| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09214744B2 |
Connector device
A connector device includes a plurality of board mounted connectors and mating side connectors to be fitted with each other and a guiding hood. Levers are rotatably attached to the mating side connectors. A guiding hood includes a plurality of connector fitting parts which guide an insertion of the mating side connectors corresponding to the board mounted connectors, and is attached to the opening part of the housing case. The board mounted connectors and the mating side connectors are configured to be fitted with each other by rotating the levers which are engaged to the connector fitting parts. The guiding hood includes locking means configured to be locked and engaged to the board mounted connectors respectively by being elastically engaged with engaging parts of the board mounted connectors respectively in a direction in which the board mounted connectors are arranged. |
| US09214738B2 |
Antenna array connectivity layout and a method for designing thereof
An antenna array connectivity circuit of a millimeter-wave RF module comprises a multilayer substrate having a rectangular layout; a plurality of triangular antenna edge blocks having a triangular layout arranged in the multilayer substrate such that a base of each triangular antenna edge block of the plurality of triangular antenna edge blocks is parallel to an edge of the multilayer substrate and a vertex of each triangular antenna edge block points to a center of the multilayer substrate; a plurality of antenna interfaces arranged in the multilayer substrate such that each antenna interface of the plurality of antenna interfaces lays parallel to a base of a respective triangular antenna edge block and in a perimeter of one edge of the rectangular layout; and a signal distribution network lays in the center of the multilayer substrate such that a separation is created between two groups of triangular antenna edge blocks. |
| US09214730B2 |
Patch antenna
A patch antenna comprises a patch radiator, at least a first connection point for at least a first radio frequency signal, and at least a first feed structure. The first feed structure is arranged to connect the first connection point to at least two feed points on the patch radiator, a first of the feed points being disposed adjacent to a first edge of the patch radiator, and a second of the feed points being disposed adjacent to a second edge of the patch radiator, the first and second edges being on opposed sides of a central region of the patch radiator. The first feed structure comprises at least a first transmission line arranged to connect the first of the feed points to the second of the feed points, the transmission line being disposed in a substantially parallel relationship to the patch radiator. |
| US09214729B2 |
Antenna and array antenna
An antenna includes a radiating element with a shape substantially conforming to a quadrilateral, a grounding and feed-in element, substantially surrounding the radiating element and having an opening formed near to a fourth side of the radiating element, wherein the grounding and feed-in element is electrically connected to a ground at one side of the opening and is electrically connected to a signal feed-in terminal at another side of the opening, a first connection element, having a terminal electrically connected to a first side and the fourth side of the radiating element, and another terminal electrically connected to the grounding and feed-in element, and a second connection element, having a terminal electrically connected to a third side and the fourth side of the radiating element, and another terminal electrically connected to the grounding and feed-in element. |
| US09214728B2 |
Coil antenna and communication terminal device
To ensure a sufficient communication distance and to concurrently suppress a conductor loss, a coil antenna includes a magnetic core including a first peripheral surface including at least a first principal surface, a first coil conductor located on the first principal surface and wound around a predetermined winding axis, a first base material layer stacked on the first principal surface, including at least a first surface parallel or substantially parallel to the first principal surface, and made of a material having a lower magnetic permeability than the magnetic core, and a second coil conductor located on at least the first surface. Opposite ends of the second coil conductor are coupled to the first coil conductor on the first principal surface, and a direction in which a current flows through the first coil conductor on the first principal surface is substantially the same as a direction in which a current flows through the second coil conductor on the first surface. |
| US09214721B2 |
Antenna designs and system for reducing energy emissions from wearable mobile device
The present invention relates to design of antennas for efficient communication over the radio-frequency airwaves in applications such as cellular phones and more particularly, wearable wireless devices, and to a system for reducing the overall electromagnetic energy radiated from a cellular phone designed to be worn on the body. The invention includes a series of antenna designs with a configuration of materials that can transmit wireless signals efficiently without excess power being emitted, enabling regulatory approval of a wearable wireless communications device, enhancing consumer safety, and increasing battery life. The design further enables a single antenna, with extraordinarily small physical dimensions, to be used across many of the most popular wireless communication spectra in the United State and worldwide. The accompanying system further reduces the electromagnetic emissions from a cellular or mobile communications device designed to be worn on the body, further enabling such devices to meet relevant regulatory approval standards in the United States and elsewhere. |
| US09214719B2 |
Handheld device and method of manufacture thereof
A handheld device comprises a casing acting as a protective supporting framework of the handheld device. A circuit board mechanically supports and electrically connects with each other electronic components of the handheld device and is configured to be embedded into the casing. At least one wireless communications circuit transmits signals and data from the handheld device and is carried by the circuit board. A flex-antenna assembly is electrically coupled to the wireless communications circuit for sending and receiving the signals and data, defines flexible dielectric and conductive layers of the flex-antenna assembly disposed adjacent to each other, and is embedded into the circuit board. |
| US09214716B2 |
Radio switch
A radio switch, in particular a snap-action switch, having an antenna, a transmitter assembly and a generator, wherein the antenna is electrically connected to the transmitter assembly in order to emit a signal which is generated by the transmitter assembly, wherein the transmitter assembly is accommodated on a circuit mount which is in the form of a panel, wherein the antenna is held in the radio switch on a mount substrate which is separate from the circuit mount. |
| US09214715B2 |
Hybrid coupler device having plural transmission line structures with unwound-rewound geometry
The present invention is directed to a hybrid coupler device that includes a first transmission line structure and a second transmission line structure. The first transmission line structure is interdigitally coupled with the second transmission line structure such that each transmission line in the second transmission line structure is disposed adjacent to a transmission line in the first transmission line structure. The coupling or the mutual capacitance Cd between the transmission lines of the present invention need not be equal; in fact, they all can be different. |
| US09214714B2 |
Circuit arrangement including hybrids and duplexers between antenna, transmission and reception ports
A circuit arrangement includes an antenna port, a transmission port, and a reception port, each of which is connected to one respective 90° hybrid that splits an input signal into two output signals that are in quadrature. The circuit arrangement also includes two duplexers which are connected in such a way that the two output signals emitted by the 90° hybrid that is connected to the transmission port constructively interfere on the antenna port, while spurious signals caused by the two output signals destructively interfere on the reception port. |
| US09214711B2 |
Twist septum polarization rotator
A waveguide polarization rotator is provided as unitary body with a first bore; a diametral first septum of the unitary body extending between sidewalls of the first bore. The first septum is twisted between a first end of the first septum and a second end of the first septum. The waveguide polarization rotator may be further provided in a matrix configuration with a plurality of second bores each with a diametral second septum of the unitary body extending between sidewalls of the second bores; a longitudinal axis of the first bore and each of the second bores parallel to one another. The waveguide polarization rotator may be manufactured via injection molding, casting or the like. |
| US09214708B2 |
Gas vent for electrochemical cell
An electrochemical cell system is configured to utilize an ionically conductive medium flowing through a plurality of electrochemical cells. One or more gas vents are provided along a flow path for the ionically conductive medium, so as to permit gasses that evolve in the ionically conductive medium during charging or discharging to vent outside the cell system, while constraining the ionically conductive medium within the flow path of the electrochemical cell system. |
| US09214704B2 |
Thermal decoupling of battery cells in the case of a malfunction
A battery module having a plurality of battery cells positioned adjacent to one another and electrically connected to one another, between which the thermal resistance between adjacent battery cells may be increased in the case of a malfunction of the battery module and/or of individual battery cells, in order to prevent overheating of adjacent cells. In addition, a method for thermally decoupling battery cells in the case of a malfunction is described. |
| US09214703B2 |
Secondary cell and method for testing secondary cell
The present invention provides a secondary cell, wherein an area having generated therein a phenomenon due to an internal short-circuit can be freely changed, a change in the secondary cell due to the generation of the internal short-circuit is correctly grasped, and safety of the secondary cell can be accurately evaluated when the internal short-circuit is generated. An internal short-circuit test method for the secondary cell is also provided. In the present invention, the secondary cell is configured by disposing: an electrode group, which is formed by winding or laminating a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, and an insulating layer disposed between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate; and a heat generating body, which is disposed between the positive electrode plate and the insulating layer or between the negative electrode plate and the insulating layer. |
| US09214702B2 |
Batteries for electric tools
A battery for an electric tool includes at least one battery cell, a peripheral device operable to detect a battery condition of the at least one battery cell, and a microcomputer communicating with the peripheral device. The microcomputer periodically operates the peripheral device for detecting the battery condition during the time when the battery is not electrically connected to the electric tool. |
| US09214701B2 |
Lithium-ion rechargeable battery
Provided is a technique of achieving a longer-life lithium ion secondary battery. The lithium ion secondary battery includes a cathode including a cathode active material containing Mn, an anode including an anode active material containing graphite and non-aqueous electrolytic solution including electrolyte, and LiBF4 and LiPF6 are allowed to coexist in the non-aqueous electrolytic solution. Especially preferably LiPF6 is contained more than LiBF4 in the electrolytic solution. Preferably the electrolytic solution further includes iodide salt. As a result, an oxide of phosphor and boron is deposited on the cathode, thus preventing elution of Mn included in the cathode. The amount of these electrolytes is preferably in the decreasing order of phosphor, boron and then iodine. |
| US09214699B2 |
Non-aqueous electrolyte battery and battery pack
The non-aqueous electrolyte battery includes an outer case, a positive electrode housed in the outer case, a negative electrode housed in the outer case such that the negative electrode is separated from the positive electrode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte accommodated in the outer case. The negative electrode comprises a current collector and negative electrode layer formed on one surface or both surfaces of the current collector. The negative electrode layer includes at least one main negative electrode layer which is formed on the surface of the current collector and contains a first active material, and a surface layer which is formed on the surface of the main negative electrode layer and contains a second active material different from the first active material, the second active material being a lithium titanium composite oxide having a spinel structure. |
| US09214698B2 |
Secondary battery including a fixing part on the inside of the can with a defined distance between the fixing part and the electrode assembly
A secondary battery including a fixing part on the inside of the can is disclosed. In one embodiment, the battery includes an electrode assembly having a diameter of L2, a can housing the electrode assembly and at least one fixing portion extending from an inner wall of the can toward an outer surface of the electrode assembly. In one embodiment, L1 is defined as the shortest distance between two portions of the inner wall of the can which are substantially directly opposing with respect to each other. The electrode assembly is separated from the fixing part by a gap such that the electrode assembly is prevented from contacting the can. |
| US09214695B2 |
Hybrid anodes for redox flow batteries
RFBs having solid hybrid electrodes can address at least the problems of active material consumption, electrode passivation, and metal electrode dendrite growth that can be characteristic of traditional batteries, especially those operating at high current densities. The RFBs each have a first half cell containing a first redox couple dissolved in a solution or contained in a suspension. The solution or suspension can flow from a reservoir to the first half cell. A second half cell contains the solid hybrid electrode, which has a first electrode connected to a second electrode, thereby resulting in an equipotential between the first and second electrodes. The first and second half cells are separated by a separator or membrane. |
| US09214686B2 |
Flow cell with shunt current counter electrode
Counter electrodes are used within the context of a flow cell to attract shunt current depositions during operation. The counter electrodes may be electrically connected with an anode of the flow cell to attract the depositions and then electrically connected with a cathode of the flow cell to remove the depositions. |
| US09214679B2 |
Coating process for production of fuel cell components
A method of making a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) includes providing a solid oxide electrolyte and depositing at least one electrode on the electrolyte by PVD, such as sputtering. A method of making an interconnect for a fuel cell stack includes providing an electrically conductive interconnect, and depositing a layer on the interconnect by PVD, such as depositing a LSM barrier layer by sputtering. The SOFC and the interconnect may be located in the same fuel cell stack. |
| US09214678B2 |
Porous support structures, electrodes containing same, and associated methods
Electrodes comprising metal support structures and methods for making the same are generally described. In certain embodiments, the electrodes described herein comprise a metal porous support structure, and an electrode active material at least partially contained within the pores of the porous support structure. In some embodiments, the electrical conductivity of the porous support structure material can ensure that electrons are efficiently transferred through and/or out of the electrode (e.g., to a current collector and/or to an external circuit). The pores within the porous support structure can ensure, in certain embodiments, that the electrode active material is accessible to the electrolyte, thereby enhancing performance of the electrochemical cell in which the electrode is used. |
| US09214677B2 |
Lithium ion secondary battery electrode, manufacturing process for the same, and lithium ion secondary battery using the electrode
To provide a lithium ion secondary battery electrode in which a coat is held on a surface of an active material layer over a long period of time to suppress decomposition of the electrolysis solution and to enhance the cyclability, a manufacturing process for the same, and a lithium ion secondary battery using the electrode.A lithium ion secondary battery electrode includes a current collector, an active material layer containing a binder formed on a surface of the current collector, and a coat containing modified polydimethylsiloxane formed on a surface of at least a part of the active material layer, wherein the coat is chemically bonded with the binder. |
| US09214676B2 |
Positive electrode active material for lithium ion batteries, positive electrode for lithium ion batteries, and lithium ion battery
The present invention provides a positive electrode active material for lithium ion batteries having satisfactory battery characteristics. The positive electrode active material for lithium ion batteries, is represented by the following composition formula: Li(LixNi1-x-yMy)O2+α wherein M represents one or more selected from the group consisting of scandium (Sc), titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), gallium (Ga), germanium (Ge), bismuth (Bi), tin (Sn), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), boron (B) and zirconium (Zr); 0≦x≦0.1; 0 |
| US09214670B2 |
Positive electrode material for lithium battery, positive electrode prepared from the positive material, and lithium battery including the positive electrode
A positive electrode material for a lithium battery, a positive electrode prepared from the positive electrode material, and a lithium battery including the positive electrode are disclosed. The positive electrode material includes a positive active material, an aqueous binder, and tungsten trioxide. Due to the inclusion of the positive active material, the aqueous binder, and the tungsten trioxide (WO3), the positive electrode material may substantially prevent corrosion of an aluminum substrate. The positive electrode material has high electric conductivity. Lithium batteries including positive electrodes prepared from the positive electrode material have decreased resistance of the electrode plate, high rate characteristics, and good lifespan characteristics. |
| US09214666B2 |
Graphite material with lattice distortion for use in lithium-ion secondary battery negative electrodes, and lithium-ion secondary battery
This disclosure concerns graphite materials having lattice distortion for lithium-ion secondary battery negative electrode obtained by a manufacturing method comprising the steps of: pulverizing and classifying a raw coke composition obtained from a heavy-oil composition undergone coking by delayed coking process, the raw coke composition having a H/C atomic ratio that is a ratio of hydrogen atoms H and carbon atoms C of 0.30 to 0.50 and having a micro-strength of 7 to 17 mass % to obtain powder of the raw coke composition; giving compressive stress and shear stress to the powder of the raw coke composition so that average circularity is 0.91 to 0.97 to obtain round powder; heating the round powder to obtain a carbonized composition; and graphitizing the carbonized composition. |
| US09214665B2 |
Positive electrode material mixture, and positive electrode for non-aqueous secondary battery and secondary battery, employing it
To provide a positive electrode material mixture for a non-aqueous secondary battery, which is less likely to be gelled and has a good applicability to a current collector, and is capable of producing a battery capable of sufficiently exhibiting practical performance. A positive electrode material mixture which comprises a cathode active material, a binder containing a fluorinated copolymer having polymerized units derived from tetrafluoroethylene and polymerized units derived from propylene, and an aqueous medium, wherein the cathode active material is that the pH of a supernatant obtained by mixing the cathode active material with water is at least 10, and a positive electrode and a secondary battery, obtainable by employing it. |
| US09214664B2 |
Cathode active material with high capacity and improved conductivity and non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprising the same
An object of the present invention is a cathode active material including a lithium manganese-based oxide. The lithium manganese-based oxide has a spinel structure, exhibits core-shell phase transition by which phase transition of a crystal structure occurs from a cubic structure to a tetragonal structure in a direction from the surface of particles to the center of the particles during discharging to the 3V region, and includes a conductive material at the shell to improve electrical conductivity of the tetragonal structure. |
| US09214661B2 |
Electrode manufacturing method
An electrode manufacturing method which can lower the impedance of electrochemical devices is provided. The electrode manufacturing method comprises the steps of applying a coating material containing an active material particle, a binder, and a good solvent for the binder to a current collector, so as to form a coating film made of the coating material; removing the good solvent from the coating film; applying a poor solvent for the binder to the coating film having removed the good solvent; and pressing the coating film coated with the poor solvent. |
| US09214658B2 |
Battery pack
A battery pack includes a first battery module, the first battery module including first unit batteries arranged side by side in a first direction, a second battery module adjacent to the first battery module, the second battery module including second unit batteries arranged side by side in the first direction, and at least one supporting block in a space between the first unit batteries and the second unit batteries, the at least one supporting block contacting the first and second battery modules. |
| US09214652B2 |
Electric storage element and method for manufacturing electric storage element
An electric storage element includes: an electrode body having a positive electrode and a negative electrode; a case for housing the electrode body; an insulating member arranged in the case to insulate the electrode body from the case; and a spacer arranged in the case. The spacer is arranged between the insulating member and the electrode body. |
| US09214647B2 |
Organic light emitting diode device
Disclosed is an organic light emitting diode device including a substrate, an organic light emitting element disposed on the substrate, a polymer resin layer covering the organic light emitting element, and a getter disposed between the organic light emitting element and the polymer resin. The getter may include a moisture absorbing material and a binder having a volatilization degree of about 400 ppm or less when heated at a temperature ranging from about 60° C. to about 120° C. for about 2 hours. |
| US09214646B2 |
Display apparatus including distance separator
A display apparatus includes: a display panel including a substrate where a display unit is formed, and an encapsulation unit covering the display unit; a functional film adhered to the display panel; a window cover provided on the functional film; and an adhesive interposed in at least one of regions where the display panel, the functional film, and the window cover are adhered to each other, wherein a distance separator, including at least one opening for providing a path for ultraviolet rays for hardening the adhesive, is provided between the display panel and the window cover. |
| US09214643B2 |
Sealed structure, light-emitting device, electronic device, and lighting device
A sealed structure with high sealing capability, in which a pair of substrates is attached to each other with a glass layer is provided. The sealed structure has a first and second substrates, a first surface of the first substrate facing a first surface of the second substrate, and the glass layer which is in contact with the first and second substrates, defines a space between the first and second substrates, and is provided along the periphery of the first surface of the first substrate. The first substrate has a corner portion. The area of the first surface of the first substrate is smaller than or equal to that of the first surface of the second substrate. In at least one of respective welded regions between the glass layer and the first or second substrate, the width of the corner portion is larger than that of the side portion. |
| US09214641B2 |
Organic electroluminescence element
The organic electroluminescence element in accordance with the present invention includes: a light-emitting layer; a first electrode layer disposed on a first surface in a thickness direction of the light-emitting layer; a second electrode layer disposed on a second surface in the thickness direction of the light-emitting layer; and an electrically conductive layer. The light-emitting layer is configured to emit light when a predetermined voltage is applied between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. The second electrode layer includes an electrode part covering the second surface and an opening part formed in the electrode part to expose the second surface. The electrically conductive layer is configured to allow the light to pass therethrough, and is formed on an exposed region of the second surface exposed through the opening part in such a way as to be electrically connected to the electrode part and the light-emitting layer. |
| US09214638B2 |
Material for organic electroluminescent device and organic electroluminescence device including the same
A material for an organic electroluminescent (EL) device includes a copper(I) complex represented by the following Formula 1: [CuX(PPh3)2L] [Formula 1] In the above Formula 1, X is an anion, PPh3 is triphenylphosphine, and L is a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic ligand having 5 to 18 ring carbon. |
| US09214636B2 |
Organic electroluminescence device
Provided is an organic electroluminescence device having a long lifetime and capable of emitting blue light with high luminous efficiency. The organic electroluminescence device has an organic thin film layer composed of one or multiple layers including at least a light emitting layer and interposed between a cathode and an anode. In the organic electroluminescence device, the light emitting layer contains at least one kind selected from compounds each having a specific fluoranthene structure and at least one kind selected from fused ring-containing compounds each having a specific structure. |
| US09214633B2 |
Conjugated polymer, insolubilized polymer, organic electroluminescence element material, composition for organic electroluminescence element, polymer production process, organic electroluminescence element, organic EL display and organic EL lighting
An object of the present invention is to provide a conjugated polymer which has a high hole transportability and is excellent in solubility and depositability. Another object of the present invention is to provide an organic electroluminescence element which is capable of low voltage driving and has a high luminous efficiency and drive stability. The conjugated polymer of the present invention is a conjugated polymer containing a specific structure as the repeating unit, where the conjugated polymer contains an insolubilizing group as a substituent, the weight average molecular weight (Mw) is 20,000 or more and the dispersity (Mw/Mn) is 2.40 or less. |
| US09214631B2 |
Resistive RAM, method for fabricating the same, and method for driving the same
A resistive random access memory (ReRAM) includes a first electrode, a threshold switching layer formed over the first electrode and configured to perform a switching operation according to an applied voltage, a resistance change layer formed over the threshold switching layer, and configured to perform a resistance change operation, and a second electrode formed over the resistance change layer, wherein the threshold switching layer comprises a stoichiometric transition oxide while the resistance change layer comprises a non-stoichiometric transition metal oxide. |
| US09214628B2 |
Nonvolatile memory element, nonvolatile memory device, and manufacturing method for the same
A nonvolatile memory element according to the present invention includes a first metal line; a plug formed on the first metal line and connected to the first metal line; a stacked structure including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a variable resistance layer, the stacked structure being formed on a plug which is connected to the first electrode; a second metal line formed on the stacked structure and directly connected to the second electrode; and a side wall protective layer which covers the side wall of the stacked structure and has an insulating property and an oxygen barrier property, wherein part of a lower surface of the second metal line is located under an upper surface of the stacked structure. |
| US09214623B1 |
Doped piezoelectric resonator
Mechanical resonators including doped piezoelectric active layers are described. The piezoelectric active layer(s) of the mechanical resonator may be doped with a dopant type and concentration suitable to increase the electromechanical coupling coefficient of the active layer. The increase in electromechanical coupling coefficient may all for improved performance and smaller size mechanical resonators than feasible without using the doping. |
| US09214618B2 |
Miniature thermoelectric power generator
The subject invention pertains to thermoelectric power generation. According to certain embodiments, a stack of silicon-micromachined chips can be connected to form a cylindrical heat exchanger that enables a large, uniform temperature difference across a radially-oriented thermopile. Each layer in the stack can comprise two thermally-isolated concentric silicon rings connected by a polyimide membrane that supports patterned thermoelectric thin films. The polyimide membrane can be formed by selectively etching away the supporting silicon, resulting in thermally-isolated inner and outer rings. In operation, hot gas can flow through a finned central channel, and an external cross flow can enhance heat transfer to ambient to keep the outer surfaces cool. The resulting temperature gradient across the thermopile generates a voltage potential across the open ends due to the Seebeck effect. When connected to a load, current flows, and electrical power is supplied by the generated voltage potential caused by the temperature gradient. |
| US09214615B2 |
Methods of fabricating wafer-level flip chip device packages
In accordance with certain embodiments, semiconductor dies are at least partially coated with a conductive adhesive prior to singulation and subsequently bonded to a substrate having electrical traces thereon. |
| US09214614B2 |
Flexible lighting device having unobtrusive conductive layers
A lighting element is provided, comprising: a substrate; a first conductive element on the substrate; a light-emitting element having first and second contacts on top and bottom surfaces, respectively; a transparent layer adjacent to the top surface; an affixing layer between the substrate and the transparent layer, affixing the transparent layer to the substrate; and a second conductive element beneath the transparent layer and proximate to the top surface, wherein the first and second contacts are electrically connected to the first and second conductive elements, respectively, the light-emitting element emits light in a range of wavelengths between 10 nm and 100,000 nm, the transparent and affixing layer's will not decrease light transmittance below 70%, and the first and second conductive elements are at least partially transparent to visible light, or are 300 μm or smaller in width, or are concealed by a design feature from a viewing direction. |
| US09214612B1 |
Lens with diffusion layer and LED module using the same
A lens includes a transparent body and a light diffusion layer. The transparent body includes a bottom face, a light incident face and a light emerging face opposite to the light incident face. The light diffusion layer is formed at the bottom face of the transparent body and surrounding the light incident face. Light emitted toward the light diffusion layer can be diverged toward the light emerging face to emit out of the lens. |
| US09214609B2 |
LED assembly comprising a light scattering layer
The invention relates to a LED assembly comprising a light scattering layer provided between the phosphor layer of the LED and a filter layer. |
| US09214602B2 |
Chip unit with protrusions for interlocking mechanism and method for manufacturing the same
A chip unit includes a base and two chips. Each chip includes a substrate, a first semiconductor layer, a light emitting layer, a second semiconductor layer and an electrode. The substrate forms a groove in a bottom face thereof and two blocks besides the groove. The base forms a protrusion on a top face thereof and two slots besides the protrusion. The protrusion is fittingly received in the groove, and the two blocks are fittingly received in the two slots, respectively. A method for manufacturing the chip unit is also disclosed. |
| US09214601B1 |
Electroluminescent and photoluminescent multiband white light emitting diode
An electroluminescent and photoluminescent white light emitting diode (LED) includes an electroluminescent light emitting structure, a first photoluminescent light emitting layer, a second photoluminescent light emitting layer and a red light emitting layer. The electroluminescent light emitting structure emits a violet light having a wavelength between 395 nm and 450 nm and an FWHM smaller than 25 nm. The first photoluminescent light emitting layer and the second photoluminescent light emitting layer are sequentially disposed on the electroluminescent light emitting structure. The first photoluminescent light emitting layer absorbs the violet light to generate a blue light. The second photoluminescent light emitting layer absorbs the violet light and the blue light to generate a green light. The red light emitting layer generates a red light. Accordingly, the violet light, the blue light, the green light and the red light are blended to form a white light having a high color rendering index. |
| US09214597B2 |
Semiconductor device
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, includes: a step of etching a Si (111) substrate along a (111) plane of the Si (111) substrate to separate a Si (111) thin-film device having a separated surface along the (111) plane. |
| US09214596B2 |
Compound semiconductor devices and methods for fabricating the same
According to the present invention, a method for manufacturing a compound semiconductor comprises: forming a graphene-derived material layer on either a first selected substrate or a first selected compound semiconductor layer; forming a second compound semiconductor layer of at least one layer on at least said graphene-derived material layer, and changing the graphene-derived material layer so as to separate said second compound semiconductor layer of at least one layer. |
| US09214595B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting device
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting device includes a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, a light emitting layer, a dielectric layer, a first electrode, a second electrode and a support substrate. The first layer has a first and second surface. The second layer is provided on a side of the second surface of the first layer. The emitting layer is provided between the first and the second layer. The dielectric layer contacts the second surface and has a refractive index lower than that of the first layer. The first electrode includes a first and second portion. The first portion contacts the second surface and provided adjacent to the dielectric layer. The second portion contacts with an opposite side of the dielectric layer from the first semiconductor layer. The second electrode contacts with an opposite side of the second layer from the emitting layer. |
| US09214594B2 |
Fabrication of solar cells with electrically conductive polyimide adhesive
The present disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a solar cell including: providing a first substrate and a second substrate; depositing on the first substrate a sequence of layers of semiconductor material forming a solar cell including a top subcell and a bottom subcell; forming a back metal contact over the bottom subcell; applying a conductive polyimide adhesive to the second substrate; attaching the second substrate on top of the back metal contact; and removing the first substrate to expose the surface of the top subcell. |
| US09214593B2 |
Solar cell and method for manufacturing the same
A method for manufacturing a solar cell is discussed. The method may include injecting first impurity ions at a first surface of a substrate by using a first ion implantation method to form a first impurity region, the substrate having a first conductivity type and the first impurity ions having a second conductivity type, and the first impurity region having the second conductivity type; heating the substrate with the first impurity region to activate the first impurity region to form an emitter region from the first impurity region; etching the emitter region from a surface of the emitter region to a predetermined depth to form an emitter part from the emitter region; and forming a first electrode on the emitter part to connect to the emitter part and a second electrode on a second surface of the substrate to connect to the second surface of the substrate. |
| US09214589B2 |
Method of inline manufacturing a solar cell panel
Throughput of manufacturing thin-film solar panels by inline technique is made substantially independent from the time extent of different surface treatment steps by accordingly subdividing treatment steps in sub-steps performed in inline subsequent treatment stations. Treatment duration in each of the subsequent treatment stations is equal(τ). |
| US09214587B2 |
Photoelectric conversion module and manufacturing method thereof
A photoelectric conversion module in which an output voltage defect is suppressed is obtained by forming in parallel over a substrate n number (n is a natural number) of integrated photoelectric conversion devices each including a plurality of cells that are connected in series, and electrically connecting in parallel n−1 number or less of integrated photoelectric conversion devices with normal electrical characteristics and excluding an integrated photoelectric conversion device with a characteristic defect such as a short-circuit between top and bottom electrodes or a leak current due to a structural defect or the like formed in a semiconductor layer or the like. |
| US09214586B2 |
Semiconductor solar cell package
A package for a solar cell is provided having laminates formed by stacked lead frames to form an integral package supporting a solar cell structure. Lead frames serve as a heat sink, raised portions match a cavity in a middle lead frames that contain and hold individual solar cell chips in place. Beveled interior edges of a carrier lead frame are in electrical contact with bus bars on the periphery of a suspended solar cell and form the electrical connection for the cell, maximizing current handling capability and allowing the use of spring tension and/or a bonding compound for additional connection strength and integrity. Such a “stackable” semiconductor package requires no ribbon bonding and has multiple bias options, maximum scalability, enhanced moisture resistance, and multiple attachment options for heat sink attachment. |
| US09214584B2 |
Solar cell, method for manufacturing dopant layer, and method for manufacturing solar cell
In a method of manufacturing a solar cell includes forming a dopant layer by doping a dopant of a first conductive type and a counter dopant of a second conductive type opposite to the first conductive type to a surface of a semiconductor substrate. Here, a doping amount of the counter dopant is less than a doping amount of the dopant. |
| US09214578B2 |
Photoelectric conversion apparatus
A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes a lens array including a plurality of convex meniscus lenses. Each of the convex meniscus lenses is provided between a first member and a second member. The first member has a lower refractive index than each of the convex meniscus lenses and has convex surfaces conforming to respective concave surfaces of the convex meniscus lenses. The second member has a lower refractive index than each of the convex meniscus lenses and has concave surfaces conforming to respective convex surfaces of the convex meniscus lenses. The first member is provided between a group of the convex meniscus lenses and a group of the photoelectric conversion portions. |
| US09214574B2 |
Fullerene surfactants and their use in polymer solar cells
Fullerene surfactant compounds useful as interfacial layer in polymer solar cells to enhance solar cell efficiency. Polymer solar cell including a fullerene surfactant-containing interfacial layer intermediate cathode and active layer. |
| US09214573B2 |
Bypass diode
A bypass diode includes a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other, a p electrode as a first conductive type electrode and an n electrode as a second conductive type electrode arranged on the first surface, a back surface electrode arranged on the second surface and having a polarity identical to that of the semiconductor substrate, a first oxide layer arranged on the first surface, and a second oxide layer arranged on the second surface. |
| US09214570B2 |
Method for manufacturing a semiconductor device
The improvement of the reliability of a semiconductor device having a split gate type MONOS memory is implemented. An ONO film and a second polysilicon film are sequentially formed so as to fill between a first polysilicon film and a dummy gate electrode. Then, the dummy gate electrode is removed. Then, the top surfaces of the first and second polysilicon films are polished, thereby to form a memory gate electrode formed of the second polysilicon film at the sidewall of a control gate electrode formed of the first polysilicon film via the ONO film. As a result, the memory gate electrode high in perpendicularity of the sidewall, and uniform in film thickness is formed. |
| US09214563B2 |
Oxide semiconductor film and semiconductor device
It is an object to provide a highly reliable semiconductor device with good electrical characteristics and a display device including the semiconductor device as a switching element. In a transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer, a needle crystal group provided on at least one surface side of the oxide semiconductor layer grows in a c-axis direction perpendicular to the surface and includes an a-b plane parallel to the surface, and a portion except for the needle crystal group is an amorphous region or a region in which amorphousness and microcrystals are mixed. Accordingly, a highly reliable semiconductor device with good electrical characteristics can be formed. |
| US09214561B2 |
Thin body switch transistor
An integrated recessed thin body field effect transistor (FET) and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The method includes recessing a portion of a semiconductor material. The method further includes forming at least one gate structure within the recessed portion of the semiconductor material. |
| US09214560B2 |
VTFT including overlapping electrodes
A vertical transistor includes a substrate and an electrically conductive gate structure having a top surface and including a reentrant profile. A conformal electrically insulating layer that maintains the reentrant profile is in contact with the electrically conductive gate structure and at least a portion of the substrate. A conformal semiconductor layer that maintains the reentrant profile is in contact with the conformal electrically insulating layer. An electrode that extends into the reentrant profile is in contact with a first portion of the semiconductor layer. Another electrode is vertically spaced apart from the electrode, overlaps a portion of the electrode that extends into the reentrant profile, is in contact with a second portion of the semiconductor material layer over the top surface of the electrically conductive gate structure, and is within the reentrant profile. |
| US09214559B2 |
Graphene-transferring member, graphene transferrer, method of transferring graphene, and methods of fabricating graphene device by using the same
Graphene transferring members, graphene transferrer, methods of transferring graphene, and methods of fabricating a graphene device, may include a metal thin-film layer pattern and a graphene layer sequentially stacked on an adhesive member. The metal thin-film layer and the graphene layer may have the same shape. After transferring the graphene layer onto a transfer-target substrate during the fabrication of a graphene device, the metal thin-film layer is patterned to form electrodes on respective ends of the graphene layer by removing a portion of the metal thin-film layer. |
| US09214557B2 |
Device with isolation buffer
Devices and methods for forming a device are presented. A substrate prepared with a device region is provided. A fin is formed in the device region. The fin includes top and bottom portions. An amorphous isolation buffer is formed at least in the bottom fin portion, leaving the top fin portion crystalline. The top fin portion serves as a body of a fin type transistor. |
| US09214555B2 |
Barrier layer for FinFET channels
Integrated circuit devices having FinFETs with channel regions low in crystal defects and current-blocking layers underneath the channels to improve electrostatic control. Optionally, an interface control layer formed of a high bandgap semiconductor is provided between the current-blocking layer and the channel. The disclosure also provides methods of forming integrated circuit devices having these structures. The methods include forming a FinFET fin including a channel by epitaxial growth, then oxidizing a portion of the fin to form a current-blocking layer. |
| US09214554B2 |
Body-tied, strained-channel multi-gate device and methods of manufacturing same
