. The local client presents content, such as a game, that makes it appear to the user as if the user is interacting with the server while the local client is waiting for reconnection to the server. The user interactions during the time interval are locally stored and later provided to the server for further process.
US09118719B2 Method, apparatus, signals, and medium for managing transfer of data in a data network
A method and apparatus for managing a transfer of data in a data network identifies data associated with a communication session between a first node and a second node in the data network. Further processing of the communication session occurs when a portion of the communication session meets a criterion and the communication session is permitted to continue when the portion of the communication session does not meet the criterion.
US09118715B2 Systems and methods for detecting malicious PDF network content
Systems and methods for detecting malicious PDF network content are provided herein. According to some embodiments, the methods may include at least the steps of examining received PDF network content to determine if one or more suspicious characteristics indicative of malicious network content are included in the PDF network content, providing PDF network content determined to include at least one suspicious characteristic to one or more virtual machines, and analyzing responses received from the one or more virtual machines to verify the inclusion of malicious network content in the PDF network content determined to include at least one suspicious characteristic.
US09118714B1 Apparatuses, methods and systems for a cyber threat visualization and editing user interface
The cyber threat intelligence confidence rating visualization and editing user interface technology (hereinafter “TIC”) provides a user interface that allows a user (e.g., a cyber threat analyst, etc.) to submit ratings for various characteristics associated with a cyber threat indicator. In one embodiment, the TIC may instantiate a user interactive risk evaluation component having a user interface input element for a user to submit calculation weights for one or more characteristics of a cyber threat; generate a graphical representation of a cyber threat confidence score for user interface display via the user interactive risk evaluation component; and dynamically adjust the graphical representation of the threat confidence score using at least one of the one or more characteristics weighted by the user configured weight.
US09118713B2 System and a method for automatically detecting security vulnerabilities in client-server applications
A method for automatically detecting security vulnerabilities in a client-server application where a client is connected to a server. The method is implemented by a computer having a processor and a software program stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium. The method includes automatically extracting, with the software program at the client, a description of one or more validation checks on inputs performed by the client. The method also includes analyzing the server, with the software program by using the one or more validation checks on inputs performed by the client, to determine whether the server is not performing validation checks that the server must be performing. The method further includes determining that security vulnerabilities in the client-server application exist when the server is not performing validation checks that the server must be performing. A method further proposes preventing parameter tampering attacks on a running client-server application by enforcing the one or more validation checks on inputs performed by the client on each input that is submitted to the server.
US09118712B2 Network communication system with improved security
A computer network communication method and system wherein software rendering software is interposed in the data communication path between a browser running on a user computer and the internet data sources (for example, internet-accessible server computers) that the user browser wants to receive information from. The software rendering application gets data from internet data sources, but this data may contain malware. To provide enhanced security, the software rendering application renders this data to form a new browser readable code set (for example, an xml page with CSS layers), and this new and safe browser readable code set is sent along to the browser on the user computer for appropriate presentation to the user. As part of the rendering process, dedicated and distinct virtual machines may be used to render certain portion of the data, such as executable code. These virtual machines may be watched, and quickly destroyed if it is detected that they have encountered some type of malware.
US09118706B2 Using imported data from security tools
A device may create a new project that includes criteria, import findings from a group of different network security tools into the new project based on the criteria, normalize the imported findings, and store the normalized findings.
US09118705B2 Detecting network traffic content
A device for detecting network traffic content is provided. The device includes a memory configured for storing one or more signatures, each of the one or more signatures associated with content desired to be detected, and 5 defined by one or more predicates. The device a/so includes a processor configured to receive data associated with network traffic content, execute one or more instructions based on the one or more signatures and the data, and determine whether the network traffic content matches the content desired to be detected.
US09118704B2 Homoglyph monitoring
A homoglyph monitoring system includes an attack vector string matching module to determine potential attack vector strings for a target domain name. Each potential attack vector string includes a different homoglyph of a character in the target domain name. The system includes a domain name system (DNS) analyzer module to facilitate lookups on DNS servers based on the potential attack vector strings and to identify a DNS record including a potential attack vector string.
US09118703B2 Fuzzy whitelisting anti-malware systems and methods
In some embodiments, an anti-malware system accounts for benign differences between non-malicious data objects, such as differences introduced by compilers and other polymorphisms. A target object is separated into a multitude of code blocks, and a hash is calculated for each code block. The obtained set of target hashes is then compared against a database of hashes corresponding to code blocks extracted from whitelisted objects. A target object may be labeled as whitelisted (trusted, non-malicious) if it has a substantial number of hashes in common with a whitelisted object. Objects which are slightly different from known whitelisted objects may still receive whitelisting status. By allowing a certain degree of mismatch between the sets of hashes of distinct objects, some embodiments of the present invention increase the efficiency of whitelisting without an unacceptable decrease in safety.
US09118702B2 System and method for generating and refining cyber threat intelligence data
A method of refining cyber threat intelligence data, comprising: sending a first version of a threat list to a first cyber threat intelligence source and to a second cyber threat intelligence source; obtaining original first cyber threat intelligence data from the first source; obtaining original second cyber threat intelligence data from the second source; creating a second version of the threat list based on at least the original first cyber threat intelligence data and the original second cyber threat intelligence data; sending the second version of the threat list to the first source and to the second source; obtaining new first cyber threat intelligence data from the first source; obtaining new second cyber threat intelligence data from the second source; and creating a third version of the threat list based on at least the new first cyber threat intelligence data and the new second cyber threat intelligence data.
US09118700B2 Encrypted network traffic interception and inspection
A method of operating a computing device that allows inspecting data that the device attempts to transmit over a network in an encrypted form for presence of malware, viruses or confidential information. The method includes intercepting a request from an application to an encryption component of an operating system to encrypt the data and acquiring encrypted data generated by the encryption component in response to the request. SSL or TLS protocol may be used for encryption. The request may be intercepted using API hooking. The data in an unencrypted form and an identifier of the encrypted data may be provided to a data inspection facility for establishing a correspondence between the unencrypted and encrypted data, using the identifier. The data inspection facility performs inspection of the unencrypted data to determine whether to allow transmission of the encrypted data over the network.
US09118697B1 System and method for integrating namespace management and storage management in a storage system environment
A system and method integrates namespace management and storage management in a storage system environment. According to the invention, an integrated management framework provides an underlying infrastructure that supports various heterogenous storage access protocols within a single, logical namespace service. The logical namespace service is based on extensions to underlying storage management processes that cooperate to create the integrated management framework. Notably, these extensions are embodied as novel library functionality.
US09118696B2 Method, data transfer arrangement, server and terminal device for updating information in a terminal device
The invention relates to a method and data transfer arrangement for synchronizing information comprised by an application program in a client device. In the method, information comprised by an application program in the client device is updated from a media server maintaining up-to-date information. In addition, the data transfer arrangement comprises a separate license server, which contains two separate license files: the first license file and the second license file. The up-to-date status of information in the client device can be ensured by means of the first license file. The second license file comprises information by which the update required by the client device can be retrieved from a media server maintaining up-to-date information.
US09118694B2 Policy rule management for QoS provisioning
Described herein is a policy-based Internet Protocol (IP) network wherein the Quality of Service (QoS) provisioning across various network devices is managed by policy processing via a user interface including a graphic user interface. The user interface incorporates information made available by a server, such as lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP) server, having a repository, and thereby allows for a consistent set up voice-over IP devices, video devices and network data devices with minimal entries by the user. Further, the user interfaces allows for efficient policy creation and editing.
US09118692B2 Method and system for allocating delivery reports
A method and a system for allocating delivery reports are disclosed in the present invention. A Service Provider (SP) sets a message identifier MSGID1 in a multimedia message and submits the multimedia message containing the MSGID1 and destination numbers to a server in a multimedia messaging service gateway (MMSG), the server sets a message identifier MSGID2 in the multimedia message, and forwards the multimedia message containing the MSGID2 and the destination number to a multimedia messaging service center (MMSC); the MMSG parses the corresponding server generating the MSGID2 according to the MSGID2 in the delivery report returned by the MMSC, and forwards the delivery report to the server creating the MSGID2. By adopting the method and system of the present invention, it ensures that the delivery reports returned by the MMSC are evenly allocated to the servers in the MMSG, the load balancing of the servers can be realized.
US09118691B2 Content distribution with mutual anonymity
A method for transferring content includes requesting the content from a serving peer and sending the content to a requesting peer. Requesting the content includes sending a request to a tracker, receiving a request token, a path identifier, and a first peer identifier from the tracker, and sending a request message to a second peer. The first peer identifier includes an identity of a first peer, and the request message includes the request token, the path identifier, and the first peer identifier. Sending the content includes receiving the request token and the path identifier from a third peer, sending a return message to a fourth peer, and transferring the content from the serving peer to the requesting peer through a transfer path. The return message includes the path identifier and a second peer identifier. The second peer identifier includes an identity of a fifth peer. The transfer path includes at least the second, fourth, and fifth peers.
US09118684B2 Method for requesting user access to an application
The invention relates to a method for requesting users access to an application by a network. The application is provided by an entity that is not part of the network. The invention allows a unified access to the application independent from the network used to access it. Therefore a network receiving an access request for the application from a user determines through which network the user attempted to access the application the first time. It then requires the identifier used by the network of first access and uses the same identifier towards an entity providing said application.
US09118683B2 Differentiating IPTV notifications
Methods and arrangements for presenting a received Instant Message comprising an IPTV Notification, e.g. a Program Reminder, and differentiating the IM comprising the IPTV Notification from other Instant Messages received from other users. The differentiation is achieved by the SCF-node (3) (Service Control Function), e.g. an IAP (IPTV Application Platform), including an IARI (IPTV Application Reference Identifier) in an Instant Message comprising an IPTV Notification. The IARI identifies an IPTV Application of the SCF (Service Control Function), and indicates to a UE (1) at the receiving side that the Instant Message comprises IPTV information for presenting an IPTV Notification.
US09118681B2 Mist networks
A method is implemented by a nano-box for providing processing resources to support application execution to a set of devices connected to a network of the nano-box. The method includes receiving application data for an application for a mobile or fixed device. The application is executed using the application data of the mobile or fixed device to generate an output. A handoff notification is received indicating that the root controller has reassigned the application to another nano-box in the set of nano-boxes based on best resource availability and minimum latency. In response, the nano-box updates the application data with a current state of the application and transmits the updated application data over the network to be provided to the other nano-box.
US09118678B2 Indirect clock measuring and media adjustment
A method for indirectly measuring the clock rate of a media rendering subsystem, in a media rendering device that has a separate hardware clock for rendering the media, by using the rate at which data requests are made of the CPU in the media rendering device and using the CPU clock to provide additional accuracy in measuring the clock rate.
US09118674B2 Methods and processes for storing and utilizing state information for service providers
Methods, computer-readable media, and apparatuses are disclosed for storing and utilizing state information for service providers. In one aspect of the invention, the methods, processes, or apparatus may include one or more of the following steps: 1) storing state information on a vault; 2) requesting state information on the vault from a receiving party and a device and providing identification to the vault; 3) authenticating and certifying the request from the receiving party; 4) providing the state information to the receiving party; 5) using the state information on the device; and 6) returning the state information to the vault. An additional aspect of the invention provides a method and/or process for storing and utilizing web-based cookies on a cloud environment for service providers.
US09118671B2 Voice over IP based voice biometric authentication
A request from a party is received by a receiver from a remote system. The request from the party is received when the party attempts to obtain a service using the remote system. A selective determination is made to request, over a network, authentication of the party by a remote biometric system. A request is sent to the remote system for the party to provide a biometric sample responsive to determining to request authentication of the party. The service is provided contingent upon authentication of the party by the remote biometric system.
US09118662B2 Method and system for distributed off-line logon using one-time passwords
A method and a system for extending distributed logon services to an off-line computing device includes encrypting, on the off-line computing device, a one-time password (OTP), a nonce, and a unique identifier to generate an authorization request message. Using a mobile device as a proxy to forward the authorization request message to an access control server for authorization. Decrypting the authorization response message to obtain the nonce. Re-encrypting the nonce to generate an authorization response message. Using the mobile device as a proxy to forward the authorization response message to the off-line computing device. Decrypting the authorization response message to obtain the nonce. Comparing the nonce obtained from the authorization response message with the original nonce. The computing device to permit or deny access as result of comparing the nonce obtained from the authorization response message with the original nonce.
US09118657B1 Extending secure single sign on to legacy applications
A secure single sign on is extended to a legacy web application that does not support the specific user authentication technique being used, such as SAML or OAuth. A proxy intercepts a request by a client computer to access the legacy application, and forwards the intercepted request to a single sign on identity provider. The identity provider authenticates the user, using the specific authentication technique not supported by the legacy application, and provides an indication of success to the proxy. The proxy transmits a user id and master password wrapped in an HTTP request to the legacy web application, which authenticates the request, creates a session and provides corresponding cookies to the proxy. The proxy forwards the cookies to the client, which utilizes them to continue the session with the legacy application.
US09118650B1 Persistent connections for email web applications
A token for a webclient in communication with an HTTP server to access an email system is stored at a database by the HTTP server. If the HTTP server is unexpectedly unavailable, a backup HTTP server that next interacts with the webclient can locate the token for the webclient using identifying information for the webclient to locate a record in the database containing the token. The backup HTTP server can then provide seamless access to the email system for the webclient despite the loss of connectivity to the initial HTTP server.
US09118647B1 Video device and remote control function for the video device
A video device and a remote control function for a video device that can be carried out over a remote device such as a phone. The phone connects to the video device over a network.
US09118637B2 Dual-mode download manager
Methods and apparatuses for automatically changing the mode of download of a download manager in a device are provided. The download manager can send a timeout option to a TFTP server and automatically change the mode of download based on whether a timeout option acknowledgement is received. The download manager can include a first control attribute to enable or disable sending a timeout option to the TFTP server and/or a second control attribute to set the initial download mode of the device.
US09118632B1 Anonymizing emails between sender and recipient
A sender may generate a primary email including a primary header and a primary body, the primary header including a sender address associated with the sender computing system and the recipient address associated with a recipient client, encrypt at least a part of the primary body to generate a primary encrypted email, encrypt the primary encrypted email to generate an encrypted sender-to-recipient pseudo-body, add a trusted party-to-recipient header to the encrypted sender-to-recipient pseudo-body including a trusted party address of a trusted party and the recipient address associated with the recipient client to generate a trusted party-to-recipient email, encrypt the trusted party-to-recipient email to generate an encrypted trusted party-to-recipient pseudo-body, add a sender-to-trusted party header to the encrypted trusted party-to-recipient pseudo-body including the sender address and the address of the trusted party to generate a sender-to-trusted party email, and send the sender-to-trusted party email to the trusted party.
US09118630B2 Client proxy for key exchange in HTTP live streaming
A client device includes a media player and a client proxy. The client proxy is to receive a first version of a playlist from a media server, the first version of the playlist including a first identifier of a cipher key to be used to decrypt at least one segment listed in the playlist. The first identifier identifies a location at the media server. The client proxy is to conduct a key exchange with the media server using the first location identifier to obtain the cipher key and store the cipher key at a local storage location at the client device. The client proxy also is to provide a second version of the playlist to the media player, the second version of the playlist including a second identifier of the cipher key, and the second identifier identifying the local storage location at the client device.
US09118628B2 Locked e-mail server with key server
An email system using keys to open the server to receive messages. A message is created on a client, along with a request for the server to accept the message. The server will not even accept the message, unless the key is received. The key may be validated on many different levels of security; including length, or encryption code, or mathematical calculation. If the key is validated, the message can be received, either immediately, or later via a session code.
US09118627B2 Method, apparatus and computer program product for improving resource reservation in session initiation
There are provided measures for resource reservation improvement in session initiation. Such measures for resource reservation improvement may for example comprise receiving a session initiation request of a user, determining an authentication type of the user, detecting, in the received session initiation request, an absence of authentication data required for an authentication in accordance with the determined authentication type of the user, and preventing a resource reservation for the requested session initiation.
US09118622B2 Method and server for sending and lending digital service content
The present invention provides a method and a server for sending and lending digital service content. The method for sending digital service content includes: receiving, by a server, a user request, in which the user request carries a user identifier and a label of the digital service content; determining a type of the label; if the label is a lending label of the digital service content, acquiring a borrower identifier in the lending label; and determining whether the user identifier is the same as the borrower identifier; if the user identifier is the same as the borrower identifier, acquiring a lending period matching the borrower identifier in the lending label, and determining whether the digital service content is in the lending period; if yes, sending the digital service content to a terminal used by a user and identified by the user identifier.
US09118621B2 Network controller, method, and medium
The present invention provides a novel network controller that does not need extensive development resources to add and expand functions of a communications protocol with maintaining high communication quality, does not generate waste of resources, is easy to maintain, and can be applied to embedded systems. More specifically, the present invention provides a network controller that includes a network interface that communicates with a plurality of terminals via a network, an upper application interface that communicates with upper applications that utilizes a plurality of communications protocols, a protocol procedure controller that controls a plurality of protocol procedures to communicate with a plurality of terminals via a network using a plurality of communications protocols, and a protocol analyzing unit that analyzes a plurality of communications protocols and further includes a protocol header analyzing unit that analyzes a plurality of protocol headers of a plurality of communications protocols individually.
US09118619B2 Prevention of cross site request forgery attacks by conditional use cookies
To inhibit cross-site forgery attacks, different types/classes of cookies are used. A first cookie and a second cookie are generated by a web server and provided to a client browser during a web session. The first cookie defines a first set of use conditions for when the first cookie is to be used within the web session. The second cookie defines a second set of use conditions for when the second cookie is to be used within the web session. The client browser determines which (if any) of the first cookie or second cookie to send to the web server based on the use conditions defined within each cookie and the operation(s) sought by the client browser. The web server may grant different or the same privileges to operation(s) being sought by the client browser depending on whether the first or second cookie is sent by the client browser.
US09118612B2 Meeting-specific state indicators
A state client is configured to allow a user to specify a meeting-specific state, such as that the user is running late for a meeting, checked in to the meeting, or unable to attend the meeting. A state service stores data identifying the user's meeting-specific state. The state service also responds to requests for the state of the user. In one implementation, when such a request is received, the state service determines whether the user is an invitee to the same meeting as the user requesting the state. If not, the state service returns a general-purpose state indicator for the user. If both users are invitees to the same meeting, the state service returns the meeting-specific state indicator, which may then be displayed by a state client.
US09118606B2 Method and apparatus for simulating IP multinetting
IP Multinetting on a local area network is simulated by performing VLAN translation at a port connecting to the local area network. This allows IP addresses from multiple subnets to be associated with a single VLAN on the Local Area Network (LAN), while allowing the core switch to process the packets with a one-to-one correspondence between IP Subnet and VLAN. When a packet is received from the local area network at an IP multinetting port, the VLAN ID will be read to determine if the packet contains the IP Multinetting VLAN ID. The IP Subnet address will also be checked to see if the packet is associated with an IP Subnet that is part of the Multinetting. If so, the multinetting VLAN ID will be changed to an IP Subnet specific VLAN ID before the packet is processed by the core switch.
US09118604B2 Method and system for routing packets
A system for routing packets that includes leaf network devices, spine network devices, and a border gateway protocol controller to perform a method for routing packets in a network. The method includes receiving packets at a leaf device and, using the destination IP address of the packet to determine to which spine network device the packet is to be sent. The spine network devices each include a non-overlapping portion of a routing table. The spine network devices include functionality to determine a route for the packet based on its destination IP address, to determine to which leaf network device the packet is to be sent, and to send the packet to the discovered leaf network device. The leaf network device that receives the packet includes functionality to, based on the destination MAC address of the packet, determine out of which leaf network device interface to send the packet.
US09118603B2 System and method for managing attempted access of objectionable content and/or tampering with a content filtering device
An apparatus and method for managing a user's ability to access content on the Internet involves a reporting and control server, an Internet Access Control (IAC) device, the IAC device including at least one light to indicate when at least one disallowed event has occurred, and a reset component which, for the at least one light to be reset, must be coupled to the IAC device. The method involves receiving a web address, determining whether a requested Domain Name System (DNS) server is an acceptable DNS server, determining whether an IP address provided by the acceptable DNS server is a redirect IP address and, if so, indicating an objectionable content event has occurred by changing a state of at least one light on the IAC device, sending information so that a reporting and control server can transmit a reset, receiving the reset, and resetting the at least one light.
US09118602B2 Tunnel provisioning with link aggregation
A method for processing data packets in a communication network includes establishing a path for a flow of the data packets through the communication network. At a node along the path having a plurality of aggregated ports, a port is selected from among the plurality to serve as part of the path. A label is chosen responsively to the selected port. The label is attached to the data packets in the flow at a point on the path upstream from the node. Upon receiving the data packets at the node, the data packets are switched through the selected port responsively to the label.
US09118600B2 Location based data delivery schedulers
Packets are transmitted by a server to mobile nodes in a coverage area of a wireless network using a coverage and reliability map, which indicates qualities and reliabilities of links between the server and the nodes. When a new packet is received in the server, the server transmits the packet if a current load of the packets including the new packet is less than a peak load constraint. Otherwise, the new packet is delayed for one time slot. Packets are transmitted according to associated priorities.
US09118597B2 Method and system for requester virtual cut through
A method for transmitting a message includes a communication adapter receiving, from a transmitting device, a request to send the message. The method further includes modifying a maximum transfer unit (MTU) to obtain a modified MTU, transmitting, from the communication adapter to a receiving system, a first sub-unit of the message using the modified MTU, iteratively increasing the MTU for transmitting intermediate sub-units of the message until an MTU limit is reached, and transmitting, to the receiving system, the intermediate sub-units of the message. The intermediate sub-units are transmitted after the first sub-unit and before a second sub-unit. The method further includes transmitting, from the communication adapter to the receiving system, the second sub-unit to the receiving system using a full path MTU.
US09118596B2 Reducing fragmentation of packets in a networking environment
Automated techniques reduce packet fragmentation in a communications network environment, including a networking environment that uses tunnels. In a tunneling environment, a tunnel endpoint evaluates whether tunnel processing for an outbound packet will cause the packet to exceed a particular size such as a message transmission unit (“MTU”) size, which in turn would lead to error processing and/or fragmentation of the packet. Similar MTU and packet mismatch may occur in a system across the virtual machine and the hypervisor, a networking stack and the physical MTU possible on the network. If so, the tunnel endpoint or the network driver simulates an error condition and returns an error message to the protocol stack that prepared the packet, so that the packet size can be reduced before the packet is actually sent on the tunnel. Existing functionality is leveraged to perform the size reduction, thus obviating the need for administrator intervention.
US09118587B2 Network multi-path discovery
Potential paths between a source and destination of a network are identified based on trace-route information, then filtered to eliminate paths or links that are not supported by ancillary information associated with the network so as to identify feasible/actual paths between the source and destination. The ancillary information includes, for example, routing tables and ARP tables. If a feasible path cannot be identified based on the ancillary information, supplemental information regarding nodes further along the potential path is assessed to provide a basis for inferring the nodes that may provide a feasible path. The determined feasible paths are displayed for review, and provided to serve as filters for subsequent path-analysis tools.
US09118586B2 Multi-speed cut through operation in fibre channel switches
A method and system for routing frames based on a port's speed using a switch element. The method includes receiving a portion of a frame in a receive buffer of a port; determining a frame length threshold value; and setting up a status bit based on the port's speed, the frame length threshold value and an amount of the frame received. The status bit is sent to a transmit segment of the switch element and the frame length threshold value is proportional to the port's speed. Also, if the receive buffer is almost full when the frame arrives at the receive port, then a cut status is based on the frame's end of frame (“EOF”) value.
US09118584B2 Dynamic scalable baseboard management controller stacks on single hardware structure
Certain aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a baseboard management controller (BMC) managing a computer system including N computer nodes and N is an integer greater than 1. The BMC has: (a) a processor, (b) a first communication interface controller, (c) a memory. The memory stores a firmware, and the firmware is executed by a processor of the BMC. The firmware, when executed by the processor, is configured to (a) dynamically obtain the value of N, and (b) initiate N virtual BMC stacks each managing at least one health or performance related aspect of a respective one of the N computer nodes. The first and second virtual BMC stacks of the N virtual BMC stacks communicate, through the first communication interface controller, with the first and second computer nodes of the N computer nodes, respectively.
US09118581B2 Routing network traffic
A traffic manager (121-124) for, and a method of, routing network traffic to a plurality of server computers (131-138). The traffic manager includes a network interface (204) and a processor (201). The processor is configured to receive network traffic comprising a request (701, 702) from a client computer (102-105) via the network interface. The processor is configured to then identify, based on attributes of the request, a server computer that is responsible for servicing the request (a responsible server). The processor is configured to then route the request to the responsible server using the network interface.
US09118579B2 Geographic management system
A geographic management system (GMS) comprises a web server, a database server, and a map server. A user browser connected to the GMS transmits a search criteria to the web server. The web server transmits the search criteria to the map server. The map server geocodes the search criteria, obtains network data and geospatial data from the database server corresponding to the geocode, and transmits the geocode, the network data, and the geospatial data to the web server. The web server transmits the geocode, the network data, and the geospatial data to the user browser. The network data and the geospatial data are displayed on the user browser as a map displaying network elements of a telecommunication network relative to other network elements, geographic elements, and customers. One or more of the network elements have associated performance elements or sectored performance elements that display performance characteristics or sectored performance characteristics that signify performance attributes associated with the network element. The user browser can navigate through other network data and geospatial data by selecting network elements on the map or by selecting navigation tools or navigation tabs displayed in conjunction with the map.
US09118574B1 Presence reporting using wireless messaging
The present invention provides for the delivery of presence information to a service node from a mobile terminal using a messaging service, such as the short messaging service. The mobile terminal is configured to communicate via a cellular network as well as via a terminal adaptor, which is coupled to a wireline telephony switch or a data access network to support telephony communications. A local wireless interface is provided between the mobile terminal and the terminal adaptor to support communications through the terminal adaptor. In operation, the mobile terminal will provide a messaging service message including presence information to the service node, wherein the presence information will bear on the ability of the mobile terminal to communicate with the terminal adaptor, and thus, facilitate communications through the terminal adaptor.
US09118573B2 Multipath effectuation within singly contiguous network fabric via switching device routing logic programming
Each of a network fabric controller device and a network fabric forwarder devices includes network connecting hardware and network managing logic. The network connecting hardware of the devices connects them to a singly contiguous network fabric including switching devices that route data between initiator nodes and target nodes and that have routing logic programmable by the controller device. The controller device does not directly route the data themselves. The network managing logic of the devices effects multipaths for transmission of the data through the singly contiguous network fabric from the initiator node to the target nodes via programming of the routing logic of the switching devices.
US09118569B2 Systems and methods for TCP Westwood hybrid approach
Methods and systems for providing congestion control to a transport control protocol implementation are described. A device detects that there is a congestion event on a transport control protocol (TCP) connection of the device. The device determines that a bandwidth estimate is lower than half a current value of a slow start threshold for the TCP connection. In response to the determination, the device changes the slow start threshold to half of the current value of the slow start threshold for the TCP connection. The bandwidth estimate can be the product of the eligible rate estimate and the minimum round trip time. In some implementations, the transport control protocol implementation is a TCP Westwood implementation.
US09118568B2 Automotive partial networking apparatus and method
The present invention relates to a automotive partial networking apparatus and method, which operate or terminate only a specific electronic control unit corresponding to a service currently being provided in a vehicle network composed of a plurality of electronic control units. In the automotive partial networking method, a automotive partial networking apparatus receives a partial networking-only Controller Area Network (CAN) frame from outside of the apparatus. A partial network table is searched based on the CAN frame, and then a CAN identification (ID) is searched for. A partial networking-only CAN frame is generated using the CAN ID. Partial networking is performed by transferring the generated partial networking-only CAN frame to at least one electronic control unit corresponding to a vehicle service.
