| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09173335B2 |
Complex circuit board fabrication method
A complex circuit board including a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) and a flexible printed circuit (FPC) for providing driving signals for light sources is disclosed. The PCBA includes a supporting portion and a connecting portion. The light sources are disposed above the supporting portion. The connection portion contacts electrically with a contacting portion of the FPC. The contacting portion of the FPC has a fixing hole. The connecting portion of the PCBA has a fixing portion. Moreover, the FPC has two or more than two first bend portions on the contacting portion. The fixing portion of the PCBA is inserted into the fixing hole of the FPC to complete the complex circuit board without extra attachment units. Therefore, the assembly procedure is simplified to increase throughput and the cost is reduced. |
| US09173333B2 |
Shielding structures including frequency selective surfaces
According to various aspects, exemplary embodiments are disclosed of shielding structures including one or more frequency selective surfaces, which may be used for attenuating, reflecting, and/or redirecting electromagnetic signals through open structures. Also disclosed are methods of using one or more frequency selective surfaces for attenuating, reflecting, and/or redirecting electromagnetic signals through open structures. |
| US09173331B2 |
Variable thickness EMI shield with variable cooling channel size
An EMI shield for an electronic system enclosure is disclosed. The EMI shield may include an electrically conductive panel with a plurality of air ventilation channels, which has an upstream airflow side and a downstream airflow side. The EMI shield may also include a first air ventilation channel with a first cross-sectional shape having a first cross-sectional area and a first depth. The EMI shield may further include a second air ventilation channel with a second cross-sectional shape, having a cross-sectional area greater than the first cross-sectional area, and a second depth larger than the first depth. |
| US09173328B2 |
Heat dissipation system and rack-mount server using the same
A heat dissipation system includes a chassis, a number of heat absorbing boxes, a number of pipes, a first water tank and a second water tank received in the chassis, a number of fins sandwiched between the first water tank and the second water tank, a number of fans aligning with the fins, and a water pump connected between the first water tank and the second water tank. Each heat absorbing box includes a water inlet and a water outlet, and heat from electrical components is gathered by the boxes, transferred to the water tanks, and the fans blow air through the fins to dissipate the gathered heat. |
| US09173318B2 |
Circuit housing having a printed circuit board which is positioned in said circuit housing by means of positioning elements
A circuit housing having a printed circuit board and a circuit and holes in which peg-like positioning elements projecting away from the housing engage for positioning the PCB relative to the housing, at least one positioning element projecting without play into one circular hole, another positioning element, accommodated in another hole, having spreading fingers separated from one another by at least one recess, projecting into/through the further hole, elastically transverse to the direction of an imaginary connecting line of the holes and a cross-section such that a) in the direction of the imaginary connecting line, there is play between the spreading fingers and a radially inner circumferential surface of the another hole on both sides, but b) the spreading fingers make contact by their diametrically opposite side faces with the inner face of the another hole perpendicular to the connecting line without play only along a contact line/point. |
| US09173314B2 |
Protective enclosure for an electronic device
Disclosed is a three-layer protective enclosure that provides resistance to water, dust, dirt, and bump protection for sensitive computers. In one embodiment, an inner membrane layer is provided, which is a thin, flexible layer that protects portions of a computer and allows the user to interact with keyboards, push buttons and other interactive features of the computer. A protective hard shell fits tightly over the membrane and provides additional sealing and rigidity to the protective enclosure. A stretchable cushion layer is placed over the hard shell which conforms to the hard shell and seals moisture, dust and dirt from entering the hard shell. The stretchable cushion layer provides cushioning and also allows access to certain controls on the computer. In another embodiment, a touch screen cover may be used with, or without, a membrane over other portions of the computer. |
| US09173312B1 |
Cable storage under a drawer
An apparatus comprising a wall of a drawer adapted to secure a set of cables at a first end, the set of cables can be housed in a cable housing, the wall coupled to a roller and a flattening appendage. In some implementations, the apparatus can include a deck including a plate adapted to secure the set of cables at a second end, the plate located at a midpoint of the deck. Alternatively, a drawer is adapted to slide along the deck, a shelf attached to the drawer. The flattening appendage presses down on the first end of the set of cables and the roller presses down on the second end of the set of cables as the drawer is opened and closed such that the set of cables is stored neatly under the drawer. |
| US09173311B2 |
Power supply apparatus for sliding structure
A power supply apparatus for sliding structure includes a wiring harness having an exterior member wired from a fixed structure-side power supply device to the sliding structure side, the fixed structure-side power supply device including an outer member fixed to the fixed structure, an inner member supported to the outer member so as to rotate in a horizontal direction and configured to support one end portion of the exterior member, and a harness trajectory regulation wall configured to rotate integrally with the inner member. When the sliding structure is fully-opened, the harness trajectory regulation wall projects outward from the outer member in a thickness direction of the sliding structure, such that the exterior member arranged along the harness trajectory regulation wall is moved away from the fixed structure toward the sliding structure side, preventing interference between the exterior member and the fixed structure. |
| US09173309B2 |
Electronic device enclosure
An electronic device enclosure includes a chassis defining an space, and a cover module. The chassis includes two opposite sidewalls locating at two sides of the space. The cover module includes a cover and a latching apparatus mounted to the cover. A first end of the cover is rotatably connected to first ends of the sidewalls, and the latching apparatus is mounted to a second end of the cover. A second end of one of the sidewalls defines a latching hole. The latching apparatus includes a latching member slidably mounted to the cover, a resilient member sandwiched between the latching member and the cover, and an operation member mounted to the latching member. The latching member includes a latching block. The resilient member biases the latching member to slide, to allow the latching block to latch in the latching hole. |
| US09173308B2 |
Mounting structure of flexible printed circuit board and sliding-type electronic device
A mounting structure of a flexible printed circuit board and a sliding-type electronic device is provided by which a too large increase in thickness of devices can be avoided and a pair of housings can be slid relatively in a bending and slanting direction. In the mounting structure, an upper housing 12 and a lower housing 22 coupled in a freely slidable manner are electrically connected to each other by a flexible printed circuit board folded back to be routed between slide facing surfaces 12b and 22a of both the housings and the height of a side wall surface 12c and 22c of the upper housing and lower housing changes in a bending manner along the direction of freely sliding and, in the slide facing surfaces of the upper housing and lower housing, concave space portions 15 and 25 to accommodate the change in curvature and in position of a folding-back portion 31a caused by sliding motion between the upper housing and lower housing are disposed. |
| US09173305B2 |
Metallization having high power compatibility and high electrical conductivity
A metallization can be used for components working with acoustic waves. The metallization includes a base having a bottom layer comprising titanium, and an upper layer comprising copper. A top layer of the metallization disposed on the base comprises aluminum. |
| US09173303B2 |
Anisotropic conductive film and apparatus including the same
An apparatus includes a first member including a plurality of first electrodes on a first substrate, a second member including a plurality of second electrodes on a second substrate, the second electrodes facing the first electrodes of the first member, and an anisotropic conductive film (ACF) between the first member and the second member, the ACF having a double-layered structure and electrically connecting the first member and the second member, the ACF including an epoxy resin with a polycyclic aromatic ring and exhibiting a minimum melt viscosity of about 3,000 Pa·s to about 10,000 Pa·s at about 30° C. to about 200° C. |
| US09173302B2 |
Conductive adhesive film and solar cell module
The conductive adhesive film of the invention is a conductive adhesive film for electrical connection between photovoltaic cell surface electrodes and wiring members, which comprises an insulating adhesive 2 and conductive particles 1 and has a (t/r) value in the range of 0.75-17.5, where r (μm) is the mean particle size of the conductive particles 1 and t (μm) is the thickness of the conductive adhesive film, wherein the content of the conductive particles 1 is 1.7-15.6 vol % based on the total volume of the conductive adhesive film. |
| US09173300B2 |
Method of manufacturing printed circuit board
A method of manufacturing a printed circuit board (PCB) and the PCB are provided. The method includes: filling a resin in a via-hole formed at a substrate from one surface side of the substrate; emitting light for a predetermined period of time to the resin filled in the via-hole from the other surface side of the substrate; and applying another resin on the other surface of the substrate. |
| US09173299B2 |
Collective printed circuit board
There is provided a collective printed circuit board including a plurality of printed circuit boards each having a mounting unit on which a semiconductor element is mounted at an upper-surface central portion, and a frame having a plurality of through holes having sizes to surround the mounting portion. Upper-surface peripheral edge portions of the printed circuit boards and a through-hole peripheral portion of the frame are bonded to each other such that the mounting units are exposed from the through holes. |
| US09173292B1 |
Edge launch transition for a printed circuit board
An edge launch and fabrication method wherein spaced elongated slots are formed through a circuit board. The slots are plated at least along one side thereof connecting ground planes of the circuit board thus forming spaced edge plated regions. Circuit modules are produced by singulating the circuit board along a cut line offset outwardly from the plated slot sides to form an edge launch outwardly extending from and between the spaced edge plated regions. |
| US09173290B2 |
Wiring board having an engineered metallization layer
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a printed wiring board (PWB) of the type depicted in FIG. 1, and to the resulting PWB. Such a PWB comprises a first substrate and alternating layers of a second substrate and a metal layer. The layer 2 metallization of the PWB is a thick layer of a composite engineered metal material having a configurable coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) to provide CTE matching with respect to radio frequency (RF) components mounted on the PWB, and having substantial heat dissipation properties to dissipate heat generated by the RF components. This composite metal layer also provides a ground plane for the RF components. |
| US09173288B1 |
Foldable display apparatus
Disclosed is a foldable display apparatus which can maintain a bending part of an unfolded flexible display in a plane state. The foldable display apparatus includes a display panel arranged in a folded or unfolded position with respect to a bending part which is defined in a display area displaying an image, a first panel supporting part configured to support a first side of the display panel, a second panel supporting part configured to support a second side of the display panel, and a connection housing configured to overlap the bending part, and movably support a second side of each of the first and second panel supporting parts. |
| US09173284B2 |
Flexible circuit board with planarized cover layer structure
A planarized cover layer structure of a flexible circuit board includes an insulation layer bonded through a first adhesive layer to a surface of each one of conductive signal lines laid on a substrate of a flexible circuit board. Separation areas respectively formed between adjacent ones of the conductive signal lines are each formed with a filling layer, so that the filling layer provides the first adhesive layer with a planarization height in the separation areas and the planarization height is substantially equal to the height of the conductive signal lines. The filling layer can alternatively be of a height that is higher than the surface of the conductor layer by a covering height so that the first adhesive layer has a planarization height in the separation areas and the planarization height is substantially equal to the sum of the height of the conductive signal lines and the covering height. |
| US09173281B2 |
Methods of fabricating electrode sensor
Provide are an electrode sensor and a method of fabricating the same. the method may include providing a substrate with a first electrode, forming a resist layer on the substrate to cover the first electrode, patterning the resist layer to expose a portion of the first electrode, forming an insulating layer on the substrate, removing the insulating layer on the resist layer and the resist layer to form a well in the insulating layer, and forming a second electrode in the well to be electrically connected to the first electrode. According to the method, it is possible to prevent the first electrode from being damaged. In addition, the second electrode may be configured have an increased surface area, and thus, the electrode can have low impedance. |
| US09173274B2 |
Lighting control device and method
Embodiments relate to controlling a lighting control according to at least one of received signal strength indication (RSSI) and a preset lighting mode. Brightness or/and color temperature of the lighting device may be automatically controlled to two or more levels according to the RSSI and a user's taste. A switch application of the lighting device using the RSSI is operated to facilitate a control by a user, and On/Off or/and brightness of the lighting device are controlled according to the RSSI. |
| US09173272B2 |
Organic electroluminescent display device and method for driving the same
An organic electroluminescent display device includes an organic electroluminescent display panel including top emission pixels to emit light toward a top side of a substrate and bottom emission pixels to emit light toward a bottom side of the substrate, the top emission pixels and the bottom emission pixels being formed such that corresponding ones thereof share a common transparent area, a scan driver for supplying a scan signal to scan lines each connected to selected ones of the top and bottom emission pixels, and a data driver for supplying a data voltage to data lines each connected to selected ones of the top and bottom emission pixels. The top emission pixels and the bottom emission pixels are formed on the substrate to alternate with each other on a pixel basis, on a scan line basis, or a data line basis. |
| US09173270B2 |
Low-temperature LED lighting and power supply device
A low-temperature LED lighting and power supply device has a low power-consuming power supply control module and an LED lighting module electrically connected therewith. The LED lighting module is composed of at least one light source driver and an LED light source. The low power-consuming power supply control module at least has a surge suppression unit, a voltage-dividing-limiting unit, a current-limiting unit, and a steady voltage filtering unit. Accordingly, the present invention allows LED lighting equipment to be applied in a wider power supply range and operated under a low-temperature and low power-consuming state so as to meet economic and practical demands and environmental protection. |
| US09173264B2 |
LED control device for phase-cut dimming system and control method thereof
An LED control device for configuring a phase-cut dimming system includes an LED and a switch. The LED control device configures the conduction status of the switch so as to supply power to the LED according to an input signal. The LED control device further detects whether the input signal is phase-cut. When the input signal is phase-cut, the LED control device stores the signal values of the internal circuits. Afterward, when the input signal is not phase-cut, the LED control device restores the stored signal values so that the internal circuits may resume to the previous operation status rapidly. |
| US09173258B2 |
Lighting apparatus including a current bleeder module for sinking current during dimming of the lighting apparatus and methods of operating the same
A lighting apparatus includes an input power terminal, a light source element coupled to the input power terminal, and a current bleeder module that is connected to the input power terminal and is configured to draw a current from the input power terminal responsive to a phase cut input power signal received at the input power terminal during a first portion of a period of the phase cut input power signal and is configured as an open circuit so as not to draw current from the input power terminal during a second portion of the period of the phase cut input power signal. |
| US09173256B1 |
Dimmable LED driver based on parallel resonant current fed self-oscillating topology
A driver circuit (e.g., an LED driver circuit) provides power to a load (e.g. an LED light source) from a DC power rail. A self-oscillating current fed parallel resonant inverter is configured to connect to the DC power rail, receive DC power from the DC power rail, and provide an AC output signal. A current limiting circuit is connected to the self-oscillating current fed parallel resonant inverter. The current limiting circuit receives the AC output signal from the self-oscillating current fed parallel resonant inverter and provides an AC current signal as a function of the DC current provided to the load by the driver circuit. The rectifier receives the AC current signal from the current limiting circuit and provides a DC current to the load. |
| US09173255B2 |
Adaptive heating system with exchangeable heat sources
An adaptive heating apparatus for heating a recreational vehicle, including a first heat unit configured to be powered by a first energy type, a second heat unit configured to be powered by a second energy type that is different than the first energy type, and a forced-air circulation unit. The adaptive heating apparatus is operable to employ the first heat unit during a first heating operation, or alternatively to employ the second heat unit during a second heating operation. The forced-air circulation unit is configured to circulate air through the both heat units during the first heating operation and to circulate air through both heating units during the second heating operation. |
| US09173254B2 |
Infrared ray detection device, heating cooker, and method of measuring temperature of cooling chamber of heating cooker
A heating cooker including an infrared ray detection device is disclosed. The heating cooker includes a body, an inner case disposed within the body, and provided therein with a cooking chamber to cook food, a detection hole formed at one side wall of the inner case, to allow an infrared ray generated in the cooking chamber to exit outwardly from the cooking chamber, a path change unit disposed in the vicinity of the detection hole, to change a path of the infrared ray passing through the detection hole, and an infrared sensor disposed to be spaced apart from the path change unit, to receive the infrared ray, the path of which has been changed. The path change unit is rotatable to enable the infrared sensor to receive infrared rays having different paths while being generated in different regions in the cooking chamber. |
| US09173253B2 |
Ionic adder dryer technology
A method for RF dielectric heating an object having a variable weight including a medium is provided The method comprises: (A) placing the object having the variable weight including the medium into an enclosure; (B) adding an ionic substance to the medium; (C) initiating a heating process by subjecting the medium including the object to a variable AC electrical field; and (D) controlling the heating process. The method further comprises using an air flow having an ambient temperature, or being heated before getting into the enclosure, to carry away the evaporated medium from the enclosure. |
| US09173250B2 |
Method for making heater
A method for making a heater is provided. A support and a flexible substrate are provided. The flexible substrate is stretched along a first direction and is fixed on a surface of the support. A carbon nanotube film is drawn from a carbon nanotube array. One end of the carbon nanotube film is attached on the flexible substrate. The carbon nanotube film is wrapped around the support by whirling the support to form a carbon nanotube layer. The flexible substrate is separated from the support and shrinks along the first direction. The carbon nanotube layer includes a plurality of carbon nanotubes aligned in the first direction. A plurality of electrodes are electrically connected with the carbon nanotube layer. |
| US09173248B2 |
Thawing oven
An apparatus and method for thawing a product. The apparatus includes a heating chamber, and an electrical control unit. The heating chamber includes a product chamber that holds a product, at least one heating element, each heating element emitting infrared energy in a direction of the product, and at least one temperature sensor, each temperature sensor measuring a surface temperature of the product. The electrical control unit includes a processor that controls and monitors said at least one heating element, and said at least one temperature sensor to raise a temperature of the product from an initial temperature to a set-point temperature, a connection to each heating element, and a connection to each temperature sensor. |
| US09173245B2 |
Ad hoc wireless social networking
A first device may communicate by joining a wireless mesh network that includes at least one wireless device configured to operate a wireless routing protocol, discovering a group of other wireless devices configured to participate in the wireless mesh network, and accessing an interest metric for a second wireless device in the group of other wireless devices. The interest metric is based in part on a network topology from the wireless mesh network. The interest metric is related to an interest threshold and it is determined whether relating the interest metric to the interest threshold supports enabling messaging communications. If so, messaging communications may be enabled. |
| US09173237B2 |
Communication method of relay, terminal, and communication method of the terminal
A relay, a terminal, and a communication method of the same are provided. The terminal acting as a relay receives a message including scan duration information from a superordinate HR-BS, and the terminal transmits a message including the scan duration information to a subordinate HR-MS. The terminal receives an A-preamble from the superordinate HR-BS according to the scan duration information. |
| US09173231B2 |
Method for transmitting/receiving data in wireless access system, and base station and user equipment for same
The present invention discloses a method for transmitting/receiving data in a wireless access system supporting carrier aggregation/multiple cells, and a base station and a user equipment for same. More particularly, the method comprises the following steps: transmitting downlink control information through a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) for scheduling downlink data from a first subframe; and transmitting the downlink data, which is scheduled by the downlink control information from a second subframe, through a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), wherein the downlink control information includes a field indicating the second subframe from which the downlink data is transmitted. |
| US09173226B2 |
Network element, wireless communication units and methods for scheduling communications
A method for scheduling multimedia broadcast and multicast service (MBMS) transmissions in radio frames comprising subframes comprises receiving a plurality of different multimedia broadcast and multicast service (MBMS) user data for broadcasting to a plurality of wireless communication units. The method further comprises scheduling the different MBMS user data for broadcasting in respective subframes within a first radio frame; and scheduling a different subframe order of the different MBMS user data for broadcasting in respective subframes within a second radio frame wherein the varied subframe order is based on the MBMS service to be broadcast. |
| US09173219B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for improving data transmission performance
A method, an apparatus and a system can be used for improving data transmission performance. Specific steps may include determining whether a transmission rate for transmitting data is lower than a reference transmission rate that the data is actually required. If it is lower than the reference transmission rate, a reference working frequency is obtained by querying part of or an entire working frequency band. The reference working frequency corresponds to a transmission rate that is higher than or equal to the reference transmission rate from the working frequency band. Frequency modification indication information is sent to a network access device and a working frequency for communication is modified to the reference working frequency. |
| US09173212B2 |
Method for communicating in a mobile network
The present invention relates to a method for communicating between a primary station and at least one secondary station, comprising configuring each secondary station to search at least one of a plurality of search spaces having a first structure, said first structure consisting of at least a first number of resource sets having a first size, where at least one resource set might be used to transmit a message to the considered secondary station, changing the search space structure to a second structure different from the first structure in response to a signalling message. |
| US09173208B2 |
Mobile station apparatus, base station apparatus, method and integrated circuit
To provide a mobile station apparatus, a base station apparatus, a method and an integrated circuit which are capable of dissolving complexity of setting by the base station apparatus and performing efficient scheduling by improving the orthogonality of resources of a reference signal for every antenna. A mobile station apparatus which transmits a sounding reference signal to a base station apparatus using a plurality of antenna ports, wherein based on one value set specifically to a mobile station apparatus by a parameter notified of by a higher layer from the base station apparatus, a cyclic shift applied to a sounding reference signal corresponding to the plurality of antenna ports is determined. |
| US09173202B2 |
Method and arrangement in a wireless communication system
Method and arrangement in a user equipment for transmitting scheduling requests to a base station. The base station is adapted to serve the user equipment. The user equipment is configured to transmit scheduling requests to the base station only at certain predetermined scheduling request opportunities. The method comprises triggering a scheduling request transmission, transmitting a scheduling request to the base station at the next occurring scheduling request opportunity, starting a scheduling request prohibiting timer and prohibiting any further scheduling request retransmission at future scheduling request opportunities while the scheduling request prohibiting timer is running. Also, a corresponding method and arrangement in a base station are described. |
| US09173201B2 |
Method and base station system for providing access to a mobile communication network
The invention pertains to a method for providing access to a mobile communication network comprising at least one base transceiver station, wherein the communication network is being visited by a piece of user equipment having a home operator in a home network. The method comprises at the base transceiver station: receiving a channel request from said user equipment, creating a virtual machine associated with said home operator of said user equipment, establishing a channel using said virtual machine, and allocating channel resources of said at least one base station to accommodate said channel. The invention also pertains to a base station system to carry out the method of the invention. |
| US09173200B2 |
Communication terminal, network component, base station and method for communicating
In various aspects of this disclosure, a communication terminal may be provided. The communication device may include a cellular wide area radio communication technology circuit. The cellular wide area radio communication technology circuit may be configured to provide a communication in accordance with a cellular wide area radio communication technology. The communication device may further include a controller. The controller may be configured to manage radio resources for a cellular wide area radio communication connection based on radio resources that are provided or will be provided for a direct communication terminal device to communication terminal device communication bypassing a radio access network. |
| US09173196B2 |
Adaptive multi-channel access for vehicular networks
A system and method is provided for dynamically self-allocating channel access for communication between communicating entities in an inter-vehicle ad hoc network. A respective entity observes communication activity over each inter-vehicle ad hoc network communication channel. Available time slots are identified within each communication channel for the respective entity to broadcast a data packet in response to the observed communication activity on a respective channel. An available communication channel and timeslot are selected to broadcast the data packet. A message is broadcast within the inter-vehicle ad hoc network that provides a schedule identifying the communication channel and time slot selected for broadcasting the data packet by the respective entity. The data packet is broadcast over the selected communication channel at the respective timeslot. |
| US09173195B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting/receiving control information in broadcast communication system
Methods and apparatuses for transmitting/receiving control information in a system in which multiple frequencies are used to carry multiple services by means of transmission frames, which are constituted of time resources and/or time-frequency resources. Control information regarding frame configuration information is not transmitted over a separate control channel but over a data channel. The service traffic for each non-primary service traffic may include control information for a primary service. Thus, even when a receiver changes the current service to a target service, control information necessary to detect the location of the target service in a frame and demodulate the target service can be acquired, and thus a service change can be made without reading a separate control channel. |
| US09173192B2 |
Target cell selection for multimedia broadcast multicast service continuity
Transfer of Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Services (MBMS) over a Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) service and idle mode unicast service for a mobile entity from a source base station to a target base station may be managed by a base station or mobile entity of a cellular wireless communications system (WCS). Operations related to the transfer may include obtaining an MBMS status of the mobile entity, and/or obtaining MBMS support information for the base station. A network entity may facilitate MBMS discovery by a mobile entity, by transmitting a data element to the mobile entity including service identifiers mapped to corresponding cell identifiers to indicate respective MBMS services to be broadcast in an WCS area on adjacent cells identified by respective ones of the cell identifiers. The MBMS services may be broadcast within the WCS area using the adjacent cells previously indicated in the data element. |
| US09173189B2 |
Determining WLAN edges
Determining whether a station is at the edge of wireless local area network (WLAN) coverage. In an IEEE 802.11 wireless network comprising one or more access points (APs) which may optionally be connected to one or more controllers, with wireless clients connected to those APs. Station S connected to AP A collects reports such as beacon reports which contains information on all APs station S can hear, including signal strengths. AP A collects a neighbor report which contains information on all APs in its neighborhood including signal strengths. These reports from A and S are observed and compared over time to determine when S is at or is moving to the edge of WLAN coverage. For example, if the only entry in the beacon list for client S is AP A to which it is connected, and the signal strength is decreasing over time, S is at the edge of WLAN coverage and is moving away from the WLAN. The process may be implemented at a controller, at a client, or both. |
| US09173188B2 |
Communication apparatus, position information management system, and position information management method
A communication apparatus which transmits information on a position at which the communication apparatus is positioned is disclosed. The communication apparatus includes a detecting unit which detects one of a first signal which is detected when the communication apparatus is fixed to an installed location and a second signal which is detected when the communication apparatus is brought to a state in which it is not fixed to the installed location; a storage unit which stores therein the position information; and a control unit which erases the position information stored in the storage unit when the second signal is detected after the first signal is detected by the detecting unit. |
| US09173187B2 |
Determining the position of a mobile device using the characteristics of received signals and a reference database
Some embodiments use scanning devices to characterize radio signals received at a number of locations within a geographical area of interest. The signal characteristics along with the location information associated with the characteristics are stored in a centralized reference database. A mobile device characterizes signals it receives at a certain location and compares the characteristics with the signal characteristics stored in the reference database to obtain accurate location information of the certain location. |
| US09173186B2 |
Wireless communication system and method for establishing a connection between user equipment and a mobility management entity thereof
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system and method for establishing connection between a User Equipment (UE) and a Mobility Management Entity (MME) in the wireless communication system in which the data-centric terminal requests the mobility management entity for attachment and checks, when the mobility management entity responds, data-centric features supported by the mobility management entity. According to the present invention, it is possible to connect the data-centric terminal to the mobility management entity supporting the data-centric features of the corresponding data-centric terminal efficiently in the wireless communication system. |
| US09173185B1 |
Methods and systems for managing registration signaling based on off-time duration
Systems and methods are disclosed herein for managing the extent of registration signaling that a communication device sends when activating a network process, based on how long the process was turned off. For instance, if the device turns off without deregistering from a communication network and then turns on while the network registration is still current, an example system or method may help the device to recognize this situation and reduce unnecessary signaling associated with restarting a network process. |
| US09173183B1 |
Method and system for determining time synchronization errors in time difference of arrival (TDOA) measurements
A mobile device may obtain time difference of arrival (TDOA) measurements from wireless signals transmitted by a plurality of nodes. The plurality of nodes may include synchronized nodes that are synchronized to a time reference and an unsynchronized node that has a time synchronization error relative to the time reference. An estimated location of the mobile device can be determined based on the TDOA measurements. Another estimated location of the mobile device can be determined based on other data, such as the mobile device scanning an object having a known location. The time synchronization error can then be determined based on a distance between these estimated locations. Once the time synchronization error has been determined, it can be used to correct subsequent TDOA measurements involving the unsynchronized node. |
| US09173180B2 |
Syncronizing wireless devices
A method of synchronising the reference clock of a first wireless device with a master reference clock of a second wireless device via a wireless network. The method involves transmitting, from the second wireless device to the first wireless device, a dedicated synchronisation frame via a dedicated synchronisation channel; receiving the dedicated synchronisation frame at the first wireless device; and synchronising the reference clock of the first wireless device with the master reference clock of the second wireless device based on the received dedicated synchronisation frame. |
| US09173179B2 |
Synchronization method and apparatus for broadcast multicast service
There is provided a method for synchronization between one or more base stations to provide broadcast multicast service, including: receiving a session start request message, and extracting a service start setting time set to start broadcast service from the session start request message; comparing the service start setting time to a modification check time being a check time which is later than and closest to the service start setting time, among check times at which it is determined whether or not broadcast service has changed, the check times having a predetermined time interval; deciding, when the modification check time is later than the service start setting time by a predetermined internal slack time period or more, the modification check time as a service start time at which broadcast service starts; and transmitting information indicating the service start time to the base stations. |
| US09173177B2 |
Satellite transmission system
A satellite transmission system comprises at least: one satellite and two stations comprising transmission means transmitting simultaneously and in the same frequency band a first, high-bit-rate signal and a second, low-bit-rate signal, the second signal allowing changing of frequency of the carrier signal. The station(s) include reception means for receiving simultaneously and in the same frequency band the first and second signal. The system includes means for detecting interference on the frequency band. The transmission means and reception means respectively switch the transmission and reception of the second signal from a low bit rate to a medium bit rate and deactivate the transmission of the first signal in presence of interference, and the transmission means and reception means respectively switch the transmission and reception of the second signal from a medium bit rate to a low bit rate and activate transmission of the first signal in absence of interference. |
| US09173172B2 |
Communication control apparatus and communication control method
A communication control apparatus includes an acquirer that acquires operation information of a moving object having a shielded space therein, and a controller that controls at least one of a channel between a first base station installed in a car in the moving object and a second base station installed on each floor where the car is stoppable, transmission power of the first base station and transmission power of the second base station, and location information for locating a position of a mobile terminal for each floor where the car is stoppable, on the basis of the operation information. |
| US09173167B2 |
System level information for discontinuous reception, cell reselection and rach
A wireless transmit/receive unit is configured to receive system level information, including discontinuous reception (DRX) information, cell selection information, and RACH information. The system level information is received as defined parameters assigned to system information blocks or signaled through dedicated RRC signaling. |
| US09173165B2 |
Power saving for a communication device
A communication device comprising: a first radio capable of communicating according to a first protocol and having a set of operational modes; and a second radio capable of communicating according to a second protocol, the communication device being configured to, in dependence on one or more communications by the second radio in accordance with the second protocol, selecting one mode of operation for the first radio from the set of operational modes, wherein said one or more communications comprises: sending a first message; and a response or non-response to the first message. |
| US09173164B1 |
Method and system for determining when to scan for neighbor sectors having a different frequency assignment
A wireless network includes first-configuration sectors with a first frequency assignment and second-configuration sectors with a second frequency assignment. When served by a first-configuration sector that borders a second-configuration sector, the mobile station receives (i) a neighbor list that identifies neighbor sectors of the primary sector, including the second-configuration sector, (ii) a primary-sector reference distance between a transmitter for the primary sector and a reference point in the primary sector, and (iii) a neighbor-sector reference distance between a transmitter for the second-configuration sector and the reference point. Based on the reference distances, the mobile station calculates a border distance between the primary sector's transmitter and a border between the sectors. The mobile station compares its distance from the primary sector's transmitter to the primary-sector reference distance and/or border distance. Based on the comparison, the mobile station selects a scanning algorithm that determines when to scan for the second-configuration sector. |
| US09173159B2 |
X2 handover method and device
The disclosure provides an X2 handover method and device, the method comprises: after sending a Handover Request Acknowledge message, a target eNB sets, for handed-over UE, a flag for indicating whether or not a Sequence Number Status Transfer message is received and sets the flag to be ‘not received’; and after receiving an RRC Connection Reconfiguration Complete message, the target eNB directly sends a Path Switch Request message to a core network without determining whether or not the Sequence Number Status Transfer message is received. With the technical scheme provided in the disclosure, the problem in the current X2 handover is solved that handover delay is increased as an RRC Connection Reconfiguration completion message is received by a target side prior to a Sequence Number Status Transfer message, thus simplifying the processing of a target eNB and increasing handover speed. |
| US09173156B2 |
Method and system for transferring information in vehicular wireless networks
A method and system may receive, at an intermediate vehicle, a route request packet from a source vehicle. The system and method may enter a routing entry comprising a path from intermediate vehicle to the source vehicle and a quality metric value in a routing table. The method and system may receive, at a destination vehicle, the route request packet broadcast from one or more intermediate vehicles. The method and system may transmit, along a path from the destination vehicle to source vehicle, a route reply message. The method and system may transfer data from the source vehicle to the destination vehicle along the path. The method and system may monitor one or more quality metric values associated with the data transferred to the destination vehicle along the path. |
| US09173155B2 |
System and method for managing tracking area identity lists in a mobile network environment
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes communicating a plurality of queries associated with common tracking areas in a wireless network; identifying a set of serving gateways that serve the common tracking areas; generating a tracking area identity (TAI) list to be used in provisioning network resources for user equipment; and selecting a first serving gateway from the set of serving gateways for the user equipment, wherein the first serving gateway is selected based on the common tracking areas served by the set of serving gateways. In more specific embodiments, the queries are domain name system (DNS) queries that are supported by a network element and that have no cached DNS response. |
| US09173154B2 |
Method of enabling a wireless device to make a network connection without using a network operator's home location register
A wireless device can initiate a network connection without using a network operator's home location register. The wireless device sends data to a server that defines a call request;and the server decides on the appropriate routing over all available networks for that call request. But, unlike a conventional HLR, the server can receive communications from the device using any one of several different protocols, and is not limited to the MAP (mobile application part) protocol. For example, the wireless device can use SMS or HTTP over the internet to communicate with the server. The server then determines the appropriate least cost routing. |
| US09173151B2 |
User mobility control for heterogeneous wireless networks
In a wireless network including a first cell and a second cell, it is determined whether a measure of mobility of a user device meets a mobility criterion, and it is determined whether a size of the second cell meets a cell size criterion. When it is determined that (i) the measure of mobility of the user device meets the mobility criterion and (ii) the size of the second cell meets the cell size criterion, the user device is prevented from being switched from the first cell to the second cell, or at least one of (i) a handover parameter or (ii) a cell reselection parameter is adjusted in order to change a probability that the user device will switch from the first cell to the second cell. |
| US09173150B2 |
Method and apparatus for handling a cell change
A user equipment for handling a cell change from a first cell to a second cell in a wireless communications network alters a duration of a measurement time over which at least one measurement is performed and alters a measurement bandwidth of the at least one measurement. The alterations may be performed based on associated bandwidths of the first and second cells. A network node sends, to the user equipment, a notification of a cell change and information associated with the cell change and also receives measurement data of at least one measurement performed over an altered measurement bandwidth and an altered duration of measurement time where the alterations are based on the information associated with the cell change. |
| US09173146B2 |
Method and device for accepting or rejecting a request associated with a mobile device wirelessly connecting to a network
A method is performed in a network device for accepting or rejecting a request associated with a mobile device wirelessly connecting to a network. The method includes: receiving a request from a mobile device, wherein the request is associated with the mobile device wirelessly connecting to a network; and determining an expected connection duration for the mobile device, which is calculated using collected historical connection data that identifies a plurality of previous wireless connections to the network and identifies a corresponding duration of each previous wireless connection. The method further includes determining whether to accept or reject the request based on the expected connection duration for the mobile device. |
| US09173145B2 |
Handling call transfer in a communication network