A fin-FET or other multi-gate transistor is disclosed. The transistor comprises a semiconductor substrate having a first lattice constant, and a semiconductor fin extending from the semiconductor substrate. The fin has a second lattice constant, different from the first lattice constant, and a top surface and two opposed side surfaces. The transistor also includes a gate dielectric covering at least a portion of the top surface and the two opposed side surfaces, and a gate electrode covering at least a portion of the gate dielectric. The resulting channel has a strain induced therein by the lattice mismatch between the fin and the substrate. This strain can be tuned by selection of the respective materials. |
| US09214552B2 |
Method for fabricating a strain feature in a gate spacer of a semiconductor device
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes forming a gate stack over a substrate, forming spacers adjoining opposite sidewalls of the gate stack, forming a sacrificial layer adjoining the spacers, removing a portion of the sacrificial layer, removing a portion of the spacers to form a recess cavity below the left spacers. Then, a strain feature is formed in the recess cavity. The disclosed method provides an improved method by providing a space between the spacer and the substrate for forming the strained feature, therefor, to enhance carrier mobility and upgrade the device performance. |
| US09214547B2 |
Insulated gate bipolar transistor structure having low substrate leakage
A high voltage metal-oxide-semiconductor laterally diffused device (HV LDMOS), particularly an insulated gate bipolar junction transistor (IGBT), and a method of making it are provided in this disclosure. The device includes a semiconductor substrate, a gate structure formed on the substrate, a source and a drain formed in the substrate on either side of the gate structure, a first doped well formed in the substrate, and a second doped well formed in the first well. The gate, source, second doped well, a portion of the first well, and a portion of the drain structure are surrounded by a deep trench isolation feature and an implanted oxygen layer in the silicon substrate. |
| US09214543B2 |
Integration of bottom-up metal film deposition
A gate structure including a substrate and a gate dielectric layer formed over the substrate. The gate structure further includes a workfunction layer over the gate dielectric layer and spacers enclosing the gate dielectric layer and the workfunction layer. A top surface of a portion of the workfunction layer in contact with sidewalls of the spacer is a same distance from the gate dielectric layer as a top surface of a center portion of the work function layer. |
| US09214532B2 |
Ferroelectric liquid crystal display device comprising gate-overlapped lightly doped drain structure
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device including a circuit composed of thin film transistors having a novel GOLD (Gate-Overlapped LDD (Lightly Doped Drain)) structure. The thin film transistor comprises a first gate electrode and a second electrode being in contact with the first gate electrode and a gate insulating film. Further, the LDD is formed by using the first gate electrode as a mask, and source and drain regions are formed by using the second gate electrode as the mask. Then, the LDD overlapping with the second gate electrode is formed. This structure provides the thin film transistor with high reliability. |
| US09214531B2 |
Trenched power MOSFET with enhanced breakdown voltage and fabrication method thereof
A trenched power semiconductor device with enhanced breakdown voltage is provided. The trenched power semiconductor device has a first trench penetrating the body region located between two neighboring gate trenches. A polysilicon structure with a conductivity type identical to that of the body region is located in a lower portion of the first trench and spaced from the body region with a predetermined distance. A dielectric structure is located on the polysilicon structure and at least extended to the body region. Source regions are located in an upper portion of the body region. A heavily doped region located in the body region is extended to the bottom of the body region. A conductive structure is electrically connected to the heavily doped region and the source region. |
| US09214524B2 |
Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a gate insulating film formed over the semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film, a first semiconductor layer which is embedded into a portion on both sides of the gate electrode in the semiconductor substrate, and which includes Si and a 4B group element other than Si, and a second semiconductor layer which is embedded into the portion on both sides of the gate electrode in the semiconductor substrate, so as to be superposed on the first semiconductor layer, and which includes Si and a 4B group element other than Si, wherein the gate electrode is more separated from an end of the first semiconductor layer than from an end of the second semiconductor layer. |
| US09214518B1 |
Using molecular beam epitaxy in a semiconductor structure with a high K/GaSb interface
Disclosed is a wafer comprising a first layer of GaSb grown on a GaSb substrate by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), an oxide layer deposited on the surface of the first layer, and a cap layer deposited on the surface of the oxide layer. The wafer was capped with an arsenic (As) layer after the growth of the first layer. The As layer was removed from the wafer before the oxide layer was deposited on the surface of the first layer. Also disclosed is a method of forming a wafer. The method comprises growing a first layer of GaSb on a GaSb substrate by MBE, capping the wafer with an As layer after the growth of the first layer, removing the As layer from the wafer, depositing an oxide layer on the surface of the first layer, and depositing a cap layer on the surface of the oxide layer. |
| US09214517B2 |
Semiconductor device using 2-dimensional electron gas and 2-dimensional hole gas and method of manufacturing the semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a first compound semiconductor layer on a substrate, first through third electrodes spaced apart from each other on the first compound semiconductor layer, a second compound semiconductor layer on the first compound semiconductor layer between the first through third electrodes, a third compound semiconductor layer on the second compound semiconductor layer between the first and second electrodes, a first gate electrode on the third compound semiconductor layer, a fourth compound semiconductor layer having a smaller thickness than the third compound semiconductor layer on a portion of the second compound semiconductor layer between the second and third electrodes, and a second gate electrode on the fourth compound semiconductor layer. The first compound semiconductor layer between the second and third electrodes includes a 2-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) and the third compound semiconductor layer includes a 2-dimensional hole gas (2DHG). |
| US09214508B2 |
Thin film transistor substrate with intermediate insulating layer and display using the same
Provided are a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate and a display using the same. A TFT substrate includes: a substrate, a first TFT on the substrate, including: a polycrystalline semiconductor layer, a first gate electrode thereover, a first source electrode, and a first drain electrode, a second TFT on the substrate, including: a second gate electrode, an oxide semiconductor layer on the second gate electrode, a second source electrode, and a second drain electrode, an intermediate insulating layer including a nitride layer, on the first gate electrode, and an oxide layer covering the second gate electrode, on the intermediate insulating layer, on the oxide layer, and overlapping the second gate electrode, wherein the first source, first drain, and second gate electrodes are between the intermediate insulating layer and the oxide layer, and wherein the second source and the second drain electrodes are on the oxide semiconductor layer. |
| US09214507B2 |
Narrow border organic light-emitting diode display
An electronic device may be provided having an organic light-emitting diode display and control circuitry for operating the display. The display may include one or more display layers interposed between the control circuitry and a display layer having thin-film transistors. The electronic device may include a coupling structure interposed between the layer of thin-film transistors and the control circuitry that electrically couples the layer of thin-film transistors to the control circuitry. The coupling structure may include a dielectric member having a conductive via, a flexible printed circuit having a bent portion, or a conductive via formed in an encapsulation layer of the display. The display may include a layer of opaque masking material. The layer of opaque masking material may be formed on an encapsulation layer, an organic emissive layer, a thin-film transistor layer, or a glass layer of the organic light-emitting diode display. |
| US09214496B2 |
Transistor, display, and electric apparatus
A transistor includes: a gate electrode; a semiconductor layer facing the gate electrode with an insulating layer in between; a pair of source-drain electrodes electrically connected to the semiconductor layer; and a contact layer provided in a moving path of carriers between each of the pair of source-drain electrodes and the semiconductor layer, the contact layer having end surfaces covered with the source-drain electrode. |
| US09214494B2 |
Active matrix display panel with ground tie lines
A display panel and a method of forming a display panel are described. The display panel may include a thin film transistor substrate including a pixel area and a non-pixel area. The pixel area includes an array of bank openings and an array of bottom electrodes within the array of bank openings. A ground line is located in the non-pixel area and an array of ground tie lines run between the bank openings in the pixel area and are electrically connected to the ground line in the non-pixel area. |
| US09214490B2 |
Solid-state imaging device
According to one embodiment, there is provided a solid-state imaging device in which vertical signal lines VL1-1, VL1-2, VL2-1, VL2-2, VL3-1, and VL3-2 are respectively arranged between power lines DL1-1, DL1-3, DL2-1, DL2-3, DL3-1, and DL3-3, power lines DL1-2, DL2-2, and DL3-2 are respectively arranged between the vertical signal lines VL1-1, VL1-2, VL2-1, VL2-2, VL3-1, and VL3-2, power lines DL1-1 and DL1-3 are arranged to cross each other in each pixel in the column direction, power lines DL2-1 and DL2-3 are arranged to cross each other in each pixel in the column direction, and power lines DL3-1 and DL3-3 are arranged to cross each other in each pixel in the column direction. |
| US09214489B2 |
Photodiode and method for producing the same, photodiode array, spectrophotometer and solid-state imaging device
Provided is a photodiode having a high-concentration layer on its surface, in which the high-concentration layer is formed so that the thickness of a non-depleted region is larger than the roughness of an interface between silicon and an insulator layer, and is smaller than a penetration depth of ultraviolet light. |
| US09214483B2 |
Thin-film-transistor array substrate and manufacturing method thereof
The present invention discloses a thin-film-transistor array substrate and a manufacturing method thereof. The array substrate includes a thin-film transistor and a compensation electrode. A gate electrode of the thin-film transistor is a portion of a scan-signal line and has an opening, and the opening extends to a side of the scan-signal line. A drain electrode of the thin-film transistor is disposed correspondingly to the opening. A source electrode of the thin-film transistor extends from a side of a data-signal line and surrounds the drain electrode. The compensation electrode extends from another side of the scan-signal line and corresponds to the gate electrode. Therefore, the present invention is capable of reducing parasitic capacitance between the drain electrode and the gate electrode without increasing the resistance value of the scan-signal line. |
| US09214482B2 |
Array substrate and display device
An array substrate and a display device includes: a base substrate; a TFT, a gate line, a data line and a pixel electrode formed on the base substrate, the TFT includes: a bottom gate, a first gate insulating layer, an active layer, a second gate insulating layer, a top gate, a gate isolation layer and a source electrode and a drain electrode sequentially formed on the base substrate; wherein, the source electrode and the drain electrode are in contact with the active layer through a first via hole and a second via hole passing through the gate isolation layer and the second insulating layer, respectively; the pixel electrode is in contact with the drain electrode. |
| US09214475B2 |
All N-type transistor inverter circuit
This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for an all n-type transistor inverter circuit. A circuit can include an input thin film transistor (TFT), a pull-down TFT, a discharge TFT, a first pull-up TFT, a second pull-up TFT, and a floating capacitor. The circuit also can include first and second low-voltage voltage sources and first and second high-voltage voltage sources. The TFTs, the capacitor, and the voltage sources can be coupled such that an output of the circuit is the logical opposite of an input of the circuit. In some implementations, the circuit can exhibit zero DC current in both logic states and can output voltages substantially equal to the voltage output by the first low-voltage voltage source and the second high-voltage voltage source. In some implementations, the circuit can be used to construct D flip-flops, buffers, and controllers for an active matrix electronic display. |
| US09214473B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and electronic device
To provide a circuit used for a shift register or the like. The basic configuration includes first to fourth transistors and four wirings. The power supply potential VDD is supplied to the first wiring and the power supply potential VSS is supplied to the second wiring. A binary digital signal is supplied to each of the third wiring and the fourth wiring. An H level of the digital signal is equal to the power supply potential VDD, and an L level of the digital signal is equal to the power supply potential VSS. There are four combinations of the potentials of the third wiring and the fourth wiring. Each of the first transistor to the fourth transistor can be turned off by any combination of the potentials. That is, since there is no transistor that is constantly on, deterioration of the characteristics of the transistors can be suppressed. |
| US09214469B2 |
Semiconductor memory circuit and device
Provided is a semiconductor memory circuit including an oxide semiconductor insulated gate FET enabling advanced performance without being affected by a variation in threshold voltage. A semiconductor memory circuit MC includes a first transistor element T1 composed of an insulated gate FET having a gate electrode connected to a memory node N1, a drain electrode connected to an intermediate node N2, and a source electrode connected to a data I/O terminal DIO; a second transistor element T2 composed of an oxide semiconductor insulated gate FET having a gate electrode connected to a first control terminal CIN1, a drain electrode connected to the intermediate node N2, and a source electrode connected to the memory node N1; a capacitive element C1 having one end connected to a first voltage terminal VIN1 and the other end connected to the memory node N1; and a switching element S1 for controlling a conducting state between a second control terminal CIN2 or a second voltage terminal VIN2 or the first voltage terminal VIN1, and the intermediate node N2, based on a voltage level of at least the second control terminal CIN2. |
| US09214468B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same
A semiconductor device and a method for fabricating the same are provided to enable a bit line to be formed easily, increase a bit line process margin and reduce capacitance between the adjacent bit lines. The semiconductor device comprises: a first pillar and a second pillar each extended vertically from a semiconductor substrate and including a vertical channel region; a first bit line located in the lower portion of the vertical channel region inside the first pillar and the second pillar; and an interlayer insulating film located between the first pillar and the second pillar that include the first bit line. |
| US09214467B2 |
Method for fabricating capacitor
A method for fabricating a capacitor includes: forming a storage node contact plug over a substrate; forming an insulation layer having an opening exposing a surface of the storage node contact plug over the storage contact plug; forming a conductive layer for a storage node over the insulation layer and the exposed surface of the storage node contact plug through two steps performed at different temperatures; performing an isolation process to isolate parts of the conductive layer; and sequentially forming a dielectric layer and a plate electrode over the isolated conductive layer. |
| US09214462B2 |
Recessed source drain contact regions independent of device pitch by unmerged epitaxy on fin portions
A semiconductor device fabrication process includes forming a plurality of fins upon a semiconductor substrate and forming a plurality of gate stacks upon the semiconductor substrate orthogonal to the plurality of fins, forming fin portions by recessing the plurality of fins and semiconductor substrate adjacent to the plurality of gate stacks, and forming uniform unmerged epitaxy upon the fin portions. A semiconductor device includes the plurality of fins, the plurality of gate stacks, a first semiconductor substrate recess between a first gate stack pair and a second semiconductor recess between a second gate stack pair, and unmerged epitaxy. The plurality of fins each include fin portions and the unmerged epitaxy including a first epitaxy pair contacting fin portions associated with the first gate stack pair and a second epitaxy pair contacting fin portions associated with the second gate stack pair. |
| US09214461B2 |
GaN transistors with polysilicon layers for creating additional components
A GaN transistor with polysilicon layers for creating additional components for an integrated circuit. The GaN device includes an EPI structure and an insulating material disposed over EPI structure. Furthermore, one or more polysilicon layers are disposed in the insulating material with the polysilicon layers having one or more n-type regions and p-type regions. The device further includes metal interconnects disposed on the insulating material and vias disposed in the insulating material layer that connect source and drain metals to the n-type and p-type regions of the polysilicon layer. |
| US09214459B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device of an embodiment includes: a substrate; circuit units arranged above the substrate, each of the circuit units including a first electrode, a second electrode, a first switching element and a second switching element electrically connected in series between the first electrode and the second electrode, a capacitor electrically connected in parallel to the first switching element and the second switching element between the first electrode and the second electrode, and an AC electrode connected between the first switching element and the second switching element; and a housing that encloses the circuit units. A common potential is applied to the first electrodes of the respective circuit units, a common potential is applied to the second electrodes of the respective circuit units, and the AC electrodes of the respective circuit units are connected to one another. |
| US09214451B2 |
Semiconductor chip including a spare bump and stacked package having the same
A stacked package including: a semiconductor substrate, a circuit layer formed over the semiconductor substrate, a bump formed over the circuit layer, a spare bump formed correspondingly to the bump and over the circuit layer, and configured for replacing the bump with the spare bump, a through electrode configuring to pass through the semiconductor substrate on a same line as the bump and electrically coupled the bump or the spare bump in response to a selection signal, and a spare through electrode configured to pass through the semiconductor substrate on a same line as the spare bump and electrically coupled with the bump or the spare bump in response to a selection signal. When a bump has failed, a vertical input/output line of the semiconductor chips is established by a spare bump corresponding to the failed bump through the selective signal routing. |
| US09214448B2 |
Bundled memory and manufacture method for a bundled memory with an external input/output bus
A bundled memory includes a substrate, a first memory die, a second memory die, a scribe line, and an electrical connection. The first memory die has a first input/output bus, and the second memory die has a second input/output bus, where the first memory die and the second memory die are formed over the substrate. The scribe line is formed between the first memory die and the second memory die. The electrical connection is formed over the scribe line for electrically connecting to the first input/output bus and the second input/output bus, where the electrical connection is electrically connected to an external input/output bus, where a size of the external input/output bus of the bundled memory is larger than or equal to a size of the first input/output bus and a size of the second input/output bus. |
| US09214447B2 |
Non-leaded type semiconductor package and method of assembling same
A no-lead type semiconductor package has a mold cap that forms a mold body. The corners of the mold body are reinforced with mold columns such that the corners have rounded protrusions and do not form 90° angles. The mold columns prevent the corner pads from peeling. |
| US09214446B2 |
Method of manufacturing optical module
The present invention is directed to provide a method of manufacturing an optical module in which optical devices are optically aligned with high precision regardless of elastic return of bonding bumps. The invention provides a method of manufacturing an optical module including the steps of forming bumps for bonding made of metal on a substrate, and bonding a second optical device on the bonding bumps by applying a load so that the bumps for bonding are deformed only by a predetermined amount from a position where a first optical device and the second optical device are optically coupled most efficiently and, after that, releasing the load. |
| US09214445B2 |
Electronic component and method of fabricating the same
An electronic component includes: a substrate formed of ceramic and including one or more pads on an upper surface thereof; a component flip-chip mounted on the upper surface of the substrate with one or more bumps bonded to the one or more pads; and an additional film located on a lower surface of the substrate and overlapping with at least a part of a smaller one of the pad and the bump in each of one or more pad/bump pairs, the one or more pad/bump pairs being composed of the one or more pads and the one or more bumps bonded to each other. |
| US09214443B2 |
Eutectic solder structure for chip
The present invention provides a eutectic solder structure for a chip including a substrate and a solder structure on the substrate. The solder structure includes an alternate lamination of a plurality of first metal layers and a plurality of second metal layers, wherein each second metal layer has a continuous region and a plurality of openings and the melting point of the plurality of second metal layers is higher than that of the plurality of first metal layers. The eutectic solder structure for a chip also includes a chip on the solder structure, wherein the chip is bonded to the substrate by a eutectic reaction of the solder structure. |
| US09214440B1 |
Method for preventing die pad delamination
The invention is directed to a method for inhibiting or preventing delamination at the interface of the die attach/mold compound and the die pad of a semiconductor device and a semiconductor device formed by such method. The method includes providing a leadframe having a top surface; coating said top surface of said leadframe with first and second silane coating; heating said silane coatings to form a sol-gel layer having a porosity of at least 10%; applying a die to said sol-gel layer; securing said die to said sol-gel layer by a die attaching compound; and after the curing of die attach material and wire bonding, a mold compound is applied through molding. |
| US09214438B2 |
Die-die stacking structure and method for making the same
The present invention relates to die-die stacking structure and the method for making the same. The die-die stacking structure comprises a top die having a bottom surface, a first insulation layer covering the bottom surface of the top die, a bottom die having a top surface, a second insulation layer covering the top surface of the bottom die, a plurality of connection members between the top die and the bottom die and a protection material between the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer. The plurality of connection members communicates the top die with the bottom die. The protection material bridges the plurality of connection members to form a mesh layout between the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer. The structure and method of present invention at least provide more strength and stress buffer to resist die warpage and absorb thermal cycling stress, and then prevents the bump and dielectric materials in the die-die stacking structure from cracking caused by thermal stress or external mechanical stress. |
| US09214437B1 |
Package method
A package method comprises the steps of: providing a metal carrier having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; forming a first wiring layer on the second surface of the metal carrier; forming a first conductive pillar layer on the first wiring layer; forming a dielectric material layer covering the first wiring layer, the first conductive pillar layer and the second surface of the metal carrier; exposing one end of the first conductive pillar layer; forming a second wiring layer on the exposed end of the first conductive pillar layer; forming a solder resist layer on the dielectric material layer and the second wiring layer; removing the metal carrier. |
| US09214435B2 |
Via structure for three-dimensional circuit integration
Circuits incorporating three-dimensional integration and methods of their fabrication are disclosed. One circuit includes a bottom layer and a plurality of upper layers. The bottom layer includes a bottom landing pad connected to functional components in the bottom layer. In addition, the upper layers are stacked above the bottom layer. Each of the upper layers includes a respective upper landing pad that is connected to respective functional components in the respective upper layer. The landing pads are coupled by a single conductive via and are aligned in a stack of the bottom layer and the upper layers such that each of the landing pads is offset from any of the landing pads in an adjacent layer in the stack by at least one pre-determined amount. |
| US09214431B1 |
On-chip/off-chip magnetic shielding loop
Magnetic coupling of noise sources can have a negative impact on the net performance of sensitive circuits. A magnetic shielding loop can advantageously minimize magnetic coupling associated with a circuit on an integrated circuit (IC) by including on-chip components, off-chip components, and interface components connecting the on-chip and off-chip components. The components can include conductive paths and contact pads on a die, package, and printed circuit board. The magnetic shielding loop magnetically isolates at least one of input terminals and noise-generating elements of the circuit. |
| US09214427B2 |
Method of self-correcting power grid for semiconductor structures
Aspects of the present invention relate to a self-correcting power grid for a semiconductor structure and a method of using thereof. Various embodiments include a self-correcting power grid for a semiconductor structure. The power grid may include a plurality of interconnect layers. Each of the plurality of interconnect layers may include a plurality of metal lines, where each of the plurality of metal lines are positioned substantially parallel to one another and substantially perpendicular to a plurality of distinct metal lines in adjacent interconnect layers. Additionally the interconnect layers may include a plurality of fuses formed within each of the metal lines of the plurality of interconnect layers. In the power grid, at least one of the fuses positioned immediately adjacent to a defect included in the power grid may be configured to blow during a testing process to isolate the defect. |
| US09214424B2 |
Method for producing a conductor line
A method for producing a rounded conductor line of a semiconductor component is disclosed. In that method, a partially completed semiconductor component is provided. The partially completed semiconductor component has a bottom side and a top side spaced distant from the bottom side in a vertical direction. Also provided is an etchant. On the top side, a dielectric layer is arranged. The dielectric layer has at least two different regions that show different etch rates when they are etched with the etchant. Subsequently, a trench is formed in the dielectric layer such that the trench intersects each of the different regions. Then, the trench is widened by etching the trench with the etchant at different etch rates. By filling the widened trench with an electrically conductive material, a conductor line is formed. |
| US09214420B2 |
Carbon nanotube-solder composite structures for interconnects, process of making same, packages containing same, and systems containing same
A carbon nanotube (CNT) array is patterned on a substrate. The substrate can be a microelectronic die, an interposer-type structure for a flip-chip, a mounting substrate, or a board. The CNT array is patterned by using a patterned metallic seed layer on the substrate to form the CNT array by chemical vapor deposition. The patterned CNT array can also be patterned by using a patterned mask on the substrate to form the CNT array by growing. A computing system that uses the CNT array for heat transfer from the die is also used. |
| US09214411B2 |
Integrated circuit devices including a through-silicon via structure and methods of fabricating the same
Integrated circuit (IC) devices are provided including: a first multi-layer wiring structure including a plurality of first wiring layers in a first region of a substrate at different levels and spaced apart from one another, and a plurality of first contact plugs between the plurality of first wiring layers and connected to the plurality of first wiring layers; a through-silicon via (TSV) landing pad including a first pad layer in a second region of the substrate at a same level as that of at least one first wiring layer from among the plurality of first wiring layers, and a second pad layer at a same level as that of at least one first contact plug from among the plurality of first contact plugs and contacts the first pad layer; a second multi-layer wiring structure on the TSV landing pad; and a TSV structure that passes through the substrate and is connected to the second multi-layer wiring structure through the TSV landing pad. |
| US09214407B2 |
Synthetic diamond heat spreaders
A synthetic diamond heat spreader, the synthetic diamond heat spreader comprising: a synthetic diamond material including a surface layer having a 13C content of less than a natural isotopic abundance (1.1%) and a support layer which is thicker than the surface layer and which has an isotopic abundance of 13C which is closer to the natural isotopic abundance than the surface layer, wherein at least 50% of a thickness of the synthetic diamond material is formed of the support layer; and a non-diamond thermal transfer layer disposed in contact with the surface layer of the synthetic diamond material for transferring heat into the surface layer. |
| US09214404B1 |
Apparatus for mounting microelectronic chips
A method and apparatus for mounting microelectronic chips to a thermal heat sink. The chips are arranged in a desired configuration with their active faces all facing a common direction and with their active faces defining a common planar surface for all of said chips. A metallic material is applied to the chip, preferably by electroplating to backsides of the chips, the metallic material being electro-formed thereon and making void-free contact with the backsides of the chips. |
| US09214398B2 |
Backside contacts for integrated circuit devices
A chip includes a semiconductor substrate, a well region in the semiconductor substrate, and a transistor formed at a front side of the semiconductor substrate. A source/drain region of the transistor is disposed in the well region. A well pickup region is disposed in the well region, wherein the well pickup region is at a back side of the semiconductor substrate. A through-via penetrates through the semiconductor substrate, wherein the through-via electrically inter-couples the well pickup region and the source/drain region. |
| US09214395B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor devices
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including the steps of providing a substrate having first type semiconductor regions and second type semiconductor regions, forming a conformal first epitaxy mask layer on the substrate, forming first type epitaxial layer in the substrate of the first type semiconductor regions, forming a conformal second epitaxy mask layer on the substrate, forming second type epitaxial layer in the substrate of the second type semiconductor regions, and removing the second epitaxy mask layer. |
| US09214393B2 |
Surface tension modification using silane with hydrophobic functional group for thin film deposition
A semiconductor structure that includes crystalline surfaces and amorphous hydrophilic surfaces is provided. The hydrophilic surfaces are treated with silane that includes a hydrophobic functional group, converting the hydrophilic surfaces to hydrophobic surfaces. Chemical vapor deposition or other suitable deposition methods are used to simultaneously deposit a material on both surfaces and due to the surface treatment, the deposited material exhibits superior adherence qualities on both surfaces. In one embodiment, the structure is an opening formed in a semiconductor substrate and bounded by at least one portion of a crystalline silicon surface and at least one portion of an amorphous silicon oxide structure. |
| US09214392B1 |
Method of forming contact hole and semiconductor structure with contact plug
A method of forming a contact hole includes providing a substrate. A nitrogen-containing dielectric layer, a first material layer, a second material layer, an oxygen-containing dielectric layer and a patterned photoresist layer cover the substrate from bottom to top. Then, the oxygen-containing dielectric layer is etched by taking the second material layer as a first etching stop layer to form a patterned oxygen-containing dielectric layer. Latter, the second material layer is etched by taking the first material layer as a second etching stop layer to form a patterned second material layer. Subsequently, the first material layer is etched by taking the nitrogen-containing dielectric layer as a third etching stop layer to form a patterned first material layer. Finally, the nitrogen-containing dielectric layer is etched until the substrate is exposed. |
| US09214386B2 |
Semiconductor constructions and methods of forming electrically conductive contacts
Some embodiments include methods of forming electrically conductive contacts. An opening is formed through an insulative material to a conductive structure. A conductive plug is formed within a bottom region of the opening. A spacer is formed to line a lateral periphery of an upper region of the opening, and to leave an inner portion of an upper surface of the plug exposed. A conductive material is formed against the inner portion of the upper surface of the plug. Some embodiments include semiconductor constructions having a conductive plug within an insulative stack and against a copper-containing material. A spacer is over an outer portion of an upper surface of the plug and not directly above an inner portion of the upper surface. A conductive material is over the inner portion of the upper surface of the plug and against an inner lateral surface of the spacer. |
| US09214384B2 |
Method of forming trench in semiconductor substrate
The present invention provides a method of forming a trench in a semiconductor substrate. First, a first patterned mask layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate. The first patterned mask layer has a first trench. Then, a material layer is formed along the first trench. Then, a second patterned mask layer is formed on the material layer to completely fill the first trench. A part of the material layer is removed when the portion of the material layer between the second patterned mask layer and the semiconductor substrate is maintained so as to form a second trench. Lastly, an etching process is performed by using the first patterned mask layer and the second patterned mask layer as a mask. |
| US09214383B2 |
Method of semiconductor integrated circuit fabrication
A method of fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) is disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate. A patterned adhesion layer is formed on the substrate. A metal layer is deposited on the patterned adhesion layer. An elevated temperature thermal process is applied to agglomerate the metal layer to form a self-forming-metal-feature (SFMF) and a dielectric layer is deposited between SFMFs. |
| US09214379B2 |
SOS substrate having low defect density in vicinity of interface
A bonded SOS substrate having a semiconductor film on or above a surface of a sapphire substrate is obtained by a method with the steps of implanting ions from a surface of a semiconductor substrate to form an ion-implanted layer; activating at least a surface from which the ions have been implanted; bonding the surface of the semiconductor substrate and the surface of the sapphire substrate at a temperature of 50° C. to 350° C.; heating the bonded substrates at a maximum temperature from 200° C. to 350° C. to form a bonded body; and irradiating visible light from a sapphire substrate side or a semiconductor substrate side to the ion-implanted layer of the semiconductor substrate for embrittling an interface of the ion-implanted layer, while keeping the bonded body at a temperature higher than the temperature at which the surfaces of the semiconductor substrate and the sapphire substrate were bonded. |
| US09214378B2 |
Undercut insulating regions for silicon-on-insulator device
A method of making a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) semiconductor device includes etching an undercut isolation trench into an SOI substrate, the SOI substrate comprising a bottom substrate, a buried oxide (BOX) layer formed on the bottom substrate, and a top SOI layer formed on the BOX layer, wherein the undercut isolation trench extends through the top SOI layer and the BOX layer and into the bottom substrate such that a portion of the undercut isolation trench is located in the bottom substrate underneath the BOX layer. The undercut isolation trench is filled with an undercut fill comprising an insulating material to form an undercut isolation region. A field effect transistor (FET) device is formed on the top SOI layer adjacent to the undercut isolation region, wherein the undercut isolation region extends underneath a source/drain region of the FET. |
| US09214376B2 |
Substrate mounting stage and surface treatment method therefor
A substrate mounting stage that prevents poor attraction of substrates so as to improve the operating rate of a substrate processing apparatus. The substrate mounting stage is disposed in the substrate processing apparatus and has a substrate mounting surface on which a substrate is mounted. The arithmetic average roughness (Ra) of the substrate mounting surface is not less than a first predetermined value, and the initial wear height (Rpk) of the substrate mounting surface is not more than a second predetermined value. |
| US09214375B2 |
End effector having multiple-position contact points
An apparatus is provided for lifting a substrate. The apparatus comprises a first piece and a second piece. The apparatus further comprises a set of first contact points in a plane and a set of second contact points, where at least one contact point from each set is present on the first piece and the second piece. The apparatus also comprises an actuator that translates the first piece, substantially parallel to the plane, between a first position and a second position relative to the second piece. Additionally, the first position arranges the set of first contact points so that all of the contact points of the set of first contact points are able to engage the substrate, and the second position arranges the set of second contact points so that all of the contact points of the second set of contact points are able to engage the substrate. |
| US09214373B2 |
Chuck exhaust openings
A chuck includes a number of gas openings positioned to provide a gas flow to a backside of a wafer secured to the chuck. The chuck also includes a number of exhaust openings positioned to exhaust the gas at a distance from a topside edge of the wafer such that adverse thermal effects on the edge are reduced to a predetermined level. |
| US09214368B2 |
Laser diode array with fiber optic termination for surface treatment of materials
Individually operable laser diodes in an array are associated with optical fibers for treatment of a material. Each laser diode has a generally Gaussian or similar profile. A guide block receives optical fiber terminal distal ends and enables irradiation of a surface for treatment with overlapping profiles. A control system controls individual laser diodes to achieve desired illumination profiles for a given process. The process is performed in a suitable environment which may include a vacuum system, controlled gaseous environment, or in a doping medium such as a surface coating or even a liquid. Optional relay optics interposed between the terminal distal ends and the treatment material allows distant relaying and reimaging. An optical isolator assembly may be interposed between the relay optics and the treatment material. The system and related methods allow direct irradiation from laser diodes to treat materials. |
| US09214367B2 |
Apparatus and method for the thermal treatment of substrates
The application describes an apparatus and a method for the thermal treatment of substrates, in particular thin film substrates for photovoltaic applications. The apparatus comprises at least one substrate carrier for supporting a substrate, a heating unit having at least one heating element for heating a substrate located on the substrate carrier and at least one heating element carrier for supporting the at least one heating element. The heating element carrier is designed to allow a local change in distance between the substrate carrier and the heating element, so as to be able to provide locally different heating intensities. In the method such a change in distance is carried out during the thermal treatment. |
| US09214364B2 |
Substrate cleaning apparatus and vacuum processing system
A substrate cleaning apparatus includes a supporting unit, provided in a processing chamber having a gas exhaust port, for supporting a substrate; one or more nozzle units, each for ejecting gas clusters to a peripheral portion of the substrate supported by the supporting unit to remove unnecessary substances from the peripheral portion; and a moving mechanism for changing relative positions of the supporting unit and the nozzle unit during ejecting the gas clusters. Each nozzle unit discharges a cleaning gas having a pressure higher than that in the processing chamber so that the cleaning gas is adiabatically expanded to form aggregates of atoms and/or molecules. |
| US09214363B2 |
Coating and developing apparatus, coating film forming method, and storage medium storing program for performing the method
Disclosed is a technique for preventing a water-repellent protective film formed on a resist film from peeling off during immersion exposure. A resist film is formed on the front surface of a substrate and then the peripheral edge portion of the resist film is removed. Before forming a water-repellent protective film onto the resist film, an adhesion-improving fluid, preferably hexamethyldisilazane gas, for improving the adhesion of the water-repellent protective film, is supplied to the region from which the resist film is removed. |
| US09214362B2 |
Producing method of encapsulating layer-covered semiconductor element and producing method of semiconductor device
A method for producing an encapsulating layer-covered semiconductor element includes a disposing step of disposing a semiconductor element on a support, an encapsulating step of embedding and encapsulating the semiconductor element by an encapsulating layer in an encapsulating sheet including a peeling layer and the encapsulating layer laminated below the peeling layer and made from a thermosetting resin before complete curing, and a heating step of heating and curing the encapsulating layer after the encapsulating step. The heating step includes a first heating step in which the encapsulating sheet is heated at a first temperature, while being mechanically pressurized toward the support and a second heating step in which the encapsulating sheet is heated at a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature after the first heating step. |
| US09214361B2 |
Semiconductor device manufacturing method and electronic device manufacturing method
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, includes: placing a semiconductor element on an adhesive layer that is placed on a support body having a first through hole; placing a part in an area that includes a portion corresponding to the first through-hole, the portion being on the adhesive layer placed on the support body; forming a substrate on the adhesive layer by forming a resin layer on the adhesive layer, on which the semiconductor element and the part have been placed, the substrate including the semiconductor element, the part, and the resin layer; and detaching the substrate from the adhesive layer by pressing the part through the first through-hole. |
| US09214360B2 |
Methods of patterning features having differing widths
Disclosed herein are methods of patterning features that have differing widths. In one example, the method includes forming a layer of material above a semiconductor substrate, forming a masking layer above the layer of material, wherein the masking layer is comprised of a first plurality features positioned above a first region of the semiconductor substrate and a second plurality of features positioned above a second region of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the first and second plurality of features have the same pitch spacing and wherein the first and second plurality of features have different widths, and performing at least one etching process on the layer of material through the masking layer. |