US09118566B1 Methods and apparatus of time stamping for multi-lane protocols
One embodiment relates to a method of determining an arrival time of a data packet which has data striped across a plurality of lanes of a multi-lane link. Word arrival times for the words of the data packet are determined, each word arrival time corresponding to an arrival time of a word of the data packet at an individual lane of the multi-lane link. The arrival time of the data packet is determined using a predetermined function of the word arrival times. Another embodiment relates to a receiver circuit that determines an arrival time of a data packet which has data striped across a plurality of lanes of a multi-lane link. Other embodiments and features are also disclosed.
US09118560B2 Internet-wide scheduling of transactions
A method and system for distributing content on a network through network-wide transactions is disclosed. The method and system monitors the network using triggered measurement of the performance of an element of the network, dynamically computing, based on the monitoring, the regions of the network with available performance capacity for the transaction to proceed at a given time, determining, based on the computing, a scheduled time for the transaction to proceed, and distributing the content according to a schedule related to the scheduled time.
US09118559B2 Measuring instantaneous bit rate in a network connection
Methods and apparatuses described herein are configured to calculate the instantaneous bit rate of a network connection. According to certain aspects, conventional solutions measure average bit rate of a network, whereas the techniques described herein are configured to measure the instantaneous bit rate. According to further aspects, structurally, conventional solutions require external devices (hosts or servers) and a plurality of data packets for measurement, whereas the present invention is self-referenced and requires, in principle, only two network packets, of any type, for measuring the instantaneous bit rate. The instantaneous bit rate can then be used to adjust the transmission bit rate of network packets to optimize the network connection such that the bandwidth of the network connection is fully utilized and packet loss is avoided.
US09118556B2 Method and system for establishing tunnels
A method for establishing tunnels includes establishing a first unidirectional tunnel from a first node to a second node, and sending a first instruction for establishing a reverse tunnel of the first tunnel, when sending the first instruction to the second node, triggering the establishment of a second unidirectional tunnel from the second node to the first node, and binding the second tunnel to the first tunnel as the reverse tunnel of the first tunnel. A system for establishing tunnels is also provided. The establishment of a reverse tunnel may be automatically triggered after a forward tunnel is established, and a bidirectional tunnel is established.
US09118552B2 System and method for computer network configuration and operation
A system for simplifying the configuration and administration of computer networks. A the server system first sends a broadcast message out to the other network nodes on the computer network to learn configuration of each other network nodes on the local network. Next, network software within each other network node (not shown) responds to the broadcast message with a response containing configuration information and an identifier key value. In one embodiment, the identifier key value may be a randomly generated number. The server system then builds a table of network nodes using the information received in the response messages sent in response to the broadcast message. The server may then communicate with systems having duplicate addresses using the identifier key value. In some embodiments, the server system may send request messages to one or more network nodes specifying a network configuration change.
US09118543B2 Managing network data display
Systems and methods for monitoring performance associated with fulfilling resource requests and determining optimizations for improving such performance are provided. A processing device obtains and processes performance metric information associated with processing a request corresponding to a set of resources. The processing device uses the performance metric information to identify a subset of the resources corresponding to a display location associated with a visible portion of a display and to assess performance related to processing of the identified subset of the resources. In some embodiments, the processed performance data may be used to identify timing information associated with the subset of the embedded resources. Aspects of systems and methods for identifying and testing alternative resource configurations corresponding to the content associated with the original set of resources and for determining whether to recommend a resource configuration for improving performance of subsequent client requests for the content are also provided.
US09118539B2 Managing grey zones of unreachable nodes in computer networks
In one embodiment, a node (e.g., a root-node) of a currently known directed acyclic graph (DAG) topology of a computer network can identify a sub-DAG of one or more nodes that are unreachable. The node can further determine a scope of the unreachable nodes of the sub-DAG and tunnel a redirected message to a reachable node of the DAG topology that is adjacent to at least one of the unreachable nodes of the sub-DAG. The redirected message may cause the reachable node to distribute the redirected message to one or more of the unreachable nodes of the sub-DAG based on the scope.
US09118538B1 Method and system for configuring resources to enable resource monitoring
Systems and methods are provided for automatically configuring resources of a deployment environment so that the resources can be monitored by a resource monitoring program. In an implementation, a blueprint having a representation of a deployment topology of the environment is received. A resource template that specifies an inventory model of the resource monitoring program is received. Resources listed in the blueprint are configured according the inventory model specified in the template, thereby allowing the resources to be monitored by the resource monitoring program.
US09118536B2 Pulsed serial link transmitting data and timing information on a single line
A method of encoding data and timing information on a single line comprising: asserting a first edge on the single line to encode said timing information; asserting a second edge on the single line a selectable time period after said first edge, said selectable time period representing said data, characterized in that: said step of asserting said first edge comprises supplying a clock signal to a clock input of a flip-flop; and the step of asserting the second edge comprises supplying the output of the flip-flop to an input of a programmable delay line having a data input connected to receive said data and an output connected to a reset input of the flip-flop, whereby an output of the flip-flop provides said encoded data and timing information on the single line.
US09118533B2 Antenna diversity combining for differentially modulated orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) signals
In an embodiment, an apparatus includes a first tuner to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal from a first antenna and to process the RF signal to generate a first time-domain quadrature signal, a second tuner to receive the RF signal from a second antenna and to process the RF signal to generate a second time-domain quadrature signal, and a combiner circuit to receive the first and second time-domain quadrature signals.
US09118532B2 Method and arrangement in a telecommunications system
The present invention relates to a method in a base station (14, 400) and a base station (14, 400) for predicting a frequency dependent Channel State Information, CSI for scheduling and link adaptation of resource blocks of an operating bandwidth, based on frequency band CSI information related to at least one UE, the method comprising the steps receiving a wideband CSI related to UE (step 302), receiving a UE-selected subband CSI for a bandwidth part (step 302), calculating the difference: the UE-selected subband CSI for the bandwidth part minus a non UE-selected SB CSI the wideband CSI (steps 314, 328, 338), and updating a non UE-selected SB CSI for at least the bandwidth part, based on the calculated difference (steps 318, 332, 342). A faster more reliable prediction method based on UE-selected SB CSI values, is hereby achieved.
US09118528B2 Method and system for down-converting an electromagnetic signal, and transforms for same, and aperture relationships
Methods, systems, and apparatuses, and combinations and sub-combinations thereof, for down-converting an electromagnetic (EM) signal are described herein. Briefly stated, in embodiments the invention operates by receiving an EM signal and recursively operating on approximate half cycles (½, 1½, 2½, etc) of the carrier signal. The recursive operations can be performed at a sub-harmonic rate of the carrier signal. The invention accumulates the results of the recursive operations and uses the accumulated results to form a down-converted signal. In an embodiment, the EM signal is down-converted to an intermediate frequency (IF) signal. In another embodiment, the EM signal is down-converted to a baseband information signal. In another embodiment, the EM signal is a frequency modulated (FM) signal, which is down-converted to a non-FM signal, such as a phase modulated (PM) signal or an amplitude modulated (AM) signal.
US09118524B2 Soft packet dropping during digital audio packet-switched communications
A method of packetizing digital information for packet-switched communications includes placing, at a transmitting device with memory and a processor, a most significant bit of a digital voice sample into a variable-length most significant bit packet having a high transmission priority for transmission over a packet-switched network in which a node receives the packet and independently determines how to route the packet. At the transmitting device, a least significant bit of the digital voice sample is placed into a variable-length least significant bit packet having a low transmission priority for transmission over the packet-switched network. Prioritization of packets as having a high transmission priority or low transmission priority is independent of content characteristics of digital voice samples with elements contained therein.
US09118522B2 Browser based peer to peer distribution system
A method of operation of a media distribution system includes: streaming a media object from an external system via a first browser; receiving a media request from a viewer device; determining a confirmation of whether the media request is for the media object; and serving a portion of the media object from a sandboxed memory of the first browser for presenting on a second browser of the viewer device in response to the confirmation.
US09118520B1 Systems and methods for monitoring application resource usage on mobile computing systems
A computer-implemented method for monitoring application resource usage on mobile computing systems may include 1) identifying a mobile computing system that is configured to execute one application at a time as a foreground application, 2) identifying a request to determine a resource consumption level of an application on the mobile computing system, 3) identifying, in response to the request, at least one frequency level at which a processor of the mobile computing system operates while the application executes as the foreground application, and 4) determining, based on the identified frequency level, the resource consumption level of the application. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09118519B2 Reception of inter-symbol-correlated signals using symbol-by-symbol soft-output demodulator
A receiver comprises a sequence estimation circuit and a soft-input-soft-output (SISO) decoder. The sequence estimation circuit comprises circuitry operable to generate first soft bit decisions for symbols of a received inter-symbol-correlated signal. The SISO decoder comprises circuitry operable to decode the first soft bit decisions to generate corrected soft bit decisions. The circuitry of the sequence estimation circuit is operable to generate, based on the corrected soft bit decisions, second soft bit decisions for the symbols of the received inter-symbol-correlated signal, which are improved/refined relative to the first soft bit decisions.
US09118509B2 Communication method of gateway device supporting mutual communication of CAN and Modbus and gateway device using the same
A gateway device is provided. The gateway device for relaying communication between an automotive network communication device and an industrial field bus communication device includes: a Controller Area Network (CAN) input unit for receiving a CAN input data frame from an external; and a conversion unit for converting the received CAN input data frame into a Modbus output data frame according to a predetermined method.
US09118508B2 Service execution across legacy and internet protocol multimedia subsystem domains
Systems and methods for service execution across legacy telecommunications networks and Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) domains are described. In one aspect, a convergence gateway is deployed in an IMS network to interface between the IMS network and a legacy circuit-switched (CS) telephony network (legacy network). The convergence server extends legacy network-supported circuit-switched services (including voice supplementary services, enhanced voice services, and messaging) to IMS core network subscribers. To this end, the systems and methods rely on the legacy network to implement supported circuit-switched services and generate corresponding results. The corresponding results are adapted to a signaling protocol and state model for the IMS network and provided to one or more IMS subscribers.
US09118506B2 Direct access electronic mail (email) distribution and synchronization system with provision for pre-configured service offerings
A communications system includes a network engine that communicates with a plurality of unsubscribed mobile wireless communications devices using a communications network for sending and receiving emails therefrom. A direct access server is operative with the network engine for polling electronic mailboxes of users and retrieving email from the electronic mailboxes and pushing any email through the network engine to selected user subscribed mobile wireless communications devices. This direct access server is operative for providing at least one pre-configured service offering to a user that is linked to mail-access parameters when a user configures their respective electronic mailbox.
US09118503B2 Communication system, relay device and wiring harness
GateWay (GW) having a shape of a substantially-flat rectangular parallelepiped and including terminals on one wide surface or both wide surfaces, GWs are stacked on each other so as to connect first corresponding terminals while connecting second corresponding terminals. The corresponding terminals are connected inside each GW, and are connected with each other via a component for transmitting a communication signal through a communication line and via a relay processing section for executing a relaying process for the communication signal. By stacking GWs on each other, the function of a multi-bus GW can be realized.
US09118501B2 Intelligent services network using a switch controller
The present invention is an intelligent services network that uses a switch controller. The switch controller controls the operation of one or more programmable switches to accept calls from a public switched telephone network. The intelligent service network comprises intelligent service network components that are used for enhanced service processing, interconnection to external networks, and other call functions. Communication between the components allows for call set-up, connection to a terminating party, transfer to an alternate intelligent service network component, and termination of the call.
US09118498B2 Method and apparatus for executing an application automatically according to the approach of wireless device
A home system is provided. In a method of executing an application, information for executing the application is received from a device when accessing of the device is sensed, and the application is executed based on the received information. Accordingly, when a user merely brings a wireless guest device near to or in contact with an access point or a wired home device, it is possible to allow the wireless guest device to simultaneously automatically set an optimum security environment for a wireless network and execute an application that the user desires.
US09118491B2 Return of multiple results in rule generation
Various embodiments relate to a Policy Charging and Rules Node (PCRN) and a related method and machine-readable medium for retrieving multiple results in response to a message. The PCRN may receive a message and, through handling the received message, may make a policy decision. The policy decision may require the PCRN to retrieve multiple related results. The PCRN may thereafter refer to a data arrangement that includes a rule set with at least one rule with multiple values. Based on the policy decision, the PCRN may retrieve the at least one rule. The PCRN may compile the rule from the rule set and may generate an answer message including at least one of these values included in the rule.
US09118489B2 Communication system, network management method and switching device
A communication system has: a monitoring unit 201 monitoring power consumption in a switching unit 20 forwarding a communication message; a power consumption data transmission unit 202 transmitting a data indicating the power consumption monitored by the monitoring unit 201; a control signal receiving unit 203 receiving a control signal; a control unit 204 controlling a data transfer rate on the basis of content of control included in the control signal received by the control signal receiving unit 203; a power consumption data receiving unit 301 receiving the data indicating the power consumption transmitted by the power consumption data transmission unit 202; a control determination unit 302 determining, on the basis of the data received by the power consumption data receiving unit 301, target of control and the content of control regarding power consumption; and a control signal transmission unit 303 transmitting the control signal including the target of control and the content of control determined by the control determination unit 302.
US09118488B2 System and method for controlling access to network services using biometric authentication
A system, apparatus, or method for controlling access to a network and to the associated network resources or services. The invention may be used to provide a user authentication or authorization process for a computer network, a telecommunications network, or other suitable system, apparatus, device, process, operation, etc. In some embodiments, the present invention uses a combination of device identification data (such as a device identifier or other form of token) and user-specific biometric data (such as a physical characteristic associated with the user or data generated as a result of a signal being altered by a physical characteristic of a user) to identify a user and permit the user to access the network or network resources or services.
US09118486B2 Revocation of public key infrastructure signatures
In one implementation, a public key infrastructure utilizes a two stage revocation process for a set of data. One stage authenticates or revokes the set of data based on the status of the digital signature and another stage authenticates or revokes the set of data based on the status of an individual signature by the digital certificate. For example, a digital certificate based is assigned a certificate number. A serial number is assigned for a signature for the set of data as signed by the digital certificate. A data transmission, data packet, or install package includes the set of data, the certificate number and the serial number. Therefore, individual instances of the signature may be revoked according to serial number.
US09118483B2 Communication system, relay device, and non-transitory computer readable medium
A communication system includes a first relay device connected to a first network accessible by any user, and a second relay device connected to a second network accessible by a specific user. The first relay device includes a first receiver, a first authentication information acquisition unit, and a first transmitter. The first receiver receives an electronic certificate from a terminal device of the specific user. The first authentication information acquisition unit acquires authentication information. The first transmitter transmits the authentication information to a service device connected to the first network, and transmits the electronic certificate to the second relay device. The second relay device includes a second receiver, a second authentication information acquisition unit, and a second transmitter. The second receiver receives the electronic certificate. The second authentication information acquisition unit acquires authentication information. The second transmitter transmits the authentication information to a service device connected to the second network.
US09118481B2 Method and system for efficiently generating a high quality pseudo-random sequence of numbers with extraordinarily long periodicity
A method for generating a practically infinite sequence of pseudo-random numbers that is indistinguishable from a true random source. The method utilizes a discrete set of prime numbers, converting each to a corresponding irrational sequence of numbers, i.e., a MIRP, and arranging said MIRPs into a MIRP Stack that extends into a practically infinite non-repeating MIRP Field, from which an even longer unique sequence of pseudo-random numbers are generated.
US09118480B2 Frame quality estimation during viterbi decoding
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for estimating a quality of a received data frame in a trellis decoder. The decoder utilizes a trellis diagram to depict the states and stages the decoder transitions through in search of a sequence of bits that closely resemble the received sequence. In the trellis diagram, each state at one stage is connected to a state at the next stage by a branch and a group of connected branches form a path. The decoder selects a winning path by comparing path metrics computed for each of the paths in the trellis diagram and outputs a most-likely sequence of hard bits from the winning path. A count of non-ideal branches over the winning path can be used for calculating the frame quality of the received data frame or the burst quality of a data burst in the received data frame.
US09118479B2 Mobile communication system
A mobile communication system comprises a base station and a relay station to relay data transmitted/received between the base station and a mobile station. The base station includes a first scheduler to perform scheduling of initial transmission of the data transmitted/received between the base station and the mobile station via the relay station, and a first manager to manage predetermined wireless resources which are periodically used, as wireless resources used for the initial transmission of the data. The relay station includes a second scheduler configured to perform scheduling of transmission of a message for confirming necessity of retransmission of the data and retransmission of the data and a second manager configured to manage wireless resources used for the transmission of the message and the retransmission of the data.
US09118477B2 Method and system for efficient error free packet reception using hybrid automatic repeat-request (HARQ) in a wireless communication system
The present invention relates to a method and system for efficient error free packet reception using hybrid automatic repeat-request (HARQ) in a wireless communication system. In one embodiment this is accomplished by receiving in a plurality of modulated digital data as transmission signal at a receiver transmitted through a plurality of transmission paths from a transmitter, demodulating the received transmission signals, estimating the difference between the received transmission signals and the ideal expected signal constellation in order to determine the weights for each constellation symbols, applying the determined weights for each symbol-wise of the received transmission data, storing the weighted data as final data in a buffer of a HARQ combining unit and processing the stored final data to determine whether the received data frames are correct.
US09118476B2 Transmission control method
This invention relates to signalling of control information related to retransmissions in a wireless communication network. According to one aspect of the invention, a method for controlling transmission over a wireless communication link is provided. The method comprises the step of indicating on a transmission resource control channel whether a HARQ retransmission process in a mobile station should be activated or deactivated.
US09118472B2 Method of transmitting control information in wireless communication system
A method of transmitting control information in a wireless communication system includes configuring a burst including data symbols and a midamble and transmitting the burst through an uplink shared channel. The data symbols and the midamble carry the same control information. Even if control information is transmitted on an uplink shared channel, reception errors in a base station can be reduced by improving transmission reliability.
US09118470B2 Control information transmission method and a device therefor
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system supporting carrier aggregation. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method in which a terminal transmits ACK/NACK and to a device therefor; and relates to a method comprising the steps of: receiving one or more items of data simultaneously on a plurality of carriers; generating an ACK/NACK payload comprising one or more items of ACK/NACK information about the one or more items of data; and transmitting the ACK/NACK payload, wherein the position of each item of ACK/NACK information in the ACK/NACK payload corresponds to respective carriers, and the present invention relates to a device for the method.
US09118467B2 Generating keys using secure hardware
A client device that is coupled to a host device sends a parent public key and an associated certificate to the host device. The parent public key, the certificate and a corresponding parent private key are stored in secure persistent storage included in a secure device associated with the client device. The client device receives instructions from the host device for generating a child private and public key pair. In response to receiving the instructions, the client device generates a child private key based on a first random number produced within the secure device, and a child public key associated with the child private key. The client device computes a first signature on the child public key using the parent private key. The client device sends the child public key and the first signature to the host device.
US09118465B2 Method for supporting flexible frame structures in wireless communication systems
A wireless communication base station is disclosed, configured to serve a plurality of user terminals in a series of downlink radio frames wherein user terminals in a first group are served in a first temporal region of the downlink radio frame and user terminals in a second group are served in the second temporal region of the downlink radio frame. A downlink radio frame contains an indicator signaling a change of duration of either of the first or second temporal region of at least one downlink radio frame in a series of downlink radio frames.
US09118463B2 Distributed single sign on technologies including privacy protection and proactive updating
Technologies for distributed single sign-on operable to provide user access to a plurality of services via authentication to a single entity. The distributed single sign-on technologies provide a set of authentication servers and methods for privacy protection based on splitting secret keys and user profiles into secure shares and periodically updating shares among the authentication servers without affecting the underlying secrets. The correctness of the received partial token or partial profiles can be verified with non-interactive zero-knowledge proofs.
US09118454B2 Methods and apparatus for mapping modulation symbols to resources in OFDM systems
A transmission resource in a time domain subframe is divided into a plurality of equal duration resource elements in a time and frequency domain, the plurality of resource elements are segregated into a plurality of resource regions, information to be transmitted is modulated to generate a sequence of modulation symbols at a transmitter, the sequence of modulation symbols is mapped into the plurality of resource elements in the plurality of resource regions, and the modulation symbols are transmitted via a plurality of antennas using the respective corresponding resource elements to a receiver. The mapping of the modulation symbols in at least one resource region is independent of a certain control channel information that is carried in the time domain subframe, and the mapping of the modulation symbols in at least another resource region is dependent upon that certain control channel information.
US09118453B2 Base station and transmission method
Provided are a base station and a transmission method whereby, even in a case where a cross carrier scheduling is employed, the increase in the number of blind decodings on a PDCCH receiving side can be suppressed without need of signaling of an upper layer at the time of changing PDCCH CC. In the base station (100), a CC setting unit (101) sets, from among a plurality of downstream unit carriers included in a UE CC set, a control channel unit carrier (PDCCH CC) used for transmitting allocation information related to a data transmission resource of each downstream unit carrier included in the UE CC set.
US09118448B2 Method for transmitting control information and apparatus for same
A wireless communication system is disclosed. A method for transmitting uplink control information in a wireless communication system supporting carrier aggregation and operating in TDD includes: generating a first HARQ-ACK (hybrid automatic repeat request-acknowledgement) set for a first cell using a value M; generating a second HARQ-ACK set for a second cell using the value M; and transmitting a bit value corresponding to a third HARQ-ACK set including the first HARQ-ACK set and the second HARQ-ACK set in an uplink subframe n, wherein M=max(M1, M2), max(M1, M2) representing a value being equal to or larger than not smaller between M1 and M2, wherein M1 corresponds to the number of downlink subframes corresponding to the uplink subframe n in the first cell, and M2 corresponds to the number of downlink subframes corresponding to the uplink subframe n in the second cell, wherein the first cell and the second cell have different UL-DL configurations.
US09118445B2 Method and apparatus for transmitting uplink reference signal in a multi-antenna wireless communication system
A method for transmitting signals at a User Equipment (UE) in a multi-antenna wireless communication system is discussed. The method includes receiving an uplink grant from a Base Station (BS); transmitting transport blocks and Reference Signals (RSs) for the transport blocks via a plurality of layers based on the uplink grant to the BS; receiving Negative ACKnowledgment (NACK) information for at least one transport block among the transport blocks from the BS; and retransmitting the at least one transport block and the RS for the at least one transport block via at least one layer to the BS.
US09118443B2 System and method for improved waveform and enhanced receiver algorithm for high penetration alerting in a mobile satellite communications system
An approach is provided for high penetration alerting in a mobile satellite system. A message is generated for transmission to a wireless terminal. The message is partitioned into a number of symbols, each symbol composed of a portion of the message. The symbols are encoded via FEC coding to generate outer coded symbols, and each outer coded symbol is encoded based on a corresponding binary orthogonal sequence. The inner coded symbols are modulated based on a binary modulation scheme, and pulse shaped to generate message bursts for transmission to the wireless terminal. Each message burst reflects a group of the inner coded symbols, wherein the grouping of the inner coded symbols facilitates joint sequence detection by the wireless terminal, and each message burst exhibits relatively low peak-to-average power ratio.
US09118442B2 Method and system for continuous packet connectivity
A UE receives HSDPA traffic comprising legacy HSDPA traffic and HS-SCCH-less HSDPA traffic. The UE concurrently processes the received legacy HSDPA traffic and the received HS-SCCH-less HSDPA traffic. The received HSDPA traffic is concurrently buffered into a first storage and a second storage to support simultaneously receiving legacy HSDPA traffic and HS-SCCH-less HSDPA traffic. A HARQ process is performed on the buffered HSDPA traffic in the first storage or the second storage according to a corresponding HS-SCCH CRC test. The resulting HARQ processed HSDPA traffic is Turbo decoded. Turbo decoding on the previously HARQ processed HSDPA traffic is performed simultaneously with HARQ processing on the buffered HSDPA traffic in the first storage or the second storage. The buffered HS-SCCH-less HSDPA traffic is processed via HARQ processing and Turbo decoding for each of the four pre-determined transport formats.
US09118436B2 PON system and subcarrier assigning method
A PON (Passive Optical Network) system, which modulates multiple subcarriers with data of multiple users to output an optical multiplexed signal from a station device, splits the optical multiplexed signal to transmit the split signals to multiple subscriber devices that are provided for each of the users, and demodulates the data of the users at the respective subscriber devices, includes: an obtaining section configured to obtain a transmission characteristic for each of the subcarriers at each of the subscriber devices, by receiving a test signal at the subscriber devices, which is transmitted from the station device; and an assigning section configured to assign one or more of the subcarriers for each of the subscriber devices suited to the transmission characteristics of the assigned subcarriers at each of the subscriber devices.
US09118435B2 Integrated passive optical network (PON) system
An integrated passive optical network system is disclosed. The system comprises an optical distribution network (ODN), a time-division multiplexing (TDM)-optical line terminal (OLT), a wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM)-optical line terminal (OLT), a plurality of time-division multiplexing (TDM)-optical network units (ONUs), and at least one wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM)-optical network unit (ONU) comprising a first filter. The TDM-OLT and the WDM-OLT respectively transmit a first optical signal carrying a first downstream signal and a second optical signal carrying a second downstream signal to the ONUs through the ODN, and wavelengths of the second optical signal and the first optical signal are different. The TDM-ONUs respectively retrieve the first downstream signal. The WDM-ONU uses the first filter to retrieve the second downstream signal.
US09118427B2 Method and apparatus for store and replay functions in a digital radio broadcasting receiver
A method for receiving and processing a digital radio broadcasting signal includes: receiving a digital radio broadcasting signal including encoded content in a first format; processing the encoded content to convert the encoded content into a second format; storing the encoded content in a second format; and decoding the stored encoded content to recover decoded content. A receiver that implements the method is also provided.
US09118426B2 Packet transmission/reception method and apparatus in wireless communication system
A method for simultaneously transmitting packets to one or more users in a wireless communication system includes: generating the packets which include length information and are to be transmitted to the one or more users; and simultaneously transmitting the generated packets to the one or more users. The length information includes information representing a unit of the length information and information representing lengths of the packets according to the unit.
US09118422B2 Pre-equalized optical transmitter and pre-equalized optical transmission method
A pre-equalization optical transmitter includes: a tap coefficient selecting unit for saving, in advance, a tap coefficients for generating an RZ pre-equalization signal and an NRZ pre-equalization signal, and for selecting and outputting one of the tap coefficients according to the value of a parameter that is a factor of transmission power fluctuations; a pre-equalization signal generating unit for generating the RZ pre-equalization signal or the NRZ pre-equalization signal based on the tap coefficient; and a modulating unit for generating a pre-equalization optical transmission signal by modulating an optical signal input from a light source by using a signal obtained through D/A conversion and amplification of the RZ pre-equalization signal or the NRZ pre-equalization signal, wherein a transmission method is switched between an RZ method and NRZ method by switching the tap coefficients by the tap coefficient selecting unit.
US09118421B2 Extending control plane functions to the network edge in an optical transport network
A method of extending the control plane to a network edge for a network having first set of nodes of the network are designated as core nodes, each core node being operable to route subscriber traffic between a pair of neighbor core nodes and a second set of control-plane enabled nodes of the network designated as tail nodes, each tail node connected to a core node and operating only as a source or sink of subscriber traffic. Each core node that is connected to at least one tad node is designated as a host node. The host node is controlled to advertise summary information of its connected tail nodes to other core and tail nodes in the network, thus making it possible to extend control plane function to the tail nodes which can calculate connection routes, set-up/tear-down connections and perform connection failure recovery functions.