A method and apparatus for handling a call transfer from a circuit switched access network to a packet switched access network. A Mobile Switching Center Server receives a notification that a call for a terminal requires handover from a circuit switched access network to a packet switched access network. The MSC Server determines whether the terminal is currently registered in an IMS network and/or whether the MSC Server is registered such that it can perform handover from the circuit switched access network to the packet switched access network. If so, then return Single Radio Voice Call Continuity is invoked to perform a handover of the call from the circuit switched access network to the packet switched access network. If not then the MSC Server invokes error handling procedures. |
| US09173144B2 |
Self-adjusting mobile platform policy enforcement agent for controlling network access, mobility and efficient use of local and network resources
Presented is a method for controlling network access for the mobile device. The method includes analyzing a first plurality of network parameters, collected by the mobile device, based on one or more local network policies. The method further includes receiving an update for the one or more local network policies from a policy server based on a second plurality of network parameters received by the policy server from a plurality of mobile devices. The method also includes rerouting data traffic for the mobile device from a first wireless network configuration to a second wireless network configuration based on the analyzing of the second plurality of network parameters and the update from the policy server. Rerouting data traffic for the mobile device may include maintaining a constant IP address utilizing a virtual network adapter within the mobile device to provide split tunneling over two or more network connections of the second wireless network configuration. |
| US09173143B2 |
Method of controlling a communication control entity
A method of controlling a communication control entity in a mobile communication network and a corresponding communication control entity are described. The communication control entity is a part of a pool of communication control entities. In accordance of the invention, when acting as a primary communication control entity and receiving a request for adding a new secondary communication control entity to the overall control procedure, the communication control entity of the invention is arranged to determine whether the requested new secondary communication control entity is a part of the pool or not. If it is a part of the pool, then the primary communication control entity established a direct connection to the access part. The requested communication control entity is not added to the control procedure as a relay. |
| US09173142B2 |
Cellular communication system, apparatus and method for handover
A method for handover of a wireless subscriber communication unit from a first base station to a second base station in a wireless network is described. The method comprises at the wireless subscriber communication unit receiving a handover command message from the first base station. At the first base station, the method comprises sending a scheduling request message to the second base station, in response to an acknowledgement message sent from the wireless subscriber communication unit. The method further comprises, at the second base station, scheduling, in response to the scheduling request message, at least one uplink scheduling resource (UL-SCH) for the wireless subscriber communication unit to transmit a handover (HO) confirmation message to the second base station; and receiving a handover confirmation message from the wireless subscriber communication unit on the at least one uplink scheduling resource (UL-SCH). |
| US09173135B2 |
Providing service continuity between heterogeneous wireless networks
The disclosure is related to providing service continuity between heterogeneous networks in user equipment. A first cell change procedure may be performed from a packet switched network to a circuit switched network in a first idle mode. Availability of a packet switched domain of the circuit switched network may be determined. A location area update (LAU) may be initiated when a packet switched domain of the circuit switched network is barred. |
| US09173133B2 |
Mobile device with guaranteed QoS
A mobile device includes a transceiver that receives data from a network, and transmits data to the network, an input interface that receives input data from a user of the device, and a processor. The processor is configured to receive an input from the input interface indicating a desired quality of service (QoS) requested by the user for a communication session through the network. The processor is also configured to append a code corresponding to the desired QoS to a session initiation protocol (SIP) invite message relating to set-up of the communication session, and transmit the SIP invite message to the network by the transceiver to control the network to provide the desired QoS during communication between the mobile device and another device via the communication session through the network. |
| US09173129B2 |
IPV6 address management method and gateway performing the same
A management method for an IPv6 address for use in a gateway is provided. The method includes receiving a packet including an IPv6 address, extracting a MAC address from the IPv6 address of the packet, generating a compressed address by inserting a previously defined bit sequence into the MAC address, and storing the compressed address and the IPv6 address in a mapping table. The packet is received from a WPAN (Wireless Personal Area Network) node. |
| US09173127B2 |
Multi-carrier communication systems employing variable symbol rates and number of carriers
A multi-carrier communication system such as an OFDM or DMT system has nodes which are allowed to dynamically change their receive and transmit symbol rates, and the number of carriers within their signals. Changing of the symbol rate is done by changing the clocking frequency of the nodes' iFFT and FFT processors, as well as their serializers and deserializers. The nodes have several ways of dynamically changing the number of carriers used. The selection of symbol rate and number of carriers can be optimized for a given channel based on explicit channel measurements, a priori knowledge of the channel, or past experience. Provision is made for accommodating legacy nodes that may have constraints in symbol rate or the number of carriers they can support. The receiver can determine the correct symbol rate and number of carriers through a priori knowledge, a first exchange of packets in a base mode that all nodes can understand, or an indication in the header of the data packet which is transmitted in a base mode of operation that all nodes can understand. |
| US09173126B2 |
Modulation and coding scheme (MCS) recovery based on CQI offset
Manipulating modulation and coding scheme (MCS) allocation after a communication interruption. A UE device may resume communications with a BS after a communication interruption. Channel quality information may be generated and transmitted to the BS. The channel quality information may be based on channel quality measurements, and may also be based on an offset configured manipulate an MCS allocation by the BS based on determining that the interruption to communication between the UE and the BS has occurred. |
| US09173123B2 |
Base station apparatus, mobile terminal apparatus and communication control method
The present invention provides a base station apparatus, a mobile terminal apparatus and a communication control method which can improve the accuracy of channel quality estimation. A communication control method includes the steps of: arranging a CSI-RS, which is a reference signal for downlink channel estimation, in resources of subframes for CSI-RS transmission; setting, in the subframes for CSI-RS transmission, resources to which the CSI-RS is allocated in neighboring areas, to be muting resources; and reporting transmission interval information, which indicates a transmission interval of subframes that are set at the same timing in a transmission cycle of a subframe for CSI-RS transmission in a subject area and in a transmission cycle of a subframe for CSI-RS transmission in the neighboring areas, to a mobile terminal apparatus. |
| US09173111B2 |
System and method for convergence and automatic disabling of access points in a wireless mesh network
One embodiment of the present disclosure sets forth a technique for convergence and automatic disabling of access points in a wireless mesh network. Specifically, an access point within a wireless mesh network computes one or more network metrics to determine whether the metrics are unfavorable or favorable. If the network metrics are favorable, then the access point disables the access point's network connection. An access point turns the network connection back on based on whether a routing was lost for at least a preset amount of time, utilization of one or more neighboring access points is above a preset value, or one or more network metrics have degraded by a certain percentage value. One advantage of this approach is that cost savings may be achieved when the number of access points dynamically changes to accommodate varying communications conditions. |
| US09173108B2 |
Parallel inter-radio access technology (IRAT) measurement in a communication system
A UE is configured to collect multiple absolute radio frequency channel numbers (ARFCNs) in parallel via a wideband receiver during a transmission gap. Inter-radio access technology (IRAT) measurements are performed based on the collected AFRCN samples. |
| US09173103B2 |
Signal security for wireless access point
A wireless access point receives a set of invalid passwords from at least one wireless device attempting to connect to a network through the wireless access point. The wireless access point reduces RF signal power in response to receiving the set of invalid passwords. |
| US09173101B1 |
Acquiring client device data
In one implementation, a processing system receives a request from a client device to access a user account of the user. In response to receiving the request, the processing system transmits credential data, which corresponds to a credential and which indicates client device data to transmit in response to receiving the credential data. The processing system receives the client device data from the client device, identifies an issuer of the credential, and transmits the client device data to the issuer of the credential. |
| US09173091B2 |
Lawful interception of unauthorized subscribers and equipments
The present invention relates to methods and arrangements in a telecommunication system to override current access rights. The telecommunication system comprises an Access Point IAP; MSC, SGSN associated with a Configuration Unit ICU. The method comprises receiving to the Access Point IAP; MSC, SGSN from the Configuration Unit ICU, a request to monitor a system member MS, SIM. The method further comprises receiving to the Access Point from the Configuration Unit, a request to override deprived access rights for the system member MS, SIM. The method further comprises overriding in the Access Point IAP; MSC, SGSN, the deprived access rights for the member. |
| US09173090B2 |
Method for activating services associated with a product via a service center supporting a variety of products
A service center receives a request for activating a subscribed service on a first device that has been registered with the service center, where the service center provides services to a plurality of products on behalf of a plurality of product providers. In response to the request, device information about the registered first device is retrieved from an internal database, where the device information was collected when the first device was registered with the service center. Subscription information including credentials of a user who has subscribed the subscribed service is obtained for authentication. The device information and the credentials are transmitted to a service provider that provides the subscribed service to allow the service provider to activate the subscribed service on the first device, without having the user to directly contact the service provider for activating the subscribed service. |
| US09173088B1 |
Vehicular mobile device alarm sensor
The presence of an RF signal in an expected location emanating from a mobile device within the expected location is detected by first antenna positioned in the expected location. False alarm discrimination is achieved by the square ratio of the operator's cellphone signal close to the antenna(s) versus the blocked external signals from much greater distance. A comparator compares the RF signal emanating from the mobile device in the expected location with a threshold signal and determines whether the mobile device is operating, and, if so, an alarm responsive to the comparator is triggered. |
| US09173086B2 |
Method and apparatus for preventing screen off during automatic response system service in electronic device
A method of avoiding screen off during an Automatic Response System (ARS) service is provided. The method includes enabling a proximity sensor in a call connection, detecting one of a first gesture and a second gesture during a call, and upon detecting the first gesture, disabling the proximity sensor. |
| US09173085B2 |
Methods and apparatus for use in transferring an assignment of a secure chip subscription managers
Techniques for use in transferring an assignment of a secure chip of a wireless device from a current subscription manager (SM) of a current mobile network operator (MNO) to a new SM of a new MNO are described. In one illustrative example, the current SM receives a request for transferring the assignment and produces transfer permission data in response. The transfer permission data includes an identifier of the secure chip, an identifier of the current SM, and a digital signature of the current SM. The current SM then sends to the secure chip a transfer permission message which includes the transfer permission data. The transfer permission data indicates a permission for the secure chip to transfer the assignment from the current SM to the new SM. Additional techniques are performed by the secure chip, and the new SM, as described. |
| US09173084B1 |
Systems, methods and media for enhanced circuit-switched fallback interworking function signaling procedures for roaming user equipment
Systems, methods and media for enhanced voice call procedures are provided. A method for enhanced voice call procedure includes receiving at a CSFB-IWF a request to provide routing information for a UE for which an incoming voice call is received. The request is received from an HLR and includes a UE identifier. The UE is operating in an LTE network. The method also includes sending a page along with a TMSI for the UE to an MME in the LTE network that can locate the UE along with the TMSI. The page signal causes the UE to switch to a legacy (3G) network. The method further includes detecting an MSC hosting the UE that is located in the legacy network. The method also includes receiving an MSRN for the UE from the hosting MSC and sending to the HLR a message including the MSRN in response to the request. |
| US09173079B2 |
Emergency call handling in accordance with authentication procedure in communication network
Techniques are provided for handling of a first type call as it affects an authentication procedure in a communication network. For example, it is assumed that, in a communication network, a first computing device comprises user equipment and a second computing device comprises an authentication function for authenticating the user equipment. Thus, a method comprises receiving at the second computing device from the first computing device an authentication rejection message, receiving at the second computing device from the first computing device a first type call indicator message, and making a decision regarding proceeding with or dropping an authentication procedure for the first computing device at the second computing device based on the receipt of the authentication rejection message and the first type call indicator message. |
| US09173075B2 |
Communication device and message transmitting method
A message transmitting method of a communication device, the communication devices stores an information matching table. The information matching table includes a telephone directory column recording a plurality of predetermined telephone numbers and a message column recording a plurality of predetermined messages in advance. When an incoming call is received, whether a phone number of the incoming call is recorded in the telephone directory column of the matching information table is determined. If the phone number of the incoming call is recorded in the telephone directory column, a prompt message stored in the information matching table is determined as a prompt message to prompt a user according to the phone number of the incoming call. |
| US09173074B2 |
Personal hub presence and response
Methods, devices, and systems for transmitting convenient messages to a recipient for rendering based on the recipient's device availabilities. A recipient's mobile device may be connected to a personal hub and/or earpiece devices configured to render various incoming communications, such as audio messages and visual messages. The incoming messages may be delivered to the recipient's mobile device and other connected devices that may render the contents of the incoming messages. A delivery confirmation message that describes the receipt and use of incoming messages may be generated and returned to a sender's computing device. In an embodiment, the recipient's devices may generate status information for describing the status of devices to a sender's computing device. In an embodiment, the sender's computing device may generate and transmit outgoing messages formatted based on the received status information and including metadata that instructs the recipient's devices to render message content in particular manners. |
| US09173073B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing group event notifications and providing group policy in a communication system
A group event processing entity receives and processes a group event notification wherein a set of policy rules is determined that controls the performance of an action as relates to at least one of a member user equipment of a group session or an access network resource for the group session. Additionally, a group policy decision entity receives a request to establish a group access network resource for a group of user equipment and determines a set of applicable policy rules for establishing the group access network resource, wherein the set includes a policy rule that controls performance of an action when a base station in a wireless access network is unable to provide resources to support the requested group access network resource. The group policy decision entity provides the set of applicable policy rules to a group policy enforcement entity. |
| US09173071B2 |
Rate adaptive transmission of wireless broadcast packets
Mechanisms are provided for broadcasting data to a plurality of receiver devices. A data broadcast transmission rate and a level of error correction to be used when broadcasting data are determined based on prior feedback received from the plurality of receiver devices. The feedback comprises channel condition information specifying conditions of one or more connections of a channel over which data was previously broadcast to the receiver devices. Data to be broadcast to the plurality of receivers is encoded in accordance with the determined level of error correction. The encoded data is broadcast at the determined data broadcast transmission rate over the channel to the plurality of receiver devices. |
| US09173063B2 |
Wireless communication locating method
The present invention relates to a wireless communication locating method, the method uses a first wireless receiver, a second wireless receiver and a third wireless receiver (i.e., a first rescuer, a second and a third rescuer) to receive mayday and RSSI signals outputted by a person to be rescued, therefore the position of the person to be rescued can be precisely located after a backend signal-processing platform processes and calculates the mayday and RSSI signals. Through the method, each of rescuers are able to output a prompting signal to the person to be rescued by way of frequency synchronization, so as to give the person to be rescued hopes and a message that rescuers are coming. The method also includes the advantages of high damage resistance ability, high expansibility and can be easily operated, such that the purpose of immediate rescue can be achieved by using the method. |
| US09173062B2 |
Positioning service method and system, and terminal
The disclosure provides a positioning service method and system, and a terminal. In the above method, a positioned terminal receives a movement track model established by a positioning service platform; the positioned terminal judges whether or not positioning data that are collected satisfy the movement track model; and when the positioning data satisfy the movement track model, it is determined that there is no need to report the positioning data, and when the positioning data do not satisfy the movement track model, the positioning data are reported to the positioning service platform. The technical solution provided by the disclosure can reduce the frequency for the positioned terminal to report the positioning data and also save network data traffic for the user. |
| US09173061B2 |
Monitoring a mobile device en route to destination
A system, method and apparatus are disclosed for monitoring a mobile device en route to a destination. A user of a monitored device specifies geo-fence regions along a route to the destination. Entry and exit of regions triggers the sending of event notifications to a monitoring device. Event notifications may be sent if an estimated time of arrival changes due to delay. Event notifications may be sent if the monitored device deviates from a planned route by a threshold distance. Event notifications may be sent through a direct communication link between the monitored device and monitoring device or through a location-based service. |
| US09173057B2 |
Apparatus and method of managing peripheral wireless LAN radio signal for positioning service
The present disclosure relates to providing a positioning service by managing a plurality of peripheral wireless LAN signals. The positioning service system collects peripheral wireless LAN radio signals by scanning peripheral access points (APs), stores AP information of each of peripheral wireless LAN radio signals in each lattice cell of a database. When a positioning request signal is received from a terminal, a positioning server of the positioning service extracts AP identification information from included in the peripheral wireless LAN radio signal received from the terminal. By using the extracted AP identification information, the positioning server selects from the database the corresponding lattice cell matching to the stored AP identification information of each of the peripheral wireless LAN radio signals pre-stored. And the positioning server estimates location information of the selected corresponding lattice cell as location information for the terminal. |
| US09173055B2 |
Managing of application access to centrally stored place-related data on a mobile device
A method of managing place data for a mobile device, the method comprising storing place data for a place in a centralized place database and receiving input to specify which one or more applications on the mobile device are to have access to the place data for the place. In response to a place data request from a data-requesting application executing on the mobile device, the device determines if the data-requesting application has access to the place data for the place and provides the place data to the data-requesting application only if the data-requesting application has access. This technology enables the device to control the sharing of place data among applications on the device. |
| US09173054B2 |
Data transfer between wireless devices
A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) may detect another WTRU over bluetooth. The WTRU may send to the another WTRU a message to transfer selected media. The WTRU may transfer the selected media to the another WTRU over WiFi. |
| US09173053B2 |
Systems and methods for providing one or more functionalities to a wearable computing device
Computationally implemented methods and systems include detecting presence of one or more electronic devices near a wearable computing device, the wearable computing device being a computing device designed to be worn by a user; determining which of the one or more electronic devices that are detected as being near the wearable computing device are at least designed to provide one or more specific functionalities that are being sought by the wearable computing device; and acquiring, by the wearable computing device based at least, in part, on said detecting and said determining, one or more specific functionalities that are available through at least one electronic device that was detected as being near the wearable computing device and that was determined to provide the one or more specific functionalities. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text. |
| US09173050B2 |
Application store system and development method using the application store system
The disclosure discloses an application store system and a development method using the application store system. The application store includes a developer community function entity, an application network store function entity and a telecommunication capability resource function entity. The telecommunication capability resource function entity includes a service execution module, configured to call, through an interface, a telecommunication capability in an integrated service access gateway to execute a service with the telecommunication capability, wherein the service is configured to be embedded in an application; the service with the telecommunication capability executed by the service execution module of the telecommunication capability resource function entity is embedded in the application uploaded in the developer community function entity. With the disclosure, development of the application with the telecommunication capability is accomplished, thereby the profit of operator is guaranteed and the viability of operator in the future is enhanced. |
| US09173048B2 |
Method and system for generating a matrix-encoded two-channel audio signal
In some embodiments, a method for generating a matrix-encoded two-channel audio signal in response to a horizontal B-format signal by performing a mixing operation. In other embodiments, a method for generating a matrix-encoded two-channel audio signal, including steps of generating microphone output signals (by capturing sound with a microphone array), and performing a mixing operation on the microphone output signals, where the mixing operation is equivalent to generating a horizontal B-format signal in response to the microphone output signals, and generating the matrix-encoded two-channel audio signal in response to the horizontal B-format signal. The microphone array is typically a small array of cardiod microphones (e.g., an array consisting of three cardiod microphones). Other aspects include systems (e.g., encoders) programmed or otherwise configured to perform any embodiment of the method for generating a matrix-encoded two-channel audio signal. |
| US09173045B2 |
Headphone response optimization
Optimized sound waves presented to the listener by headphones, notwithstanding differences in ear geometry and headphone positioning. A test signal causes an acoustic sensor to receive sound waves actually formed in the listener's ear cavity. A response from the sensor is compared with an expected ear cavity transfer function, from which desired adjustments to the audio signal are determined. The audio signal might be received from an application program, calibrated by an interface software element, and adjusted thereby, before forwarding to the headphones. Calibration might be performed from when the headphones are positioned, or dynamically in response to changes in the transfer function. |
| US09173039B2 |
Optical microphone
An optical microphone for detecting an acoustic wave propagating through an environmental fluid by using a light wave, includes: an acoustic wave receiving section having a propagation medium portion through which an acoustic wave propagate and a first support portion for supporting the propagation medium portion; a light source for outputting a light wave so that the light wave passes through the propagation medium portion across the acoustic wave propagating through the propagation medium portion; a light-blocking portion having an edge line for splitting the light wave having passed through the propagation medium portion into a blocked portion and a non-blocked portion; and a photoelectric conversion section for receiving a portion of the light wave having passed through the propagation medium portion which has not been blocked by the light-blocking portion to output an electric signal. |
| US09173037B2 |
Vibrating body for acoustic transducer and speaker device
A vibrating body for an acoustic transducer is provided, in which the high resonance frequency associated with inverse resonance can be outside the audible range and which can improve the acoustic characteristic of a speaker device. The vibrating body 1 for an acoustic transducer includes: a diaphragm 2 including a first vibrating part 2a and a second vibrating part 2b formed in proximity of the outer circumferential edge of the first vibrating part 2a; and an edge portion 3 formed in proximity of the outer circumferential edge of the diaphragm 2. In the vibrating body 1 for an acoustic transducer, first reinforcing portions 6a and 6b are formed so as to extend from the second vibrating part 2b to the edge portion 3 in a radial direction. |
| US09173036B2 |
Manufacturing method for narrow-type diaphragm and thin-type diaphragm, speaker-use diaphragm manufactured using same manufacturing method, speaker, electronic apparatus, and movable device
After beaten, pulp is mixed with a filler to obtain a mixture of the pulp and the filler. Additives are added to the mixture, which is made into pater and then hot-pressed. The filler content of the mixture is in the range of 20 wt % to 80 wt %. After the additives are added, a polymeric viscosity improver with high viscosity is added to produce a narrow diaphragm or a thin compact diaphragm with high aspect ratio. These diaphragms have high rigidity and a wide reproduction frequency range. |
| US09173032B2 |
Methods of using head related transfer function (HRTF) enhancement for improved vertical-polar localization in spatial audio systems
A method of enhancing vertical polar localization of a head related transfer (HRTF). The method includes splitting an audio signal and generating left and right output signals by determining a log lateral component of the respective frequency-dependent audio gain that is equal to a median log frequency-dependent audio gain for all audio signals of that channel having a desired perceived source location. A vertical magnitude of the respective audio signal is enhanced by determining a log vertical component of the respective frequency-dependent audio gain that is equal to a product of a first enhancement factor and a different between the respective frequency-dependent audio gain at the desired perceived source location and the lateral magnitude of respective audio signal. The output signals are time delayed according to an interaural time. |
| US09173031B2 |
Apparatus and method for amplification of audio content
There is provided an apparatus and method for amplification of audio content. The apparatus includes a first power line connectable to a first connector of the plurality of data output connectors; a second power line connectable to a second connector of the plurality of data output connectors; an amplifier connected along each of the first and the second power lines; and a coil driver coupled to each of the amplifiers, the coil drivers being arranged such that magnetic summation occurs when the coil drivers are energized. The method also enables magnetic summation to occur when the coil drivers are energized. |
| US09173027B2 |
Systems and methods for protecting a speaker
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, systems and methods may include a controller configured to be coupled to an audio speaker, wherein the controller receives one or more signals indicative of one or more operating characteristics of the audio speaker and compares the one or more operating characteristics to one or more speaker protection thresholds, and based on the comparison, processes an audio input signal to generate an audio output signal communicated from the controller to the audio speaker, further wherein the one or more speaker protection thresholds are based on offline reliability testing of one or more audio speakers similar to the audio speaker and the controller generates one or more modeled parameters for the audio speaker and modifies the one or more speaker protection thresholds based on the one or more modeled parameters. |
| US09173021B2 |
Method and device for adjusting an audio beam orientation based on device location
A method is performed in an electronic device for orienting an audio beam generated by the device. The method includes: detecting that the device is coupled to a docking station; and determining a geographic location of the device. The method further includes determining, based on the geographic location of the device, an orientation for an audio beam relative from the docking station; and generating the audio beam by the device. |
| US09173016B2 |
Headset
There is provided a headset, in particular an aviation headset, having an input for receiving audio signals, an audio storage means for at least temporarily storing audio signals received by way of the input, an output unit for output of the received audio signals to at least one electroacoustic reproduction transducer and an operating unit for releasing audio signals stored in the audio storage means. |
| US09173014B2 |
Speaker apparatus providing with visual screen
A speaker apparatus having a video screen function is disclosed, in which a cone paper of a conventional speaker is substituted with a flexible OLED for thereby displaying various images and video sources in sync with an audio source. A flexible OLED is provided for displaying a video source and an externally upgraded video source in a speaker apparatus which comprises a sound output apparatus having a sound coil, a magnet, and a damper, and an electric circuit apparatus of the sound output apparatus. |
| US09173008B1 |
Layered video transmission over communication channels
Embodiments of a method are disclosed for transmitting one or more videos provided by one or more video cameras disposed at a mobile object traveling along a pre-defined route. The method includes receiving the videos, bandwidth map data for multiple communication channels, travel time data for the mobile object, and service level agreement (SLA) parameters. The received video is transformed into multiple video layers. For each video layer, a transmission cost over the multiple communication channels is computed based on the bandwidth map data, the travel time data and the SLA parameters. Out of the multiple communication channels, a particular communication channel is selected for each video layer, which has the minimum transmission cost over the selected communication channel. The video layers are scheduled for transmission over the respective selected communication channels. The scheduled video layers are transmitted with respect to at least one of the SLA parameters. |
| US09173006B2 |
Method for live broadcasting in a distributed network and apparatus for the same
The present invention has provided a method for live broadcasting in distributed network and means for the same. Wherein the method mainly comprises steps of: tracker servers receive the status report information from the program source connected to the tracker server; generates the status information of the program source based on said status report information; sends status information of the program source to the information synchronization means. |
| US09173005B1 |
Displaying information on a TV remote and video on the TV
A handheld screen is used as a supplement to a television screen. Specifically, messages are displayed on a handheld screen to supplement a video displayed on a television (TV) screen. Display of social media messages and/or promotional messages on a handheld screen is coordinated with the display of video on the television screen. The social media messages on the handheld screen are selected by a computer system to match a specific video being displayed on the TV screen. The display of social media messages occurs simultaneously or contemporaneously relative to the video display e.g. the two displays are made to overlap in time by the computer system transmitting the social media messages within a predetermined duration of transmission of the video to the television. Display of supplementary information on a handheld screen in a timely manner relative to video display on the TV screen provides a richer viewing experience. |
| US09173000B2 |
Automatic discovery and mirroring of server-client remote user interface (RUI) session on a companion device and synchronously controlling both sessions using RUI on companion device
A server sends to a video device such as a TV a remote user interface (RUI) that is presented on the TV and manipulable to send control commands back to the server. A companion device such as a tablet computer discovers the RUI session and is provided by the server with its own RUI, which mirrors that on the TV, modified as appropriate for the screen of the companion device. The server maintains the two RUIs synchronized such that the RUI on the companion mirrors the RUI on the TV. |
| US09172997B2 |
Methods and apparatus to collect media exposure information
Methods and apparatus to collect media exposure information are described. An example metering device to collect media exposure information includes a housing; an input carried by the housing; a display carried by the housing to present a list of media stations which may be tuned by a media device different than the metering device, the metering device incapable of tuning to the media stations; a processor carried by the housing to identify which of the media stations is displayed when the input is selected; and memory carried by the housing to store an indication of an exposure to the identified media station via the media device, the indication including the identified media station and a timestamp corresponding the selection of the input. |
| US09172995B2 |
Transcoding device, transcoding method and program thereof
A device, a method and a program to simplify transcoding of TTS (timestamped transport streams). When transcoding video data in the input TTS, the video processor unit reattaches time stamps in sequence within the applicable frame period of each video frame to each video packet within the applicable video frame after recompression. When transcoding audio data in the input TTS, the audio processor unit reattaches time stamps in sequence within the applicable video frame period of each video frame to each audio packet in the applicable video frame after recompression. |
| US09172992B2 |
Remote device access
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for accessing a remote source device, comprising a network interface for receiving a media stream from a remote media encoding device, the remote media encoding device generating the media stream from media signals generated by the remote source device, a media decoder for decoding the received media stream, and a user input device for generating signals in response to actuation of the use input device and for transmitting the generated signals to the media encoding device for delivery to the remote source device. |
| US09172980B2 |
Method for adaptively performing video decoding, and associated adaptive complexity video decoder and adaptive audio/video playback system
A method for adaptively performing video decoding includes: performing decoding complexity management based upon bit stream information of an input bit stream, in order to determine whether to reduce decoding complexity of at least one component of a plurality of components within an adaptive complexity video decoder; and selectively reducing decoding complexity of a portion of components within the adaptive complexity video decoder. An associated adaptive complexity video decoder and an associated adaptive audio/video playback system are also provided. In particular, the adaptive complexity video decoder includes a plurality of components and a decoding complexity manager. When needed, the decoding complexity manager delays audio playback of audio information. |
| US09172972B2 |
Low complexity interpolation filtering with adaptive tap size
During a prediction stage of video coding, a video coder may use relatively longer interpolation filters to generate predictive sub-pixel values using values of reference integer pixels of a reference block of video data positioned in parallel relative to a scanning order associated with the block and may use relatively shorter interpolation filters to generate predictive sub-pixel values using values of reference integer pixels of the block positioned perpendicular relative to the scanning order, wherein a longer interpolation filter generally refers to a filter with relatively more filter coefficients, or “taps,” and a shorter filter generally refers to a filter with relatively fewer taps. |
| US09172962B2 |
Methods and systems for pipelining within binary arithmetic coding and decoding
Methods of encoding and decoding for video data are described for encoding or decoding multi-level significance maps while enabling pipelining of the BAC engine. In one example, coefficient groups are redefined to remove the significant-coefficient flags of the first and last position of a block and replace them with significant-coefficient flags of the last position in the previous block and the first position in the next block. A modified scan order is applied to each coefficient group. In another example, the coefficient groups remain block-based, but the scan order is modified to interleave the encoding and decoding sequential coefficient groups. |
| US09172957B2 |
Coding video data with an alternate reference frame generated using a temporal filter
Implementations of the teachings herein include coding video data with an alternate reference frame generated using a temporal filter. The alternate reference frame is generated by determining a first weighting factor, for each corresponding block of a respective frame of a filter set, that represents a temporal correlation of the block with the corresponding block, determining a second weighting factor, for each pixel for each corresponding block of the respective frame of the filter set, that represents a temporal correlation of the pixel to a spatially-correspondent pixel in the block, determining a filter weight for each pixel in the block and for each spatially-correspondent pixel is each corresponding block based on the first weighting factor and the second weighting factor, and generating a weighted average pixel value for each pixel position in the block to form a block of the alternate reference frame based on the filter weights. |
| US09172954B2 |
Hybrid memory compression scheme for decoder bandwidth reduction
A method for reducing memory bandwidth in a video decoder begins by performing a data reduction operation on a decoded first coded image to produce a second set of image data. The second set of image data stored and is selectively used for subsequent image decoding, thereby reducing the memory bandwidth. The data reduction operation can include image downsampling, wherein the pixel density is reduced by a factor of two in each of the vertical and horizontal directions. |
| US09172953B2 |
Compressing image data
Methods, systems, and computer programs for encoding and decoding image are described. In some aspects, an input data block and a prediction data block are accessed. A projection factor is generated based on a projection of the input data block onto the prediction data block. A scaled prediction data block is generated by multiplying the projection factor by the prediction data block. A residual data block is generated based on a difference between the input data block and the scaled prediction data block. In some aspects, a prediction data block, a residual data block, and a projection factor associated with the residual data block are accessed. A scaled prediction data block is generated by multiplying the projection factor by the prediction data block. An output data block is generated by summing the residual data block and the scaled prediction data block. |
| US09172951B2 |
Test circuit for testing signal receiving unit, image pickup apparatus, method of testing signal receiving unit, and method of testing image pickup apparatus
It is disclosed that, as an embodiment, a test circuit includes a test signal supply unit configured to supply a test signal via a signal line to signal receiving units provided in a plurality of columns, wherein the test signal supply unit is a voltage buffer or a current buffer, and the test circuit has a plurality of test signal supply units and a plurality of signal lines, and wherein at least one test signal supply unit is electrically connected to one signal line different from a signal line to which another test signal supply unit is electrically connected. |
| US09172949B2 |
Display apparatus and method
A display apparatus that may generate a high density light field image is provided. The display apparatus may identify an eye position of a user and set a virtual viewing window around the eye of the user. The display apparatus may generate a directional light corresponding to the viewing window and generate a high density light field image. |
| US09172948B2 |
Display apparatus and method of controlling the same for displaying a three-dimensional video
When a user views a three-dimensional video on an external apparatus, the user cannot always simultaneously view the three-dimensional video on another video display apparatus, because of the difference between the display methods used by these apparatuses, for example. In such case, when a three-dimensional video signal is output to the external apparatus, a display unit of the video display apparatus displays a two-dimensional video. In this way, even when the external apparatus is displaying a three-dimensional video, a user can simultaneously view the display unit of the video display apparatus easily. |
| US09172943B2 |
Dynamic modification of video content at a set-top box device
A particular method includes receiving video content at a set-top box device. Scene data defining a three-dimensional scene is accessed, where the scene data includes object data defining at least one three-dimensional graphical object, and where the scene data is accessed based at least in part on information associated with the video content. The method further includes processing the object data to render the at least one three-dimensional graphical object. The rendered at least one three-dimensional graphical object is overlaid on a portion of the video content, thereby generating dynamically modified video content. The method includes sending the dynamically modified video content to a display device. |
| US09172941B2 |
Moving image processing device and moving image processing method
A moving image processing device is configured such that a frame data acquisition unit configured to acquire frame data in which a parallax image for the left eye and a parallax image for the right eye are arranged across an active space. An image processing unit configured to subject the frame data to image processing. An active space setting unit configured to identify the position of the active space processed by the image processing unit and to set the pixel values of the active space to be fixed values. |
| US09172939B2 |
System and method for adjusting perceived depth of stereoscopic images
A system and method for adjusting the perceived depth of stereoscopic images are provided. The system includes a disparity estimator, a disparity processor and a warping engine. The disparity estimator is configured to receive a stereoscopic image, to estimate disparities in the stereoscopic image, and to generate an estimator signal comprising the estimated disparities. The disparity processor is configured to receive the estimator signal from the disparity estimator and a depth control signal that is generated based on a user input. The disparity processor is also configured to generate a processor signal based on the estimator signal and the depth control signal. The warping engine is configured to receive the processor signal and to generate an adjusted stereoscopic image by warping the processor signal based on a model. |
| US09172938B2 |
Content reproduction method, content reproduction system, and content imaging device
Each of video content items captured by cameras is associated with metadata describing a time stamp indicating a capturing time and spatial information indicating features of space relating to a camera at the capturing time. In the disclosed content reproduction method, at least one target video content item to be reproduced is selected from the video content items based on the time stamps and pieces of the spatial information described in the respective pieces of metadata, then a reproduction start position of the selected video content item is determined based on a time stamp described in metadata associated with the selected video content item, and the selected video content item is reproduced from the determined reproduction start position. |