| US09214356B2 |
Mechanisms for forming patterns
The present disclosure provides a method for forming patterns in a semiconductor device. In accordance with some embodiments, the method includes providing a substrate and a patterning-target layer over the substrate; forming one or more mandrel patterns over the patterning-target layer; forming an opening in a resist layer by removing a first mandrel pattern and removing a portion of the resist layer that covers the first mandrel pattern; forming spacers adjacent to sidewalls of a second mandrel pattern; removing the second mandrel pattern to expose the spacers; forming a patch pattern over the spacers and aligned with the opening; etching the patterning-target layer using the patch pattern and the spacers as mask elements to form final patterns; and removing the patch pattern and the spacers to expose the final patterns. |
| US09214353B2 |
Systems and methods for laser splitting and device layer transfer
Methods and systems are provided for the split and separation of a layer of desired thickness of crystalline semiconductor material containing optical, photovoltaic, electronic, micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS), or optoelectronic devices, from a thicker donor wafer using laser irradiation. |
| US09214351B2 |
Memory architecture of thin film 3D array
A 3D memory device includes an improved dual gate memory cell. The improved dual gate memory cell has a channel body with opposing first and second side surfaces, charge storage structures on the first and second side surfaces, and a gate structure overlying the charge storage structures on both the first and second side surfaces. The channel body has a depth between the first and second side surfaces less than a threshold channel body depth, combined with the gate structure which establishes an effective channel length of the cell greater than a threshold length. The combination of the channel body depth and effective channel length are related so that the cell channel body can be fully depleted, and sub-threshold leakage current can be suppressed when the memory cell has a high threshold state under a read bias. |
| US09214347B2 |
Overlay mark assistant feature
A method and apparatus for alignment are disclosed. An exemplary apparatus includes a substrate having an alignment region; an alignment feature in the alignment region of the substrate; and a dummy feature disposed within the alignment feature. A dimension of the dummy feature is less than a resolution of an alignment mark detector. |
| US09214345B2 |
Film-forming composition and ion implantation method
There is provided an ion implantation method, a composition for forming an ion implantation film and a resist underlayer film-forming composition. An ion implantation method including the steps of: forming a film by applying a film-forming composition containing a compound including an element in group 13, group 14, group 15, or group 16 and an organic solvent onto a substrate and baking the film-forming composition; and implanting impurity ions into the substrate from above through the film and introducing the element in group 13, group 14, group 15, or group 16 in the film into the substrate. The film-forming composition is a film-forming composition for ion implantation containing a compound including an element in group 13, group 14, group 15, or group 16, and an organic solvent. In addition, the underlayer film-forming composition contains a compound having at least two borate ester groups. |
| US09214339B2 |
Method for producing group III nitride semiconductor
Group III nitride semiconductor having reduced threading dislocation density and uniform Ga-polar surface is provided. Forming a capping layer on a buffer layer containing Al as an essential element at a temperature lower than a temperature at which an oxide of element constituting the buffer layer is formed. Heat treating the substrate having the buffer layer covered by the capping layer at a temperature higher than a temperature at which a crystal of body semiconductor grows without exposing the surface of the buffer layer. The substrate temperature is decreased to a temperature at which a crystal of the body semiconductor grows and the body semiconductor is grown. |
| US09214336B2 |
Method for producing a group III nitride semiconductor
The surface of a sapphire substrate having a c-plane main surface is patterned by ICP dry etching. The patterned sapphire substrate is thermally treated in a hydrogen or nitrogen atmosphere at a temperature of less than 700° C. or at a temperature of more than 800° C. to 1100° C. An AlN buffer layer is formed by magnetron sputtering on the surface on the patterned side of the sapphire substrate heated at a temperature of 200° C. to less than 700° C. On the buffer layer, a Group III nitride semiconductor layer having a c-plane main surface is formed so as to have a thickness of 1 μm to 10 μm by MOCVD. |
| US09214334B2 |
High growth rate process for conformal aluminum nitride
Methods of depositing conformal aluminum nitride films on semiconductor substrates are provided. Disclosed methods involve (a) exposing a substrate to an aluminum-containing precursor, (b) purging the aluminum-containing precursor for a duration insufficient to remove substantially all of the aluminum-containing precursor in gas phase, (c) exposing the substrate to a nitrogen-containing precursor to form aluminum nitride, (d) purging the nitrogen-containing precursor, and (e) repeating (a) through (d). Increased growth rate and 100% step coverage and conformality are attained. |
| US09214332B2 |
Composite dielectric materials with improved mechanical and electrical properties
A low k dielectric material with enhanced electrical and mechanical properties is provided which, in some applications, can also reduce the capacitance of a semiconductor device. The low k dielectric material includes CNT nanotubes that are randomly dispersed within a low k dielectric material matrix. The low k dielectric material can be used in a variety of electronic devices including, for example, as an insulator layer within a back end of line interconnect structure. |
| US09214326B2 |
Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization ion source
An ion source for chemical ionization of analytes at atmospheric pressure with a non-radioactive electron source in a vacuum chamber, includes, a reaction chamber at atmospheric pressure, and a window with an electron-permeable and essentially gas-impermeable membrane in between. The window may be a structured window membrane, i.e. a window membrane with a structured form comprising a multitude of structural elements, between the reaction chamber and the vacuum chamber. |
| US09214319B2 |
High efficiency plasma source
A plasma reactor and method for improved gas injection for an inductive plasma source for dry strip plasma processing are disclosed. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, gas is fed into a plasma chamber through a gas injection channel located adjacent to the side wall of the plasma chamber, rather than from the center, so that the process gas enters the plasma chamber in a close proximity to the induction coil. In particular embodiments, the process gas that enters the chamber is forced to pass through a reactive volume or active region adjacent the induction coil where efficient heating of electrons occurs, providing increased efficiency of the reactor by improving process gas flow and confinement in the heating area. |
| US09214318B1 |
Electromagnetic electron reflector
An electromagnetic electron reflector, an ion implanter having an electromagnetic reflector and a method of implantation using the ion implanter. The electromagnetic electron reflector includes a frame; permanent magnets within the frame; a center aperture within the frame and electrically isolated by first gaps from the frame and the permanent magnets and fixed in position by dielectric feed throughs, first cup shields integrally formed on the top and bottom edges of the center aperture, the dielectric feed throughs nested within the first cup shields; second cup shields integrally formed on inside surfaces of the top and bottom of the frame, the second cup shields nested within respective first cup shields; entrance and exit apertures attached to the frame and an electrical conductor passing through at least one of the dielectric feed throughs and electrically contacting the center aperture. |
| US09214317B2 |
System and method of SEM overlay metrology
The present disclosure is directed to a method of performing SEM overlay metrology with scan direction substantially aligned with or parallel to feature placement or patterning of overlay target structures. By scanning target structures in the same or similar direction to the feature placement, blurring at the edges of interest is avoided and a line-to-line or edge-to-edge offset between pattern elements is less susceptible to error from blurring at scanned edges of interest. For example, at least two linear pattern elements corresponding to at least two sample layers may be scanned along or parallel to the direction of feature placement (i.e., along or parallel to long edges of the pattern elements). |
| US09214316B2 |
Composite charged particle beam apparatus
A composite charged particle beam apparatus comprises an FIB column having an ion beam irradiation axis and an SEM column having an electron beam irradiation axis, the FIB and SEM columns being arranged relative to one another so that the beam irradition axes intersect with each other substantially at a right angle. A sample stage is provided for mounting a sample, and a detector detects secondary particles generated from the sample when irradiated with the ion beam or the electron beam. An observation image formation portion forms an FIB image and an SEM image based on a detection signal of the detector. A display portion displays the FIB image and the SEM image in which a horizontal direction of the sample in the FIB image and said horizontal direction of the sample in the SEM image are the same thereby making it possible for an operator to easily comprehend the positional relationship of the observation image of the sample. |
| US09214315B2 |
Temperature control in plasma processing apparatus using pulsed heat transfer fluid flow
Methods and systems for controlling temperatures in plasma processing chamber via pulsed application of heating power and pulsed application of cooling power. In an embodiment, temperature control is based at least in part on a feedforward control signal derived from a plasma power input into the processing chamber. In further embodiments, fluid levels in each of a hot and cold reservoir coupled to the temperature controlled component are maintained in part by a passive leveling pipe coupling the two reservoirs. In another embodiment, digital heat transfer fluid flow control valves are opened with pulse widths dependent on a heating/cooling duty cycle value and a proportioning cycle having a duration that has been found to provide good temperature control performance. |
| US09214311B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmission of fluorescence X-ray radiation using a multilayer X-ray target
The present invention pertains to a method and apparatus for generating a beam of charged particles, accelerating the charged particles toward a first side of a layer of X-ray target material configured to emit Bremsstrahlung radiation through a second side, receiving the Bremsstrahlung radiation on a first face of an additional layer of a different X-ray target material configured to emit characteristic fluorescence X-rays with energy above 20 keV through a second face, wherein the additional layer of X-ray target material is located within 3 mm of the second side of the first layer of material. The first X-ray target material can have an atomic number greater than 21. |
| US09214308B2 |
Sealing type automotive relay with a safety device
The present invention provides a sealing type automotive relay with a safety device in the field of automotive relays, which addresses the problems of inconvenient fuse replacement and poor sealing property of the fuse in the existing relays. The sealing type automotive relay with a safety device comprises a relay main body and a safety device. The relay main body includes a base, a casing and a weak current system and a strong current system located on the base. The casing is fixedly connected with the base. The safety device includes two fuse sockets positioned on the base and a fuse inserted between the said two fuse sockets. The top of the casing is provided with a fuse inserting hole corresponding to the said two fuse sockets. The fuse is inserted into the inserting hole. A sealing cover is provided at the port of the fuse inserting hole. The sealing cover is sealedly connected to the port of the fuse inserting hole and the inner cavity of the sealing cover together with the fuse inserting hole forms a sealed cavity. The said fuse is located within the sealed cavity. The relay of the invention has advantages including good sealing property, convenience in fuse replacement and strong universality. |
| US09214307B2 |
Operating element for a furniture control and electrically adjustable piece of furniture
In an operating element for a furniture control for controlling an electrically adjustable piece of furniture, the operating element includes a flat sensor module with a plurality of proximity-sensitive sensor surfaces arranged on the sensor module. An operating panel covers the plurality of sensor surfaces. A set of switching surfaces is marked on the operating panel. A control module is designed for detecting an actuation of one of the switching surfaces based on sensor signals delivered by the sensor surfaces and for generating an actuation signal for the furniture control based on a detected actuation. The sensor module and the control module are arranged in a housing of the operating element, wherein the operating panel forms a cover of the housing. |
| US09214306B2 |
Gas insulated switchgear
A gas insulated switchgear includes a vacuum interrupter having a movable contact and a fixed contact in vacuum. The movable contact is on one side of a movable conductor that passes through a bellows. An insulating rod is coupled to the other side of the movable conductor that passes through the bellows. The insulating rod and the other side of the movable conductor are placed in an insulator. The vacuum interrupter, the insulating rod, and the insulator are disposed in a gas tank. An operating mechanism is disposed on a movable side end portion of the gas tank and connected to the insulating rod. An inner circumferential side space of the bellows, an internal space of the insulator, and an internal space of the operating box are in communication with each other; and pressure in these spaces is lower than pressure in the gas tank. |
| US09214303B2 |
Switch device system, switch device apparatus, computer program product
A system includes a switch operation unit configured to be mechanically operated to be in on or off state; a detecting unit configured to detect whether the switch operation unit is in on or off state; a first mechanism configured to close electrical contacts of at least one circuit when the switch operation unit is operated to be in on state; a second mechanism configured to maintain the contacts in closed state and switch the contacts to open state in response to electrical signals of off, on, and, off while the switch operation unit is in off state when the switch operation unit is operated to be in off state; and a first unit configured to notify a user of an abnormal state when the contacts are in the closed state and the switch operation unit is in off state at start of control. |
| US09214295B2 |
Key structure
A key structure includes a base plate, a switch circuit board, a keycap, and an enclosure frame. The keycap includes a magnetic element. The magnetic element is disposed on an edge part of the keycap. The enclosure frame includes a magnetic coating layer. The magnetic coating layer is formed on an edge part of the enclosure frame and disposed over the magnetic element. When the keycap is depressed, the keycap is moved to trigger the switch circuit board, so that the switch circuit board generates a key signal. When the keycap is no longer depressed, the keycap is moved toward the magnetic coating layer in response to the magnetic force. The key structure can be normally operated without the need of installing an elastic rubbery element. |
| US09214289B2 |
Electrolytic capacitor
An electrolytic capacitor includes a multilayered-capacitor-elements unit, a pair of positive electrode terminals, a negative electrode terminal, and an outer-package resin. The multilayered-capacitor-elements unit includes multiple capacitor elements of which positive electrodes are oriented oppositely to each other. The positive electrodes are connected to the positive electrode terminals, respectively, and negative electrodes of the capacitor elements are connected to the negative electrode terminal. Each of the positive electrode terminals includes a bottom section and a double-back section on which the positive electrodes of the capacitor element is disposed. The double-back section is formed by doubling over an end section extending toward the negative electrode. |
| US09214288B2 |
Flexible photo-anode of dye-sensitized solar cell and manufacturing method thereof
A flexible photo-anode of dye-sensitized solar cell and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The method includes steps of: coating zinc oxide nanoparticles on a flexible substrate to form a seed layer; immersing the flexible substrate into a first reaction solution; heating the seed layer to form a zinc oxide nanowire array; cooling the flexible substrate to the room temperature, immersing it into the second reaction solution, and stirring the second reaction solution, so that the zinc oxide nanowire array forms a cactus-like structure. Thus, the sintering and embossing processes can be prevented. |
| US09214285B2 |
Solid electrolytic capacitor with enhanced mechanical stability under extreme conditions
Described is a capacitor assembly that is thermally and mechanically stable under extreme conditions. Thermal stability is provided by enclosing and hermetically sealing the capacitor element within a housing in the presence of a gaseous atmosphere that contains an inert gas, thereby limiting the amount of oxygen and moisture supplied to the solid electrolyte of the capacitor. To provide good mechanical stability, the assembly contains at least one external termination (e.g., anode and/or cathode termination) extending beyond an outer periphery of a surface of the housing. The degree to which the external termination extends beyond the outer periphery relative to the dimension of the housing is selectively controlled to increase the surface area available for soldering to a circuit board. |
| US09214283B2 |
Multilayer capacitor and method of manufacturing same
In a multilayer capacitor 1, burned layers 17A, 17B are formed so as to cover all of lead conductors 12A, 12B drawn from inner electrodes 6A, 6B to end faces of a multilayer body 2. This can keep a plating solution from infiltrating onto the inner electrodes 6A, 6B when forming plating layers 18A, 18B and prevent insulation failures from occurring. Since the burned layers 17A, 17B cover a part of dummy electrodes 13C, 13F, 13G, 13H, the area of the burned layers 17A, 17B can be suppressed. This can inhibit excessive stresses from occurring in the burned layers 17A, 17B and thus can prevent cracks from being generated by stresses in the burned layers 17A, 17B. |
| US09214281B2 |
Very thin dielectrics for high permittivity and very low leakage capacitors and energy storing devices
Methods are disclosed for creating extremely high permittivity dielectric materials for use in capacitors and energy storage devices. High permittivity materials suspended in an organic non-conductive media matrix with enhanced properties and methods for making the same are disclosed. Organic polymers, shellac, silicone oil, and/or zein formulations are utilized to produce thin film low conductivity dielectric coatings. Transition metal salts as salt or oxide matrices are formed at low temperatures utilizing mild reducing agents. |
| US09214276B2 |
Capacitor
A capacitor is provided having an outer shell. A capacitor film member is disposed within the outer shell. A conductor member is disposed within the outer shell in thermal contact with the capacitor film member. A collet member is slidingly coupled to the conductor member. |
| US09214274B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting signals between a wall and a leaf fastened to this wall using hinges around a hinge axis
A method for transmitting a signal between a wall and a leaf hinged to the wall around an articulation axis includes providing a first signal transmission coil comprising a face side on the wall or on the leaf. A second signal transmission coil comprising a face side is provided on the wall or on the leaf. A carrier voltage is modulated via the signal to be transmitted so as to obtain a modulated carrier voltage. The modulated carrier voltage is applied to the first signal transmission coil so as to generate a secondary voltage modulated by the signal to be transmitted in the second signal transmission coil via an inductive coupling. The first signal transmission coil and the second signal transmission coil are arranged symmetrically with respect to the articulation axis and to face each another on their respective face sides. |
| US09214273B2 |
Radial drop winding for open-wound medium voltage dry type transformers with improved support structure
A method provides a radial drop winding for an open wound transformer. A plurality of non-electrically conductive posts are arranged to define an interior space. Each post is of generally L-shape having a main body and a leg extending from a bottom end of the main body. During an open winding process, conductive wire is dropped to build up lengthwise along the posts to define at least one generally cylindrical winding segment supported by the legs of the posts. |
| US09214271B2 |
Method of providing arc-resistant dry type transformer enclosure
Arc resistant enclosures for dry-type transformers. More particularly, transformer enclosures having one or more arc-resistant features, including arc channels, arc fault dampers, and arc fault plenums, and methods for providing same. |
| US09214269B2 |
IC rectangular inductor with perpendicular center and side shield traces
An inductive device is provided, which includes a substrate, a layer having a plurality of conductive metal traces and a metal shield layer. The conductive trace has an input port, a first portion, a second portion, a third portion and an output port. The metal shield layer is disposed between the substrate and the conductive trace. Each of the plurality of conductive metal traces has a respective length and a respective width. Each of the plurality of conductive metal traces are separated from one another. Each of the plurality of conductive metal traces are disposed perpendicularly with the first portion and the third portion. The metal shield layer provides spaced shield traces substantially perpendicular with the conductive metal traces. |
| US09214252B2 |
Ultrafine conductor material, ultrafine conductor, method for preparing ultrafine conductor, and ultrafine electrical wire
[Technical Problem] The invention is to provide a method for manufacture of an ultrafine conductor having sufficient electrical conductivity, and enhanced strength and stretch properties while suppressing manufacture cost, the same ultrafine conductor, as well as a material suited for the same ultrafine conductor. [Solution to Problem] To solve the above problem, there is provided a material for an ultrafine conductor, which includes a matrix formed of copper, chromium particles contained in the matrix, and tin contained in the matrix. The tin is present as a solid solution in the matrix. |
| US09214249B2 |
Multi-leaf collimators
A multi-leaf collimator for a radiotherapy apparatus comprises at least one array of laterally-spaced elongate leaves, each leaf being driven by an associated motor connected to the leaf via a drive means so as to extend or retract the leaf in its longitudinal direction, the drive means comprising a sub-frame on which at least a subset of the motors are mounted, the sub-frame being mounted at a location spaced from the leaf array in a direction transverse to the lateral and longitudinal directions, and including a plurality of threaded drives disposed longitudinally, each being driven by a motor and being operatively connected to a leaf thereby to drive that leaf. |
| US09214245B2 |
E-fuse structure of semiconductor device
Provided is an e-fuse structure of a semiconductor device having improved fusing performance so as to enable a program operation at a low voltage. The e-fuse structure includes a first metal pattern formed at a first vertical level, the first metal pattern including a first part extending in a first direction and a second part extending in the first direction and positioned to be adjacent to the first part, and a third part adjacent to the second part, the second part being positioned between the first part and the third part, the first part and the second part being electrically connected to each other, and the third part being electrically disconnected from the second part; and a second metal pattern electrically connected to the first metal pattern and formed at a second vertical level different from the first vertical level. |
| US09214244B2 |
Method of reading data stored in fuse device and apparatuses using the same
A method for reading data stored in a fuse device included in a memory device including a memory cell array is provided. The method comprises reading trimming data of the fuse device, wherein the trimming data is related to trimming a level of voltage or a level of current used for an operation of the memory device; and after the reading the trimming data, reading defective cell address data of the fuse device, wherein the defective cell address data is related to defective cells in the memory cell array. |
| US09214243B2 |
Three-dimensional nonvolatile memory and method of fabrication
A three-dimensional memory is provided that includes a first memory level and a second memory level monolithically formed above the first memory level. The first memory level includes a first steering element coupled in series with and vertically stacked above or below a first non-volatile state change element. The second memory level includes a second steering element coupled in series with and vertically stacked above or below a second non-volatile state change element. Other aspects are also provided. |
| US09214230B2 |
Resistive random access memory cell structure with reduced programming voltage
A cell of a resistive random access memory including (i) a resistive element and (ii) a switch. The resistive element includes (i) a first electrode, and (ii) a second electrode. The switch includes (i) a first terminal connected to a first contact, and (i) a second terminal connected to a second contact. The second contact is connected to the second electrode of the resistive element via a third contact. The third contact has a shape including a first surface and a second surface that is opposite to the first surface. The shape of the third contact tapers inward from the first surface towards the second surface. |
| US09214229B2 |
Phase change memory material and system for embedded memory applications
A family of phase change materials GewSbxTeyNz having a crystallization temperature greater than 410° C., wherein a Ge atomic concentration is within a range from 43% to 54%, a Sb atomic concentration is within a range from 6% to 13%, a Te atomic concentration is within a range from 14% to 23%, and a N atomic concentration is within a range of 15% to 27%, is described. A method for programming a memory device including such phase change materials is also described. |
| US09214223B2 |
Resistance memory device and memory apparatus and data processing system
A resistance memory device and a memory apparatus and data processing apparatus having the same are provided. The resistance memory device includes a pair of electrode layers and a variable resistance layer interposed between the pair of electrode layers. The variable resistance layer includes at least one variable resistance material layer and a piezoelectric material layer coupled to the at least one variable resistance material layer. |
| US09214222B2 |
Semiconductor device having timing control for read-write memory access operations
A semiconductor device avoids the disturb problem and the collision between write and read operations in a DP-SRAM cell or a 2P-SRAM cell. The semiconductor device 1 includes a write word line WLA and a read word line WLB each coupled to memory cells 3. A read operation activates the read word line WLB corresponding to the selected memory cell 3. A write operation activates the write word line WLA corresponding to the selected memory cell 3. The selected write word line WLA is activated after activation of the selected read word line WLB in an operation cycle that performs both read and write operations. |
| US09214220B1 |
Semiconductor memory apparatus
A semiconductor memory apparatus includes a control signal generation unit configured to generate a control signal according to a mode control signal and a refresh signal; a first sense amplifier driving voltage generation unit configured to generate a first sense amplifier driving voltage according to the control signal, a first sense amplifier enable signal and a switching control signal; a switching control unit configured to generate the switching control signal according to the control signal and a second sense amplifier enable signal; a second sense amplifier driving voltage generation unit configured to generate a second sense amplifier driving voltage according to the second sense amplifier enable signal; and a switching unit configured to electrically couple or decouple output nodes of the first sense amplifier driving voltage generation unit and the second sense amplifier driving voltage generation unit according to the switching control signal. |
| US09214216B2 |
Semiconductor device and operation method thereof
A semiconductor device includes: a plurality of memory cell blocks, a counting unit suitable for counting the number of active operations on each of the memory cell blocks, based on an active command and a row address, and a refresh control unit suitable for determining a target memory cell block among the memory cell blocks and controlling an additional refresh operation for the target memory cell block to be performed based on the counting result. |
| US09214211B2 |
Methods of and apparatus for determining unique die identifiers for multiple memory die within a common package
Respective die IDs are determined for a plurality of memory die commonly packaged as a memory device based on their respective Unique Identifiers (“UIDs”). An external controller initiates an internal Die ID (“DID”) determination process in which each die eventually asserts a signal on its inter-die signaling pin after a number of clocks as determined by its UID, and assigns itself a Die ID based on the number of signals asserted by other die prior to its own signaling response. Each die keeps track of the number of signals asserted by the other die prior to its own signaling response, as well as, optionally, the total number of signals on the signaling pin to determine the package die count for the device. |
| US09214208B2 |
NOR-OR Decoder
A decoder for decoding an address having a plurality of bits ranging from a first address bit a1 to a last address bit aN, each address bit being either true or false is provided that includes a pre-charge circuit adapted to pre-charge a dynamic NOR node and a dynamic OR node and then allow the pre-charged dynamic NOR node and pre-charged dynamic OR node to float; a plurality of switches coupled between the dynamic NOR node and ground, each switch corresponding uniquely to the address bits such that the switches range from a first switch corresponding to a1 to an nth switch corresponding to aN, wherein any switch corresponding to a true address bit is configured to turn on only if its corresponding address bit is false, and wherein any switch corresponding to a false address bit is configured to turn on only if its corresponding address bit is true. |
| US09214207B2 |
Apparatus and method for data decoding
A data decoding apparatus is provided, which includes at least one processor block, at least one hardware block, and a memory processing unit to control the at least one processor block or the at least one hardware block to access a memory and to read or write data with minimum delay. |
| US09214205B2 |
System with controller and memory
According to the system of the present invention, data (DQ) signals are outputted/received between a controller 100 and a memory 200 based on a data strobe signal sent out from the controller 100. The data strobe signal is independently and completely separated from a clock signal. The data strobe signal has a frequency different from a clock signal. Therefore, the memory 200 is not required to generate a read data strobe signal from the clock signal nor to send the read data strobe signal in synchronization with the clock signal. |
| US09214203B2 |
Sensing apparatus and data sensing method thereof
A sensing apparatus and data sensing method are provided. The sensing apparatus includes an initial circuit, a reference current generator and a sensing circuit. The initial circuit discharges a sensing end to a reference ground during a discharge period, and pre-charges the sensing end to a preset voltage level during a pre-charge period according to an output signal. The reference current generator draws a reference current from the sensing end. The sensing circuit senses a voltage level on the sensing end to generate the output signal. Wherein, the sensing end receives a cell current from a memory cell, and the pre-charge period is after the discharge period. |
| US09214194B2 |
External drive chassis storage array
The invention in at least one embodiment includes a system that includes a chassis having a frame present within a housing where the frame includes at least two plates having a base and two grills running widthwise along and on opposite ends of the base, a plurality of walls between the at least two plates, and at least one baffle running between the plates at an angle to the plates; at least one power supply; and a plurality of fans electrically connected to the at least one power supply; wherein there are at least two air flow paths through the chassis that pass through at least one fan and pass at least one baffle through a duct defined by the housing and the frame. In at least one embodiment, the chassis receives at least one storage drive. |
| US09214193B2 |
Processing apparatus and method for determining and reproducing a number of images based on input path information
An apparatus includes a display controller, a detecting unit, and a reproduction unit. The display controller is configured to control a display unit to display marks corresponding to a plurality of images. The detecting unit is configured to detect selection information entered by a user. The selection information includes path information and additional information. The reproduction unit is configured to reproduce at least one of the plurality of images based on the additional information. |
| US09214192B2 |
Digital video processing and storage system for video, audio and ancillary data
A video processing system adaptively generates and processes volume/file structure and navigation data of different data format and converts data between different formats for decoding, recording and other applications. The system processes the volume/file structure and navigation data in distinct modes including (a) pre-processing, (b) contemporaneous and (c) post-processing modes. In addition, the system provides navigation information supporting navigation through different images of one or more video programs by parsing encoded packetized data representative of a sequence of individual images to determine parameters to support navigation through the sequence of individual images. The determined parameters are formatted into a predetermined data structure and incorporated into a pre-formed navigation data field. |
| US09214186B1 |
Data storage device measuring radial offset between read element and write element
A data storage device is disclosed comprising a disk comprising a plurality of tracks and a head actuated over the disk, wherein the head comprises a read element radially offset from a write element. A first pattern is written to a single track, and the first pattern is read from the single track to generate a first read signal from which a first quality metric is generated. A second pattern is written to the single track, wherein the second pattern is different from the first pattern. The second pattern is read from the single track to generate a second read signal from which a second quality metric is generated. The radial offset of the read element and write element is measured based on the first and second quality metrics. |
| US09214185B1 |
Adaptive filter-based narrowband interference detection, estimation and cancellation
A data processing system includes an adaptive notch filter operable to estimate an interference frequency in data samples, a convergence detector operable to determine whether the interference frequency converges on a value, indicating that the data samples contain interference, and an interference removal circuit operable to remove interference detected by the adaptive notch filter from the data samples. |
| US09214182B2 |
Fluid dynamic bearing system and a spindle motor having this kind of bearing system
The invention relates to a fluid dynamic bearing system having a bearing bush and a shaft that are rotatable with respect to one another about a common rotational axis and form a bearing gap filled with bearing fluid between associated bearing surfaces. The bearing surfaces form at least one fluid dynamic radial bearing. A rotor component is disposed on the shaft. A stopper ring is disposed on the shaft or on the rotor component and adjoins the bearing bush, wherein a gap is formed between the mutually facing surfaces of the bearing bush and the stopper component that is filled with a bearing fluid and connected to the bearing gap and extends substantially in a radial direction. According to the invention, the surfaces of the bearing bush and/or the stopper component are formed such that the gap is tapered, narrowing radially outwards. Moreover, a recirculation channel may be provided in the bearing bush that connects a gap region between the bearing gap and the sealing gap radially outside the axial bearing to a gap region radially outside the stopper component. |
| US09214179B2 |
Magnetic recording medium, method of manufacturing the same, and magnetic recording/reproduction apparatus
According to one embodiment, a magnetic recording medium includes a substrate, an auxiliary layer formed on the substrate, and at least one perpendicular magnetic recording layer formed on the auxiliary layer. The perpendicular magnetic recording layer includes a magnetic dot pattern. The perpendicular magnetic recording layer is made of an alloy material containing one element selected from iron and cobalt, and one element selected from platinum and palladium. This alloy material has the L10 structure, and is (001)-oriented. The auxiliary layer includes a dot-like first region covered with the magnetic dot pattern, and a second region not covered with the magnetic dot pattern. The first region is made of a (100)-oriented nickel oxide. The second region contains nickel used in the first region as a main component. |
| US09214178B2 |
Magnetic recording medium fabrication method and apparatus
A method of fabricating a magnetic recording medium sequentially forms a magnetic recording layer, a protection layer, and a lubricant layer on a stacked body. The stacked body is enclosed in a transfer container unit without exposing the stacked body to atmosphere after forming the protection layer on the stacked body by a deposition apparatus, and the transfer container unit is transported to a vapor-phase lubrication deposition apparatus. The stacked body is removed from the transfer container unit without exposing the stacked body to the atmosphere, in order to form the lubricant layer on the stacked body within the vapor-phase lubrication deposition apparatus. |
| US09214165B1 |
Magnetic writer having a gradient in saturation magnetization of the shields
A method and system provide a magnetic transducer. The transducer includes a main pole, a side gap, at least one coil and at least one of a leading shield, a trailing shield and side shield(s). A portion of the main pole resides at the ABS. The coil(s) are configured to energize the main pole. The side gap is being between the main pole and the at least one side shield. At least one of the leading shield, the side shield(s) and the trailing shield has a gradient in a saturation magnetization (Bs) such that the saturation magnetization increases in a yoke direction perpendicular to the ABS. |
| US09214148B2 |
Acoustic structure
An acoustic structure, including a pipe having a plurality of cavities that are partitioned by a partition, each of the plurality of cavities extending in a first direction that is a longitudinal direction of the pipe, wherein the pipe has at least one opening which permits the plurality of cavities to communicate with an exterior of the pipe, a position of each of the at least one opening in the first direction being a first position. |
| US09214144B1 |
System and method for generating song transitions using measure groupings
A system and method are provided for mixing song data based on measure groupings. A player or program may recognize measure groupings in a song through identifying cuepoints. The player or program may use the cuepoints and/or other identifiers of measure groupings to generate a transition between the song and other songs. Parts of one or both songs may be time-stretched, or frames may be added or deleted, such that the beats in both songs are substantially aligned during the transition. The system and method may also involve altering the sequence of frames in one or both of the songs, so that the transition may have various sonic qualities as desired by a user. A choice of transition modes may be provided via a user interface that allow the user some control over when and how transitions between songs are executed. |
| US09214140B1 |
Guitar tuning and string attachment system
A unique guitar has a head section with a base member connected to a support member. A string tuning unit is configured to be positioned on and be removeably secured to the support member in order to maintain the string tuning unit as part of the head section. The guitar secures strings to its bridge by use of uniquely designed pins, each having a slotted top section with a bottom stem offset from the top section and extending therefrom. |
| US09214137B2 |
Methods and systems for realistic rendering of digital objects in augmented reality
A system and method of rendering in real time a virtual object onto a viewfinder display, the method comprising determining one or more scene properties of a scene on a viewfinder display of a device, receiving a virtual object for insertion into the scene, determining a location for placing the virtual object within the scene, determining a first appearance of the virtual object based on the one or more scene properties, and inserting the virtual object with the first appearance into the scene depicted on the viewfinder display of the device based on the location. |
| US09214132B2 |
Electronic chart display device and method of displaying information relating to electronic chart
An electronic map display device is provided. The device acquires electronic maps and displays the electronic maps, each electronic map being acquired per acquisition unit. The electronic map display device may include a map information display determiner for determining whether the electronic map is currently available per acquisition unit, and a map information display interface for displaying information relating to the electronic map per the acquisition unit depending on whether the electronic map is currently available. |
| US09214129B2 |
Display apparatus
A display apparatus includes a plurality of pixels each of which is connected to a corresponding gate line of a plurality of gate lines and a corresponding data line of a plurality of data lines, the plurality of data lines crossing the plurality of gate lines. The display apparatus also includes a control signal generator configured to generate a plurality of control signals in response to a date enable signal, a gate driver configured to drive the gate lines in response to at least one control signal among the plurality of control signals, a data driver configured to drive the plurality of data lines, and a timing controller configured to control the data driver in response to at least one received image signal and at least one received image control signal, and apply the data enable signal to the control signal generator. |
| US09214128B2 |
Information display device
An information display device includes: an image display unit that displays an image according to an orientation of a display screen; a terminal posture detection unit that detects a posture of the device using an acceleration sensor, an angular velocity sensor, and a geomagnetic sensor; and a display direction determination unit that determines whether or not the posture of the device changes, and determines the orientation of the display screen. In the case where the display screen is substantially horizontal and the posture of the device changes, the orientation of the display screen is determined so that, when the device moves by a predetermined angle or more with respect to the orientation (reference orientation) of the display screen before the determination of the posture change, a side of the device at the predetermined angle or more from the reference orientation corresponds to the top of the display screen. |
| US09214126B2 |
Circuit for driving liquid crystal display device having a programmable power integrated circuit
A circuit for driving a liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel including a plurality of gate lines and data lines, a gate driver, a data driver, a memory for storing data necessary for operation of a timing controller and programmable power integrated circuit (PPIC) voltage setting data, the timing controller for reading and outputting the PPIC voltage setting data stored in the memory and reading the data necessary for operation of the timing controller stored in the memory and controlling the data driver and the gate driver, a PPIC for supplying a reference voltage, a gamma voltage and a common voltage to the data driver according to the voltage setting data supplied by the timing controller, and a power supply for receiving power from an external device and supplying power to each unit. |
| US09214120B2 |
Display device