US09118420B2 Method and apparatus for optical communication using a retro-reflector
An optical communication apparatus includes an optical signal transmitting unit to output an optical signal; an optical signal receiving unit to receive an optical signal; a retro-reflector to retro-reflect the received optical signal in a direction opposite to an incident angle of the received optical signal; and a control unit to direct the retro-reflector to receive the optical signal and to retro-reflect a response signal, which includes the received optical signal and data to be transmitted, in response to the received optical signal.
US09118416B2 Configurable segmented antenna
Systems, methods, and apparatus that utilize a configurable segmented antenna are presented herein. A monitor component can be configured to detect at least one parameter corresponding to one or more segments of an antenna integrated with a communications device. An antenna component can be configured to select at least one segment of the one or more segments in response to the at least one parameter. A control component can be configured to modify a quality of a signal according to the at least one parameter. Further, a transmission component can be configured to transmit the signal from the at least one segment based on the quality.
US09118412B2 System and method for performing in-band reflection analysis in a passive optical network
A system for performing in-band reflection analysis in a passive optical network. The system comprises an optical line terminal (OLT) that includes a transceiver for transmitting continuous downstream data modulated on a first wavelength and receiving upstream burst data modulated on a second wavelength, the OLT further includes a receiver for receiving signals reflected from the PON that are modulated on the first wavelength, wherein the continuous downstream data comprises user data and a test data pattern; and a reflection analysis unit for cross-correlating between a time-shifted version of the transmitted test data pattern and the reflected signals, wherein the test data pattern is time-shifted relatively for an optical location to be tested.
US09118409B2 Method, controller, and system for tunnel communication
A communication system for allowing personnel in a tunnel below ground to communicate with a location above ground includes a controller disposed below ground in the tunnel. The system includes an uplink portion that sends uplink messages from the controller below ground in the tunnel through earth to above ground. The system includes a downlink portion through which downlink messages are sent from above ground through earth to the controller below ground in the tunnel. The system includes a personnel communication portion through which downlink messages are sent from the controller wirelessly to the personnel as personnel messages and personnel messages are received wirelessly by the controller from the personnel below ground in the tunnel. A controller for allowing personnel in a tunnel below ground to communicate with a location above ground. A method for allowing personnel in a tunnel below ground to communicate with a location above ground.
US09118403B2 Thermally compensated CATV gain control apparatus and firmware
A compact automatic gain control module for an RF amplifier includes a microchip Tuner for detection of pilot signals in an incoming RF signal. By selectively tuning into pilot signals in response to command from an on-board microprocessor, the module is frequency agile in the selection of pilot signals, selecting specifically advantageous signals for use as a pilot. Use of a microprocessor also enables specific advantages in receiving firmware upgrades to incorporate algorithms for operation parameter monitoring and adjustment of response in accord with monitored parameters. Such monitoring also enables the recording of on-module events that enable storage of a log to enable maintenance and performance enhancement within the module.
US09118402B2 System and method for multi-channel frequency hopping spread spectrum communication
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for transmitting data in a frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) wireless communication system. A multi-channel receiver is configured to receive data from one or more channels simultaneously. The multi-channel receiver enables efficient implementation of a transmission protocol in which multiple candidate nodes within a wireless mesh network are polled for availability to receive a packet of data. The packet of data is transmitted to one or more available nodes based on prevailing link conditions, thereby increasing the likelihood of successful delivery. Data flooding may be selectively implemented to further increase the likelihood of successful delivery.
US09118399B2 Methods, apparatuses and computer program products for code correlation of multi-path spread spectrum signals
A method including correlating a code having a first offset with a signal to produce a first correlation result; correlating the code having a second offset with the signal to produce a second correlation result; determining a cost function using the first correlation result and the second correlation result; and adjusting the first offset and the second offset in dependence upon the cost function, wherein the cost function uses a first weighting for the first correlation result and a second, different weighting for the second correlation result.
US09118397B2 Integrated transmit/receive switch
An apparatus comprises a transmit network to transmit an input from a first amplifier to an antenna, a receive network to provide an input from an antenna to a second amplifier, a first switch to selectively decouple the transmit network from the antenna, and a second switch to selectively decouple the receive network from the antenna. Other embodiments may be described.
US09118396B2 Tunable notch filter using feedback through an existing feedback receiver
A wireless communication device configured for reducing Tx leakage in a receive signal is described. The wireless communication device includes a transceiver chip. The transceiver chip includes a receiver, a feedback receiver and a transmitter. The wireless communication device also includes a Tx leakage signal reduction module. The Tx leakage signal reduction module reuses the feedback receiver.
US09118395B2 Chip comprising a radio frequency switch arrangement, circuit arrangement and method for producing a radio frequency circuit arrangement
A chip includes an RF switch arrangement that has a plurality of RF switches arranged jointly on the chip. Each of the RF switches has at least one first RF connection accessible from outside the chip and one second RF connection accessible from outside the chip. Furthermore, each of the RF switches is designed to activate, in response to a driving, at least one RF path between two of its RF connections. The RF connections of different switches from among the RF switches are separated from one another in terms of radio frequency.
US09118394B2 Antenna transfer switching for simultaneous voice and data
A method and system selects an antenna for signal propagation within a wireless communication device having multiple antennas. A transfer switch controller identifies an operating mode being initiated on the wireless communication device. The transfer switch controller configures a dynamic transfer switch based on the operating mode initiated to support propagation of each available type of communication signal. In addition, the transfer switch controller utilizes a pre-established priority of each available type of communication signal to select the appropriate antenna. The transfer switch controller communicatively connects, utilizing the configured dynamic transfer switch, each of at least one transceiver associated with the operating mode initiated to a specific antenna, where each transceiver supports propagation of a specific type of communication signal. As a result, the transfer switch controller enables each of the at least one communication signal to be propagated via a specific antenna selected using the configured dynamic transfer switch.
US09118393B2 Enhancing a push-to-talk communication system
A peer-to-peer communication system (1) capable of operating in push-to-talk mode comprises terminals (2, 2A, 6) capable of push-to-talk, peer-to-peer radio communication, and an enhancing device (3) arranged for coupling with the terminal. The enhancing device (3) comprises: • an antenna (31) for transmitting and receiving radio signals, • a band-pass filter (32) for selecting a frequency band of the radio signals, • a bidirectional amplifier (33) for amplifying radio signals alternatingly in a transmitting and in a receiving direction, • a control unit (34) for controlling the bidirectional amplifier (32) in response to a sensor signal, and • a sensor (35) for detecting whether the terminal (2A; 6) is transmitting or receiving and for producing the sensor signal in response thereto, which sensor is galvanically isolated from the terminal. The communication system (1) may be a Terrestrial Trunked Radio system, commonly known as TETRA system, more in particular a TETRA system operating in Direct Mode. The antenna (31) may be a can antenna or a loop-fed antenna. Lighting device with a wind-powered cleaning member.
US09118391B2 Integrated circuit device, wireless communication unit and method of manufacture therefor
An integrated circuit device comprising at least one radio frequency (RF) transceiver module. The at least one RF transceiver module includes a plurality of low noise amplifiers (LNAs) operably coupled to external contacts of the integrated circuit device and arranged to receive an RF signal from the respective external contact, amplify the received RF signal, and to output the amplified RF signal. Each transceiver module further includes a plurality of power amplifier (PA) modules operably coupled to the external contact of the integrated circuit device, and arranged to receive an RF signal to be transmitted, amplify the received RF signal to be transmitted, and output the amplified signal. The plurality of LNAs and the plurality of PAs are selectively configurable to operate in at least a first, multi-antenna configuration and a second, single antenna high transmit power configuration.
US09118390B2 Cell phone protection cover structure
A cell phone protection cover structure includes a battery cover, a support plate, a leather cover, and a protection plate. The battery cover is mounted to the back of the cell phone. The battery cover has a thick portion and a thin portion. The thick portion is directly adhered to the leather cover. The support plate corresponds to the thin portion of the battery cover and is adhered to the leather cover. The leather cover has a connecting section to connect with the protection plate. The support plate can be coupled to the thin portion of the battery cover to form the same plane with the thick portion. The support plate can be opened at an angle, so that the battery cover, the support plate and the protection plate form a triangle support for the cell phone to be placed obliquely.
US09118386B2 Method and apparatus for transmitting a reference signal in a relay communication system
The present invention relates to a method and to an apparatus for transmitting reference signals in a relay communication system. The method for transmitting reference signals through a type 2 relay node in a relay communication system comprises: a step in which a base station allocates a plurality of antenna ports in a mutually exclusive manner so that the antenna port of the base station and the antenna port of the peripheral relay node do not overlap each other; a step in which the base station and the relay node transmit reference signals to user equipment through the respective antenna ports mutually exclusively allocated; and a step in which the base station receives a channel state information from the user equipment to obtain channel state information between the base station and the user equipment and channel state information between the relay node and the user equipment.
US09118385B2 Device, system and method of wireless communication over a beamformed communication link
Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and/or methods of wireless communication over a beamformed communication link. For example, a time for communicating may be requested, granted, and the communication take place between two consecutive beacons. In some embodiment, specific formats may be used to communicate the necessary information in this exchange.
US09118382B2 Relay apparatus for broadcast waves
The objective of the present invention is to provide a relay apparatus capable of performing normal relay transmission for broadcast waves by preventing effects caused by wraparound in a relay apparatus. For broadcast waves received by a relay apparatus (2), the same broadcast data are placed in each of a defined segment (f0) and a first segment (f1) other than the defined segment, whereupon the relay apparatus removes broadcast data for the defined segment (f0) from the received broadcast waves, and transmits broadcast waves in which the broadcast data for the first segment (f1) have been exchanged with each of the defined segment (f0) and a second segment (f2) other than the defined segment and the first segment. As a result, the defined segment (f0) which imparts wraparound effects to the received broadcast waves is removed, and therefore, it is possible to perform normal relay transmission of the broadcast waves.
US09118378B2 Interference cancellation with time-varying interference and/or distortion
A communications receiver includes a noise analyzer to characterize the composition of the interference and/or distortion impressed onto a transmitted communications signal in the presence of one or more time-varying conditions. The noise analyzer may provide a selection signal indicating the composition of the interference and/or distortion impressed onto a transmitted communications signal in the presence of one or more time-varying conditions to be used by the communications receiver. In an exemplary embodiment, the communications receiver selects at least one set of filter coefficients to compensate for the interference and/or distortion impressed onto a transmitted communications signal in the presence of a particular time-varying interference and/or distortion condition. In another exemplary embodiment, the communications receiver selects a corresponding interference cancellation filter bank to compensate for the interference and/or distortion impressed onto a transmitted communications signal in the presence of the particular time-varying interference and/or distortion condition.
US09118375B2 Minimum mean squared error approach to interference cancellation and maximum likelihood decoding of space-time block codes
Block-encoded transmissions of a multi-antenna terminal unit are effectively detected in the presence of co-channel interfering transmissions when the base station has a plurality of antennas, and interference cancellation is combined with maximum likelihood decoding. More specifically, the signals received at the base station antennas are combined in a linear combination that relates to the channel coefficients between the various transmitting terminal units and the base antennas. By selecting proper coefficients for the linear combination and choosing probable transmitted signals that minimize a minimum mean squared error function, the signals of the various terminal units are canceled when detecting the signal of a particular unit. In another embodiment of the invention, the basic approach is used to obtain an initial estimate of the signals transmitted by one terminal unit, and the contribution of those signals is removed from the received signals prior to detecting the signals of other terminal units.
US09118373B1 Low latency spatial multiplexing MIMO decoder
Wireless communication systems normally employ Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) transmission and reception schemes to increase performance and the data rate of the system. Spatial Multiplexing (SM) is used in MIMO systems for increasing the data rate of the communication system by transmitting multiple data symbols on different antennas at the same time on the same frequency. The complexity of decoding spatially multiplexed signals using the optimal Maximum Likelihood (ML) algorithm is high and therefore the throughput is often limited by the processing capability of the receiver. A new approach for an SM-MIMO decoder reduces the search and sorting operations. A pre-computed list of nearest neighbors for a given modulation constellation geometry is used to reduce the search and sort operations. Sorting operations are generally difficult to parallelize leading to increased processing latency. The present approach disclosed provides a low and deterministic latency with reduced complexity decoder for SM-MIMO systems.
US09118363B2 Timing synchronization system for MIMO-OFDM
A communication system including a transmission device having a plurality of transmission antennas that transmit a plurality of signals under a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) scheme; and a reception device having a plurality of reception antennas that receive the plurality of signals under the MIMO scheme. The transmission device is configured to add a preamble signal to a transmission signal transmitted to the reception device at an earliest timing among transmission signals that are modulated under an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) scheme, the transmission signals being output from the transmission antennas. The transmission device does not add the preamble signal to the transmission signals other than the transmission signal transmitted at the earliest timing.
US09118360B2 Wideband near field communication apparatus and method
Provided is an apparatus and method for performing a wideband short-range wireless communication using a directional antenna in a millimeter wave band, and the method for wideband short-range wireless communication according to an embodiment may determine a change of a relay operation type based on a link quality between a source node and a relay node, a link quality between the relay node and the destination node, and a link quality between the source node and the destination node, transmit a relay operation change (ROC) request message in response to a determination of the change of the relay operation type, and receive an ROC response message corresponding to the ROC request message.
US09118359B2 Wireless communication device with extendable rod antenna
A wireless communication device includes a body, an antenna, a first baseband microchip, a second baseband microchip, and a diplexer. The antenna is telescopically assembled to the body to receive a first wireless signal and a second wireless signal. The diplexer is electronically connected to the antenna, the first baseband microchip, and the second baseband microchip. When the antenna is in a retracted state, the antenna receives the first wireless signal, and the diplexer transmits the first wireless signal to the first baseband microchip. When the antenna is in an extended state, the antenna receives the second wireless signal, and the diplexer transmits the second wireless signal to the second baseband microchip.
US09118357B2 Systems and methods for controlling output power of a wireless power transmitter
Systems and methods for feedback control of output power in a wireless power transmitter are disclosed. According to one aspect, one of a voltage level at an input of a wireless power transmit coil and a level of current passing through the wireless power transmit coil are sensed. The wireless power transmitter includes a controller configured to adjust a component of the wireless power transmitter to maintain at least one of the level of current and the voltage level at a constant level.
US09118354B2 Electronic device with shared near field communications element
Electronic devices may be provided with near field communications capabilities. A near field communications antenna may be formed from multiple inductive components. The inductive components may include a speaker coil. One or more switches may be provided in the near field communications antenna to adjust the inductance of the near field communications antenna during different modes of operation. An audio circuit may be used to generate audio signals. A first transmitter may be used to transmit near field hearing aid signals through the near field communications antenna. A second transmitter may be used to transmit near field communications signals to external equipment such as near field communications point of sale equipment. Switching circuitry may be used to selectively couple the audio circuit, the first transmitter, and the second transmitter to the near field communications antenna.
US09118353B2 System and method for communicating with low density parity check codes
The present invention provides an approach for FEC encoding based on intermediate code block lengths not associated with any supported mother FEC code. A first string of k2 data bits is received. The first string of data bits is encoded to generate an N2 bit code block for transmission over a channel of a wireless communications network. The first data bit string is encoded based on a supported (N1,k1) forward error correction (FEC) code of a code rate R=k1/N1, configured to encode a string of data bits of a length k1 bits to generate a code block of a length N1 bits. To facilitate the encoding of the first string of data bits based on the (N1,k1) FEC code, the encoding comprises padding, repeating and/or puncturing the first string of data bits and a resulting N1 bit code block to generate the N2 bit code block.
US09118342B2 Low power excess loop delay compensation technique for delta-sigma modulators
A delta sigma modulator with an input stage and an output stage. The input stage receives an analog input signal and an output of a first digital to analog converter (DAC). The input stage generates a processed error signal. An additional summation device receives the processed error signal. The output stage receives an output of the additional summation device and generates a delayed digital output signal. A differentiator and the first digital to analog converter (DAC) receive the delayed digital output signal as a feedback signal. A second DAC receives an output of the differentiator and provides an output to an additional negative feedback coefficient multiplier. The additional summation device receives an output of the additional negative feedback coefficient multiplier.
US09118341B2 Delta-sigma A/D converter
A delta-sigma A/D converter having plural input channels comprises a first quantizer which quantizes and outputs a received signal; a first D/A converter which converts an output signal of the first quantizer into an analog signal, and outputs the converted analog signal; a first operation unit which outputs a signal indicative of a difference of the first analog input signal and an output signal of the first D/A converter; a first integrator which integrates an output signal of the first operation unit and outputs the integrated signal; a first dither circuit which generates a first dither signal; and a second operation unit which adds the first dither signal to the output signal of the first integrator and outputs the added signal to the first quantizer.
US09118334B2 System and method for improved MEMS oscillator startup
A MEMS resonator system comprises a MEMS resonator, kick start circuitry, feedback circuitry, an oscillator, and a switch. The MEMS resonator system is configured to provide a pulsed kick-start signal having a frequency and period such that energy delivered to the MEMS resonator is optimized in a short period of time, resulting is reduced oscillator startup time. The MEMS resonator system is configured to switch out the kick-start signal when the MEMS resonator oscillation has been achieved, and switch in feedback circuitry to maintain the MEMS resonator in a state of oscillation.
US09118326B2 Output circuit, temperature switch IC, and battery pack
An output circuit has a smaller area and restrains outputs from becoming unstable even if a power supply voltage is lower than an operating voltage. A supply terminal of an inverter circuit is provided with switch circuit, and the switch circuit stops the operation of the inverter circuit when the power supply voltage is lower than the operating voltage of the circuit. Further, the output terminal of the inverter circuit is provided with a current source to fix the output to the power supply voltage when the operation of the inverter circuit is stopped.
US09118325B1 Routing network for programmable logic device
A routing network is associated with a logic island in a logic block of a programmable logic device and includes switches for each of feedback, street, and highway and clock networks. Some of the switches include multiple stages. The feedback network switch receives signals from the logic island as well as from neighboring logic blocks and provides an output to one or more stages of the street network switch. The street network switch receives the signals from the feedback network switch and signals from neighboring highway network switches and provides an output to the logic island. A clock network switch may receive dedicated clock signals or high fan out signals as inputs and provides outputs to the street network switch. The highway network switch receives signals from the logic island and from neighboring highway network switches and provides an output to neighboring highway network switches.
US09118322B2 Low leakage dynamic bi-directional body-snatching (LLDBBS) scheme for high speed analog switches
A bidirectional switch device includes a main pass field effect transistor (FET) connected to an input node and an output node. A body region of the first main pass transistor is tied to a voltage substantially halfway between the voltage at the input node side of the first main pass transistor and the voltage at the output node side of the transistor when the first main pass transistor is in an ON state.
US09118321B2 Differential output buffer having mixing and output stages
An exemplary differential output buffer includes a mixing stage and an output stage. The mixing stage includes a mixing circuit that mixes a differential data signal and an inverted delayed differential data signal to generate a mixed differential data signal. The output stage includes a first and a second output stage differential pair of transistors. Sources of the transistors in each of the output stage differential pairs are commonly coupled. Gates of the transistors in the first and second output stage differential pairs are supplied with the differential data signal and the mixed differential data signal, respectively. Drains of corresponding ones of the transistors in the first and second output stage differential pairs are commonly connected to form output nodes to output an emphasized differential data signal. The mixing stage includes a mixing ratio setting circuit that sets the mixing ratio to one of 1:0, 1:1, and 0:1.
US09118320B2 Input buffer with current control mechanism
An input buffer includes a first driving circuit, a second driving circuit, a pull up circuit, and a pull down circuit. The first driving circuit is arranged for driving a first input signal to generate an output signal. The second driving circuit is arranged for driving the output signal. The pull up circuit is arranged for selectively controlling the second driving circuit to pull up the output signal according to the first input signal and a second input signal. The pull down circuit is arranged for selectively controlling the second driving circuit to pull down the output signal according to the first input signal and the second input signal.
US09118315B2 Scheme to improve the performance and reliability in high voltage IO circuits designed using low voltage devices
A high voltage input/output (IO) circuit designed using low voltage devices. The IO circuit receives a first bias voltage and a second bias voltage. The IO circuit includes a pre-reverse switch, a main-driver and a post-reverse switch. The pre-reverse switch includes a first capacitor and a second capacitor. The main-driver includes a first parasitic capacitance and a second parasitic capacitance. The post-reverse switch includes a third capacitor and a fourth capacitor. The first capacitor and the third capacitor counter an effect of coupling by the first parasitic capacitance on the first bias voltage and the second capacitor and the fourth capacitor counter an effect of coupling by the second parasitic capacitance on the second bias voltage.
US09118311B1 Methods and apparatus for generating a modulated waveform
A system and method are present for generating a modulated waveform. A timer is configured to generate a first modulated waveform signal, and an adder module is configured to calculate a delay. The delay includes at least one of an edge fractional delay and a dead time fractional delay. A delay module is operably coupled to the timer and the adder module. The delay module is configured to delay at least one of a rising edge of the first modulated waveform signal and a falling edge of the first modulated waveform signal by the delay to generate a second modulated waveform signal that has a higher frequency resolution than a frequency resolution of the first modulated waveform signal.
US09118306B2 Oversampling method for data signal and oversampling apparatus thereof
An oversampling method for data signal includes oversampling data strobe signal and data signal according to sampling phases to generate first and second sampling results, performing edge detection on the first and second sampling results to obtain first and second edge positions where edges are detected, calculating and storing first offset according to the first edge position and the corresponding second edge position when the second edge position are obtained, using first offset obtain in a previous sampling cycle as the first offset in a current sampling cycle when the second edge position aren't obtained, calculating first sampling point according to the first edge position; calculating second sampling point according to the first sampling point and the corresponding first offset, and selecting and outputting the corresponding second sampling results according to the second sampling point.
US09118303B2 Filter, duplexer, and communication module
A filter includes: acoustic wave resonators connected between an input terminal and an output terminal; and a cancel circuit including an input connection portion and an output connection portion connected so that the cancel circuit is connected in parallel to at least a part of the acoustic wave resonators, wherein the cancel circuit includes a first acoustic wave resonator connected between a node between the input connection portion and the output connection portion and a ground.
US09118300B2 SAW device with heat efficient temperature controller
A surface acoustic wave (SAW) device comprising at least one heating element formed on the substrate; at least one temperature sensor having a first electric component on the substrate whose resistance varies with the temperature of the substrate and a second electric component whose resistance does not vary; and a temperature controller including an operational amplifier bonded in thermally conductive relationship to the substrate. The operational amplifier is responsive to the output of the temperature sensor to apply power to the heating element and thereby maintain the temperature of the substrate within a predetermined temperature range. The transducer, heating element, and first component are monolithically formed on the substrate, and only three electrical connections are on the substrate at voltage to off-SAW die points.
US09118297B2 Elastic wave device and duplexing device
A balanced-unbalanced conversion-type elastic wave device includes an unbalanced signal terminal, first and second balanced signal terminals, and first to fifth interdigital transducers disposed along an elastic wave propagation direction. One end of each of the first, third, and fifth interdigital transducers is connected in common to the unbalanced signal terminal, one end of each of the second interdigital transducer and the fourth interdigital transducer is connected to the first and second balanced signal terminals respectively, a first inductance is connected between the first interdigital transducer and a ground potential, and a second inductance is connected between the fifth interdigital transducer and the ground potential. First and second inductance values of the first and second inductances, respectively, are different.
US09118296B2 Clipping protection in fixed-width audio mixing
An apparatus provides both clipping protection and signal level conservation while the system operates in the original width type. The apparatus includes a first shifting unit right shifting a first digital input signal to provide a first shifted signal; a second shifting unit right shifting a second digital input signal to provide a second shifted signal; a combiner combining the first shifted signal and the second shifted signal to provide a combined signal; a soft limiter soft limiting the combined signal by reducing some of the amplitudes of the combined signal to provide a soft limited signal; and a third shifting unit left shifting the soft limited signal to provide an output signal.
US09118295B2 Systems and methods for adaptive equalization control for high-speed wireline communications
Methods and systems for conditioning wireline communications to remove intersymbol interference are provided that used adaptive equalization. The method and systems include using a digital finite state machine to control two feedback loops that adjust the gain and power of the input signal relative to a supplied reference. The eye height of the input signal is conditioned by a gain feedback loop so that signal equalization can be performed in a known state. The digital finite state machine allows the loops to be flexibly run in sequence or concurrently. The adaptation functions can be shut off when adequate signal equalization has been achieve, thus saving power.
US09118294B2 Receiving device and gain control method
A receiving device performs log noise amplification on radio waves (desired waves and interfering waves), received with an antenna, to generate a received signal, converts the received signal into an intermediate frequency signal, converts the intermediate signal into a digital signal, filters out and demodulates a frequency band of a specific channel from the digital signal. Herein, a first received signal strength (RSSI 1) is detected from the digital signal, while a second received signal strength (RSSI 2) is detected from the digital signal of the specific channel. The intermediate frequency signal is amplified with a first gain which is calculated by way of the comparative judgment on the first receive signal strength and the allowable threshold. The digital signal of the specific channel is amplified with a second gain.
US09118289B1 High temperature magnetic amplifiers
A high temperature magnetic amplifier, which utilizes the nonlinear properties of square loop magnetic cores to achieve very large amounts of both voltage and power amplification. By combining square loop, grain-oriented magnetic materials with high temperatures along with high temperature packaging approaches, high temperature long lifetime components can be produced. The high temperature magnetic amplifier is used as a building block to develop high temperature versions of operational amplifiers, comparators, voltage regulators, timers, counters, modulators, motor starters, servo systems, converters, inverters, power switches and many other devices.
US09118283B2 Amplifier circuit
An amplifier circuit comprising a driver (204, 304) configured to provide a switched mode input signal, a switching mode power amplifier (206, 306) configured to receive the switched mode input signal and provide an output signal for an external load (210, 310); and a sensor (208, 308) configured to sense the impedance of the external load (210, 310) The driver is configured to set the duty cycle of the switched mode input signal in accordance with the sensed impedance of the external load (210, 310).
US09118281B2 Integrated start-up bias boost for dynamic error vector magnitude enhancement
Devices and methods for correcting for start-up transients in integrated power amplifiers are disclosed. A delay element is arranged to produce a delay waveform signal that is responsive to an input voltage signal. A transconductance element has an input that receives the delay waveform signal and is arranged to provide an output boost current that is based on the delay waveform signal and a gain of the transconductance element. A reference element provides an output bias current that is responsive to a static reference current and the boost current. A bias element has an input that receives the bias current and is arranged to provide a bias control output. A power amplifier is responsive to the bias control output and is arranged to provide an amplified power output. In some examples, the boost current is adjusted based on a supply voltage and an input power of the power amplifier.
US09118279B2 Power amplifiers with signal conditioning
A device includes an amplifier having a first path and a second path and a first variable attenuator connected to the first path. The device includes a controller coupled to the first variable attenuator. The controller is configured to determine a magnitude of an input signal to the amplifier. When the magnitude of the input signal is below a threshold, the controller is configured to set an attenuation of the first variable attenuator to a first attenuation value. When the magnitude of the input signal is above the threshold, the controller is configured to set the attenuation of the first variable attenuator to a second attenuation value. The second attenuation value is less than the first attenuation value.