| US09172935B2 |
Terminal device capable of managing storage capacity and management method thereof
A terminal device capable of managing a storage capacity is provided. The terminal device includes a storage which stores a plurality of contents, a controller which selects candidates to be deleted according to a characteristic value from among the plurality of contents and generates a deletion candidate list, a display which displays the deletion candidate list, and an input which receives a user command to select content to be deleted from the deletion candidate list. A method of managing a storage capacity includes checking a storage capacity of a terminal device; in response to the storage capacity meeting a preset capacity condition, selecting candidates to be deleted from among a plurality of contents and generating a deletion candidate list; displaying the deletion candidate list; and deleting at least one content selected from the deletion candidate list. |
| US09172931B2 |
Projection display device, information processing device, projection display system, and program
A projection display device including: an image light projecting unit that projects image light on a screen; a distance measurement unit that measures distance to the screen; an obstacle detecting unit that detects an obstacle between the screen and the image light projecting unit on the basis of distance information obtained by the distance measurement unit and, according to a result of this detection, determines an adjustment area where the image light to be projected is to be adjusted; and a projection adjusting unit that adjusts the image light in the adjustment area are included. |
| US09172930B2 |
Electronic apparatus, electronic apparatus control device, method of driving electronic apparatus, and method of driving electro-optic device
An electronic apparatus includes first and second panels. A scanning line driving circuit is formed in each of the first and second panels. The scanning line driving circuit can perform a scanning to select k scanning lines for every k lines from m scanning lines. A first start pulse signal supplied to the first panel and a second start pulse signal supplied to the second panel can be temporarily shifted only an integer multiple of half of a horizontal scanning period of the scanning. Thus, even when a high-definition image is displayed at a high speed using the scanning, the position of a display image can be minutely adjusted, and thus a high-quality image can be displayed. |
| US09172927B2 |
Imaging device, and image processing method
According to the present invention, since a color image for a moving image including that for live view display includes image data on pixel lines including first and second phase difference pixels, phase difference AF can be accurately performed during the moving image taking. A color image for the moving image includes not only the image data on the pixel lines including the first and second phase difference pixels, but also image data on pixel lines that do not include the first and second phase difference pixels and only include normal pixels. Accordingly, the image quality of the color image for the moving image is improved, an image interpolation process can be accurately performed, and reduction in image quality of a taken image (still image and moving image) through the phase difference pixels can be prevented or alleviated. |
| US09172926B2 |
Imaging device, and image processing method
One aspect of the present invention thinning-reads pixel signals from the multiple pixels according to a thinning pattern from an image pickup element, or extracts pixel signals from the multiple pixels according to the thinning pattern from a color image that is read from the image pickup element and corresponds to the color filter array, and acquires a thinned color image. Then, moving image data is generated on the basis of the thinned color image. Adoption of the thinned color image as a target image to be subjected to moving image processing can facilitate reduction in processing time per frame, and prevent the frame rate from decreasing. Furthermore, thinning-reading pixels from the image pickup element can facilitate reduction in time of reading an image from the image pickup element. |
| US09172923B1 |
Sweep dependency based graphics processing unit block scheduling
An apparatus includes a central processing unit and a parallel processing unit. The parallel processing unit generally includes an array of software-configurable general purpose processors, a globally shared memory, and a shared memory. Each of the software-configurable general purpose processors in the array of software-configurable general purpose processors generally has access to the globally shared memory to execute one or more portions of a decoding program. The shared memory is accessible by the central processing unit to program the shared memory with a schedule describing which of the one or more portions of the decoding program are to be executed by each of the software-configurable general purpose processors. |
| US09172919B2 |
Selective viewing of a scene
Among other disclosed subject matter, a computer-implemented method for performing selective viewing of a scene includes acquiring an image of a real scene using a camera. The method includes identifying, in the acquired image, a first object in the real scene located on a first side of a virtual plane defined for the real scene and a second object located on a second side of the virtual plane. The method includes modifying the acquired image by removing image content corresponding to the identified first object, wherein image content corresponding to the identified second object is not removed based on the second object being located on the second side. The method includes displaying the modified acquired image for a person to view the real scene. |
| US09172916B2 |
Web monitoring system
A method for identifying defects in a web of material is provided. The method may include monitoring one or more characteristics of a web translating along a travel path. The one or more characteristics may include one of position, speed of travel, and direction of travel. The method may include identifying a candidate for a defect by detecting one or more deviations in the web at a first time frame. The method may include monitoring one or more characteristics of the candidate for a defect at one or more subsequent time frames. The method may include determining whether the candidate is a defect by comparing the one or more characteristics of the candidate at one or more subsequent time frames to the one or more characteristics of the web. A related system is also provided. |
| US09172912B2 |
Telepresence method, terminal and system
The disclosure discloses a telepresence method, a telepresence terminal and a telepresence system. The system includes a telepresence terminal, multiple audio inputting devices and multiple audio outputting devices and/or multiple video inputting devices and multiple video outputting devices and a remote endpoint, wherein the telepresence terminal has multiple audio and video inputting and outputting interfaces for connecting the multiple audio inputting devices and the multiple audio outputting devices and/or the multiple video inputting devices and the multiple video outputting devices, and is configured to: establish a session, exchange input/output location information of multiple audio streams and/or video streams, perform media capability negotiation, and establish media logical channels with the remote endpoint; encode streams input by the multiple audio inputting devices and/or the multiple video inputting devices, and send the encoded streams to the remote endpoint according to input/output locations of the streams based on the established media logical channels; receive and decode multiple audio streams and/or video streams from the remote endpoint, and forward the decoded streams respectively to audio outputting devices and/or video outputting devices at local locations corresponding to input/output locations of the multiple audio streams and/or video streams received, so that the decoded streams are played by the audio outputting devices and/or the video outputting devices at the local locations. With the disclosure, problems of complicated deployment of an existing telepresence system, intercommunication and stream synchronization within the system are solved. |
| US09172910B2 |
Apparatus for multi-party video call, server for controlling multi-party video call, and method of displaying multi-party image
Provided are an apparatus for a multi-party video call, a server for controlling a multi-party video call, and a method of displaying a multi-party image. The apparatus for a multi-party video call includes a receiver module configured to receive a composite image of multi-party video call participants from a server, an image separating module configured to separate images of the respective multi-party video call participants from the composite image received by the receiver module, and a display module configured to arrange the separated images according to a predetermined layout and display the separated images on a screen. |
| US09172909B2 |
Panoramic video conference
In one embodiment, video is transmitted between a sending device and a receiving device. The sending device is configured to receive adjacent camera views and encode the adjacent camera views independently into video streams. The sending device performs an image analysis on the adjacent camera views in order to generate a projection matrix to relate the adjacent camera views. The projection matrix and the encoded video streams are sent to at least one receiver. The receiver is configured to receive the encoded video streams and the projection matrix relating the encoded video streams. The receiver calculates an aggregate video stream using the projection matrix. The aggregate video stream includes portions of at least two of the encoded video streams. Other receivers may receive the same encoded video streams and generate a different aggregate video stream having a varying size, resolution, or number of views. |
| US09172904B2 |
Information processing apparatus displaying indices of video contents, information processing method and information processing program
In order to quicken switching of indices and reduce the time required for display after switching, a mobile phone includes a video content specifying portion to specify at least one video content, an index element generating portion to generate a thumbnail for a video content when accepting a generation instruction and to stop generation of the thumbnail when accepting a cancellation instruction, an index element generation requesting portion, in response to the event that a video content is specified by the video content specifying portion, to output a generation instruction including identification information identifying the specified video content to the index element generating portion, and a cancellation instructing portion to output a cancellation instruction to stop generation of the thumbnail for the already specified video content when a new video content is specified before completion of generation of the thumbnail for the already specified video content. |
| US09172903B1 |
Method and system with multiple camera units installed in protective enclosure
A system and method for simultaneously and continuously capturing video from the interior and exterior of a vehicle. The system includes, for example, a first housing including a first connection mechanism, first and second cameras and a memory disposed in the first housing. The system also includes a second housing including a second connection mechanism adapted to be removably connected to the first connection mechanism of the first housing and encasing said first housing within the second housing. A mounting mechanism is adjustably connected to said second housing and configured to maintain at least one of the first camera and the second camera in a predetermined position by adjusting the second housing. Additional embodiments are also described including a method for capturing data. |
| US09172902B2 |
Media recorder that selects when to record media content that is available at multiple times
A particular method includes receiving program data designating media content to be recorded at a media recorder. An electronic program guide accessible to the media recorder includes multiple scheduled delivery times for the media content. The method includes receiving delay data. The delay data enables delayed recording of the media content and specifies at least one delay recording condition. The method includes determining an onset time to begin recording the media content based on the multiple scheduled delivery times for the media content and based on the at least one delay recording condition. The method also includes scheduling the media content to be recorded at the media recorder beginning at the onset time. |
| US09172894B2 |
Electronic components matrix of enhanced reliability and method for locating a fault in the matrix
Enhancement of the reliability of an imaging device comprising several pixels is provided, each of the pixels comprising several first blocks of electronic components organized as a matrix and joined by links to row buses and column buses of the matrix allowing the powering and control of each of the first blocks for its nominal operation. Each of the pixels moreover comprises, associated with the first block, programmable means for disconnection of the first block from the at least one of the buses. Locating of a fault in a device is also provided, the fault occurring in one of the first blocks and leading to a generalized fault in several first blocks. |
| US09172891B2 |
Display device, method of controlling display device, and computer program product
A display device including a display section configured to display an image; a display control section configured to arrange a plurality of display areas in a display range of the display section and display an image in each of the display areas; an image selection section configured to select the image to be displayed in each of the display areas from a plurality of input images; and a multi-screen display control section configured to display an image designation panel designating an image of a display object out of the plurality of input images on the display section, determine the images to be displayed in all of the display areas in a lump if the images to be displayed in all of the display areas are designated during display of the image designation panel and a determination operation is performed, and make the image selection section select the images determined. |
| US09172890B2 |
Method, apparatus, and manufacture for enhanced resolution for images from high dynamic range (HDR) interlaced sensors
A method, apparatus, and manufacture for generating an HDR image is provided. An original image is received from an HDR interlaced sensor that includes at least two fields captured with different exposures. The fields are separated from each other to provide separate images, and each of the separate images is upscaled. Next, blending is performed on each of the upscaled separate images to generate a high-dynamic range image, and ghost identification is performed on the high-dynamic range image. Subsequently, detail identification is performed on the high-dynamic range image. The detail identification includes identifying areas in the non-ghost areas of the high-dynamic range image that have details, and modifying the high-dynamic image by replacing each of the areas identified to have details with the corresponding area from the original image. |
| US09172888B2 |
Determining exposure times using split paxels
A plurality of images of a scene may be captured. Each image of the plurality of images may be captured using a different total exposure time (TET). The images in the plurality of images may be downsampled. A pixel value histogram based on pixel values of the downsampled images may be constructed. The pixel value histogram may be compared to one or more reference pixel value histograms. A payload TET may be determined based on comparing the pixel value histogram to the one or more reference pixel value histograms. |
| US09172887B2 |
Imaging apparatus, control method of imaging apparatus, interchangeable lens and lens-interchangeable type imaging apparatus body
An imaging apparatus includes: a lens-interchangeable type imaging apparatus body which includes a solid-state imaging device; and an interchangeable lens as defined herein; and the interchangeable lens is provided with a first storage portion which stores individual difference information about brightness of the interchangeable lens; and the lens-interchangeable type imaging apparatus body is provided with a second storage portion which stores information about a change of incident light sensitivity of the solid-state imaging device relative to each diaphragm value, and a control portion which uses the individual difference information about the brightness read from the first storage portion of the mounted interchangeable lens and the information about the change of the sensitivity in the second storage portion to thereby correct exposure at a time of imaging the photographic subject. |
| US09172884B2 |
Imaging apparatus
The imaging apparatus includes a focus lens, a front zoom lens disposed on a subject side of the focus lens, a rear zoom lens disposed on an image side of the focus lens, a focus drive unit configured to drive the focus lens, a zoom drive unit configured to drive the front and rear zoom lenses, a focus origin point detector provided in a movable range of the rear zoom lens, configured to detect a focus origin point of the focus lens, and a controller configured to control the focus drive unit and the zoom drive unit. When the controller loses track of a position of the focus lens, the controller drives the focus lens in accordance with a relative movement amount of the front and rear zoom lenses by the zoom drive unit to move the focus lens to the focus origin point. |
| US09172882B2 |
Zoom lens system, interchangeable lens apparatus and camera system
A zoom lens system comprising a positive first lens unit composed of three or four lens elements, a negative second lens unit, and subsequent lens units, wherein the subsequent lens units include an aperture diaphragm, an image blur compensating lens unit, and a focusing lens unit, which are provided on the image side relative to the aperture diaphragm, and the conditions: 1.8<|(YW/fW)×FNOT×(fT/fW)|<4.5 and 0.001<(D1W+D2T)/fW<0.200 (YW=fW×tan(ωW), fW, fT: focal length of the zoom lens system at wide-angle limit, telephoto limit, ωW: half view angle at wide-angle limit, FNOT: F-number at telephoto limit, D1W: inter-apex distance between the first and second lens units at wide-angle limit, D2T: inter-apex distance between the second lens unit and a most object side lens unit among the subsequent lens units at telephoto limit) are satisfied. |
| US09172880B2 |
Computing device and method of image matching
A computing device is connected to a measurement device including a projector, a left camera and a right camera. The projector is controlled to project gratings with a number M of frequencies on an object. The left camera captures a number N of left grating images, and the right camera captures a number N of right grating images of the gratings with each of the frequencies. A luminous intensity of each pixel in each of the left grating images and the right grating images is computed. According to the luminous intensity of each pixel in each of the left grating images, a first phase grayscale image is obtained. According to the luminous intensity of each pixel in each of the right grating images, a second phase grayscale image is obtained. A matched image is obtained by matching the first phase grayscale image and the second phase grayscale image. |
| US09172879B2 |
Image display control apparatus, image display apparatus, non-transitory computer readable medium, and image display control method
An image display control apparatus includes a memory, a determination unit, and a display controller. The memory stores plural sets of information each set including image information indicating an image to be displayed on a display and at least one attribute concerning the image information, which are associated with each other. When one of plural images displayed on the display is selected, the determination unit determines whether or not the image information stored in the memory includes image information stored in association with an attribute relevant to an attribute associated with the selected image. The display controller performs display control to display a mark for a relevant image when displaying the plural images on the display in accordance with the image information stored in the memory and displaying on the display a relevant image based on the image information included in the stored image information. |
| US09172877B2 |
Image pickup unit and electronic apparatus
There is provided an image pickup unit capable of suppressing occurrence of false color and color mixture and acquiring a color image with high image quality. The image pickup unit includes: an image sensor including a plurality of pixels and acquiring an image pickup data; a variable filter provided on a light receiving face of the image sensor, and transmitting a selective wavelength; and a filter drive section (a wavelength selection circuit and a system control section) driving the variable filter and thereby setting its transmission wavelength. By acquiring the image pickup data while time-divisionally switching the transmission wavelength of the variable filter, pixel data corresponding to the transmission wavelength of the variable filter are acquired in a temporally-successive manner. |
| US09172876B2 |
Measurement method, measurement apparatus, storage medium having stored therein computer program
A measurement method capable of measuring a motion blur amount of an image with a high accuracy is provided. The measurement method fixes a camera on a vibratory table of a vibratory apparatus; selects one of a plurality of pieces of vibration data in accordance with the mass of the camera; shakes the vibratory table of the vibratory apparatus in accordance with the selected vibration data; acquires an evaluation image by imaging a subject by the camera while the vibratory table is being shaken; and measures a motion blur amount of an image based on the acquired evaluation image. In this case, the vibration data may be obtained by performing statistic processing for measured data. |
| US09172875B2 |
Video processing method and electronic device
A video processing method includes the steps of: inputting a video; matching multiple frames of the video according to corresponding positions, wherein one of the frames serves as a reference image; marking a motion region, to be preserved, in the video; and submerging a content of each of the frames, corresponding to the motion region, into the reference image to generate a replacement frame. An electronic device is also disclosed. |
| US09172873B2 |
CTIA in-pixel correlated double sampling with snapshot operation for IR readout integrated circuits
An image sensor array that has a buffer amplifier, having a capacitor which receives photogenerated energy from a photodetector, and stores the photo generated energy in a capacitor of the buffer amplifier. A reset across the buffer amplifier is applied at a time which is sufficient to allow the amplifier to settle transiently prior to applying the clamp voltage. There is also a source follower that is enabled to operate at a time just before snapshot operation, and then turned off when the snapshot is over, to save on power. |
| US09172872B2 |
Digital photographing apparatus, methods of controlling the same, and computer-readable storage medium to increase success rates in panoramic photography
Digital photographing apparatus, methods of controlling the same, and computer-readable storage medium to increase success rates in panoramic photography are disclosed. A method of controlling a digital photographing apparatus is provided that includes initiating panoramic photography, and providing a capture guide when an image is captured during the panoramic photography. |
| US09172864B2 |
Imaging device with autofocus operation
An imaging device that images a subject includes a focus lens group that collects a light beam from the subject and forms an image of the subject, a focus motor that drives the focus lens group in the optical axis direction, and an imaging element that performs photoelectric conversion of the light beam and outputs a video signal. The imaging device further includes a contrast signal generator that generates and outputs a lower-frequency contrast signal from a luminance component of the video signal, an AF processor that employs the lower-frequency contrast signal as an auto focus evaluation value and moves the focus lens group to the in-focus position with wobbling the focus lens group, and a histogram signal generator that generates and outputs a high-luminance pixel count of the video signal. The AF processor varies the amplitude of the wobbling of the focus lens group based on the high-luminance pixel count. |
| US09172860B2 |
Computational camera and method for setting multiple focus planes in a captured image
Camera devices in form of a computational camera and corresponding methods are described wherein at least two different focus planes are set in an image. |
| US09172854B2 |
Configurable lens actuator driver system
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for utilizing any of a plurality of disparate types of lens actuators on a mobile device. The method may include launching a configurable actuator driver and identifying a particular type of lens actuator that resides on the mobile device. Based upon the particular type of lens actuator that resides on the mobile device, lens-actuator-specific parameter values are obtained that facilitate control interfacing with the particular type of lens actuator. In addition, tuning parameter values are obtained that characterize a displacement-response of the particular type of actuator to control signal values, and the tuning parameter values for the particular type of lens actuator are provided to a configurable lens-actuator driver. The particular type of lens actuator that resides on the mobile computing device is then operated using the tuning parameter values. |
| US09172851B2 |
CMOS linear image sensor with motion-blur compensation
Time delay and integration sensor comprising a matrix of photosensitive pixels organized in rows and columns. Each pixel of a column comprises a photosensitive element, a storage node, and a first transfer transistor connecting the photosensitive element to the storage node. Each pixel of a column, except for the last one, further comprises a second transfer transistor which connects the storage node of the pixel to the photosensitive element of the next pixel of the column. The two transfer transistors are connected to be active at the same time. With such a configuration, it is possible to define a sliding group of several consecutive pixels in a column, to expose the group of pixels, to aggregate the information of the pixels of the group, and to start again after shifting the group of pixels by one pixel. |
| US09172850B2 |
Lensless imaging camera performing image formation in software employing micro-optic elements creating overlap of light from distant sources over multiple photosensor elements
A lensless camera with image formation performed by image processing software rather than by lens. Image formation operations are coordinated with a micro-optical element array that can comprise apertures, micro-optic layers, etc. configured so light received from a distant source overlaps onto multiple photosensors. Algorithms for image formation are determined by pixel overlap functions resulting from micro-optic elements directing light to a photosensor array, and can include deconvolution, edge-effect handling, decimation, and interpolation. Image formation operations can comprise frequency-domain operations or other approaches. The micro-optical element array can be configured to produce a spatial light pattern on the photosensor array with optimized detection characteristics. Light-detecting photosensors can comprise elements capable of light emission, for example organic materials with electroluminescent properties. The camera can be implemented or integrated upon any one of a wide variety of surfaces or substrates. Fabrication can employ techniques from semiconductor processing and flat panel display manufacturing. |
| US09172848B2 |
Image reader for correcting an image
Provided is an image reader, including a reading unit that reads an image of a read body, an optical unit that forms the image of the read body on the reading unit, a filter unit that is disposed in the optical unit and eliminates infrared light by an interference film, a calculating unit that calculates a coefficient matrix during a color correction based on a reading position of the reading unit and spectral field angle characteristics of the filter unit in the reading position, and a correction unit that performs the color correction with respect to the image read by the reading unit using the coefficient matrix. |
| US09172846B2 |
Scanning device and operations thereof
A scanning device includes: a reading unit; a communication unit; a storage unit configured to store identification information for identifying a external apparatus; an operation unit, and a controller configured to perform operations comprising: generating an image file from read signal received from the reading unit, transmitting the image file generated to the external apparatus through the communication unit, and determining whether a size of the document on which the image read by the reading unit is recorded is equal to or smaller than a preset setting size. When the controller receives a signal corresponding to a scan command from the operation unit, the controller, in the generating, generates an image file having a password added, in a case where it is determined that a size of the document is equal to or smaller than the setting size. |
| US09172845B2 |
Management apparatus, image forming apparatus management system for managing usage of the image forming apparatus
A management apparatus connected to an image forming apparatus for managing usage of the image forming apparatus is disclosed. The management apparatus includes a user data storage part for storing user identification data and use restriction data corresponding to the user identification data, and a use restriction data acquiring part for acquiring the use restriction data corresponding to the user identification data. |
| US09172843B2 |
Image processing device and computer-readable medium
An image processing device comprises a processor and a memory. The processor executes computer-readable instructions stored in the memory. The instructions cause the image processing device to acquire target image data including each pixel value of a plurality of pixels. The instructions cause the image processing device to extract a plurality of edge pixels from the plurality of the pixels in the target image. The instructions cause the image processing device to determine a first reference value by using the plurality of the edge pixels. The instructions cause the image processing device to generate correspondence data by using the first reference value. The instructions cause the image processing device to convert, using the correspondence data, a plurality of original pixel values of the plurality of pixels into respective converted pixel values. |
| US09172842B2 |
Image binarization for optical character recognition
Systems and methods convert to binary an input image having pixels defining text and background. Thresholds are determined by which pixels in the input image and a corresponding blurred image will be defined as either binary black or binary white. Thresholds derive from grouped together neighboring pixels having pixels separated out that correspond to the background. For pixels of the input image defined as binary black and having corresponding pixels in the blurred image defined as binary black relative to their thresholds, those are set to black in the binary image, else they are set white. Techniques for devising thresholds, blurring images, grouping together pixels, statistical analysis, etc., typify the embodiments. |
| US09172841B2 |
Image processing device, and image processing system and computer-readable medium therefor
An image processing device including an image information acquirer and a control device configured to detect encircling lines written on a document sheet, based on acquired image information, determine an arrangement order of a partial image formed within each encircling line, detect first symbols each written on the document sheet and added to a corresponding partial image, the first symbols relating to how to lay out the partial images, determine a layout of the partial images based on the arrangement orders and the first symbols, extract, from the image information, a plurality of pieces of image information each of which is image information of a partial image within a corresponding encircling line, and generate layout image information in which the pieces of image information are arranged according to the layout. |
| US09172840B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method for controlling image processing apparatus
An image processing apparatus includes an image processing unit configured to perform image processing, a storage unit configured to be capable of storing an application program installed in the image processing apparatus, a first determination unit configured to determine whether the application program had ever been installed in the image processing apparatus, and a control unit configured to selectively control the image processing unit to be operable and control the image processing unit not to operate according to the determination by the first determination unit if an error has occurred in the storage unit. |
| US09172839B2 |
Image forming apparatus, control method and storage medium
An image forming apparatus includes a first device to which a first memory is connected; a second device to which a second memory is connected; and a third device to which a third memory is connected. The third device includes a data transfer control unit configured to perform data transfers each for transferring data from one of the first to third memories to a destination memory of the first to third memories, according to direct memory access control in cooperation with the first device and according to an instruction received from the second device. Priorities and orders are assigned to the data transfers. The data transfer control unit arbitrates the data transfers by changing the orders of the data transfers based on the priorities assigned to the data transfers and by changing the destination memory of at least one of the data transfers. |
| US09172837B2 |
Light source for exposure and image forming apparatus
Provided is a light source for exposure including: a circuit section which includes plural pixel circuits arranged in one direction, a scanning circuit which outputs a scanning signal, a scanning line which supplies the pixel circuits with the scanning signal; light-emitting elements connected to the pixel circuits; and data lines which supply a lead wire with a data signal via the pixel circuits, wherein a data line group including the plural data lines, a light-emitting element group including the plural light-emitting elements, and the circuit section are arranged in this order in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the plural pixel circuits are arranged. |
| US09172832B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method of controlling image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus and a method of controlling the image forming apparatus are provided. The method includes detecting a conflicting option that is impossible to be set simultaneously with a plurality of options selected for a job of the image forming apparatus, reflecting the detected conflicting option to display an option setting screen for the job of the image forming apparatus, and if a conflicting option is selected on the displayed option setting screen, displaying an option list user interface (UI) window in an area of the displayed option setting screen, wherein the option list UI window includes a replaceable option that replaces an option that is impossible to be set simultaneously with the conflicting option. |
| US09172828B2 |
Image display apparatus, image display method and image display program
An image display apparatus connected to a printer, for displaying an image to be printed by the printer, includes display section for displaying taken image data as a thumbnail, control section for generating edited image data by editing the taken image data selected by a user and generating an additional thumbnail of the edited image data, and select section for selecting a taken image displayed on the display means to be edited, an editing operation for the taken image, and a print image. As the taken image is edited, the control means displays the additional thumbnail of the edited image data in addition to a thumbnail of the taken image data on the display means to allow each of the thumbnail and the additional thumbnail to be selected as the print image. |
| US09172826B2 |
Processing apparatus, terminal apparatus, and control methods therefor
This invention provides a technique in which even if a job by a processing apparatus is interrupted during execution, another apparatus continues the processing using completely the same function without further billing the user. Upon receiving a print job, a printing apparatus executes billing processing for the job, in which the printing apparatus communicates with a billing server. The printing apparatus writes, in the memory of an NFC unit, setting values about the received print job, the identification information of the printing apparatus itself, and the identification information of another alternative processing apparatus. While executing the print job, the printing apparatus writes progress information about an unprocessed portion of the job in the memory of the NFC unit every time a preset processing unit is executed during execution of the job. |
| US09172823B2 |
Alarm operation method and mobile terminal supporting the same
An alarm operation system for use by a mobile terminal receives input data used for setting an alarm. The system sets alarm content comprising a category of multiple items of content including at least one of, (a) audio data and (b) video data, to be played in response to detection of an alarm trigger condition. The system selects an alarm content item for playback from the category in response to the detection of the alarm trigger condition. |
| US09172822B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for providing a user record deletion notification
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for providing a user record deletion notification are disclosed. In one example, the method comprises determining, at a subscriber data management (SDM) node, that a service subscription to an access network is to be terminated, wherein the service subscription is associated with a subscriber user, generating, at the SDM node, a notification message that includes a deletion notification attribute, and sending the Diameter notification message to an application server associated with the access network. The method further includes terminating, at the application server, a communication service connection established between the subscriber user and the access network in response to detecting the deletion notification attribute in the notification message and deleting, in the SDM node, a user record associated with the service subscription after receiving notification of the connection termination. |
| US09172820B2 |
Identifying an account and destination for a communication based on dialed number and origination number
The present disclosure involves systems, software, and computer implemented methods for identifying an account and destination for a communication based on a dialed number and origination number associated with the communication. One computer-implemented method includes identifying a first communication associated with an origination address and an access method; determining whether the first communication is associated with a destination address record in response to identifying the first communication; initiating the second communication to the destination address included in the destination address record in response to determining that the first communication is associated with the destination address record; determining whether a call recipient at the destination address accepts the second communication; and charging the account included in the destination address record for charges associated with the first communication and the second communication in response to determining that the call recipient at the destination address accepts the second communication. |
| US09172817B2 |
Communication system
An echo component of a first signal received at an audio input device is removed. A second signal is output from an audio output device. The echo component in the first signal is the result of the second signal traversing an echo path. The characteristics of the first and second signals are compared, and if the first signal only comprises the echo, an estimate of the echo path is determined by comparing the first and second signals. The echo path estimate is applied to the first signal to determine an equalized first signal, which is is compared with the second signal to determine an estimate of the echo component. The echo component from the first signal is removed in dependence on the estimate of the echo component. |
| US09172816B2 |
Echo suppression
An echo path of the echo in a received audio signal is modelled using an adaptive model to determine an adaptive model estimate of the echo. The adaptive model estimate is used to determine an estimate of the echo power of the echo in the received audio signal. The power of the received audio signal is determined. The estimate of the echo power and the determined power of the received audio signal are used to determine echo suppression gains. Temporal smoothing is applied to one or more of the echo suppression gains and the one or more smoothed echo suppression gains are used to apply echo suppression to the received audio signal, thereby suppressing the echo in the received audio signal, wherein the amount of smoothing applied to the echo suppression gains is varied according to a non-decreasing function of the frequency of the received audio signal. |
| US09172810B2 |
System and method for calculating context-aware estimated wait time for customers
An Estimated Wait Time (EWT) computing system for computing estimated wait time for customers in a contact center is provided. The EWT computing system includes an analysis module for analyzing each incoming contact to determine attributes corresponding to the incoming contact. The EWT computing system further includes a categorization module for categorizing the incoming contact based on the determined attributes and a past history of the incoming contact or similar contacts. The EWT computing system further includes a computing module for computing an estimated wait time for the incoming contact based on a category of the incoming contact and availability of suitable agents for handling the incoming contact. The EWT computing system further includes a reporting module for reporting the estimated wait time to the incoming contact. |
| US09172807B2 |
Techniques for customer relationship management
Techniques for improving customer relationship management are disclosed. The techniques may be realized via a call processing system that may efficiently rout an incoming call to an agent of a call center. Also, the call processing system may provision a telephone number to a web-based help desk call center. Further, the call processing system may include a communication framework enabling a communication between a plurality of browser windows and a local storage medium. |
| US09172802B1 |
Systems and methods for reestablishing terminated telephone calls with an interactive voice response (IVR) system
A system, method, and computer-usable medium are disclosed for improved processing of calls within an interactive voice response (IVR) system. An inbound call comprising a call origination identifier is received by a call processing module, which uses the call origination identifier to retrieve call record and call processing information associated with a prior call session. The call record and call processing information is processed to determine the state of the prior call session and its point of termination when it was terminated. If the point of termination was associated with a human operator, then the call processing module determines whether the same human operator is available. If not, the user is provided a choice of call session options including being placed in a hold queue until the same or another human operator is available, requesting a return call from a human operator, or selecting another call session process. |
| US09172800B2 |
Systems and methods to disable a call block
A computer implemented method includes outputting a dial tone from a call block system. The dial tone indicates to a calling party that a call block feature is enabled for a party. The computer implemented method includes storing messages for the party when the call block feature is enabled. |
| US09172799B2 |
Method and apparatus for displaying a social networking status message on a dialing phone
In one embodiment, a method includes identifying when a call to a callee has been initiated by a system. Once the call is identified as being initiated, status information associated with the callee is obtained. The status information is then displayed on the system. |
| US09172795B1 |
Phone call context setting
Example apparatus and methods concern establishing additional context for a call using pre-call information. The additional context is provided by a caller and used to determine, for example, whether and how to answer a call. An apparatus (e.g., smart phone, VoIP device) may be configured to augment an outgoing call with first context setting information (e.g., short message, picture, voice clip). The first context setting information may be embedded in the outgoing call or may be provided separately as part of a distinct communication. The apparatus may also be configured to acquire second context setting information associated with an incoming call. The second context setting information may be retrieved from the incoming call or may be retrieved using a separate communication that is triggered by the incoming call. The second context setting information may be presented in an integrated display that produces a single user interruption. |
| US09172794B2 |
Real-time voice paging voice augmented caller ID / ring tone alias
A communication device and method can include one or more processors operatively coupled to memory and an audible output device, where the one or more processors receive a call from a calling party that includes caller identification information and a voice paging message associated with the caller identification information, presenting the caller identification information, presenting the voice paging message as an alias of or to a ring tone or interleaved with the ring tone before the call from the calling party is answered or rejected. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09172788B2 |
Disabling of wireless transmission of wireless communication devices using messages
Systems, methods, and apparatuses are directed to facilitating disabling of wireless transmission of wireless communication devices using messages. In one embodiment, logic is configured to generate a disabling message that indicates disabling of wireless transmission, and wirelessly transmit the disabling message to cause disabling of a transmitter portion of a wireless transceiver of a wireless communication device that receives the disabling message. In another embodiment, logic is configured to generate a disabling message that indicates disabling of wireless transmission, and wirelessly transmit the disabling message to cause disabling of a transmitter portion of a wireless transceiver of a wireless communication device that receives the disabling message. In some embodiments, the disabling message may cause the transmitter portion of the wireless transceiver to be disabled while a receiver portion of the wireless transmitter remains enabled. |
| US09172787B2 |
Cellular telephone docking device and silencing method
A system for, and method of intelligently silencing a mobile telephone, allowing the user to avoid unnecessary interruptions while sleeping or engaged in other activities and while still allowing necessary or urgent notifications to be received. The invention provides a method for creating a “do not disturb” mode on a mobile phone, which provides an explicit mechanism which can allow certain designated callers to override the “do not disturb” mode. When the phone is in “do not disturb” mode, an option is typically provided which allows the phone owner to designate certain contacts for different treatment upon receipt of a call or message. |