A controller in an intermediate inversion drive mode causes a source driver to alternate polarities of voltages applied to pixel electrodes connected to one of source signal lines per plural gate signal lines, and to apply the voltages so that a pair of the pixel electrodes, which are connected to one of the gate signal lines and to source signal lines adjacent to each other, are subjected to different voltage application in polarity from each other, the source driver alternating polarities of the voltages applied to the respective pixel electrodes for each frame. When the source driver, in the intermediate inversion drive mode, applies the voltages sequentially to the pixel electrodes connected to one of the source signal lines, the controller sets a longer voltage application period for the inverted electrode than for the equivalent electrode. |
| US09214119B2 |
Display, image processing unit, and display method involving frame rate conversion and blur reduction
A display includes: a display section; and a display driving section driving the display section based on a first image data set and a second image data set that alternate with each other. The display driving section drives the display section by performing a first scan with use of a first block as a driving unit in accordance with the first image data set and a second scan with use of a second block as a driving unit in accordance with the second image data set. The first block is composed of a plurality of consecutive pixel lines, and the second block is composed of a plurality of consecutive pixel lines and is different from the first block. |
| US09214118B2 |
Display device and method for driving display device
A display device includes: an image display unit that includes a plurality of main pixels in an image display region, the image display unit including sub-pixels; a light source that irradiates the image display region; a light source control unit that controls luminance of the light source; and a color information correction processing unit that corrects first color information that is obtained based on the luminance of the light source and an input video signal to second color information, when color information of at least one of a red pixel, a green pixel, and a blue pixel included in the first color information exceeds a predetermined threshold, the second information is corrected by degenerating color information of the red pixel, the green pixel, and the blue pixel, and by adding color information of the white pixel included in the first color information based on the degenerated color information. |
| US09214113B2 |
Backlight driving circuit and liquid crystal display device
A backlight driving circuit and a liquid crystal display device are described. The backlight driving circuit drives at least one LED bar and includes a power supply module, a switch module, and a detection module. When the detection module detects that a positive polarity end of a power supply voltage of the power supply module is electrically coupled to a negative polarity end of the LED bar, the switch module switches the positive polarity end of the power supply voltage to be electrically coupled to the positive polarity end of the LED bar and switches a negative polarity end of the power supply voltage to be electrically coupled to a negative polarity end of the LED bar. The present invention can detect the polarities of the LED bar so that the LED bar can keep on working normally. |
| US09214110B2 |
Display unit and electronic apparatus
A display unit includes a display panel and a drive circuit, the display panel including pixels, each pixel including a light emitting element and a pixel circuit, wherein the pixel circuit includes a first transistor being configured to sample a voltage of a signal line, a second transistor being configured to control a current applied to the light emitting element, a third transistor being connected to the source of the second transistor, and a holding capacitor configured to hold the voltage sampled by the first transistor, the drive circuit being configured to, when pixel rows are grouped into units, sequentially perform correction of adjusting a gate-to-source voltage of the second transistor to be close to a threshold voltage of the second transistor for each of the units, being configured to sequentially output a fixed voltage to a source of the second transistor before performing the correction. |
| US09214106B2 |
Photo sensor, display device including the same and driving method thereof
Provided are a photo sensor, a display device including the same, and a driving method thereof. The photo sensor includes: an amplifying element including an input terminal coupled to a scan line for receiving a scan signal, an output terminal configured to output a sensing signal, and a control terminal connected to a first node; a sensing capacitor connected with the first node; a photosensitive sensing element including a control terminal connected with a terminal of a first control signal, an output terminal connected with the first node, and an input terminal; and a reset element connected with the output terminal of the amplifying element and resetting the output terminal of the amplifying element to second voltage according to a reset control signal. |
| US09214104B1 |
Interchangeable face plate display system
An interchangeable face plate display system for accommodating multiple graphic displays on the same frame. The interchangeable face plate display system includes a hub member adapted to interconnect elongate frame members of a display structure and including a block having a front side, a back side, a top side, and a bottom side; and an interchangeable support member removably connected to the hub member for supporting graphics upon the display structure. |
| US09214098B2 |
Providing navigation instructions in a three-dimension map environment having settable object transparency levels
A method in a device for providing navigation instructions in a three-dimensional map environment comprises receiving a start and end positions, determining a route, determining graphical two-dimensional map data, generating navigation instructions comprising setting a transparency level and transmitting the navigation instructions to a display. Corresponding device and computer program product are also provided. |
| US09214097B2 |
Method for creating a directory of road sections, method for ascertaining all road sections within a search area, and computer program
A method for creating a directory of road sections of a digital road map for a navigation system is provided. Furthermore, a method for ascertaining all road sections within a search area is provided. Moreover, a computer program for performing a method for creating a directory of road sections and a method for ascertaining all road sections within a search area is provided. |
| US09214094B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for emergency notifications to the hearing impaired
Systems and methods for communicating emergency alerts to a hearing-impaired user are disclosed. Queries are performed to one or more emergency alert databases to develop emergency alert notifications. At least some of the emergency alert notifications are filtered responsive to user selected criteria to select one or more filtered emergency alerts. An attention desired indicator is transmitted to a hearing-impaired user device that subscribes to a hearing-impaired relay service supported by the server if the one or more filtered emergency alerts are present. The filtered emergency alerts are transmitted to the hearing-impaired user device in response to a emergency information query from that user device. |
| US09214092B2 |
Minimizing coriolis-tumbling intensity in a centrifuge-based-flight simulator
A system and method for minimizing or eliminating Coriolis-tumbling sensations on a trainee in a centrifuge-based simulator is described. In one example methodology, a simulator transitions its rate of rotation to replicate flight conditions in which G-forces are unloaded on a trainee from a first-G-force value to a nominal-G-force value. Before reaching the nominal-G-force value, an intermediate-G-force value—which is more than the nominal-G-force value, but less than the first-G-force value—is imparted and maintained on the trainee for a suitable duration of time. This intermediate-G-force value may be determined based on several factors including: (i) the angle of rotation of a gondola at during the first-G-force value, and/or (ii) the first-G-force value. After the intermediate-G-force value is imparted and maintained for a suitable duration of time, the G-forces imparted on the trainee may be further unloaded till the nominal-G force value is reached. |
| US09214091B2 |
Digital content and assessment delivery
Generally, embodiments of the disclosure are directed to methods, computer readable medium, servers, and systems for distributing an educational test question between a backend computer and a plurality of user devices using a local server. The local server can provide a first network to a plurality of user devices and block access to a second network when a test is in progress. |
| US09214089B2 |
Aircraft capable of hovering, aircraft maneuvering assist method, and interface
An aircraft capable of hovering, and characterized by having at least one sensor, which has a plane sweep region and is designed to acquire, when the aircraft is maneuvering, values of respective distances between first points on an obstacle within the plane sweep region, and a second point on the aircraft; and a control unit designed to generate an alarm signal when at least one of the first points lies within a safety region containing the second point on the aircraft. |
| US09214079B1 |
Vehicle task reminder device
A vehicle task reminder device includes a clock, a GPS used indicate location and direction, and a memory used to store predetermined information. The device also includes an emitter used to activate an alarm signal, a processor having circuitry used to set a to do list, sync the to do list with the GPS and the clock, lock the car, cause the emitter to activate the alarm signal when a current time and location correspond to any task of the at least one to do list, check, when the alarm signal is activated, if a task is completed, and deactivate the alarm signal and update the at least one to do list. The processor also compares, upon the turn off of the car engine whether the current location corresponds to the predetermined home address, and asks to update the to do list if correspondence occurs and unlock the car. |
| US09214077B2 |
Bio-powered locator device
A locator assembly is provided. The locator assembly includes an article of wear and a location sending device embedded in the article of wear. A bio-related electric generator is connected to the location sending device for providing power for the location sending device. A system for locating a person and a locating method are also provided. |
| US09214075B2 |
Device and its use for deterring wearing and returning of merchandise
Provided is a device for deterring purchase-wear-return of merchandise, particularly women's dresses, by a consumer. |
| US09214073B2 |
Non-battery operated container alert system
A container alert system may include an actuator with a generator that creates electrical energy upon activation of the actuator. The system may utilize the electrical energy to transmit a signal to a receiver based on characteristics of the container, such as use of the container, volume of the material in the container, available capacity of the container, material being added to the container, and location of the container. |
| US09214072B2 |
Gaming system and method providing a slot game having a surrounded symbol award evaluation
Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming system and method providing a slot game having a surrounded symbol award evaluation. Generally, in various embodiments, for a play of the slot game having the surrounded symbol award evaluation the gaming system: (a) displays a plurality of symbols at a plurality of symbol display areas; (b) determines whether any displayed non-enclosing symbols are surrounded by a plurality of displayed enclosing symbols; and (c) if so, determines any awards based on the surrounded non-enclosing symbol(s). Thus, instead of (or in addition to) using a payline evaluation, a ways-to-win evaluation, a scatter pay evaluation, or any other evaluation of the displayed symbols to determine whether to provide any awards, the gaming system of the present disclosure does so by determining whether a particular type of symbol (such as an enclosing symbol) surrounds another type of symbol (such as a non-enclosing symbol). |
| US09214067B2 |
Gaming system and method for providing a streaming symbols game
In various embodiments, the gaming system disclosed herein provides streaming symbols game which utilizes a single continuous series or chain of symbols and a plurality of symbol display positions which form a path. Specifically, in various embodiments, the gaming system displays the chain of symbols continuously moving through the path of symbol display positions wherein which symbols are evaluated for any awards corresponds to when the chain of symbols stops moving along the path. |
| US09214062B2 |
Configuring and controlling wagering game audio
A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In embodiments, the operations can include providing a custom sound design interface. The operations can further include receiving user input via the custom sound design interface, wherein the user input is to design a custom sound for a wagering game machine including presentation instructions for the custom sound. The operations can further include storing the custom sound. The operations can further include receiving, from the wagering game machine, a request for the custom sound. The operations can further include transmitting, to the wagering game machine, the custom sound including the presentation instructions for the custom sound. |
| US09214060B2 |
Gaming center allowing switching between games based upon historical results
A gaming system comprising a main cabinet and a computer server, comprising: a mechanism in a main cabinet for selecting and playing, by a player, one or more live casino game(s) from a plurality of live casino games being played at a plurality of tables spaced away from said main cabinet; a mechanism for selecting and playing one or more casino slot machine game(s) by the player, at least one first portion of a first screen in the main cabinet for displaying the live-casino game(s), wherein a results history for each table is displayed to provide a results history display, a second additional portion of a screen in main cabinet for displaying at least one casino slot game(s), the mechanism playing the casino slot machine game(s) is adapted to allow the player to switch between the live casino games and at least one casino slot machine games according to at least the results history display for each table. |
| US09214058B2 |
System gaming
A gaming system for displaying real-time pushed data of tournament scores is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of gaming machines connected to a network each having a display capable of presenting a game, wherein each gaming machine enables play of chat-based games. The system also includes a gaming server and a chat server that are connected to the network. The gaming server is in communication with the plurality of gaming machines via the network. The chat server pushes real-time tournament data to the first and second gaming machines for presenting tournament data and on the display to facilitate competition between the first and second gaming machines. |
| US09214056B2 |
Gaming system and method which enables multiple players to simultaneously play multiple individual games or group games on a central display
The present disclosure provides a gaming system including a central controller, a central display which includes a plurality of display segments and a plurality player stations. The display segments are configured to each separately display one of a plurality of games, to co-act to display a plurality of games, or to co-act to display one game. Each player station is configured to enable a player to play one or more of the games displayed by the display segments. The gaming system enables a plurality of players to play a group game on the central display, a plurality of players to simultaneously play multiple group games on the central display, and a plurality of players to each simultaneously play multiple individual games on the central display. |
| US09214053B2 |
Automatic vending machine
A vending machine proofed against the pinching of a customer's fingers and with a security feature includes a cabinet, a receiving tray, a shielding board, and gear wheels. The cabinet includes a cabinet body and a door rotatably attached to the cabinet body. A number of merchandise shelves are located in the cabinet body. A through opening is defined in the door. The receiving tray is attached to an inside of the receiving tray and aligned with the through opening. The shielding board covers the through opening and is toothed to allow lowering for access by the customer to the bought merchandise when the internal drop of an item of merchandise is sensed and raising after the sensed removal of the item. |
| US09214046B2 |
Banking system operated responsive to data bearing records
An automated banking machine operated responsive to data bearing records includes a card reader that is operative to read data from user cards including financial account identifying data, and to cause financial transfers responsive to the card data. The automated banking machine includes a sheet accepting device. The sheet accepting device is operative to receive a stack of sheets and to separate each sheet from the stack. Each sheet is aligned with a sheet path and analyzed by analysis devices including at least one magnetic read head, an imager, and/or a validation device. Sheets determined to have at least one property of a genuine sheet are processed and stored in the machine. |
| US09214044B2 |
Apparatus and method for augmenting a video image
A method of augmenting a video image comprises the steps of estimating the extent of an identified surface captured within the video image and identifying skin pixels within a test area corresponding to the estimated extent of the identified surface within the video image. The method also includes extrapolating positions for skin pixels within the video image that are outside the estimated extent of the identified surface based upon the identified skin pixels, generating a mask from a combination of identified skin pixels and extrapolated skin pixels, and setting an extent of a computer graphic to be superposed substantially on top of the identified surface within the video image. The extent is greater than the estimated extent of the identified surface. The method further includes superposing the graphical augmentation of the video image responsive to the generated mask. |
| US09214042B2 |
Method for encoding normals of a 3D mesh model, method for decoding normals of a 3D mesh model, encoder and decoder
A method for encoding vertex orientations, also known as normal components, of a 3D mesh model comprises a first clustering of the normal components, determining for each of the first clusters a sphere sector to which most of its elements belong, mapping normal components to a predefined sector, re-clustering the normal components in the predefined sector into second clusters, determining predictors for the second clusters and encoding a normal component by its residual, a reference to its predictor and data indicating which of said mirror mapping operations were performed. A sphere sector is obtained by dividing a sphere into m equal spherical segments and dividing each of said spherical segments into n equal sectors. The first clustering for the sector mapping and the second clustering for predictive coding result in an improved compression ratio. |
| US09214040B2 |
Intermediate view synthesis and multi-view data signal extraction
An intermediate view synthesis apparatus for synthesizing an intermediate view image from a first image corresponding to a first view and a second image corresponding to a second view different from the first view, the first and second images including depth information, wherein the second image being is divided-up into a non-boundary portion, and a foreground/background boundary region, wherein the intermediate view synthesis apparatus is configured to project and merge the first image and the second image into the intermediate view to obtain an intermediate view image, with treating the foreground/background boundary region subordinated relative to the non-boundary portion. A multi-view data signal extraction apparatus for extracting a multiview data signal from a multi-view representation including a first image corresponding to a first view and a second image corresponding to a second view being different from the first view is also described, the first and second images including depth information. |
| US09214036B1 |
Animation engine for blending computer animation data
Computer-generated images are generated by evaluating point positions of points on animated objects in animation data. The point positions of the points are used by an animation system to determine how to blend animated sequences or frames of animated sequences in order to create realistic moving animated characters and animated objects. The methods of blending are based on determining distances or deviations between corresponding points and using blending functions with varying blending windows and blending functions that can vary from point to point on the animated objects. |
| US09214035B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method, and program
There is provided an image processing device including a body hair detection unit that detects a body hair region corresponding to body hair from a process target image that includes skin, a texture structure estimation unit that estimates a structure of skin texture in the process target image, and an interpolation unit that interpolates the body hair region detected by the body hair detection unit based on the structure of the skin texture estimated by the texture structure estimation unit. |
| US09214034B2 |
System, device and method for displaying a harmonized combined image
A method for harmonizing a combined image involves receiving a respective image or image frame from each of two or more cameras, the images from two of the cameras representing the same region in an overlap region, measuring pixel statistics of at least some of the pixels in the overlap region for the image of each of the two cameras, determining a difference in the pixel statistics Δpixel of the image from each of the two cameras in the overlap region, calculating a correction factor Kpixel, wherein the correction factor Kpixel may be predicted to produce a reduction in Δpixel of less than Δpixel/2 when applied to the image of one of the two cameras, applying the correction factor Kpixel in a hardware device acquiring the image, and receiving a further image or image frame from each of the two cameras. |
| US09214033B2 |
Map display system and method
Provided are a computer system and methods related to a map display. A method includes but is not limited to receiving a request for the map, the map illustrating one or more locations; determining a status associated with at least one of the one or more locations on the map, the status being a function of one or more location interaction rules associated with the at least one of the one or more locations on the map; and generating a signal related to indicating on the map the status associated with the at least one of the one or more locations. |
| US09214024B2 |
Three-dimensional distance measurement apparatus and method therefor
A three-dimensional imaging unit includes a plurality of image pickup devices that image an image and a rotation drive device which rotates the image pickup devices and adjusts optical axes such that reflections of an object to be measured in a space to be measured have a predetermined amount of overlap. An association calculating unit calculates position association information of pixels when a required measurement point is mapped onto a plurality of images. A three-dimensional shape calculating unit calculates a three-dimensional shape of the object to be measured using the position association information and rotational information of the rotation drive device. A three-dimensional shape estimation calculating unit estimates, from the three-dimensional shape, a three-dimensional shape of a region of the object to be measured where the three-dimensional shape is not obtained. A three-dimensional measurement coordinates calculating unit calculates, from an estimation result, three-dimensional coordinates of two distance measurement points designated on the object to be measured. A distance calculating unit calculates a distance between the two points using the three-dimensional coordinates. |
| US09214023B2 |
Determination of regions of an analytical image that are subject to vital movement
The present invention relates to a determination method that enables the position of a body part subject to vital movement to be determined, wherein the body part is to be irradiated. A region of an analytical image is determined, wherein the region represents a body part subject to vital movement, in particular a tumor in an anatomical body. A change in position from one analytical image to the next is performed that reflects the vital movement, wherein the body parts subject to vital movement are parts of the body that are to be irradiated or are not to be irradiated and that move as a result of vital functions such as respiration and/or heartbeat even when the anatomical body is otherwise kept deliberately at rest. |
| US09214019B2 |
Method and system to digitize pathology specimens in a stepwise fashion for review
A system for reviewing digitized images of pathology specimens includes an image processing system and an image display system adapted to communicate with the image processing system. The image processing system is configured to receive a whole-slide digital image of a pathology specimen, segment the whole-slide digital image into a tissue-particle image within the whole-slide digital image, and represent the tissue-particle image as a plurality of image tiles such that each of the plurality of image tiles can be displayed sequentially on the image display system to permit a substantially complete, tile-by-tile review of the tissue-particle image in a predefined order. |
| US09214016B2 |
Pantograph monitoring system and method
A method for automatic diagnostics of images related to pantographs, comprising the steps of: capturing an image that shows a pantograph of a locomotive, the image being taken from an aerial view during the travel of the locomotive, the image comprising the gliding area of a plurality of slippers of the pantograph; identifying, by means of a module for classifying the pantograph model, the model of the pantograph within a plurality of pantograph models, on the basis of the image captured; determining, by means of a module for classifying materials, a material of which the slippers are composed among a plurality of materials, on the basis of the pantograph model identified; and determining a value related to the state of wear for each one of the plurality of slippers, on the basis of the type of material determined. |
| US09214003B2 |
Method and system for conversion of graphical representations of automation environments
A method for the conversion of graphical representations of automation environments is provided. The method includes receiving first graphics data in a first format comprising a first graphical representation of a first portion of an automation environment. The method also includes processing the first graphics data to convert the first graphics data to second graphics data in a second format. The method further includes receiving performance data associated with the operation of the first portion of the automation environment, and transferring the performance data and the second graphics data to a client device, for incorporation of the performance data into the second graphics data by the client device. |
| US09214002B2 |
Contents providing scheme using display history information
A device for using display history information is provided. The device includes an image information generation unit configured to generate image information of contents reproduced in a different device, an image information transmission unit configured to transmit the generated image information to a seamless service providing server and a display history information management unit configured to control the apparatus based on the received display history information which is received from the seamless service providing server. Here, the display history information corresponds to the transmitted image information. |
| US09214000B2 |
Method and system for performing a package pre-load operation in accordance with a dispatch plan
The present invention provides systems and methods for electronically-capturing a destination address of a package and for using the destination address to automate a package pre-load operation. An embodiment of the invention includes a compression system for compressing the destination address as a compressed MaxiCode symbol, a smart shipping label system for generating a shipping label with a compressed MaxiCode and a pre-load assist system for generating package handling instructions from the electronically-captured destination address. |
| US09213998B2 |
Monitoring hot water usage in a gas water heater
An apparatus and method for determining the volume of hot water dispensed during a given timeframe from a hydrocarbon fueled water heater based on the volume of fuel consumed by the water heater during the timeframe and the average temperature difference between the inlet water temperature and the outlet water temperature during the timeframe. |
| US09213997B2 |
Method and system for social media burst classifications
The present invention is directed to a method, system, and article of manufacture for systematically and automatically identifying abnormal or collective behavior patterns in microblogging messages that produce burst phenomena, such as Twitter storms. A microblogging storm engine in a storm detection server is configured to detect and classify the volume, shape, and type of a Twitter storm when keying on topics such as, but not limited to, a brand, an event, a person, an entity, a country, or a controversial issue. The microblogging storm engine comprises a storm detection module, a storm classification module, a database interface module, and a sentiment process module. The storm detection module is configured to detect different patterns of microblogging storms by capturing the volume of a particular storm to assist in output statistical analysis. The storm classification module is configured to classify the storms into different types of a particular storm category. |
| US09213995B1 |
System and method for linking networks to one another and sharing resources between members
An embodiment of a method of linking a first network to a second network includes sending, by a first network having at least one first member associated therewith, a link request message to a second network having at least one second member associated therewith. The link request message includes a request to establish a link with the second network. The first network further includes at least one resource associated therewith and accessible by the at least one first member. The method further includes receiving an acceptance message from the second network at the first network, establishing a first link between the first network and the second network in response to receiving the acceptance message, and sharing access to the at least one resource to the at least one second member of the second network. |
| US09213992B2 |
Secure online transactions using a trusted digital identity
Techniques for conducting secure online transactions are provided. Some techniques utilize a trusted, secure device that is distributed to a human user, and which only the user can access, a device reader, and a one-time secret valid only to authenticate a single transaction to improve on the traditional transaction model by isolating elements of the transaction with the user on the user's trusted, secure device. Isolating elements of the transaction on the trusted, secure device facilitates a secure transaction on an untrusted machine and over an untrusted network. |
| US09213987B2 |
Invoice amount calculation method, invoice amount calculation device, and printer invoicing system
A manufacturer server 110 that determines a first invoice amount or calculates a second invoice amount for an inkjet printer has a billing status acquisition unit 342 that acquires billing status information including actual print volume PV. An actual print volume calculation unit 343 determines (i) if PV is less than or equal to a specific volume V1, in which case the first invoice amount, which is a fixed amount, is determined, and (ii) if PV exceeds V1, in which case the second invoice amount is calculated. An invoice amount calculation unit 344 determines or calculates the first or second invoice amount. |
| US09213986B1 |
Modified media conforming to user-established levels of media censorship
User defined controls for media censorship may define values for content of the media for a user. Controls can be specific to nudity in the media, sexuality of the media, language offensiveness of the media, and/or violence in the media. When a user requests a media instance, a default version can be checked for default artifacts that violate the controls. Replacement artifacts can be created for each violating default artifact. Modified media can be created that replaces the default artifacts with the replacement ones. The modified media can be provided to the user in response to the user request. |
| US09213985B2 |
Provision of targeted content
Measures, including methods, apparatus and computer program products, are provided for amending content transmitted from a server to a client. The methods are performed by a system configured to communicate with the server and the client. A method comprises: configuring a domain name service to route requests for pages hosted at the server to the system; receiving a request from the client for a page hosted at the server, the request being received on the basis of the configuring; transmitting the request to the server; receiving a page from the server corresponding to the transmitted request; searching the page for a predetermined item of content; selectively amending the content of the page to form a modified page on the basis of whether the predetermined item of content is found; and transmitting the modified page to the client. |
| US09213981B2 |
Techniques for improving relevance of social updates distributed offline
Methods and system for delivering updates to recipients in a social network includes receiving event related data in response to triggering of an event at a client. In response to the triggering of the event at the client, recipient data related to a recipient that is authorized to receive the event related data is retrieved. An agent is provided for the recipient. The agent includes logic for formatting and delivering the event related data to the recipient. The recipient's interaction in response to delivery of the event related data is tracked. The logic within the agent is refined based on the interaction of the recipient. The agent with the refined logic is used for subsequent formatting and delivering of event related data to the recipient. |
| US09213979B2 |
Array attribute configurator
An array attribute configurator configures a set of received values based upon a predetermined set of unique value fields of an array. Array attribute configurator determines if duplicates exist within the set of received values. Array attribute configurator determines if a unique value field lacks a corresponding value within the set of received values. Array attribute configurator configures an array attribute from the set of received values based upon these determinations. |
| US09213972B2 |
Systems and methods for fast mobile payment
A method of completing transactions using a device includes displaying a pictogram including transaction details associated therewith by a merchant. The mobile device acquires the pictogram. The mobile device or a remote server decodes the transaction details. The mobile device displays for a user the decoded transaction details. If the decided transaction details are acceptable to the user, the user accepts, via the mobile device, the decoded transaction details. The mobile device transmits a confirmation of acceptance by the user to a remote server. The remote server transmits a payment request for the payment amount reflected in the transaction details to a payment gateway. The payment gateway validates the payment request. The merchant and the device receive a payment confirmation. |
| US09213964B2 |
Calendar repair assistant
Calendar repair may be provided. Calendar events, such as appointments and meetings, may be created and copied to a plurality of attendee calendars. A first copy of the event may be compared to a second copy of the event, and an event property of the second event may be updated to match a corresponding event property of the first event. |
| US09213963B2 |
Identifying and presenting reminders based on opportunity for interaction
A method and apparatus are provided for presenting a reminder for a PIM record when there may be an opportunity for personal interaction regarding the PIM record. The opportunity for personal interaction regarding the PIM record may be identified in response to a trigger condition not associated with the PIM record. In one embodiment, an opportunity for interaction regarding a PIM record may be identified using identification information associated with the trigger condition. In another embodiment, an opportunity for interaction regarding a first PIM record may be identified when there is a contact associated with the first PIM record and a second PIM record, and there is an occurrence of a trigger condition associated with a second PIM record. In some embodiments, the portable electronic device may utilize additional information to identify or verify opportunities for interaction regarding a PIM record. |
| US09213962B2 |
Online collaboration
A method and an agent (500) are provided for the management and control of data files, in particular, the management of shared documents across a network to enable collaboration between users. The agent (500) comprises a collaborative event manager (180) to detect changes made to an open copy of the file that is associated with a first client device (100); a network manager (155) to determine whether a connection can be made with one or more further clients devices (130) connected to a network (120); and an offline manager (170) couplable to the network manager (155) to persist changes detected by the collaborative event manager (180) when a connection cannot be made; wherein the network manager (155) is adapted to selectively transmit the changes across the network (120) to one or more of the said further client devices (130) when a connection can be made, thereby instructing one or more respective agents to apply said changes to respective copies of said file. |
| US09213959B2 |
Method and systems for analyzing stock differences in a supply chain
A method and system to perform difference analysis. Differences from various business processes are collected. Those differences are displayed in a graphical user interface. Differences may be posted individually or in aggregate to a reporting system if a set of criteria are satisfied. |
| US09213958B2 |
Intelligent label processing system
Briefly, a new network processing system is provided that collects and coordinates key indicators regarding a product's quality as that product moves from supplier to end user. By doing so, the processing system provides robust, authentic, and trustworthy data that (1) reports the time period when any custodian had the product, (2) identifies what timing or environmental condition caused the product to go bad, and (3) verifies which custodian acted to make the product defective. In use, an intelligent label is attached to a product, and the intelligent label has a timer as well as one or more sensors for monitoring environmental conditions. Upon exceeding timing or environmental rules, a visual alarm indicator is activated on the label. Since the label has electronically retrievable data, electronically scanable data, and human readable date, the network process can collected key data regarding the product along the entire distribution chain. |
| US09213954B2 |
Suggesting data in a contextual workspace
Techniques for managing a virtual workspace include generating a virtual workspace viewable by a user on a graphical user interface, the virtual workspace comprising one or more workspace modules comprising data contained in a plurality of data objects associated with a business enterprise; identifying an interaction by the user with at least some of the data contained in a particular data object of the plurality of data objects; generating a plurality of suggestions comprising data contained in the plurality of data objects that is semantically related to the data interacted with by the user; ranking the plurality of suggestions based on a role of the user in the business enterprise; and presenting at least a portion of the ranked plurality of suggestions to the user. |
| US09213951B2 |
Cause-chain analysis using objects
Identification of the root cause of a change in the system, as well as any side-effects (“ancillary changes”) caused by the change via an object attribute. A change resulting from a request in a system, whether originating from a user, service, or workflow, has an associated request object that captures the details of the change. An ancillary change resulting from the prior change is correlated to the prior change through a parent attribute on the request object that identifies the prior change as the immediate parent. Thus, all downstream ancillary changes resulting from a request can be correlated back to the root request (change) via the parent attributes of the ancillary changes. |
| US09213950B2 |
Method and system for managing a plurality of processes or tasks
A computer-implemented method and system for processing data for monitoring, managing and/or displaying a plurality of processes, tasks or workflow events. According to an embodiment, the system includes an interface for inputting data, wherein the data comprises data associated with a business process, a processor configured for processing the data and configured for generating a graphical representation of the processed data, and wherein the graphical representation comprises one or more elements responsive to an input, and the one or more elements are configured to present additional information for the business process in response to the input. |
| US09213949B1 |
Technologies for live entertaining and entertainment trending
A method is performed via a computer. The method includes receiving a reservation from a customer. The reservation is based at least in part on an agreement reached between the customer and an entertainer as negotiated between the customer and the entertainer. The reservation reserving access for the customer to a bidirectional audiovisual live streaming session according to the agreement. The session is for an entertainment performance via the entertainer according to the agreement. The method further includes granting access to the customer for the session based at least in part on the reservation. The customer and the entertainer are at different locales during the session. The method additionally includes facilitating chat between the customer and the entertainer via the session during the session. The method also includes facilitating payment according to the agreement. |
| US09213947B1 |
Scalable pipeline for local ancestry inference
Ancestry deconvolution includes obtaining unphased genotype data of an individual; phasing, using one or more processors, the unphased genotype data to generate phased haplotype data; using a learning machine to classify portions of the phased haplotype data as corresponding to specific ancestries respectively and generate initial classification results; and correcting errors in the initial classification results to generate modified classification results. |
| US09213937B2 |
Apparatus and methods for gating analog and spiking signals in artificial neural networks
Apparatus and methods for universal node design implementing a universal learning rule in a mixed signal spiking neural network. In one implementation, at one instance, the node apparatus, operable according to the parameterized universal learning model, receives a mixture of analog and spiking inputs, and generates a spiking output based on the model parameter for that node that is selected by the parameterized model for that specific mix of inputs. At another instance, the same node receives a different mix of inputs, that also may comprise only analog or only spiking inputs and generates an analog output based on a different value of the node parameter that is selected by the model for the second mix of inputs. In another implementation, the node apparatus may change its output from analog to spiking responsive to a training input for the same inputs. |
| US09213935B2 |
Role-play simulation engine
A coordination processor receives data from a simulated role-play environment having a performer that is assigned a role. Further, the coordination processor composes an instruction to the performer to perform an action in the simulated role-play environment. The instruction is selected to implement a narrative possibility in a role-playing simulation. In addition, the instruction is sent to an interface that provides the instruction to the performer in the simulated role-play environment. |
| US09213934B1 |
Real time explosive hazard information sensing, processing, and communication for autonomous operation
Methods, computer readable media, and apparatuses provide robotic explosive hazard detection. A robot intelligence kernel (RIK) includes a dynamic autonomy structure with two or more autonomy levels between operator intervention and robot initiative A mine sensor and processing module (ESPM) operating separately from the RIK perceives environmental variables indicative of a mine using subsurface perceptors. The ESPM processes mine information to determine a likelihood of a presence of a mine. A robot can autonomously modify behavior responsive to an indication of a detected mine. The behavior is modified between detection of mines, detailed scanning and characterization of the mine, developing mine indication parameters, and resuming detection. Real time messages are passed between the RIK and the ESPM. A combination of ESPM bound messages and RIK bound messages cause the robot platform to switch between modes including a calibration mode, the mine detection mode, and the mine characterization mode. |
| US09213930B2 |
Secure barcodes