US09118275B1 Circuit and method for adaptive clock generation using dynamic-time-average-frequency
An adaptive clock generation circuit for synthesizing Time-Average-Frequency in dynamic fashion includes (a) a timing circuit for generating a base unit of fixed time span, (b) a control circuit that takes inputs from a microelectronic system wherein the control circuit and the clock generation circuit reside, for generating a update signal and a frequency control word, (c) a direct period synthesizer for generating a plurality of types of pulses by utilizing said base unit and the frequency control word, for creating a segment of a clock pulse train by connecting electrical pulses in series that are selected from said plurality of types according to the update signal, for creating the entire clock pulse train by connecting said segment in series. The resulting Time-Average-Frequency of the clock pulse train matches a selected frequency that is required by the operation of the microelectronic system wherein the clock generation circuit resides. A method of creating such adaptive clock generation circuit is also presented.
US09118273B2 Resilient mounting assembly for photovoltaic modules
An apparatus for mounting a power module. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a plurality of mounting points that (i) are flexibly connected to one another and (ii) flexibly mount the power module proximate a photovoltaic (PV) module.
US09118269B2 Electronically commutated electric motor with defect shutdown
The invention relates to an electronically commutated electric motor. The electric motor has a stator and a rotor, in particular one formed with permanent magnets. The electric motor has a control unit, which is connected on the output side in particular via a power output stage to the stator and is designed to energize the stator so as to produce a rotating magnetic field. The electric motor has a power output stage with semiconductor switches. The power output stage is connected to the stator via at least one controllable switch disconnector. The control unit is designed to detect a defect of a semiconductor switch depending on a braking torque caused by the defect, in particular a change over time in the braking torque, on a rotor of the electric motor, and to activate the switch disconnector so as to disconnect the defective semiconductor switch from the stator.
US09118268B2 Electronic commutation method in direct current electric motors
In an electronic commutation method in direct current electric motors which are controlled by pulse width modulation of the energization which takes place periodically with positive and negative current values and intermediate energization pauses, the counter-induction voltage is measured, wherein the zero crossing of the counter-induction voltage is determined by means of the point of intersection of the envelope to the counter-induction voltage with the zero line. The pulse width modulation of the energization is changed if the zero crossing is covered by positive or negative current values of the energization.
US09118264B2 Piezoelectric motor, drive circuit, and drive method
A piezoelectric motor includes a rotating body, a piezoelectric actuator including a protruding section having contact with the rotating body, and adapted to rotate the rotating body due to a motion of the protruding section when driving a piezoelectric element, and a drive circuit adapted to drive the piezoelectric element, and the drive circuit includes a drive signal generation section adapted to output a drive signal with a predetermined frequency, and an LC filter adapted to block a frequency higher than the predetermined frequency, and applies the drive signal to the piezoelectric element via the LC filter.
US09118263B2 Piezo motor
A piezo motor has a stator and a rotor as well as a drive finger which is held by the stator, drives the rotor and interacts with at least one piezo element. In order to improve the force transmission, the free end of the drive finger moves a driver jaw, which can be pressed against a ring surface of the rotor. The free end of the drive finger is held such that it can move in the longitudinal direction between two stops on the driver jaw, and the driver jaw can be pressed against the rotor, in time with the drive movement of the drive finger, by at least one piezo actuator during the drive movement of the drive finger, and can be pivoted in the drive direction and back about the rotor axis, together with the piezo actuator, corresponding to the magnitude of a deflection of the drive finger.
US09118253B2 Energy conversion architecture with secondary side control delivered across transformer element
A switched mode power converter is configured having predominate secondary side control. A primary side driving circuit is configured as a responsive state machine the output of which is input as the driving signal for a main switch. An output voltage, current or power is sensed and the secondary side controller compares the sensed output characteristic with a predefined reference. The comparison results in an error that signifies an amount that the output is out of regulation. The secondary side controller drives a secondary side switch to generate a voltage pulse across the secondary winding. The voltage pulse has a pulse width that represents the amount of error in the output characteristic. The voltage pulse is transmitted across the transformer and received by the primary side driving circuit, which generates a driving signal modulated according to the voltage pulse and drives the main switch to regulate the output characteristic.
US09118249B2 Power conversion apparatus
A power conversion apparatus is disclosed. The power conversion apparatus includes a power transistor, a thermal resistor and a temperature detection circuit. A control terminal of the power transistor receives a control signal. The power transistor converts an input voltage into an output voltage according to the control signal. The thermal resistor has a negative temperature coefficient. The temperature detection circuit generates the control signal and provides a driving current to the control terminal of the power transistor according to the control signal. The temperature detection circuit further generates an over temperature protection signal according to the driving current.
US09118247B2 Power conversion with added pseudo-phase
Methods and systems for power conversion. An energy storage capacitor is contained within an H-bridge subcircuit which allows the capacitor to be connected to the link inductor of a Universal Power Converter with reversible polarity. This provides a “pseudo-phase” drive capability which expands the capabilities of the converter to compensate for zero-crossings in a single-phase power supply.
US09118245B2 Digital voltage compensation for power supply integrated circuits
Systems and methods for digital voltage compensation in a power supply integrated circuit are provided. In at least one embodiment, a method includes receiving a digital voltage code, the digital voltage code corresponding to an output voltage value; setting an output count on a first counter to change from a present first digital count corresponding to a present voltage code value toward a target first digital count corresponding to a new voltage code value; and setting a second count to an offset count value on a second counter when the new voltage code value is received. The method also includes combining the second count with the output count to form a combined count value; and decrementing the second count value from the offset count value to zero when the first counter reaches the target first digital count.
US09118240B2 Power supply equipment providing multiple identification signals
Power supply equipment is provided for supplying an appropriate power adapter identification signal, as well as DC power, to various types, brand and models of electronic devices. The equipment includes a power adapter having conversion circuitry for converting power from an external power source to the DC power utilized by a particular electronic device. The power adapter also includes circuitry to generate a plurality of power adapter identification signals. Selection circuitry, responsive to user selection or to the configuration of a cable, connector or connector adapter included with the power supply equipment, selects a particular one of power adapter identification signals appropriate for the particular electronic device. The selected power adapter identification signal and the DC power are transferred to the power input port of the electronic device.
US09118239B2 Power supply control method for constant current constant power control
A digital power supply and power supply controller are presented, including a voltage control loop and a current control loop, with a controller for pulse width modulating a switching power supply according to a voltage control loop duty cycle output or a current control loop duty cycle output, in which the controller selectively presets the voltage control loop duty cycle output to a predetermined value before switching from current loop control to voltage loop control and/or inhibits increase in a voltage loop integrator value during current loop control to mitigate voltage overshoot.
US09118238B2 Charge pump systems with adjustable frequency control
An electronic system includes a charge pump driver for generating an output to control an electronic element. The electronic system further includes a clock generator coupled to the charge pump driver. The clock generator can generate a clock signal to control the charge pump driver and adjust a frequency of the clock signal according to a status of the electronic element.
US09118237B2 Mover for a linear motor and linear motor
A mover for a linear motor includes an armature having a plurality of teeth arranged along a line and wound with coils. The mover further includes a main-pole magnet array arranged at a side of the armature at which the teeth exist. The main-pole magnet array includes a plurality of main-pole magnets with different polarities alternately arranged along an arranging direction of the teeth. The mover further includes at least one auxiliary-pole magnet arranged adjacent to one end or both ends of the main-pole magnet array.
US09118235B2 Permanent magnet motor
A permanent magnet motor has a rotor and a stator. The rotor has a shaft, a rotor core fixed to the shaft, a commutator fixed to the shaft adjacent to the rotor core, and rotor windings wound about poles of the rotor core and electrically connected to the commutator. The stator includes a magnetically conductive round housing, permanent magnets fixed to an inner surface of the housing, and brushes for making sliding contact with the commutator. The ratio of an outer diameter of the rotor core to an outer diameter of the housing is between 66% to 84%.
US09118234B2 Stator, motor, and compressor
A stator includes a core and an insulator. The core has a plurality of annularly arranged tooth portions. The insulator is disposed on an end portion of the core, and has an annular wall portion extending in a direction departing from the core. A protrusion protrudes radially outward across an entire circumference of the wall portion, and the protrusion is provided on an outer circumferential surface of the wall portion.
US09118227B2 Rotating electrical machine
A rotating electrical machine includes: a frame including a first housing portion for housing an electronic component and a second housing portion formed integrally with the first housing portion for housing a rotator and a stator; and a bracket including a first communicating hole communicating with the first housing portion and a second communicating hole communicating with the second housing portion.
US09118224B2 Stator for rotary electric machine
The manufacturing cost of a stator for a rotary electric machine can be reduced, and the volume of coil end portions can be reduced to enable downsizing. A stator for a rotary electric machine includes: a cylindrical stator core with plural slots formed at an inner circumferential surface; a plurality of coil segments received by the slots; a plurality of first coil end plates electrically connected with the coil segments on either one of end surfaces of the stator core; and a plurality of second coil end plates electrically connected with the coil segments on the other end surface of the stator core. The plate portion of at least one of the plurality of the first coil end plates is formed longer than the plate portions of the other first coil end plates and has a stepped portion.
US09118222B2 Outer rotor-type brushless motor
The outer rotor-type blushless motor comprises: a stator including a cylindrical housing, a stator core having stator pole teeth and a bearing coaxially incorporated in a cylindrical hole of the hosing; and a rotor including a rotor yoke, a rotor hub provided to the rotor yoke and a rotor shaft rotatably supported by the bearing. A first resin washer, through which the rotor shaft is pierced and which contacts an end face of the rotor hub, and a second resin washer, which contacts an end face of the bearing incorporated in a center hole of the stator core, contact each other. The second resin washer has an elastic projected section fitted in a concave section formed in the center hole of the stator core.
US09118218B2 Power management apparatus and method for controlling the power management apparatus
A power management system includes a smart socket to meter power consumption of an electric device by connecting to the electric device, and be assigned a code, a power management apparatus to display a code image when a registration mode of the smart socket is performed, and a terminal to acquire a code image of the power management apparatus and a code image of the smart socket, receive information of an electric device to be coupled to the smart socket, read the acquired code images of the power management apparatus and the smart socket, pair the read power management apparatus and the smart socket code with the electric device information, and transmit the paired information to the power management apparatus. Users of all ages and dexterity can easily register, change, and release the smart socket and the electric device, such that user efficiency and accessibility are increased.
US09118213B2 Portal for harvesting energy from distributed electrical power sources
A modular portal system and method for harvesting energy from distributed power sources. The distributed power sources include renewable and nonrenewable energy sources, which are coupled to a backplane. The backplane receives modular preconditioner modules and inverter modules, which are inserted into module slots. The preconditioner modules receive power from the distributed power sources via backplane connections and output conditioned DC power to a DC bus on the backplane. The inverters are coupled to the DC bus, receive the DC power, and convert the DC power to AC power. The backplane also includes a controller for selectively coupling the energy harvesting system to a power grid. The AC power generated by the inverter is selectively applied to the power grid and to local loads.
US09118210B2 Electrical system and method for a hybrid-electric vehicle
An electrical system includes a battery for providing electrical power to a starter mechanism and an auxiliary load of a hybrid-electric vehicle. An electric double-layer capacitor (“EDLC”) is electrically connectable to the battery and the auxiliary load. A separation switch is electrically connected between the battery and the EDLC for electrically separating the battery from the EDLC and the auxiliary load. The separation switch is opened in response to the voltage across the battery being less than the voltage across the EDLC.
US09118208B2 Charger of mobile terminal and mobile terminal
A charging device for a mobile terminal and a mobile terminal are disclosed. The charging device includes a motor for power generation, a drive module, a charge pump module, a filtering and voltage regulation module and a control unit. The drive module is connected with an input end of the motor and is configured to obtain swing kinetic energy of the mobile terminal. The charge pump module is connected with an output end of the motor and is configured to boost a voltage output by the motor. The filtering and voltage regulation module is configured to perform direct current filtering and voltage regulation processing on a voltage output by the charge pump module, so as to output a charging voltage matching with a battery. The control unit is configured to accumulate charging current so as to adapt to the battery, and to control a charging process.
US09118195B2 Mobile communication device housing
A portable electronic device carrier includes a charging system. The carrier is configured to at least partially house a portable electronic device such as a cell phone, PDA or the like. The carrier may comprise a pouch or have other configurations. The charging system comprises at least one battery. The battery may be configured to be charged by an external source via at least one external port or connector, or a source associated with the carrier, such as at least one photovoltaic cell. The charging port may comprise contacts which are engaged by an interface of the portable electronic device. In accordance with the invention, a portable electronic device is charged using a portable charging system associated with a carrier for the device.
US09118192B2 Series/parallel connection scheme for energy storage devices
A battery pack has series-parallel connected battery cells. An inrush current limiting circuit has current limiting devices and a current limiting tracking means limits inrush current from shorted battery cells. Each current limiting tracking means is coupled to the current limiting devices such that they limit an inrush current from parallel neighbor battery cells when one battery cell on the column shorts. The current limiting devices are variable buffer resistors with a positive temperature coefficient. The current limiting tracking means are heat sinks that thermally couples the buffer resistors together such that the buffer resistors increase in resistance with a temperature increase caused by current flowing through the buffer resistor associated with the shorted battery cell. Current regulating elements are in series with columns of battery cells for preventing inrush current to the columns of the battery cells.
US09118188B2 Wireless charging system
A wireless charging system includes a microelectronic package (110) containing a system on chip (120) (an SoC), an energy transfer unit (140), and a software protocol (127). The SoC includes a processing device (121), a memory device (122) coupled to the processing device, and a communications device (123) coupled to the processing device and the memory device. The communications device is capable of communicating wirelessly with an external electronic device (130). The energy transfer unit is capable of transferring energy to the external electronic device. The software protocol is implemented in the memory device and is capable of detecting a charging profile of the external electronic device and capable of adjusting a parameter of the energy transfer unit according to a requirement of the charging profile.
US09118185B2 Systems and methods for high power factor charging
In one aspect, an apparatus for charging a device includes a charger and a controller. The charger includes a capacitance and has a charger input and a charger output. The charger input receives an AC input voltage waveform, and the charger output outputs an output voltage waveform and an output current waveform. The controller determines whether an amplitude of the output voltage waveform is within a voltage range. In response to determining that the amplitude of the output voltage waveform is within the voltage range, the controller directs an amplitude of the output current waveform to be substantially proportional to an amplitude of the AC input voltage waveform. In response to determining that the amplitude of the output voltage waveform is not within the voltage range, the controller increases the capacitance of the charger to adjust the amplitude of the output voltage waveform to be within the voltage range.
US09118184B2 Alternative power converter system
An energy power converter system is provided. According to one embodiment, the system includes a plurality of parallel converters; a main transformer with a separate magnetic path for magnetic fields are generated in the transformer by a summation of currents coming from the plurality of parallel converters electrically coupled to the main transformer; and a converter control device electrically coupled to the plurality of parallel converters and the main transformer. The converter control device may be configured to discontinue electrical flow in the system based at least in part on detection of an electrical fault condition.
US09118175B2 Overvoltage protector
An overvoltage protector having a housing and at least one overvoltage limiter arranged in the housing, especially a gas-filled surge arrester (1), a suppressor diode (2) or a varistor. The functional ability and the state of the overvoltage protector can be controlled during operation by associating a monitoring component with the overvoltage limiter which detects a current (i) flowing over the overvoltage limiter component, and by providing an evaluation unit that evaluates the signal of the monitoring component.
US09118169B2 Method for manufacturing junction box, junction box, and cut switch
In a method for manufacturing a junction box, a first cut switch or a second cut switch is selectively provided to a main body. The first cut switch is capable of connecting and breaking a connection between a first power input circuit and a first output circuit, and connecting and breaking a connection between a second power input circuit and a second output circuit. The second cut switch is capable of connecting and breaking a connection between the first power input circuit and the first and second output circuits. The main body includes the first power input circuit; the first output circuit disconnected from the first power input circuit and having at least one of a first electrical device connected thereto; the second power input circuit; and the second output circuit disconnected from the second power input circuit and having at least one of a second electrical device connected thereto.
US09118163B2 Methods and apparatus for generating terahertz radiation
Methods and apparatus for generating terahertz radiation are disclosed herein. In addition, methods for forming orientation-patterned nonlinear semiconductor crystals are disclosed herein. For example, according to an example implementation, a method for generating terahertz radiation may include: providing an optical pulse having a wavelength less than approximately 1.0 μm; and illuminating an orientation-patterned nonlinear semiconductor crystal with the optical pulse.
US09118159B2 Optical pulse generator
An optical pulse generator and a method for using the same, where the optical pulse generator includes a source to deliver a chirped pulse and a chirped pulse compressor, and a first manipulation device and a second manipulation device capable of wavelength dependent manipulating the propagation direction of the chirped pulse and a focusing device having a predetermined focus point. The second manipulation device is arranged after the first manipulation device in propagation direction of the chirped pulse and the first and the second manipulation device are capable of manipulating the propagation direction of the chirped pulse such that the chirped pulse is transformed, after passing the second manipulation device, into a pulse, wherein different chromatic parts of the pulse are spatially spread and temporarily fully aligned.
US09118158B2 Cable assembly backshell
Provided is a cable assembly backshell capable of three angular configurations: straight, 45°, and 90°. The backshell is designed to rotate at two joints that allow it to assume these three angular configurations. A locking mechanism is associated with the backshell which prevents unintended reconfigurations.
US09118155B2 Three-way connector and light string using same
Disclosed are a three-way connector and a light string using the connector. The three-way connector includes first and second three-branched casing members that have joint surfaces respectively comprising mateable recesses and projections and receiving three electrical wires embedded therebetween to form a three-branched connection having a connection point where soldering is applied. Ultrasonic is then applied to fuse and bond the two casing members together as a electrical-wire-included three-branched block thereby constituting a three-way connector. The three-way connector can be used in combination with two-way sockets, electrical wires, and LED luminous elements, in series connection or in parallel connection, to form various configurations of the LED light string.
US09118154B2 Miniaturized card edge connector with assembled terminal module
A card edge connector includes an insulative housing, first terminals and a terminal module embedded with second terminals. The housing defines a front face and a rear face, and a card receiving slot recessed from the front face to divided the housing to a first side wall and a second side wall. The first terminals are inserted in the first side wall from the rear face, the first terminals include retaining portions fixed in the first side wall, contacting portions protruding into the card receiving slot and board connecting portions. The second terminals include retained portions embedded in the terminal module, contacting portions and board connecting portions. The terminal module is assembled to the front face of the housing, the contacting portions of the second terminals are arranged along the second side wall and project in the card receiving slot.
US09118151B2 Interconnect cable with edge finger connector
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to an interconnect cable including a edge finger connector, and associated configurations and methods. The edge finger connector may be disposed at a first end of the interconnect cable and may connect the interconnect cable to an edge finger included in or coupled to a package substrate. The package substrate may be included in a processor package assembly, and a processor may be mounted on the substrate. The interconnect cable may include one or more elongate conductors, with contacts directly coupled to respective conductors. A second connector may be disposed at a second end of the interconnect cable, and may couple the interconnect cable to a small form-factor pluggable (SFP) case that is configured to connect the interconnect cable to an SFP cable. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US09118149B2 Connector element
A connector element is configured in a manner of a flat connector and has a two-part connector housing extending in the longitudinal direction and a locking mechanism for forming a lockable plug-in connection with a counterpart. The locking mechanism contains a locking element having a pull tab fastened thereto. In order to enable a reliable emergency release even if the pull tab is ripped off, the locking element is led outside by a mounting part and the pull tab is irremovably fastened to the mounting part by riveting the pull tab or injection molding the pull tab onto the mounting part. This also makes it possible to easily adapt the pull element in a customer-specific manner.
US09118146B2 Plug-in coupled device for providing commands and/or signals
A plug-in device (10) for providing commands and/or signals comprising an attachment part (12), an adaptor (22), and at least one command or notification device (30). The device (10) includes a plug-in rotary coupling for connecting the adaptor and attachment part in response to relative rotational movement about an axial direction (A). For locking the coupling, a locking web (62) is provided for engagement and disengagement by a locking coupling web (88) in response to relative rotation of the adaptor (22) and attachment part (12). A catch lock further is provided that includes a catch (68) arranged on a plug-in appendage (42 and a counter catch (90, 92) that are engageable by relative rotation of the adapter (22) and the attachment part (12).
US09118141B2 Retention device and electrical connector assembly used thereof
A retention device (2) for positioning a heat sink (3) includes a base (21), a lever (22) and a pressing tab (23), the pressing tab (23) includes a first pushing portion (233) and a second pushing portion (232) for pressing the heat sink (3), the first pushing portion (233) includes an upper surface (2330) and a lower surface opposite (2331) to the upper surface (2330), the second pushing portion (232) includes a top surface (2320) and a bottom surface (2321) opposite to the top surface (2320), the distance between the upper surface (2330) and the lower surface (2331) is smaller than the distance between the top surface (2320) and the bottom surface (2321).
US09118137B2 Connector capable of restricting a relative rotational movement between female and male connectors
A connector includes a female connector and a male connector fitted in a hood of the female connector. The female connector includes: paired guide grooves either provided at opposed positions on an inside wall of the hood; and regulation projections either provided on bottom surfaces of the paired guide grooves. The male connector includes paired guide ribs provided on an outer periphery of the male connector. The paired guide ribs either positioned in the paired guide grooves with the female connector and the male connector being fitted together regulate a relative rotational movement between the female and male connector. The regulation projections either in contact with the paired guide ribs regulate a relative vertical and transverse movement between the female and male connectors.
US09118135B2 High voltage connecting terminal for power supply
A high voltage connecting terminal for a power supply with improved insulating properties is disclosed. The high voltage connecting terminal may include a power connecting portion having a base plate mounted at one side of a conducting case in which a first opening and a first fastening hole are formed and a power connecting terminal formed to protrude at one side of the base plate, an insulating member interposed between the conducting case and the power connecting portion and having a third opening and a third fastening hole formed therein, and an insulating gasket mounted at the other side of the conducting case and having a fourth opening and a fourth fastening hole formed therein, the insulating gasket including a protruding portion formed along an outer circumference of the fourth opening so as to pass through the first opening.
US09118124B2 Carrier rail adapter
A carrier rail adapter for an electric installation device, wherein the carrier rail adapter has a housing, to the lower side of which a latching component is attached which can be actuated by means of a locking and unlocking mechanism in order to attach the carrier rail adapter to a carrier rail or to remove the carrier rail adapter from the carrier rail, and on the upper side of which inner contact devices for connection of the electric installation device are provided, which are connected to connection terminals via inner conductors located in the housing, which connection terminals are provided on an end face of the housing for connection of electric lines.
US09118121B2 Bus bar
The invention provides a bus bar, which includes an elongated base plate, a plurality of tuning fork-shaped terminal portions and a plurality of plate-shaped terminal portions both extending from one lateral end of the elongated base plate, a terminal-protecting portions being perpendicular to the elongated base plate and extending from both longitudinal ends of the elongated base plate, and an electric wire-crimping portion extending from the other lateral end of the elongated base plate.
US09118120B2 Antenna arrangement for wireless communication
An apparatus comprising: a conductive member configured to receive an antenna and to form a non-conductive region between the conductive member and a ground member; and a switch having a first closed configuration and a second open configuration, the first closed configuration being configured to couple the conductive member to the ground member across the non-conductive region and to provide a first current path having a first electrical length and a first resonant frequency, the second open configuration being configured to provide a second current path having a second electrical length and a second resonant frequency, the second resonant frequency being lower than the first resonant frequency.
US09118119B2 Wireless communication device and feed-in method thereof
The present invention discloses a wireless communication device including a slot antenna, a radio-frequency (RF) signal processing module for processing an RF signal transmitted or received by the slot antenna, and an RF signal diplexer coupled between the slot antenna and the RF signal processing module for splitting up the RF signal into a first frequency component and a second frequency component during transmission, and synthesizing the RF signal corresponding to the first frequency component and the second frequency component during reception.
US09118113B2 Phased antenna arrays using a single phase shifter
Techniques for the design of low cost, low complexity phased arrays are described. The techniques allow control of the phase progression in the entire phased array by using only one phase shifter for a bank of arrays. In some examples, the phased array includes directional couplers, amplifying stages, power combiners and a phase shifter. The phase shifter may be of various kinds, including simple and compact phase shifters formed of varactor diodes and inductors or transmission lines.
US09118111B2 Antenna array calibration for wireless communication systems
Calibration for a transmit chain of a device transmitting information to multiple devices over wireless links includes selecting from between two or more calibration determination techniques. In certain aspects the techniques include phase only calibration and phase and amplitude calibration.
US09118109B2 Multiband antenna with grounded element
Various embodiments of an antenna structure for mobile devices are described. In one or more embodiments a multi-band antenna includes a grounded parasitic element. In some embodiments, a high band arm is provided, and is fed off-center, so that the resonating arms are not symmetrical in length. In some embodiments, a coupled ground resonator is included to add a differential resonating mode. A ground leg may be included to offer facilitate impedance and inductance matching. The combination of these structures creates four distinct resonance modes for the high band, which creases a wide effective bandwidth for the disclosed antenna. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09118107B2 Integrated circuit package with configurable antenna
Aspects of a method and system for a configurable antenna in an integrated circuit package are provided. In a hybrid circuit comprising an integrated circuit bonded to a multi-layer package, one or more antenna parameters may be adjusted by configuring a plurality of antenna elements via one or more switching elements. In this regard, the antenna elements and/or the switching elements may be within and/or on the multi-layer package and/or within the integrated circuit. The switching elements may be MEMS switches on and/or within the IC and/or the multi-layer package. The IC may be bonded or mounted to the underside of the package and signals may be communicated between the IC and the package via one or more solder balls. The IC may comprise suitable logic, circuitry, and/or code for configuring the antenna elements. The antenna elements may be configured based on desired polarization, antenna gain, and/or frequency.
US09118096B2 Wearable antenna having a microstrip feed line disposed on a flexible fabric and including periodic apertures in a ground plane
A feed structure for a wearable antenna incorporates a microstrip transmission line designed for mounting on opposite sides of a fabric. The transmission line has a perforated ground plane which reduces capacitance and offers an appropriate impedance, even when the fabric is thin, and allows the use of a relatively robust line conductor having a width of 3 mm or 5 mm or more. The ground plane can be extended to provide the ground plane of a balun and the material of that ground plane can in turn be extended to provide the wearable antenna.
US09118095B2 Capacitive RF coupler for utility smart meter radio frequency communications
Method and apparatus for locating a low insertion loss apparatus for capacitive coupling of radio frequency (RF) signals from within the confines of a dielectric housing of a utility meter, through the dielectric cover, avoiding the need for drilling a hole in the utility meter body or meter dielectric cover, to route the coaxial RF cable from the embedded wireless modem to an external remote antenna or in-line power amplifier. Specifically the invention relates to an improved capacitive coupling method, which provides for an un-tethered or tethered integral radio frequency (RF) coupler where said RF coupler is located within and on the outer surface of a replacement dielectric cover or alternately retro-fitted on the inner surface and outer surface of an existing utility meter dielectric cover. A method and apparatus for a, standalone, alternative embodiment of the capacitive RF Coupler apparatus is also described and illustrated herein.
US09118092B2 Cooling arrangement for at least one battery in a vehicle
A cooler arrangement for at least one battery (8) in a vehicle (1) includes a cooling circuit (12a-f) with a circulating cooling medium, a circulator (13) to circulate the cooling medium in the cooling circuit (12a-f), and a cooling region (A) where the cooling medium cools the battery (8). The cooler arrangement includes a container (10) with an enclosed internal space (11), in which the battery (8) and the cooling circuit (12a-f) with the circulating cooling medium are situated, and the container (10) includes a heat release region (B) where cooling medium is intended to release heat to surrounding air.