| US09172786B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling functions of a mobile phone using near field communication (NFC) technology
Disclosed herein is an apparatus for controlling certain functions of a mobile terminal using Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. The apparatus includes an NFC chip module, a base band chip, and a USIM card. The NFC chip module is electrically connected to the base band chip of a mobile terminal, allows a command data signal to be transmitted to the base band chip or a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) card of the mobile terminal for the control of certain functions of the mobile terminal. |
| US09172782B2 |
Flush mounting stand, hanger/carry handle for mobile electronic device
The present invention relates to a flush mounting stand, hanger, carry handle for mobile device. The device has a unique attachment member which can perform as a stand to support the mobile device on a flat surface or perform hanging function to support the mobile device over an object such as a door handle, a cabinet handle, etc. The device according to the principles of the present invention comprises an attachment member that can bend around a hinge or stay straight as desirable. |
| US09172779B1 |
Wireless broadband modem for mobile device connector
A cellular modem device that is integrated with a proprietary dock connector of a mobile device, such as the proprietary 30 pin dock connector of an iPod Touch or iPad, permits the mobile device to connect for Internet access to the associated cellular carrier. The device is usable in circumstances where the mobile device does not contain internal cellular modem circuitry, and/or the device is unable to use WiFi-based Internet and/or the device's internal cellular circuits are out of range of cellular service of the carrier for which those circuits are designed, and/or the internal cellular circuits are not activated on the associated cellular network. |
| US09172777B2 |
Hairpin element for improving antenna bandwidth and antenna efficiency and mobile device with the same
A mobile device includes a main antenna and a hairpin element. The hairpin element is disposed adjacent to the main antenna, and substantially has a U-shape. The hairpin element is configured to increase bandwidth and antenna efficiency of the main antenna. |
| US09172773B2 |
Managing technology resources across multiple platforms
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for managing technology resources across multiple platforms. Embodiments of the invention can be used to manage the configuration of a plurality of different devices. A management server/service can utilize native management capabilities of different devices to provide configuration management without requiring agents to be installed on the devices. In general, the management server/service adapts to the unique characteristics and behaviors of different devices, platforms, and external systems to provide configuration management for the different devices, platforms, and external systems. As such, configuration management can be provided in a unified fashion across different platforms, both on-premise and off-premise, and indirectly. When client agents are present, the management server/service can adjust to compatibly operate with the client agents. |
| US09172772B2 |
Method and apparatus for disabling compression for incompressible flows
Methods and apparatus for wireless communication include applying a compression algorithm to a data flow, and evaluating a level of compression of the data flow resulting from the applying of the compression algorithm. Further aspects include determining when the level of compression of the data flow is below a first threshold, and disabling compression of the data flow when the level of compression is below the first threshold. Additional aspects include determining when the level of compression of the data flow is above a second threshold, and enabling compression of the data flow when the level of compression is above the second threshold, wherein the second threshold is greater than the first threshold. |
| US09172767B2 |
Mobile terminal, data distribution server, data distribution system, and data distribution method
A data distribution server, a mobile terminal, and a data distribution method perform distribution of data in consideration of memory capacity. In a mobile terminal, an amount-of-space arithmetic unit carries out an arithmetic operation for an amount of space and a possible amount of space of an object storage unit. Then, in an object distribution server, object data is selected based on the amount of space or the like, and a distribution list is generated and transmitted to the mobile terminal. In the mobile terminal, deletion of object data determined as deletable is performed in order to acquire object data in the distribution list. Acquisition of the object data is then performed. |
| US09172764B2 |
Generating a platform for social interaction
The disclosure includes a system and method for identifying discussion groups related to a video that a user would find to be interesting. A recognition application receives a captured image from a user, identifies an indexed image that matches the captured image, identifies a timestamp for the indexed image, determines a segment in the video that encompasses the timestamp, determines whether the user is interested in the segment of the video based on the timestamp and a user profile and provides suggested discussion groups to the user that are ranked based on what the user is interested in. |
| US09172763B2 |
Method and apparatus for server side remote desktop recordation and playback
Various methods for server-side recordation and playback of a remote desktop session are provided. One example method may comprise receiving data related to a remote desktop protocol session. The method of this example embodiment may further comprise providing for storage of the data at a location other than the device associated with the remote desktop protocol client of the remote desktop protocol session. Furthermore, the method of this example embodiment may comprise receiving a request to reproduce the remote desktop protocol session. The method of this example embodiment may also comprise retrieving the data from storage. Additionally, the method of this example embodiment may comprise facilitating reproduction of at least a portion of the remote desktop protocol session based at least in part on the retrieved data. Similar and related example methods, apparatuses, systems, and computer program products are also provided. |
| US09172760B2 |
Method and device for monitoring service usage amount
A method and a device for monitoring a service usage amount includes: determining, according to one of quintuple information, protocol information, and URL information in received service request information, whether the service request information is the same as specified service stream information in one or multiple session level service monitoring tasks, where the session level service monitoring task includes a session level service monitoring class identity, a monitoring task identity, and the specified service stream information; the monitoring class identity indicates that the monitoring task is used to monitor a usage amount of a specified service stream in a session; when determining yes, accumulating a usage amount of the service request information in the one or multiple session level service monitoring tasks; and reporting the monitoring task identity and an accumulated usage amount of the service request information in the session level service monitoring task to a PCRF. |
| US09172755B2 |
Remote information collecting device and computer readable medium
A building-facility information storage stores data sizes of process data to be collected from building-side communicating devices. A schedule generating unit generates a collection schedule of the process data from the building-side communicating devices so that, in a collection period including a plurality of unit periods continuous in terms of time, a first communication load representing a total data volume received from the building-side communicating devices per unit period and second communication loads each representing a data volume transmitted from each of the building-side communicating devices per unit period are balanced among the unit periods. A network communicating unit collects the process data from the building-side communicating devices in accordance with the collection schedule. |
| US09172753B1 |
Methods for optimizing HTTP header based authentication and devices thereof
A method, non-transitory computer readable medium and application management computing device includes receiving at an application management computing device a request from a client computing device which requires authentication. A determination is made by the application management computing device whether user network identification information currently is stored for the requesting client computing device. The stored user network identification information for the authentication is obtained by the application management computing device when the user network identification information is determined to be currently stored for the requesting client computing device. The authentication is completed by the application management computing device with the obtained user network identification information. |
| US09172751B2 |
Content distribution
A method and apparatus is configured to generate a first message including a portion of a media stream or a portion of a data file. The method and apparatus also generates a second message including the first message, for sending to one or more addressees. The second message also includes information identifying one or more additional entities other than the one or more addressees from which one or more portions of the media stream or the data file can be obtained. |
| US09172745B2 |
Scripting web services
A process performed on a server includes configuring the server to enable script for a Web service to be defined dynamically, where the Web service includes an application program interface (API) for enabling access by, and interaction with, a computer program executing on a device other than the server. The process also includes compiling the script to produce machine-executable code for the Web service, receiving a call from the computer program to the Web service, executing the machine-executable code in response to the call to produce an output, and sending the output to the device. |
| US09172743B2 |
Scalable storage systems with longest prefix matching switches
A method performed by a switch, the method comprising receiving a request for a file from a client, wherein the file is located in a distributed storage system, extracting a directory for the file from the request, performing longest prefix matching (LPM) of the directory against a forwarding information base (FIB) to identify a port, wherein the FIB associates directories with ports of the switch, and forwarding the client request toward a server containing the file via the identified port, wherein the server is one of a plurality of servers in the distributed storage system. |
| US09172741B2 |
Mobile terminal and method for implementing browser thereof
The present disclosure provides a mobile terminal and a method for implementing a browser of the mobile terminal. The method comprises: the mobile terminal establishes a remote browser connection with a computing entity; and the mobile terminal remotely calls a browser engine to parse webpage data and render an image for data to be parsed through a distributed program interface of the browser engine provided by the computing entity, and receives frame dataflow from the computing entity. Through the present disclosure, the mobile terminal establishes a remote browser connection with the computing entity to share the browser engine of the computing entity based on distributed implementation as a component to the mobile terminal; the browser engine of the computing entity is remotely called to work to actually acquire the parsing capability of the CPU and other hardware resources of the computing entity; and the frame dataflow returned from the computing entity is received and presented. The mobile terminal not only acquires a relatively high computing capability but also has small power consumption; extra expense of the user is avoided and additional client software is not needed, and thereby improving the usability. |
| US09172740B1 |
Adjustable buffer remote access
A method and apparatus for adjustable buffer remote access is provided. Adjustable buffer remote access may include generating, at a client device, a client display buffer request indicating a portion of a display area of an operating environment of a host device, transmitting the client display buffer request to the host device receiving a rendering of a representation of the portion of the display area of the host device, presenting a client display portion of the rendered buffer portion as a window into the display area of the operating environment of the host device, receiving an indication of a client display portion change presenting an updated client display portion based on the rendered buffer portion and the client display portion change, transmitting an updated client display buffer request to the host device, receiving an updated rendered buffer portion, and presenting the updated client display portion. |
| US09172734B2 |
Methods, devices, systems, and computer program products for managing and delivering media content
Managing and delivering media content are provided. A device includes a media recording structure for capturing a live data stream. The device further includes a media management application executable by a processor. The media management application provides a graphical user interface via an input/output component, the graphical user interface including a user-selectable option for managing the network-based storage of media files captured by the media recording structure. When selected, the user-selectable option generates an alert indicating an amount of recording time remaining for the live data stream before a storage capacity of the network-based storage is reached. The recording time is determined as a function of an encoding rate at which the live data stream is being captured. Consumption of the network-based storage is monitored for the live data stream, and an alert is generated pursuant the encoding rate. |
| US09172733B2 |
Dynamic assignment of central media device supporting network-based media sharing protocol to guest device of hospitality establishment for media sharing purposes
A media system includes a computer network, a media device supporting a network-based media sharing protocol, a plurality of output devices located at a plurality of physical locations within a hospitality establishment, and a system controller. In response to a first event, the system controller assigns the media device to a particular guest device by reconfiguring one or more components of the computer network to enable the particular guest device to utilize the network-based media sharing protocol to share media over the computer network with the media device, and commands an output device located at a physical location associated with the particular guest device to play media corresponding to the media signal outputted by the media device on the output port. In response to a second event, the system controller un-assigns the media device from the particular guest device and commands the output device to stop playing the media. |
| US09172729B2 |
Managing message distribution in a networked environment
A method for managing message distribution in a networked computing environment. The method includes determining, for a particular topic, at least a first subscriber messaging engine and a second subscriber messaging engine to receive a topic message. The method includes determining that the first subscriber messaging engine is to act as a cache for the second subscriber messaging engine. The method includes sending the topic message to the first subscriber messaging engine. The method then includes sending a reference message to the second subscriber messaging engine, the reference message being able to be used to retrieve the topic message from the first subscriber messaging engine. |
| US09172726B2 |
Impairment reduction for tandem VoIP calls
A method and apparatus are provided for allowing IP endpoints to communicate over a PSTN with improved signal quality. Watermarks are used in the handshaking between the end-points when a communication session is being established, the watermarks indicating that the endpoints are capable of VoIP. If the two end-points establish that they are each VoIP-capable then packet data is inserted into a TDM channel using a framing technique managed by the gateways, with the bearer data being native to the VoIP devices, avoiding the lossy conversion of packet-voice data to 64 kb/s PCM and back to packet data again, realizing that the other end-point will be able to decode the data. If an IP-enabled endpoint determines that the other endpoint is not IP-enabled, then the data is inserted into the TDM channel by the gateway after conversion to 64 kb/s PCM so that the resulting TDM stream remains compatible with the PSTN and non-IP endpoints. |
| US09172725B2 |
Apparatus for signaling circle of friends
A device and method is provided for signaling an affinity of a peer device. According to one embodiment, the device receives a wireless signal from the peer device and determines the presence of the peer device based on the received signal. The device is able to detect the peer device when the peer device is within the vicinity or a certain proximity of the device. The received signal carries an affinity code of the peer device so that the device can detect the affinity of the peer device by comparing the received affinity code with its preset affinity code. If the two affinity code match, the device generates an the user to the presence of another user and signals that the two users share the same affinity. |
| US09172724B1 |
Licensing and authentication with virtual desktop manager
A computer-implemented method for virtual desktop system to license and authenticate various user devices to access virtual desktop system, includes one or more of following operations: (a) establishing network connection between a user device and a virtual desktop manager, (b) receiving request from user device to obtain access token to access a target virtual desktop of a virtual machine, (c) verifying the user device registration and security policy, (d) generating a unique token with expiration by virtual desktop manager if user device is authorized, (e) providing unique token with expiration and security policy to user device, (f) establishing connection between user device and target virtual desktop of virtual machine using unique token with expiration and security policy, (g) verifying token with virtual desktop manager by virtual machine of target virtual desktop, and (h) allowing user device to access target virtual desktop of virtual machine if user device is authorized. |
| US09172722B2 |
Method for network access, related network and computer program product therefor
A method of providing access of a mobile terminal to an IP network includes establishing a security association between the mobile terminal and a first security gateway of a first router in said plurality of routers. The mobile terminal is provided access to the IP network via the first router, and the data exchanged between the mobile terminal and the first router is encapsulated by using the security association. The security association is made available to at least one second router having a second security gateway. The mobile terminal is provided access to the IP network via said the second router, and data exchanged between the mobile terminal and the second router is encapsulated by using the same security association. Establishing the security association includes assigning a Security Parameter Index that identifies univocally the first security gateway and the security association. Making the security association available to the second router includes making available to the second router the Security Parameter Index. The second router may thus have access to the security association either by requesting it from the first router or by identifying it in a set of security associations sent from the first router to a set of routers candidate to become the second router as result of the mobility of the mobile terminal. |
| US09172721B2 |
Scalable inline behavioral DDOS attack mitigation
Methods and systems for a scalable solution to behavioral Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks targeting a network are provided. According to one embodiment, a method to determine the scaling treatment is provided for various granular layer parameters of the Open System Interconnection (OSI) model for communication systems. A hardware-based apparatus helps identify packet rates and determine packet rate thresholds through continuous and adaptive learning with multiple DDoS attack mitigation components. The system can be scaled up by stacking multiple DDoS attack mitigation components to provide protection against large scale DDoS attacks by distributing load across these stacked components. |
| US09172720B2 |
Detecting malware using revision control logs
Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for detecting malware using revision control logs are presented. In some embodiments, a computing device may gather one or more revision control logs, and the one or more revision control logs may identify one or more code changes. Subsequently, the computing device may determine, based on one or more risk factors, that at least one code change identified in the one or more revision control logs is potentially malicious. Based on determining that the at least one code change is potentially malicious, the computing device may generate a notification indicating that the at least one code change is potentially malicious. |
| US09172719B2 |
Intermediate trust state
Embodiments of the invention relate to implementation of an intermediate trusted state of an electronic account based upon questionable account communication(s). A profile of malicious or unauthorized activity is created, and a profile of account activity is created. As account activity takes place, the activity is assessed against one or both of the profiles to statistically determine if the activity resembles that associated with malicious or unauthorized intent. The state of the account is placed in the intermediate trusted state if the activity statistically matches the unauthorized activity profile. An authentication activity enables the trusted state to be removed and for the account activity to resume. |
| US09172715B2 |
Stealth network attack monitoring
A particular failed connection attempt initiated by a particular source asset in a network is identified and subsequent failed connection attempts initiated by the particular source asset in the network during a time period are tracked. A low frequency sequence of failed connection attempts involving the particular source asset is detected during the time period and the source asset is designated as a potential security risk based on the detected low frequency sequence of failed connection attempts. |
| US09172713B2 |
Secure domain name system
A method and system for authenticating answers to Domain Name System (DNS) queries originating from recursive DNS servers are provided. A verification component provides a verification that a DNS query originated from the recursive DNS server. An authoritative DNS server receives the query via a network, such as the Internet, and provides an answer to the query to an authentication component. The authentication component then provides an authentication, such as a digital signature, which confirms that the received answer was provided by the authoritative DNS server, and then communicates the answer and the authentication to the verification component via the network. The verification component then verifies that the authentication corresponds to the received answer and sends the answer to the recursive DNS server. When the verification component receives an answer in the absence of a corresponding authentication, the verification component drops the answer. |
| US09172710B2 |
Media transport protocol extensions for system integrity and robustness, and applications thereof
Methods, systems and computer program products to implement extensions of the Media Transport Protocol (MTP) are provided herein. The methods include opening a session between an initiator and a responder, exchanging one or more of device and system information and sending one of an operation or event based on media player application features. The operation includes one or more of a dataset, response code, operation parameter and response parameter. In an embodiment, the extensions enable the initiator and responder to manage connections efficiently between devices, send media player application information to a media player device, exchange device and system information, manage digital rights, monitor system security and specify properties within one or more extensions of MTP. These extensions may be in the form of one or more of an operation, an event, a dataset or property code. |
| US09172707B2 |
Reducing cross-site scripting attacks by segregating HTTP resources by subdomain
An arrangement for reducing the occurrence of harmful cross-site scripting is provided by segregating on-line content or other resources so that they are accessible at different domains or subdomains, each of which corresponds to a set of users, called a “sharing set,” where each user in the set has identical access privileges to certain resources. The sharing set is provided with an identifier (which may or may not be unique), so that the identifier may be used as the name of the domain or subdomain for which any member of the sharing set is authorized to access the resources located there. In this way, script that is embedded with the content can only be executed among members of the sharing set. Users who are not members of the sharing set are unable to invoke cross site-scripting attacks that would allow them to gain access to data from sharing set members. |
| US09172705B1 |
System and method for remote, interactive network and browsing supervision, monitoring, and approval
A system for interactive network access approval includes a server, a first application running on a first device for requesting access to a website on the network, and a second application running on a second device for approving access to the website. The server receives a request via the first application for access to the website, immediately transmits the request to the second application, receives via the second application approval for access to the website, and immediately grants access to the website to the first application. A method for granting access to a website is also described. |
| US09172703B2 |
System and method for peer-to-peer hybrid communications
An improved system and method are disclosed for peer-to-peer communications. In one example, the method enables two endpoints to directly establish and maintain a communication session after authenticating with an access server. |
| US09172702B2 |
System and method for traversing a NAT device for peer-to-peer hybrid communications
An improved system and method are disclosed for peer-to-peer communications. In one example, the method enables an endpoint to traverse a NAT device using a stateless reflector. |
| US09172700B2 |
Computer program and method for biometrically secured, transparent encryption and decryption
A computer program for enabling secured, transparent encryption and decryption provides a user interface that allows a user to drag and drop files into and out of a secure repository and automatically encrypts files transferred into the repository and automatically decrypts files transferred out of the repository. The user can transfer file folders into the repository, wherein the program encrypts all of the files within the folder and retains the original file/folder structure, such that individual files can be moved within the repository, moved out of the repository, and opened or executed directly from the repository. The program requires the user to submit biometric data and grants access to the secure repository only if the biometric data is authenticated. The program generates an encryption key based at least in part on biometric data received from the user. Additionally, the program destroys the key after termination of each encryption/decryption session. |
| US09172699B1 |
Associating a device with a user account
In one implementation, a server receives a request from a client device to access a user account of a user, wherein the user account provides access to one or more credentials associated with the user. The server determines that the client device is not associated with the user account and transmits a message to the client device prompting the user to provide a biometric identification of the user. The server then receives data representing the biometric identification of the user from the client device. Next, the server determines that the data representing the biometric identification of the user matches a biometric profile of the user associated with the user account. Finally, in response to determining that the data representing the biometric identification of the user matches a biometric profile of the user associated with the user account, the server associates the client device with the user account, such that the user is enabled to access the user account, and the associated one or more credentials, from the client device. |
| US09172697B1 |
Facilitating users to obfuscate user credentials in credential responses for user authentication
A system and method for facilitating users to obfuscate user credentials in credential responses for user authentication are disclosed. A string sequence may be presented to a user for prompting the user to input credential characters sequentially but not continuously. The string sequence may comprise a set of prompt strings containing a prompt character sequence associated with the user and a set of noise strings that do not contain the prompt character sequence. The individual prompt strings in the set of prompt strings may be composed by obfuscating the prompt sequence among noise characters. A user credential response may be received and a user provided credential may be extracted from the received user credential for user authentication. |
| US09172692B2 |
Systems and methods for securely transferring authentication information between a user and an electronic resource
Systems and methods for securely transferring authentication information between a user and an electronic resource are disclosed herein. The methods include providing an authentication image to a user interface. The authentication image is associated with a resource-side coordinate system and the providing includes encoding the resource-side coordinate system to generate a user-side coordinate system that is different from the resource-side coordinate system and transmitting the authentication image and the user-side coordinate system to the user interface. The methods further include receiving an encoded coordinate set, which uniquely identifies an authentication location in the user-side coordinate set and that is user-selected from the authentication image, from the user interface and decoding the encoded coordinate set to generate a decoded coordinate set that uniquely identifies the authentication location in the resource-side coordinate set. The systems include systems that perform the methods. |
| US09172688B2 |
Secure shell authentication
A first information handling system receives a security challenge and forwards it to a second information handling system. The second information handling system retrieves a private key from a public/private encryption key pair and satisfies the challenge with the private key. The second information handling system forwards the satisfied challenge without divulging the private key. The second information handling system is in a more secure environment than the first information handling system. The challenge may be satisfied by signing the challenge with the private key. Satisfying the challenge may be a step in creating a secure shell connection between the first information handling system and an organization maintaining the first information handling system and the second information handling system. |
| US09172687B2 |
Query system and method to determine authentication capabilities
A system, apparatus, method, and machine readable medium are described for determining the authentication capabilities. For example, one embodiment of a method comprises: receiving a policy identifying a set of acceptable authentication capabilities; determining a set of client authentication capabilities; and filtering the set of acceptable authentication capabilities based on the determined set of client authentication capabilities to arrive at a filtered set of one or more authentication capabilities for authenticating a user of the client. |
| US09172684B2 |
Information gathering system
A host computer adds a keycode to e-mail and a terminal unit leads an information gathering candidate to add reply information to the e-mail. When the host computer receives the e-mail to which reply information has been added, the host computer stores the reply information in one of data storage areas having a memory address corresponding to a memory address associated the keycode of the e-mail. |
| US09172679B1 |
Secure intermediation system and method
In an intermediation system, an intermediary is positioned along a communications path between a client and a server. The client sends a payment message over the communications path to consummate a payment. The intermediary receives the payment message and detects whether the message includes an account number, such as a credit card number. The intermediary replaces the account number with a limited-use payment number, such as a one-time-use credit card number. The intermediary may request the limited-use payment number from a credit card issuer. The intermediary may send a verification message to the client to verify that the client approves of the replacement of the account number with a limited-use payment number. |
| US09172676B2 |
Computer or microchip with its system bios protected by one or more internal hardware firewalls
A computer or microchip, comprising at least one protected portion, at least one network portion a system BIOS located in a first protected portion, and at least one internal hardware firewall located between the first protected portion and a first said network portion. The first protected portion being protected by at least a first internal hardware firewall, said first network portion having a connection for a network of computers including the World Wide Web and/or the Internet; the first internal hardware firewall denies access to at least said first protected portion of said computer or microchip from the network. The computer or microchip also includes hardware network communications components located in the first network portion and one or more microprocessors that are not hardware network communications components, located in the first network portion and are separate from the at least one internal hardware firewall. The location of at least the first internal hardware firewall permits unrestricted access by the network to the first network portion so that processing operations other than network communications and firewall operations conducted by said computer or microchip with the network are executed by one or more of said microprocessors in said first network portion. |
| US09172674B1 |
Managing request routing information utilizing performance information
Systems and methods for managing requesting routing functionality associated with resource requests for one or more resources associated with a content provider are provided. The request routing functionality can correspond to the processing of domain name service (“DNS”) requests for resources by computing devices and the resolution of the DNS requests by the identification of a network address of a computing device that will provide the requested resources. Based on the processing resource requests initiated by a client computing device, a CDN service provider can obtain performance information from client computing devices and correlate the performance information into a prioritized list for classes of client computing devices. The prioritized list can be utilized in resolving subsequent DNS queries. |
| US09172661B1 |
Method and system for using lane alignment markers
Method, system and network device for programming lane alignment markers are provided. The method includes configuring the first port having a plurality of sub-ports, as at least a dual lane port where each lane of the dual lane port is configured to receive and transmit frames; negotiating with the first network device to determine a lane alignment marker that is acceptable by the first network device; and programming the first port to identify the lane alignment marker associated with the vendor of the first network device for processing frames received from the first network device and transmitted to the first network device. |
| US09172660B2 |
Switch fabric with collector-based cell reordering
A network device of a communication network is configured to implement a switch fabric that includes collector-based cell reordering functionality. In one embodiment, the switch fabric comprises a plurality of distributors, a plurality of routing elements each having inputs coupled to respective outputs of multiple ones of the distributors, and a plurality of collectors each having inputs coupled to respective outputs of multiple ones of the routing elements. At least a given one of the collectors comprises a sorting circuit configured to reorder streams of cells received from respective ones of the routing elements into a single reordered stream of cells utilizing a merge sort. |
| US09172659B1 |
Network traffic routing in a modular switching device
Data packets are received at a source packet processor that is disposed in a modular switching device having a plurality of packet processors and a plurality of crossbar processors coupled to the plurality of packet processors. Each of at least some of the received data packets is divided into a plurality of data packet fragments. The data packet fragments are transmitted to the crossbar processors to distribute the data packet fragments among the crossbar processors. The data packet fragments are stored at respective crossbar processors. An instruction to retransmit first stored packet fragments corresponding to a first data packet that had been received at the source packet processor is selectively transmitted from the source packet processor to the crossbar processors. Based on the instruction received from the source packet processor, the first stored packet fragments is retransmitted to a target packet processor among the plurality of packet processors. |
| US09172658B2 |
Call setup systems and methods using dynamic link tagging and overbooking of links in multi-domain transport networks
Call setup methods in a multi-domain network and a multi-domain network use dynamic link tagging and/or overbooking of External Network-Network Interface (ENNI) links. Thus, improved call setup systems and methods include two approaches to improve upon the responsiveness of the network for connection setups including bandwidth reservation in optical networks using “dynamic link tags” and link overbooking in optical networks based on a greedy approach. The bandwidth reservation and the link overbooking can be utilized together or separately to improve call setup. Advantageously, the improved call setup systems and methods can provide a generic bandwidth reservation mechanism, such as in Automatically Switched Optical Network (ASON) networks, to overcome the limitation of ENNI in concurrently updating the abstract link bandwidth and thereby improving the responsiveness of the network. |
| US09172656B2 |
Method and device for managing priority during the transmission of a message
Method of managing priority during the transmission of a message, in an interconnections network comprising at least one transmission agent which comprises at least one input and at least one output, each input comprising a means of storage organized as a queue of messages. A message priority is assigned during the creation of the message, and a queue priority equal to the maximum of the priorities of the messages of the queue is assigned to at least one queue of messages of an input. A link priority is assigned to a link linking an output of a first transmission agent to an input of a second transmission agent, equal to the maximum of the priorities of the queues of messages of the inputs of said first agent comprising a first message destined for that output of said first agent which is coupled to said link, and the priority of the link is transmitted to that input of said second agent which is coupled to the link. |
| US09172653B2 |
Sending request messages to nodes indicated as unresolved
Techniques are provided for sending request messages to destination nodes. Destination nodes may be indicated as unresolved. Request messages are sent to destination nodes indicated as unresolved. |
| US09172652B2 |
Method and apparatus for diagnosing faults in a hybrid internet protocol network
An Ethernet switch can receive an internet protocol query packet generated by a receiver for collecting telemetry data between a source and the receiver in a multicast network, translate the internet protocol query packet to an Ethernet query packet, collect in the Ethernet query packet telemetry data from the Ethernet switch where at least one telemetry field of the Ethernet Switch includes an arrival time of the Ethernet query packet at the Ethernet switch, and submit the Ethernet query packet to the next network element of the multicast network. An internet protocol router can receive an Ethernet query packet generated by an Ethernet switch having at least one field for telemetry for collecting telemetry data between a source and a receiver, translate the Ethernet query packet to an internet protocol query packet, and submit the internet protocol query packet to the next network element. Additional embodiments are disclosed. |
| US09172651B2 |
Denial of service prevention in a software defined network
A method in a controller module is described for allocating rate-limiting meters to a plurality of network elements (NEs) of a software defined network (SDN). The method includes receiving a plurality of rate limit indicators, from one or more network destinations, for a plurality of flows of data that arrive at the network destinations; sending one or more meter installation messages to cause a plurality of meter entries corresponding to the plurality of rate limit indicators to be installed by one or more of the NEs according to a metering configuration that is determined by, for each of the flows, selecting a flow of the plurality of flows that has not been selected yet and that traverses a path in the SDN having a fewest number of the plurality of NEs, and selecting a NE from the path that the selected flow traverses to have a meter entry installed. |
| US09172646B2 |
Dynamic reconfiguration of network devices for outage prediction
A system and technique for dynamic reconfiguration of network devices for outage prediction is disclosed. The system includes a host and a plurality of network devices aggregated to form a link bundle; and wherein the host comprises a configuration manager operable to: identify a quality of service level of data throughput needed by at least one workload utilizing the link bundle; monitor a parameter of each of the network devices of the link bundle; determine whether the monitored parameter indicates a predicted data throughout quality of service level decrease by a network device being utilized by the workload below the quality of service level for the workload; and responsive to determining that the monitored parameter indicates a predicted quality of service level decrease by the respective network device, dynamically reconfigure the link bundle to maintain the quality of service level for the workload utilizing the link bundle. |
| US09172642B2 |
Wireless communication method and apparatus thereof
To provide a stable high speed wireless network, the relay process is solved at the lower layers (PHY layer, MAC layer) without depending on upper layers to reduce the load of the upper layers to the utmost. Discrimination is made between a packet of one's own station and a relay packet to process the presence and absence of the relay packet without using a CPU to construct a wireless network executing the relay processing at a high speed. Further, the retransmission is executed without using a CPU to provide a stable wireless network. In addition, the table for relay process (routing table) is constantly updated to add to the table the information of the packets of which processes are not executed to eventually suppress unnecessary processes. |
| US09172637B2 |
System and method for computing a backup ingress of a point-to-multipoint label switched path
A method of Path Computation Element (PCE) Communication Protocol (PCEP) communication includes sending, to a path computation element (PCE), a request to compute a backup ingress node for a Point-to-Multipoint (P2MP) Label Switched Path (LSP) in a network, and receiving, from the PCE, the backup ingress node for the P2MP LSP in accordance with the request. |
| US09172636B2 |
Efficient link repair mechanism triggered by data traffic
In one embodiment, an intermediate device transmits a data message away from a root device toward a receiver device in a computer network, the data message transmitted by utilizing, in reverse, a link that had been previously selected by the receiver device toward the root device. In response to detecting that the data message did not reach the receiver device, a discovery message is may be sent to one or more neighbor devices, wherein the discovery message carries an identification (ID) of the receiver device and a discovery scope indicating how many hops the discovery message is allowed to traverse to reach the receiver device, and wherein the receiver device, upon receiving the discovery message, triggers a local link repair of the link from the receiver device toward the root device. |
| US09172635B2 |
Ethernet backbone network system for vehicle and method for controlling fail safe of the ethernet backbone network system
A backbone network system for a vehicle enables high-speed and large-capacity data transmission between integrated control modules mounted in the vehicle, such that communication can be maintained through another alternative communication line when an error occurs in a specific communication line. The backbone network system enables various kinds of integrated control modules mounted in the vehicle to perform large-capacity and high-speed communications, based on Ethernet communication, by connecting domain gateways of the integrated control modules through an Ethernet backbone network, and provides a fast fail-safe function so that domain gateways can perform communications through another communication line when an error occurs in a communication line between the domain gateways. |
| US09172633B2 |
Traffic engineering system for preventing demand deadlock and achieving uniform link utilization
Exemplary traffic engineering solutions are described herein. According to exemplary embodiments, multiple tiered thresholds representing allocatable capacities of links in the network may be provided. The tiered thresholds may effectively limit the amount of data that a traffic engineering system is permitted to allocate on links in the network. The traffic engineering system may attempt to allocate data flows in the network according to the smallest threshold. If the network cannot accommodate the data flows according to the smallest threshold, then the next-smallest threshold may be attempted. The thresholds may be sequentially tested in increasing order until the largest threshold is attempted. If a workable threshold is found, then the data flow may be allocated to a path in the network. If the traffic engineering system is unable to accommodate the data flows at any of the tiered thresholds, then the traffic engineering system may report a failure. |
| US09172630B2 |
Method for client data transmission through a packet switched provider network
In order to provide a redundancy mechanism in a packet switched provider network, which allows faster recovery from a failure, it is proposed that in case of a failure, a redundancy mechanism is initiated to reroute packet transmission through the provider network via an alternate path and an address withdrawal message is sent to network nodes along the failed path using data plane protocol. A network node receiving the address withdrawal message will flush MAC addresses it had learned before. |
| US09172623B1 |
Communication of historical and real-time information about devices in a building
Electrical usage of devices in a building may be monitored to provide information about the operation of the devices to a user. The information communicated to a user may include historical information that is retrieved from a server and real-time information that is received from a power monitoring device. The historical information may be transmitted to the user device over a first network connection where the historical information is retrieved using an identifier received from the user device. The real-time information may be received from a power monitoring device and transmitted to the user device over a second network connection. |