Methods and systems for generating and authenticating barcodes and in particular generating secure barcodes are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method, performed by a certificate authority for creating a trusted content, comprises receiving, via a receiver, a target content and verifying the target content to determine whether the target content is safe or appropriate. Further, the method comprises, based on a result of the verifying, generating and storing, in a storage medium, response data; generating, via a processor, and storing in the storage medium an identifier corresponding to the response data; generating, via the processor, resolution data, the resolution data including the identifier and an address of the certificate authority; and transmitting, via a transmitter, the resolution data as the trusted content. |
| US09213928B2 |
Bar-code assignment system for medical and other uses
A bar code generation and processing system for medical and other use comprises at least one repository and a bar code processor. The at least one repository of information includes, identification data of multiple bar code scanners and also associates a bar code displayed in an image associated with an executable application and presented on a device with, the executable application and at least one of, (a) the device and (b) a data destination associated with the application. The bar code processor receives identification data of a bar code scanner and data representing the bar code displayed in the image and uses the information in associating the bar code with the data destination associated with the application and a particular bar code scanner of the multiple bar code scanners. The bar code processor communicates data acquired using the particular bar code scanner to the data destination in response to the association. |
| US09213926B2 |
Image forming system and image forming system control method for controlling image forming conditions of a job in accordance with a designated post-processing
Provided is an image forming system including: an image forming section which forms images on sheets; a post-processing device which executes post-processing on the sheets on which the images are formed on the image forming section; and a controller which controls the image forming apparatus and the post-processing device, wherein the image forming section forms the images on the sheets in a state corresponding to the post-processing as a trial print with respect to a job for which the post-processing is designated, and the post-processing device ejects the sheets in a state that the post-processing is not completed on the sheets on which the images are formed. |
| US09213924B1 |
Apparatus for printing colored and white toner
An apparatus for printing on a receiver with a plurality of colored dry inks and a dry white ink, the apparatus includes a look-up table having a set of one dimensional look-up tables for each of the colored inks and black inks, which look-up table which receives a value corresponding to a laydown at each pixel location of the receiver; wherein the look-up table determines a laydown of white ink at each pixel location depending on the laydown of the colored inks and black ink; and a logic and control unit which determines an amount of white ink to laydown by computing a value from the determined white laydowns of each look-up table. |
| US09213919B2 |
Category histogram image representation
In techniques for category histogram image representation, image segments of an input image are generated and bounding boxes are selected that each represent a region of the input image, where each of the bounding boxes include image segments of the input image. A saliency map of the input image can also be generated. A bounding box is applied as a query on an images database to determine database image regions that match the region of the input image represented by the bounding box. The query can be augmented based on saliency detection of the input image region that is represented by the bounding box, and a query result is a ranked list of the database image regions. A category histogram for the region of the input image is then generated based on category labels of each of the database image regions that match the input image region. |
| US09213917B2 |
Using surfaces with printed patterns for image and data processing
Adjusting data for photographed images includes detecting a reference image in the data, where the reference image contains a detectable uniformity and adjusting the data according to the reference image. The reference image may be a uniform grid pattern of dots preprinted on paper. A paper type may be determined prior to adjusting the data according to the reference image. The paper type may be determined according to spacing and/or patterns of the dots, and/or layout of page areas covered with dots. Adjusting the data may include removing effects corresponding to a folded corner, a removed corner, an obstructed corner, lens flare spots, and/or a shadow. Positional coordinates of the data may be adjusted by normalizing the grid through a non-linear transformation that eliminates curvature of the grid and/or distortions based on perspective. |
| US09213910B2 |
Reinforcement learning approach to character level segmentation of license plate images
Methods and systems for achieving accurate segmentation of characters with respect to a license plate image utilizing a reinforcement learning approach. A vehicle image can be captured by an image capturing unit and processed utilizing an ALPR (Automatic License Plate Recognition) unit. The reinforcement learning (RL) approach can be configured to initialize a segmentation agent with a starting location. A proper segmentation path (cuts) from top to bottom and from a darker to lighter area in a cropped license plate image can be identified by the segmentation agent during a training phase. Rewards can be provided based on a number of good and bad moves. The association between a current state and a sensory input with a preferred action can be learned by the segmentation agent at the end of the training phase. |
| US09213908B2 |
Method for registering at least one part of a first and second image using a collineation warping function
The invention is related to a method for registering at least one part of a first image and of a second image, including the steps of providing a first image of the real environment and a coordinate system associated to the first image, a second image of the real environment, and measurements of orientation and/or distance of a capturing device with respect to the real environment while capturing the second image. A collineation warping function is then determined from the measurements associated to at least one part of the second image. The method further includes the steps of transforming the at least one part of the second image by applying the corresponding determined collineation warping function, determining a second warping function for registering the transformed at least one part of the second image and the at least one part of the first image by means of an image registration method, and registering the at least one part of the second image and first image using the collineation warping function and the second warping function. |
| US09213906B2 |
Information processing apparatus and method
A read-only memory (ROM) includes storage areas used as a processing setting data storage unit, a successful detection rate storage unit, and a processing time storage unit. A central processing unit (CPU) can function as a calculation unit by executing a calculation program stored on the ROM. The successful detection rate storage unit stores a predetermined successful detection rate (the probability of executing subsequent processing based on a result of a current processing). The processing time storage unit stores a predetermined processing time of each processing. The calculation unit calculates a module configuration for executing each processing according to the successful detection rate stored on the successful detection rate storage unit and the processing time stored on the processing time storage unit. The processing setting data storage unit stores setting data of a characteristic amount and a setting data of positional information about image data (the address of the image data). |
| US09213904B1 |
Autonomous lock-on target tracking with geospatial-aware PTZ cameras
An autonomous lock-on target tracking system and method with geospatial-aware PTZ cameras includes a camera imaging a terrain space. The camera acquires images, and first and second images are aligned. A frame-differencing operation produces a resultant image including blobs corresponding to elements in the terrain space. One of the blobs is classified as an object and tracked as a target. The target is tracked by determining the distance between a centroid of the target and a center of a field of view of the camera, and instructing the camera to move through the distance. The distance is continually updated as the camera and the target move. Disclosed are also methods for deploying the georeferencing enabled version of such PTZ camera on stationary and mobile land, sea and air platforms. |
| US09213902B2 |
Method of estimating optical flow on the basis of an asynchronous light sensor
A computer receives asynchronous information originating from a light sensor (10) having a pixel matrix disposed opposite a scene. The asynchronous information comprises, for each pixel of the matrix, successive events originating from this pixel and depending on variations in light in the scene. For a place of estimation (p) in the matrix of pixels and an estimation time (t), the computer selects a set (Sp t) of events originating from pixels included in a spatial neighborhood (πρ) of the place of estimation and which have occurred in a time interval (Θ) defined with respect to the estimation time, such that this set has at most one event per pixel of the spatial neighborhood. The computer quantifies the variations in the times of occurrence of the events of the set selected as a function of the positions, in the matrix, of the pixels from which these events originate. |
| US09213900B2 |
Automated vision-based clutter detector and notifier
A system and method of monitoring a customer space including obtaining visual data comprising image frames of the customer space over a period of time, defining a region of interest within the customer space, the region of interest corresponding to a portion of the customer space in which customers relocate objects, monitoring the region of interest for at least one predefined clutter condition, and generating a notification when the at least one predefined clutter condition is detected. |
| US09213892B2 |
Real-time bicyclist detection with synthetic training data
A determination is made in real-time regarding whether a bicyclist is present in a target image. A target image is received. The target image is classified and an error value for the target image is determined using a linear classifier. If the error value does not exceed the threshold value, the classification is outputted. Otherwise, if the error value exceeds the threshold value, the target image is classified using a non-linear classifier. |
| US09213891B2 |
Information processing device
An information processing device 200 of the present invention includes: a recognition result acquiring means 201 for acquiring respective recognition result information outputted by a plurality of recognition engines 211, 212 and 213 executing different recognition processes on recognition target data; and an integration recognition result outputting means 202 for outputting a new recognition result obtained by integrating the respective recognition result information acquired from the plurality of recognition engines. The recognition result acquiring means 201 is configured to acquire the respective recognition result information in a data format common to the plurality of recognition engines, from the plurality of recognition engines. The integration recognition result outputting means 202 is configured to integrate the respective recognition result information based on the respective recognition result information, and output as the new recognition result. |
| US09213889B2 |
Athlete speed prediction method using data from attached inertial measurement unit
An apparatus and method for calculating athlete speed non-invasively, on the field/court of play using data from a torso-mounted inertial measurement unit. The method complements existing, GPS-based methods for calculating athlete speed by enabling use in environments where GPS signal is unavailable (i.e. indoors). |
| US09213883B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing depth image
An apparatus and method for processing a depth image. A depth image may be generated with reduced noise and motion blur, using depth images generated during different integration times that are generated based on the noise and motion blur of the depth image. |
| US09213880B2 |
Method of optimizing focus plane position of imaging scanner
A method includes the following: (1) projecting a light pattern towards a target object; (2) detecting light returned from the target object through an imaging lens arrangement with an imaging sensor to capture at least a first slit-frame-image and a second slit-frame-image; (3) determining an optimized position of the imaging lens arrangement; (4) detecting light returned from the target object with the imaging sensor to capture an image of a barcode when the imaging lens arrangement is maintained at the optimized position; and (5) processing the image of the barcode to decode the barcode. In the method, determining the optimized position includes processing at least the first slit-frame-image and the second slit-frame-image. |
| US09213875B1 |
System and method for automatically modeling symbology data in a symbology reader
This invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a system and method for reading symbology, and more typically linear barcodes (“symbols”) that employs trained attributes that remain invariant between scans of different barcodes during runtime to tune various aspects of the procedure for locating and decoding such barcodes. The procedure relies upon a training step in which one or more exemplary barcodes are decoded and the invariant attributes for such barcodes, including, but not limited to, size, shape, relative angle in the image field of view and resolution are stored. The runtime decoding procedure then employs these attributes to constrain the search for subsequent, scanned barcodes and then decode it according to a plurality of tuned steps. |
| US09213874B2 |
RFID smart garment
In combination, an RFID antenna array, an RFID tag reader, and a power supply, the foregoing components being adapted to be worn or otherwise borne by a person and be operatively connected so that the power supply powers the reader and the reader energizes the antenna array and receives RFID tag signals through the antenna array while the person passes through an area as the person's hands and arms are unencumbered by said components. |
| US09213871B1 |
RFID tag and reader authentication by trusted authority
A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader containing a reader key authenticates an RFID tag containing a tag key by receiving a reader challenge from a verification authority; determining a reader response based at least on the reader challenge and the reader key; sending a first message including at least the reader response but not the reader key to the verification authority; receiving a tag identifier from the tag; challenging the tag with a tag challenge; receiving a tag response based at least on the tag challenge and the tag key but not including the tag key; sending a second message including at least the tag identifier and the tag response to the verification authority; and receiving an electronically-signed reply from the verification authority. The reader validates the verification authority reply by checking the signature. The verification authority may notify a designated party if a response is incorrect. |
| US09213869B2 |
Magnetic stripe reading device
A magnetic stripe reading device including a magnetic head assembly including a mounting element defining a circumferential anti-tampering enclosure and at least one information reading sensor having output contacts, a protective layer including at least one protective grid and at least one anti-tampering contact array including at least two electrical contacts, at least one resiliently deformable conductive element arranged to selectably provide a galvanic interconnection between the electrical contacts, a closure element fixed to the assembly in a secure orientation to displace the deformable conductive element into galvanic interconnection contact with the electrical contacts, whereby tampering with the closure element causes the deformable conductive element to break the galvanic interconnection contact and a flat cable coupled to the output contacts, to the protective layer and to the electrical contacts and carrying electrical signals useful for providing a tampering alarm indication when the electrical contacts are not in galvanic contact. |
| US09213864B2 |
Data processing apparatus and validity verification method
A data processing apparatus includes an auxiliary storage device having target verification data stored therein, a program memory having a validity verification program stored therein, a first RAM (Random Access Memory), a second RAM, and an execution unit configured to execute a validity verification process in accordance with the validity verification program stored in the program memory. The execution unit is configured to copy the target verification data from the auxiliary storage device into the first RAM, execute the validity verification process on the copied target verification data in the first RAM, and use the second RAM as a work area in a case of executing the validity verification process. |
| US09213863B2 |
Enhanced privacy for provision of computer vision
Methods, apparatuses and storage medium associated with providing enhanced privacy during usage of computer vision are disclosed. In embodiments, an apparatus may include one or more privacy indicators to indicate one or more privacy conditions of the apparatus in association with provision of computer vision on the apparatus. The apparatus may further include a privacy engine coupled with the one or more privacy indicators, and configured to pre-process images from an image source of the apparatus associated with the provision of computer vision to the apparatus, to increase privacy for a user of the apparatus, and to control the one or more privacy indicators. In embodiments, the apparatus may include means for blanking out one or more pixels with depth values identified as greater than a threshold. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US09213857B2 |
Systems and methods for securing data in motion
The systems and methods of the present invention provide a solution that makes data provably secure and accessible—addressing data security at the bit level—thereby eliminating the need for multiple perimeter hardware and software technologies. Data security is incorporated or weaved directly into the data at the bit level. The systems and methods of the present invention enable enterprise communities of interest to leverage a common enterprise infrastructure. Because security is already woven into the data, this common infrastructure can be used without compromising data security and access control. In some applications, data is authenticated, encrypted, and parsed or split into multiple shares prior to being sent to multiple locations, e.g., a private or public cloud. The data is hidden while in transit to the storage location, and is inaccessible to users who do not have the correct credentials for access. |
| US09213850B2 |
Policy-based application management
Improved techniques for managing enterprise applications on mobile devices are described herein. Each enterprise mobile application running on the mobile device has an associated policy through which it interacts with its environment. The policy selectively blocks or allows activities involving the enterprise application in accordance with rules established by the enterprise. Together, the enterprise applications running on the mobile device form a set of managed applications. Managed applications are typically allowed to exchange data with other managed applications, but are blocked from exchanging data with other applications, such as the user's own personal applications. Policies may be defined to manage data sharing, mobile resource management, application specific information, networking and data access solutions, device cloud and transfer, dual mode application software, enterprise app store access, and virtualized application and resources, among other things. |
| US09213849B2 |
Hierarchical access control administration preview
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for hierarchical access control administration preview of access control rights for hierarchically organized content. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for rendering a hierarchical access control administration preview of access control rights for hierarchically organized content can be provided. The method can include rendering a view of hierarchically organized content in connection with corresponding access rights and proposing explicitly assigned access rights for selected content in the hierarchically organized content. The method also can include re-rendering the view to reflect both the proposed explicitly assigned access rights for the selected content and also implicitly resulting assigned access rights for the children of the selected content. |
| US09213844B2 |
Virtual datacenter private sublets for quarantined access to data
Technologies are generally described for providing a system that allows data use clients direct access to perform complex analysis on data assets without compromising the assets by sharing the data contained may set up the data assets in virtual datacenters (VDCs) within a physical datacenter and open additional resources within the VDCs to data use clients. The data use clients may be enabled to upload and execute analysis applications with access to valuable data. Data traffic exiting the VDCs through such applications, however, may be controlled by a supervisor that analysis an output and enforces limitations on content and/or volume based on a level of purchased access. |
| US09213836B2 |
System and method for comprehensive general electric protection for computers against malicious programs that may steal information and/or cause damages
In the prior art of computer security by default programs are allowed to do whatever they like to other programs or to their data files or to critical files of the operating system, which is as absurd as letting a guest in a hotel bother other guests as he pleases, steal their property or copy it or destroy it, or have free access to the hotel's management resources. The present concept is based on automatic segregation between programs. This is preferably done by creating automatically an unlimited number of Virtual Environments (VEs) with virtual sharing of resources, so that the programs in each VE think that they are alone on the computer, and (unless explicitly allowed by the user) any changes that they think they made in virtually shared resources are in reality only made in their own VE, while the user preferably has an integrated view of the computer. |
| US09213834B2 |
Prevention of user input capture
Systems and methods may provide to prevent user input capture. In one example, the method may include measuring an attribute based on a user's interaction with a user input component of a user input device, generating a user input signature based on the measured attribute, generating an obscuring signature based on the user input signature, and transmitting a control signal, based on the obscuring signature, to obscure a user's input activity and prevent user input capture. |
| US09213830B2 |
Managing applications in non-cooperative environments
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for managing applications in non-cooperative environments. Embodiments of the invention provide the ability to manage non-cooperative applications and operating systems. For example, applications and operating systems at a user's (e.g., an information worker's) personal device (e.g., smartphone) can be appropriately managed to provide more secure access to a corporate IT infrastructure. An IT worker can programmatically repackage an application, deploy it to a user's personal device, and manage the user's ability to use the application through policy. |
| US09213827B2 |
Security data aggregation and business intelligence for web applications
Systems and methods may provide for detecting a browser request for web content. Additionally, interaction information associated with a plurality of sources may be determined in response to the browser request, and a risk profile may be generated based on the interaction. The risk profile may include at least a portion of the interaction information as well as recommended control actions to mitigate the identified risk. In one example, the risk profile is presented to a user associated with the browser request as well as to a security control module associated with the platform. |
| US09213826B2 |
System and method to protect Java bytecode code against static and dynamic attacks within hostile execution environments
A method and system that provides secure modules that can address Java platform weaknesses and protect Java bytecode during execution time. The secure modules are implemented in C/C++ as an example. Because implementation of the security modules is made in C/C++, this enables use of security technology that secures C/C++ software code. |
| US09213825B1 |
User authentication using two-dimensional barcodes
A login interface provided by a firmware setup utility is configured to display a two-dimensional barcode, such as a quick response (“QR”) code. The barcode is scanned by a mobile device configured to retrieve a timestamp encrypted within the barcode. The mobile device creates a passcode by re-encrypting the timestamp using a firmware setup password and a master key. The passcode is provided to the firmware setup utility, which retrieves the timestamp and compares it to a stored timestamp. If the timestamp values match, access to the firmware setup utility is permitted. |
| US09213824B2 |
Electronic device and unlocking method thereof
An electronic device and an unlocking method thereof are provided. The electronic device has a touch screen, and the unlocking method includes following steps. When the electronic device is at a locking state, a first input and a second input corresponding to each other are received. Symbol information displayed on the touch screen is obtained according to the first input, and direction information is obtained according to the second input. When the symbol information and the direction information are matched to a predefined unlocking condition, the electronic device is switched to an unlocking state. When the symbol information and the direction information are not matched to the predefined unlocking condition, the electronic device is maintained in the locking state. |
| US09213816B2 |
Protocol for biometric device capture and quality analysis
Systems and methods are disclosed herein to a computer-implemented method for communicating with peripheral devices comprising loading, by a computer, a configuration file specifying supported peripheral devices and defining commands for each supported peripheral device; receiving, by a computer, a selection of one of the supported peripheral devices from a list of peripheral devices presented in an interface; calling, by a computer, a device handler for the selected peripheral device; invoking, by a computer, protocols for the selected peripheral device that are specified by the device handler corresponding to the selected peripheral device; and sending, by a computer, commands entered through the interface to the selected peripheral device using the invoked protocols of the device handler corresponding to the selected peripheral device. |
| US09213815B2 |
Authentication device for user authentication and image forming apparatus including the authentication device
A user authentication device provided on an apparatus as an object of operation acquires feature data representing notable portion of the user, using a camera device, after user authentication. Based on the acquired feature data, the user authentication device tracks the user by the camera (step S1030). If it is detected by the tracking that the user has left the apparatus, the user authentication device displays a log-in screen image on an operation panel (step S1060). If it is detected that the user once left the apparatus has returned to a position where he/she can operate the apparatus, the user authentication device displays the screen image that has been previously operated by the user. On the other hand, if it is detected that the tracking has been interrupted after the user left the apparatus, the user authentication device executes a log-out process (step S1120). |
| US09213812B1 |
Systems and methods related to security credentials
A method includes receiving, from a user via an electronic device, input representing a password to be utilized for an account; automatically determining, utilizing a processor, a complexity value for the input password; automatically determining, based on the determined complexity value, security settings for the account; receiving, from a user via an electronic device, input representing an attempt to login to the account, the input representing an attempt to login to the account including an attempted password; automatically determining that the attempted password does not match the password to be utilized for the account; and determining a course of action to take in response to the determination that the attempted password does not match the password to be utilized for the account, the course of action being determined based at least in part on the automatically determined security settings for the account. |
| US09213810B2 |
Systems and methods for identifying unauthorized users of an electronic device
This is generally directed to identifying unauthorized users of an electronic device. In some embodiments, an unauthorized user of the electronic device can be detected by identifying particular activities that may indicate suspicious behavior. In some embodiments, an unauthorized user can be detected by comparing the identity of the current user to the identity of the owner of the electronic device. When an unauthorized user is detected, various safety measures can be taken. For example, information related to the identity of the unauthorized user, the unauthorized user's operation of the electronic device, or the current location of the electronic device can be gathered. As another example, functions of the electronic device can be restricted. In some embodiments, the owner of the electronic device can be notified of the unauthorized user by sending an alert notification through any suitable medium, such as, for example, a voice mail, e-mail, or text message. |
| US09213806B2 |
Managing and providing access to applications in an application-store module
According to one embodiment, a system includes an interface and a processor. The interface receives, from a device, a request to access an application-store module, the device being associated with a first user. The processor determines a device type associated with the device; determines an operating system associated with the device; determines a user role associated with the first user; and determines, based on the device type, the operating system, and the user role, one or more applications. The interface communicates, to the device, a first set of information to be displayed on the device, the first set of information being associated with the one or more applications. |
| US09213804B2 |
Securing displayed information
A method, system or computer usable program product for securing displayed information including establishing a session between a first data processing device including a first memory and a second data processing device including a second memory and a display, maintaining session awareness indicating that both the first and second devices are alive in the session, inputting information into the second data processing device during the session producing input information stored in the second memory, and responsive to a determination the session has ended between the first and second device, deleting the input information in the second memory. |
| US09213802B2 |
Updatability of structured blood glucose tests performed on handheld diabetes management devices
A method of improving updatability of entry, adherence, and exit criteria stored in memory of a handheld diabetes management device, the method includes: providing the handheld diabetes management device with a blood glucose (bG) measurement engine that measures a bG level in a sample of blood of a user and that generates sample data indicative of the bG level; providing the handheld diabetes management device with the memory and a touchscreen display; providing the handheld diabetes management device with a processor module that is in communication with the bG measurement engine, the touchscreen display, and the memory; storing firmware that is executable by the processor module for performing operations to carry out a structured bG test in a non-modifiable portion of the memory; and storing the entry, adherence, and exit criteria in a modifiable portion of the memory. |
| US09213801B2 |
Multi-resolution graphical display for feedback on chest compression depth
Embodiments of the present concept are directed to medical devices. For example, a medical device including a display for providing feedback to a rescuer who is performing Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) chest compressions to a patient. The display is structured to graphically indicate an instantaneous value of a measured compression depth of the chest of the patient. The display includes an indicator range that corresponds at least in part to a compression depth range of some of the measured compression depths. An indicator is represented as progressing along the indicator range as the depth changes within the compression depth range to represent a value of the measured compression depth in relation to the indicator range. Depending on the measured compression depth, the indicator progresses at a variable rate relative to a difference in the measured compression depth. |
| US09213794B2 |
System and method for routing buffered interconnects in an integrated circuit
A system and method for routing a buffered interconnect in an IC from a source cell to a target cell thereof. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a path tracer operable to designate the source cell as a current node and construct a path toward the target node by: (1a) defining a boundary about the current node based on a buffer driving length, (1b) trimming the boundary by any blockage therein to yield a candidate area for placing a buffer, (1c) dividing the boundary into line segments, (1d) selecting a closest, valid one of the line segments to the target cell as the current node and (1e) repeating the defining, trimming, dividing and selecting the closest, valid one until the current node lies within the buffer driving length and (2) a buffer placer associated with the path tracer and operable to select a location along the path to place the buffer. |
| US09213793B1 |
Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for implementing electronic designs using flexible routing tracks
One aspect interconnects two regions subject to different rules and using transition rule(s) in a transition region or cost mechanism(s), where these rules may include soft rule(s), hard rule(s), or combinations thereof. These two regions may reside on the same routing layer or on different routing layers. This aspect allows physical design tools to transition across gridded, gridless, tracked, or trackless regions subject to different rules on the same or different layers. Another aspect interconnects an object subject to the first rule(s) and the second rule(s), while the object satisfies or violates the first rule(s). These aspects use spacetile(s) on a spacetile layer as search probe(s) to find viable implementation solutions, although the spacetile(s) and hence the search probe may violate one or more rules. A spacetile layer may be identified or created for each rule and may be associated with relevant features subject to relevant rule(s). |
| US09213792B2 |
Semiconductor chip including digital logic circuit including at least six transistors with some transistors forming cross-coupled transistor configuration and associated methods
A first gate level feature forms gate electrodes of a first transistor of a first transistor type and a first transistor of a second transistor type. A second gate level feature forms a gate electrode of a second transistor of the first transistor type. A third gate level feature forms a gate electrode of a second transistor of the second transistor type. The gate electrodes of the second transistors of the first and second transistor types are positioned on opposite sides of a gate electrode track along which the gate electrodes of the first transistors of the first and second transistor types are positioned. The gate electrodes of the second transistors of the first and second transistor types are electrically connected to each other through an electrical connection that includes respective gate contacts and one or more conductive interconnect structures. |
| US09213789B2 |
Method of generating optimized memory instances using a memory compiler
A method of generating optimized memory instances using a memory compiler is disclosed. Data pertinent to describing a memory to be designed are provided, and front-end models and back-end models are made to supply a library. Design criteria are received via a user interface. Design of the memory is optimized among speed, power and area according to the provided library and the received design criteria, thereby generating memory instances. |
| US09213788B2 |
Methods and apparatus for constructing and analyzing component-based models of engineering systems
Systems, methods, and apparatus for modeling and analyzing a physical system comprising a plurality of components. In some embodiments, a component type of a component of the plurality of components may be used to access a dataset from a plurality of datasets. The dataset may include a representation of at least one partial differential equation. A model of the component may be constructed based at least in part on the accessed dataset and at least one parameter relating to a physical characteristic of the component, and may be used to compute at least one output value based on at least one input value. |
| US09213783B2 |
Source mask optimization to reduce stochastic effects
Disclosed herein is a computer-implemented method for improving a lithographic process for imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using a lithographic projection apparatus, the method comprising defining a multi-variable cost function, the multi-variable cost function being a function of a stochastic effect of the lithographic process. |
| US09213782B2 |
Sorting multiple records of data using ranges of key values
A method and system for sorting data of an input file containing multiple records associated with multiple tables of a database. The multiple records include key values. The key values are segmented into ranges of key values for each table. Each range of key values for each table is a segment having a segment value. Multiple key values are selected for the multiple records. A block number, which contains a unique permutation of the segment values of the segments, is generated. The segment values denote the ranges of key values encompassing the multiple key values in each record. A sort key value for each record is ascertained, based on the generated block number for each record, and added to each record. The multiple records are sorted according to the sort key values in the multiple records. The sorted multiple records are stored in an output file. |
| US09213780B2 |
Cache and index refreshing strategies for variably dynamic items and accesses
Many computing scenarios involve an item cache or index, comprising items corresponding to source items that may change without notice, rendering the item in the item cache or index stale. It may not be possible to guarantee the freshness of the items, but it may be desirable to reduce staleness in an efficient manner. Therefore, the refreshing of items may be prioritized by first predicting the query frequency of respective item representing the rate at which an item is retrieved from the item cache (e.g., by monitoring queries for the item), predicting an update frequency representing the rate at which the source item is updated by the source item host (e.g., by classifying the source item type), and computing a refresh utility representing the improvement in cache freshness achieved by refreshing the item. Respective items may then be prioritized for refreshing according to the computed refresh utilities. |
| US09213771B2 |
Question answering framework
Described herein is a technology to facilitate automated question answering. In one implementation, an input question is first received. Different search strategies may be used to search multiple types of data from multiple types of knowledge databases to generate one or more candidate answers to the input question. The one or more candidate answers are evaluated to generate a final answer to the input question. |
| US09213767B2 |
Method and system for characterizing web content
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a method of processing Web activity data. The method includes obtaining a database of Website organizational data. The method also includes generating a data structure from the database of Website organizational data comprising an Item identifier and a Website category corresponding to the item identifier. The method also includes generating a reduced-rank classification structure from the data structure, the reduced-rank classification structure including a category grouping corresponding to one or more of the Website categories. |
| US09213763B2 |
System and method for responding to web form inquiries
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for generating contact plans and responding to web form inquires using the contact plans. |
| US09213762B1 |
Operation using positioning information
Systems, apparatus, articles of manufacture, and methods to determine a position of a base with respect to a playback device and evaluating whether the position is proper or improper given an orientation of the playback device are disclosed and described herein. In one aspect, a method is provided. The example method includes determining a position of a playback device with respect to a base. The example method also includes determining an orientation of the playback device. The example method includes comparing the determined position to a reference position for the determined orientation. The example method further includes, if the determined position corresponds to the reference position for the determined orientation, allowing operation of the playback device, and, if the determined position does not correspond to the reference position for the determined orientation, limiting operation of the playback device. |
| US09213751B2 |
Method of increasing capacity to process operational data
A first-system has a plurality of interconnected computers which receive operational data from remote data sources. The first-system has a software application for processing the operational data received from remote data sources and the operational data characterizes performance of one or more software applications running on the remote data sources. A load capacity “L” for the first-system is determined; wherein L is the number of remote data sources that can be processed before the system becomes overloaded. The first-system is repeatedly monitors remote data sources to determine their number. When the number of remote data sources exceeds a predetermined fraction of L the first-system is replicated and replications are installed. When a client requests data from one of the systems, using a time stamp the data is automatically provided. The first-system is replicated as more processing power is required conditional upon the load capacity of the system. |
| US09213749B1 |
Content item selection based on presentation context
Methods, systems, and apparatus for selecting content items based on presentation context are presented. In one aspect, a method includes for each of a plurality of content item slots of a resource: obtaining first performance data based on a performance of content items that were presented in a navigational context in the content item slot; obtaining second performance data based on a performance of content items that were presented in a non-navigational context in the content item slot; determining, from the first and second performance data, a navigational performance adjustment factor for the content item slot, the navigational performance adjustment factor indicating, for the content item slot, a performance of content items presented in the navigational context relative to a performance of content items presented in the non-navigational context. |
| US09213744B2 |
Perturbing search results
Disclosed here are methods, systems, paradigms and structures for spreading the interest of a user evenly over a predefined set of search results. A search engine retrieves search results from a database and perturbs at least a portion of the search results, that is, randomizes the order of the portion before presenting it to the user. In this way, even when a search is repeated between database update cycles, the user would see different top search results every time the search is executed. The perturbation technique can be applied to a search in a social networking system which searches for users. The perturbation can be done by randomizing the display order of the sear results based on a most recent activity time of the user. The perturbed search results will have different users every time the user performs a search. The perturbed search results are customized per user. |
| US09213743B2 |
Mining for statistical enumerated type
Time-based event stream attributes are analyzed to determine whether the attributes are of a statistical enumerated type, or, in other words, whether the attributes comprise statistically fixed sets of unique values, for instance. The analysis can involve determining a magnitude of change to a set of unique attribute values. In one instance, such a determination can be performed as a function of a number, or count, of unique values. Further, event stream processing can be performed dynamically, for instance, by partitioning data into time intervals and processing the intervals incrementally. |
| US09213737B2 |
Calculation scenarios with semantic nodes
A calculation engine is described that executes calculation scenarios comprising a plurality of calculation nodes that each specify operations to be performed to execute the query. One of the nodes can be a semantic node that is used to modify the query for operations requiring special handling. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described. |