US09118084B2 Electrode for secondary battery, preparation thereof, and secondary battery and cable-type secondary battery comprising the same
A sheet-form electrode for a secondary battery includes a current collector; an electrode active material layer formed on one surface of the current collector; a porous organic-inorganic layer formed on the electrode active material layer and including inorganic particles and a polymer binder; and a first porous supporting layer formed on the porous organic-inorganic layer. The sheet-form electrode for a secondary battery has supporting layers on at least one surface thereof to exhibit surprisingly improved flexibility and prevent the release of the electrode active material layer from a current collector even if intense external forces are applied to the electrode, thereby preventing the decrease of battery capacity and improving the cycle life characteristic of the battery.
US09118082B2 Oxygen-consuming electrode and process for the production thereof
An oxygen-consuming electrode is described, more particularly for use in chloralkali electrolysis, comprising a novel catalyst coating based on silver and a finely divided silver oxide, as is an electrolysis apparatus. Also described is a production process for the oxygen-consuming electrode and the use thereof in chloralkali electrolysis or fuel cell technology.
US09118081B2 Membrane electrode assemblies with hydrogen peroxide decomposition catalyst
A membrane electrode assembly includes an anode including a hydrogen oxidation catalyst; a cathode; a membrane disposed between the anode and the cathode; and a peroxide decomposition catalyst positioned in at least one position selected from the group consisting of a layer between the anode and the membrane and a layer between the cathode and the membrane wherein the peroxide decomposition catalyst has selectivity when exposed to hydrogen peroxide toward reactions which form benign products from the hydrogen peroxide. The peroxide decomposition catalyst can also be positioned within the membrane. Also disclosed is a power-generating fuel cell system including such a membrane electrode assembly, and a process for operating such a fuel cell system. The assembly components contain ionomer material which can be perfluorinated or non-perfluorinated, high temperature, hydrocarbon, and the like.
US09118079B2 Nonaqueous electrolytic solution secondary battery, current collector and vehicle
A nonaqueous electrolytic solution secondary battery includes an electrode body that contains a positive electrode and a negative electrode. An upper limit operating potential of the positive electrode is 4.5 V or more based on metallic lithium. The positive electrode includes a current collector and an active material layer formed on the current collector. The current collector includes a base material and a surface layer disposed on a surface of the base material. The surface layer is disposed at least in a region where the active material layer is not formed on the surface of the base material. The surface layer is formed of an aluminum material having an aluminum content of 99.85% by mass or more. The base material is formed of a conductive material having strength larger than strength of the surface layer.
US09118078B2 Method of forming a film of graphite oxide single layers, and applications of same
A method for forming a film of graphite oxide single layers. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of preparing a solution of graphite oxide to allow a plurality of graphite oxide single layers to be formed and dispersed in the solution; and applying the solution of graphite oxide onto an air-water interface of water to form a film at the air-water interface, wherein the film comprises a plurality of graphite oxide single layers and is characterized by a packing density, wherein the film of graphite oxide single layers is formed with no presence of a surfactant or stabilizing agent.
US09118077B2 Manufacturing method of composite oxide and manufacturing method of power storage device
An object is to reduce variation in shape of crystals that are to be manufactured. Raw materials are each weighed, solutions containing the respective raw materials are formed in an environment where an oxygen concentration is lower than that in air, the solutions containing the respective raw materials are mixed in an environment where an oxygen concentration is lower than that in air to form a mixture solution, and with use of the mixture solution, a composite oxide is formed by a hydrothermal method.
US09118073B2 Fade-resistant high capacity electrodes for a lithium-ion battery
The gravimetric and volumetric efficiency of lithium ion batteries may be increased if higher capacity materials like tin and silicon are substituted for carbon as the lithium-accepting host in the negative electrode of the battery. But both tin and silicon, when fully charged with lithium, undergo expansions of up to 300% and generate appreciable internal stresses. These internal stresses, which will develop on each discharge-charge cycle, may lead to a progressive reduction in battery capacity, also known as battery fade. The effects of the internal stresses may be significantly reduced by partially embedding tin or silicon nanowires in the current collector. Additional benefit may be obtained if a 5 to 50% portion of the nanowire length at its embedded end are coated or masked with a composition which impedes lithium diffusion. Methods for embedding and masking the nanowires are described.
US09118071B2 Rechargeable battery
A rechargeable battery configured to stably and easily interrupt a current includes: an electrode assembly including a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; a case containing the electrode assembly therein and having a first opening at one end thereof; and a first plate coupled to the case and sealing the first opening, the first plate electrically connected to the electrode assembly, wherein the first plate includes a wrinkle portion configured to deform for disconnecting the first plate from the electrode assembly when an internal pressure of the case is greater than a reference pressure.
US09118070B2 Energy storage element
An energy storage element comprising: a container; an electrode assembly housed in the container; an electrode terminal provided in the container; and a current collector which electrically connects the electrode terminal and the electrode assembly, wherein the current collector is positioned inside the container, and includes: a base part connected to the electrode terminal; and arm parts which have a plate shape, extend from the base part, and are connected to the electrode assembly in a state that the plate-shaped arm parts sandwich the electrode assembly, and paired arm parts which are outermost two of the arm parts are apart from each other with a spacing larger than a width of the base part in a direction in which the paired arm parts are arranged.
US09118069B2 Battery cell with integrated busbar
A battery cell has a main body including active material configured to generate power from an electrochemical reaction. A first terminal is disposed on the main body and includes an integrated busbar. The integrated busbar is configured to place the battery cell in electrical communication with a second terminal of an adjacent battery cell.
US09118055B2 Battery pack
A battery pack that has end plates and side plates so as to define an opening. The end plates and side plates are interconnected to inhibit swelling of the batteries in direction of the end plates. The battery pack includes a top plate that is interconnected to the side plates so as to maintain an interval between the side plates to inhibit swelling of the batteries in the direction of the side plates.
US09118052B2 Integrated natural gas powered SOFC systems
The present invention discloses an integrated SOFC system powered by natural gas. Specifically, a SOFC-O cell is combined with a SOFC-H cell so as to take advantage of the high operating temperature and steam reforming capabilities of the SOFC-O cell as well as the higher fuel conversion efficiency of the SOFC-H cell.
US09118048B2 Engine systems and methods of operating an engine
One embodiment of the present invention is a unique method for operating an engine. Another embodiment is a unique engine system. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for engines and engine systems. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.
US09118045B2 High temperature lithium battery, having initial low temperature use capability
A battery adapted to operate at low (typically ambient) temperatures for a short initial period and thereafter at higher temperatures. A Li—Mg alloy anode is provided, including up to 25% magnesium, in a liquid thionyl chloride bath which acts as the cathode. A thin, substantially pure lithium layer is applied to a surface of the Li—Mg anode, preferably of a thickness in the range of 0.0019 to 0.0025 inch to allow obtaining of sufficiently high power and voltage output at lower temperatures for a short period where at such lower temperatures the required voltage and power would not otherwise be available from a Li—Mg anode. Thereafter, the battery may be used in, and exposed to, higher temperatures where at such temperatures the necessary voltage and power from the remaining Li—Mg alloy anode is then available.
US09118043B2 Membrane/electrode assembly for polymer electrolyte fuel cells and polymer electrolyte fuel cell
To provide a membrane/electrode assembly for polymer electrolyte fuel cells, which is capable of providing high power generation performance even under a low humidity condition and has sufficient mechanical strength and dimensional stability, and which has an excellent durability even in an environment where moistening and drying are repeated, and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell which is capable of providing high power generation performance even under a low humidity condition.A membrane/electrode assembly 10 is used, which comprises a cathode 20 having a catalyst layer 22, an anode 30 having a catalyst layer 32, and a polymer electrolyte membrane 40 interposed between the catalyst layer 22 of the cathode 20 and the catalyst layer 32 of the anode 30, wherein at least one of the cathode 20 and the anode 30 further has a reinforcing layer 26 comprising a porous sheet-form reinforcing material made of a polymer, and an electrically conductive fiber.
US09118040B2 Electrochemical cell with improved water or gas management
An electrochemical cell having a water/gas porous separator prepared from a polymeric material and one or more conductive cell components that pass through, or are located in close proximity to, the water/gas porous separator, is provided. The inventive cell provides a high level of in-cell electrical conductivity.
US09118037B2 Method of manufacturing flexible substrate and method of manufacturing display device using the same
A sacrificial layer is formed on a support substrate and a flexible substrate is formed on the sacrificial layer. Pixels are then formed on the flexible substrate. The sacrificial layer is heated by microwave energy, and a gas is discharged from the sacrificial layer. The flexible substrate, including the pixels formed thereon, is separated from the support substrate including the sacrificial layer formed thereon using the gas.
US09118036B2 Organic light emitting device and method of manufacturing the same
Disclosed is an organic light emitting device and a method of manufacturing the same, wherein the organic light emitting device is decreased in its thickness, and also decreased in its radius of curvature so as to realize the flexible device, and the organic light emitting device comprising a first component including a first plurality of layers, the first plurality of layers including a thin film transistor layer deposited on a surface of a first substrate, an emitting component layer deposited on the thin film transistor layer, and a passivation layer deposited on the emitting component layer; a second component including a second plurality of layers that are deposited on a surface of a second substrate without using an adhesive; and an adhesion layer between the first component and the second component, the adhesion layer coupling together the first component and the second component.
US09118035B2 Organic light-emitting display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes: a substrate including an emission region and a non-emission region and having a recess formed in at least a portion of the non-emission region; a black matrix disposed in the recess; a thin film transistor disposed on the non-emission region of the substrate and including an active layer, a gate electrode, and source and drain electrodes; a pixel electrode disposed on the emission region of the substrate and electrically connected to one of the source and drain electrodes; an organic emission layer disposed on the pixel electrode; and an opposite electrode disposed on the organic emission layer.
US09118032B2 Organic light emitting device
Disclosed is an organic light emitting device that comprises first and second electrodes; first and second stacks arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode, the first and second stacks respectively emitting colors different from each other; and an intermediate layer arranged between the first stack and the second stack, wherein the intermediate layer includes a first intermediate layer arranged adjacent to the first stack to provide electrons to the first stack, and a second intermediate layer arranged adjacent to the second stack to provide holes to the second stack, and wherein the second intermediate layer includes a P-doping charge generating layer arranged on the first intermediate layer and a layer having a hole transporting characteristic and formed on the P-doping charge generating layer.
US09118030B2 Organic light-emitting device and method of manufacturing the same
Disclosed is an organic light-emitting device. The organic light-emitting device includes a first pixel electrode that is disposed on a substrate, a first conductive film that is formed on the substrate to cover the first pixel electrode, a second conductive pattern and an insulating layer that are sequentially formed on the first conductive film and include an opening which exposes a portion of a top of the first conductive film, a hole injection layer that is formed on the opening and the insulating layer to cover the exposed first conductive film, a hole transport layer that is formed in a partial region of the hole injection layer and the opening, and an emissive layer that is formed on the hole transport layer.
US09118028B2 Organic electroluminescent device
Provided is an organic electroluminescent device (organic EL device) that is improved in luminous efficiency, sufficiently secures driving stability, and has a simple configuration. The device comprises a plurality of organic layers between an anode and a cathode piled one upon another on a substrate wherein at least one of the organic layers contains a nitrogen-containing organic compound represented by the following formula (1). In formula (1), X is N-A, an oxygen atom, or a sulfur atom; A is an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aromatic hydrocarbon group, or an aromatic heterocyclic group; and R is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aromatic hydrocarbon group, or an aromatic heterocyclic group.
US09118026B2 Organic semiconductors as window layers for inorganic solar cells
Disclosed is a device comprising: an anode; a cathode; an inorganic substrate; and at least one organic window layer positioned between: the anode and the inorganic substrate; or the cathode and the inorganic substrate. Also disclosed is a method of enhancing the performance of a photosensitive device having an anode, a cathode, and an inorganic substrate, comprising: positioning at least one organic window layer between the anode and the cathode. In one embodiment the organic window layer may absorb light and generate excitons that migrate to the inorganic where they convert to photocurrent, thereby increasing the efficiency of the device. Also disclosed is a method of enhancing Schottky barrier height of a photosensitive device, the method being substantially similar to the previously defined method.
US09118023B2 Material for organic electronic device, and organic electronic device using same
The present invention provides a novel compound that is capable of largely improving a life time, efficiency, electrochemical stability, and thermal stability of an organic electronic device, and an organic electronic device that comprises an organic material layer comprising the compound.
US09118018B2 Flexible transparent conductive film, LED flexible transparent display structure using the film, and method for forming the display structure
A conductive material having a mixture of PEDOT:PSS is provided. The conductive material can be used to form a flexible transparent conductive film. Furthermore, various LED-type flexible transparent displays can be formed by the flexible transparent conductive film.
US09118017B2 Host compounds for red phosphorescent OLEDs
Novel compounds containing a triphenylene moiety linked to an αβ connected binaphthyl ring system are provided. These compounds have surprisingly good solubility in organic solvents and are useful as host compounds in red phosphorescent OLEDs.
US09118015B2 Method for making organic light emitting diode array
The disclosure relates to a method of making organic light emitting diode array. A base defining a number of convexities is provided. Three of the convexities, that correspond to the same pixel unit, have different heights. A number of first electrodes are applied on the number of convexities. A number of electroluminescent layers are transfer printed on the number of first electrodes to form the number of organic light emitting layers. A patterned second insulative layer is made to cover the number of first electrodes and expose the number of organic light emitting layers. A second electrode is electrically connected to the number of organic light emitting layers.
US09118013B2 Method for producing organic EL element
In a step of forming one or a plurality of organic layers, an object to be coated to become an organic EL element is arranged such that a surface to form the organic layer faces down, while a nozzle having a plurality of slit-shaped outlets for discharging thereabove a coating liquid containing a material to become the organic layer and downwardly depressed cutouts respectively formed at both end parts of each of the slit-shaped outlets is arranged under the object. A coating step of moving the nozzle and the object relative to each other in a predetermined coating direction while keeping the coating liquid discharged from the nozzle in contact with the object and a non-coating step of moving the nozzle and the object relative to each other in the coating direction while keeping the coating liquid away from the object are alternately repeated.
US09118009B2 Method of fabricating a variable reistance memory device
A method of fabricating a memory device includes defining a cell region on a substrate and defining a dummy region around the cell region, forming bit lines on a top surface of the substrate, the bit lines extending in one direction, forming cell vertical structures on top surfaces of the bit lines corresponding to the cell region, each cell vertical structure including a cell diode and a variable resistive element, forming dummy vertical structures on top surfaces of the bit lines corresponding to the dummy region, each dummy vertical structure including a dummy diode and a variable resistive element, and forming word lines in contact with top surfaces of the cell vertical structures and dummy vertical structures, the word lines intersecting the bit lines at right angles. The cell diode includes a first impurity pattern and a second impurity pattern, the dummy diode includes a first lightly doped impurity pattern and a second impurity pattern, and the variable resistive element includes a first electrode, a variable resistor, and a second electrode.
US09118006B1 Carbon-chalcogenide variable resistance memory device
A variable resistance memory device that includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a first chalcogenide material layer between the first and second electrodes, the chalcogenide layer including carbon incorporated into germanium selenide chalcogenide glass. The variable resistance memory device may include a second chalcogenide material layer between the first chalcogenide material layer and the second electrode. The variable resistance memory device may include a first metallic layer between the second chalcogenide material layer and the second electrode. The variable resistance memory device may include a third chalcogenide material layer between the first metallic layer and the second electrode. The variable resistance memory device may include a fourth chalcogenide material layer between the first chalcogenide material layer and the first electrode. The first chalcogenide layer may be formed by co-sputtering carbon with Ge40Se60.
US09118005B2 Manufacturing method of a memory device with a reversible variable-resistance memory layer between electrodes extending along intersecting directions
A manufacturing method of a memory apparatus in which memory devices each having a memory layer whose resistance value reversibly varies by voltage application between bottom and upper electrodes are formed, includes: forming and shaping a bottom electrode material film into a first linear pattern extending in a first direction; forming a memory layer material film and an upper electrode material film in this order on the bottom electrode material film; forming the upper electrodes and the memory layers by shaping the upper electrode material film and the memory layer material film into a second linear pattern extending in a second direction intersecting with the first direction; and forming the bottom electrodes having a quadrangle plane shape at regions where the first linear pattern intersect with the second linear pattern by shaping the bottom electrode material film into the second linear pattern.
US09118002B2 Methods of forming patterns and methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices using the same
An insulation layer is formed on a substrate. A first mask is formed on the insulation layer. The first mask includes a plurality of line patterns arranged in a second direction. The plurality of line patterns extend in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the second direction. A second mask is formed on the insulation layer and the first mask. The second mask includes an opening partially exposing the plurality of line patterns. The opening has an uneven boundary at one of a first end portion in the first direction and a second end portion in a third direction substantially opposite to the first direction. The insulation layer is partially removed using the first mask and the second mask as an etching mask, thereby forming a plurality of first trenches and second trenches. The plurality of first trenches and the second trenches are arranged in a staggered pattern.
US09118001B2 Techniques for treating sidewalls of patterned structures using angled ion treatment
In one embodiment a method of method of treating a sidewall layer of a patterned feature includes providing the patterned feature as an etched structure comprising one or more layers disposed on a substrate and generally parallel to a plane of the substrate defined by a front surface of the substrate. The sidewall layer comprises material from the one or more etched layers. The method further includes arranging the substrate proximate a sheath modifier that is adjacent a plasma, and providing ions in an ion dose to the substrate by extracting the ions from the plasma through the sheath modifier, the ions impinging upon the substrate at an angle with respect to a perpendicular to the plane of the substrate.
US09117997B2 Multilayer piezoelectric actuator
An actuator body, including a plurality of piezoceramic layers, separated from each other by a positive or negative internal electrode in alternation, positive and negative collecting electrodes, which are arranged on two outer faces of the actuator body and are conductively connected to the associated positive or negative internal electrodes, wherein the actuator body of the multilayer actuator has at least one positive and one negative contacting electrode, by which the multilayer actuator is electrically contacted and is conductively connected to the associated positive or negative collecting electrode, and the contacting electrodes are arranged in areas of the actuator body that are provided with a base metallization. The areas of the actuator body with a base metallization are spaced apart from each other and distances from the internal electrodes, wherein the distances are not less than the thickness of the piezoceramic layers in the active area of the multilayer actuator.
US09117993B2 Piezoelectric element and stacked piezoelectric structure
A stacked piezoelectric actuator has a laminate structure including piezoelectric layers and cover parts such that when an external electrode is applied with drive voltage, the piezoelectric layers become distorted and the entire stacked piezoelectric actuator deforms, and at that time, the cover parts become displaced, wherein the distortion difference occurring between the piezoelectric layers and the cover parts reduces, thereby inhibiting the development of cracks. Moreover, the surface area of the active region of the piezoelectric layers is the same as the surface area of the active region of the cover parts, and therefore the loss of the displacement transfer, which is produced by the piezoelectric layers, at the cover parts is reliably reduced.
US09117990B2 Nanowire LED structure and method for manufacturing the same
A light emitting diode (LED) structure includes a plurality of devices arranged side by side on a support layer. Each device includes a first conductivity type semiconductor nanowire core and an enclosing second conductivity type semiconductor shell for forming a pn or pin junction that in operation provides an active region for light generation. A first electrode layer extends over the plurality of devices and is in electrical contact with at least a top portion of the devices to connect to the shell. The first electrode layer is at least partly air-bridged between the devices.
US09117988B2 Light-emitting device
The light-emitting device of the disclosure includes at least one LED chip and a mounting substrate. The mounting substrate includes: a ceramic substrate; a reflection layer situated on a second surface on the opposite side of the ceramic substrate from a first surface; and a gas barrier layer covering the reflection layer. The LED chip is bonded to the first surface of the ceramic substrate. The ceramic substrate has light diffusion and transmissive properties and has a plan size larger than a plan size of the LED chip. The reflection layer has a plan size smaller than a plan size of the ceramic substrate and is formed so as to cover an area larger than a projected area of the LED chip on the second surface of the ceramic substrate.
US09117987B2 Light emitting device and method for manufacturing light emitting device
A semiconductor device includes a substrate; a light emitting element flip-chip mounted on the substrate; a phosphor-containing member provided at least above the light emitting element and separated from the light emitting element; and a first reflecting member configured to cover the phosphor-containing member, at least one of a side faces of the light emitting device having an opening for extracting light emitted from the light emitting element and light wavelength-converted by the phosphor-containing member.
US09117986B2 Light emitting device
A light emitting device may be provided that includes a conductive support member, a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, an insulation layer between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, and a light emitting structure that includes a second semiconductor layer on the second conductive layer, a first semiconductor layer, and an active layer between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer. The first conductive layer may include at least one conductive via that passes through the second conductive layer, the second semiconductor layer and the active layer. A top surface of the at least one conductive via is provided into the first semiconductor layer. The insulation layer may substantially surround a side wall of the conductive via.
US09117981B2 Silicate phosphor exhibiting high light emission characteristics and moisture resistance, and light emitting device
A silicate phosphor having a coating layer comprising a fluorine-containing compound on its surface which is obtained by a method of heating a mixture of 100 weight parts of a silicate phosphor and 0.5-15 weight parts of ammonium fluoride at a temperature in the range of 200 to 600° C. exhibits high light emission intensity and high moisture resistance.
US09117977B2 Light emitting device, display apparatus, and illuminating apparatus
A light emitting device includes an excitation light source element that emits excitation light; a substrate that faces the excitation light source element; a fluorescent layer located on the substrate, the fluorescent layer being excited by the excitation light to emit fluorescence; an optical reflection body disposed on a side surface of the fluorescent layer, the side surface extending in a direction parallel to a stacking direction of the substrate and the fluorescent layer; and a low-refractive-index material layer disposed between the fluorescent layer and the substrate, the low-refractive-index material layer having a refractive index lower than that of the substrate.
US09117971B2 Semiconductor light-emitting device and method for fabricating the same
A semiconductor light-emitting device is provided. The semiconductor light-emitting device may include a light-emitting structure, an electrode, an ohmic layer, an electrode layer, an adhesion layer, and a channel layer. The light-emitting structure may include a compound semiconductor layer. The electrode may be disposed on the light-emitting structure. The ohmic layer may be disposed under the light-emitting structure. The electrode layer may include a reflective metal under the ohmic layer. The adhesion layer may be disposed under the electrode layer. The channel layer may be disposed along a bottom edge of the light-emitting structure.
US09117969B2 Thermoelectric device, thermoelectric apparatus having a multiplicity of thermoelectric devices and motor vehicle having a thermoelectric apparatus
A thermoelectric device includes at least a first metal foil having a first material thickness, a second metal foil having a second material thickness, an interspace between the first metal foil and the second metal foil, an electrical insulation coating on the first metal foil and the second metal foil towards the interspace and a multiplicity of first semiconductor components and second semiconductor components, which are fixed and electrically connected to one another on the insulation coating in the interspace. A thermoelectric apparatus having a multiplicity of thermoelectric devices and a motor vehicle having a thermoelectric apparatus, are also provided.
US09117968B2 Light-emitting diode structure
A light-emitting diode structure includes an AuSn or AuIn-containing bonding layer over a substrate, a metal layer disposed over the bonding layer, a p-type doped gallium nitride (p-GaN) layer disposed over the metal layer, a n-type doped gallium nitride (n-GaN) layer approximate the p-GaN layer, a multiple quantum well structure disposed between the n-GaN and p-GaN layers, and a conductive contact disposed on the n-GaN layer. The n-GaN layer includes a rough surface with randomly distributed dips. The nano-sized dips have diameters distributed between about 100 nm and about 600 nm, have a dip density ranging from about 107 grains/cm2 to about 109 grains/cm2, and are spaced from each other with an average spacing S, average diameter D, and a ratio S/D that ranges between about 1.1 and about 1.5. The conductive contact is disposed on some of the nano-sized dips of the rough surface.
US09117963B2 Solar cell
A solar cell includes a photoelectric conversion layer and a front electrode on the photoelectric conversion layer. The front electrode includes a bus bar electrode; at least one first finger electrode directly connected to the bus bar electrode; a plurality of connecting electrodes extending from the bus bar electrode and having a width smaller than a width of the bus bar electrode, wherein the plurality of connecting electrodes includes portions that are spaced apart from each other to form a space therebetween; at least one second finger electrode connected to at least one of the plurality of connecting electrodes; and an auxiliary electrode formed at the space between the portions of the plurality of connecting electrodes.
US09117961B2 Nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting element
A nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting element includes a substrate and a nitride semiconductor multilayer structure. The nitride semiconductor multilayer structure includes a nitride semiconductor active layer which emits polarized light. Angle θ, which is formed by at least one of the plurality of lateral surfaces of the substrate with respect to the principal surface of the substrate, is greater than 90°. Angle θ2 (mod 180°), which is an absolute value of an angle which is formed by an intersecting line of at least one of the plurality of lateral surfaces of the substrate and the principal surface of the substrate with respect to a polarization direction in the principal surface of the polarized light, is an angle which does not include 0° or 90°.
US09117959B2 Light emitting diode structure
A light emitting diode structure is provided. The light emitting diode structure includes a substrate, a light emitting multi-layer structure, a first current blocking layer, a first current spreading layer, a second current blocking layer and a second current spreading layer. The light emitting multi-layer structure is formed on the substrate by way of stacking. The first current blocking layer is formed on part of the light emitting multi-layer structure. The first current spreading layer covers the first current blocking layer and the light emitting multi-layer structure. The second current blocking layer is formed on part of the first current spreading layer. An orthogonal projection of the second current blocking layer is disposed in an orthogonal projection of the first current blocking layer. The second current spreading layer covers the second current blocking layer and the first current spreading layer.
US09117958B2 Photoelectric conversion device comprising photoelectric conversion element
It is an object to provide a photoelectric conversion device whose power consumption and a mounting area are reduced and yield is improved and further to provide a photoelectric conversion device whose number of manufacturing processes and manufacturing cost are reduced. A photoelectric conversion device includes a photoelectric conversion element for outputting photocurrent corresponding to illuminance, and a resistor changing resistance corresponding to illuminance. In the photoelectric conversion device, one terminal of the photoelectric conversion element and one terminal of the resistor are electrically connected in series; the other terminal of the photoelectric conversion element is connected to a high power supply potential; the other terminal of the resistor is connected to a low power supply potential; and a light intensity adjusting unit is provided on a light reception surface side of the photoelectric conversion element or the resistor to adjust illuminance.
US09117955B2 Semiconductor structures having active regions comprising ingan, methods of forming such semiconductor structures, and light emitting devices formed from such semiconductor structures
Semiconductor structures include an active region between a plurality of layers of InGaN. The active region may be at least substantially comprised by InGaN. The plurality of layers of InGaN include at least one well layer comprising InwGa1-wN, and at least one barrier layer comprising InbGa1-bN proximate the at least one well layer. In some embodiments, the value of w in the InwGa1-wN of the well layer may be greater than or equal to about 0.10 and less than or equal to about 0.40 in some embodiments, and the value of b in the InbGa1-bN of the at least one barrier layer may be greater than or equal to about 0.01 and less than or equal to about 0.10. Methods of fainting semiconductor structures include growing such layers of InGaN to form an active region of a light emitting device, such as an LED. Luminary devices include such LEDs.
US09117953B2 Solar cell module and solar cell
Disclosed is a solar cell module that includes: a plurality of solar cells; wiring material electrically connecting solar cells with each other; and resin adhesive that bonds solar cells and wiring material together. Solar cells each include photoelectric conversion body and electrode. Electrode includes finger electrode. Finger electrode extends in direction y orthogonal to direction x in which wiring material extends. In bonding area of finger electrode bonded to wiring material, an end portion on one side in direction y in which finger electrode extends is bonded to wiring material with lower bonding strength than at least part of the other portion of bonding area.