| US09172619B1 |
Maintaining IP tables
Data including a set of one or more resources and one or more associated IP addresses is updated based on monitored DNS responses. A request is received from a client device for a resource identified by an IP address. The IP address is matched to one of the IP addresses in the set of one or more IP addresses. A particular resource associated with the matched IP address is identified. A particular network policy that applies is identified. The identified particular network policy is applied to the received request. |
| US09172616B2 |
Compressing topological information pertaining to managed resources to enhance visualization
A method is provided in association with a managed system having a substantial number of resources. The method includes the step of selecting an attribute that is common to all of the resources, wherein each resource has a status in regard to the selected attribute that is one of a plurality of prespecified statuses that are available for the attribute. The method further includes compressing the group of resources into a set of subgroups, wherein each subgroup corresponds to a different prespecified status of the plurality, and each resource having a given status is placed into the subgroup that corresponds to the given status. Each of the subgroups is represented by a display element on a single computer display screen, and specified information is displayed with each display element, wherein the specified information for a display element pertains to all of the resources placed into the subgroup that are represented by the display element. |
| US09172614B2 |
Network capacity management system and method
A network capacity management system and method are disclosed. The system (10) includes a first data repository (20) encoding topology definition data, the topology definition data comprising data on topology elements of a network and including data on capacity of a respective topology element, a second data repository (30) encoding service consumption data, the service consumption data comprising data on service elements associated with a network and including data on capacity requirements associated with a respective service element, a network definition component (40) operable generate a network definition from the topology definition data and the service consumption data, the network definition encoding capacity criteria determined from said data on capacity of the respective topology elements and from data on capacity requirements of the respective service elements and an optimization component (50) operable to process said network definition in dependence on one or more predetermined optimization criteria to optimize said network definition based on said optimization criteria and on said capacity criteria. |
| US09172609B1 |
Automatic configuration of virtual network switches
In general, techniques are described in which a plurality of network switches automatically configure themselves to operate as a single virtual network switch. A virtual switch is a collection of individual switch devices that operate like as single network switch. As described herein, network switches in a network that are capable of participating in a virtual switch may automatically discover one another. The participating network switches may then elect one of the participating switches as a master switch. The master switch may generate forwarding information and store the forwarding information in the participating switches, including the master switch. The forwarding information causes the participating switches to act like a single network switch. |
| US09172608B2 |
Centralized configuration and monitoring of a distributed computing cluster
Systems and methods for centralized configuration and monitoring of a distributed computing cluster are disclosed. One embodiment of the disclose technology enables deployment and central operation a complete Hadoop stack. The application automates the installation process and reduces deployment time from weeks to minutes. One embodiment further provides a cluster-wide, real time view of the services running and the status of the host machines in a cluster via a single, central place to enact configuration changes across the computing cluster which further incorporates reporting and diagnostic tools to optimize cluster performance and utilization. |
| US09172605B2 |
Cloud device identification and authentication
Methods and apparatuses for authentication and/or provisioning of wireless network devices, and in particular, methods and apparatuses for authentication and/or provisioning of wireless network devices that are communicating with and may be monitored and/or controlled by a remote (e.g., cloud) server. |
| US09172598B2 |
Scalable reliable failover in a network
A method is provided for establishing a reliable communication channel between an encapsulation node and a cluster of decapsulation nodes across a communication network. The method is implemented at the encapsulation node and comprises the following steps. A primary session is initialized with a primary decapsulation node in the cluster of decapsulation nodes during which an assigned address is received. A redundant session is initialized with a redundant decapsulation node in the cluster of decapsulation nodes. Data is transmitted to and received from the decapsulation node until a failure is detected. Once the failure is detected, data is transmitted to and received from the redundant decapsulation node instead of the primary decapsulation node. |
| US09172594B1 |
IPv6 to web architecture
A system allows first users to connect through an IPv4 web interface to access content (e.g., information and services) of second users who provide the content using IPv6. The second users are effectively mobile web servers. In an implementation, the system is a streaming media network (e.g., lifecasting) where first users are video viewers and second users are streaming video providers. In the system, a second user runs a home agent client (e.g., plug in) that connects to a home agent server using IPv6. The home agent client and server encapsulate and deencapsulate the IPv6 information. Information is transmitted and routed using IPv6 in an IPv4 environment. Any number of second users connect to the first user's content via an IPv4 web interface. |
| US09172593B2 |
System and method for identifying problems on a network
Aspects of the invention may involve systems, methods, and computer readable medium. In an embodiment, a telecommunications network may contain telecommunications probes capable of generating detailed records describing network events. The telecommunications probes may be coupled to computer processors and/or memory. The memory may store detailed records created by the probes and instructions executable by the processors. The instructions may be to: identify detailed records that indicate an event failure including error codes and associated subscriber identifiers; learn a distribution of error codes and associated subscriber identifiers; detect event failures that indicate an increase in the number of subscriber identifiers for an error code; analyze attributes of the detected event failures to identify common attributes between the detected event failures; prepare a report identifying a network issue based on the identified common attributes between the detected event failures; transmit the report; and receive feedback based on the report. |
| US09172592B2 |
Apparatus and method for providing application-related management object
A method and an apparatus for providing an application-related management object is provided. The method includes receiving a registration message for registering information on an installed application, determining a requirement of the installed application contained in the registration message, acquiring application-related management object information corresponding to the requirement, identifying a method of providing the application-related management object information, and providing the application-related management object information according to the identified method. |
| US09172588B2 |
Providing automated quality-of-service (‘QoS’) for virtual machine migration across a shared data center network
Providing automated quality-of-service (‘QoS’) for virtual machine migration across a shared data center network, including: identifying, by a virtual machine migration module, a virtual machine to migrate from a source host to a destination host; determining a migration cost for migrating the virtual machine from the source host to the destination host; identifying based on the migration cost a least congested network path between the source host and the destination host and a bandwidth to be used for migration such that migration completes within a user specified time limit; and initiating transmission of the virtual machine from the source host to the destination host over the least congested network path, including reserving bandwidth across the shared data center network for transferring the virtual machine from the source host to the destination host in dependence upon the migration cost. |
| US09172575B2 |
Correlator and demodulation device including correlator
The present invention provides a correlator and a demodulation device including, first and second filter sections having different non-overlapping pass-frequency characteristics, first and second delay circuits that delay the signals output from the first and second filter section by one effective OFDM symbol period, first and second complex conjugate circuits that take the complex conjugates of the delayed signals, first and second complex operation sections that compute the complex-multiplies of the signals from the first and second filter sections and the respective signals for the first and second complex conjugate circuits, first and second moving average processing sections that take moving averages of GI lengths, proportion determination circuit that compares the maximum values of the autocorrelations from each of the first and second moving average processing circuits, and selection-combination circuit that selects the autocorrelation having the largest maximum value based on the comparison result. |
| US09172574B1 |
Dynamic-range reduction of complex-valued baseband signals
To reduce the peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) of a complex-valued digital baseband signal, the signal is mixed to an intermediate frequency and its real components extracted, to generate an intermediate-frequency real-valued digital signal. The intermediate frequency is one-quarter of a sampling rate of the complex-valued digital baseband signal. The intermediate-frequency real-valued digital signal is clipped and down-converted by one-quarter of the sampling rate. |
| US09172572B2 |
Digital video broadcasting-cable system and method for processing reserved tone
A Digital Video Broadcasting-Cable (DVB-C) system and a processing method for reserved tones are provided. A transmitter determines a position of broadcast data and a position of reserved tones in a frame and sends a broadcast signal into which the broadcast data and the reserved tones are inserted. A receiver determines the position of reserved tones in a received broadcast signal and extracts broadcast data from the broadcast signal in consideration of the determined position of the reserved tones. The system and method may compensate for the peak power of broadcast data to be transmitted through a multi-channel bundle, by inserting reserved tones into the whole multi-channel bundle with combined channel bands. This may reduce the Peak to Average Power Ratio (PAPR) of broadcast signals in the DVB-C system and thereby improve the performance of the DVB-C system while still adopting Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM). |
| US09172570B1 |
Compensation of oscillator frequency pulling
A transmitter includes an amplitude modulation path, and a frequency modulation path including a phase locked loop (PLL) having a controllable oscillator and a phase detector. The transmitter further includes an amplitude to frequency distortion compensation unit configured to generate a compensation signal based on amplitude data from the amplitude modulation path, error data based on an output of the phase detector, and data reflecting a transfer function from the controllable oscillator to the output of the phase detector, and is further configured to provide the compensation signal to a node in a feedforward path of the PLL. |
| US09172567B2 |
Methods and apparatus to reduce signaling power
System, methods and apparatus are described that reduce the power consumed by a multi-level encoded communications link. In one example, different logic states of a 4-level pulse amplitude modulation encoded transmission consume greater power than other logic states. The fraction of primary bits in a first logic state in multi-bit data symbols may determine whether the primary bits are inverted prior to transmission. The fraction of secondary bits in the first logic state in the multi-bit data symbols may determine whether the secondary bits are inverted prior to transmission. The primary bits may be swapped with the secondary bits is more secondary bits are in the first logic state than primary bits in the first logic state. |
| US09172566B1 |
Methods and apparatus for multiple-stage CTLE adaptation
A method of equalizing an input data signal using a multiple-stage continuous-time linear equalization (CTLE) circuit. A zero-forcing least-mean-square (ZF LMS) procedure is applied to adapt the settings of the CTLE stages. The amplitude settings and the frequency boost settings of the CTLE stages are adapted within the ZF LMS procedure. In an exemplary implementation, an error screening threshold may be applied to an error signal within the ZF LMS procedure to generate a reduced error signal such that weight updates do not occur if the error signal is below the error screening threshold. In addition, if an accumulated sign error signal within the ZF LMS procedure reaches a predetermined maximum indicative of a high loss channel, then a setting for a variable gain amplifier may be increased, and an amplitude setting for the CTLE circuit may be decreased. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed. |
| US09172564B2 |
Method for detection using a YI algorithm, and YI detector
In the field of communications technologies, embodiments of the present invention provide a method for detection using a YI algorithm and a YI detector, so as to solve the technical problem of poor detection performance caused by signal environment variation in the prior art. In the embodiment of the present invention, parameters are obtained according to a received signal; a level threshold at each level starting from a level corresponding to a Tailbits value is obtained according to the parameters, and validity of at least one node at the level is determined according to the level threshold, where the level is the same as a level of the level threshold; and a detection identifier is output according to the validity. The embodiment of the present invention is mainly applied to a scenario of detection using thresholds. |
| US09172561B2 |
Adaptive transmissions in coordinated multiple point communications
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate adaptively communicating data to wireless devices. An access point can precode a dedicated reference signal (DRS) for transmitting to a wireless device, and the wireless device can receive the precoded DRS. The wireless device can determine the precoder by estimating a channel of the DRS and can provide channel condition feedback to the access point. The access point can create data signals including a single or a burst of data transmissions according to the feedback and can precode the data signals using the same precoder. The wireless device can additionally decode the data signals using the precoder. Moreover, the access point can cycle through precoders according to a patterned, random, pseudo-random, and/or similar sequence. |
| US09172560B2 |
Information processor, receiver, and information processing method
An information processor has a CIR estimator configured to estimate channel impulse response of an input signal including a channel estimation sequence and a data sequence, based on the channel estimation sequence, an extended CIR calculator configured to calculate extended channel impulse response based on the channel impulse response estimated by the CIR estimator so that an extended CIR element padded with zeros is repeated a plurality of times in the extended channel impulse response, a Fourier transformer configured to convert the data sequence of the input signal into a frequency domain signal to calculate frequency response based on the extended channel impulse response, and an equalizer configured to perform equalization for removing a distortion from a propagation channel, based on the frequency domain signal and the frequency response. |
| US09172552B2 |
Managing an entity using a state machine abstract
In an implementation, a method for managing an entity may include establishing of a framework for characterization of the entity, in which the framework abstracts operation of the entity to a state machine. In addition, each state in the state machine may be characterized in terms of distributions of a performance metric associated with the entity. The method may also include implementing of the framework for characterization of the entity to manage the entity. |
| US09172547B2 |
Apparatus and method for signature verification
A receiver comprises a security processor and a first memory that stores software code or second stage authentication key and a signature for the software or the second stage key. The receiver also stores a plurality of verification keys (PUAK). When the receiver is switched on or reset, the software or second stage key and the signature are loaded from the first memory. The security processor then loads a PUAK and uses it to verify the signature. In case of successful verification, the software code or second stage key is used and the verification method ends; it is then possible to activate CA specific functions in the receiver. However, if the verification is unsuccessful, then it is verified if there are untried PUAKs. If there are no untried signatures, then the verification has failed and the software cannot be verified; the verification method ends. If there are untried signatures, then the next PUAK is loaded. |
| US09172545B2 |
Systems and methods for evaluating and prioritizing responses from multiple OCSP responders
The present disclosure is directed towards systems and methods for determining a status of a client certificate from a plurality of responses for an Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP) request. An intermediary device between a plurality of clients and one or more servers identifies a plurality of OCSP responders for determining a status of a client certificate responsive to receiving the client certificate from a client during a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) handshake. Each of the plurality of OCSP responders may transmit a request for the status of the client certificate to a uniform resource locator corresponding to each OCSP responder. The intermediary device may determine a single status for the client certificate from a plurality of statuses of the client certificate received via responses from each uniform resource locator. |
| US09172540B2 |
System and method for processing encoded messages for exchange with a mobile data communication device
A system and method are provided for pre-processing encrypted and/or signed messages at a host system before the message is transmitted to a wireless mobile communication device. The message is received at the host system from a message sender. There is a determination as to whether any of the message receivers has a corresponding wireless mobile communication device. For each message receiver that has a corresponding wireless mobile communication device, the message is processed so as to modify the message with respect to one or more encryption and/or authentication aspects. The processed message is transmitted to a wireless mobile communication device that corresponds to the first message receiver. The system and method may include post-processing messages sent from a wireless mobile communications device to a host system. Authentication and/or encryption message processing is performed upon the message. The processed message may then be sent through the host system to one or more receivers. |
| US09172536B2 |
Audio communication based electronic signature system and method thereof
An audio communication based electronic signature system and a method thereof are provided. The system includes: an audio smart key device including an interface module, a data processing module, a smart key module and a power module; and a terminal including an audio output interface, an audio input interface and an application unit. The interface module of the audio smart key device communicates with the terminal in the form of audio signal and it can perform operations of A/D conversion and modulation and demodulation on the audio signal. In the signing method, the terminal sends an audio signal including important data to the smart key device, the audio smart key device receives and decodes the audio signal, demodulates the decoded data and decrypts the demodulated data, signs the decrypted data, encodes, modulates and encrypts the signature result subsequently, sends the crypted result to the terminal, where the encrypted result is sent to the server for signature verification. |
| US09172535B2 |
Key implementation system
An LSI includes a first decryptor which receives first encrypted key data, and decrypts the first encrypted key data using a first cryptographic key, thereby generating first decrypted key data, a second cryptographic key generator which generates a second cryptographic key based on a second ID, a second encryptor which encrypts the first decrypted key data using the second cryptographic key, thereby generating second encrypted key data, and a second decryptor which decrypts the second encrypted key data using the second cryptographic key, thereby generating second decrypted key data. At a time of key setting, the second encryptor stores the second encrypted key data in a storage unit. At a time of key usage, the second decryptor reads the second encrypted key data from the storage unit. |
| US09172531B2 |
Information processing apparatus and method
To limit use of content, when a source receives a request for transmitting content from a sink, the source performs an authentication process. When the authentication is successful, the source transmits to the sink key information necessary for decrypting the encryption applied to the content. The sink can receive the content by receiving the key information and by decrypting the encryption applied to the content by using the key information. |
| US09172529B2 |
Hybrid encryption schemes
Methods, systems, and computer programs for using hybrid encryption schemes are disclosed. In some implementations, a random value is obtained by a pseudorandom generator. A symmetric key is generated based on the random value. A public component is also generated based on the random value. Additionally, an initialization vector is generated based on the random value. The symmetric key and the initialization vector are used to generate an encrypted message based on an input message. The encrypted message and the public component are transmitted to an entity. At least one of the public component or the symmetric key is generated based additionally on a public key of the entity. |
| US09172528B2 |
Method and apparatus for allowing software access to navigational data in a decrypted media stream while protecting stream payloads
A method, apparatus and system enabling software access to navigational data in a decrypted media stream while protecting stream payloads. In one embodiment, a filter may route an encrypted content stream and associated information to a secure partition having a trusted computing component for decryption. Upon decryption, the trusted computing component may store the decrypted payload of the content in a secure storage location accessible to the trusted computing component. Thereafter, the decrypted navigational header information of the content may be used to navigate to the decrypted content via a trusted component such as a trusted rendering unit in the secure partition. |
| US09172527B2 |
Signal processing method and apparatus
A signal processing method and apparatus. According to the signal processing method, phase change processing can be performed on to-be-sent data signals according to a phase status of a data synchronization signal and phase statuses of the to-be-sent data signals, so that phase differences between a majority of to-be-sent data signals in the processed to-be-sent data signals and the data synchronization signal meet a certain condition, thereby reducing a volume of coupling crosstalk, generated by the to-be-sent data signals, on the data synchronization signal and further reducing impact of simultaneously switching noise (SSN) on a system. |
| US09172524B2 |
Method of generating unambiguous correlation function for TMBOC (6,1,4/33)signal based on partial correlation functions, apparatus for tracking TMBOC signal, and satellite navigation signal receiver system using the same
A method of generating an unambiguous correlation function for a TMBOC(6,1,4/33) signal, an apparatus for tracking a TMBOC signal, and a satellite navigation signal receiver system using the same are disclosed herein. The method of generating a correlation function for a TMBOC(6,1,4/33) signal includes generating a delayed signal delayed based on a phase delay with respect to the signal pulse train of a TMBOC(6,1,4/33)-modulated received signal; generating BOC(1,1) partial correlation functions and BOC(6,1) partial correlation functions by performing an auto-correlation operation on the received signal and the delayed signal with respect to the total time; generating a BOC(1,1) sub-correlation function; obtaining a first intermediate correlation function, obtaining second to eleventh intermediate correlation functions, and generating the BOC(6,1) sub-correlation function by summing all the first to eleventh intermediate correlation functions; and generating a main correlation function by combining the BOC(1,1) and BOC(6,1) sub-correlation functions. |
| US09172523B2 |
Image pickup apparatus, lens apparatus, and image pickup system
A lens apparatus is detachable from an image pickup apparatus. The lens apparatus includes a controller configured to communicate with the image pickup apparatus in synchronization with a first signal. A communication contains a plurality of blocks in the same cycle of the first signal. The controller transmits information of a first time period to the image pickup apparatus, and prohibits a communication of an m-th block from starting before the first time period passes after a communication of an n-th block starts or ends where n is an integer equal to or larger than 1 and m is an integer larger than n. |
| US09172516B2 |
Method, system and device for transmitting downlink pilots
A method, apparatus and system for downlink pilot transmission solve the problem of power differences among OFDM symbols caused by Walsh Codes. The transmission method is that dedicated pilots are transmitted in the manner of code division multiplexing (CDM) or hybrid of CDM and frequency division multiplexing (FDM), wherein the dedicated pilots are configured with orthogonal sequence sets according to a preset frequency-domain granularity and rules on the resources for transmitting the dedicated pilots, and the same orthogonal sequence set is employed for the dedicated pilots in each frequency-domain granularity. |
| US09172510B2 |
Systems and methods for improved recovery for the downlink
Systems, methods, and devices for an improved recovery for the downlink are described herein. In some aspects, delay and overhead associated with retransmission of data lost due to an interruption can be reduced and/or eliminated by configuring a receiver to generate and transmit status information following resumption from the interruption. The receiver can be configured to generate and transmit status information immediately upon resuming from the interruption. In some aspects, the receiver can be configured to automatically generate and transmit status information independent of receiving a polling request from the sender. Status information can indentify at least last received user data prior to the interruption. In some aspects, status information further identifies lost data due to the interruption. |
| US09172505B1 |
Methods and apparatus for frame detection
One embodiment relates to a frame detection circuit for detecting a frame boundary. The circuit includes at least two frame buffers and a staged-parallel structure of syndrome computation circuits that computes a number of syndromes in one cycle. The two frame buffers are each one word in width. The number of syndromes computed in one cycle by the cascaded series is a fraction of a number of bits in one word. Another embodiment relates to a method for detecting a frame boundary. Another embodiment relates to a method for computing a current syndrome. Other embodiments, aspects, and features are also disclosed. |
| US09172501B2 |
Launch delay offset data flow protection
A signal protector utilizes a dual data path delay offset enabling signal recovery on both paths following simultaneous data loss on both paths. |
| US09172499B2 |
Optimized code table signaling for authentication to a network and information system
In various embodiments, a system comprising a network interface, a processor, and a non-transient memory medium operatively coupled to the processor is disclosed. The memory medium is configured to store a plurality of instructions configured to program the processor to receive a digital bit stream, transform the digital bit stream to an encoded digital bit stream. The encoded digital bit stream comprises at least one of a gateway channel, a composite channel, or a data channel, and any combination thereof, and provides the encoded digital bit stream to the network interface for transmission. A non-transitory computer-readable memory medium and a computer-implemented method also are disclosed. |
| US09172497B2 |
Data processing device and data processing method
A data processing device and a data processing method that can readily process control data having its PAPR improved. In a transmission device, a padder pads control data necessary for demodulation with zeros as dummy data, and a scrambler scrambles the padded control data (post-padding control data). A replacement unit replaces scrambled dummy data in the scrambled post-padding control data with the dummy data, and a BCH encoder and an LDPC encoder perform BCH encoding and LDPC encoding as error correction encoding on the replacement data obtained through the replacement. A shortening unit performs shortening by deleting the dummy data contained in the LDPC code and puncturing the parity bits of the LDPC code. The device can be applied in cases where control data is subjected to error correction encoding and is then transmitted, for example. |
| US09172496B2 |
CQI (channel quality indication) information reporting method, and related base station and user equipment
A information reporting method, base station and user equipment is provided in this invention. The method comprises sending the MAC layer carrier activation signaling to the UE, for activating a first CC of the UE, the MAC layer carrier activation signaling comprising CQI instruction information, for instructing the UE to report aperiodic CQI information of a second CC of the UE, so that the UE triggers to report aperiodic CQI information of the second CC of the UE upon receiving the MAC layer carrier activation signaling. With the information reporting method, base station and user equipment provided in an embodiment of this invention, the problem of slower report of CQI information of activated CCs can be addressed. |
| US09172495B1 |
Dynamic modulation change while generating a MAC PDU in a LTE protocol wireless network
A Long Term Evolution (LTE) protocol evolved Node-B (eNB) and method for dynamic modulation change while generating a Media Access Control (MAC) Protocol Data Unit (PDU) in a LTE wireless network are provided. The eNB in one example embodiment includes a transceiver system configured to receive a packet and a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) from a User Equipment (UE) and a processing system coupled to the transceiver system and configured to determine whether padding is needed in the MAC PDU, if padding is needed, select a slower modulation scheme and coding rate than is specified by the CQI, wherein the selected slower modulation scheme and coding rate are selected so as to substantially eliminate padding in the MAC PDU, and transmit the MAC PDU using the selected slower modulation scheme and coding rate. |
| US09172494B2 |
Modulator device
Devices, chips and methods are provided which involve the use of either a first modulator path or a second modulator path depending on a level of a signal to be processed. |
| US09172493B2 |
Caller-identity based security
A method, system and computer-readable medium for providing a user identity-based secure channel between a digital telephone and a service provider is presented. At the service provider, an encrypted voice transmission from a digital telephone is decrypted. The voice transmission was encrypted at the digital telephone by using a user voice encryption key that was created in the digital telephone. The user voice encryption key was created at the digital telephone by inputting a telephone identifier and a called telephone number into a public encryption key algorithm that is supplied by the service provider. By decrypting the encrypted voice transmission, the service provider is able to extract the voice transmission, the telephone identifier, and the called telephone number, thus allowing the service provider to route the voice transmission to an appropriate answering party at the service provider. |
| US09172492B2 |
Time/wavelength-division multiplexed passive optical network (TWPON)
The present invention discloses a time/wavelength-division multiplexed passive optical network (TWPON), which has an optical splitter (21) and a waveguide grating router (WGR) (22) disposed at a remote node (RN) (20). The optical splitter (21) and the WGR (22) can be connected in a cascade or in a parallel such that the present invention can use less number of wavelengths to increase transmission capacity or increase the number of users. A channel fault monitoring (CFM) module provided at an optical line terminal (OLT) is utilized to locate fiber breaks among distribution fibers. The TWPON of the present invention can provide TDM-PON, WDM-PON, and Hybrid PON co-existing platform with less wavelengths channel fault monitoring mechanism. |
| US09172491B2 |
Method, topology and point of presence equipment for serving a plurality of users via a multiplex module
A number of users interface with a network via a multiplex module, on a communication path established between the multiplex module and a point of presence. Some users may be served by one or more first channels of the communication path while one or more remaining users may be served by one or more additional channels of the communication path. Users having a basic service level agreement may be served by the first channels while users having an extended service level agreement may be served by the one or more additional channels. Allocation of users to distinct channel types based on their service level agreements may apply at a primary point of presence or may apply at a redundant point of presence. |
| US09172484B2 |
Beacon frame
A beacon frame (5) for transmission during a beacon period for a wireless device to maintain synchronization with other wireless devices of a community in a wireless communications network, the frame (5) comprising: a header (8) containing routing information for the frame (5); beacon parameters (9) to indicate signaling methods in use by the wireless devices; at least one information element (7) comprising at least one identifier to identify the wireless device; wherein the at least one identifier comprises a signature identifier (104) for the frame (5), an interface version, and a name and unique identifier for the device. |
| US09172482B2 |
Content recommendations based on personal preferences
A method and system for recommending multimedia content includes collecting consumption information for a plurality of users. The consumption information, along with real-time contextual information, may be used to generate collections of recommended multimedia content, including obtainable multimedia assets. The collections may be offered to a user for purchase. The user may be provided access to the multimedia assets. A unified storefront application, providing access to multimedia content via an Internet-protocol television portal, a web portal, and a mobile portal, may be used to offer and provide access to the multimedia assets. |
| US09172480B2 |
Radio-frequency communication controlled by a microcircuit
The invention relates to a method for the radio-frequency communication of data, in which the receiving of and/or access to said data is controlled by control means, including an electronic microcircuit, on the basis of access rights. The transmitted data includes time information, and the access rights are controlled on the basis of said time information. The invention also relates to a device for controlling access rights as well as to a radio-frequency receiving device including same. |
| US09172479B2 |
Processor for an FM signal receiver and processing method
A processing unit for processing a multi-channel audio signal has a delay element (40) for delaying an FM sum signal (sum) and a converter arrangement (T) for converting an FM difference signal (diff) and a noise signal (diffnoise) to the frequency domain. Frequency-based noise suppression is used to derive a de-noised frequency-domain difference signal using a gain function which is limited to a maximal and a minimal value. This is then converted to the time domain, and the first and second audio signals are calculated from a delayed sum signal (sum2) and the de-noised time domain difference signal (diff2). |
| US09172476B2 |
Method and system for removal of noise in signal
A method and system for reception of electromagnetic waves in which interference with radio frequencies of other electronics devices occurs comprising; at least one transmitter for transmitting electromagnetic radiation at a wide range of frequencies; at least one receiver fix receiving the received signal comprising the first electromagnetic radiation and RF interfering signal data; a first memory portion for storing transmitted signal waveforms; a second memory portion for storing RF interfering signal data; a switch for periodically allowing the RF interfering signal data to enter the second memory portion from the receiver; the at least one processor operating to process and compare the received signal containing RE signal data and first electromagnetic radiation by matching the received signal against data relating to the transmitted signal waveforms from the first memory portion and RF interfering signal data from the second memory portion, and extract the RF interfering signal data. |
| US09172465B2 |
Optical device, and system and method for managing optical device
The present invention relates to an optical device, including: an optical module, configured to implement an optical function of the optical device and including several outlet ports; and an identification module, containing identification information for identifying the optical device. The present invention further relates to a system and method for managing an optical device, where the system includes: an interface apparatus, configured to couple multiple optical devices; an identification information obtaining apparatus, configured to obtain identification information of the optical devices and/or identification information of outlet ports of the multiple optical devices through the interface apparatus; and a control apparatus, configured to manage the optical devices according to the obtained identification information. |
| US09172462B2 |
Optical bench apparatus having integrated monitor photodetectors and method for monitoring optical power using same
Optical bench structure provides a platform for integrating optical transmitters, particularly Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers (VCSELs), with monitor photodetectors. A substrate with photodetectors on the front side is aligned with flip-chip bonding bumps so the emission of the transmitters is aligned with the monitor photodetectors and passes through the monitor photodetectors with a portion of the transmitted light absorbed by the monitor photodetectors. The photodetectors have a thin absorption region so the percentage of light absorbed may be relatively small, providing sufficient photocurrent to monitor the transmitted power having a minimal effect on the transmitted power. Microlenses are integrated on the backside of the substrate focus, steer and/or collimate the emitted optical beams from the transmitters. The structure enables photodetectors to be integrated on the optical bench allowing the received optical power to be monitored. The receiver photodetectors are integrated on the optical bench alone and/or in combination with the transmitters. |
| US09172461B2 |
Optical fibers with varied mode-dependent loss
Various embodiments provide for detection of tapping of an optical signal. In one embodiment an optical fiber includes a cladding region and first and second core regions. The first core region has a first core medium having a first mode-dependent loss (MDL) figure of merit. The second core region has a second core medium having a second different MDL figure of merit. Tapping of the optical signal may be determined to occur when the MDL of the first and second optical signals differs by a predetermined threshold value. |
| US09172460B2 |
Transmission equipment and path selection method
Transmission equipment comprises: a measurement unit configured to measure respective transmission delays of the plurality of paths by using a frame transmitted between the transmission equipment and correspondent equipment; a detector configured to detect a priority of an input packet; a selector configured to select a path for transmitting the input packet from among the plurality of paths; and a frame processing unit configured to transmit a frame onto which the input packet is mapped to the correspondent equipment through a path selected by the selector. The selector selects an alternative path for transmitting the input packet from among the plurality of paths based on the priority of the input packet detected by the detector and respective transmission delays of the plurality of paths measured by the measurement unit when a failure occurs in a path that has been selected by the selector. |
| US09172459B2 |
Clearing a fault condition over a fibre channel path
A method for clearing a fault condition at a target device is disclosed herein. In selected embodiments, such a method includes detecting a fault condition at a target device and receiving N instructions before the fault condition is cleared, where the N instructions are unexecutable due to the fault condition. N fault condition indicators are transmitted in response to the N instructions. Clearing of the fault condition is detected when the fault condition no longer exists. Acknowledgments corresponding to the fault condition indicators are received, where each acknowledgment indicates that one of the fault condition indicators has been received. A fault clear indicator is transmitted only after both all N fault condition indicators have been received and clearing of the fault condition has been detected. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed herein. |
| US09172456B2 |
Iterative interference suppressor for wireless multiple-access systems with multiple receive antennas
This invention teaches to the details of an interference suppressing receiver for suppressing intra-cell and inter-cell interference in coded, multiple-access, spread spectrum transmissions that propagate through frequency selective communication channels to a multiplicity of receive antennas. The receiver is designed or adapted through the repeated use of symbol-estimate weighting, subtractive suppression with a stabilizing step-size, and mixed-decision symbol estimates. Receiver embodiments may be designed, adapted, and implemented explicitly in software or programmed hardware, or implicitly in standard RAKE-based hardware either within the RAKE (i.e., at the finger level) or outside the RAKE (i.e., at the user or subchannel symbol level). Embodiments may be employed in user equipment on the forward link or in a base station on the reverse link. It may be adapted to general signal processing applications where a signal is to be extracted from interference. |
| US09172453B2 |
Method and apparatus for pre-coding frequency division duplexing system
Accordingly, a method and apparatus are provided wherein a receiver system selects a pre-coding matrix, comprising eigen-beamforming weights, to use and provides rank value and matrix index associated with the selected matrix to the transmitter system. The transmitter system upon receiving the rank value and matrix index, determine if the matrix associated with the matrix index provided by the receiver system can be used. If not, them transmitter system selects another matrix for determining eigen-beamforming weights. |
| US09172451B2 |
Method and devices for multiple station sounding in a wireless local area network
Embodiments of a method and apparatus for obtaining sounding measurements between an access point and a wireless station within a wireless local area network are described. Some embodiments relate to Wi-Fi networks and networks operating in accordance with one of the IEEE 802.11 standards. Some embodiments may allow an access point to request that multiple stations compute sounding measurements with minimal time delay between measurements. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US09172449B2 |
Precoding for MIMO
The embodiments herein relate to a method in a transmitter (101) for transmitting at least a first data burst and a second data burst to a receiver (105) in a system (100) applying applies closed loop codebook-based precoding MIMO. The transmitter (101) comprises at least a first Tx antenna (107a) and a second Tx antenna (107b). The transmitter (101) transmits, to the receiver (105), at least the first data burst through the first Tx antenna (107a) and the second data burst through the second Tx antenna (107b). The first data burst comprises a first training sequence and the second data burst comprises a second training sequence when the first data burst and the second data burst are non-precoded. The first data burst comprises a third training sequence and the second data burst comprises a fourth training sequence when the first data burst and the second data burst are precoded. |
| US09172447B2 |
Method and apparatus for transceiving data in a MIMO system
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for transceiving data. A method in which a transmitting terminal transmits data to a receiving terminal in a MIMO system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises the following steps: generating a data field containing the data; generating a signal field containing information on the data field; generating a data frame containing the data field and the signal field; and transmitting the data frame to the receiving terminal. According to the present invention, an end of the frame being transmitted is accurately notified to the receiving terminal in a communication system in which the frame is transmitted using MIMO, thereby decoding the frame in a more efficient manner at the receiving terminal. |
| US09172446B2 |
Method and system for supporting sparse explicit sounding by implicit data
A method and apparatus for an access point (AP) accessing a channel occupied by a neighboring AP within clear channel assessment (CCA) range. The method is implemented by setting a transmit null towards the neighboring AP, while acquiring accurate channel knowledge with minimal bandwidth penalty to surrounding networks, via a combination of sparse explicit sounding, and a following implicit channel estimation of the neighboring APs for updating the explicit data achieved by the sparse explicit sounding. An AP implementing the method is also disclosed. |
| US09172445B2 |
Multi-user multiple input multiple output radio communications
A radio communications system conducts radio communications using basic physical channels. Each basic physical channel defines a time slot and a radio frequency for transmission. Radio communication is established between a radio base station and multiple UEs over the same basic physical channel. Three or four subchannels are provided in the same basic physical channel to simultaneously support three or four full rate UE communications, seven or eight half rate UE communications, or other equivalent combinations. A first baseband transmitter chain can map full rate data corresponding to first and second full rate UE communications (or equivalent) as adaptive quadrature phase shift keying, AQPSK, signals onto a first and a second of the three subchannels. A second baseband transmitter chain can map full rate data corresponding to a third and/or fourth full rate UE communication (or equivalent) as phase shifted signals onto a third of the three subchannels. |