| US09213735B1 |
Flow control in very large query result sets using a release message to confirm that a client computer is ready to receive the data associated with a data collection operation
Apparatuses and methods for providing flow control over a network are disclosed. One such method comprises receiving a first remote procedure call at a first computer from a second computer remote from the first computer, the first computer including a first memory and a first processor configured to execute instructions stored in the first memory, generating a second remote procedure call from the first processor to the second computer, the second remote procedure call responsive to the first remote procedure call, monitoring the first processor for receipt of a release signal from the second computer, the release signal indicating when the second computer is able to receive data responsive to the first remote procedure call, and transmitting the data from the first memory of the first computer to the second computer responsive to receipt of the release signal at the first processor. |
| US09213733B2 |
Computerized internet search system and method
The present invention provides a system and method that can search social media and Internet websites, and can analyze and display the results according to a variety of criteria including virality on social media websites. The results are presented in a user friendly format such as a magazine, newsletter, newspaper, or scrapbook. |
| US09213732B2 |
Hash table and radix sort based aggregation
Aggregation of an in-memory database includes receiving, by at least one processor having a plurality of threads, input having records stored in random access memory, distributing, by the at least one processor, the input into portions, one of the plurality of threads having an assigned portion, aggregating, by the at least one processor, the records in the assigned portion based on locality of keys in the records and outputting, by the at least one processor, the aggregated records into a global hash table. |
| US09213730B2 |
Method and apparatus for extracting portions of text from long social media documents
A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and apparatus for extracting text from a social media document are disclosed. For example, the method indexes a plurality of social media documents into a plurality of snippets, receives a query including one or more keywords and a purpose, identifies one or more of the plurality of snippets that include the one or more keywords in an index, ranks the one or more of the plurality of snippets in accordance with the purpose and provides the one or more plurality of snippets that are ranked in accordance with the purpose. |
| US09213718B1 |
Synchronized file management across multiple disparate endpoints
Techniques to manage files and other stored objects are disclosed. An identification is received of a plurality of files associated with a synchronization set. An identification of a plurality of endpoints associated with the synchronization set is received. Synchronization is maintained across the endpoints with respect to at least a subset of the files included in the plurality of files. In some embodiments, maintaining synchronization across the endpoints includes materializing each file, and updates thereto, at each endpoint at which the file is stored in a manner required by that endpoint while maintaining an awareness of which files or other objects as stored at each endpoint at which files are stored correspond to which files or other objects as stored at other endpoints at which files are stored. |
| US09213717B1 |
Managing concurrent I/OS in file systems
A method is used in managing concurrent I/Os in file systems. A first and second I/O requests are received. The first I/O request is directed to a first portion of a file and the second I/O request is directed to a second portion of the file. A first range lock for the first portion is obtained and a second range lock for the second portion is obtained. The first and second I/O requests are performed concurrently. The second I/O request starts performing I/O on the second portion of the file before the first I/O request finish performing I/O on the first portion of the file. |
| US09213715B2 |
De-duplication with partitioning advice and automation
Migrating a sub-volume in data storage with at least two de-duplication domains, each of the domains having at least one sub-volume. A first sub-volume is assigned to a de-duplication domain and a first content summary is computed for the first sub-volume. Similarly, a second sub-volume is assigned to a second de-duplication domains and a second content summary is computed for the second sub-volume. A first content affinity is calculated between the first sub-volume and a third sub-volume, and a second content affinity is calculated between the second sub-volume and the third sub-volume. A domain placement is selected for the third sub-volume based on comparison of the first content affinity and the second content affinity. |
| US09213712B1 |
Advertising in desktop searches
In one aspect, a system receives an executable file that includes one or more advertisements and instructions. The system stores the executable file, including the advertisements, on a storage device. The system receives an input to search the storage device using a search facility separate from the executable file. The system generates search results responsive to the input using the search facility. The system executes the instructions included in the executable file to insert at least one advertisement included in the executable file into the search results. The system presents the search results, including the at least one inserted advertisement, to a user. |
| US09213710B2 |
Systems and methods of storing and managing configuration data in telecommunications systems and devices
Systems and methods of storing and managing data, such as configuration data, in telecommunications systems and devices. The data are stored as objects, each data object having an associated type, and each object type having at least one instance of the data object. Each instance of each data object has a primary key field, which identifies that instance of the data object. Each instance of each data object can have zero or more foreign key fields, each of which can be used to make reference to the primary key of at least one other data object. By employing at least the foreign key fields and the primary keys of the respective data objects, various referential relationships, branching referential relationships, and many-to-many relationships among one or more groups of the object types can be defined and maintained, for use in storing and/or managing the data with increased flexibility and efficiency. |
| US09213708B2 |
Methods and systems for managing data
Systems and methods for managing data, such as metadata. In one exemplary method, metadata from files created by several different software applications are captured, and the captured metadata is searched. The type of information in metadata for one type of file differs from the type of information in metadata for another type of file. Other methods are described and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described. |
| US09213705B1 |
Presenting content related to primary audio content
Systems and methods are provided for generating a presentation associated with primary audio content. In some embodiments, companion content associated with the audio content may be retrieved from one or more data stores. The companion content may include textual content corresponding to the audio content. One or more keywords associated with at least a portion of the companion content may then be determined. Additional content associated with the one or more keywords may be retrieved from one or more data stores, where the additional content may include at least one image. At least one of the one or more images may then be presented for display during playback of the audio content, such that each of the one or more images is presented for display during playback of a corresponding portion of the audio content. |
| US09213701B2 |
Systems and methods for electronically auto-filing and retrieving reversible write eraseable paper documents
An embodiment generally relates to systems and methods for electronically auto-filing and retrieving erasable paper document documents configured for ultraviolet (UV) imaging. A device can automatically generate an electronic version of the erasable paper document and store the electronic version in a database. A user can search the database for the electronic version with identification information associated with the erasable paper document, upon which the systems and methods can retrieve the electronic version of the erasable paper document for the user. The electronic version of the erasable paper document can be re-rendered either as a new erasable paper document, for display to the user, or other renderings. |
| US09213700B2 |
Data archiving and de-archiving in a business environment
A computer implemented method for data archiving and dearchiving in a business environment is described herein. According to an implementation, the method includes obtaining metadata configuration associated with a source database storing transaction information, the transaction information being related to a business transaction. Based on the metadata configuration an archive specification is generated. Further, based on the archive specification and the metadata configuration, an archive mapping is configured. According to an aspect, the archive mapping is synchronized with an update in one of the metadata configuration. The archive mapping can be implemented for archiving the transaction information. Additionally, the archived transaction information can be de-archived, or can be purged onto a back-up repository. |
| US09213698B1 |
Unified data architecture for business process management and data modeling
A computer-implemented method of processing business data, the method including storing data in SPO (subject-predicate-object) format in multiple databases; using a storage layer to connect to the multiple databases and maintaining a record of which data is stored in which database, the data comprising rules and axioms, the axioms representing user data; the rules and the axioms stored in the SPO format; at least one ontology representing a union of at least some rules and axioms that represent a particular data interpretation; a storage layer that permits working with data stored in different databases simultaneously and permits a user to use data from several storages simultaneously; transforming the user data based on context provided by a business application that works with specific objects and ontologies, the context being defined by a particular ontology; performing operations on the data based on triggers specified by the rules; generating new data in the same context; processing requests from a business layer to transform the data; and presenting the data to the user based on the context. |
| US09213694B2 |
Efficient online domain adaptation
Systems and methods for efficient online domain adaptation are provided herein. Methods may include receiving a post-edited machine translated sentence pair, updating a machine translation model by adjusting translation weights for a translation memory and a language model while generating test machine translations of the machine translated sentence pair until one of the test machine translations approximately matches the post-edits for the machine translated sentence pair, and retranslating the remaining machine translation sentence pairs that have yet to be post-edited using the updated machine translation model. |
| US09213689B2 |
Techniques for creating computer generated notes
Text is extracted from and information resource such as documents, emails, relational database tables and other digitized information sources. The extracted text is processed using a decomposition function to create. Nodes are a particular data structure that stores elemental units of information. The nodes can convey meaning because they relate a subject term or phrase to an attribute term or phrase. Removed from the node data structure, the node contents are or can become a text fragment which conveys meaning, i.e., a note. The notes generated from each digital resource are associated with the digital resource from which they are captured. The notes are then stored, organized and presented in several ways which facilitate knowledge acquisition and utilization by a user. |
| US09213686B2 |
System and method for managing a form completion process
Certain embodiments provide systems and methods for managing a form completion process. The method includes providing a user form in the selected language to a user interface. The method further includes receiving the user form with associated form answers and determining whether the selected language of the user form matches a service provider language. The method also includes queuing a work item associated with the user form with associated form answers if the selected language of the user form does not match the service provider language, and dequeuing the work item when the user form with associated form answers is provided to a translation specialist. The method includes receiving a translation of the user form with associated form answers and generating a provider form based on one or more of the user form with associated form answers and the translation of the user form with associated form answers. |
| US09213681B2 |
Method and system to modify source content to fit into a target display area in a browser
A method and system to automatically adjust content being layed out into a target area for browser rendering is provided. An example method comprises a first pass module, a progress data collector, a second pass module, and a communications module. The first pass module may be configured to perform a first pass of laying out source content into a total target area to determine a total crash area consumed by the source content. The progress data collector may be configured to collect progress data associated with the laying out of the source content into the total target area. The second pass module may be configured to perform a second pass of laying out of the source content into the total target area to generate a data object model. The communications module may be configured to provide the data object model to a browser engine for rendering. |
| US09213680B2 |
Method and structure for fast in-place transformation of standard full and packed matrix data formats
A method and structure for an in-place transformation of matrix data. For a matrix A stored in one of a standard full format or a packed format and a transformation T having a compact representation, blocking parameters MB and NB are chosen, based on a cache size. A sub-matrix A1 of A, A1 having size M1=m*MB by N1=n*NB, is worked on, and any of a residual remainder of A is saved in a buffer B. Sub-matrix A1 is worked on by contiguously moving and contiguously transforming A1 in-place into a New Data Structure (NDS), applying the transformation T in units of MB*NB contiguous double words to the NDS format of A1, thereby replacing A1 with the contents of T(A1), and moving and transforming NDS T(A1) to standard data format T(A1) with holes for the remainder of A in buffer B. The contents of buffer B is contiguously copied into the holes of A2, thereby providing in-place transformed matrix T(A). |
| US09213678B2 |
Transfer function estimation apparatus, method and program
An apparatus for estimating a transfer function of at target object having divided systems is disclosed. The apparatus acquires an estimation equation to estimate the transfer function of the target object, and determines, for each arithmetic operation in the estimation equation, whether the arithmetic operation is an addition or a multiplication. For the multiplication, the apparatus performs the multiplication of frequency response characteristics in the frequency domain. For addition, the apparatus converts the frequency response characteristics into time response characteristics, performs the addition of the time response characteristics in the time domain, and reconverts a result of the addition into the frequency domain. |
| US09213672B2 |
Delivering multimedia services
Disclosed is a scalable, hierarchical, distributed network architecture and processes for the delivery of high-performance, end-to-end online multimedia services, including Internet services such as World Wide Web access. The network architecture connects a high-speed private backbone to multiple network access points of the Internet, to a network operation center, to a back office system, and to multiple regional servers in regional data centers. Each of the regional servers connects to several caching servers in modified head-ends, which in turn connect via fiber optics to many neighborhood nodes. Finally, each node connects via coaxial cable to multiple end-user systems. The processes include those for replicating and caching frequently-accessed content, and multicasting content customized per region or locality. |
| US09213671B2 |
Method and apparatus for analyzing the condition of a machine having a rotating part
A method analyzing a machine having a rotating shaft includes generating an electric measurement signal dependent on mechanical vibrations from the shaft rotation; sampling the measurement signal to generate a digital measurement data signal; performing a decimation of the digital measurement data signal to achieve a digital signal having a reduced sampling frequency, where the decimation includes controlling the reduced sampling frequency such that the number of sample values per revolution of the shaft is kept at a substantially constant value, and receiving the digital signal at an enhancer input performing a correlation in the enhancer so as to produce an output signal sequence where repetitive signals amplitude components are amplified in relation to stochastic signal components, and performing a condition analysis for analyzing the condition of the machine dependent on the digital signal having a reduced sampling frequency. |
| US09213663B2 |
Output input control apparatus and control method thereof
An output input (I/O) control apparatus and a control method thereof are provided. The I/O control apparatus includes an interface control unit, a read-only memory, a random access memory, a multiplexer and a micro-process unit. The interface control unit is coupled to a memory apparatus through a bus, and the memory apparatus is external to the I/O control apparatus. The read-only memory stores judgment codes. The multiplexer is controlled by the micro-process unit to switch to the interface control unit, the read-only memory or the random access memory. When the bus is not busy, the micro-process unit can read data from the memory apparatus. When the bus is occupied and busy, the micro-process unit can read and execute codes from the read-only memory or the random access memory so as to avoid computer system instability or thermal damage. |
| US09213658B1 |
Changing memory access for instruction based on memory access misses
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium may include instructions stored thereon. When executed by at least one processor, the instructions may be configured to cause a computing system to at least maintain a count of memory misses associated with an instruction, the instruction being included in code associated with an application, and grant the instruction direct access to memory, bypassing an operating system running on the computer, based on the count of memory misses meeting or exceeding a threshold. |
| US09213653B2 |
Memory integrity
Systems and methods may provide for identifying unencrypted data including a plurality of bits, wherein the unencrypted data may be encrypted and stored in memory. In addition, a determination may be made as to whether the unencrypted data includes a random distribution of the plurality of bits. An integrity action may be implemented, for example, when the unencrypted data includes a random distribution of the plurality of bits. |
| US09213644B2 |
Allocating enclosure cache in a computing system
Allocating enclosure cache in a computing system that includes an enclosure and a plurality of enclosure attached servers, including: receiving, by the enclosure, memory access information from each of the plurality of enclosure attached servers; determining, by the enclosure in dependence upon the memory access information, an amount of enclosure cache to allocate as shared cache that can be accessed by two or more of the enclosure attached servers; and determining, by the enclosure in dependence upon the memory access information, an amount of enclosure cache to allocate to each enclosure attached server for exclusive use by the enclosure attached server. |
| US09213643B2 |
Broadcast messaging and acknowledgment messaging for power management in a multiprocessor system
Various aspects provide for implementing a cache coherence protocol. A system comprises at least one processing component and a centralized controller. The at least one processing component comprises a cache controller. The cache controller is configured to manage a cache memory associated with a processor. The centralized controller is configured to communicate with the cache controller based on a power state of the processor. |
| US09213642B2 |
High availability cache in server cluster
For a high availability cache, a cache module obtains permission to manage the cache in response to a failover event in a server cluster by communicating a cache coherency token. An update module rebuilds a cache directory from data stored in the cache and accesses the cache without reloading the data stored in the cache. |
| US09213641B2 |
Cache line history tracking using an instruction address register file
Embodiments relate to tracking cache lines. An aspect of embodiments includes performing an operation by a processor. Another aspect of embodiments includes fetching a cache line based on the operation. Yet another aspect of embodiments includes storing in an instruction address register file at least one of (i) an operation identifier identifying the operation and (ii) a memory location identifier identifying a level of memory from which the cache line is populated. |
| US09213640B2 |
Promoting transactions hitting critical beat of cache line load requests
A processor includes a cache memory, a first core including an instruction execution unit, and a memory bus coupling the cache memory to the first core. The memory bus is operable to receive a first portion of a cache line of data for the cache memory, the first core is operable to identify a plurality of data requests targeting the cache line and the first portion and select one of the identified plurality of data requests for execution, and the memory bus is operable to forward the first portion to the instruction execution unit and to the cache memory in parallel. |
| US09213639B2 |
Division of numerical values based on summations and memory mapping in computing systems
Divisions by numbers that are not divisible by two (2) can be performed in a computing system based on a summation that estimates and/or approximates the reciprocal of the dividing number or denominator value. By way of example, dividing by three (3) can be calculated based on a summation that approximates or estimates one third (⅓) represented as the sum of a selected group of the inverses of the powers of two (2) in a pattern, namely the sum of: ¼, 1/16, 1/64, 1/256, . . . ). Applications of the division techniques are virtually unlimited and include memory mapping of global memory addresses to memory channel addresses by dividing a global memory address into the number of memory channels, allowing memory mapping to be performed in an efficient manner even for large memory spaces using a number of memory channels that are not divisible by two, including prime numbers. |
| US09213638B1 |
Runtime memory management using multiple memory managers
Embodiments are directed towards managing memory for an application be executing in a managed runtime environment. Managed peer objects may be generated to correspond to native objects executing in a native runtime environment such that memory may be allocated for managed peer objects. Garbage collection handles may be generated and associated with the managed peer objects. If the managed application executes instructions that interact with the managed peer objects and the native runtime environment each garbage collection handle associated with the managed peer objects may be modified based on a type of an interaction. The garbage collection handlers may be garbage collection roots for a garbage collector that may be included in the managed runtime memory manager. If a garbage collection event occurs, memory for the managed peer objects may be deallocated based in part on its correspondent garbage collection handle. |
| US09213636B2 |
Data accessing method for flash memory storage device having data perturbation module, and storage system and controller using the same
A data accessing method, and a storage system and a controller using the same are provided. The data accessing method is suitable for a flash memory storage system having a data perturbation module. The data accessing method includes receiving a read command from a host and obtaining a logical block to be read and a page to be read from the read command. The data accessing method also includes determining whether a physical block in a data area corresponding to the logical block to be read is a new block and transmitting a predetermined data to the host when the physical block corresponding to the logical block to be read is a new block. Thereby, the host is prevented from reading garbled code from the flash memory storage system having the data perturbation module. |
| US09213635B2 |
Memory system
A memory system according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: speed of processing for searching through management tables is increased by providing a forward lookup table for searching for, respectively in track and cluster units, from a logical address, a storage device position where data corresponding to the logical address and a reverse lookup table for searching for, from a position of the storage device, a logical address stored in the position and linking these tables. |
| US09213631B2 |
Data processing method, and memory controller and memory storage device using the same
A data processing method for a re-writable non-volatile memory module is provided. The method includes receiving a write data stream associating to a logical access address of a logical programming unit; selecting a physical programming unit; and determining whether the write data stream associates with a kind of pattern. The method includes, if the write data stream associates with the kind of pattern, setting identification information corresponding to the logical access address as an identification value corresponding to the pattern, and storing the identification information corresponding to the logical access address into a predetermined area, wherein the write data stream is not programmed into the selected physical programming unit. The method further includes mapping the logical programming unit to the physical programming unit. Accordingly, the method can effectively shorten the time for writing data into the re-writable non-volatile memory module. |
| US09213630B2 |
Non-volatile memory devices and control and operation thereof
An improved non-volatile erase block memory device apparatus and method is described that incorporates an improved addressing scheme to provide for extended addressing allowing redundant erase blocks that are not utilized to repair general use erase blocks of the main memory array to be accessed and utilized as additional storage space by an end user. The additional storage space formed by the unused redundant erase blocks and the specified storage space of the main memory array is presented to the end user as a single contiguous address space. Additionally, the redundant erase blocks can be utilized to repair any damaged erase block in the memory array of the non-volatile erase block memory or Flash memory device regardless of bank placement. |
| US09213629B2 |
Block management method, memory controller and memory stoarge apparatus
A block management method for a rewritable non-volatile memory module having a plurality of physical blocks, and a memory controller and memory storage apparatus using the same are provided. The method includes logically grouping the physical blocks at least into a data area, a free area and a replacement area and configuring a plurality of logical blocks for mapping to the physical blocks of the data area. The method also includes assigning bad physical blocks into the data area and marking the logical blocks mapping to the bad physical blocks as bad logical addresses, thereby forbidding the access of the logical blocks mapping to the bad physical blocks. According, the method can effectively use the rewritable non-volatile memory module having too many bad physical blocks to store data. |
| US09213625B1 |
Method and apparatus for performing automated user-interface layout testing
The disclosed embodiments provide a system that performs automated user-interface layout testing. During operation, the system executes a pre-defined set of operations for a program. After these operations have executed, the system then stores a representation (e.g., a snapshot) of the program user interface. The system then compares this representation against a validated representation that was previously stored for the pre-defined set of operations to determine a difference between the representations. This process facilitates detecting changes to the program (and/or the environment in which the program executes) that affect the user interface that is presented to a user. |
| US09213621B2 |
Administering event pools for relevant event analysis in a distributed processing system
Methods, systems, and computer program products for administering event pools for relevant event analysis are provided. Embodiments include assigning, by an incident analyzer, a plurality of events to an events pool; determining, by the incident analyzer, an event suppression duration; determining, by the incident analyzer in dependence upon event analysis rules, to suppress events having particular attributes indicating the events occurred during the event suppression duration; and suppressing, by the incident analyzer, each event assigned to the events pool having the particular attributes indicating the events occurred during the event suppression duration. |
| US09213618B2 |
Storage management systems and methods in hierarchical storage systems
The present disclosure provides storage management systems and methods. A hierarchical configuration information process includes accessing information regarding hierarchical relationships of components associated with a storage environment. A storage resource consumption detection process includes detecting consumption of storage resources included in the storage environment. A coordinated consumption analysis process is coordinated across multiple levels of an active spindle hierarchy. A reaction process includes performing an automated consumption notification process and an automated reclamation process based upon results of the storage resource consumption detection process. |
| US09213606B2 |
Image rescue
An image rescue system includes an application program for communication with a mass storage device, the application program being in communication with an operating system layer for accessing the mass storage device to read and write information. The image rescue system further includes a device driver in communication with the application program, the operating system layer and the mass storage device, the device driver for allowing the application program to access the mass storage device to read and write information by bypassing the operating system layer, the device driver for communicating with the mass storage device to allow the application program to access information in the mass storage device considered damaged by the operating system layer, the damaged information being inaccessible to the operating system layer, wherein the image rescue system accesses the mass storage device to retrieve and recover information accessible and inaccessible to the operating system layer. |
| US09213602B1 |
Write mapping to mitigate hard errors via soft-decision decoding
An apparatus having mapping and interface circuits. The mapping circuit (i) generates a coded item by mapping write unit bits using a modulation or recursion of past-seen bits, and (ii) calculates a particular state to program into a nonvolatile memory cell. The interface circuit programs the cell at the particular state. Two normal cell states are treated as at least four refined states. The particular state is one of the refined states. A mapping to the refined states mitigates programming write misplacement that shifts an analog voltage of the cell from the particular state to an erroneous state. The erroneous state corresponds to a readily observable illegal or atypical write sequence, and results in a modified soft decision from that calculated based on the normal states only. A voltage swing between the particular state and the erroneous state is less than between the normal states. |
| US09213597B2 |
Memory storage device, memory controller thereof, and method for programming data thereof
A memory storage device, a memory controller thereof, and a method for programming data thereof are provided. The memory storage device having an error checking and correcting (ECC) circuit and a rewritable non-volatile memory chip is coupled to a host system. The method includes determining whether write data to be written into the rewritable non-volatile memory chip belongs to a specific type. The method also includes generating at least one first type ECC code with a first length by the ECC circuit according to the write data if the write data belongs to the specific type. The method further includes generating at least one second type ECC code with a second length by the ECC circuit according to the write data if the write data does not belong to the specific type. In which, the first length is longer than the second length. |
| US09213596B2 |
Handling errors in ternary content addressable memories
Receive a request to write a unit of data, having a first half of bits and a second half of bits, to an index of a ternary content addressable memory (TCAM). Generate a first error-correcting code (ECC) codeword for first bits of the first half of bits of the unit of data and first bits of the second half of bits of the unit of data. Generate a second error-correcting code (ECC) codeword for second bits of the first half of bits of the unit of data and second bits of the second half of bits of the unit of data. Store the first half of bits of the unit of data in the first row of the index. Store the second half of bits of the unit of data in the second row of the index. |
| US09213595B2 |
Handling errors in ternary content addressable memories
Receive a request to write a unit of data, having a first half of bits and a second half of bits, to an index of a ternary content addressable memory (TCAM). Generate a first error-correcting code (ECC) codeword for first bits of the first half of bits of the unit of data and first bits of the second half of bits of the unit of data. Generate a second error-correcting code (ECC) codeword for second bits of the first half of bits of the unit of data and second bits of the second half of bits of the unit of data. Store the first half of bits of the unit of data in the first row of the index. Store the second half of bits of the unit of data in the second row of the index. |
| US09213590B2 |
Network monitoring and diagnostics
Techniques are provided for monitoring and diagnosis of a network comprising one or more devices. In some embodiments, techniques are provided for gathering network information, analyzing the gathered information to identify correlations, and for diagnosing a problem based upon the correlations. The diagnosis may identify a root cause of the problem. In certain embodiments, a computing device may be configurable to determine a first event from information, allocate a first event to a first cluster, the first cluster is from one or more clusters of events, based on a set of attributes for the first event, and determine a set of attributes for the first cluster, and rank the first cluster against the other clusters from the one or more clusters of events based on the set of attributes for the first cluster. The set of attributes may be indicative of the relationship between events in the cluster. In some embodiments, one or more recommendations may be provided for taking preventative or corrective actions for the problem. |
| US09213586B2 |
Computer-implemented systems for resource level locking without resource level locks
Computer-implemented systems and methods regulate access to a plurality of resources in a pool of resources without requiring individual locks associated with each resource. Access to one of the plurality of resources is requested, where a resource queue for managing threads waiting to access a resource is associated with each of the plurality of resources. A resource queue lock associated with the resource is acquired, where a resource queue lock is associated with multiple resources. |
| US09213584B2 |
Varying a characteristic of a job profile relating to map and reduce tasks according to a data size
A job profile is received that includes characteristics of a job to be executed, where the characteristics of the job profile relate to map tasks and reduce tasks of the job. The map tasks produce intermediate results based on input data, and the reduce tasks produce an output based on the intermediate results. The characteristics of the job profile include at least one particular characteristic that varies according to a size of data to be processed. The at least one particular characteristic of the job profile is set based on the size of the data to be processed. |
| US09213583B2 |
Relocating related resource partitions
An apparatus for relocating related resource partitions includes a detection module that detects a relocation event to relocate a first resource partition operating in a first division from the first division to a second division. The first division includes a second resource partition. The first resource partition and the second resource partition are each distinct operating environments. A determination module determines that the second resource partition is sufficiently related to the first resource partition. A relocation module relocates the second resource partition to the second division with the first resource partition in response to determining that the second resource partition is sufficiently related to the first resource partition. |
| US09213578B2 |
Cluster systems and methods
Information cluster systems and methods are presented. In one embodiment, a cluster method comprises: performing an engine process including issuing requests to bring a resource online, offline, and monitor the resources, wherein the engine process is performed by an engine; performing a resource interaction process including interacting with a resource and directing a resource to comply with the request from the engine process, wherein the resource interaction process is performed by a resource interaction agent; performing a predicate logic process including performing predicate logic operations to determine if a predicate logic condition associated with the resource is satisfied and forwarding an indication of the results of the predicate logic operations to the engine process, wherein the predicate logic process is performed by a predicate logic agent that is separate from the engine performing the engine process. |
| US09213569B2 |
Exiting multiple threads in a computer
According to one aspect, a computer system includes a configuration with a machine enabled to operate in a single thread (ST) mode and a multithreading (MT) mode. In addition, the machine includes physical threads. The machine is configured to perform a method that includes executing a guest entity on the core in MT mode. The guest entity includes all or a portion of a guest VM, and a plurality of logical threads executing on the physical threads. An exit event is detected at the machine. Based on detecting the exit event, the machine waits until all of the logical threads that are currently executing on the physical threads have reached a synchronization point. A state that includes exit reason information is saved for each of the logical threads and the execution of a host is initiated in the ST mode on one of the physical threads. |
| US09213564B1 |
Network policy implementation with multiple interfaces
The transmission of data on computer networks according to one or more policies is disclosed. A policy may specify, among other things, various parameters which are to be followed when transmitting initiating network traffic. Multiple network interfaces may be installed on a server to enable transmission of data from the single server according a number of discrete configuration settings implicated by the various policies. The multiple network interfaces may correspond to separate physical components, with each component configured independently to implement a feature of a policy. The multiple network interfaces may also correspond to a single physical component that exposes multiple network interfaces, both to the network and to the server on which it is installed. |
| US09213562B2 |
Garbage collection safepoint system using non-blocking asynchronous I/O call to copy data when the garbage collection safepoint is not in progress or is completed
A system and method for providing direct socket input/output (I/O) for Java in a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) environment. During runtime, the system periodically garbage collects software objects in the Java memory space or heap. In accordance with an embodiment, the system provides a means to change the state of a thread performing the I/O which temporarily disallows garbage collection from taking place, thus guaranteeing that a receiving object in the heap does not move. The use of safepoints to prohibit GC from happening during the I/O call means that a global GC lock is not required. Non-blocking I/O is utilized, while prohibiting a thread from entering a GC safepoint during an I/O system call. The technique addresses disadvantages of previous methods by removing contended locks and by removing restrictions on allocation. In accordance with an embodiment, a special thread state can be used to prevent the thread from entering a GC safepoint. |
| US09213554B2 |
Generic chart interface
Methods and software to produce a chart from data and parameters supplied by a client through a generic interface. Created charts are accessible via a Uniform Resource Locator (“URL”) returned to the client through the generic interface. Multiple chart producers with different interfaces are supported. |
| US09213550B1 |
Automated decomposition for mixed integer linear programs with embedded networks requiring minimal syntax
An apparatus includes a communications component to receive computer-executable query instructions to solve a MILP problem, the query instructions including a first expression conveying an objective function and side constraint that define a master problem of the MILP problem, a second expression conveying a mapping of graph data to a graph, and a third expression conveying a selection of a graph-based algorithm to solve a subproblem of the MILP problem; a subproblem component to replace the third expression with a fourth expression during decomposition of the MILP problem, the fourth expression including instructions to implement the graph-based algorithm to solve the subproblem; and an execution control component to perform iterations of solving the MILP problem that include executing the first expression to derive a solution to the master problem; and executing the fourth expression to derive a solution to the subproblem based on the mapping and the master problem solution. |
| US09213549B2 |
Apparatus for processing register window overflow and underflow
An apparatus for processing a register window overflow and underflow includes register windows each configured to include local registers and incoming registers, dedicated internal memories configured to store contents of the local registers and the incoming registers for each word, dedicated data buses configured to connect the local registers and the incoming registers and the respective dedicated internal memories, a memory word counter configured to perform counting in order to determine whether or not there is a storage space of a word unit in the dedicated internal memories, and a logic block configured to control an operation of the dedicated data buses when one of a window overflow and a window underflow is generated based on the count value of the memory word counter. |
| US09213541B2 |
Creation, generation, distribution and application of self-contained modifications to source code
Systems for creating, generating, distributing and applying self-contained modifications (i.e., changes) to source code are described herein. At least some embodiments include a system including a client computer with processing logic, a storage device (including source code files), and a communication interface. The interface receives a container file including a transformation including a search pattern that identifies source code segments, and transformation instructions that modify the source code based at least partially on identified code segments. Processing logic software searches a representation of the source code for search pattern occurrences, and identifies the source code segments that include elements with structure and relationships that are matched by the corresponding elements represented by the search pattern. The software further modifies at least part of the source code representation according to the transformation instructions, and saves onto the storage device source code files reflecting the application of the transformation. |
| US09213538B1 |
Methods and apparatus for display element management in an information network
Methods and apparatus for managing display elements such as GUI windows in a client device (e.g., consumer premises equipment in a cable network) running multiple related or unrelated applications. In one embodiment, an improved window management entity is provided within the device with which HAVi-compliant application(s) can interface in order to access display elements according to a priority structure or hierarchy. One or more privileged applications are designated and allowed to affect the priority structure, including requesting a new in-focus application to be placed atop the priority structure. The network operator can also optionally control the operation of the window manager remotely via a network agent. Improved client device and network configurations, as well as methods of operating these systems, are also disclosed. |
| US09213537B2 |
Robust firmware update with recovery logic