US09117952B2 Front sheet of solar cell, method of manufacturing the same and photovoltaic module comprising the same
A front sheet of solar cell, a method of manufacturing the same and a photovoltaic module are provided. The front sheet of solar cell can effectively block infrared rays (IRs) by forming an IR blocking layer including a cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) material on a substrate. Thus, an increase in temperature of a cell can be suppressed so that the power generation efficiency of the cell can be improved. Also, the multi-layered sheet can be configured so that a UV blocking layer including a fluorine-based polymer and a wavelength conversion material can be formed on the IR blocking layer. Thus, wavelengths of a UV region can be converted into wavelengths of a VR region so that the power generation efficiency of the cell can be improved, and discoloration and deformation caused by UVs can be prevented so that the weather resistance can be improved.
US09117949B2 Structure and fabrication method of a high performance MEMS thermopile IR detector
The invention involves structure and fabrication method of a high performance IR detector. The structure comprises a substrate; a releasing barrier band on the substrate; a thermal isolation chamber constructed by the releasing barrier band; a black silicon-based IR absorber located right above the thermal isolation chamber and the black silicon-based IR absorber is set on the releasing barrier band; a number of thermocouples are set around the lateral sides of the black silicon-based IR absorber. The thermopiles around the black silicon-based IR absorber are electrically connected in series. The cold junctions of the thermopile are connected to the substrate through the first thermal-conductive-electrical-isolated structures as well as the heat conductor under the first thermal-conductive-electrical-isolated structures. The hot junctions of the thermopile are in contact with the IR absorber through the second thermal-conductive-electrical-isolated structures, and the second thermal-conductive-electrical-isolated structures are located above the releasing barrier band. The structure of such detector is simple, and it is easy to implement and can also be monolithicly integrated. Such detector has high responsivity and detection rate, and is CMOS-compatible, thus can be used widely in a safe and reliable manner.
US09117945B2 Carbon nano-tube (CNT) thin film treated with chemical having electron withdrawing functional group and manufacturing method thereof
Disclosed are a carbon nano-tube (CNT) thin film treated with chemical having an electron withdrawing functional group and a manufacturing method thereof. Specifically, the CNT thin film comprises a CNT composition to be applied on a plastic substrate. The CNT composition comprises a CNT; and chemical connected to the CNT and having an electron withdrawing functional group. In addition, the method for manufacturing a CNT thin film comprises steps of preparing a CNT; treating the CNT with chemical having an electron withdrawing functional group; mixing the CNT treated with the chemical with a dispersing agent or dispersing solvent to prepare a CNT dispersed solution; and forming a CNT thin film with the CNT dispersed solution. According to the CNT thin film and the manufacturing method thereof, a resistance of an electrode is decreased to improve the electric conductivity of the electrode.
US09117944B2 Semiconductor light emitting devices grown on composite substrates
A plurality of III-nitride semiconductor structures, each including a light emitting layer disposed between an n-type region and a p-type region, are grown on a composite substrate. The composite substrate includes a plurality of islands of III-nitride material connected to a host by a bonding layer. The plurality of III-nitride semiconductor structures are grown on the III-nitride islands. The composite substrate may be formed such that each island of III-nitride material is at least partially relaxed. As a result, the light emitting layer of each semiconductor structure has an a-lattice constant greater than 3.19 angstroms.
US09117942B2 Electronic device and electronic device manufacturing method
An electronic device including: a substrate; a bank formed above the substrate; a semiconductor layer formed within an aperture surrounded by the bank; and electrodes electrically connected to the semiconductor layer. An outline of the aperture in plan view includes a first straight edge, a second straight edge continuous with one end of the first edge via a first connector, and a straight third edge continuous with the other end of the first edge via a second connector. The area of a first connector region differs from the area of a second connector region, the first connector region being defined by a first imaginary straight line along the first edge, a second imaginary straight line along the second edge, and the first connector, and the second connector region being defined by a third imaginary straight line along the third edge, the first imaginary straight line, and the second connector.
US09117941B2 LED package and method of the same
A method of LED package includes: forming a P-type through-hole and a N-type through-hole through a substrate; forming a conductive material on the sidewall of said P-type through-hole and N-type through-hole; forming a reflective layer on an upper surface of said substrate; aligning a P-type pad and a N-type pad with said P-type through-hole and said N-type through-hole, respectively, said P-type pad and N-type pad being formed on a first surface of a LED die, wherein said LED die is formed on said upper surface of said substrate; forming electrical connection from said P-type pad and said N-type pad by a copper refilling material within said P-type through-hole and said N-type through-hole; and a P-type terminal pad which positioned under said substrate electrically coupled to said P-type pad via said copper refilling material within said P-type through-hole, and a N-type terminal pad which positioned under said substrate electrically coupled to said N-type pad via said copper refilling material within said N-type through-hole.
US09117939B2 Method of forming wafer-level molded structure for package assembly
A method of forming an integrated circuit structure is provided. In an embodiment, the method includes bonding top dies onto a bottom wafer and then molding a first molding material onto and in between the top dies and the bottom wafer. The bottom wafer, the top dies, and the first molding material are sawed to form molding units. Each of the molding units includes one of the top dies and a bottom die sawed from the bottom wafer. The molding units are bonded onto a package substrate and a second molding material is molding onto the one of the molding units and the package substrate. Thereafter, the package substrate and the second molding material are sawed to form package-molded units.
US09117937B2 Group III nitride semiconductor frequency multiplier
A varactor comprising two Schottky diodes, each diode comprising a substrate and a plurality of layers formed on the substrate including at least one GaN layer and at least one semi-insulating material layer formed of a material with an energy gap greater than 3.5 and free carrier mobility less than 300 cm2/V-s; the Schottky diodes having cathodes adapted to be connected to an AC voltage input and being configured so that as the AC voltage applied to the cathodes increases the capacitance decreases nonlinearly, the nonlinear transition from high capacitance to low capacitance being adjustable by utilizing the intrinsic carrier concentration of the semi-insulating layer to obtain an optimal nonlinear transition for the predetermined AC voltage applied to the cathodes. A method of making a varactor comprising computer modeling to produce capacitance-voltage curves, modifying at least one semi-insulating region, and modeling power input/output efficiency for a predetermined input signal.
US09117933B2 Capacitive pressure sensing semiconductor device
A capacitive pressure sensing semiconductor device is provided, which has pressure resistance against pressure applied by a pressing member and can detect the pressure surely and efficiently. The pressure sensing semiconductor device includes a pressure detecting part, which detects pressure as a change in capacitance, and a package that receives the pressure detecting part within. The pressure detecting part includes a first electrode and a second electrode disposed to oppose the first electrode, with a determined distance therebetween. Capacitance is formed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and changes according to a change in said distance caused by pressure transmitted to the first electrode by a pressing member. The package also includes a pressure transmitting member that transmits, to the first electrode of the pressure detecting part, the pressure applied by the pressing member.
US09117932B2 Semiconductor pressure sensor and fabrication method thereof
At a pressure sensor region, a pressure sensor including a fixed electrode, a void and a movable electrode is formed. At a CMOS region, a memory cell transistor and a field effect transistor are formed. An etching hole communicating with the void is closed by a first sealing film. The void is formed by removing a region of a film identical to the film of a gate electrode of the memory cell transistor. The movable electrode is formed of a film identical to the film of a gate electrode.
US09117931B2 Semiconductor device with a resonator using acoustic standing wave excited in semiconductor crystal
A semiconductor device according to an embodiment has: a semiconductor substrate; an acoustic resonator formed on the semiconductor substrate, having a semiconductor layer including impurity electrically isolated from the substrate by depletion layer and configured to resonate at a predetermined resonance frequency based on acoustic standing wave excited in the semiconductor layer; a temperature detector formed on the semiconductor substrate and configured to detect temperature of the semiconductor substrate; a calculating unit formed on the semiconductor substrate and configured to perform calculation of temperature compensation based on the temperature detected by the temperature detector, kind of the impurity and concentration of the impurity; and a controller formed on the semiconductor substrate and configured to control the resonance frequency based on a result of the calculation by the calculating unit.
US09117929B2 Method for forming a strained transistor by stress memorization based on a stressed implantation mask
By using an implantation mask having a high intrinsic stress, SMT sequences may be provided in which additional lithography steps may be avoided. Consequently, a strain source may be provided without significantly contributing to the overall process complexity.
US09117928B2 Cross-point diode arrays and methods of manufacturing cross-point diode arrays
Methods of forming an array of memory cells and memory cells that have pillars. Individual pillars can have a semiconductor post formed of a bulk semiconductor material and a sacrificial cap on the semiconductor post. Source regions can be between columns of the pillars, and gate lines extend along a column of pillars and are spaced apart from corresponding source regions. Each gate line surrounds a portion of the semiconductor posts along a column of pillars. The sacrificial cap structure can be selectively removed to thereby form self-aligned openings that expose a top portion of corresponding semiconductor posts. Individual drain contacts formed in the self-aligned openings are electrically connected to corresponding semiconductor posts.
US09117924B2 Magnetic memory element and method of manufacturing the same
According to one embodiment, a magnetic memory element includes a first magnetic layer having a first surface and a second surface being opposite to the first surface, a second magnetic layer, an intermediate layer which is provided between the first surface of the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, a layer which is provided on the second surface of the first magnetic layer, the layer containing B and at least one element selected from Hf, Al, and Mg, and an insulating layer which is provided on a sidewall of the intermediate layer, the insulating layer containing at least one element selected from the Hf, Al, and Mg contained in the layer.
US09117923B2 Three-dimensional semiconductor memory device and a method of fabricating the same
A method of forming a semiconductor memory device includes stacking a plurality of alternating first insulating layers and first sacrificial layers on a substrate to form a first multilayer structure, forming a first hole through the first multilayer structure, forming a first semiconductor pattern in the first hole, stacking a plurality of alternating second insulating layers and second sacrificial layers on the first multilayer structure to form a second multilayer structure, forming a second hole through the second multilayer structure to be aligned with the first hole, forming a second semiconductor pattern in the second hole, forming a trench to expose sidewalls of the first and second insulating layers at a side of the first and second semiconductor patterns, removing at least some portions of the first and second sacrificial layers to form a plurality of recess regions, forming an information storage layer, and forming a conductive pattern.
US09117921B2 Thin film transistor and organic light emitting diode display
A thin film transistor includes a gate electrode extending from a scan line of a display and having an edge, and a connection line connecting the edge of the gate electrode to the scan line.
US09117920B2 Method for manufacturing semiconductor device using oxide semiconductor
Stable electrical characteristics and high reliability are provided to a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor. In a process of manufacturing a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film, an amorphous oxide semiconductor film is formed, and oxygen is added to the amorphous oxide semiconductor film, so that an amorphous oxide semiconductor film containing excess oxygen is formed. Then, an aluminum oxide film is formed over the amorphous oxide semiconductor film, and heat treatment is performed thereon to crystallize at least part of the amorphous oxide semiconductor film, so that a crystalline oxide semiconductor film is formed.
US09117919B2 Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
An object is to provide a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor film, which has stable electrical characteristics and high reliability. A stack of first and second material films is formed by forming the first material film (a film having a hexagonal crystal structure) having a thickness of 1 nm to 10 nm over an insulating surface and forming the second material film having a hexagonal crystal structure (a crystalline oxide semiconductor film) using the first material film as a nucleus. As the first material film, a material film having a wurtzite crystal structure (e.g., gallium nitride or aluminum nitride) or a material film having a corundum crystal structure (α-Al2O3, α-Ga2O3, In2O3, Ti2O3, V2O3, Cr2O3, or α-Fe2O3) is used.
US09117916B2 Semiconductor device comprising oxide semiconductor film
A semiconductor device which is miniaturized while favorable characteristics thereof are maintained is provided. In addition, the miniaturized semiconductor device is provided with a high yield. The semiconductor device has a structure including an oxide semiconductor film provided over a substrate having an insulating surface; a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer which are provided in contact with side surfaces of the oxide semiconductor film and have a thickness larger than that of the oxide semiconductor film; a gate insulating film provided over the oxide semiconductor film, the source electrode layer, and the drain electrode layer; and a gate electrode layer provided in a depressed portion formed by a step between a top surface of the oxide semiconductor film and top surfaces of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer.
US09117914B1 VTFT with polymer core
A transistor includes a polymeric material post on a substrate. An inorganic material cap, covering the post, extends beyond an edge of the post to define a reentrant profile. A conformal conductive material gate layer is over the edge of the post in the reentrant profile. A conformal insulating material layer is on the gate layer in the reentrant profile. A conformal semiconductor material layer is on the insulating material layer in the reentrant profile. A first electrode is in contact with a first portion of the semiconductor layer over the cap. A second electrode is in contact with a second portion of the semiconductor layer over the substrate and not over the post, and adjacent to the edge of the post in the reentrant profile such that a distance between the first electrode and second electrode is greater than zero when measured orthogonally to the substrate surface.
US09117913B2 Semiconductor element, electric circuit, display device and light-emitting device
A current storing circuit capable of having a small area, a simple structure with the small number of devices, a low consumption current operation and high yield in manufacturing is provided. Applying the current storing circuit to the current-driving type of display device such as an OLED display device can improve the aperture rate of pixels and reliability of the display device as well as highly functionalize the display device. The invention is characterized by using a new semiconductor element in a shape of a transistor having plural drains or sources. When the semiconductor elements is used for both of a writing element and a driving element, reading in and storing a current value and outputting the current can be performed by only the two semiconductor elements, so that the area occupied by the devices would be easily reduced significantly.
US09117911B2 Display substrate and method of manufacturing the same
A display substrate includes a base substrate, a gate-line on the base substrate, a data-line crossing the gate-line, a pixel area defined on the base substrate, a gate-pad part connected to an end portion of the gate-line and including a gate corrosion member, and a data-pad part connected to an end portion of the data-line and including a data corrosion member.
US09117910B2 Semiconductor device and fabricating method thereof
A semiconductor device includes a fin region with long and short sides, a first field insulating layer including a top surface lower than that of the fin region and adjacent to a side surface of the short side of the fin region, a second field insulating layer including a top surface lower than that of the fin region and adjacent to a side surface of the long side of the fin region, an etch barrier pattern on the first field insulating layer, a first gate on the fin region and the second field insulating layer to face a top surface of the fin region and side surfaces of the long sides of the fin region. A second gate is on the etch barrier pattern overlapping the first field insulating layer. A source/drain region is between the first gate and the second gate, in contact with the etch barrier pattern.
US09117909B2 Non-planar transistor
A method of forming a fin structure is provided. First, a substrate is provided, wherein a first region, a second region encompassing the first region, and a third region encompassing the second region are defined on the substrate. Then, a plurality of first trenches having a first depth are formed in the first region and the second region, wherein each two first trenches defines a first fin structure. The first fin structure in the second region is removed. Lastly, the first trenches are deepened to form a plurality of second trenches having a second depth, wherein each two second trenches define a second fin structure. The present invention further provides a structure of a non-planar transistor.
US09117897B2 MOS device having shalow trench isolations (STI) with different tapered portions
A high withstand voltage transistor is formed in a high withstand voltage region, and a low withstand voltage transistor is formed in a low withstand voltage region in a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method includes forming a thermal oxide film and a silicon nitride film over the surface of a silicon substrate; forming an opening to the thermal oxide film and the silicon nitride film in each of the high withstand voltage region and the low withstand voltage region; etching the silicon substrate to form trenches; burying a buried oxide film in each of the trenches; removing the thermal oxide film and the silicon nitride film; and forming a thick gate oxide film and a thin oxide film. The depth of a tapered portion of the trench in the low withstand voltage region is shallower than that in the high withstand voltage region.
US09117896B2 Semiconductor device with improved conductivity
A semiconductor device includes: a Si substrate having first and second major surfaces facing in opposite directions; a buffer layer of AlxGa1-xN (0≦x≦1) on the first major surface of the Si substrate; an epitaxially grown crystalline layer of AlyGa1-yN (0≦y≦1, x≠y) on the buffer layer; a transistor on the epitaxially grown crystalline layer; and a filler of AlxGa1-xN and having the same x as the buffer layer. A through hole in the Si substrate extends from the second major surface to the buffer layer, and the through hole is filled with the filler.
US09117894B2 Contact etch stop layers of a field effect transistor
A field effect transistor, the field effect transistor includes a substrate including a surface and a gate structure including sidewalls and a top surface, the gate structure being positioned over the substrate. The field effect transistor further includes a spacer adjacent to the sidewalls of the gate structure and a first contact etch stop layer over the spacer and extending along the surface of the substrate. The field effect transistor further includes an interlayer dielectric layer adjacent to the first contact etch stop layer, wherein a top surface of the interlayer dielectric layer is coplanar with the top surface of the gate structure. The field effect transistor further includes a second contact etch stop layer over at least a portion of the top surface of the gate structure.
US09117888B2 Integrated circuit device and method for manufacturing same
According to one embodiment, an integrated circuit device includes a plurality of interconnects and a contact via. The plurality of interconnects are arranged parallel to each other. The contact via is connected to each of the interconnects. A protrusion is formed at a portion of the each of the interconnects connected to the contact via to protrude in a direction of the arrangement. A recess is formed at a portion of the each of the interconnects separated from the portion having the protrusion to recede in the direction of the arrangement. The protrusion formed on one interconnect of two mutually-adjacent interconnects among the plurality of interconnects is opposed to the recess formed in one other interconnect of the two mutually-adjacent interconnects. In the each of the interconnects, the portion having the recess is separated from portions on two sides of the portion having the recess and is separated also from the portion having the protrusion.
US09117886B2 Method for fabricating a semiconductor device by forming and removing a dummy gate structure
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device is provided according to one embodiment of the present invention and includes forming an interlayer dielectric on a substrate; forming a trench surrounded by the interlayer dielectric; depositing a dielectric layer and a work function layer on a surface of the trench sequentially and conformally; filling up the trench with a conductive layer; removing an upper portion of the conductive layer inside the trench; forming a protection film on a top surface of the interlayer dielectric and a top surface of the conductive layer through a directional deposition process; removing the dielectric layer exposed from the protection film; and forming a hard mask to cover the protection film.
US09117885B2 Graphene interconnection and method of manufacturing the same
According to one embodiment, a graphene interconnection includes a first insulating film, a first catalyst film, and a first graphene layer. A first insulating film includes an interconnection trench. A first catalyst film is formed on the first insulating film on both side surfaces of the interconnection trench. A first graphene layer is formed on the first catalyst film on the both side surfaces of the interconnection trench, and including graphene sheets stacked in a direction perpendicularly to the both side surfaces.
US09117882B2 Non-hierarchical metal layers for integrated circuits
An integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor substrate, and a first metal layer over the semiconductor substrate. The first metal layer has a first minimum pitch. A second metal layer is over the first metal layer. The second metal layer has a second minimum pitch smaller than the first minimum pitch.
US09117881B2 Conductive line system and process
A system and method for providing a conductive line is provided. In an embodiment the conductive line is formed by forming two passivation layers, wherein each passivation layer is independently patterned. Once formed, a seed layer is deposited into the two passivation layers, and a conductive material is deposited to fill and overfill the patterns within the two passivation layers. A planarization process such as a chemical mechanical polish may then be utilized in order to remove excess conductive material and form the conductive lines within the two passivation layers.
US09117880B2 Method for manufacturing semiconductor device
A semiconductor wafer is subjected to a protection film formation step process as a process before evaluation of electrical characteristics. In this process, after an insulating film serving as a protection film is formed, a photolithography process and an etching process are performed so as to form a protection film having a plurality of openings exposing an emitter electrode. Then, electrical characteristics are evaluated by bringing a contact probe in contact with the exposed emitter electrode through each opening.
US09117878B2 Method for manufacturing shallow trench isolation
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure includes the following steps. First, a semiconductor substrate is provided and a patterned pad layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate so as to expose a portion of the semiconductor substrate. Then, the semiconductor substrate exposed from the patterned pad layer is etched away to form a trench inside the semiconductor substrate. A selectively-grown material layer is selectively formed on the surface of the trench, followed by filling a dielectric precursor material into the trench. Finally, a transformation process is carried out to concurrently transform the dielectric precursor material into a dielectric material and transform the selectively-grown material layer into an oxygen-containing amorphous material layer.
US09117874B2 Method for fabricating a trench structure, and a semiconductor arrangement comprising a trench structure
A semiconductor device, in which a first trench section is produced proceeding from a surface of a semiconductor body into the semiconductor body. A semiconductor layer is produced above the surface and above the first trench section. A further trench section is produced in the semiconductor layer in such a way that the first trench section and the further trench section form a continuous trench structure.
US09117870B2 High throughput cleaner chamber
A wafer cleaning chamber comprising a plurality of carrier arms each having concentrically-mounted midpoints between opposing ends of the carrier arms with a wafer carrier mounted on each of the opposing ends of the carrier arms. A hub includes a plurality of concentrically mounted drives where each of the plurality of drives is coupled near the midpoint of a respective one of the plurality of carrier arms. Each of the plurality of drives is configured to be controlled independently of the remaining plurality of concentrically-mounted drives. A respective motor is coupled to each of the concentrically mounted drives and is configured to move the coupled carrier arm in a rotary manner under control of a program containing a velocity profile. At least one cleaning chemical-supply head is positioned proximate to a path of the wafer carriers.
US09117867B2 Electrostatic chuck assembly
Embodiments of electrostatic chucks for substrate processing are provided herein. In some embodiments, an electrostatic chuck may include a puck for supporting a substrate, the puck formed from a dielectric material and having a chucking electrode disposed within the puck proximate a support surface of the puck to electrostatically retain the substrate when disposed on the puck; a base having a ring extending from the base to support the puck; and a spacer disposed between the base and the puck to support the puck above the base such that a gap is formed between the puck and the base, wherein the spacer supports the puck proximate a peripheral edge of the puck.
US09117863B1 Cassette configurations to support platters having different diameters
A material handling apparatus adapted to support a plurality of disc-shaped platters, such as but not limited to a cassette assembly adapted to support data recording media or substrates during manufacturing. In some embodiments, a cassette assembly includes a base cassette with a base and opposing sidewalls configured to support an outermost perimeter of each of a first plurality of disc-shaped platters having a first diameter. An insert contactingly engages the base cassette. The insert has a plurality of spaced apart grooves to contactingly support an outermost perimeter of each of a second plurality of disc-shaped platters having a different, second diameter.
US09117861B2 Room temperature debonding composition, method and stack
Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide for materials, methods for using such materials and structures that both incorporate such materials and are made using such methods that can be smoothly debonded at or near room temperature while providing a fixable bond that allows for wafer processing such as wafer thinning, anisotropic dry etching and chemical resistance during plating and etching.
US09117860B2 Controlled ambient system for interface engineering
A cluster architecture and methods for processing a substrate are disclosed. The cluster architecture includes a lab-ambient controlled transfer module that is coupled to one or more wet substrate processing modules. The lab-ambient controlled transfer module and the one or more wet substrate processing modules are configured to manage a first ambient environment. A vacuum transfer module that is coupled to the lab-ambient controlled transfer module and one or more plasma processing modules is also provided. The vacuum transfer module and the one or more plasma processing modules are configured to manage a second ambient environment. And, a controlled ambient transfer module that is coupled to the vacuum transfer module and one or more ambient processing modules is also included. The controlled ambient transfer module and the one or more ambient processing modules are configured to manage a third ambient environment. The cluster architecture therefore enables controlled processing of the substrate in either the first, second or third ambient environments, as well as during associated transitions.
US09117858B2 Heater block and heat treatment apparatus having the same
A heater block according to the present invention comprises a light-emitting lamp; a concave reflecting member that is placed opposite the lamp and has a concave reflecting surface at one surface faced with the lamp; a lens module that is inserted into the concave reflecting member and has at least one lens; and a flat reflecting member that is placed opposite the lens module. According to embodiments of the present invention, light emitted from the lamp is reflected by the concave reflecting member. Then, light and heat are collected from the reflected light by the flat reflecting member and the lens module and are irradiated on a substrate. That is, light having energy greater than a conventional manner is irradiated on the substrate to enhance the instant heating temperature and temperature increasing rate of substrate and to increase a heat-focusing area. Therefore, it has an advantage that the productivity of semiconductor or display device manufacture that requires a rapid thermal process is improved.
US09117849B2 Nonvolatile semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A method and apparatus of forming a nonvolatile semiconductor device including forming a first gate insulating film on a main surface of a first semiconductor region, forming a first gate electrode on the first gate insulating film, forming a second gate insulating film, forming a second gate electrode over a first side surface of the first gate electrode, selectively removing the second gate insulating film, etching the second gate insulating film kept between the second gate electrode and a main surface of the first semiconductor region in order to form an etched charge storage layer, introducing first impurities in the first semiconductor region in a self-aligned manner to the second gate electrode in order to form a second semiconductor region, annealing the semiconductor substrate to extend the second semiconductor region to an area under the second gate electrode.
US09117845B2 Production of laterally diffused oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) device and a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) device using a semiconductor process
In one general aspect, a method can include implanting a first dopant, simultaneously, in a portion of a laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) device and in a portion of a resistor device included in a semiconductor device. The method can also include implanting a second dopant, simultaneously, in a portion of the LDMOS device and in a portion of a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) device in the semiconductor device.
US09117841B2 Mergeable semiconductor device with improved reliability
A device includes a semiconductor substrate, source and drain regions disposed in the semiconductor substrate, having a first conductivity type, and laterally spaced from one another, and a composite body region disposed in the semiconductor substrate and having a second conductivity type. The composite body region includes a first well region that extends laterally across the source and drain regions and a second well region disposed in the first well region. The drain region is disposed in the second well region such that charge carriers flow from the first well region into the second well region to reach the drain region. The second well region includes dopant of the first conductivity type to have a lower net dopant concentration level than the first well region. A pocket may be disposed in a drain extension region and configured to establish a depletion region along an edge of a gate structure.
US09117829B2 Semiconductor device including guard ring and groove
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a peripheral edge, a first surface, and a second surface opposite to the first surface, an inter-layer insulator including a guard ring formed on the first surface, adjacent to the peripheral edge of the semiconductor substrate, a first groove formed on the second surface, adjacent to the peripheral edge of the semiconductor substrate, and a through electrode penetrating the second surface to the inter-layer insulator near the groove and on an opposite side of the groove with respect to the peripheral edge.
US09117826B2 Method of manufacturing semiconductor device, and semiconductor device
Provided is a semiconductor device with improved reliability. A logic chip (first semiconductor chip) and a laminated body (second semiconductor chip) are stacked in that order over a wiring substrate. An alignment mark formed over the wiring substrate is aligned with an alignment mark formed on a front surface of the logic chip, whereby the logic chip is mounted over the wiring substrate. An alignment mark formed on a back surface of the logic chip is aligned with an alignment mark formed on a front surface of the laminated body, whereby the laminated body is mounted over the back surface of the logic chip LG.
US09117822B1 Methods and structures for back end of line integration
Embodiments of the present invention provide a semiconductor structure for BEOL (back end of line) integration. A directed self assembly (DSA) material is deposited and annealed to form two distinct phase regions. One of the phase regions is selectively removed, and the remaining phase region serves as a mask for forming cavities in an underlying layer of metal and/or dielectric. The process is then repeated to form complex structures with patterns of metal separated by dielectric regions.
US09117820B2 Conductive line of semiconductor device
A conductive line of a semiconductor device includes a conductive layer disposed on a semiconductor substrate. A thickness of the conductive layer is substantially larger than 10000 angstrom (Å), and at least a side of the conductive layer has at least two different values of curvature.