| US09172443B2 |
Layer swapping in EGPRS MIMO
A network node for an EGPRS system, equipped with a plurality of transmit antennas and arranged to transmit at least a first and a second data stream as MIMO streams, with the first data stream being transmitted from a first antenna and the second data stream being transmitted from a second transmit antenna. The network node is arranged to transmit the data streams as bursts comprising a training sequence and payload. The network node is arranged to swap parts of the data streams between the transmit antennas, i.e. to transmit all or parts of one or more bursts belonging to the first data stream from the second transmit antenna and to transmit corresponding all or parts of one or more bursts belonging to the second data stream from the first transmit antenna. |
| US09172442B2 |
Apparatus, system and method of transmit power control for wireless communication
Some demonstrative embodiments include apparatuses, systems and/or methods of transmit power control for wireless communication. For example, an apparatus may include a controller to control a plurality of transmit powers of a plurality of directional beams formed by an antenna array to transmit a wireless communication. The controller may control the plurality of transmit powers based on at least first and second power limits, the first power limit including a power density limit corresponding to a power density of a directional beam of the plurality of directional beams, and the second power limit including a total transmit power limit corresponding to a total of the transmit powers. |
| US09172432B2 |
Device and system for communicating on a supply line
This system for coupling between a wire communication link exhibits a characteristic line impedance suitable for transporting a single signal simultaneously comprising an electrical power supply and data, and a control unit comprising an electrical power supply terminal and a data terminal, said system exhibiting an input impedance. This system comprises means for adapting the input impedance so as to match the characteristic line impedance. |
| US09172429B2 |
Interference control in a broadband powerline communication system
A broadband powerline communication system makes use of knowledge of the spectrum characteristics of a local radio environment in order to improve system performance. A determination is made of the spectrum characteristics of a radio environment in the vicinity of the broadband powerline communication system that is transmitting data on modulated carrier frequencies. In order to avoid interference, certain ones of the carrier frequencies otherwise used by the broadband powerline communication system may be selectively masked based on the determination. The spectrum characteristics may be determined 1) in advance and used to compile a configuration database comprising frequency masking parameters; 2) by monitoring the local radio environment using the transmitter/receiver nodes of the system; or 3) based upon receipt of an indication from a conflicting user that the user is experiencing interference. Various combinations of these spectrum characteristic determination techniques may also be used. |
| US09172422B2 |
Communication systems with enhanced isolation provision and optimized impedance matching
A communication system has multiple paths including one or more Tx paths for processing Tx signals and one or more Rx paths for processing Rx signals, one or more PAs coupled respectively to the one or more Tx paths for amplifying the Tx signals, one or more LNAs coupled respectively to the one or more Rx paths for amplifying the Rx signals, one or more Tx filters coupled respectively to the one or more Tx paths for filtering the Tx signals, one or more Rx filters coupled respectively to the one or more Rx paths for filtering the Rx signals, and an antenna comprising multiple feeds coupled to the multiple paths, respectively, to provide physical separation of the multiple paths from each other. Physical separation among the multiple paths and impedance matching provides isolation among the multiple paths, and relaxes rejection considerations on the filters. |
| US09172421B2 |
Standard antenna interface
A modular wireless communications station includes a standard antenna interface, a wireless communications antenna, and a remote radio head. The standard interface includes an antenna mount for the wireless communications antenna and at least one radio head mount. The radio head mount includes at least one linear guided support structure. The wireless communications antenna includes a bracket configured to engage the antenna mount and at least one RF interconnection module, the wireless communications antenna being mounted on the antenna mount. The remote radio head(s) include a low friction car configured to engage the linear guided support structure of the standard interface and an RF connector configured to engage the RF interconnection module of the antenna. The remote radio head may slide into engagement with the antenna and locked into place. |
| US09172419B2 |
Protecting device for tablet computer
A protecting device with keys' functions is provided. The protecting device includes a triggering member, a printed circuit board, and plural curable resinic structures. The printed circuit board includes plural first contacts. The plural first contacts are disposed on a top surface of the printed circuit board. The triggering member is disposed over the printed circuit board. The triggering member includes plural second contacts. The plural curable resinic structures are arranged between the triggering member and the printed circuit board for separating the plural first contacts and the plural second contacts from each other. Since the triggering member, the printed circuit board and the plural curable resinic structures of the protecting device of the present invention may replace the keys and the membrane switch circuit module of the conventional keyboard device, the thickness of the protecting device is largely reduced. |
| US09172415B2 |
Method and apparatus for adaptively setting threshold for signal demodulation
Provided is a method and apparatus to adaptively set a threshold for signal demodulation. The apparatus and the method include adaptively setting a threshold to demodulate a currently received symbol based on the demodulation value of a previously received symbol based on a comparison value. The comparison value is obtained by comparing a number of previously received symbols having a demodulation value of “0” and a number of currently received symbols having a demodulation value of “1”. |
| US09172407B2 |
Carried recovery in re-modulation communication systems
A communication apparatus includes transmission circuitry and a frequency conversion unit. The transmission circuitry is configured to down-convert an input Intermediate Frequency (IF) signal using a transmit (TX) Local Oscillator (LO) signal so as to produce a TX baseband signal, to up-convert the TX baseband signal to produce an output Radio Frequency (RF) signal, and to send the output RF signal to an antenna. The frequency correction unit is configured to estimate a frequency of the TX baseband signal or of the input IF signal, and to adjust the TX LO signal based on the estimated frequency so as to cause the transmission circuitry to down-convert the input IF signal to a predefined target frequency. |
| US09172400B2 |
Encoding techniques using multiple coding strengths within a single LDPC code word
Techniques are presented herein to encode information bits. The information bits are partitioned into at least two groups based on inherent reliability and immunity to channel impairments of the respective bits. Each of the groups of information bits is encoded with a different coding strength. The resulting code word may be stored in a storage media or transmitted in a communication channel. |
| US09172396B1 |
Apparatus and method of compressing spatial data and apparatus and method of restoring compressed spatial data
Provided are an apparatus and method of compressing spatial data and an apparatus and method of restoring compressed spatial data, the method of compressing spatial data including: determining the size of actual data of the spatial data stored in a unit storage space having a predetermined size; selecting the size of a compression storage space in which the spatial data is to be compressed and to be stored, in consideration of the determined size of the actual data of the spatial data; generating flag information considering the size of the actual data of the spatial data; and storing the generated flag information in a predetermined region of the compression storage space having the selected size and storing the actual data of the spatial data in the other regions of the compression storage space. |
| US09172395B2 |
Generating an ICONV module in real time
Provided are techniques for detecting a mapping, by a universal convertor, of a first character set to a second character set and of the second character set to a third character set; monitoring, logging, and analyzing code set conversion (CSC) operations; generating an updated character set conversion module from the first character set to the third character set in response to the detecting and a determination that the CSC operation exceed the predefined threshold; and storing the updated character set conversion module for utilization of subsequent processing of the first character set to the third character set. |
| US09172391B2 |
Method and system for compensating a delay mismatch between a first measurement channel and a second measurement channel
A method and a system for compensating a delay mismatch between a first measurement channel and a second measurement channel is disclosed. A method for compensating a delay mismatch between a first measurement channel and a second measurement channel includes providing a reference point for starting the first and second measurement channel, and starting the first measurement channel after expiration of a first delay period which begins at the reference point. The method further includes starting the second measurement channel after expiry of a second delay period which begins at the reference point, wherein a difference between a length of the first delay period and a length of the second delay period is substantially equal to the delay mismatch between the first measurement channel and the second measurement channel. |
| US09172389B2 |
High-speed successive approximation analog-to-digital converter
A successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter (SAR ADC) for high-speed applications. The SAR ADC uses at least one set of capacitors. Each set of capacitors is formed by 2M capacitor cells. The set of 2M capacitor cells is allocated into p capacitors C(p−1) to C0 decreasing in capacitance. C(p−1) |
| US09172387B2 |
Sampling input stage with multiple channels
An analog input stage has m differential input channels, wherein m>1. The analog input stage is configured to select one of the m differential input channels and provide an output signal. The analog input stage has n identical selection units each having m differential channel inputs and one differential output, wherein n is at least 2m−1. Each selection unit is operable to be coupled to any of the differential input channels through respective differential multiplexer units, wherein the multiplexor units are driven to select one of the differential input channels and couple the selected differential channel input through a butterfly switch unit with the differential output of the selection unit. The differential output signals of the n selection units are combined whereby unwanted crosstalk from channels other than a selected channel are removed by cancellation. |
| US09172380B2 |
Method and apparatus for supporting self-destruction function in baseband modem
A method and an apparatus for supporting a self-destruction function in a baseband modem are provided. Aspects of the present disclosure are to address at least the above-mentioned problems and/or disadvantages and to provide at least the advantages described below. Accordingly, an aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a self-destruction method and apparatus in which a self-impossible state is autonomously entered if the baseband modem of a receiving terminal which supports mobile communication is necessary. Another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a method and apparatus for deleting information stored in memory when a command is received over a mobile communication network in which a baseband modem has been constructed and then entering a self-impossible state so that the terminal is not recovered although it is booted up again. |
| US09172375B1 |
Level shifter and digital to analog converter
Provided are a level shifter and a digital to analog converter, which can make a minimum value of an output voltage be greater than 0. In the circuit, sources of a first field effect transistor and a second field effect transistor are connected to a first direct current power supply; a drain of the first field effect transistor and a gate of the second field effect transistor are connected to one terminal of a first capacitor; a connecting end formed after the other terminal of the first capacitor is connected to an input end of a phase inverter is used as a digital signal input end; a gate of the first field effect transistor, a drain of the second field effect transistor, a source of a third field effect transistor, and a source of a fifth field effect transistor are connected to one terminal of a second capacitor. |
| US09172370B2 |
Semiconductor device
A programmable logic device (PLD) that can control whether to supply power in each logic element is provided. The PLD includes at least a programmable logic element, a terminal to which a potential is input from an external power source, a switch controlling conduction between the terminal and the logic element, and a memory outputting a control signal for setting the conduction state of the switch. The memory stores pieces of configuration data for setting the conduction state of the switch. Any one of the pieces of configuration data is output as the control signal from the memory to the switch. |
| US09172364B2 |
Isolated bootstrapped switch
A bootstrapped switch circuit capable of operating at input signals from far below the negative supply rail to far beyond the positive supply rail may include (a) a switch having a first terminal coupled to an input terminal, a second terminal coupled to an output terminal, and a control terminal; (b) a charge pump coupled to one or more clock signals and isolated from a timing circuit via a first capacitor and a second capacitor, the charge pump generating an output voltage; and (c) a logic circuit coupled to one or more clock signals and isolated from the timing control circuit via a third capacitor and a fourth capacitor, wherein the logic circuit provides a control signal to the control terminal of the switch that is derived from the output voltage of the charge pump. |
| US09172362B2 |
Multifunction word recognizer element
A circuit includes a load; a first differential pair coupled to the load and responsive to input data; a second differential pair coupled to the load and responsive to the input data; a third differential pair coupled to the first differential pair and the second differential pair and responsive to a first control signal and a second control signal; a bias circuit configured to pull a node coupled to both the first differential pair and the second differential pair to a predetermined state; and a current source coupled to the third differential pair and the bias circuit. |
| US09172361B2 |
Multi-stage delay-locked loop phase detector
A phase detector includes a phase propagator circuit including a plurality of flip-flops. Each flip-flop includes a clock input configured to receive a clock signal having a different phase relative to phases of the clock signal received by other flip-flops in the plurality of flip-flops. The phase detector further includes a phase controller coupled to the clock input of each flip-flop in the plurality of flip-flops. The phase controller is configured to provide the different phases of the clock signal to the plurality of flip-flops such that the different phases are scaled exponentially relative to one another. |
| US09172359B2 |
Flexible chirp generator
A processing-efficient chirp generator that allows flexibility in controlling phase, frequency and slope, i.e., rate of change of frequency. In one embodiment, a fine phase propagation block generates phase values in increments of the fine time step, each phase value also offset from other phase values by multiples of a coarse time step. The phase samples are realigned in time after conversion to digital-to-analog converter (DAC) values. |
| US09172356B2 |
High side gate driver, switching chip, and power device
A high side gate driver, a switching chip, and a power device, which respectively include a protection device, are provided. The high side gate driver includes a first terminal configured to receive a first low level driving power supply that is provided to turn off the high side normally-on switch; a first switching device connected to the first terminal; and a protection device connected in series between the first switching device and a gate of the high side normally-on switch, the protection device configured to absorb a majority of a voltage applied to a gate of the high side normally-on switch. The power device includes the high side gate driver. In addition, the switching chip includes a high side normally-on switch, an additional normally-on switch, and a low side normally-on switch, which have a same structure. |
| US09172352B2 |
Integrated microelectromechanical system devices and methods for making the same
Integrated Microelectromechanical System (“MEMS”) devices and methods for making the same. The integrated MEMS device comprises a substrate (200) with first electronic circuitry (206) formed thereon, as well as a MEMS filter device (100). The MEMS filter device has a transition portion (118) configured to (a) electrically connect the MEMS filter device to second electronic circuitry and (b) suspend the MEMS filter device over the substrate such that a gas gap exists between the substrate and the MEMS filter device. The transition portion comprises a three dimensional hollow ground structure (120) in which an elongate center conductor (122) is suspended. The RF MEMS filter device also comprises at least two adjacent electronic elements (102/110) which are electrically isolated from each other via a ground structure of the transition portion, and placed in close proximity to each other. |
| US09172350B2 |
Elastic wave apparatus
An elastic wave device includes a first unbalanced terminal, a second unbalanced terminal, a first balanced terminal, a second balanced terminal, a first filter part, and a second filter part. A phase of an electric signal transmitted from first unbalanced terminal to the first balanced terminal in the first filter part is different from a phase of an electric signal transmitted from the second unbalanced terminal to the first balanced terminal in the second filter part. A phase of an electric signal transmitted from the first unbalanced terminal to the second balanced terminal in the first filter part is different from a phase of an electric signal transmitted from the second unbalanced terminal to the second balanced terminal in the second filter part. |
| US09172349B2 |
Switchable frequency diplexer circuit
An electronic circuit comprises a high-pass and a low-pass. The low-pass comprises at least one low-pass series element and a low-pass transverse element. The high-pass comprises at least one high-pass series element and a high-pass transverse element. The low-pass series element and the high-pass transverse element are realised in this context by a common component, and/or the high-pass series element and the low-pass transverse element are realised in this context by a common component. |
| US09172346B2 |
Numeric audio signal equalization
A method for configuring an electronic device having an equalizer suited for processing a numeric audio signal according to an objective equalization improves the equalization of the numeric audio signal. The equalizer has a transfer function that implements a set of band-pass filters having a constant band-pass and a configurable weight in the transfer function. The method provides a set of objective gains representing the objective equalization, with each objective gain corresponding to a respective frequency. The method also determines values of the weights of the band-pass filters that minimize an error evaluated by comparing the set of objective gains to the transfer function. The set of band-pass filters includes at least one pair of band-pass filters having a common central frequency and distinct band-passes. The method also sets the weights of the band-pass filters to the determined values. |
| US09172345B2 |
Personalized adjustment of an audio device
Described herein are apparatuses, systems and methods that facilitate user adjustment of an audio effect of an audio device to match the hearing sensitivity of the user. The user can tune the audio device with a minimum perceptible level unique to the user. The audio device can adjust the audio effect in accordance with the minimum perceptible level. For example, a loudness level can adjust automatically to ensure that the user maintains a perceptible loudness, adjusting according to environmental noise and according to the minimum perceptible level. Also described herein are apparatuses, systems and methods related to an audio device equipped with embedded audio sensors that can maximize a voice quality while minimizing the effects of noise. |
| US09172344B2 |
Statistical gain control in a receiver
A radio frequency (RF) signal is received in a receiver, and various counts based on information from the signal can be obtained. Counts of a number of samples of the RF signal exceeding first and second thresholds can be accumulated during an accumulation window. From the first of these counts, it can be determined if the count exceeds a first metric corresponding to a first predetermined count value, and if so, a gain of an RF gain element can be reduced. From the second of these counts it can be determined if this count exceeds a second metric corresponding to a second predetermined count value, and if not, the gain can be increased. |
| US09172341B2 |
Power supply pre-distortion
There is disclosed a method of generating a supply voltage (230) for a power amplifier (114) arranged to amplify an input signal (228), comprising: generating (104) a target supply voltage tracking the input signal (228); predistorting (400) the target supply voltage to compensate for effects on a supply voltage in the amplifier (114); and generating (102) the supply voltage for the amplifier (114) in dependence on the predistorted target supply voltage (414). |
| US09172340B2 |
Power amplifying apparatus for amplifying power and transmitter for transmitting signal by amplifying power
A power amplifying apparatus includes a filter that filters a predetermined frequency, a branch line provided subsequently to the filter on a substrate on which the filter is provided to distribute power, a power amplifying device provided subsequently to the branch line to amplify power, and a connecting line provided subsequently to the power amplifying device to compose power. The power amplifying apparatus may further include a directional coupler that monitors transmitted high-frequency signals. |
| US09172333B2 |
Distortion compensation device and distortion compensation method
A distortion compensation device includes a storage unit, an address generator, and a distortion compensation processor. The storage unit stores therein a distortion compensation coefficient for compensating distortion generated in an amplifier for amplifying an input signal. The address generator generates a first address based on a power value of the signal at a current time. Furthermore, the address generator delays, every time a new augend is input, the sum of the power value of the signal at the current time and the augend. The address generator generates a second address based on the sum obtained by calculating a new augend, from the delayed sum. The distortion compensation processor acquires a distortion compensation coefficient corresponding to a combination of the first address and the second address from the storage unit and performs distortion compensation processing on the signal by using the acquired distortion compensation coefficient. |
| US09172328B2 |
Voltage controlled oscillator and phase locked loop including the same
A voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) includes an oscillation frequency signal generation circuit and a transconductance control circuit. The oscillation frequency signal generation circuit has a first transconductance and generates a first oscillation frequency signal and a second oscillation frequency signal based on a voltage control signal and a power supply voltage. The first and second oscillation frequency signals are a pair of differential signals. The oscillation frequency signal generation circuit is configured to output the first oscillation frequency signal from a first output node. The oscillation frequency signal generation circuit is configured to output the second oscillation frequency signal from a second output node. The transconductance control circuit is connected to the first and second output nodes and has a second transconductance. The transconductance control circuit is configured to adjust the second transconductance based on a digital control signal. |
| US09172327B2 |
Crystal oscillator circuit having low power consumption, low jitter and wide operating range
A crystal oscillator circuit includes: a crystal resonator circuit, generating an oscillation signal; an inverting amplification circuit, whose amplifier input end is coupled to receive the oscillation signal, in which an inverting amplifier outputs an inverting amplified output signal; a bias circuit, having a bias circuit input end and a bias circuit output end, in which the bias circuit output end generates a bias circuit output signal controlled by the bias circuit input end, and the bias circuit output signal is coupled to a second control end of the inverting amplification circuit; and a peak detection circuit, comparing the inverting amplified output signal with a reference signal, regulating a peak detector output signal, and feeding the peak detector output signal into the bias circuit input end. |
| US09172325B2 |
Photovoltaic panel carrier device
A PV panel carrier includes a plurality of elongate members joined by connecting members to form a frame. Each of the connecting members includes a support surface for supporting a portion of a PV panel thereon. Each of the connectors includes a fastening strap extending over the support surface, wherein at least two of the fastening straps are movable between an open position wherein they do not extend over the support surface and a closed position wherein they extend over the support surface to retain a PV panel in the carrier. |
| US09172322B2 |
Control apparatus for AC motor
A current estimation section of a motor control apparatus carries out the following processing. When an AC motor is controlled under a current feedback control scheme (sine wave control mode or overmodulation control mode), a β-axis current iβ is calculated based on a current detection value iw_sns in a sensor phase and a current command value iv* in one other phase. When the AC motor is controlled under a torque feedback control scheme (rectangular wave control mode), the β-axis current iβ is calculated based on a differential value Δiα of an α-axis current. Then a sensor phase reference current phase θx is calculated to estimate a U-phase current. Thus it is possible to use the current feedback control scheme and the torque feedback control scheme together. |
| US09172320B2 |
Electronic circuit and method for synchronizing electric motor drive signals between a start-up mode of operation and a normal mode of operation
A motor control circuit and associated techniques can drive an electric motor in a start-up mode of operation followed by a normal mode of operation. The motor control circuit and techniques can receive a selection signal provided by a user that can select one of a plurality of sets of parameter values that determine characteristics of drive signals applied to the motor during the start-up mode of operation. The motor control circuit and associated techniques can synchronize operation between the start-up mode of operation and the normal mode of operation. |
| US09172319B2 |
Motor control device for electric automobile
A magnetic force estimating unit (38) for estimating the magnetic force of a permanent magnet of a rotor of a motor (6), a determining unit (39), and a demagnetization responsive timing changing unit (40) are provided in an inverter device (22) or an electric control unit (21). The magnetic force estimating unit (38) performs a determination of the magnetic force with a predetermined rule from detection signals of at least two of the motor rotation number, motor voltage and motor current. The determining unit (39) determines whether or not a demagnetization occurs. In response to the result of determination by the determining unit (39), the demagnetization responsive timing changing unit (40) changes the timing, at which the maximum electric current relative to the phase of the rotor is fed, so that with respect the motor drive by the inverter device the reluctance torque of the motor may be increased. |
| US09172314B2 |
Regenerative control system of a vehicle
A regenerative control system of a vehicle is constructed such that in a system which generates electrical energy of a low voltage suitable for a low voltage system circuit and electrical energy of a high voltage suitable for the high voltage system circuit in an alternate manner by making use of kinetic energy of a vehicle when the vehicle is in a deceleration running state, a ratio between a period of time to generate the low voltage electrical energy and a period of time to generate the high voltage electrical energy is decided in accordance with a deceleration required of the vehicle, and a power generation voltage is duty controlled according to the ratio thus decided. |
| US09172312B2 |
Reducing photovoltaic array voltage during inverter re-enablement
An apparatus for harvesting solar power includes a photovoltaic array for generating a DC voltage; a discharge circuit for causing the DC voltage to decay from a first value to a second value; and an inverter circuit for transforming an output voltage from the discharge circuit into an AC voltage. |
| US09172308B2 |
Low-capacity power supply and image forming apparatus
A low-capacity power supply is described in which an input capacitance may be adjusted. In one example, input capacitors may be located between an AC power supply and a rectifier. Additional adjustment capacitors may be located on one or more input lines to the rectifier. The adjustment capacitors may be added in series to at least one of the input capacitors to decrease the input capacitance of the rectifier. In this example, the power provided downstream of the rectifier may be adjusted to increased or reduced as needed. In other examples, additional switches are provided for the input capacitors to selectively add their capacitance to or remove their capacitance from the input of the rectifier. |
| US09172302B2 |
Switching power supply device of the ripple control method
The present invention includes: an ON-timer configured to control a period of time in which a main switching element is on; a voltage detecting circuit configured to detect an output voltage of a filter circuit; a triangular wave generator; a feed-forward circuit configured to generate a feed-forward output whose value decreases as a value of a DC voltage from a DC power supply increases; and a comparator configured to compare a second reference voltage generated by adding together a first reference voltage, a triangular wave signal from the triangular wave generator, and the feed-forward output from the feed-forward circuit, with the output voltage of the voltage detecting circuit, and based on a result of the comparison, output an ON-trigger signal for turning on the main switch element to the ON-timer. |
| US09172297B2 |
Frequency multiplier and method for generating frequency multiplied signals
The present disclosure provides a method, includes: a first stepped-impedance transmission line configured to receive a first signal of a first differential signal; a second stepped-impedance transmission line configured to receive a second signal of the first differential signal, where the first stepped-impedance transmission line and the second stepped-impedance transmission line superpose the first signal of the first differential signal on the second signal of the first differential signal to obtain a first frequency multiplied signal; a first inverse stepped-impedance transmission line configured to be inversely ground-coupled with the first stepped-impedance transmission line and grounded at an end near an output end of the first stepped-impedance transmission line; a second inverse stepped-impedance transmission line configured to be inversely ground-coupled with the second stepped-impedance transmission line and grounded at an end near an output end of the second stepped-impedance transmission line. |
| US09172296B2 |
Common mode filter system and method for a solar power inverter
A photovoltaic system, method and apparatus are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the system includes a photovoltaic array, a distribution system that distributes power within a premises of a demand-side energy consumer, an inverter coupled to the distribution system that is configured to convert DC power from the photovoltaic array to AC power and apply the AC power to the distribution system, a damping portion configured to damp high frequency voltages derived from the inverter, and trapping circuitry coupled to the damping portion that is configured to reduce a level of low frequency current traveling through the damping portion. |
| US09172295B2 |
Magnetic gear arrangement
A magnetic gear arrangement is provided having a first gear member that generates a first magnetic field and a second gear member that generates a second magnetic field. A plurality of interpoles are disposed between the two gear members for coupling the first and second magnetic fields to control a gear ratio between the gear members. At least one interpole has wiring associated with it that can be activated to alter the magnetic flux at the interpole, so as to vary the coupling between the first and second magnetic fields. The wiring is electrically connected to an electronic filter, which modifies the current passing through the wiring, so as to modify the influence of the wiring on the magnetic flux at the interpole. |
| US09172291B2 |
Vertical actuator drive having gravity compensation
A vertical actuator drive having gravity compensation has a first subassembly and a second subassembly, one of the two subassemblies being stationary and the other of the two subassemblies being movable in the vertical direction. The first subassembly has a first magnetic yoke provided with a coil, and the second subassembly has a second magnetic yoke provided with at least one magnet which is oriented toward the coil. A horizontal gap between the first and second magnetic yoke in the region of the at least one magnet is variable in the vertical direction, so that a reluctance force acts between the first and second subassemblies in an operating range of the actuator drive, the reluctance force opposing the weight force of the movable one of the two subassemblies. |
| US09172290B2 |
Method for unbalance correction of rotors by applying corrective weights by welding
To correct an unbalance of rotors, a method and a device are proposed by means of which a corrective weight (15) is adapted to be welded to a rotor (2) by means of an electric welding device (14). The device comprises a robot (20) with a jointed arm (21) mounting the electric welding device (14). Arranged within reach of the jointed arm (21) is an unbalance measuring station (1) for measuring the amount of unbalance of the rotor (2) with an electronic computer which computes a corrective weight (15) to be attached to the rotor (2) for unbalance correction and transmits control data to a control device (23) of the robot (20). Under robot control, the welding device (14) picks the computed corrective weight (15) from a magazine (27) arranged within reach of the jointed arm (21) and welds it to the rotor (2) in the unbalance measuring station (1). During the welding operation the rotor (2) takes support on a first supporting device (11) and the welding device (14) on a second supporting device (12). |
| US09172289B2 |
Wire guide for use in an electric machine
A wire assembly for use in an electric machine is provided. The assembly includes a member and a wire. The wire conducts electrical current. At least a portion of the wire is adapted to be wrapped at least partially around the member. The member defines a periphery of the member. At least a portion of the periphery of the member is conformable when the wire is wrapped at least partially around the member. |
| US09172284B2 |
Device for receiving a pulser motor of a ventilation installation of a vehicle
The invention relates to a device for receiving an electric motor (1) which extends along a longitudinal axis (2) and can be housed inside a motor support of a ventilation installation for a vehicle, said receiving device being connected to said motor support by a decoupling means and comprising a collar (18) on which a first blocking means (30) is formed, and a ring (13) comprising a second blocking means (22), characterized in that the collar (18) and the ring (13) are separate and connected to each other by at least one fixing means (23). |
| US09172283B2 |
Electric motor
A housing assembly for an electric motor having a rotor shaft rotatable about an axis includes a housing cover and a housing case. The housing cover defines a first bearing seat for rotatably supporting a first portion of the rotor shaft. The housing case defines a second bearing seat for rotatably supporting a second portion of the rotor shaft. At least one of the housing cover and the housing case includes a plurality of mounting lugs substantially circumferentially evenly spaced about the shaft axis for mounting the electric motor to a surface. |
| US09172280B2 |
Conductor and rotating electrical machine with a covering material
A conductor for a coil of a rotating electrical machine that includes a conductor wire bundle formed by gathering a plurality of conductor wires and a flexible insulating covering material that covers a periphery of the conductor wire bundle. The conductor has an intra-covering gap formed inward of the insulating covering material in a radial direction so that the conductor wires can move relative to each other in the intra-covering gap, and a cross-sectional shape of the insulating covering material along a perpendicular plane that is perpendicular to an extending direction in which the conductor wire bundle extends can be deformed. |
| US09172273B2 |
Smooth switching device and method for double power supplies
A smooth switching device and method for double power supplies. The devices includes a main/backup power supply switching unit (1), a relay control unit (3), a charge management unit (2), a main power supply switching auxiliary unit (4) and a backup power supply switching auxiliary unit (5). The device and the method enable the main power supply (200) and the backup power supply (300) which supply power for electric equipment (100) to be switched smoothly, so that it is not easy for the electric equipment (100) to be disconnected with the power supplies and the fluctuation of a load voltage is small. Moreover, the device doesn't need a bulk capacitor used for auxiliary switching and doesn't need to be used together with a radiator. |
| US09172272B2 |
Electrical power distribution system
A distributed electrical power system includes a first AC generator configured for supplying an AC voltage; a second AC generator configured for supplying the AC electrical voltage; an AC power distribution network connected to the first AC generator and the second AC generator for receiving the AC voltage, the AC power distribution network including a two or four-wire AC power distribution circuit; at least one (solid state circuit breaker (SSCB) module remotely located for receiving the AC voltage from the power distribution network; a system controller connected to a data bus for controlling operation of the at least one power distribution module; and at least one contactor for selectively switching supply of the AC voltage to the at least one power distribution module from either the first AC generator or the second AC generator upon failure of either of the first AC generator or the second AC generator. |
| US09172270B2 |
Smart and scalable lunar power inverters
A method and apparatus is disclosed for solar power generation when irradiance is low and unstable due to sunrise, sunset, clouding, partial shading, warped solar module surfaces, moving solar modules, and other low or varying irradiance conditions. A multi-channel solar power inverter connected to multiple solar modules can work in a “Lunar Power Mode”, inverting DC power induced from the sky, street lights, or surrounding environment to AC power by using a unique rotating power pulling technology. This allows the inverter to dynamically adapt to irradiance variations and generate AC power under complex irradiance conditions. A UPS (uninterruptible power supply) works with a DC power supply to provide DC power to the internal electronic circuits of the inverter allowing it to run in normal power, low power, or lunar power modes. |
| US09172268B2 |
Portable electronic device and wireless charging device
A portable electronic device includes a housing and at least one charging module installed in the housing. The at least one charging module includes a magnetic induction block and a coil unit positioned beside the magnetic induction block. The coil unit includes a base block and an induction coil coiled around the base block. The induction coil is configured for generating induction current under the action of a charging magnetic filed outside the housing. The magnetic induction block enhances the magnetic filed intensity acting on the induction coil. |
| US09172266B2 |
Power systems for touch free dispensers and refill units containing a power source
Electronic dispensers and refill units for electronic dispensers. An exemplary electronic dispenser includes a housing, a processor and a first battery secured to the dispenser. The first battery provides power to the processor. The dispenser further includes actuator drive circuitry for causing the dispenser to move an actuator to dispense fluid from a refill unit. In addition, the dispenser includes a rechargeable energy storage device for providing power to the actuator drive circuitry. Circuitry for charging the rechargeable energy storage device is also provided. The dispenser includes a holder for holding a refill unit and a connector for releasably connecting to a second battery that is provided with the refill unit. The second battery is installed in the connector when a refill unit is installed in the dispenser and removed from the connector when the refill unit is removed from the dispenser. |
| US09172264B2 |
Capacitor charge circuit
A circuit can be used for charging a capacitor with an AC voltage. In one embodiment, the circuit includes a capacitor coupled to be charged with the AC voltage. An adjustment is configured to adjust a capacitor charge speed according to a value of the AC voltage. The adjustment circuit includes at least one bipolar transistor coupled to receive a voltage at a base of the bipolar transistor. The voltage is a function of the value of the AC voltage. |
| US09172263B2 |
Electronic device for reducing interference between a charging coil and an antenna
An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a main body including a battery pack and a battery cover; a non-contact near field communication antenna included in the battery pack; and a wireless charging coil portion included in the battery cover and disposed around an outer periphery of the antenna, such that the wireless coil portion does not overlap with the non-contact near field communication antenna. |
| US09172261B2 |
Battery pack, method of charging secondary battery and battery charger
A battery pack includes a secondary battery including a plurality of cell blocks, a measuring section, a charge and discharge control switch, a protection circuit, and a memory. The measuring section detects a voltage, a current, and an internal resistance, of the secondary battery. The controller monitors the voltage and the current of the secondary battery and outputs a request signal indicative of a charge condition to charge the secondary battery in accordance with the charge condition which is set. The protection circuit monitors voltages of the plurality of cell blocks. The memory registers an initial internal resistance of the secondary battery. The controller calculates a deterioration coefficient by a ratio of the internal resistance detected by the measuring section to the initial internal resistance registered in the memory, and changes the charge condition in accordance with the deterioration coefficient. |
| US09172259B2 |
Apparatus for managing battery, and energy storage system
A battery management system is disclosed. The system includes a controller configured to determine whether to balance battery cells or trays based at least in part on a parameter of each of the battery cells or trays and a factor representing a degree of use of each of the battery cells or trays. The controller also balances the battery cells or trays based on whether the battery cells are to be balanced. |
| US09172258B2 |
Circuit for balancing cells
A cell balancing circuit controlling balanced discharge of a plurality of battery cells, the cell balancing circuit having a balancing part sensing voltages of the battery cells, a controller responsive to an output of the balancing part to select one of the battery cells for discharge of the cell, and a resistance controller controlling discharge of the selected cell. The resistance controller includes at least one discharge circuit connected to the battery cells; and a plurality of resistors connected to output signal channels of the discharge circuit, the resistors being selectively connected in series according to a control signal of the controller to discharge the selected cell. |
| US09172252B2 |
Power supply apparatus for electrically powered vehicle and method for controlling the same
If an external power supply is not connected to an electrically powered vehicle by a charging cable and there is a request to output electric power from an AC receptacle, a power generation mode is selected and a charger receives electric power from a main battery, converts it into alternating current electric power, and outputs it to a power line. In the power generation mode when an auxiliary machinery system is fed with electric power one of a first mode (a normal mode) and a second mode (a high-output mode) is selected depending on electric power used at the AC receptacle. In the normal mode, a main DC/DC converter is stopped, while an AC/DC converter is operated to generate auxiliary electric power. In the high-output mode, the main DC/DC converter is operated to generate auxiliary electric power, while the AC/DC converter is stopped. |
| US09172247B2 |
Power supply system with controlled power storage
A power supply system is provided that can reduce the maximum value of the amount of power per unit time supplied to a load and a power storage portion and that can increase the amount of power stored in the power storage portion. The power supply system (1) includes the power storage portion (11) and a charge-discharge control portion (51) that controls the charge and discharge of the power storage portion (11). The power supply system (1) supplies power to an EV charge portion (311) that is one of power storage portions (31). The charge-discharge control portion (51) charges the power storage portion (11) when a power or a current consumed by the EV charge portion (311) is equal to or less than a predetermined magnitude. |
| US09172245B1 |
Intelligent electrical outlet for collective load control
Various technologies described herein pertain to an electrical outlet that autonomously manages loads in a microgrid. The electrical outlet can provide autonomous load control in response to variations in electrical power generation supply in the microgrid. The electrical outlet includes a receptacle, a sensor operably coupled to the receptacle, and an actuator configured to selectively actuate the receptacle. The sensor measures electrical parameters at the receptacle. Further, a processor autonomously controls the actuator based at least in part on the electrical parameters measured at the receptacle, electrical parameters from one or more disparate electrical outlets in the microgrid, and a supply of generated electric power in the microgrid at a given time. |
| US09172243B2 |
Shut-off circuits for latched active ESD FET
An integrated circuit may include an over-capability detection circuit coupled to an I/O pad which provides a shut-off signal to a latch controlling an ESD protection shunting component. The ESD protection shunting component is coupled between the I/O pad and a reference node of the integrated circuit. The over-capability detection circuit provides the shut-off signal when safe operating conditions are resumed after a voltage excursion at the I/O pad. After receiving the shut-off signal, the latch biases the ESD protection shunting component into an off-state. |