Systems and methods for updating firmware include a firmware update module executing on a client device. A firmware package to be installed on the client device may be verified by the firmware update module, including verifying that firmware files included in the firmware package are intact prior to beginning a firmware update. Recovery logic for enabling a client device to boot-up from a functional partition after a failed firmware update may be provided. The recovery logic may ensure that, when a firmware update failure occurs, the client device may boot-up from a functional partition. A recovery process may back up certain components stored in the client device. An update status related to the firmware update process may be provided. |
| US09213536B2 |
Method and architecture for automatic installation and self-updating of client-side computer software
Embodiments include systems and methods for automated versioning of software on a client machine, allowing installation and updates over multiple platforms with modules written in different computer languages. In an embodiment, the client sends a list of installed modules to the server. This may be done by causing a client processor to perform method calls determining version information of the installed product. The server then checks the list and sends updates (if any) that are then automatically installed on the client. Some embodiments can perform software installation over-the-network, and prerequisite software may also be automatically installed on the client machine. The system may work on multiple platforms (e.g. Windows™, UNIX) and support multiple computer languages (e.g. C++, Java®, Python®, .NET, etc.). |
| US09213535B1 |
Pre-computing computer software patch solutions
The present invention provides for precomputing patch solutions for potential user issues. The precomputed patch solutions can include minimum patch solutions and best-like-me patch solutions. Each patch solution can include a patch and a sufficient set of one or more dependencies of that patch. |
| US09213530B2 |
Runtime memory throttling
A system that implements a memory management policy at runtime when receiving a syntax tree in response to initiating the compiling of software code identifies a plurality of calls within the syntax tree and modifies each the plurality of calls with a corresponding memory-modified call to create a plurality of memory-modified calls. Each memory-modified call is linked with a memory management class and the modifying occurs during the compiling of the software code. Following modification of each of the plurality of calls, the system compiles the plurality of memory-modified calls to generate a bytecode. |
| US09213528B2 |
Dialog generation
In one aspect, a method of generating a computer-based dialog process includes receiving, in a computer system, a process type for creating a process. The process type includes (i) step elements each corresponding to a user-interaction task in the process, and (ii) step groups each including one or more of the step elements, wherein the process type defines an order of the step groups. The method includes receiving executable code for the process in a configuration-time context. The executable code (i) specifies that each of the step groups is performed in one or more steps, thereby defining a granularity of the process, and (ii) assigns at least one of the step elements in each step group to each of the one or more steps, thereby defining an order of the step elements in each step group. The method includes generating a runtime implementation of the process using the executable code. |
| US09213525B2 |
Methods for BDI-driven service component architectures and devices thereof
Methods, devices, and computer-readable storage media for developing a business application include mapping one or more requirements of the business application to a Belief Desire Intention (BDI) architecture. The BDI architecture is mapped to a Service Component Architecture (SCA). The business application is developed based at least in part on the mapping of the one or more requirements to the BDI architecture and on the mapping of the BDI architecture to the SCA. |
| US09213523B2 |
Double rounded combined floating-point multiply and add
Methods, apparatus, instructions and logic are disclosed providing double rounded combined floating-point multiply and add functionality as scalar or vector SIMD instructions or as fused micro-operations. Embodiments include detecting floating-point (FP) multiplication operations and subsequent FP operations specifying as source operands results of the FP multiplications. The FP multiplications and the subsequent FP operations are encoded as combined FP operations including rounding of the results of FP multiplication followed by the subsequent FP operations. The encoding of said combined FP operations may be stored and executed as part of an executable thread portion using fused-multiply-add hardware that includes overflow detection for the product of FP multipliers, first and second FP adders to add third operand addend mantissas and the products of the FP multipliers with different rounding inputs based on overflow, or no overflow, in the products of the FP multiplier. Final results are selected respectively using overflow detection. |
| US09213520B2 |
Linked display system, linked display method and program
Provided is a linked display system capable of improving availability of information having different scales and amounts of information, a linked display method, and a program. A mobile terminal 100 includes a display unit 101 that displays operation display information I1, a range setting unit 105 that sets a predetermined range A containing a specified position in accordance with an operation to specify any position P over operation display information and a communication unit 109 that transmits the predetermined range to a TV set 200. The TV set includes a communication unit 209 that receives the predetermined range from the mobile terminal, a display information selection unit 205 that selects reference display information I2 capable of displaying information corresponding to the predetermined range from at least one piece of the reference display information corresponding to the operation display information in accordance with display capacity of a local apparatus and having a different scale and amount of information from those of the operation display information, and a display unit 201 that displays information corresponding to the predetermined range of the selected reference display information. |
| US09213519B2 |
Systems and methods for evaluating the operation of a multi-node graphics system
Embodiments of the present invention are broadly directed to novel systems and methods for evaluating a performance aspect in a multi-computer graphics system. One embodiment comprises selection logic capable of enabling a user to specify at least one render node for selection and generating logic associated with the compositor for generating the composite output signal, the generating logic being capable of eliminating, from at least a portion of the composite output signal, content from the video signals from all render nodes not specified for selection. |
| US09213517B2 |
Smartpad dual screen keyboard
A multi-display device is adapted to be dockable or otherwise associatable with an additional device. In accordance with one exemplary embodiment, the multi-display device is dockable with a smartpad. The exemplary smartpad can include a screen, a touch sensitive display, a configurable area, a gesture capture region(s) and a camera. The smartpad can also include a port adapted to receive the device. The exemplary smartpad is able to cooperate with the device such that information displayable on the device is also displayable on the smartpad. Furthermore, any one or more of the functions on the device are extendable to the smartpad, with the smartpad capable of acting as an input/output interface or extension of the smartpad. Therefore, for example, information from one or more of the displays on the multi-screen device is displayable on the smartpad. |
| US09213516B2 |
Displaying a unified desktop across devices
Embodiments provide for a handheld device with a unified desktop for integrating the functionality of the handheld device with a larger computer system. When connected to a peripheral display and/or a display of the larger computer system, the handheld device provides a unified desktop displayed across the screen(s) of the handheld device and the peripheral display. The unified desktop unifies the functionality provided by the larger computer system and the handheld functionality, e.g., communication applications (e.g., phone, SMS, MMS). A user can seamlessly interact with applications, e.g., open, move, close, receive notifications, on the unified desktop whether the applications are displayed on the screens of the handheld device, or the peripheral display of the larger computer system. |
| US09213514B2 |
Non-transitory computer-readable medium, communication relaying method, information processing apparatus, and image processing apparatus
A communication relaying method, which is used in an information processing apparatus that is communicated to an image processing apparatus through a first communication interface, the method comprising: processes data, which is transmitted to and received from the image processing apparatus by execution of an application program, according to a particular protocol in accordance with transmission/reception through a second communication interface different from the first communication interface; registering a predetermined own-device address to feed transmission data according to the protocol, back to the information processing apparatus; and transmitting, in a case where the transmission destination address of transmission data processed by the processing is the own-device address transmit the transmission data through the first communication interface. |
| US09213512B1 |
Storing and removing device drivers in memory in imaging devices
Imaging devices incorporating memory are described herein. According to various embodiments, device driver information may be stored in the memory. Subsequent to the device driver being uploaded to a host device and the host device installing the device driver, the device driver information is deleted from the memory of the imaging device. |
| US09213505B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer program product
An information processing apparatus includes: a generating unit that generates a print job including one or more print data, first information indicating the one or more print data divided into multiple units for which respective print conditions when printing is executed are set, and second information indicating the print conditions; an accepting unit that accepts designation input which designates a print range of a specified job indicating a print job specified from among one or more print jobs; a determining unit that determines whether a unit is included in the print range with respect to each of units indicated by first information included in the specified job; and an output control unit that performs control, as for a unit determined to be partially included in the print range by the determining unit, so as to output options to set a print condition for the unit. |
| US09213504B2 |
Printing apparatus, power supply control apparatus, power supply control method, and storage medium
A power supply control apparatus directs a switching device to stop power supply from a first power source to a main body when a power supply disable condition is satisfied in a first state where the main body is powered by the first power source. The power supply control apparatus also directs the switching device to supply power from the first power source to the main body when a power supply enable condition is satisfied in a second state where the power supply from the first power source to the main body is stopped. The power supply control apparatus is powered by a second power source different from the first power source when the main body is in the second state. |
| US09213502B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and non-transitory computer readable medium for recording printing information
An information processing apparatus includes an identifier generation unit that generates an identifier unique to a combination of, at least, destination information of a destination of printed matter and content information related to part of content to be printed on the printed matter, an address generation unit that generates an address including the identifier generated by the identifier generation unit, a print information generation unit that generates print information that is to be printed on the printed matter and includes the destination information, the content information, and the address generated by the address generation unit, and a recording unit that in an associated form records the destination information, the content information, the identifier, and process result information related to the print information that is processed subsequent to printing of the printed matter. |
| US09213498B2 |
Memory system and controller
According to one embodiment, according to one embodiment, a memory system includes a first memory, a second memory, an interface, a managing unit, and a control unit. The second memory stores data read out from the first memory. The interface receives a read command. The managing unit manages a corresponding relationship of a first address included in the read command and a second address. The second address is an address indicating a position in the first memory where data designated by the first address is stored. The control unit acquires a plurality of second addresses corresponding to a sequential first address range including the first address in a case where the read command is received, and determine an amount of data to be read out from the first memory to the second memory based on whether the plurality of second addresses is sequential or not. |
| US09213497B2 |
Storage apparatus and storage apparatus migration method
A migration-destination primary storage apparatus (MD-PDKC) comprises a second PVOL and a second journal storage area storing a journal corresponding to write data for the second PVOL, and executes a data copy to the second PVOL from a first PVOL, which is in a migration-source primary storage apparatus (MS-PDKC) and forms a copy pair with an SVOL in a secondary storage apparatus (SDKC). After the data copy has been completed, the MD-PDKC acquires the latest write sequence information from the MS-PDKC, and upon receiving a write request for the second PVOL, writes the write-request write data to the second PVOL, creates a journal by using journal data corresponding to the write data and also by using update information showing write sequence information based on the acquired latest write sequence information, and writes the journal to the second journal storage area. |
| US09213496B2 |
Method, system, and program for moving data among storage units
Provided are a method, system, and program for managing data in storage units. Storage pool information indicates an assignment of a plurality of storage units to a plurality of storage pools, wherein each pool is assigned zero or more storage units, wherein data associated with one storage pool is stored in a storage unit assigned to the storage pool, wherein the storage pool information for each pool indicates a threshold and target storage pool, and wherein the target storage pool is capable of being different from the storage pool. One storage unit associated with a source storage pool is selected and a determination is made of the threshold from the storage pool information for the source storage pool. A determination is made of whether the selected storage unit satisfies the determined threshold and if the selected storage unit satisfies the determined threshold, then a target storage unit in the target storage pool is selected if the storage pool information for the source storage pool indicates a target storage pool different from the source storage pool. Data from the selected storage unit is copied to the selected target storage unit. |
| US09213492B2 |
SD memory card
The present invention relates to an SD memory card, including an SD card adapter and a memory card. One end of the SD card adapter is provided with an SD interface, and the other end is provided with a receiving groove. Both ends of the memory card are respectively provided with a set of SDIO interface contacts and a USB interface. The memory card can be inserted into the receiving groove to electrically connect the set of SDIO interface contacts and the SD interface. When the memory card of the SD memory card is inserted into the receiving groove of the SD card adapter, the SD interface of the SD card adapter is electrically conducted with the set of SDIO interface contacts of the memory card, for the SD card adapter to be inserted into the SD slot to serve as an ordinary SD memory card; when the memory card of the SD memory card is unplugged of the receiving groove of the SD card adapter, the set of USB interfaces of the memory card can be inserted into the USB slot to serve as an ordinary USB storage device. Hence, the SD memory card can be electrically connected with the USB connection port without the help of a multi-functional card reader. |
| US09213491B2 |
Disabling a command associated with a memory device
In an embodiment, a memory device may contain device processing logic and a mode register. The mode register may a register that may specify a mode of operation of the memory device. A field in the mode register may hold a value that may indicate whether a command associated with the memory device is disabled. The value may be held in the field until either the memory device is power-cycled or reset. The device processing logic may acquire an instance of the command. The device processing logic may determine whether the command is disabled based on the value held by the mode register. The device processing logic may not execute the instance of the command if the device processing logic determines the command is disabled. If the device processing logic determines the command is not disabled, the device processing logic may execute the instance of the command. |
| US09213490B2 |
Computer system and data migration method
The present invention continues host access and holds data of a migration source volume as the latest data even when a fault occurs in any of a plurality of access paths.Upon receiving a first write command from a host computer via a first access path, the migration source controller writes first update data to the migration source volume and, upon receiving a second write command from the host computer via a second access path, the migration destination controller transfers second update data to the migration source controller via a storage path and, upon receiving the second update data from the migration destination controller, the migration source controller writes the second update data to the migration source volume. |
| US09213484B2 |
Method for detecting single-finger rotate gesture and the gesture detecting circuit thereof
A method for detecting a single-finger rotation gesture and a gesture detecting circuit thereof are provided. The gesture detecting circuit comprises a quadrant dividing unit, a register, a control unit, a comparing unit, and an outputting unit. The quadrant dividing unit, according to the center point, divides a touch panel into at least three quadrants and sets a plurality of data codes respectively corresponding to the quadrants. Within a predetermined time, the control unit controls the register to sequentially record the data codes respectively corresponding to the touched quadrants. When the predetermined time is reached, the comparing unit compares to judge whether the temporary data buffered in the register is the same with the default data. If the temporary data is the same with the default data, then the outputting unit outputs a rotation gesture signal. |
| US09213483B2 |
Mobile terminal and information transfer method thereof
A mobile terminal may always display an image (or icon) representing a specific object on a display screen and directly transmit certain information to the specific object by using the image (or icon). The mobile terminal may include a user input unit to receive a user's selection about at least one object to be floated from a user list, a display to display a floating icon indicating the selected object to be floated on one side of a display area, and a controller for transmitting certain information to the object to be floated when the certain information is dragged or moved onto the floating image (or icon) or when the floating image (or icon) is dragged or moved to the certain information. |
| US09213481B2 |
Method for judging number of touches
Disclosed is a method for precisely judging the number of touches. The method includes a step A of reading a touch sensing signal sensed by an ith infrared ray sensor module located at an ith corner (i being a natural number not exceeding 3) of a touch panel, a step B of defining a portion of the touch sensing signal having a signal intensity lower than a predetermined touch recognition threshold signal as a touch recognition signal corresponding to the touches, and a step C of, when the touch recognition signal is recognized as representing one touch and the length of the overall section of the touch recognition signal is within a critical range as a result of analysis of the touch recognition signal, finally judging whether or not the touch recognition signal is recognized as one touch or two touches through re-analysis of the touch recognition signal. |
| US09213480B2 |
Method, apparatus and computer program product for joining the displays of multiple devices
A method is provided for enhancing a user interface with a mobile device by joining the displays of multiple devices together to function together with one another. In particular, example methods may provide for detecting a first touch or drag event, receiving a message indicating a second touch or drag event from a nearby device occurring during the first touch or drag event, creating a join event, and providing for transmission of the join event to the nearby device. The method may also include updating a registry of nearby devices in response to receiving a message regarding a touch or drag event from a nearby device. The method may further include providing for presentation of content on a display of a device and direction of content to be presented on a display of the nearby device. |
| US09213477B2 |
Apparatus and method for touch screen user interface for handheld electric devices part II
A system of touch screen user interface in a touch screen equipped handheld electronic device has a bounded control area on a touch screen that is used for touch control in lieu of the entire touch screen surface. The control area is able to provide touch control user interface functions of scroll, zoom, action item selection, and other control functions. The control area may be minimized enabling the entire touch screen to resume its touch screen control function in lieu of the control area control and maximized enabling only the bounded control area to be used for touch screen control depending upon a user's preference. The bounded control area for selection control functions may be used in conjunction with unique type of hop-cursors, for different types of displays that change automatically when the display content changes. |
| US09213471B2 |
Content visualization
Displaying a preference by a user of a content contribution is disclosed. A preference event by the user is detected. A plurality of detected events is stored. In response to a query from a client, at least a portion of the stored detected events is stored. At least a portion of the received events is displayed in an interface. |
| US09213469B2 |
System and method for using navigational and other commands on a mobile communication device
A wireless handheld communication device having a housing containing a display screen located above a physical keyboard. The keyboard includes a plurality of physical keys and corresponding indicia. Some of the keys are associated with alphabetic characters corresponding to a QWERTY array of letters A-Z and some are associated with numeric characters 0-9 corresponding to a telephone keypad arrangement. At least some of the keys associated with numeric characters are overlaid on the physical keys associated with alphabetic characters. A microprocessor is included that runs the device in at least a telephony mode, an email mode and at least one additional mode. The microprocessor displays a key-function map on the display screen indicative of enabled functions associated with particular physical keys of the keyboard which are different from any function signified by the indicia associated with the respective particular physical key. |
| US09213468B2 |
Application reporting in an application-selectable user interface
This document describes techniques for application reporting in an application-selectable user interface. These techniques permit a user to view reports for applications in a user interface through which these applications may be selected. By so doing, a user may quickly and easily determine which applications to select based on their respective reports and then select them or their content through the user interface. |
| US09213467B2 |
Interaction method and interaction device
The present invention provides an interaction device including an interaction interface, where a display area is formed of multiple display boundaries among which a corner area is formed between every two adjacent display boundaries; an interface interaction unit, for generating two first boundaries at a position that is corresponding to at least one corner area in the display area, where the two first boundaries and corner sides display boundaries form a main menu selection area which includes a selectable object; a processing unit, configured to, when the selectable object in the main menu selection area is selected and moves towards a position where any one of the two first boundaries is located and the selected selectable object crosses over a predetermined position, replace the selected selectable object in the main menu selection area with predetermined upper level selectable objects or lower level selectable objects correlated to the selected selectable object. |
| US09213464B2 |
Providing graphic user interface based upon usage history
A multimedia data processing device for providing a graphic user interface includes a multimedia data processing unit configured to process a plurality of multimedia data corresponding respectively to a plurality of sources; an icon generating unit configured to generate a plurality of icons corresponding respectively to the plurality of sources; and a controller configured to control updating at least one of the plurality of icons to reflect a usage history of the at least one of the plurality of icons. |
| US09213460B2 |
Visual editing tool buffer region
A website construction tool allows website construction via an interactive graphical user interface (GUI) using containers and modules defining predetermined website constructs from a robust assortment of common and popular rendering formats and content source definition for individual webpages, and arranges the individual pages for navigation. A user selects from the predefined constructs by selecting modules for generating code, corresponding to the desired content, source and rendering format. Pointing device positioning locates the on-screen location by generating a container dedicated to the desired content. Webpage structure, or page flow, is generated by insertion of navigation controls and page insertions for navigating between pages in the deployed site, The predetermined constructs, therefore, provide templates of complex rendering formats allowing for content insertion without burdening the user with development of the constructs so rendered. Constructed websites may be hosted by the development entity, further relieving the user from website maintenance. |
| US09213459B2 |
Electronic apparatus provided with resistive film type touch panel
A two-point touch determining module performs determination of a one-point touch or a two-point touch. A one-point touch coordinate detecting module detects a coordinate of the one-point touch. A two-point touch coordinate detecting module detects two-point coordinates of the two-point touch. A display screen generating module generates a display screen of a resistive film type touch panel. A touch input controlling module determines whether the display screen is a one-point detecting screen or a two-point detecting screen. The touch input controlling module performs the coordinate detection using the one-point touch coordinate detecting module in a case of the one-point detecting screen. The touch input controlling module performs the coordinate detection using the one-point touch coordinate detecting module or the two-point touch coordinate detecting module according to a determination result of the two-point touch determining module in a case of the two-point detecting screen. |
| US09213456B2 |
Display device, drive method therefor, program, and recording medium
The source driver (20) of the present invention substantially evenly divides one (1) horizontal scanning period into sub-periods the number of which is equal to or larger than a multiple of the number of the primary colors. In each of sub-periods (i) which are among all the sub-periods and (ii) the number of which is identical with the multiple, a source signal is supplied to source lines (i) which are connected with pixels for displaying a certain primary color and (ii) the number of which is obtained by dividing a total number of the plurality of source lines by the multiple. |
| US09213451B2 |
Thin glass for touch panel sensors and methods therefor
Improved techniques are disclosed for fabrication of touch panels using thin sheet glass, coupling external circuitry, and securely holding the touch panel within a portable electronic device. The thin sheet glass may be chemically strengthened and laser scribed. |
| US09213448B2 |
Positioning module, optical touch system and method of calculating a coordinate of a touch medium
A method of calculating a coordinate of a touch medium is disclosed in the present invention. The method includes obtaining a first image to determine whether the first image overlaps a first threshold, generating a first interceptive boundary when the first image overlaps the first threshold, obtaining a second image to generate a second interceptive boundary by overlap of the second image and a second threshold, determining whether the first interceptive boundary overlaps the second interceptive boundary, and confirming a status of the touch medium according to determination. |
| US09213446B2 |
Handwriting input device
This handwriting input device is equipped with an object to be coated 101, a detection means 102, and a display means 103. The object to be coated 101 is transparent or translucent. When a letter or a figure is written or drawn with a coating material, the detection means 102 detects a position in which the coating material attaches on the object to be coated 101. The display means 103 causes a visual change in accordance with the position in which attachment of the coating material is detected by the detection means 102, thereby displaying the letter or figure written or drawn with the coating material. |
| US09213445B2 |
Optical touch-screen systems and methods using a planar transparent sheet
An optical touch screen that utilizes a planar transparent sheet and that is configured to determine the position of a touch event on the transparent sheet is disclosed. Light-source elements and light-sensing elements are operably disposed at a perimeter of the transparent sheet. Light is detected over lines-of-sight between the light-source elements and the light-sensing elements. Attenuated lines-of-sight due to the touch event are determined. Central lines are established based on the attenuated lines-of-sight. The locations of central-line intersections are then established. The average of the locations of the central-line intersections is then used to establish the location of the touch event. |
| US09213442B2 |
Electronic underlay with wireless transmission function
Provided is an electronic underlay with a wireless transmission function, designed not to sense a hand holding a writing tool at the time of writing on a sheet. The electronic underlay with a wireless transmission function can be laid under a sheet to perform writing with a writing tool. The electronic underlay is provided with: a sheet-like optical waveguide formed by sandwiching lattice-like cores between a sheet-like under cladding layer and a sheet-like over cladding layer; a light emitting element connected to one end surface of the core; a light receiving element connected to another end surface of the core; and wireless transmission means for wirelessly transmitting inputted letters as electronic data. An elasticity modulus of the core is larger than an elasticity modulus of the under cladding layer and the over cladding layer. |
| US09213441B2 |
In-cell touch panel and liquid crystal device
An in-cell touch panel and a liquid crystal device are disclosed. The in-cell touch panel includes a first substrate having a plurality of displaying pixels, a second substrate facing toward the first substrate, a liquid crystal layer arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate, a plurality of touching units, and a plurality of sensing areas and driving areas. The displaying pixels include thin film transistors (TFT) and pixel electrodes. The second substrate includes a plurality of color filtering patterns corresponding to the displaying pixels. The touching units are arranged between the TFTs and the first substrate, and are separated from each other. The sensing areas and the driving areas are arranged below the common electrodes. In addition, the sensing areas and the driving area connect to the touching units via the conductive through holes. |
| US09213434B2 |
Piezoelectric actuator and method
An apparatus including a display; and at least one piezoelectric member connected to the display. The at least one piezoelectric member is configured to move the display. When the display is pressed to mechanically stress the at least one piezoelectric member, the apparatus is configured to wake up the apparatus from a sleep mode based upon electricity from the at least one piezoelectric member, and/or determine a location where the display was pressed based upon respective signals from at least two of the piezoelectric members. |
| US09213432B2 |
Mobile device and method for operating the same
A mobile device including a first display, a second display, a foldable coupling portion for coupling the first display to the second display, an angle sensing unit for sensing a folding angle between the first display and the second display, a direction-of-sight sensing unit for sensing a direction of sight of a user, and a controller for determining whether to use a touch input sensed by either the first display or the second display based on the sensed folding angle and the sensed direction of sight. |
| US09213427B2 |
Over-drive controller applied to a display panel and method for over-drive control therein
An over-drive controller applied to a display panel and a method for over-drive control are provided. The over-drive controller includes an analyzing unit and an over-drive delta value determining unit. The analyzing unit is arranged for analyzing information of a current pixel in order to generate an over-drive information. The over-drive delta value determining unit is coupled to the analyzing unit, and is arranged for determining an over-drive delta value according to the over-drive information. Herein the over-drive information includes a position information or a field information of the current pixel. |
| US09213424B1 |
Stylus devices with eraser
A stylus device including a first end or active end for writing and interacting with a touchscreen of a computing device, and a second end or passive end for using an erase function with the touchscreen of the computing device. This allows a user to write or interact with a computing device with one end of the stylus device and simply turn the stylus device over and erase without having to select an eraser function from a menu on the computing device. In this manner, the stylus device provides a more traditional method of writing and erasing, similar to that of traditional pencils. |
| US09213422B2 |
Method of automatically moving a cursor within a map viewport and a device incorporating the method
The present disclosure relates to devices and methods for automatically moving a cursor within a map viewport. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to devices and methods that determine a location of various objects within a 3D scene displayed within a map viewport and determining a location of a 3D cursor within the 3D scene. When a distance between an object location and the 3D cursor location is less than a threshold distance, the geometric shape data of the 3D cursor is automatically modified to at least partially surround the object. The location of the object may be determined based on data representative of the 3D scene. The location of the 3D cursor may be determined based on data representative of the 3D cursor location. |
| US09213421B2 |
Electronic device and method of displaying information in response to detecting a gesture
A gesture is detected by an electronic device including a display. In response to detecting a first part of the gesture, a first part of first information is displayed on the display. In response to detecting a second part of the gesture subsequent to the first part of the gesture, the display of the first part of the first information is maintained. In response to detecting a third part of the gesture subsequent to the second part of the gesture, an additional part of the information is displayed. |
| US09213419B1 |
Orientation inclusive interface navigation
An orientation of a computing device can be determined using at least in part one or more orientation sensors on the computing device. In some embodiments, a location of a head (and a face) of a user of the computing device can be determined and utilized at least in part for the determining of the orientation of the computing device. The computing device can play a media file, for example, via an application capable of media playback. A change to the orientation of the computing device can be determined by the one or more orientation sensors. The playing of the media file can be modified based on the determined change to the orientation of the computing device. |
| US09213417B2 |
Keyboard device with luminous key
A keyboard device with a luminous key is provided. The keyboard device includes at least one luminous key, a top-view light-emitting element, and a light shade. The top-view light-emitting element is used for emitting a light beam. The light shade is used for shading the light beam. Moreover, the light beam is transmissible through a light-outputting part of the light shade to illuminate the luminous key. The at least one luminous key includes at least one keycap and at least one elastic element. The elastic element and the light shade are integrally formed with each other. Since the total area of the bottom surfaces of the elastic element and the light shade is increased, the light shade can be securely fixed. |
| US09213413B2 |
Device interaction with spatially aware gestures
Described is a system and technique for providing the ability for a user to interact with one or more devices by performing gestures that mimic real-world physical analogies. More specifically, the techniques described herein provide the ability for a user to interact with a device by limiting the conscious gesturing for a computer component by camouflaging computer-recognizable gestures within manipulations of a physical objects. |
| US09213412B2 |
Multi-distance, multi-modal natural user interaction with computing devices
Systems and methods may provide for receiving a short range signal from a sensor that is collocated with a short range display and using the short range signal to detect a user interaction. Additionally, a display response may be controlled with respect to a long range display based on the user interaction. In one example, the user interaction includes one or more of an eye gaze, a hand gesture, a face gesture, a head position or a voice command, that indicates one or more of a switch between the short range display and the long range display, a drag and drop operation, a highlight operation, a click operation or a typing operation. |
| US09213406B2 |
Head-mount eye tracking system with improved determination of gazing position
A head-mount eye tracking system including a first light source, a first pupil image capturing device, a first and a second environmental image capturing devices, a fixing device and an image identification system. The first light source is applied to illuminate a first eye of a user. The first pupil image capturing device is applied to capture a first pupil image of the first eye. The first and the second environmental image capturing devices are respectively applied to capture a first and a second environmental images in front of the user. The fixing device is mounted to the head of the user to fix the first light source, the first pupil image capturing device, the first and the second environmental image capturing devices on the head of the user. The image identification system is applied to map the first or the second environmental images to the first pupil image. |
| US09213401B2 |
Zero power hibernation mode with instant on
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with a processor configured with a zero power hibernation/sleep mode during which the processor consumes no power are described. According to one embodiment, a processor includes a power management logic. The power management logic is configured to receive a control signal requesting the processor to transition into a power saving mode that reduces power to the processor while retaining a current state of the processor. The power management logic is configured to store, in response to the control signal, a current state of components of the processor in a non-volatile memory. The power management logic is configured to adjust power to the processor to a zero power mode to place the processor into the power saving mode, wherein during the zero power mode the processor is receiving no power. |
| US09213399B2 |
BIOS controlled peripheral device port power
A BIOS controlled peripheral device port power device is described. The device includes a processor and at least one peripheral device port. The processor powers up a host controller in preparation for the processor to enter a sleep state. The processor also places the processor in the sleep state after the host controller is powered up. The processor also selectively powers the at least one peripheral device port by the host controller when the processor is in the sleep state according to at least one setting stored in the processor. |
| US09213396B1 |
Methods and apparatus for setting the address of a module using a clock
A method of operating a module is disclosed. The method includes determining a voltage between an I2C clock connection and a ground connection, setting a module communication address based on the determined voltage, receiving via the I2C clock connection and the I2C data connection a first command addressed to the module communication address, and responding to the first command. Other methods and devices are disclosed. |
| US09213394B1 |
System and method for determining power consumption
A system and method is provided to measure the power consumption of circuits whereby, in one aspect, a processor's temperature is maintained so that its power consumption is measured at the point the processor throttles. |
| US09213393B2 |
Power management of low power link states
A method and apparatus for intelligent power management for low power link states. Some embodiments include methods, apparatuses, and systems for a device coupled to a controller via a link; a link power management engine to alter a power state of the link based on a transaction and some knowledge of future transactions between the device and the controller; and a memory or logic to store the link power management engine. In some embodiments, the memory stores information about at least one of the following: the power state of the link, the device buffering, the controller or device state or a history of transactions. In some embodiments, the device is a peripheral of a computer system. In some embodiments, the method may include transitioning the device to various link states. Other embodiments are described. |
| US09213391B2 |
Using a processing device as a dock for a media player
By integrating multiple electronic devices, it is possible to increase the functionality of the devices individually. For example it is possible to improve media playback functionality, create media playlists “on-the-go” and to use a first device power supply to charge the power supply of the second device. By integrating the devices, it is possible to address some of the shortcomings of devices that are decreasing in size with increasing power requirements, while still maintaining the advantages that these devices offer. |
| US09213388B2 |
Delaying reset signals in a microcontroller system
A microcontroller system includes a reset delaying module that is configured to, during a power saving mode, receive and delay a reset signal from a reset source. The reset delaying module waits for a regulator ready signal from a voltage regulator because, prior to the reset signal, the voltage regulator is in a power saving mode. In response to receiving the regulator ready signal, the reset delaying module releases the reset, e.g., to a reset controller. |
| US09213387B2 |
Smart meters, and systems and method for electrical power reconnection
An electrical power system having an electricity meter connected to power lines on one side and a load on the other side, the electricity meter having a processor and memory, a communications module, a sensor, and a service disconnect switch. The system has a communications and control system adapted to send information to the electricity meter and receive information from the electricity meter. The service disconnect switch is locally operable based on a preprogrammed time delay stored in the memory of the electricity meter to restore power in a controlled fashion following a power outage. Electricity meters and electricity reconnection methods are described, as are other aspects. |
| US09213384B2 |
Generation of energy consumption profiles
The subject matter described herein relates to a system and a method for generation of energy consumption profiles corresponding to a plurality of computing systems. For each of the plurality of the computing systems, a plurality of consumption parameters from at least one measurement device is received. The consumption parameters include a processor utilization parameter and an energy consumption parameter. Further, a normalization factor corresponding to each of the plurality of the computing systems is identified. Based on the normalization factor, the processor utilization parameter is normalized. Based on the normalized processor utilization parameter and the energy consumption parameter, the energy consumption profile is generated. The energy consumption profile is indicative of energy efficiency of the plurality of the computing systems. |