US09117815B2 Method of fabricating a packaged semiconductor
A method of fabricating a packaged semiconductor includes forming a conductive frame as an integral piece of conductive material. The frame includes an inner portion and a ring portion encircling the inner portion. The ring portion includes a first ring portion encircling first and second sides of the inner portion, and a first bar portion located on a third side of the inner portion. The method includes mounting a semiconductor die to a first surface of the inner portion of the frame. The die is configured to receive power via the first ring portion. The method includes applying a casing, which covers the die, to the frame. The method includes, after the casing is applied to the frame, removing (i) sections of the frame that connect the inner portion to the ring portion, and (ii) sections of the frame that connect the first ring portion to the first bar portion.
US09117807B2 Integrated passives package, semiconductor module and method of manufacturing
An integrated passives package includes an encapsulation compound and a plurality of electrically conductive pads embedded in the encapsulation compound. Each of the pads has opposing first and second sides. The first side of the pads is uncovered by the encapsulation compound and forms array of external electrical connections at a first side of the package. The integrated passives package further includes a plurality of passive components embedded in the encapsulation compound. Each of the passive components has a first terminal attached to one of the pads and a second terminal attached to a different one the pads at the second side of the pads. Corresponding semiconductor modules and methods of manufacturing are also provided.
US09117806B2 Light emitting device mount, light emitting apparatus including the same, and leadframe
A mount includes a terminal, and a resin portion. The terminal includes a first surface, a second surface, and an end surface having first and second recessed areas that are extend from the first and second surfaces, respectively. The resin portion is integrally formed with the terminal, and at least partially covers the end surface so that the first and second surfaces are at least partially exposed. The resin portion forms a recessed part to accommodate the light emitting device. The second recessed area includes a closest point that is positioned closest to the first surface, and an extension part that extends outward of the closest point and toward the second surface side. The extension part is formed at least on opposing end surfaces of the pair of positive and negative lead terminal. The first recessed area is arranged on the exterior side relative to the closest point.
US09117803B2 Method for manufacturing a semiconductor device
In a semiconductor device including a semiconductor element and a wiring substrate on which the semiconductor element is mounted. The wiring substrate includes an insulating substrate and conductive wiring formed in the insulating substrate and electrically connected to the semiconductor element. The conductive wiring includes an underlying layer formed on the insulating substrate, a main conductive layer formed on the underlying layer, and an electrode layer covering side surfaces of the underlying layer and side surfaces and an upper surface of the main conductive layer. The underlying layer includes an adhesion layer being formed in contact with the insulating substrate and containing an alloy of Ti.
US09117802B2 Electronic device including a feature in an opening
A semiconductor substrate can be patterned to define a trench and a feature. In an embodiment, the trench can be formed such that after filling the trench with a material, a bottom portion of the filled trench may be exposed during a substrate thinning operation. In another embodiment, the trench can be filled with a thermal oxide. The feature can have a shape that reduces the likelihood that a distance between the feature and a wall of the trench will be changed during subsequent processing. A structure can be at least partly formed within the trench, wherein the structure can have a relatively large area by taking advantage of the depth of the trench. The structure can be useful for making electronic components, such as passive components and through-substrate vias. The process sequence to define the trenches and form the structures can be tailored for many different process flows.
US09117800B2 Switching device
A switching device according to the present invention is a switching device for switching a load by on-off control of voltage, and includes an SiC semiconductor layer where a current path is formed by on-control of the voltage, a first electrode arranged to be in contact with the SiC semiconductor layer, and a second electrode arranged to be in contact with the SiC semiconductor layer for conducting with the first electrode due to the formation of the current path, while the first electrode has a variable resistance portion made of a material whose resistance value increases under a prescribed high-temperature condition for limiting current density of overcurrent to not more than a prescribed value when the overcurrent flows to the current path.
US09117799B2 Method of manufacturing semiconductor device having pad region for wire-bonding
In a method of manufacturing semiconductor device, an insulating film is provided on a surface of a semiconductor substrate, a porous metal film containing numerous voids is formed on a region of the insulating film, and a protective film is provided on the porous metal film. The protective film is provided with an opening portion on the porous metal film, with the opening portion defining a pad region. A wire is wire-bonded to the porous metal film in the pad region.
US09117797B2 High-voltage semiconductor device
A withstand voltage region is formed to surround a logic circuit formation region. A high-voltage MOSFET for level shifting is formed in part of the withstand voltage region. A p− opening region is formed between a drain region of the high-voltage MOSFET and the logic circuit formation region. A shield layer connected to the negative electrode side of a power supply connected to the logic circuit formation region is disposed on the p− opening region. Thus, it is possible to provide a high-voltage semiconductor device including a level shifting circuit capable of making stable operation during the switching of a high-voltage IC and with long-term reliability.
US09117788B2 Heat sink device and method of repairing semiconductor device
A method of repairing a semiconductor device includes turning a press member to apply pressure on an electronic component which is mounted on a substrate. A heat sink which is provided on the electronic component via a bonding layer is thus displaced with respect to the electronic component in a transverse direction. The heat sink is removed from the electronic component by shearing the bonding layer with the press member.
US09117769B2 Plasma etching method
In a plasma etching method of performing a plasma etching on an amorphous carbon layer of a substrate to be processed by using an inorganic film as a mask, the substrate being mounted in a processing chamber, the plasma etching on the amorphous carbon layer is performed by using O2 gas as a processing gas and the O2 gas to flow in the processing chamber such that a residence time of the O2 gas becomes 0.37 msec or less. The amorphous carbon layer is used as an etching mask of an etching target film formed on the substrate. The plasma etching is performed by using the O2 gas only.
US09117768B2 Display substrate having a thin film transistor and method of manufacturing the same
In a method for manufacturing a display substrate, a thin film transistor is formed on a base substrate. The thin film transistor includes a gate electrode, an active pattern, a source electrode and a drain electrode. A first passivation layer is formed to cover the thin film transistor. A second passivation layer is formed on the first passivation layer. A photoresist pattern is formed to partially expose the second passivation layer. The first passivation layer and the second passivation layer are partially removed to form a contact hole exposing the drain electrode. A pixel electrode layer is formed on the second passivation layer, the drain electrode and the photoresist pattern. A portion of the pixel electrode layer and the second photoresist pattern are removed to form a pixel electrode. The portion of the pixel electrode layer is disposed on a top surface and a sidewall of the photoresist pattern.
US09117767B2 Negative ion control for dielectric etch
Apparatus, methods, and computer programs for semiconductor processing in a capacitively-coupled plasma chamber are provided. A chamber includes a bottom radio frequency (RF) signal generator, a top RF signal generator, and an RF phase controller. The bottom RF signal generator is coupled to the bottom electrode in the chamber, and the top RF signal generator is coupled to the top electrode. Further, the bottom RF signal is set at a first phase, and the top RF signal is set at a second phase. The RF phase controller is operable to receive the bottom RF signal and operable to set the value of the second phase. Additionally, the RF phase controller is operable to track the first phase and the second phase to maintain a time difference between the maximum of the top RF signal and the minimum of the bottom RF signal at approximately a predetermined constant value, resulting in an increase of the negative ion flux to the surface of the wafer.
US09117766B2 Method for positioning spacers in pitch multiplication
Multiple pitch-multiplied spacers are used to form mask patterns having features with exceptionally small critical dimensions. One of each pair of spacers formed mandrels is removed and alternating layers, formed of two mutually selectively etchable materials, are deposited around the remaining spacers. Layers formed of one of the materials are then etched, leaving behind vertically-extending layers formed of the other of the materials, which form a mask pattern. Alternatively, instead of depositing alternating layers, amorphous carbon is deposited around the remaining spacers followed by a plurality of cycles of forming pairs of spacers on the amorphous carbon, removing one of the pairs of spacers and depositing an amorphous carbon layer. The cycles can be repeated to form the desired pattern. Because the critical dimensions of some features in the pattern can be set by controlling the width of the spaces between spacers, exceptionally small mask features can be formed.
US09117765B2 Mechanism for forming semiconductor device structure
Embodiments of mechanisms of forming a semiconductor device structure are provided. The method includes providing a substrate, forming a first material layer on the substrate, forming a second material layer on the first material layer and forming a first PR layer on the second material layer. The method includes exposing a portion of the first PR layer to a first radiation beam and forming a second PR layer on the first PR layer. The method includes exposing a portion of the second PR layer to a second radiation beam and developing the first PR layer and the second PR layer to form a patterned first PR layer and a patterned second PR layer. The method includes etching a portion of the first material layer and the second material layer by using the patterned first PR layer and the patterned second PR layer as a mask.
US09117763B1 Quantum dots (QD) for semiconductor integrated circuit
Semiconductor device identification using quantum dot technology. A semiconductor nanocrystal based target is fabricated. A guard ring superjacent the fluorescing surface of the nanocrystal surface is provided to ensure repeatability of spectral mapping and analysis data. A transparent cap on the target may enhance performance. A system for coding a semiconductor device is described. A method is described for fabricating quantum dot targets in a methodology compatible with subsequent semiconductor fabrication process steps.
US09117752B2 Kink poly structure for improving random single bit failure
A memory cell having a kinked polysilicon layer structure, or a polysilicon layer structure with a top portion being narrower than a bottom portion, may greatly reduce random single bit (RSB) failures and may improve high density plasma (HDP) oxide layer fill-in by reducing defects caused by various impurities and/or a polysilicon layer short path. A kinked polysilicon layer structure may also be applied to floating gate memory cells either at the floating gate structure or the control gate structure.
US09117746B1 Porting a circuit design from a first semiconductor process to a second semiconductor process
Porting a first integrated circuit design targeted for implementation in a first semiconductor manufacturing process, and implementing a second circuit design in a second semiconductor manufacturing process wherein the electrical performance of the second integrated circuit meets or exceeds the requirements of the first integrated circuit design even if the threshold voltage targets of the second integrated circuit design are different from those of the first integrated circuit design; and wherein physical layouts, and in particular the gate-widths and gate-lengths of the transistors, of the first and second integrated circuit designs are the same or substantially the same. The second integrated circuit design, when fabricated in the second semiconductor manufacturing process and then operated, experiences less off-state transistor leakage current than does the first integrated circuit design, when fabricated in the first semiconductor manufacturing process, and then operated. Porting includes determining processing targets for the second semiconductor manufacturing process.
US09117744B2 Methods of forming a span comprising silicon dioxide
Some embodiments include methods of forming voids within semiconductor constructions. In some embodiments the voids may be utilized as microstructures for distributing coolant, for guiding electromagnetic radiation, or for separation and/or characterization of materials. Some embodiments include constructions having micro-structures therein which correspond to voids, conduits, insulative structures, semiconductor structures or conductive structures.
US09117740B2 SiC semiconductor element
The invention provides an SiC semiconductor element having fewer interface defects at the interface between the SiC and the insulating film of the SiC semiconductor, as well as improved channel mobility. The semiconductor element is provided with at least an SiC semiconductor substrate and an insulating film in contact with the substrate, wherein the insulating film is formed on a specific crystal plane of the SiC semiconductor substrate, the specific crystal plane being a plane having an off-angle of 10-20° relative to the {11-20} plane toward the [000-1] direction or at an off-angle of 70-80° relative to the (000-1) plane toward the <11-20> direction. Through the use of a specific crystal plane unknown in the prior art, interface defects between the SiC semiconductor substrate and the insulating film can be reduced, and channel mobility of the semiconductor element can be improved.
US09117735B2 Hybrid circuit
A hybrid circuit includes a high-voltage circuit and a low-voltage circuit having different power supply voltages, respectively, a board on which a connecting terminal for connecting an external element outside of the hybrid circuit is mounted; and a hybrid integrated circuit mounted on the board. The low-voltage circuit includes a control unit for controlling an operation of the high-voltage circuit. The control unit and the high-voltage circuit are integrated in the hybrid integrated circuit.
US09117734B2 Integrated circuit architecture for light emitting diode-based displays
An integrated circuit including a die of the integrated circuit, the die including an insulating layer, light emitting diodes, a semiconductor layer, and a control module. The insulating layer includes a first side and a second side. The second side is opposite to the first side. The light emitting diodes are arranged on the first side of the insulating layer. The semiconductor layer is arranged adjacent to the second side of the insulating layer. The light emitting diodes are connected to the semiconductor layer using connections from the first side of the insulating layer to the second side of the insulating layer. The control module is arranged on the semiconductor layer. The control module is configured to output pulse width modulated pulses to the light emitting diodes via the connections.
US09117732B2 Display device and manufacturing method thereof
Disclosed is a display device including a transistor showing extremely low off current. In order to reduce the off current, a semiconductor material whose band gap is greater than that of a silicon semiconductor is used for forming a transistor, and the concentration of an impurity which serves as a carrier donor of the semiconductor material is reduced. Specifically, an oxide semiconductor whose band gap is greater than or equal to 2 eV, preferably greater than or equal to 2.5 eV, more preferably greater than or equal to 3 eV is used for a semiconductor layer of a transistor, and the concentration of an impurity which serves as a carrier donor included is reduced. Consequently, the off current of the transistor per micrometer in channel width can be reduced to lower than 10 zA/μm at room temperature and lower than 100 zA/μm at 85° C.
US09117731B2 Light emitting diode package structure
A light emitting diode package structure is provided. The light emitting diode package structure includes at least one light emitting diode unit, an encapsulating body and at least one isolation film. The encapsulating body includes a plurality of surfaces and at least one light-emitting surface, wherein one of the surfaces supports the light emitting diode unit, the other surfaces are exposed. The at least one isolation film is formed on the exposed surfaces. Wherein the isolation film blocks or reflects a portion of light emitted from the light emitting diode unit.
US09117720B2 Solid-state image pickup device
A solid-state image pickup device 1 according to the present invention includes a semiconductor substrate 2 on which a pixel 20 composed of a photodiode 3 and a transistor is formed. The transistor comprising the pixel 20 is formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate, a pn junction portion formed between high concentration regions of the photodiode 3 is provided within the semiconductor substrate 2 and a part of the pn junction portion of the photodiode 3 is extended to a lower portion of the transistor formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate 2. According to the present invention, there is provided a solid-state image pickup device in which a pixel size can be microminiaturized without lowering a saturated electric charge amount (Qs) and sensitivity.
US09117717B2 Solid-state image pickup device having a multilayer interference filter including an upper laminated structure, a control structure and lower laminated structure
A solid-state image pickup device including a pixel array having a plurality of pixels, each of which includes a photoelectric converting unit and a multilayer interference filter. The multilayer interference filter includes an upper laminated structure, a lower laminated structure, and a control structure. Both the multilayer interference filter in a first pixel and the multilayer interference filter in a second pixel which is more distant from a center of the pixel array than the first pixel are disposed to selectively guide a light having a first color to the photoelectric converting unit. The control structure in the first pixel and the control structure in the second pixel have different configurations from each other in such a manner that a filter characteristic of the multilayer interference filter in the first pixel is equivalent to that of the multilayer interference filter in the second pixel.
US09117714B2 Wafer level package and mask for fabricating the same
An exemplary wafer level package comprises a semiconductor wafer with a plurality of semiconductor chips of perfect polygonal shapes thereon. A circuit-free area is defined over the semiconductor wafer to electrically isolate the semiconductor chips. A dam structure is substantially formed over the circuit-free area, wherein a portion of the dam structure formed around an edge of the semiconductor wafer is formed with a plurality via holes therein. A transparent substrate is formed over the semiconductor wafer, defining a plurality of cavities between the semiconductor chips and the transparent substrate, wherein the transparent substrate is supported by the dam structure.
US09117712B1 Demodulation pixel with backside illumination and charge barrier
A high-speed, high-sensitivity demodulation sensor usable for e.g. time-of-flight application uses a back side illuminated (BSI) image sensor chip, in which the photo-generated charges are first transferred to a demodulation area, from which the charges are then sampled and stored on at least one specific storage node. The storage node is electrically isolated from the sensitive area. Such a pixel might find its use specifically in 3D time-of-flight imaging given its improvements in sensitivity because the presented invention allows to design pixel with up to 100% fill factor and enables charge detection even if the charge generation by the photon occurs deep in the silicon substrate.
US09117711B2 Solid-state image sensor employing color filters and electronic apparatus
A solid-state image sensor includes pixel units each having a group of pixels forming a polygonal outer shape to cover an entire light receiving plane. The polygonal outer shape has at least six equilateral sides and the group of pixels includes pixels receiving light of at least four different colors.
US09117708B2 Thin film transistor and method of manufacturing the same
A thin film transistor includes a substrate, a gate electrode, a buffer layer, a gate insulating layer, an active layer, an etching stop layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode. The gate electrode is formed on the substrate. The buffer layer partially covers both side portions of the gate electrode. The gate insulating layer covers the gate electrode and the buffer layer. The active layer is formed on the gate insulating layer. The etching stop layer is formed on the active layer, and has a first opening and a second opening on the active layer. The source electrode is formed on the etching stop layer, and contacts with the active layer through the first opening. The drain electrode is formed on the etching stop layer, and is contacted with the active layer through the second opening.
US09117707B2 Array substrate and display device
The array substrate includes a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines which intersect each other to define a plurality of pixel regions, each of the pixel regions includes a thin film transistor and further includes: a base substrate; more than one protrusion disposed apart from each other on the base substrate; a first electrode layer including at least one first electrode strip disposed in a gap between adjacent protrusions; a second electrode layer including at least one second electrode strip disposed on the protrusions.
US09117703B2 Liquid crystal display device
Provided is a liquid crystal display device, in which: the gate lines include a first gate line and a second gate line for respectively outputting the scanning signals at two different scanning timings for each of scanning lines; and a unit pixel for color display, constituted by three pixels corresponding to a red (R) pixel, a green (G) pixel, and a blue (B) pixel arranged side by side, is formed in a region surrounded by the first gate line, the second gate line, and the drain lines, and the three pixels corresponding to the red (R) pixel, the green (G) pixel, and the blue (B) pixel are arranged in matrix for the each unit pixel.
US09117700B2 3-D nonvolatile memory devices and methods of manufacturing the same
A three-dimensional (3-D) nonvolatile memory device includes a channel layer protruded from a substrate, a plurality of memory cells stacked along the channel layer, a source line coupled to the end of one side of the channel layer, a bit line coupled to the end of the other side of the channel layer, a first junction interposed between the end of one side of the channel layer and the source line and configured to have a P type impurity doped therein, and a second junction interposed between the end of the other side of the channel layer and the bit line and configured to have an N type impurity doped therein.
US09117699B2 Semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device includes: a plurality of first channel columns including a plurality of first channel layers that are arranged in a direction and offset by their centers; a plurality of second channel columns alternately arranged with the plurality of first channel columns and having a plurality of second channel layers that are arranged in the direction and offset by their centers; first insulating layers and first conductive layers alternately stacked to surround the first channel layers; second insulating layers and second conductive layers stacked to surround the second channel layers; and spacers placed between the first channel columns and the second channel columns and interposed between the first conductive layers and the second conductive layers.
US09117698B2 Fabrication method of semiconductor package
A semiconductor package includes: a dielectric layer having opposite first and second surfaces; a semiconductor chip embedded in the dielectric layer and having a plurality of electrode pads; a plurality of first metal posts disposed on the electrode pads of the semiconductor chip, respectively, such that top ends of the first metal posts are exposed from the first surface; at least a second metal post penetrating the dielectric layer such that two opposite ends of the second metal post are exposed from the first and second surfaces, respectively; a first circuit layer formed on the first surface for electrically connecting the first and second metal posts; and a second circuit layer formed on the second surface for electrically connecting the second metal post. The semiconductor package dispenses with conventional laser ablation and electroplating processes for forming conductive posts in a molding compound, thereby saving fabrication time and cost.
US09117697B2 Semiconductor substrate and method for making the same
The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor substrate and a method for making the same. The semiconductor substrate includes an insulation layer, a first circuit layer, a second circuit layer, a plurality of conductive vias and a plurality of bumps. The first circuit layer is embedded in a first surface of the insulation layer, and exposed from the first surface of the insulation layer. The second circuit layer is located on a second surface of the insulation layer and electrically connected to the first circuit layer through the conductive vias. The bumps are directly located on part of the first circuit layer, where the lattice of the bumps is the same as that of the first circuit layer.
US09117695B1 Method for fabricating semiconductor device
A method for fabricating semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: providing a substrate having a memory region and a periphery region; forming a memory cell on the memory region; forming a first polysilicon layer on the periphery region and the memory cell; forming a patterned cap layer on the periphery region; forming a second polysilicon layer on the first polysilicon layer and the patterned cap layer; and performing a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process to remove the second polysilicon layer, wherein the chemical mechanical polishing process comprises an abrasive of greater than 13% and a remove rate of less than 30 Angstroms/second.
US09117688B2 Semiconductor device, inverter device provided with semiconductor device, and in-vehicle rotating electrical machine provided with semiconductor device and inverter device
Provided is a semiconductor device including: a first MOS-FET (21) joined to a first base plate (11) via solder (61); a second MOS-FET (22) joined to a second base plate (12) via solder (64); a first lead (31) joining the first base plate (11) and the second MOS-FET (22); and a second lead (32) joining the second MOS-FET (22) and a current path member (13) that gives and receives current flowing through the MOS-FETs (21, 22) to and from the outside. The second base plate (12) is more rigid than both the leads (31, 32), a boundary line (D-D) intersects the second base plate (12) without intersecting both the leads (31, 32), the boundary line including a gap portion (52) along which both the MOS-FETs (21, 22) are opposed to each other, extending in the direction in which both the MOS-FETs (21, 22) are not opposed to each other.
US09117685B2 Reconfiguring through silicon vias in stacked multi-die packages
Through silicon vias (TSVs) in a stacked multi-die integrated circuit package are controlled to assume different connection configurations as desired during field operation of the package in its normal mission mode. TSV connections may be reconfigured to connect an affected die in a manner different from, for example, a factory default connection of that die. TSV connections to the inputs and/or outputs of a die's native circuitry may be changed. A die may be disconnected altogether from an interface that interconnects dice in the stack, or a die that was originally disconnected from such an interface may be connected to the interface.
US09117684B1 Semiconductor package having a plurality of input/output members
Methods and apparatus for a semiconductor package having a plurality of input/output members are disclosed and may include a first laminate circuit board; with electrically conductive patterns formed thereon; a first semiconductor die coupled to the conductive patterns; a second laminate circuit board with electrically conductive patterns formed thereon; a second semiconductor die coupled to the conductive patterns and to the first semiconductor die; a flexible circuit board coupling the first and second laminate circuit boards; and contacts coupled to a bottom surface of the first laminate circuit board. The first and second laminate circuit boards each may comprise an insulative layer where the electrically conductive patterns are formed on one side of the insulative layer; a plating layer formed on predetermined parts of the electrically conductive patterns; and a protective layer formed on the electrically conductive patterns not covered by the plating layer.
US09117682B2 Methods of packaging semiconductor devices and structures thereof
Methods of packaging semiconductor devices and structures thereof are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of packaging a semiconductor device includes providing a carrier wafer, providing a plurality of dies, and forming a die cave material over the carrier wafer. A plurality of die caves is formed in the die cave material. At least one of the plurality of dies is placed within each of the plurality of die caves in the die cave material. A plurality of packages is formed, each of the plurality of packages being formed over a respective at least one of the plurality of dies.
US09117681B2 Silicon carbide semiconductor element, method of manufacturing the same, and silicon carbide device
A silicon carbide semiconductor element and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed in which a low contact resistance is attained between an electrode film and a wiring conductor element, and the wiring conductor element is hardly detached from the electrode film. In the method, a nickel film and a nickel oxide film are laminated in this order on a surface of an n-type silicon carbide substrate or an n-type silicon carbide region of a silicon carbide substrate, followed by a heat treatment under a non-oxidizing condition. The heat treatment transforms a portion of the nickel film into a nickel silicide film. Then, the nickel oxide film is removed with hydrochloric acid solution, and subsequently, a nickel aluminum film and an aluminum film are laminated in this order on a surface of the nickel silicide film.
US09117677B2 Semiconductor integrated circuit having a resistor and method of forming the same
The present application discloses a semiconductor integrated circuit including a substrate having electrical devices formed thereon, a local interconnection layer formed over the substrate, and a global interconnection layer formed over the local interconnection layer. The local interconnection layer has a first set of conductive structures arranged to electrically connect within the individual electrical devices, among one of the electrical devices and its adjacent electrical devices, or vertically between the devices and the global interconnection layer. At least one of the first set of conductive structures is configured to have a resistance value greater than 50 ohms. The global interconnection layer has a second set of conductive structures arranged to electrically interconnect the electrical devices via the first set conductive structures.
US09117676B2 Method of producing epitaxial silicon wafer, epitaxial silicon wafer, and method of producing solid-state image sensing device
Provided is an epitaxial silicon wafer with reduced metal contamination achieved by higher gettering capability and a method of efficiently producing the same.The method of producing an epitaxial wafer includes a wafer production step of pulling a single crystal silicon ingot having a COP formation region by Czochralski process, and subjecting the obtained single crystal silicon ingot to slicing, thereby producing a silicon wafer 10 including COPs; a cluster ion irradiation step of irradiating the produced silicon wafer 10 with cluster ions 16 to form a modifying layer 18 formed from a constituent element of the cluster ions 16, contained as a solid solution in a surface portion 10A of the silicon wafer 10; and an epitaxial layer formation step of forming an epitaxial layer 20 on the modifying layer 18 of the silicon wafer 10.
US09117671B2 Fabrication of III-nitride semiconductor device and related structures
A method of fabricating a III-nitride power semiconductor device that includes growing a transition layer over a substrate using at least two distinct and different growth methods.
US09117667B2 Carbon layer and method of manufacture
A system and method for manufacturing a carbon layer is provided. An embodiment comprises depositing a first metal layer on a substrate, the substrate comprising carbon. A silicide is epitaxially grown on the substrate, the epitaxially growing the silicide also forming a layer of carbon over the silicide. In an embodiment the carbon layer is graphene, and may be transferred to a semiconductor substrate for further processing to form a channel within the graphene.
US09117666B2 Method for activating a porous layer surface
A method is provided for activating an exposed surface of a porous dielectric layer, the method comprising the steps of: filling with a first liquid at least the pores present in a part of the porous dielectric layer, the part comprising the exposed surface, removing the first liquid selectively from the surface, activating the exposed surface, and removing the first liquid from the bulk part of the porous dielectric layer.
US09117661B2 Method of improving oxide growth rate of selective oxidation processes
A method for selective oxidation of silicon containing materials in a semiconductor device is disclosed and claimed. In one aspect, a rapid thermal processing apparatus is used to selectively oxidize a substrate by in-situ steam generation at high pressure in a hydrogen rich atmosphere. Other materials, such as metals and barrier layers, in the substrate are not oxidized.
US09117659B2 Method of forming the buffer layer in the LTPS products
The present disclosure disclosed a method of forming the buffer layer in the LTPS products. The method comprises the following steps: heating the substrate to make the alkali metal ions diffuse to the surface of the glass; washing the substrate by acid to remove the alkali metal ions on the surface of the glass; forming the buffer layer on the glass which has been heated and washed by acid, wherein the material of the buffer layer is SiOx. The method of the present disclosure based on the design of the single buffer layer, it can greatly promote the capacity and can economize the gas. Furthermore, it can avoid the cross contamination of the different layers so as to promote characteristic of the element.
US09117648B2 Method of applying a faraday cage onto the resonator of a microwave light source
A method of applying a Faraday cage to a lucent resonator, the resonator having a void containing microwave-excitable material and being adapted for microwave resonance in the resonator and within the Faraday cage for driving a light emitting plasma in the void, the method consisting in the steps of: deposition of a conductive material onto the lucent resonator; applying, patterning and developing a photoresist material over the conductive material to leave the conductive material exposed where it is not required; removing the conductive material where not required and the photoresist material from the required conductive material, leaving a reticular network of conductive material providing a Faraday cage and depositing a layer of protective material over the cage of conductive material.