| US09172239B2 |
Methods and apparatus related to a precision input power protection device
In one general aspect, an apparatus can include an input terminal and an overvoltage protection device coupled to the input terminal and configured to receive energy via the input terminal. The overvoltage protection device can have a breakdown voltage at an ambient temperature less than a target maximum operating voltage of a source configured to be received at the input terminal. The apparatus can also include an output terminal coupled to the overvoltage protection device and a load. |
| US09172237B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit
A power source circuit includes a voltage converter circuit and a control circuit that includes a voltage divider circuit and a protective circuit. The protective circuit includes a first oxide semiconductor transistor in which an off-state current is increased as temperature is increased, a capacitor that accumulates the off-state current as electric charge, a second oxide semiconductor transistor, and an operational amplifier including a non-inverting input terminal to which a reference voltage is input. The first oxide semiconductor transistor is provided near the voltage converter circuit or an element that generates heat in the control circuit. |
| US09172235B2 |
Shutdown protection for bus line drivers
An electrical circuit for driving a bus is described that includes a plurality of branches coupled to at least one signal line at a termination of the bus and a transmit data input configured to receive data that the electrical circuit drives across the bus. The electrical circuit also includes an over-current validation unit coupled to the transmit data input which is configured to validate an over-current condition detected at a first branch of the plurality of branches based at least in part on the data at the transmit data input. The electrical circuit also includes a branch control unit coupled to the over-current validation unit which is configured to disable at least one of the plurality of branches in response to a validated over-current condition at the first branch. |
| US09172234B2 |
Ground monitor circuit protection apparatus
An apparatus includes a resistor assembly with resistors connected in series between a first terminal and a second terminal of a pilot conductor and/or a ground return of a ground monitor. The pilot conductor injects an electrical signal in a ground of a power cable assembly. A zener diode assembly is connected between a zener connection point and the ground return. The zener connection point is the first or second terminal. The zener diode assembly includes zener diodes connected in series between the zener connection point and the ground return and is sized to clamp a voltage from the zener connection point to the ground return to a value less than a zener threshold voltage. The zener threshold voltage is set above a nominal voltage on the pilot conductor. The components of the apparatus are spaced to prevent an arcing fault current for voltages less than 3000 V. |
| US09172233B2 |
System and method for monitoring an electrical device
Disclosed herein is a device for monitoring the condition of a branch circuit. A device contains a switch that is normally open to prevent the occurrence of electric shock. An optical prong detector is provided to determine weather both the hot and neutral prongs of a plug have been inserted into the receptacle. The receptacle provides conductance upon determination of insertion of a plug into the receptacle. Additional features include GFI detection, current detection heat detection warning lights and an audible alarm. The receptacle includes communication abilities with remote devices to transmit data indicative of the state of the device. |
| US09172227B2 |
Wire guide member
Forward and backward movement of a wire guide member in an axial direction of the wire guide member is restricted, by the wire guide member abuts on a distal end portion holding member and a proximal end portion holding member. The wire guide member is held by an intermediate holding member, the distal end portion holding member, and the proximal end portion holding member to allow insertion and forward and backward movement in the intermediate holding member, the distal end portion holding member, and the proximal end portion holding member. The wire guide member has elasticity. |
| US09172224B2 |
Wire or rope puller
A puller device for pulling a wire or rope through a conduit includes first and second motor-driven capstans about which a wire or rope can be wound for wire or rope-pulling purposes and an elongated arm arrangement having an end which is positionable adjacent the conduit through which the wire or rope is to be pulled. The first elongated arm member is connected to the second arm member for movement about a pivot axis, and there are provided a plurality of rollers adjacent the pivot axis having surfaces along which the wire or rope bears against so that forces which are exerted adjacent the pivot axis by the wire or rope are distributed between the rollers. In addition, a conduit-engaging assembly mounted upon the elongated arm arrangement holds the conduit in a fixed positional relationship with respect to the elongated arm arrangement during a wire or rope-pulling operation. |
| US09172222B2 |
Medium-voltage switchgear assembly having a short-circuiting unit
A voltage switchgear assembly is disclosed, which includes a short-circuiting unit having short-circuiting devices arranged as a three-phase unit. A support is configured to receive the short-circuiting unit and is configured to be inserted into and withdrawn from an openable section of a switchgear assembly housing. |
| US09172213B2 |
VCSEL module and manufacture thereof
The invention describes a method of manufacturing a VCSEL module (100) comprising at least one VCSEL chip (33) with an upper side (U) and a lower side (L) and with a plurality of VCSEL units (55) on a common carrier structure (35), the VCSEL units (55) comprising a first doped layer (50) of a first type facing towards the lower side (L) and a second doped layer (23) of a second type facing towards the upper side (U). The method comprises the steps of dividing the VCSEL chip (33) into a plurality of subarrays (39a, 39b, 39c, 39d, 39e, 39f, 39g, 39h, 39i) with at least one VCSEL unit (55) each, electrically connecting at least some of the subarrays (39a, 39b, 39c, 39d, 39e, 39f, 39g, 39h, 39i) in series. The invention also describes a VCSEL module (100) manufactured in such process. |
| US09172211B2 |
Heating elements for multi-wavelength DBR laser
A multi-wavelength distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) semiconductor laser is provided where DBR heating elements are positioned over the waveguide in the DBR section and define an interleaved temperature profile that generates multiple distinct reflection peaks corresponding to distinct temperature dependent Bragg wavelengths associated with the temperature profile. Neighboring pairs of heating elements of the DBR heating elements positioned over the waveguide in the DBR section are spaced along the direction of the axis of optical propagation by a distance that is equal to or greater than the laser chip thickness b to minimize the impact of thermal crosstalk between distinct temperature regions of the interleaved temperature profile. |
| US09172209B2 |
Resistive heating element for enabling laser operation
Heating resistor used to control laser operation. A laser package, such as a Transmitter Optical Subassembly (TOSA) includes a substrate. A laser is disposed on the substrate. A resistive heating element is disposed on the substrate with the laser. Control circuitry is connected to the resistive heating element. The control circuitry is configured to cause current flow through the resistive heating element based on temperature conditions. Current flow through the resistive heating element causes an increase in the operating temperature of the laser. This can be used to increase the effective operating temperature range of a laser. |
| US09172207B2 |
Laser beam combining device
A laser beam combining device includes three lasers, a polarizer, and a mode converter. The second laser device, the mode converter, and the third laser device are located on a first straight line in that order. The polarizer intersects with the first straight line at an imaginary joint point. An included angle between the first straight line and the polarizer is about 45 degrees. The polarizer and the mode converter are positioned between the second laser device and the third laser device. The polarizer is adjacent to the second laser device. The mode converter is adjacent to the third laser device. The first laser device faces the polarizer and is located on a second straight line perpendicular to the first straight line and passing through the joint point. The three laser devices emit TE mode red, green and blue laser beams, respectively. |
| US09172206B2 |
Fiber laser system
A laser system includes a seed laser configured to generate a plurality of optical pulses; a controller configured to receive the plurality of the optical pulses and obtain chirped pulses, each chirped pulse having a chirping amount different from each other; an optical waveguide, having a characteristic of anomalous dispersion, configured to cause soliton self-frequency shifts while the chirped pulses propagating so that each center wavelength of a pulse which output from the optical waveguide is different from each other. |
| US09172203B2 |
Laser system for the marking of metallic and non-metallic materials
A laser system for the marking of metallic and non-metallic materials comprising a laser oscillator (1), characterized in that said laser oscillator (1) comprises: an active optical means (13) of the crystal laser type, a laser pump (10) to provide a pump energy to said active optical means (13); a mirror (14) disposed upstream said active optical means (13); an optical switch (16), apt to provide a pulsed laser beam, disposed downstream said active optical means (13); a mode adaptor (18) coupled to said optical switch (16); a predetermined length single-mode optical fiber (19), coupled to said mode adapter (18); a Bragg Grating type reflector coupled to said optical fiber (19). |
| US09172202B2 |
Laser apparatus and laser materials processing apparatus provided with same
A laser apparatus of the present invention has a first laser oscillator that emits a first laser beam; a passive fiber that is a double-clad fiber that transmits the first laser beam through a core; and a second laser oscillator that emits a second laser beam that is coupled into inner cladding of the passive fiber. Additionally, a laser materials processing apparatus of the present invention is provided with the laser apparatus; and an irradiation optical system having a collimating lens and a condenser lens. |
| US09172201B2 |
Wavelength conversion laser light source, and image display device
A wavelength conversion laser light source, includes: a solid laser medium; a wavelength conversion element; a concave mirror on which a first reflecting surface reflecting a fundamental light wave and a the second harmonic light wave is formed; and a wavelength plate on which a second reflecting surface reflecting the fundamental light wave and transmitting the second harmonic light wave is formed, wherein a laser resonator is constituted by the first reflecting surface and the second reflecting surface; the solid laser medium is arranged on a first reflecting surface side of the laser resonator, the wavelength plate is arranged on a second reflecting surface side of the laser resonator, and the wavelength conversion element is arranged between the solid laser medium and the wavelength plate; and the wavelength plate outputs the second harmonic wave, to the exterior of the laser resonator, via the second reflecting surface. |
| US09172195B2 |
Coaxial cable end connector
A connector connected with an end of a coaxial cable having a small diameter is provided. The connector includes an insulating housing, a signal terminal, and a shielding housing. The insulating housing has a hollow hole, a terminal cavity, and an insulating plate. The hollow hole of the insulating housing penetrates through two surfaces of the insulating housing, and communicates with the terminal cavity of the insulating housing. The signal terminal is assembled the terminal cavity. The signal terminal has a flat portion electrically connected to the internal conductive wires of the coaxial cable. The shielding housing has a circular portion and a cover. The circular portion surrounds the outer surface of the insulating housing, and the cover of the shielding housing presses the insulating plate of the insulating housing to enable the internal conductive wires of the coaxial cable to contact the signal terminal. |
| US09172188B2 |
Plug for a data and/or telecommunication cable comprising several conductors
A plug-in terminal for a data or telecommunication cable comprising terminal elements for connecting at least one electrical or optical conductor, further comprising connecting elements for connecting the electrical or optical conductor(s) with an electronic device, wherein the plug-in terminal comprises a storage for data and a means for reading out and/or archiving data in the storage by means of the electronic device, and a method of use thereof. |
| US09172187B2 |
Electrical connector
An electrical connector includes a housing body and a cover. The housing body includes a terminal accommodating hole that accommodates a terminal fitting, and a ferrite accommodating portion that accommodates a ferrite core. The cover covers the terminal fitting and the ferrite core attached to the housing body. The ferrite accommodating portion includes a ferrite accommodation chamber into which the ferrite core is inserted in a first direction perpendicular to a second direction in which the terminal fitting is inserted into the terminal accommodating hole, and protrusions provided on both inner side surfaces of the ferrite accommodation chamber facing in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction. The protrusions are engaged with concave portions formed on both side surfaces of the ferrite core to regulate movement of the ferrite core in the second direction. |
| US09172186B2 |
Anti-misinsertion structure of socket connector
An anti-misinsertion structure of a socket connector includes a pivot clasped to both sides of the top of an insulating base of the socket connector and two connecting arms extended horizontally from both sides of the pivot. Each connecting arm has a guide piece extended horizontally from an end of each connecting arm, a stop piece formed at the bottom of the connecting arm and proximate to the guide piece of the connecting arm, a downwardly tilted first guide bevel formed at the bottom of the guide piece, a position limit surface defined on a side of the guide piece and proximate to the stop piece, an upwardly tilted second guide bevel formed at the bottom of the stop piece, and a stop surface defined on a side of the stop piece and proximate to the guide piece and perpendicular to the position limit surface of the guide piece. |
| US09172182B2 |
Power supply connector
When the grasping member 3 is moved forward with respect to the case 9, the linkage 15a joint with the grasping member 3 is pushed in to the front. Because the linkage 15a moves forward, the arm rotates with the pin 23a as its axis of rotation. With the arm 13 rotating, the connector body 11 connected to the arm 13 via linkage 15b moves in the same direction as the grasping member 3. Note that because the coupling position of the grasping member 3 and the connector body 11 with respect to the arm 13 differ, the distance of movement of the grasping member 3 and the distance of movement of the connector body 11 with respect to the case 9 differ. That is, mechanisms such as the arm 13 etc. function as a deceleration mechanism. |
| US09172178B2 |
Magnetic coupling with low moment articulated plug
A plug for connecting to an electronic device includes a housing having an aperture, a magnetic element positioned in the aperture and having a second aperture, at least one contact within the aperture and the second aperture, a cord connected to the housing, and a mechanism configured to reduce a moment arm on the housing when a force is applied to the cord. The plug may be used as part of a connection that further includes a receptacle having a magnetic element with a recess, wherein the recess comprises an aperture, and at least one contact extending through the third aperture and into the recess. |
| US09172170B2 |
Bus connector with reduced insertion force
A bus connector configured for receiving a bus is provided. An example bus connector includes a plurality of contact fingers configured to engage with the bus. The plurality of contact fingers include a first set of contact fingers and a second set of contact fingers arranged substantially parallel to one another, and the first set and second set clamp the bus when the bus is inserted between the first set and the second set. The bus connector further includes a connector frame, wherein the connector frame is configured to hold the plurality of contact fingers. The plurality of contact fingers includes contact fingers of a first length and contact fingers of a second length, wherein the second length is different than the first length. |
| US09172169B2 |
Terminal arrangement device
A terminal arrangement device electrically connects an electric device, which is received in a housing, to an external device, and includes a first connecting terminal fixed to the housing. The first connecting terminal has a first supporting portion and a second supporting portion which are elastically deformable such that an output terminal of the electric device is supported between the first supporting portion and the second supporting portion. The first supporting portion has a flexural rigidity which is different from a flexural rigidity of the second supporting portion. |
| US09172164B2 |
Card edge connector with an improved housing
A card edge connector which could be inserted by an electrical card with a pair of slopes in its bottom edge includes an insulating housing and a plurality of contacts retained in the insulating housing. The insulating housing includes a top surface, an elongated passageway which recesses from the top surface, and a pair of ladder sections or protruding portions which protrude into the passageway for supporting the slopes. Therefore, it can enhance the stability when the electrical card is inserted into the passageway. |
| US09172163B2 |
Electrical connectors for use with printed circuit boards
A connector for electrically connecting a conductor to a first printed circuit board (PCB) or for electrically connecting a first and second PCB together. A housing is adapted to be slidably moveable relative to a mounting structure to allow the mounting of the PCB to the surface and moveable over the PCB to contact pads located on the top side of the PCB. In another example, a bridging connector for electrically connecting a first PCB with a second PCB includes a resilient holding element, such as for example a spring clip, engageable with at least one of the PCBs and/or a surface supporting the PCB(s) to releasably retain the housing and the terminals in the correct location. |
| US09172160B2 |
Vertical socket contact with flat force response
An apparatus includes a plurality of contact elements to provide electrical continuity between an integrated circuit and an electronic subassembly, wherein a contact element includes a spring element and a separate lead element, wherein the spring element is arranged to be substantially vertically slidable over at least a portion of the lead element in response to a force applied to the contact element. |
| US09172156B2 |
Connector assembly having deformable surface
A coaxial cable connector comprising a connector body having a first end and a second end, wherein the connector body is configured to receive a coaxial cable through the second end, a first cooperating surface disposed within the connector body, wherein the first cooperating surface is a surface of a clamp, the clamp is configured to threadably engage an outer conductor of the coaxial cable, and a second cooperating surface, wherein the second cooperating surface cooperates with the first cooperating surface to collapse an outer conductor of the coaxial cable, wherein at least a portion of the second cooperating surface malleably deforms to a variable axial thickness of a non-uniform collapsed portion of the outer conductor is provided. An associated method is also provided. |
| US09172155B2 |
Connector having a conductively coated member and method of use thereof
A connector having a conductively coated member is provided, wherein the connector comprises a connector body capable of sealing and securing a coaxial cable, and further wherein the conductively coated member, such as an O-ring, physically seals the connector, electrically couples the connector and the coaxial cable, facilitates grounding through the connector, and renders an electromagnetic shield preventing ingress of unwanted environmental noise. |
| US09172154B2 |
Coaxial cable connector with integral RFI protection
A coaxial cable connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to a terminal and providing RF shielding is disclosed. The coaxial cable connector has a coupler, body, post and/or retainer with an integral contacting portion that is monolithic with at least a portion of the post or retainer to establish electrical continuity. In this way, electrical continuity is established through the coupler, the post, and/or the retainer of the coaxial cable connector other than by the use of a component unattached from the coupler, the post, the body, and the retainer to provide RF shielding such that the integrity of an electrical signal transmitted through coaxial cable connector is maintained regardless of the tightness of the coupling of the connector to the terminal. When assembled the coupler and post or retainer provide at least one circuitous path resulting in RF shielding such that spurious RF signals are attenuated. |
| US09172148B2 |
Watch with bezel antenna configuration
A wrist-worn electronic device comprises a housing, a display, a location determining element, and a first antenna. The housing includes a lower surface configured to contact a wearer's wrist, an opposing upper surface, and an internal cavity. The display is visible from the upper surface of the housing. The location determining element is configured to process a location signal to determine a current geolocation of the electronic device. The first antenna is configured to receive the location signal from a satellite-based positioning system and communicate the location signal to the location determining element. The first antenna is positioned on the upper surface of the housing adjacent a perimeter of the display and capacitively coupled with a conductive component positioned in the internal cavity. |
| US09172143B2 |
Electronic device module with integrated antenna structure, and related manufacturing method
An electronic device module as described herein includes an electronic device package having device contacts. The electronic device package is fixed within encapsulating material, along with an electrically conductive ground layer. The ground layer has a device opening in which the electronic device package resides, and the ground layer also has an antenna opening spaced apart from the device opening. The device contacts and one side of the ground layer correspond to a first surface, and a patch antenna element overlies the first surface. The antenna element is coupled to the electronic device package, and a projection of the patch antenna element onto the first surface resides within the antenna opening. Also provided are methods for manufacturing such an electronic device module. |
| US09172140B2 |
Multiple input loop antenna
A multiple input loop antenna comprising one or more half-loop antennas disposed above a ground plane wherein the plane of each half loop is perpendicular to the ground plane such that the multiple input loop antenna is a three-dimensional structure and electromagnetic waves are radiated from points within the volume occupied by the antenna rather than from a two-dimensional surface. For this reason, the multiple input loop antenna can radiate levels of peak power without inducing excessive air breakdown which are relatively high compared with peak power levels of conventional antennas having comparable transverse dimensions. Also described is an array antenna comprised of an array of multiple input loop antennas. |
| US09172139B2 |
Bezel gap antennas
Electronic devices are provided that contain wireless communications circuitry. The wireless communications circuitry may include radio-frequency transceiver circuitry and antenna structures. A parallel-fed loop antenna may be formed from portions of an electronic device bezel and a ground plane. The antenna may operate in multiple communications bands. An impedance matching circuit for the antenna may be formed from a parallel-connected inductive element and a series-connected capacitive element. The bezel may surround a peripheral portion of a display that is mounted to the front of an electronic device. The bezel may contain a gap. Antenna feed terminals for the antenna may be located on opposing sides of the gap. The inductive element may bridge the gap and the antenna feed terminals. The capacitive element may be connected in series between one of the antenna feed terminals and a conductor in a transmission line located between the transceiver circuitry and the antenna. |
| US09172138B2 |
Dual-feedpoint antenna system and method for feedpoint switchover of dual-feedpoint antenna system
A system includes a first feedpoint and a second feedpoint symmetrically disposed on the left and right sides of an antenna on a small board. A first switch, a second switch, and a third switch are disposed on a mainboard. The first switch, the second switch, and the third switch are controlled through a control instruction so that the system is in a first connection state and a second connection state. Signal strength corresponding to the first connection state and signal strength corresponding to the second connection state are detected, and if the signal strength corresponding to the first connection state is greater than the signal strength corresponding to the second connection state, each switch is controlled through an instruction so that the system is in the first connection state, in which the first feedpoint is working. Otherwise, the second feedpoint is working. |
| US09172137B2 |
Adjusting mechanism and related antenna system
An adjusting mechanism includes a supporter, a foundation and a clamper. The supporter includes a base, and a supporting component pivotably disposed on the base along a first axial direction. An open hole is formed on a bottom of the base, and the base includes a fixing portion. The foundation is pivotably disposed on the base. A conjunction portion is disposed on a surface of the foundation, and the fixing portion is connected to the conjunction portion for preventing the base from rotating relative to the foundation. The clamper is fixed on the foundation for piercing through the open hole and partly positioning between the base and the supporting component. The clamper includes a body for clamping a tube, and two connecting parts disposed on a lateral surface of the body. A direction of each connecting part is parallel to a second axial direction perpendicular to the first axial direction. |
| US09172136B2 |
Multi-band antenna and an electronic device including the same
Provided is a multi-band antenna. The multi-band antenna, as provided in one embodiment, includes a first resonant portion having a first length defined by an outer perimeter of a conductive segment and operable to effect an antenna for communication in a first band of frequencies. The multi-band antenna, in this aspect, further includes a second resonant portion having a second length defined by an inner perimeter of the conductive segment and operable to resonate capacitively for communication in a second different band of frequencies. |
| US09172135B2 |
Horizontal radiation antenna
This disclosure provides a horizontal radiation antenna including a grounded conductor plate on the back surface of a multilayer substrate, a radiation element to which a microstrip line is connected on a front surface of the multilayer substrate, and a passive element on an end portion side of the multilayer substrate compared with the radiation element. An intermediate grounded conductor plate is provided within the multilayer substrate between insulation layers and faces the microstrip line. The intermediate grounded conductor plate defines a notch portion whose end portion side is open. The intermediate grounded conductor surrounds the radiation element and the passive element in the notch portion. The intermediate grounded conductor is electrically connected to the grounded conductor plate. |
| US09172127B2 |
Coupler and amplifier arrangement
A coupler comprises a first line and a second line which is broadside coupled to the first line in a first and a second section. The capacitance between the first and the second line per length unit of the first line is larger in the first section in comparison to the second section. The first and the second line form a first turn. |
| US09172121B2 |
Method and device for determining the ageing of a battery
The invention relates to a battery holder (1) for galvanic cells, in which a first honeycomb structure (2.1 to 2.n), comprising a lower and an upper basic cooling body (3.1, 3.2) and at least one intermediate cooling body (4), is provided, wherein in each case, galvanic cells can be arranged on a cell level (5.1 to 5.n) in each case between one of the basic cooling bodies (3.1, 3.2) and one of the intermediate cooling bodies (4) and/or between two of the intermediate cooling bodies (4), wherein the galvanic cells of one of the cell levels (5.1 to 5.n) are displaced to the side to the galvanic cells of at least one adjacent cell level (5.1 to 5.n) by half the width of a galvanic cell, and wherein the intermediate cooling body (4) and the basic cooling bodies (3.1, 3.2) are formed in an area between the galvanic cells according to the outer contours of the galvanic cells, and wherein each of the cooling bodies (3.1, 3.2, 4) comprises at least on one end which lies in an axial direction to the galvanic cells a cooling chamber (8), through which a cooling medium (K) can flow, into which the cooling medium (K) can flow from at least one cooling chamber (K) of at least one adjacent cooling body (3.1, 3.2, 4) and/or from which the cooling medium (K) can flow out into at least one cooling chamber (8) of at least one of the adjacent cooling bodies (3.1, 3.2, 4), wherein at least one cooling chamber (8) of at least one of the cooling bodies (3.1, 3.2, 4) comprises a cooling agent inflow (6) and/or a cooling agent outflow (7). |
| US09172117B2 |
User-controlled application-based power management
A user-controlled application-based power management function is provided for a battery-operated device. In general, for each of a number of applications of the battery-operated device, a power management function enables a user of the battery-operated device to provide a usage parameter for the application defining a desired amount of usage of the application for each of one or more tasks. For each task, the power management function determines an estimated amount of battery life that is sufficient to provide the desired amount of usage of the application for the task and determines whether the estimated amount of battery life is available. If the estimated amount of battery life is available, the power management function allocates an amount of battery life corresponding to the estimated amount of battery life to the application for the task. |
| US09172115B2 |
Battery pack with multiple water discharge pathways
The present invention relates to a battery pack including a housing, a latch mechanism, a printed circuit board connected to electrical terminals, and an internal frame. The housing includes a first and second portion. The first portion includes openings that receive the latch mechanism and openings that receive the terminals. The battery pack also includes a latch cover that protects against water infiltrating between the openings and the latch mechanism, and a terminal cover that protects against water infiltrating between the first housing portion and the terminals. Water that enters the battery pack is directed to the bottom of the battery pack. The water is then drained through openings in the lower housing portion. The internal frame includes openings that secure batteries within the lower housing portion with the help of wedges that are positioned in between adjacent rows of batteries. |
| US09172112B2 |
Sulfide solid electrolyte glass, lithium solid state battery and producing method of sulfide solid electrolyte glass
An object of the present invention is to provide a sulfide solid electrolyte glass with high Li ion conductivity. The present invention achieves the above-mentioned object by providing a sulfide solid electrolyte glass comprising Li4P2S6, characterized by having a glass transition point. |
| US09172105B2 |
Electronic equipment provided with battery check device
Immediately after a main switch is turned ON, a battery check is performed based on a first inhibit voltage than a second reference voltage which is an inhibit voltage level a predetermined time period after the main switch is turned ON, and therefore, even when the voltage is in a low state immediately after the main switch is turned ON, it is possible to activate a camera without an erroneous detection. Further, when the elapsed time from a time when the main switch is turned OFF to a time when tuned ON next time is relatively long, a solid high polymer film inside the fuel cell is assumed to be further dried, then the first inhibit voltage is changed, and therefore, even when the voltage fluctuates depending on the humidifying state immediately after the main switch is turned ON, an appropriate battery check can be performed. |
| US09172096B2 |
End plate for fuel cell including sandwich insert
The present disclosure provides an end plate for a fuel cell including a sandwich insert, in which a metal insert has a sandwich insert structure including a plurality of stacked plates, thereby securing strength and achieving a lightweight structure. The sandwich insert is manufactured by staking two or more plates, each having a specific shape, followed by injection molding the sandwich insert with a plastic injection molded body, thereby securing strength and also achieving a lightweight structure, contrary to a conventional integral metal insert. |
| US09172092B2 |
Binder composition for batteries, slurry for battery electrodes, solid electrolyte composition, electrode, and all-solid-state battery
A binder composition for batteries, including (A) a polymer that has at least one structural unit selected from the group consisting of structural units represented by the following formulae (a1) to (a5), respectively, and (f) a functional group containing a nitrogen atom, an oxygen atom, a silicon atom, a germanium atom, a tin atom or a combination thereof; and (B) a liquid medium, the polymer (A) having a solubility of no less than 5 g in 100 g of cyclohexane at 25° C. and 1 atom. |
| US09172088B2 |
Multidimensional electrochemically active structures for battery electrodes
Provided are novel multidimensional electrode structures containing high capacity active materials for use in rechargeable electrochemical cells. These structures include main support structures and multiple nanowires attached to the support structures and extending into different directions away from these supports. The active material may be deposited as a layer (uniform or non-uniform) surrounding the nanowires and, in certain embodiments, the main supports and even substrate. The active material layer may be sufficiently thin to prevent pulverization of the layer at given operating conditions. Interconnections between the electrode structures and/or substrate may be provided by overlaps formed during deposition of the active layer. Silicide-based nano wires structures may be formed on the main supports in a fluidized bed reactor by suspending the metal-containing main supports in a silicon-containing process gas. A layer of silicon may be then deposited over these silicide nanowires. |
| US09172073B2 |
Secondary battery, battery pack and car
A secondary battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode containing a metal compound having a lithium ion absorption potential of 0.2V (vs. Li/Li+) or more, a separator and a nonaqueous electrolyte. The separator is provided between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The separator comprises cellulose fibers and pores having a specific surface area of 5 to 15 m2/g. The separator has a porosity of 55 to 80%, and a pore diameter distribution having a first peak in a pore diameter range of 0.2 μm (inclusive) to 2 μm (exclusive) and a second peak in a pore diameter range of 2 to 30 μm. |
| US09172071B2 |
Battery pack and electrically powered vehicle provided with same
Provided is a battery pack that can securely prevent liquid, such as water and wash fluid, attached to an outer surface of a packaging case housing a plurality of electric cells from entering an internal space of the packaging case from between a tray and a cover and that also allows easily performing attachment and detachment work of the cover to and from the tray. The packaging case includes an edge cover for covering the whole circumference of a lower flange portion of the tray and an upper flange portion of the cover that abut each other. The edge cover includes a first section facing the lower flange portion, a second section facing the upper flange portion, and a connecting portion for connecting base ends of the first section and the second section. A plurality of female threaded portions are arranged on either the first section or the second section. Screw insertion holes for causing male screw members to be inserted according to the arrangement of the female threaded portions are arranged on either the first section or the second section in which the female threaded portions are not arranged, on the lower flange portion, and on the upper flange portion. |
| US09172068B2 |
Battery pack
A battery pack including a plurality of battery units with improved insulating and cooling properties between the battery units is provided. In one embodiment, a battery unit includes a battery cell and an insulating wall including a plurality of protrusions contacting the battery cell. The protrusions extend at least partly between opposite edges of the insulating wall and define space between the battery cell and regions between the protrusions. |
| US09172066B2 |
Protection circuit board, battery pack including the protection circuit board and method of fabricating the protection circuit board
A protection circuit board resulting in a compact battery pack having a higher capacity than a conventional battery pack of the same size, a battery pack including the protection circuit board and a method of fabricating the protection circuit board includes: a first lead terminal disposed on a first side of the protection circuit board; and a first aperture for exposing the first lead terminal to a second side of the protection circuit board. The battery pack also includes: a bare cell including an electrode terminal; a second lead terminal arranged over the electrode terminal; and a protection circuit board electrically connected to the second lead terminal and the bare cell, and having an aperture for exposing the second lead terminal arranged the first side of the protection circuit board to the second side of the protection circuit board. |
| US09172064B2 |
Mask for deposition and method for manufacturing organic light emitting diode display using the same
A deposition mask for forming an organic layer pattern of an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display includes a base member having a first surface facing a substrate of the OLED display, and a second surface facing a side opposite to the first surface, and including a plurality of openings passing through the first surface and the second surface for forming the organic layer pattern. The opening has a pair of first side walls and a pair of second side walls. Each side wall of the openings has an inclination surface inclined with respect to a thickness direction of the base member, and when measuring an inclination angle of the inclination surface with reference to the first surface of the base member, the inclination angle of the first side wall and the inclination angle of the second side wall are different from each other. |
| US09172062B2 |
Composite phase retarder and organic light emitting display apparatus using the same
The present invention provides a composite phase retarder and an organic light emitting display apparatus using the same. The organic light emitting display apparatus comprises an organic light emitting display panel and the composite phase retarder. The composite phase retarder comprises a quarter wave (λ/4) phase retarder, a polarizer and a pattern retarder stacked in sequence. The present invention can be applicable to display 3D images and enhance a display contrast of the organic light emitting display apparatus. |
| US09172059B2 |
Light-emitting device and electronic device using light-emitting device
First to third light-emitting elements each including a reflection electrode layer, a transflective electrode layer, and a light-emitting layer provided therebetween are provided. In the first light-emitting element, the light-emitting layer is in contact with the reflection electrode layer and the transflective electrode layer. In the second light-emitting element, a first transparent electrode layer is in contact with the reflection electrode layer, the light-emitting layer is in contact with the first transparent electrode layer and the transflective electrode layer. In the third light-emitting element, a second transparent electrode layer is in contact with the reflection electrode layer, the light-emitting layer is in contact with the second transparent electrode layer and the transflective electrode layer. The first transparent electrode layer is different form the second transparent electrode layer in thickness. |
| US09172057B2 |
Encapsulation structure for an opto-electronic component
An encapsulation structure for an optoelectronic component, may include: a thin-film encapsulation for protecting the optoelectronic component against chemical impurities; an adhesive layer formed on the thin-film encapsulation; and a cover layer formed on the adhesive layer and serving for protecting the thin-film encapsulation and/or the optoelectronic component against mechanical damage, wherein the adhesive layer is formed such that particle impurities situated at the surface of the thin-film encapsulation are at least partly enclosed by the adhesive layer. |
| US09172055B2 |
Organic light-emitting device including multi-layered hole transport layer, and organic light-emitting display apparatus including the same
An organic light-emitting device includes an emission layer between first and second electrodes, a first hole transport layer that is between the emission layer and the first electrode and that includes a first hole transport compound and a first electron acceptor, a second hole transport layer that is between the emission layer and first hole transport layer and that includes a second hole transport compound, a third hole transport layer that is between the emission layer and the second hole transport layer and that includes a third hole transport compound and a second electron acceptor, a fourth hole transport layer that is between the emission layer and the third hole transport layer and that includes a fourth hole transport compound, a buffer layer between the emission layer and the fourth hole transport layer, and an electron transport layer that includes a pyrimidine-based compound. |
| US09172054B2 |
Organic light emitting display device
Provided is an organic light emitting display device. The organic light emitting display device comprises a substrate; a first electrode formed on the substrate and including a first sub-electrode and a second sub-electrode which have different reflectivities with respect to light wavelengths and are mutually stacked; an organic layer formed on the first electrode and including an organic light emitting layer; and a second electrode formed on the organic layer. |
| US09172053B2 |
Organic molecular memory and method of manufacturing the same
An organic molecular memory for controlling a current flowing through a memory cell and achieving stable operation and high degree of reliability is provided. The organic molecular memory includes a first electrode, a second electrode made of a material different from the first electrode, and an organic molecule layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein one end of a resistance change-type molecular chain constituting the organic molecule layer is chemically bonded with the first electrode, and an air gap exists between the other end of the resistance change-type molecular chain and the second electrode. |
| US09172052B2 |
Phosphorescent OLED
An organic light emitting device having a phase-separated light-emissive layer comprising: a charge transport phase comprising a charge transport material; and an emitting phase, the emitting phase comprising a plurality of discrete emissive domains dispersed in the charge transport phase, each emitting domain comprising a host material and one or more metal complexes for emitting light by phosphorescence; wherein the charge transport material has a T1 energy level lower than the T1 energy level of the metal complexes and the host material has a T1 energy level higher than the T1 energy level of the metal complexes. |
| US09172047B2 |
Hole transport material for organic electroluminescence device and organic electroluminescence device using the same
A hole transport material for the organic electroluminescence device, the hole transport material being represented by the following Formula 1, |
| US09172046B1 |
Organic light-emitting device
An organic light-emitting device includes a first electrode; a second electrode; and an organic layer between the first electrode and the second electrode and including an emission layer. The emission layer includes at least one first material represented by any one of Formulae 1-1 and 1-2 and at least one second material represented by Formula 2: |
| US09172044B2 |
Organic light-emitting device and method of manufacturing the same
An organic light-emitting device with an electron transport layer disposed between the organic emission layer and the second electrode and comprising an anthracene-based compound and a carbazole-based compound represented by Formula 1 below: with improved efficiency and lifetime and a method for preparing the same are provided. |
| US09172043B2 |
Charge-transporting varnish for spray or ink jet application
Disclosed is a charge-transporting varnish containing a charge-transporting organic material, a good solvent, at least one poor solvent with high leveling properties, and at least one volatile poor solvent. The charge-transporting organic material is composed of a charge-transporting material consisting of a charge-transporting monomer or a charge-transporting oligomer having a number average molecular weight of 200 to 5000, or alternatively composed of such a charge-transporting material and an electron-accepting dopant material or a hole-accepting dopant material. This charge-transporting varnish enables to form a uniform and smooth charge-transporting thin film by a spray method or an ink jet method on an exposed electrode portion such as ITO or IZO of a substrate on which a structure of a simple or complicated pattern is formed beforehand. |
| US09172039B2 |
Methods of fabricating memory devices
Provided is a method of fabricating a memory device. The method includes defining a cell region and a driving region on a substrate, forming driving transistors on the driving region, forming a first bit line in the cell region, a first unit memory cell disposed on an upper surface of the first bit line, a word line disposed on upper surfaces of the first unit memory cells, and a second unit memory cell disposed on an upper surface of the word line, forming a planarization layer configured to fill between the second unit memory cells, and including second bit line grooves on the upper surfaces of the first bit lines, bit line contact vias in the second bit line grooves, floating electrode grooves on upper surfaces of ends of the word lines, and a first floating contact via and a second floating contact via in each of the floating electrode grooves, simultaneously forming second bit lines in the second bit line grooves, bit line contact electrodes in the bit line contact vias, floating electrodes in the floating electrode grooves, first floating contact electrodes in the first floating contact vias, and second floating contact electrodes in the second floating contact vias. |
| US09172036B2 |
Top electrode blocking layer for RRAM device