US09117646B2 Method and apparatus for a combined linear ion trap and quadrupole mass filter
An apparatus for a mass spectrometer comprises: a set of four rod electrodes defining an ion occupation volume therebetween having entrance and exit ends, at least one of the rod electrodes having a slot passing therethrough; first and second ion optics disposed adjacent to the entrance and exit ends, respectively; a voltage supply system; and at least one supplemental electrode disposed at least partially within the at least one slot, wherein the voltage supply system is configured so as to supply a radio-frequency (RF) voltage, a direct-current (DC) filtering voltage and an oscillatory dipole resonant ejection voltage across members of the set of rod electrodes and so at to supply a secondary ion-trapping RF voltage and a secondary DC filtering voltage to the at least one supplemental electrode and to supply DC voltages across the rod electrodes and each of the first and second ion optics.
US09117645B2 Planar ion funnel
A planar ion funnel is disclosed that can be used for ion control. In one application, the planar ion funnel can be used for ion control in a mass spectrometer. The planar ion funnel can be formed on a surface of a substantially planar substrate including an orifice. An electrically conductive structure can be formed on a top surface of the substrate that surrounds the orifice. In operation, a power can be applied to the conductive structure that causes an electric field to be generated that draws ions into and through the orifice. In one embodiment, the orifice can be circular and the conductive structure can be a series of nested rings of increasing diameter surrounding the orifice.
US09117644B2 Mass spectrometer
A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising an Electron Transfer Dissociation cell. Positive analyte ions are fragmented into fragment ions upon colliding with singly charged negative reagent ions with the cell. The cell comprises a plurality of ring electrodes which form a spherical trapping volume. Ions experience negligible RF heating over the majority of the trapping volume which enables the kinetic energy of the analyte and reagent ions to be reduced to just above thermal temperatures. An Electron Transfer Dissociation cell having an enhanced sensitivity is thereby provided. Fragment ions created within the cell may be cooled and may be transmitted onwardly to an orthogonal acceleration Time of Flight mass analyser enabling a significant improvement in the resolution of the mass analyser to be obtained.
US09117640B2 Microchannel plate having a main body, image intensifier, ion detector, and inspection device
The present invention relates to a low-resistance MCP with an expanded dynamic range and excellent environment resistance, in comparison with the conventional technology. The MCP has a double structure composed of hollow first cladding glasses whose inner wall surfaces function as channel walls, and a second cladding glass having a resistivity lower than that of the first cladding glasses.
US09117634B2 Antenna unit for generating plasma and substrate processing apparatus including the same
An antenna unit for generating a plasma includes: a first antenna including a first incoming portion and a plurality of first sub-antennas divided from the first incoming portion; and a second antenna including a second incoming portion and a plurality of second sub-antennas divided from the second incoming portion, the first and second incoming portions constituting a coaxial line.
US09117633B2 Plasma processing apparatus and processing gas supply structure thereof
There is provided a plasma processing apparatus for performing a process on a substrate by generating inductively coupled plasma. The plasma processing apparatus includes an upper lid, provided to cover a top opening of the processing chamber, having a dielectric window; multiple gas inlets provided at the upper lid; a high frequency coil positioned above the dielectric window at an outside of the processing chamber; and a gas supply device supported by the upper lid and provided under the dielectric window. Here, the gas supply device includes a single sheet of plate having through holes, multiple groove-shaped gas paths are formed between the plate and the dielectric window, end portions of the groove-shaped gas paths are opened to edges of the through holes and communicate with the gas inlets, and the gas supply device is configured to supply the processing gas into the processing chamber via the through holes.
US09117632B2 Charged particle beam writing apparatus and charged particle beam writing method
A charged particle beam writing apparatus includes a map generation unit to generate a map where a parameter concerning a chip is defined for each mesh region obtained by virtually dividing a region including the chip including a plurality of figure patterns into a plurality of mesh regions, an exchange unit to, when performing at least one data processing of reversal and rotation for data of the chip, centering on the center of the chip or the center of the region including the chip, exchange parameters each being the parameter defined for each mesh region in the map, to be corresponding to the position of a figure pattern for which the data processing was performed, and a writing unit to write the figure pattern in the chip for which at least one data processing of reversal and rotation was performed on a target object with a charged particle beam.
US09117629B2 Multi-energy ion implantation
In a multi-energy ion implantation process, an ion implanting system having an ion source, an extraction assembly, and an electrode assembly is used to implant ions into a target. An ion beam having a first energy may be generated using the ion source and the extraction assembly. A first voltage may be applied across the electrode assembly. The ion beam may enter the electrode assembly at the first energy, exit the electrode assembly at a second energy, and implant ions into the target at the second energy. A second voltage may be applied across the electrode assembly. The ion beam may enter the electrode assembly at the first energy, exit the electrode assembly at a third energy, and implants ions into the target at the third energy. The third energy may be different from the second energy.
US09117626B1 Energy-discrimination detection device
This invention provides a method for improving performance of a reflective type energy filter for a charged particle beam, which employs a beam-adjusting lens on an entrance side of a potential barrier of the energy filter to make the charged particle beam become a substantially parallel beam to be incident onto the potential barrier. The method makes the energy filter have both a fine energy-discrimination power over a large emission angle spread and a high uniformity of energy-discrimination powers over a large FOV. A LVSEM using this method in the energy filter can obviously improve image contrast. The invention also provides multiple energy-discrimination detection devices formed by using the advantages of the method.
US09117621B2 Radiation generating tube, radiation generating unit, and radiation image taking system
A radiation generating tube includes a vacuum envelope formed by an insulating tube, a cathode and an anode. At least one of the cathode and the anode is bonded to the insulating tube via a conductive bonding material disposed between bonded surfaces facing each other. The conductive bonding material is partially protruding from between the bonded surfaces to an outer peripheral surface or an inner peripheral surface of the insulating tube. A concave portion is formed on the outer peripheral surface or the inner peripheral surface of the insulating tube adjacent to a bonded surface on an insulating tube side, and a distal end of a conductive bonding material protruding from between bonded surfaces is accommodated in the concave portion.
US09117620B2 Magnetron and apparatus that uses microwaves
A magnetron includes: an anode tube; and cooling fins placed on a periphery of the anode tube and arranged along a central axis of the anode tube. Each of the cooling fins includes at least two sets of fins formed by cutting a part of the cooling fin, and performing different bending works on the cut portions, respectively, so as to form a region where the cooling fins are dense and a region where the cooling fins are sparse, when viewed in a flowing direction of a cooling medium which cools the anode tube through the cooling fins. The at least two sets of fins are bent at bending angles such that intervals of the cooling fins in the region where the cooling fins are dense are ½ or less of placement intervals of the cooling fins.
US09117614B2 Circuit interconnect attaching apparatus, attaching assemblies, and methods of connecting circuit interconnect devices
A circuit interconnect attaching apparatus is disclosed. The circuit interconnect attaching apparatus has a body adapted to couple to a circuit interconnect device, the body having a first end and a second end, one or more frame connector coupled to the first end of the body, at least one tab portion positioned on an outer surface of the second end of the body, wherein the at least one tab portion for accepting at least one fastener member, and one or more bus connector configured to connect to or disconnect from one or more bus bar that is responsive to rotation of the circuit interconnect device. The circuit interconnect attaching assemblies having the circuit interconnect attaching apparatus and methods of connecting circuit interconnect devices to one or more bus bar are disclosed, as are other aspects.
US09117602B2 Three-dimensional liquid crystal polymer multilayer circuit board including membrane switch and related methods
An electronic device includes a multilayer circuit board having a non-planar three-dimensional shape defining a membrane switch recess therein. The multilayer circuit board may include at least one liquid crystal polymer (LCP) layer, and at least one electrically conductive pattern layer thereon defining at least one membrane switch electrode adjacent the membrane switch recess to define a membrane switch. The electronic may further include a compressible dielectric material filling the membrane switch recess. The electronic device may also include at least one spring member within the membrane switch recess.
US09117601B2 System and method for integrating a single nanowire into a nanocircuit
A non-volatile bistable nano-electromechanical switch is provided for use in memory devices and microprocessors. The switch employs carbon nanotubes as the actuation element. A method has been developed for fabricating nanoswitches having one single-walled carbon nanotube as the actuator. The actuation of two different states can be achieved using the same low voltage for each state.
US09117600B2 Electric magnet device and switch provided therewith
An aspect of the present invention provides an electric magnet device, in which a smooth movement of an armature is ensured and, even if a vibration or an impact is applied, an attraction state between a yoke and the armature is maintained to prevent a malfunction, and a switch provided therewith, where the electric magnet device includes: a coil adapted to insert through an armature and a yoke so as to attract surfaces of the yoke and the armature, which are opposed to each other, to receive a voltage, to excite for separating the surfaces of the yoke and the armature; the armature disposed on one end side of the coil; and the yoke disposed on the other end side of the coil and adapted to oscillate, such that an oscillation angle of the yoke is greater than that of the armature.
US09117598B2 Latching device for a circuit breaker
A latching device for a circuit breaker includes a manual operating toggle moveably arranged between an OFF-position and an operation-readiness position, a moveable contact and a fixed contact, wherein the moveable contact is configured to open and close a main circuit of the circuit breaker. An energy storage mechanism is configured to store an actuating force of the toggle by the toggle being moved from the OFF-position to the operation-readiness position and to exert the stored force to the moveable contact to close the main circuit of the circuit breaker. A removable retention lever is configured to prevent movement of the moveable contact into a closing position upon the energy storage mechanism exerting the stored force to the moveable contact. A holding mechanism is configured to hold the toggle in the operation-readiness position.
US09117596B2 Capacitor electrodes for lead-acid battery with surface-modified additives
Electrodes, which may be composite capacitor electrodes, include carbon fibers, illustratively chopped carbon fibers having an aspect ratio of from about 100-5000, have been treated with a non-ionic surfactant, specifically the polyoxyethyleneglycol octophenyl ether, Triton X-100, to increase the hydrophilicity of the fibers. The capacitive electrodes prepared with the surface-modified carbon fibers exhibit increased charge acceptance.
US09117595B2 Electronic component with terminal strips
An electronic component with terminal strips joined to end faces of external electrodes via a solder is characterized in that two plate-like supports of each terminal strip are formed by bending two plate-like parts projecting outward in a line-symmetrical manner from both side edges of a plate-like leg in the width direction such that at least tips of the thickness surfaces on the electronic component sides of the two plate-like parts are positioned below an external electrode of the electronic component, and the electronic component is supported from below by the tips of the thickness surfaces on the electronic component sides of the four plate-like supports. Slipping of the electronic component from both terminal strips due to melting of the solder can be suppressed in a reliable manner.
US09117591B2 Electrolyte synthesis for ultracapacitors
A method of forming an electrolyte solution involves combining ammonium tetrafluoroborate and a quaternary ammonium halide in a liquid solvent to form a quaternary ammonium tetrafluoroborate and an ammonium halide. The ammonium halide precipitate is removed from the solvent to form an electrolyte solution. The reactants can be added step-wise to the solvent, and the method can include using a stoichiometric excess of the ammonium tetrafluoroborate to form a substantially halide ion-free electrolyte solution.
US09117589B2 Capacitor structure and stack-type capacitor structure
A capacitor structure is provided, which includes a conductive substrate, a first dielectric layer, and a first metal layer. The conductive substrate includes a first surface and at least one first concave located on the first surface. The first dielectric layer covers the first surface and the first concave. The first metal layer covers the first dielectric layer, wherein the first dielectric layer and the first metal layer respectively have concave structures corresponding to the first concave. A stack-type capacitor structure is also provided.
US09117580B2 Choke
A choke includes a single-piece core made of a same material, the single-piece core having a first board, a second board, and a pillar located between the first and second boards, a winding space located among the first board, the second board and the pillar, wherein the pillar has a non-circular and non-rectangular cross section having a first axis and a second axis substantially perpendicularly intersecting with each other at a center of the cross section of the pillar, and wherein a circumference of the cross section of the pillar includes two arc edges, four first substantially straight edges substantially parallel to the first axis, and two second substantially straight edges substantially parallel to the second axis, each of the first substantially straight edges being a joint of and in direct contact with one of the arc edges and one of the second substantially straight edges.
US09117579B2 Redundant current-sum feedback actuator
A system and methods for redundant current-sum feedback control of an actuator system is presented. An actuator comprises actuation coils configured to actuate the actuator, and an actuation coil current sensor senses a measured total coil current comprising a sum of coil currents of each of the actuation coils. Actuator coil controllers control the actuation coils based on a commanded total coil current and the measured total coil current.
US09117578B2 No-insulation multi-width winding for high temperature superconducting magnets
An HTS magnet having a stack of a plurality of double-pancake (DP) coils is disclosed, with each DP coil having a first superconducting coil and a second superconducting coil. The plurality of DP coils have varying widths, with DP coils with the widest widths at the top and bottom of the stack, and DP coils with the narrowest coils located substantially at a midpoint of the stack. The DP coils omit turn-to-turn insulation, or have minimal turn-to-turn insulation.
US09117577B2 Solenoid valve
A solenoid valve with an electromagnetic circuit includes a return plate, a yoke, a coil wound onto a coil carrier. The coil carrier includes an internal thread and comprises a dimensionally and temperature-stable material. A core includes an outer thread. The core is disposed in the coil carrier via a direct interlocking connection. The outer thread of the core is disposed within the internal thread of the coil carrier and is configured to provide adjustment for the core. An armature is configured to be movable and to act at least indirectly on a valve-closing element. The armature is supported in the coil carrier by a supporting device.
US09117575B2 Electrical power resistor
An electric power resistor has a stack of a plurality of resistor plates of metal. Each resistor plate has at least one meandering structure which is formed by a plurality of alternately mutually connected transverse webs. Resistor plates following one another in the stack direction are rotated by 90° with respect to one another.
US09117569B2 Optical fiber composite cable
The present invention relates to an optical fiber composite cable. The optical fiber composite cable includes at least one power line to transmit power and an optical cable to monitor a state of the power lines, and the optical cable comprises optical fibers, tubes to accommodate the optical fibers, and a protection member to surround the tubes.
US09117566B2 Impedance controlled subsea ethernet oil filled hose
One or more insulated conductive wire assemblies are incorporated in a pressure balanced, oil-filled (PBOF) hose. Each conductive wire assembly has a pair of conductive wires each having an insulation layer, an insulating material surrounding the insulated wires, and an outer insulating layer surrounding the insulating material. The insulating material may be selected to have a dielectric constant substantially matching the dielectric constant of the oil in the PBOF hose, so that the insulated pair of conductors perform in the same way both before and after the assembly is submerged in oil in the jumper hose. One or more parameters of the conductive wire assembly are selected such that the assembly has a predetermined impedance when submerged in oil within the PBOF hose.
US09117561B2 Universal mounting system for calibration source for use in PET scanners
A universal mounting adapter is configured for interchangeably mounting a calibration source to two or more different imaging devices. The two imaging devices have different mounting brackets so they cannot be used with the same conventional calibration source. The present adapter includes mounting mechanisms for both types of bracket, allowing the attached calibration source to be moved from one imaging device to the other, while maintaining the calibration source in a prescribed geometry within the respective imaging device. This can be performed without the need for any tools.
US09117559B2 Method for portioning high radiation intensity waste
The present invention is directed to a method for portioning high radiation intensity waste and an apparatus thereof. A hanging mechanism hangs both a manual lifting mechanism and a lead shield, wherein the manual lifting mechanism is provided with a net basket hanging chain extending downwards, wherein the net basket hanging chain can be manipulated to be lifted or lowered. The net basket hanging chain is secured to a net basket containing the high radiation intensity waste. The lead shield is arranged under the hanging mechanism and in a path, along which the net basket is lifted or lowered, wherein the lead shield is provided with a space having an opening facing down.
US09117554B2 Core shroud weld inspection systems and methods
An inspection system for inspecting a core shroud includes a remotely operated vehicle with a profile, scanning ability, and reliability that contribute to expanded inspection coverage and reduced inspection times.
US09117551B2 SRAM memory card and voltage monitoring circuit
An SRAM memory card includes a monitoring unit that monitors, via a contact, a power supply voltage generated by a battery, set an ON value in an alarm signal when electric potential at the contact is lower than a threshold and set an OFF value in the alarm signal when the electric potential at the contact is equal to or higher than the threshold, and output the alarm signal to an apparatus via an interface unit; a detecting unit that detects an ON/OFF state of the power supply of the apparatus via the interface unit; and a discharge circuit that discharges, according to the ON/OFF state of the power supply of the apparatus detected by the detecting unit, charges accumulated in a first electrode of a capacitive element.
US09117550B2 Nano memory, light, energy, antenna and strand-based systems and methods
An apparatus includes a first array of transistor elements; a second array of carbon nano-elements formed above or below the first array of transistor elements; and a circuit coupled to the first array to access the carbon nano elements.
US09117547B2 Reduced stress high voltage word line driver
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention disclose a method and system for asserting a voltage transition from a low voltage to a high voltage with a voltage difference between the low and high voltages on a word line with a word line driver logic that is composed of thin-oxide MOS transistors, wherein the thin-oxide MOS transistors experience less than the voltage difference on the word line between any two of a source, a drain, and a gate. In a step, charging the word line from the low voltage to an intermediate voltage level. In another step, charging the word line to the high voltage from the intermediate voltage level.
US09117546B2 Method for auto-refreshing memory cells in semiconductor memory device and semiconductor memory device using the method
An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure illustrates a method for auto-refreshing memory cells in a semiconductor memory device with an open bit line architecture, wherein the semiconductor memory device comprises M memory banks, and each of the M memory banks has two particular sectors with a same index and L remained sectors with different indices. Two word lines of the two particular sectors with the same index in the memory bank and (M−1) word lines of the L remained sectors respectively in the other (M−1) memory banks are selected in one cycle. Then, memory cells of the selected word lines are refreshed.
US09117540B2 Semiconductor memory device including memory cell strings and method of operating the same
A semiconductor memory device includes memory cell strings including selection transistors and memory cells coupled between the selection transistors, a peripheral circuit configured to apply an operating voltage to the memory cell strings during a read operation or a verify operation, and a control circuit configured to control the peripheral circuit so that the operating voltage being applied to the selection transistors is controlled to reduce a potential level of a channel of the memory cell strings during the read operation or the verify operation.
US09117537B2 Pulse output circuit, shift register, and display device
In a pulse output circuit in a shift register, a power source line which is connected to a transistor in an output portion connected to a pulse output circuit at the next stage is set to a low-potential drive voltage, and a power source line which is connected to a transistor in an output portion connected to a scan signal line is set to a variable potential drive voltage. The variable potential drive voltage is the low-potential drive voltage in a normal mode, and can be either a high-potential drive voltage or the low-potential drive voltage in a bath mode. In the batch mode, display scan signals can be output to a plurality of scan signal lines at the same timing in a batch.
US09117535B2 Single sided bit line restore for power reduction
A memory circuit to reduce active power is disclosed (FIG. 7). The circuit includes a sense amplifier (600). A first bit line (BL) is coupled to a memory array. A second bit line (BLB) that is a complementary bit line to the first bit line is also coupled to the memory array. A first transistor (TG) is coupled between the first bit line (BL) and the sense amplifier. A second transistor (TG) is coupled between the second bit line (BLB) and the sense amplifier. A first drive circuit (700) is coupled between the sense amplifier and the first bit line and is operable to drive a first data signal from the sense amplifier onto the first bit line when the second transistor is off.
US09117533B2 Tracking erase operations to regions of non-volatile memory
A data storage device includes a memory and a controller and may perform a method that includes updating, in the controller, a value of a particular counter of a set of counters in response to an erase operation to a particular region of the non-volatile memory that is tracked by the particular counter. The method includes, in response to the value of the particular counter indicating that a count of erase operations to the particular region satisfies a first threshold, initiating a remedial action to the particular region of the non-volatile memory.
US09117530B2 Preserving data from adjacent word lines while programming binary non-volatile storage elements
A system and methods for programming non-volatile memory elements by using latches to transfer data. Upon discovering errors in previously programmed non-volatile memory elements, the system recovers the corresponding data from the latches and programming the recovered data to other non-volatile memory elements.
US09117526B2 Substrate connection of three dimensional NAND for improving erase performance
A memory includes a doped substrate well, a substrate connector coupled to the doped substrate well, and a set of interlayer connectors insulated from the doped substrate well. A series arrangement including a plurality of memory cells is coupled on a first end by a first switch to a bit line and coupled on a second end by a second switch to a source line contact pad. The source line contact pad is connected to the substrate connector and to at least one of the interlayer connectors in the set of interlayer connectors. A supply line is connected to the set of interlayer connectors. A plurality of word lines is coupled to the plurality of memory cells. Circuitry is coupled to the supply line and to the doped substrate well and configured to bias the supply line and the doped substrate well with different bias conditions.
US09117525B2 Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device and method of manufacturing the same
According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell and a select gate transistor formed on a semiconductor substrate. The memory cell includes a first gate insulating film, a first charge storage layer, a first intergate insulating film, and a first control gate. The first gate insulating film, the first charge storage layer, the first intergate insulating film, and the first control gate are formed on the semiconductor substrate in order. The select gate transistor includes a second gate insulating film, a first gate electrode, a second intergate insulating film, and a second control gate. The second gate insulating film, the first gate electrode, the second intergate insulating film, and the second control gate are formed on the semiconductor substrate in order. The second intergate insulating film different first and second thicknesses.
US09117523B1 Chainlink memory
A nonvolatile alternative to DRAM or Flash is disclosed. It involves a new “magnetic shift register” that avoids the bit annihilation problem that plagues magnetic racetrack memories. Using this new “chainlink memory” approach, one avoids the annihilation problem inherent in racetrack memory by breaking up the racetrack into magnetically coupled links, where each link preferably handles one bit exclusively. Depending upon the implementation, the “bit” can be, for example, the magnetization of a link, presence or absence of a domain wall, or the polarity of a domain wall. Numerous examples and applications of this new chainlink technology are disclosed.
US09117521B2 Memory cell with volatile and non-volatile storage
The invention concerns a non-volatile memory element comprising: first and second transistors (106, 108) forming an inverter (104) coupled between a first storage node (112) and an output (110) of the memory element; a third transistor (116) coupled between the first storage node (112) and a first supply voltage (GND, VDD) and comprising a control terminal coupled to said output; a first resistance switching element (102) coupled in series with said third transistor and programmed to have one of first and second resistances (Rmin, Rmax) representing a non-volatile data bit; a fourth transistor (118) coupled between said storage node (112) a second supply voltage (VDD, GND); and control circuitry (130) adapted to activate said third transistor at the start of a transfer phase of said non-volatile data bit to said storage node, and to control said fourth transistor to couple said storage node to said second supply voltage during said transfer phase.
US09117520B2 Data encoding for non-volatile memory
A data storage device includes a memory and a controller. Mapping circuitry is configured to apply a mapping to received data to generate mapped data to be stored in storage elements. The mapping is configured to reduce average write time by mapping at least one incoming data value into a mapped value such that no transitions of storage elements from a second state to a first state are used for storing the mapped value into the storage elements. The mapping of the received data to the mapped data does not depend on the states of the storage elements prior to the writing of the mapped data.
US09117518B2 Non-volatile register and non-volatile shift register
Non-Volatile Register (NVR) and Non-Volatile Shift Register (NVSR) devices are disclosed. The innovative NVR and NVSR devices of the invention can rapidly load the stored non-volatile data in non-volatile memory elements into their correspondent static memory elements for fast and constant referencing in digital circuitry. According to the invention, the loading process from non-volatile memory to static memory is a direct process without going through the conventional procedures of accessing the non-volatile memory, sensing from the non-volatile memory, and loading into the digital registers and shift registers.
US09117517B2 Non-volatile semiconductor device and method for controlling the same
A non-volatile semiconductor device and a method for controlling the same are disclosed, which can increase a read efficiency of the non-volatile semiconductor device using the Low Power Double Data Rate (LPDDR) 2 specifications. The non-volatile semiconductor device includes a decoder configured to output a plurality of active control signals by decoding an active address and an active signal, and a plurality of active controls configured to be controlled by the plurality of active control signals and a plurality of active reset signals so as to generate a plurality of active enable signals that are independently activated.
US09117516B2 Resistance change memory
According to one embodiment, a memory includes memory cells between first conductive lines and second conductive lines. A control circuit is configured to apply a first potential to a first end of a selected first conductive line connected to the selected memory cell among the first conductive lines and first ends of unselected second conductive lines not connected to the selected memory cell among the second conductive lines, apply a second potential larger than the first potential to a first end of a selected second conductive line connected to the selected memory cell among the second conductive lines, apply third potentials smaller than the second potential to first ends of unselected first conductive lines not connected to the selected memory cell among the first conductive lines respectively, and change values of the third potentials based on an address of the selected first conductive line.
US09117515B2 Programmable metallization cell with two dielectric layers
A programmable metallization device comprises a first electrode and a second electrode, and a first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer, and an ion-supplying layer in series between the first and second electrodes. In operation, a conductive bridge is formed or destructed in the first dielectric layer to represent a data value. During read, a read bias is applied that is sufficient to cause formation of a transient bridge in the second dielectric layer, and make a conductive path through the cell if the bridge is present in the first dielectric layer. If the bridge is not present in the first dielectric layer during the read, then the conductive path is not formed. Upon removal of the read bias voltage any the conductive bridge formed in the second dielectric layer is destructed while the conductive bridge in the corresponding other first dielectric layer, if any, remains.
US09117514B2 Data encoding for non-volatile memory
A data storage device includes a memory and a controller. Mapping circuitry is configured to apply a mapping to received data to generate mapped data to be stored in storage elements. The mapping is configured to reduce average write time by mapping at least one incoming data value into a mapped value such that no transitions of storage elements from a second state to a first state are used for storing the mapped value into the storage elements.
US09117513B2 Resistive RAM, method for fabricating the same, and method for driving the same
A resistive random access memory (ReRAM) includes a first electrode, a threshold switching layer formed over the first electrode and configured to perform a switching operation according to an applied voltage, a resistance change layer formed over the threshold switching layer, and configured to perform a resistance change operation, and a second electrode formed over the resistance change layer, wherein the threshold switching layer comprises a stoichiometric transition oxide while the resistance change layer comprises a non-stoichiometric transition metal oxide.
US09117510B2 Circuit for memory write data operation
A pulsed dynamic LCV circuit for improving write operations for SRAM. The pulsed dynamic LCV circuit includes voltage adjustment circuitry having a plurality of selectable reduced supply voltages and timing adjustment circuitry having a plurality of selectable logical state transition timings for adjustably controlling the voltage and timing of a transition from a selected reduced supply voltage back to a nominal supply voltage. The voltage adjustment circuitry has a plurality of selectable transistors that when individually selected have a cumulative effect to pull the reduced supply voltage down further. The timing adjustment circuitry has a plurality of selectable multiplexers that when individually selected for a delayed voltage transition have a cumulative effect to delay return of voltage supplied to SRAM from a reduced supply voltage to a nominal supply voltage.
US09117507B2 Multistage voltage regulator circuit
Circuit embodiments of a multistage voltage regulator circuit are presented, where a circuit includes a first stage that includes a first bias transistor having a current terminal coupled to a first regulated node. The circuit also includes a second stage that includes a second bias transistor having a current terminal coupled to a second regulated node. The circuit also includes a third stage including a third bias transistor having a current terminal coupled to a third node. The circuit also includes a control loop for regulating voltages at the first and second regulated nodes, where the second regulated node is connected to a control terminal of the first bias transistor; and where the first regulated node is connected to a control terminal of the third bias transistor.