An integrated circuit device including a resistive random access memory (RRAM) cell formed over a substrate. The RRAM cell includes a top electrode having an upper surface. A blocking layer covers a portion of the upper surface. A via extends above the top electrode within a matrix of dielectric. The upper surface of the top electrode includes an area that interfaces with the blocking layer and an area that interfaces with the via. The area of the upper surface that interfaces with the via surrounds the area of the upper surface that interfaces with the blocking layer. The blocking layer is functional during processing to protect the RRAM cell from etch damage while being structured in such a way as to not interfere with contact between the overlying via and the top electrode. |
| US09172032B2 |
Magnetic tunnel junction device with perpendicular magnetization and method of fabricating the same
A magnetic tunnel junction device with perpendicular magnetization including a reference layer, a tunneling dielectric layer, a free layer and a capping layer is provided. The tunneling dielectric layer covers on the reference layer. The free layer covers on the tunneling dielectric layer. The capping layer is consisted of magnesium, aluminum and oxygen, and disposed on the free layer. |
| US09172026B2 |
Piezoceramic composition and method for manufacturing the same
A piezoceramic composition comprises, as the main phase, a crystalline phase of a perovskite structure signified as formula ABO3, with Element A consisting of one or more elements selected from among K (potassium), Na (sodium) and Li (lithium) and with Element B consisting of one or more elements selected from among Nb (niobium), Ta (tantalum) and Sb (antimony), with Elements A and B comprising other elements as additives. An X-ray diffraction profile of crushed particles of the piezoceramic composition that are 10 μm or less in diameter has a diffraction peak indicating the presence of the main (single) phase as well as a heterogeneous phase of a crystalline structure signified as formula AsBtOu (s |
| US09172025B2 |
Integrated semiconductor devices with single crystalline beam, methods of manufacture and design structure
Bulk acoustic wave filters and/or bulk acoustic resonators integrated with CMOS devices, are provided. The structure includes a single crystalline beam formed from a silicon layer of a silicon on insulator (SOI) substrate; insulator material coating the single crystalline beam; an upper cavity formed above the single crystalline beam, over a portion of the insulator material; a lower cavity formed in lower wafer bonded to an insulator layer of the SOI substrate, below the single crystalline beam and the insulator layer of the SOI substrate; a connecting via that connects the upper cavity to the lower cavity, the connecting via being coated with the insulator material; and a Bulk Acoustic Wave (BAW) filter or Bulk Acoustic Resonator (BAR) in electrical connection with the single crystalline beam. |
| US09172023B2 |
Electrothermal transducer, and temperature controlling device
The present invention relates to an electrothermal converter, which has at least one cold side and one warm side. Provision is made that all the components of the converter cope with the thermal loads appearing when the converter is operated and/or in particular maintains its mechanical stability. |
| US09172022B2 |
Composite structure of graphene and polymer and method of manufacturing the same
A composite structure of graphene and polymer and a method of manufacturing the complex. The composite structure of graphene and polymer includes: at least one polymer structure having a three-dimensional shape; and a graphene layer formed on the at least one polymer structure. |
| US09172018B2 |
Islanded carrier for light emitting device
A low-cost conductive carrier element provides structural support to a light emitting device (LED) die, as well as electrical and thermal coupling to the LED die. A lead-frame is provided that includes at least one carrier element, the carrier element being partitioned to form distinguishable conductive regions to which the LED die is attached. When the carrier element is separated from the frame, the conductive regions are electrically isolated from each other. A dielectric may be placed between the conductive regions of the carrier element. |
| US09172008B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting device
A semiconductor light emitting device includes a light-transmissive substrate, a light-transmissive buffer layer disposed on the light-transmissive substrate, and a light emitting structure. The light-transmissive buffer layer includes a first layer and a second layer having different refractive indices and disposed alternately at least once. The light emitting structure includes a first conductivity-type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second conductivity-type semiconductor layer sequentially disposed on the buffer layer. |
| US09172003B2 |
Light emitting device, super-luminescent diode, and projector
A light emitting device includes a substrate, a laminated body formed by stacking a first cladding layer, a first active layer, a second cladding layer, a third cladding layer, a second active layer, and a fourth cladding layer on the substrate in this order, a first electrode connected to the first cladding layer, a second electrode connected to the second cladding layer and the third cladding layer, and a third electrode connected to the fourth cladding layer, the first active layer generates first light using the first electrode and the second electrode, the second active layer generates second light using the second electrode and the third electrode, and a side surface of the first active layer is provided with an emitting section for emitting the first light, and a side surface of the second active layer is provided with an emitting section for emitting the second light. |
| US09171992B2 |
Ultraviolet light emitting device incorporating optically absorbing layers
A light emitting device includes a p-side, an n-side, and an active layer between the p-side and the n-side. The p-side includes a p-side contact, an electron blocking layer, a p-side separate confinement heterostructure (p-SCH), and a p-cladding/current spreading region disposed between the p-SCH and the p-side contact. The n-side includes an n-side contact, and an n-side separate confinement heterostructure (n-SCH). The active layer is configured to emit light in a wavelength range, wherein the p-side and the n-side have asymmetrical optical transmission properties with respect to the wavelength range emitted by the active layer. |
| US09171989B2 |
Metal bond and contact formation for solar cells
A method for fabricating a solar cell is disclosed. The method can include forming a dielectric region on a surface of a solar cell structure and forming a first metal layer on the dielectric region. The method can also include forming a second metal layer on the first metal layer and locally heating a particular region of the second metal layer, where heating includes forming a metal bond between the first and second metal layer and forming a contact between the first metal layer and the solar cell structure. The method can include forming an adhesive layer on the first metal layer and forming a second metal layer on the adhesive layer, where the adhesive layer mechanically couples the second metal layer to the first metal layer and allows for an electrical connection between the second metal layer to the first metal layer. |
| US09171985B2 |
Pixel circuit with controlled capacitor discharge time of flight measurement
A pixel circuit includes a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) and a measurement circuit including a capacitance. The SPAD detects an incident photon and the measurement circuit discharges the capacitance at a known rate during a discharge time period. The length of the discharge time period is determined by the time of detection of the photon, such that the final amount of charge on the capacitance corresponds to the time of flight of the photon. The pixel circuit may be included in a time resolved imaging apparatus. A method of measuring the time of flight of a photon includes responding to an incident photon detection by discharging a capacitance at a known rate and correlating final capacitance charge to time of flight. |
| US09171977B2 |
Optically assist-triggered wide bandgap thyristors having positive temperature coefficients
A thyristor includes a first conductivity type semiconductor layer, a first conductivity type carrier injection layer on the semiconductor layer, a second conductivity type drift layer on the carrier injection layer, a first conductivity type base layer on the drift layer, and a second conductivity type anode region on the base layer. The thickness and doping concentration of the carrier injection layer are selected to reduce minority carrier injection by the carrier injection layer in response to an increase in operating temperature of the thyristor. A cross-over current density at which the thyristor shifts from a negative temperature coefficient of forward voltage to a positive temperature coefficient of forward voltage is thereby reduced. |
| US09171973B2 |
Method for producing an integrated imaging device with front face illumination comprising at least one metal optical filter, and corresponding device
An integrated imaging device supports front face illumination with one or more photosensitive regions formed in a substrate. A lower dielectric region is provided over the substrate, the lower dielectric region having an upper face. A metal optical filter having a metal pattern is provided on the upper face (or extending into the lower dielectric region from the upper face). An upper dielectric region is provided on top of the lower dielectric region and metal optical filter. The lower dielectric region is at least part of a pre-metal dielectric layer, and the upper dielectric region is at least part of a metallization layer. |
| US09171972B2 |
Method for producing photoelectric converter and phtotelectric converter
The method for producing a photoelectric converter of the present invention comprises a preparation step for preparing a substrate (2) formed from silicon; a first film-formation step for the formation of a first protective film (3) by deposition of aluminum oxide on a top surface (2B) of the substrate (2) using the atom deposition method or chemical vapor deposition method in an atmosphere containing hydrogen; and a second film-formation step for forming a second protective film (4) by deposition of aluminum oxide on the first protective film (3) using sputtering after the first film-formation step. Moreover, the photoelectric converter of the present invention comprises a substrate formed from silicon; a first protective film formed from aluminum oxide; and a second protective film formed from aluminum oxide, wherein the concentration of hydrogen contained in the first protective film is higher than the concentration of hydrogen contained in the second protective film. |
| US09171970B2 |
Alternating bias hot carrier solar cells
Designs of extremely high efficiency solar cells are described. A novel alternating bias scheme enhances the photovoltaic power extraction capability above the cell band-gap by enabling the extraction of hot carriers. When applied in conventional solar cells, this alternating bias scheme has the potential of more than doubling their yielded net efficiency. When applied in conjunction with solar cells incorporating quantum wells (QWs) or quantum dots (QDs) based solar cells, the described alternating bias scheme has the potential of extending such solar cell power extraction coverage, possibly across the entire solar spectrum, thus enabling unprecedented solar power extraction efficiency. Within such cells, a novel alternating bias scheme extends the cell energy conversion capability above the cell material band-gap while the quantum confinement structures are used to extend the cell energy conversion capability below the cell band-gap. Light confinement cavities are incorporated into the cell structure in order to allow the absorption of the cell internal photo emission, thus further enhancing the cell efficiency. |
| US09171969B2 |
Mounting member having die pad unit and terminals, and photocoupler having the mounting member
A mounting member includes: an insulating substrate, a first die pad unit, first and second terminals. The insulating substrate has a rectangular first surface, a second surface, a first side surface, a second side surface, a third side surface, and a fourth side surface. A through hole is provided from the first surface to the second surface. The first die pad unit is provided on the first surface. The first terminal has a conductive region covering the first side surface, the first surface, and the second surface. The second terminal has a conductive region covering the second side surface and the second surface, connected to the first die pad unit by conductive material provided in the through hole or on a side wall of the through hole. The first die pad unit, the first terminal, and the second terminal are apart from one another. |
| US09171964B2 |
Systems and methods for a three-layer chip-scale MEMS device
Systems and methods for a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device are provided. In one embodiment, a system comprises a first outer layer and a first device layer comprising a first set of MEMS devices, wherein the first device layer is bonded to the first outer layer. The system also comprises a second outer layer and a second device layer comprising a second set of MEMS devices, wherein the second device layer is bonded to the second outer layer. Further, the system comprises a central layer having a first side and a second side opposite that of the first side, wherein the first side is bonded to the first device layer and the second side is bonded to the second device layer. |
| US09171955B2 |
Thin film transistor and manufacturing method thereof
The present invention provides a structure of the TFT in which a current-voltage characteristic can be improved. The present invention refers to a thin film transistor comprising a lamination layer wherein a first conductive film, a first insulating film and a second conductive film are sequentially laminated, a semiconductor film formed so as to be in contact with the side surface of the lamination layer, and a third conductive film covering the semiconductor film through a second insulating film. The first conductive film and the second conductive film are a source electrode and a drain electrode, and a region which is in contact with the first insulating film and the third conductive film is a channel forming region in semiconductor film, and the third conductive film is a gate electrode. |
| US09171953B2 |
FinFET with stressors
A fin type transistor includes a dielectric layer on a substrate surface which serves to isolate the gate of the transistor from the substrate. The dielectric layer includes a non-selectively etched surface to produce top portions of fin structures which have reduced height variations across the wafer. The fin type transistor may also include a buried stressor and/or raised or embedded raised S/D stressors to cause a strain in the channel to improve carrier mobility. |
| US09171951B2 |
Multigate dual work function device and method for manufacturing same
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a drain region, a source region, a channel region, a first gate insulator film provided on the channel region, a second gate insulator film provided on the channel region to be adjacent to the first gate insulator film on the source region side of the first gate insulator film, a first gate electrode provided on the first gate insulator film, and a second gate electrode provided on the second gate insulator film. An electrical thickness of the second gate insulator film is less than an electrical thickness of the first gate insulator film. A portion of the first gate electrode is provided on the second gate insulator film. A work function of the second gate electrode is higher than a work function of the first gate electrode. |
| US09171950B2 |
Semiconductor component and method for producing a semiconductor component
A semiconductor component is produced by forming a trench in a semiconductor region. The trench has an upper trench region and a lower trench region. The upper trench region is wider than the lower trench region such that a step is formed in the semiconductor region. A dopant is introduced into the step to form a locally delimited dopant region in the semiconductor region. |
| US09171949B1 |
Semiconductor device including superjunction structure formed using angled implant process
A semiconductor device includes a superjunction structure formed using simultaneous N and P angled implants into the sidewall of a trench. The simultaneous N and P angled implants use different implant energies and dopants of different diffusion rate so that after annealing, alternating N and P thin semiconductor regions are formed. The alternating N and P thin semiconductor regions form a superjunction structure where a balanced space charge region is formed to enhance the breakdown voltage characteristic of the semiconductor device. |
| US09171948B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor storage device and fabrication method thereof
A nonvolatile semiconductor storage device has a plurality of memory strings in which electrically rewritable memory cells are connected in series. The memory strings have word-line electroconductive layers laminated at a prescribed interval to sandwich an interlayer insulating film onto a semiconductor substrate and through holes that penetrate through the word-line electroconductive layers and the interlayer insulating films. The gate insulating film is formed along an inner wall of the through holes and includes a charge-accumulating film. The columnar semiconductor layer is formed inside the through holes to sandwich the gate insulating film along with the word-line electroconductive layer. The columnar semiconductor layer contains carbon, oxygen, or nitrogen. |
| US09171947B2 |
Nitride semiconductor device
A nitride semiconductor device includes a substrate, a nitride semiconductor laminate, and an ohmic electrode of TiAl-based material. The nitride semiconductor laminate has a first nitride semiconductor layer on the substrate, and a second nitride semiconductor layer forming a heterointerface with the first nitride semiconductor layer. The nitride semiconductor device has an oxygen concentration profile in a depth direction of the device across between the ohmic electrode and the nitride semiconductor laminate. The profile has a first oxygen concentration peak near an interface between the ohmic electrode and the nitride semiconductor laminate in a region, of the nitride semiconductor laminate, that is on a substrate side of the interface, and a second oxygen concentration peak having an oxygen concentration of 3×1017 cm−3-1.2×1018 cm−3 in a position deeper than that of the first oxygen concentration peak. |
| US09171946B2 |
Nitride semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention disclose a unidirectional heterojunction transistor including a channel layer made of a first nitride-based semiconductor having a first energy bandgap, a barrier layer made of a second nitride-based semiconductor having a second energy bandgap different from the first energy bandgap, the barrier layer including a recess, a drain electrode disposed on a first region of the barrier layer, and a recessed-drain Schottky electrode disposed in the recess of the barrier layer, the recessed-drain Schottky electrode contacting the drain electrode. |
| US09171943B2 |
Method for manufacturing semiconductor device
To provide a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor which is capable of having stable electric characteristics and achieving high reliability, by a dehydration or dehydrogenation treatment performed on a base insulating layer provided in contact with an oxide semiconductor layer, the water and hydrogen contents of the base insulating layer can be decreased, and by an oxygen doping treatment subsequently performed, oxygen which can be eliminated together with the water and hydrogen is supplied to the base insulating layer. By formation of the oxide semiconductor layer in contact with the base insulating layer whose water and hydrogen contents are decreased and whose oxygen content is increased, oxygen can be supplied to the oxide semiconductor layer while entry of the water and hydrogen into the oxide semiconductor layer is suppressed. |
| US09171941B2 |
Fabricating method of thin film transistor, fabricating method of array substrate and display device
An embodiment of the present invention provides a fabricating method of a thin film transistor, a fabricating method of an array substrate, and a display device. The fabricating method of a thin film transistor comprises: forming a gate electrode on a substrate; and forming a gate insulating layer, a semiconductor layer, source and drain electrodes and a channel region on the substrate, wherein, the semiconductor layer is formed of a metal oxide, and two etching steps are used to form the channel region, and in a first etching step, a part of a source-drain metal layer above the semiconductor layer corresponding to the channel region is removed by using a dry etching, and in a second etching step, a remaining part of the source-drain metal layer above the semiconductor layer corresponding to the channel region is removed by using a wet etching, thereby forming the channel region. |
| US09171940B2 |
Thin film transistor substrate, display device, and method for manufacturing thin film transistor substrate
In a thin film transistor substrate (10) having an island-like channel protection layer (15a) covering a channel portion of an oxide semiconductor layer (14), a source electrode (16S) and a drain electrode (16D) are formed of an aluminum alloy film or a multilayer film including an aluminum alloy film. |
| US09171939B2 |
Method for manufacturing thin-film transistor and thin-film transistor manufactured with same
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a thin-film transistor and a thin-film transistor manufactured with same. The method includes (1) providing a substrate; (2) forming a first metal layer on the substrate and applying a masking operation to form a gate terminal; (3) forming a gate insulation layer on the gate terminal; (4) forming an oxide semiconductor layer on the gate insulation layer and forming a second metal layer on the oxide semiconductor layer, wherein the second metal layer includes a titanium layer formed on the oxide semiconductor layer and a copper layer formed on the titanium layer and is subjected to a masking operation to form a data line and source/drain terminal; and (5) forming a transparent conductive layer on the second metal layer and applying a masking operation to patternize the transparent conductive layer to form the thin-film transistor. |
| US09171938B2 |
Semiconductor element and method for manufacturing the same
An object is to provide a thin film transistor and a method for manufacturing the thin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor with a controlled threshold voltage, high operation speed, a relatively easy manufacturing process, and sufficient reliability. An impurity having influence on carrier concentration in the oxide semiconductor layer, such as a hydrogen atom or a compound containing a hydrogen atom such as H2O, may be eliminated. An oxide insulating layer containing a large number of defects such as dangling bonds may be formed in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer, such that the impurity diffuses into the oxide insulating layer and the impurity concentration in the oxide semiconductor layer is reduced. The oxide semiconductor layer or the oxide insulating layer in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer may be formed in a deposition chamber which is evacuated with use of a cryopump whereby the impurity concentration is reduced. |
| US09171936B2 |
Barrier region underlying source/drain regions for dual-bit memory devices
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a memory cell. The memory cell comprises a substrate and a stacked gate structure disposed on the substrate, wherein the stacked gate structure comprises a charge trapping dielectric layer that is adapted to store at least one bit of data. The memory cell further includes a source and drain in the substrate, wherein the source and drain are disposed at opposite sides of the stacked gate structure. A barrier region is disposed substantially beneath the source or the drain and comprises an inert species. Other embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US09171931B2 |
Trench power MOSFET
A device includes a semiconductor region of a first conductivity type, a trench extending into the semiconductor region, and a conductive field plate in the trench. A first dielectric layer separates a bottom and sidewalls of the field plate from the semiconductor region. A main gate is disposed in the trench and overlapping the field plate. A second dielectric layer is disposed between and separating the main gate and the field plate from each other. A Doped Drain (DD) region of the first conductivity type is under the second dielectric layer, wherein an edge portion of the main gate overlaps the DD region. A body region includes a first portion at a same level as a portion of the main gate, and a second portion at a same level as, and contacting, the DD region, wherein the body region is of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type. |
| US09171929B2 |
Strained structure of semiconductor device and method of making the strained structure
An exemplary structure for a field effect transistor (FET) comprises a silicon substrate comprising a first surface; a channel portion over the first surface, wherein the channel portion has a second surface at a first height above the first surface, and a length parallel to first surface; and two source/drain (S/D) regions on the first surface and surrounding the channel portion along the length of the channel portion, wherein the two S/D regions comprise SiGe, Ge, Si, SiC, GeSn, SiGeSn, SiSn, or III-V material. |
| US09171928B2 |
Manufacturing method of semiconductor device
Provided is a semiconductor device with improved performance and production yield. Insulating films IL2 and IL3 are formed over a semiconductor substrate in that order to cover a gate electrode. Then, the insulating films IL3 and IL2 are etched back to form sidewall spacers including the insulating films IL2 and IL3 over sidewalls of the gate electrode. The source/drain region is formed in the semiconductor substrate by ion implantation using the gate electrode and the sidewall spacer as a mask. Then, the sidewall spacers are isotropically etched on conditions where the insulating film IL2 is less likely to be etched than the third insulating film IL3 to thereby decrease the thickness of the sidewall spacer. Thereafter, a reaction layer between the metal and the source/drain region is formed over the source/drain region. |
| US09171923B2 |
Method of fabricating a gallium nitride merged P-i-N Schottky (MPS) diode
A semiconductor structure includes a III-nitride substrate with a first side and a second side opposing the first side. The III-nitride substrate is characterized by a first conductivity type and a first dopant concentration. The semiconductor structure also includes a III-nitride epitaxial structure including a first III-nitride epitaxial layer coupled to the first side of the III-nitride substrate and a plurality of III-nitride regions of a second conductivity type. The plurality of III-nitride regions have at least one III-nitride epitaxial region of the first conductivity type between each of the plurality of III-nitride regions. The semiconductor structure further includes a first metallic structure electrically coupled to one or more of the plurality of III-nitride regions and the at least one III-nitride epitaxial region. A Schottky contact is created between the first metallic structure and the at least one III-nitride epitaxial region. |
| US09171914B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device having small leakage current and high breakdown voltage during reverse blocking, small on-state resistance and large output current at forward conduction, short reverse recovery time at shutoff, and high peak surge current value is provided. An n-type layer is made of a group-III nitride, and a p-type layer is made of a group-IV semiconductor material having a smaller band gap than the group-III nitride. The energy level at the top of the valence band of the n-type layer is lower than the energy level at the top of the valence band of the p-type layer, so that a P-N junction semiconductor device satisfying the above requirements is obtained. Further, a combined structure of P-N junction and Schottky junction by additionally providing an anode electrode to be in Schottky contact with the n-type layer also achieves the effect of decreasing voltage at the rising edge of current resulting from the Schottky junction. |
| US09171911B2 |
Isolation structure in gallium nitride devices and integrated circuits
An integrated semiconductor device which includes a substrate layer, a buffer layer formed on the substrate layer, a gallium nitride layer formed on the buffer layer, and a barrier layer formed on the gallium nitride layer. Ohmic contacts for a plurality of transistor devices are formed on the barrier layer. Specifically, a plurality of first ohmic contacts for the first transistor device are formed on a first portion of the surface of the barrier layer, and a plurality of second ohmic contacts for the second transistor device are formed on a second portion of the surface of the barrier layer. In addition, one or more gate structures formed on a third portion of the surface of the barrier between the first and second transistor devices. Preferably, the one or more gate structures and the spaces between the gate structures and the source contacts of the transistor devices collectively form an isolation region that electrically isolates the first transistor device from the second transistor device. |
| US09171910B2 |
Semiconductor electronic components with integrated current limiters
An electronic component includes a high-voltage depletion-mode transistor and a low-voltage enhancement-mode transistor. A source electrode of the high-voltage depletion-mode transistor is electrically connected to a drain electrode of the low-voltage enhancement-mode transistor, and a gate electrode of the high-voltage depletion-mode transistor is electrically coupled to the source electrode of the low-voltage enhancement-mode transistor. The on-resistance of the enhancement-mode transistor is less than the on-resistance of the depletion-mode transistor, and the maximum current level of the enhancement-mode transistor is smaller than the maximum current level of the depletion-mode transistor. |
| US09171906B2 |
Semiconductor device having a trench gate structure and manufacturing method of the same
In a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, a trench is defined in a semiconductor substrate, and an adjuster layer having a first conductivity type impurity concentration higher than a drift layer is formed at a portion of the semiconductor substrate adjacent to a bottom wall of the trench. A channel layer is formed by introducing second conductivity type impurities to a portion of the semiconductor substrate adjacent to a sidewall of the trench and between the adjustment layer and a main surface of the semiconductor substrate while restricting the channel layer from extending in a depth direction of the trench by the adjustment layer. |
| US09171904B2 |
FinFET device with dual-strained channels and method for manufacturing thereof
A FinFET device and a method for manufacturing a FinFET device is provided. An example device may comprise a substrate including at least two fin structures. Each of the at least two fin structures may be in contact with a source and drain region and each of the at least two fin structures may include a strain relaxed buffer (SRB) overlying and in contact with the substrate and an upper layer overlying and in contact with the SRB. The composition of the upper layer and the SRB may be selected such that the upper layer of a first fin structure is subjected to a first mobility enhancing strain in the as-grown state, the first mobility enhancing strain being applied in a longitudinal direction from the source region to the drain region and where at least an upper part of the upper layer of a second fin structure is strain-relaxed. |
| US09171902B2 |
Semiconductor structures comprising a plurality of active areas separated by isolation regions
Methods of pitch doubling of asymmetric features and semiconductor structures including the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a single photolithography mask may be used to pitch double three features, for example, of a DRAM array. In one embodiment, two wordlines and a grounded gate over field may be pitch doubled. Semiconductor structures including such features are also disclosed. |
| US09171901B2 |
Method for improving device performance using dual stress liner boundary
An integrated circuit with DSL borders perpendicular to the transistor gates primarily inside the nwell and with DSL borders parallel to the transistor gates primarily outside the nwell. A method for forming an integrated circuit with DSL borders perpendicular to the tranistor gates primarily inside the nwell and with DSL borders parallel to the transistor gates primarily outside the nwell. |
| US09171900B2 |
Method of fabricating a gallium nitride P-i-N diode using implantation
A III-nitride semiconductor device includes an active region for supporting current flow during forward-biased operation of the III-nitride semiconductor device. The active region includes a first III-nitride epitaxial material having a first conductivity type, and a second III-nitride epitaxial material having a second conductivity type. The III-nitride semiconductor device further includes an edge-termination region physically adjacent to the active region and including an implanted region comprising a portion of the first III-nitride epitaxial material. The implanted region of the first III-nitride epitaxial material has a reduced electrical conductivity in relation to portions of the first III-nitride epitaxial material adjacent to the implanted region. |
| US09171899B2 |
Sapphire structure with a concave portion including a metal substructure and method for producing the same
A sapphire structure with a metal substructure is disclosed. The sapphire structure with a metal substructure includes a sapphire structure and a metal substructure. The sapphire structure includes a flat surface and a concave portion on the flat surface. The metal substructure in the concave portion is bonded to an inner surface of the concave portion and includes a surface portion that is substantially flush with the flat surface. |
| US09171891B2 |
AMOLED display panel and AMOLED display device
An Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode (AMOLED) display panel is disclosed. The display panel includes first and second substrates, and a glass frit layer bonding the first and the second substrates in an edge encapsulation area of the AMOLED display panel. The second substrate includes an electrode overlapped with the glass frit layer, and the electrode is connected to a heat conduction component. |
| US09171884B2 |
Method for combining LEDS in a packaging unit and packaging unit having a multiplicity of LEDS
A method of combining LEDs in a packaging unit includes determining a color locus of a multiplicity of LEDs, classifying the LEDs into a plurality of different color locus ranges, each LED classified into a color locus range comprising the determined color locus of the respective LED, arranging the LEDs in the packaging unit such that the packaging unit contains a plurality of successive sequences respectively of a plurality of LEDs, wherein each sequence respectively has exactly one LED from each of the color locus ranges, and the LEDs of the different color locus ranges are respectively arranged in the same order within the sequences. |
| US09171880B2 |
Photoelectric conversion device, method of manufacturing the same, and camera
A photoelectric conversion device, comprising a photoelectric conversion portion, provided in a semiconductor substrate, including a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type, a second semiconductor region of the first conductivity type provided adjacent to the first semiconductor region, a third semiconductor region of the first conductivity type provided at a position away from the second semiconductor region, and a gate electrode provided between the second semiconductor region and the third semiconductor region, wherein the second semiconductor region is provided at a position away from the gate electrode, and the semiconductor substrate includes a region of a second conductivity type within a region extending from an edge of the second semiconductor region to below the gate electrode. |
| US09171878B2 |
Detector and DAS, and X-ray computed tomography apparatus
According to one embodiment, detector and DAS includes an X-ray detector, a board, a DAS, and a plurality of X-ray shielding plates. The X-ray detector detects X-rays and generates an electrical signal corresponding to the detected X-rays. The board is coupled to the X-ray detector and includes a wiring pattern to extract the electrical signal from the X-ray detector. The DAS is coupled to the board and included an electronic part to perform signal processing for the electrical signal. The X-ray shielding plates are provided for the board to prevent the electronic part from being exposed to X-rays transmitted through the X-ray detector. A portion of the wiring pattern is placed between the X-ray shielding plates. |
| US09171875B2 |
Solid-state imaging device, manufacturing method thereof, and electronic apparatus
Disclosed herein is a solid-state imaging device including: a laminated semiconductor chip configured to be obtained by bonding two or more semiconductor chip sections to each other and be obtained by bonding at least a first semiconductor chip section in which a pixel array and a multilayer wiring layer are formed and a second semiconductor chip section in which a logic circuit and a multilayer wiring layer are formed to each other in such a manner that the multilayer wiring layers are opposed to each other and are electrically connected to each other; and a light blocking layer configured to be formed by an electrically-conductive film of the same layer as a layer of a connected interconnect of one or both of the first and second semiconductor chip sections near bonding between the first and second semiconductor chip sections. The solid-state imaging device is a back-illuminated solid-state imaging device. |
| US09171874B2 |
Solid-state imaging device including an imaging element and a cover member having a quartz plate
A solid-state imaging device includes an imaging element having a light receiving surface, and a cover member disposed over and opposite to the light receiving surface of the imaging element with a space therebetween. The cover member has a quartz plate, and the optical axis of the crystal of the quartz plate is parallel to the light receiving surface. |
| US09171873B2 |
Light sensing integrated circuit and manufacturing method of sensing integrated circuit
A manufacturing method of a sensing integrated circuit including the following acts. A plurality of transistors are formed. At least one dielectric layer is formed on or above the transistors. A plurality of connecting structures are formed in the dielectric layer. The connecting structures are respectively and electrically connected to the transistors. A plurality of separated conductive wells are respectively formed in electrical contact with the connecting structures. |
| US09171871B2 |
Method for fabricating array substrate for FFS mode liquid crystal display device
An array substrate for a field switching mode liquid crystal display device and a fabrication method thereof are provided. The array substrate for an FFS mode LCD device includes: a plurality of gate lines formed on the substrate; a plurality of data lines arranged to cross the gate lines; a common line formed at the subpixel regions of the substrate; an auxiliary common line formed on the common line; TFTs formed at crossings of the gate lines and the data lines; a protective film formed on the substrate; and a pixel electrode and a common electrode formed on the protective film and connected with the TFTs and the auxiliary common line, respectively. |
| US09171870B2 |
Light-emitting device and driving method thereof
In a light emitting device, luminance irregularities caused by fluctuation in threshold of TFTs for supplying a current to EL elements among pixels hinder the light emitting device from improving the image quality. A voltage equal to the threshold of a TFT 110 is held in capacitor means 111 in advance. When a video signal is inputted from a source signal line, the voltage held in the capacitor means is added to the signal, which is then applied to a gate electrode of the TFT 110. Even when threshold is fluctuated among pixels, each threshold is held in the capacitor means 111 of each pixel, and therefore, influence of the threshold fluctuation can be removed. Since the threshold is stored in the capacitor means 111 alone and the voltage between two electrodes is not changed while a video signal is written, fluctuation in capacitance value has no influence. |
| US09171866B2 |
Array substrate for narrow bezel type liquid crystal display device and method of manufacturing the same
An array substrate for a narrow bezel type liquid crystal display device and method of manufacturing the same are provided. The array substrate includes: gate lines (GLs) on a substrate, the substrate including a display area and first to fourth non-display areas at respective sides, pixel regions, a gate insulating layer (GIL) on the GLs, a plurality of data lines on the GIL and crossing the GLs, a plurality of gate auxiliary lines parallel to the data lines and connected to respective GLs, an auxiliary line in the third non-display area with a first layer under the GIL and a second layer on the GIL, the first layer contacting the second layer through a first auxiliary contact hole in the GIL, a thin film transistor in each pixel region and connected to the GLs and data lines, and a pixel electrode connected to each thin film transistor. |
| US09171862B2 |
Three-dimensional memory and method of forming the same
A method of forming a three-dimensional memory is provided. A stacked structure including semiconductor layers and insulating layers arranged alternately is formed on a substrate. The stacked structure is patterned to form a mesh structure having first strips extending in a first direction and second strips extending in a second direction. The first strips and the second strips intersect with each other. The mesh structure has first holes. A dielectric layer is formed in each first hole. At least a portion of the first strips of the mesh structure is removed to form second holes and bit line stacked structures separated from each other. A charge storage layer is formed on sidewall and bottom of each second hole. A gate pillar extending in a third direction is formed on each charge storage layer in the second hole. Word lines extending in the first direction are formed on the gate pillars. |
| US09171854B2 |
Semiconductor devices including variable width floating gates
A semiconductor device includes a substrate including an active region defined by a device isolation pattern and a floating gate on the active region. The floating gate includes an upper portion, a lower portion having a width greater than a width of the upper portion, and a step-difference portion between the upper portion and the lower portion. A dielectric pattern is on the floating gate, and a control gate is on the dielectric pattern. The lower portion of the floating gate has a height of about 4 nm or more. |
| US09171853B2 |
Method of fabricating semiconductor device and device fabricated thereby
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of lines disposed on a semiconductor substrate, and remaining line patterns disposed spaced apart from the lines on extensions from the lines. The lines include first end-portions adjacent to the remaining line patterns. The remaining line patterns include second end-portions adjacent to the lines. The first end-portions and second end-portions are formed to have mirror symmetry with respect to each other. |
| US09171852B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes: a plurality of memory cells, each of the memory cells including a tunneling insulating film provided on a substrate including silicon, a floating gate provided on the tunneling insulating film, an inter-gate insulating film provided on the floating gate, and a control gate provided on the inter-gate insulating film; and an element separation trench provided between the plurality of memory cells, the element separation trench having a gap in an interior of the element separation trench. The inter-gate insulating film is provided also above the element separation trench. An upper end of the gap is provided in an interior of the inter-gate insulating film provided above the element separation trench. |
| US09171832B2 |
Analog switch with high bipolar blocking voltage in low voltage CMOS process
The disclosed technology relates to an apparatus for protection against transient electrical events. In one aspect, the apparatus includes an analog switch with high bipolar blocking voltage comprising a first p-type well region, a second p-type well region, a first n-type well region disposed between the first and second p-type well regions, and a deep n-type well region surrounding the first p-type well region, the second p-type well region, and the first n-type well region. The apparatus additionally includes a first native n-type region disposed between the first p-type well region the n-type well region and a second native n-type region disposed between the second p-type well region and n-type well region. The apparatus is configured such that the first p-type well region serves as an emitter/collector of a bidirectional PNP bipolar transistor. In addition, the apparatus is configured such that the first native n-type region, the first n-type well region, and the second native n-type region serves as a base of the bidirectional PNP bipolar transistor. Furthermore, the apparatus is configured such that the second p-type well region is configured as a collector/emitter of the bidirectional PNP bipolar transistor. |
| US09171828B2 |
DC-DC converter having terminals of semiconductor chips directly attachable to circuit board
A power supply system (200) has a QFN leadframe with leads and a pad (201). The pad surface facing a circuit board has a portion recessed with a depth (270) and an outline suitable for attaching side-by-side the sync (210) and the control (220) FET semiconductor chips. The input terminal (220a) of the control FET and the grounded output terminal (210a) of the sync FET are coplanar with the un-recessed portion of the pad (switch node terminal) so that all terminals can be directly attached to contacts of a circuit board. A driver-and-control chip (230) is vertically stacked to the opposite pad surface and encapsulated in a packaging compound (290). |
| US09171823B2 |
Circuit module with multiple submodules
An embodiment of a circuit module includes module nodes, a first submodule, a second submodule, and a conductive structure. The first submodule has a first submodule node, and the second submodule is disposed over the first submodule and has a second submodule node. The conductive structure couples the first submodule node to one of the module nodes and couples the second submodule node to one of the module nodes. Another embodiment of a circuit module includes module nodes, a first submodule, a second submodule, and a conductive structure. The first submodule has first submodule nodes, and the second submodule is disposed over the first submodule and has second submodule nodes. The conductive structure couples one of the first and second submodule nodes to one of the module nodes and couples one of the first submodule nodes to one of the second submodule nodes. |
| US09171822B2 |
Method of sealing and contacting substrates using laser light and electronics module
The invention concerns a method of fusing and electrically contacting a first insulating substrate (28A) having at least one first conductive layer (29A) thereon with at least one second insulating substrate (28B) having at least one second conductive layer (29B) thereon, the method comprising: stacking the first and second substrates (28A, 28B) such that an interface zone is formed between them, the interface zone comprising an electrical contacting zone where at least one first conductive layers (29A) faces and is at least partially aligned with at least one second conductive layer (29B), and a substrate fusing zone where the insulating substrates (28A, 28B) directly face each other; focusing to the interface zone of the substrates (28A, 28B) through one of the substrates (28A, 28B) a plurality of sequential focused laser pulses from a laser source, the pulse duration, pulse frequency and pulse power of the laser light being chosen to provide local melting the substrate (28A, 28B) materials and the conductive layers (29A, 29B); and moving the laser source and the substrate with respect to each other at a predetermined velocity and path so that a structurally modified zone is formed to the interface zone, the structurally modified zone overlapping with said electrical contacting zone and said substrate fusing zone. The invention provides a convenient way of manufacturing well-sealed joints and electrical contacts for multifunction electronic devices, for example. |