| US09213383B2 |
Switching circuit module, computer system, and method for controlling computer system reset thereof
A switching circuit module, a computer system, and a method for controlling computer system reset thereof are disclosed. The switching circuit module is used for allowing a user to cut off a RTC reset high-level signal generated by an internal power supply module at a shutdown state. The switching circuit module includes a processing module, a first control switch, a chipset, and a switch module. The first control switch is used for being operated by the user to generate a first control signal. The chipset is used for receiving a RTC reset signal. When the processing module continuously receives the first control signal to exceed a first setting time, the processing module further determines whether stop receiving the first control signal in a second setting time. If yes, a pulse signal is generated to cut off the RTC reset high-level signal transmitted to the chipset. |
| US09213381B2 |
Voltage regulator dynamically determining whether requested power transition can be supported
A method of controlling voltage in a circuit is provided. Within the circuit, a block of an electrical component provides an indication that it desires to switch states (such as from off to on, on to off, or from one speed to another). The change in states requires a different current draw by the electrical component block. The indication is received by an electrical component that controls the voltage of the circuit. The electrical component that controls the voltage then issues a signal granting permission for the electrical component block to switch states. This permission signal is received by the electrical component and the electrical component block changes state. |
| US09213380B2 |
Mapping computers and ports of power distribution units in a data center
Mapping computers and ports of power distribution units in a data center, the data center including a plurality of computers and a data center management server, each computer in the data center connected for power to one of a plurality of power distribution unit (‘PDU’) ports of a PDU, each PDU connected through the communications module and a data communications network to the data center management server, including generating, by a power modulating module of a computer, a power consumption signal in the PDU, the power consumption signal encoding a unique identification of the computer; demodulating, by the PDU, the power consumption signal, including retrieving from the signal the unique identification of the computer; and reporting, by the PDU to the data center management server, an association of the unique identification of the computer and a PDU port. |
| US09213378B2 |
Cooling system for electronic components
Embodiments of the present invention provide for non interruptive fluid cooling of an electronic enclosure. One or more electronic component packages may be removable from a circuit card having a fluid flow system. When installed, the electronic component packages are coincident to and in a thermal relationship with the fluid flow system. If a particular electronic component package becomes non-functional, it may be removed from the electronic enclosure without affecting either the fluid flow system or other neighboring electronic component packages. |
| US09213376B2 |
Conductor pattern structure of a capacitive touch panel comprising a plurality of first-axis conductor cells and a plurality of second-axis conductor cells
Disclosed is a conductor pattern structure of a capacitive touch panel. First-axis conductor assemblies and second-axis conductor assemblies are formed on a surface of a substrate. Each first-axis conductor assembly includes a plurality of first-axis conductor cells that are interconnected by first-axis conduction lines. An insulator is formed on a surface of each adjacent first-axis conductor cell. Each second-axis conductor assembly includes a plurality of second-axis conductor cells that are interconnected by second-axis conduction lines. Each second-axis conduction line extends across the insulator disposed on the adjacent first-axis conductor cell. |
| US09213374B2 |
Computer device
A computer device includes a main casing, a computer body disposed in the main casing, a linkage mechanism including first and second sheets and a first shape-memory alloy, and a movable casing pivoted to the main casing. The main casing is for engaging with the movable casing to position the movable casing at an open position exposed from the main casing. A driving end of the first sheet is movably inserted into a slot of the movable casing. The second sheet is disposed on a recess structure of the main casing and pivoted to the first sheet. The first shape-memory alloy is pivoted to one of the second sheet and the recess structure and the driving end for moving the driving end along the slot when being heated to shorten or elongate to push the movable casing from a closed position contained in the recess structure to the open position. |
| US09213372B2 |
Retractable keyboard keys
A keyboard includes a bezel having a plurality of key openings and a plurality of key holding features configured adjacent to the plurality of key openings on a bottom side of the bezel. A plurality of keycaps are positioned within the plurality of key openings. A chassis is included that has a plurality of planar-translation effecting mechanisms each supporting a respective one of the plurality of keycaps to guide the respective keycap in a press direction and a second direction as the keycap moves from the unpressed position toward the pressed position. The keypad or keyboard includes a key retraction mechanism configured to move the chassis relative to the bezel wherein the key holding features of the bezel limit movement of the keycaps in the second direction during movement of the chassis relative to the bezel, while the planar-translation effecting mechanisms move the plurality of keycaps toward a retracted position. |
| US09213367B1 |
Kit for shipping an electrical cabinet
A kit for providing shipping cartons and apparatus used to transport electrical cabinets between a seller and a buyer. The kit includes: a pallet for supporting the cabinet; and a pair of scored panels. The panels are folded along the scores into a pair of flat units disposed over the pallet. The scores are arranged to provide, when the units are unfolded, a pair of opposing outer U-shaped side covering for the cabinet. Stacked engageable ramp-like members are disposed over the pallet to form, when engaged, an elongated ramp. The kit includes a pair of opposing outer U-shaped side members disposed about: sides of the pallet; side of the pair of folded panels; and sides of the ramp-like members to provide sidewalls of shipping package for the kit. |
| US09213365B2 |
Method and system for viewing stacked screen displays using gestures
An intuitive technique for inputting user gestures into a handheld computing device is disclosed allowing a user to better manipulate different types of screen display presentations, such as desktops and application windows, when performing tasks thereon, wherein a window stack for application windows and/or desktops can be navigated and sequentially displayed according to the window stack ordering without disturbing or changing this ordering. |
| US09213362B1 |
Touch panel and film body
Provided is a touch panel and a film body, which ensure that a region where the touch panel and a display section are in contact with each other is hard to be conspicuous and that an apparatus formed by the touch panel and a display device can be made thinner. The touch panel is a transparent touch panel which is disposed with air gaps provided at predetermined intervals between the transparent touch panel and a surface of a display section of a display device, wherein a back surface of the transparent touch panel facing the surface of the display section is provided with a projection formation layer on which a plurality of fine projections protruding toward the surface side of the display section are dispersively formed, the surface of the projection formation layer is configured to have an average irregularity height (Ra) of equal to or more than 0.01 μm and equal to or less than 0.06 μm and a maximum irregularity height (Ry) of equal to or more than 0.15 μm and equal to or less than 0.70 μm, and the projections having a height of equal to or more than 0.1 μm are dispersed with a density of equal to or more than 100 and equal to or less than 180 per 1 mm2. |
| US09213360B2 |
Time setting system and time setting method
The present invention provides a time setting system and method thereof that are capable of correctly setting time if a delay occurs in the transmission of time information. In the system for setting a master time outputted from a master apparatus to a slave time of a slave apparatus that counts time independently of the master apparatus, the slave apparatus has transmission section for transmitting master time request information to the master apparatus via a network and the master apparatus has an allowable range information acquisition section for acquiring allowable range information indicative of an allowable time in which the master time may be set to the slave time of the slave apparatus and transmission section for transmitting the master time and allowable range information to the slave apparatus. The slave apparatus obtains a time difference between a first slave time to be obtained before or after the transmission of master time request information and a second slave time to be obtained at reception of the master time and the allowable range information. If the allowable time is greater than the obtained time difference, the master time is set. |
| US09213359B2 |
Interface for controlling the phase alignment of clock signals for a recipient device
Interface circuitry transmitting transactions between an initiator and a recipient includes: a clock input receiving a clock signal; a transaction input receiving transactions; clock outputs for outputting the clock signal; transaction outputs outputting the transactions to the recipient; and synchronizing circuits clocked by the clock signal and transmitting the transactions to the transaction output in response to the clock signal. A controllable delay circuit is provided between the clock input and the synchronizing circuits. A further synchronizing circuit configured to provide a similar delay. Phase detection circuitry is arranged to detect alignment of the received clock signals. Calibration control circuitry adjusts a delay of the controllable delay circuit during calibration until the phase detection circuitry detects alignment. The calibration control circuitry controls the controllable delay circuit to generate a delay to the clock signal in dependence upon the delay that generated the alignment detected during calibration. |
| US09213354B2 |
Pedal with active release
An active release system for a pedal assembly which permits the pedal to be operated after releasing. A pivot pin supporting the pedal arm is mounted in a plurality of slots. The pin is held in position in the slots by a release lever assembly. The release lever assembly is held in position by two shear pins. The force of the discharge during a crash breaks the shear pins to rotate a release lever away from the pivot pin. The pedal pivot pin is then free to travel in the slots in the mounting bracket towards the occupant thereby pivoting the pedal arm from the passenger compartment allowing the pedal to be operated after releasing. |
| US09213353B2 |
Band gap reference circuit
A band gap reference circuit is provided that includes a first resistor (R1), a second resistor (R2), a third resistor (R3), a fourth resistor (Ra), a fifth resistor (Rb), a capacitor (Ca), an operational amplifier A, a first field effect transistor (FET) (P1), a second FET (P2), a third FET (P3), a fourth FET (Pa), a first bipolar junction transistor (BJT) (Q1), a second BJT (Q2), and a third BJT (Q3). P3 and Rb are used to control Pa, which is configured to control current flow to a reference node, and thus a reference voltage (Vref) output by the band gap reference circuit. The band gap reference circuit is configured to output a substantially constant reference voltage and is less sensitive or susceptible to noise from a power supply. Additionally, the band gap reference circuit prevents Vref from overshooting when the band gap circuit is enabled. |
| US09213351B2 |
Bi-directional current sensor
A bidirectional current sensor circuit can be configured to generate a scaled version of a load current using a first transistor from a power regulator output stage and a second transistor that can be a mirror or scaled version of the first transistor. A trim circuit can be provided to correct gain errors under current sinking or current sourcing conditions. In an example, the bidirectional current sensor circuit can be configured to detect a polarity or a magnitude of a current signal that is used to operate a thermoelectric device. |
| US09213346B2 |
Multiphase switching power supply circuit
There is provided a multiphase switching power supply circuit in which an input terminal receives an input voltage, an output terminal outputs an output voltage, first to an Nth power stages each include an inductor having one end connected to the output terminal; a high-side switch that connects another end of the inductor to the input terminal; and a low-side switch that connects the other end of the inductor to a reference voltage, a switch signal controller supplies first to an Nth control signals to the first to Nth power stages, the first to Nth control signals complementarily turning on and off their corresponding high-side switches and low-side switches at a frequency fs, and a switch signal controller determines phases of the first to Nth control signals according to a ration between inductance values of the inductors included in the first to Nth power stages. |
| US09213341B2 |
Biological safety cabinet with a falling-film evaporator
A method for decontaminating a biological safety cabinet with a falling film evaporator. The method includes the steps of: providing a falling-film evaporator within a cavity of a biological safety cabinet, the evaporator having a housing defining a cavity and an evaporation element is disposed in the cavity; conveying a liquid decontaminant from a source of liquid decontaminant to the evaporation element such that the liquid decontaminant flows along a surface of the evaporation element; conveying a carrier gas through the cavity of the housing wherein the carrier gas is conveyed along the surface of the evaporation element to evaporate the liquid decontaminant thereby forming a mixture of the carrier gas and the vaporized decontaminant; and exhausting the mixture into the cavity of the biological safety cabinet to decontaminate articles and surfaces in the cavity. |
| US09213334B2 |
Runway traction estimation and reporting system
A runway traction estimation and reporting method and computer readable medium is provided. Upon detection of a landing event, a runway traction estimation and reporting method provides for various measurements and calculations to estimate the traction of the runway and create a traction map of the runway. A computer readable medium may contain instructions for a runway traction estimation and reporting processor directing the processor to perform various measurements and calculations to estimate the traction of the runway. The processor may communicate with a ground station or with other aircraft to produce collaborative results. |
| US09213332B2 |
System and method for automated vehicle selection and automated fix detection
A system and method for automating the selection of vehicle identifying information for a diagnostic tool and for searching multiple databases of fix information and providing such information to a user. |
| US09213327B1 |
Selective electrical coupling based on environmental conditions
An environmental monitoring device that includes a switching mechanism is described. During operation of the environmental monitoring device, the switching mechanism such as a switch) selectively electrically couples a first electrical-connection node and a second electrical-connection node. For example, using the switching mechanism, an electronic device that is electrically coupled to the first electrical-connection node may be selectively electrically coupled to a second electronic device that is electrically coupled to the second electrical-connection node. The selective electrical coupling may be based on one or more measurements of an environmental condition in an external environment that includes the environmental monitoring device. Moreover, a sensor mechanism in the environmental monitoring device may provide sensor data based on the one or more measurements. Alternatively, an antenna and an interface circuit in the environmental monitoring device may receive the sensor data from a third electronic device. |
| US09213325B2 |
System and method for managing services in a living place
A system is provided for managing services in a living place, including: a supervision system, an anticipative solving system, the anticipative solving system including a processing and memory system for: storing service type problem generators and powers and occupants' satisfaction-related transversal problem generator; collecting service type and related parameters for each service; generating instantiated constraint data for each service according to its type and an anticipative service type problem data based on the constraint data; generating global anticipative problem data; computing set-point data for each service based on the solved global anticipative problem; sending set-point data to the supervision system; and a reactive system adapted to adjust the set-point data computed by the anticipative system depending on the current state of each service. |
| US09213324B2 |
Systems and methods for managing interaction with controllable lighting networks
Systems and methods for managing interaction with controllable lighting networks are disclosed. Particularly, a user's input regarding the user's preferred level of interaction with a controllable lighting network is used in conjunction with memories and processors, to selectively allow the controllable lighting network access to the user's personal data such as the user's identity or the user's personal lighting preferences. A user's preferred level of interaction with a controllable lighting network is also used, in conjunction with personal mobile electronic communication devices, to allow the user to control lighting within controllable lighting networks. |
| US09213323B2 |
Oscillatory failure common-mode monitor
A method includes receiving signals processed according to a control law and generating an error signal based on the signals. The method includes determining at least one characteristic of the error signal, and determining whether to disable the control law based on the at least one characteristic. |
| US09213321B2 |
Control System for rotating shaft
A rotating element control system includes a rotating element rotatably disposed on a main body, a first sensing unit which senses a rotational speed of the main body, a driving unit which drives the rotating element, a second sensing unit which senses a rotational speed of the rotating element, a torque compensation unit which generates a first compensation signal within a first range and a second compensation signal within a second range, and a stabilization control unit which controls the driving unit based on the first and second compensation signals and a difference between a speed of a command to drive the rotating element and the rotational speed of the rotating element. |
| US09213320B2 |
Electronic timepiece with internal antenna
An electronic timepiece has a tubular outside case of which at least part is a conductive material, a transparent crystal, a dial housed in the outside case, an annular antenna body disposed around the dial, a feed part that feeds the antenna body, and a dial ring made of a non-conductive material covering the antenna body. The antenna body includes an annular dielectric base, and an arc-shaped fed element feed by the feed part, an annular parasitic element disposed between the dial ring and crystal, and receives circularly polarized waves. |
| US09213318B2 |
Electronic timepiece and electronic device
An electronic timepiece enables a simple construction, and an electronic device has the electronic timepiece. A wristwatch 1 has a button A 6; a mode setting unit 32 that sets the operating mode of the wristwatch 1 based on an input operation of the button A 6. Based on the continuous input time that the button A 6 is operated continuously, the mode setting unit 32 changes the operating mode between a timekeeping mode that receives satellite signals from one or more GPS satellites and adjusts the internal time information based on time information contained in a received satellite signal; and a positioning mode that receives satellite signals from three or more GPS satellites and adjusts the internal time information based on time information and positioning information contained in the received satellite signals. |
| US09213317B2 |
Method and arrangement for transferring a time of day value between network elements
The invention relates to transferring of a time of day value between network elements of a data transfer network. It has been surprisingly detected that the phase reference signals available to various network elements can be utilized in the synchronization of time of day values between these network elements. In the solution according to the invention, a first network element sends to a second network element a difference variable (401, 402, 403) that indicates how much the timing phase of the time of day value maintained in the first network element differs from the timing phase of the phase reference signal available to the first network element. In the second network element that receives the message, an estimate of the time of day value is formed (404, 405) based on the difference variable and the timing phase of the phase reference signal available to the second network element. |
| US09213315B2 |
Timepiece with movable ornamental body
A timepiece, which includes a base board made of any of ABS resin, AS resin, and PS resin, and further includes a projection portion; a rotary board made of any of ABS resin, AS resin, and PS resin, and rotatable about and relative to the projection portion; and a rotational shaft projecting toward a front side of the base board through an opening formed in the projection portion. An end of the rotational shaft is connected with a hand provided for indicating time. The timepiece further includes an ornamental body movable relative to the base board; and a securing member made of any of POM resin, PBT resin, and PA resin. The ornamental body is prevented from moving forward to the front side and coming into contact with the hand provided for indicating time when, for example, shock is applied to the timepiece. |
| US09213313B2 |
Synthetic optical holography
Methods and apparatus for imaging a phase or amplitude that characterizes a scattered field emanating from a physical medium. A local probe is stepped to a plurality of successive probe positions and illuminated with an illuminating beam, while a specified phase function is imposed on a reference beam relative to the illuminating beam. A field associated with the scattered field is superimposed with the reference beam and the detection of both yields a detected signal which is recorded as a function of probe position in order to obtain a hologram. The holograph is transformed, filtered, and retransformed to generate an image. Alternatively, the illuminating beam may directly illuminate successive positions of the physical medium. |
| US09213309B2 |
Image forming apparatus having image forming unit
An image forming apparatus includes a casing, a cover unit, and a liquid channel. The cover unit is disposed above an image forming unit. The cover unit includes a first member, a second member, and a neighboring portion positioned between the first member and the second member. The liquid channel is configured to guide liquid and includes a first channel and a second channel. The first channel is disposed between the neighboring portion and the image forming unit. The first channel includes a recess part and a liquid outlet. The recess part is disposed below the neighboring portion and extending toward the frame in an extending direction. The liquid outlet is positioned at an end portion of the recess part in the extending direction. The second channel is disposed at the frame. The second channel is configured to allow liquid to pass through the frame in the extending direction. |
| US09213308B2 |
Cartridge provided with protection cover capable of protecting developer carrier and image forming apparatus provided with the same
A cartridge includes: a first cartridge; a second cartridge; and a protection cover. The first cartridge includes: a photosensitive body; a photosensitive-body accommodating portion for accommodating the photosensitive body; and a cartridge mounting portion. The second cartridge is detachably mounted in the first cartridge and includes a developer carrier. The protection cover provides an attached state to be attached to the second cartridge and a detached state to be detached from the second cartridge. The protection cover at the attached state faces the developer carrier to protect the developer carrier. The second cartridge provides an accommodated position to be accommodated in the cartridge mounting portion when the protection cover is at the attached state, and a mounted position to be mounted in the cartridge mounting portion when the protection cover is at the detached state. |
| US09213303B2 |
Replaceable unit for an image forming device having a drive coupler that includes a locking member
A replaceable unit for an image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a drive coupler accessible on an exterior portion of a body of the replaceable unit. The drive coupler includes an axial locking member that prevents the drive coupler of the replaceable unit from axially disengaging from a corresponding drive coupler of the image forming device. The drive coupler of the replaceable unit includes an axial opening that permits the drive coupler of the replaceable unit to axially disengage from the corresponding drive coupler of the image forming device when the corresponding drive coupler of the image forming device is rotated relative to the drive coupler of the replaceable unit from its operative engagement with the drive coupler of the replaceable unit in a direction opposite an operative rotational direction of the drive coupler of the replaceable unit. |
| US09213302B2 |
Image forming apparatus having mechanism for restricting movement of cover
An image forming apparatus includes a main body, a cartridge supporting member, a cover and a restricting member. The cartridge supporting member supporting cartridges is movable along a moving path between an inside position and an outside position relative to the main body. The cover is provided at the main body and pivotally movable between a first position and a second position higher than the first position in a direction generally perpendicular to the moving path. The restricting member is movable in interlocking relation with the movement of the cartridge supporting member between a restricting position and a permitting position for restricting and permitting movement of the cover from the second position to the first position. The restricting member is in the restricting position when the cartridge supporting member is in the outside position, and in the permitting position when the cartridge supporting member is in the inside position. |
| US09213301B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes; a belt unit detachably mountable to a main assembly, said belt unit including a movable endless belt, a belt supporting roller, a steering unit for swinging the belt to incline relative to the supporting roller by a force produced by movement of the belt in a widthwise direction, and a cleaning unit, supported by the steering unit, for removing and collecting toner from the belt; a toner receiving unit, provided in the assembly, for receiving the toner collected by the cleaning unit; and a path member for guiding the toner collected by the cleaning unit to the toner receiving unit, the path member being supported by the assembly when the belt unit is not mounted, and the path member being supported by the cleaning swingably relative to the toner receiving unit when the belt unit is mounted. |
| US09213299B2 |
Sliding member for image forming apparatus, cleaning device, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus
A sliding member for image formation which is disposed in an image forming apparatus, includes a base material, the entirety of which contains a resin and which further has a carbon-containing region containing carbon, which has an sp3 bond, on a contact side with a contacted member, and in which a region other than the carbon-containing region is formed of an identical material, wherein the sliding member satisfies any one of the requirements of the following (A) and (B): (A) the carbon-containing region configures a contact portion with the contacted member; and (B) the sliding member is provided with a carbon layer which does not contain a resin but contains carbon having an sp3 bond on a surface further on the contact side with the contacted member of the carbon-containing region and configures a contact portion with the contacted member. |
| US09213298B2 |
Image forming apparatus and electric charge eliminating method
An image forming apparatus includes a power supply portion, a driving portion, a detection portion, and a control portion. The power supply portion is connected to an external power supply and configured to generate a DC voltage. The driving portion is configured to drive with, as power, the DC voltage generated by the power supply portion. The detection portion is configured to detect a cut-off state of the external power supply with respect to the power supply portion. The control portion is configured to perform control so as to drive the driving portion when the cut-off state of the external power supply is detected by the detection portion. |
| US09213297B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus is disclosed that includes a power storage unit. The power storage unit includes a constant voltage generation part configured to generate a constant voltage from a commercial power supply, the constant voltage generation part being connected to an external apparatus operating by consuming power; a voltage increasing circuit configured to increase the constant voltage generated by the constant voltage generation part; a capacitor configured to store an electric charge supplied from the voltage increasing circuit; a circuit control part configured to control charging of the capacitor; and an output part configured to output power stored in the capacitor, the power having a voltage different from the constant voltage. |
| US09213284B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming method for correcting images on a medium according to a temperature
An image forming apparatus includes a transport unit that transports plural recording media having developer images transferred thereon, at an interval; a fixing unit that fixes the developer images to the recording media transported by the transport unit, by applying heat; a temperature measuring unit that measures an ambient temperature; a speed changing unit that decreases a fixing speed of the developer images in the fixing unit if the ambient temperature measured by the temperature measuring unit is a preset temperature or lower, as compared with the fixing speed if the ambient temperature is higher than the preset temperature; and an interval changing unit that decreases the interval if the ambient temperature is the preset temperature or lower, as compared with the interval if the ambient temperature is higher than the preset temperature. |
| US09213283B2 |
Fixing device, and image forming apparatus
Provided is a fixing device including a heating rotating body that heats a toner image formed on a recording medium, a pressurizing rotating body including an endless belt that is placed in such a manner that an outer circumferential surface thereof faces the heating rotating body, a first pressurizing member that is placed on a side of an inner circumferential surface of the endless belt and forms a fixing nip portion between the endless belt and the heating rotating body, and a second pressurizing member that guides the recording medium so that the recording medium comes into contact with the heating rotating body on an upstream side of the fixing nip portion in a transportation direction of the recording medium, and a releasing unit that releases pressure contact of the pressurizing rotating body that is in pressure contact with heating rotating body. |
| US09213281B2 |
Fixing device with mechanism capable of heating fixing rotary body by electromagnetic induction effectively and image forming apparatus incorporating same
A fixing device includes a heat generator including a first non-conductive portion having a first width in an axial direction of the heat generator and a second non-conductive portion spaced apart from the first non-conductive portion in a circumferential direction of the heat generator and having a second width in the axial direction of the heat generator that is smaller than the first width of the first non-conductive portion. The heat generator is movable between a first heating position where the first non-conductive portion is disposed opposite an exciting coil unit and a second heating position where the second non-conductive portion is disposed opposite the exciting coil unit. |
| US09213280B2 |
Image-forming apparatus supplying power to heat generating member using phase control and/or wave number control
An image-forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit which forms an unfixed toner image on a recording material; a fixing unit having a heat generating member which generates heat by power supplied from a commercial AC power source via a choke coil, the fixing unit heating the unfixed toner image formed by the image forming unit and thereby fixing the image to the recording material; and a control unit which controls the supply of power from the commercial AC power source to the heat generating member. The control unit supplies power to the heat generating member by control including phase control, during printing for performing an image forming operation by the image forming unit, and supplies power to the heat generating member by wave number control during standby for awaiting a print instruction. |
| US09213278B2 |
Image forming apparatus
The image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit including a heater, a necessary integral power calculation unit configured to calculate a necessary integral power required for the fixing unit to reach a predetermined fixable temperature, a suppliable integral power calculation unit configured to calculate a suppliable integral power capable of being supplied to the heater in a time elapsing until the recording material reaches the fixing unit, a power source condition detection unit configured to detect a power source condition of a power source for supplying power to the heater, and a controller configured to control a timing to start conveyance of the recording material according to the necessary integral power and the suppliable integral power, wherein the suppliable integral power calculation unit calculates the suppliable integral power according to a resistance value of the heater and the power source condition. |
| US09213277B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method thereof
To appropriately adjust a fixing temperature according to the amount of applied toner, an image forming apparatus for controlling a temperature of a fixing unit configured to fix a color material on a printing sheet, acquires a color material amount of each page of image data of a plurality of pages, determines whether a setting for printing image data of the plurality of pages on a printing sheet has been performed, determines one color material amount out of a plurality of acquired color material amounts if it is determined that the setting for printing image data of the plurality of pages on one printing sheet has been performed, and controls the temperature of the fixing unit using a fixing temperature corresponding to the determined color material amount. |
| US09213273B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing member for bearing a toner image; a belt for conveying the toner image; and a transfer device for rubbing the belt, and a surface of the transfer device, which is brought into contact with the belt includes linear concave portions or linear convex portions. The image forming apparatus of the present invention prevents a friction force between the belt and the transfer device rubbing the belt from increasing and brings a transfer member into a stable contact with the belt for conveying the toner image, thereby suppressing increase in drive torque of the belt which rubs the transfer device and suppressing occurrence of image failure. |
| US09213272B2 |
Image forming apparatus including a holding member to hold a roller relative to a frame
An image forming apparatus includes multiple image bearing members, toner image forming devices, and a transfer unit. The transfer unit includes an intermediate transfer belt entrained about a plurality of rollers and onto which toner images are transferred from the image bearing members, a reference member to position the transfer unit in place, a frame to hold the plurality of rollers a certain distance from the reference member, and a moving device including a holding member to hold movably one of the rollers relative to the frame to change the position of the roller between a multiple color mode for forming a multiple color image and a single color mode for forming a single color image so that the intermediate transfer belt contacts and separates from the image bearing member. As the holding member contacts the reference member, the intermediate transfer belt contacts the image bearing members. |
| US09213270B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes: a rotatable transfer member rotatably driven while carrying a toner image thereon; a rotary transfer member to form a transfer nip for transferring the toner image to a recording medium; a housing rotatable about a first rotation center together with the rotary transfer member and switching between a closed state and an open state by the rotation about the first rotation center; a guide member to guide the recording medium conveyed through a conveyance path toward upstream in the direction of rotation of the rotatable transfer member than the transfer nip; a support frame to support the rotatable transfer member; a biasing member to bias the guide member; and a receiving part, disposed on the support frame, configured to contact the guide member biased by the biasing member and position the guide member in the closed state of the housing. |
| US09213264B2 |
Image forming device
An image forming device includes: a developing device which includes a developing unit storing a developer containing a first carrier and a toner and a toner concentration detection unit detecting a toner concentration within the developing unit; and a supply container which stores a supply developer containing a second carrier and the toner, and supplies, based on a detection value by the toner concentration detection unit, the supply developer to the developing unit and discharges an excessive amount of the developer within the developing unit from the developing unit. Then, the setting value of the toner concentration detection unit is corrected based on the presence proportion of the second carrier within the developing unit detected by a calculation unit. |
| US09213261B2 |
Toner container and manufacturing method for toner container
A toner container includes a cylindrical container body, having a first opening in a first end thereof and a notch in a circumferential surface thereof continuous with the first opening in the first end, a flange member to engage the first opening and the notch in the container body and having a toner outlet therein through which toner in the container body is discharged, a shutter member disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the container body, a conveyance member, rotatably installed inside the container body to convey the toner from a second end of the container body opposite the first end to the toner outlet in the flange member, and a recessed portion in the container body that projects inward into the interior of the toner container 5 mm or less from an inner surface of the container body. |
| US09213260B1 |
Image forming apparatus for suppressing non-uniformity of an image caused by a difference in toner particle diameter
Provided is an image forming apparatus, including a first image portion that uses a first toner, and a second image portion that uses a second toner having a particle diameter greater than a particle diameter of the first toner, wherein, in a case where a first image of the first image portion is formed on a recording medium and a second image of the second image portion is formed on the first image, as compared to a case where only the first image is formed on the recording medium, an amount of the first toner per unit area of the first image increases. |
| US09213258B2 |
Developing assembly, process cartridge, and image-forming apparatus
In a developing assembly, the surface of a developer bearing member on which a developer is borne is provided with a first dielectric portion and a second dielectric portion. A regulating portion that regulates the layer thickness of the developer borne on the developer bearing member, the first dielectric portion, and the second dielectric portion each have a charge polarity opposite to the charge polarity of the developer. In a triboelectric series, one of the first dielectric portion and the second dielectric portion is positioned between the developer and the other dielectric portion, and the other dielectric portion is positioned between the one of the dielectric portions and the regulating portion. |
| US09213257B2 |
Small-sized developing device and process cartridge having stable developer regulation
A developing device configured to develop a latent image formed on an image bearing member includes a rotatable developing-agent bearing member configured to bear developing agent, a developing container configured to form a developing-agent storage chamber that stores the developing agent, a developing-agent regulating portion provided in the developing container to regulate an amount of the developing agent born on the developing-agent bearing member, a support portion configured to support the developing-agent bearing member movably relative to the developing-agent regulating portion, and a pressurizing member configured to pressurize the developing-agent bearing member toward the developing-agent regulating portion. A contact portion of the developing-agent regulating portion with the developing-agent bearing member is fixed to the developing container without forming a gap from the developing container on a downstream side in a pressurizing direction of the pressurizing member. |
| US09213252B2 |
Transparent developer, developer housing, development device, and image formation apparatus
A transparent developer has a glass transition point of 63.0° C. to 66.0° C., both inclusive, and a melt temperature, indicative of a softening point by a 1/2 method, of 94.3° C. to 97.0° C., both inclusive. |
| US09213242B2 |
Substrate processing method and substrate processing apparatus
According to one embodiment, a substrate processing method is disclosed. The method can include treating a substrate with a first liquid. The substrate has a structural body formed on a major surface of the substrate. The method can include forming a support member supporting the structural body by bringing a second liquid into contact with the substrate wetted by the first liquid, and changing at least a portion of the second liquid into a solid by carrying out at least one of causing the second liquid to react, reducing a quantity of a solvent included in the second liquid, and causing at least a portion of a substance dissolved in the second liquid to be separated. The method can include removing the support member by changing at least a part of the support member from a solid phase to a gaseous phase, without passing through a liquid phase. |
| US09213241B2 |
Method of making nanostructure
A method for making nanostructure is provided. The method includes following steps. A conductive layer including a graphene film is applied on an insulating substrate. A resist layer is placed on the conductive layer. A number of openings are formed by patterning the resist layer via electron beam lithography. A part of the conductive layer is exposed to form a first exposed portion through the plurality of openings. The first exposed portion of the conductive layer is removed to expose a part of the insulting substrate to form a second exposed portion. A preform layer is introduced on the second exposed portion of the insulating substrate. Remaining resist layer and remaining conductive layer are eliminated. A number of nanostructures are formed. |
| US09213240B2 |
Electron beam exposure method
An electron beam exposure method includes the steps of: preparing an exposure mask having a plurality of opening patterns formed by dividing a drawing object pattern into exposable regions; and drawing the drawing object pattern by performing exposure with an electron beam passing through the opening patterns of the exposure mask. Each end portion serving as a joint in each opening pattern of the exposure mask is provided with a joining portion tapered in a width of the opening pattern. The exposure is performed in such a way that portions drawn through adjacent joining portions overlap each other. |
| US09213238B2 |
Orthogonal processing of organic materials used in electronic and electrical devices
An orthogonal process for photolithographic patterning organic structures is disclosed. The disclosed process utilizes fluorinated solvents or supercritical CO2 as the solvent so that the performance of the organic conductors and semiconductors would not be adversely affected by other aggressive solvent. One disclosed method may also utilize a fluorinated photoresist together with the HFE solvent, but other fluorinated solvents can be used. In one embodiment, the fluorinated photoresist is a resorcinarene, but various fluorinated polymer photoresists and fluorinated molecular glass photoresists can be used as well. For example, a copolymer perfluorodecyl methacrylate (FDMA) and 2-nitrobenzyl methacrylate (NBMA) is a suitable orthogonal fluorinated photoresist for use with fluorinated solvents and supercritical carbon dioxide in a photolithography process. The combination of the fluorinated photoresist and the fluorinated solvent provides a robust, orthogonal process that is yet to be achieved by methods or devices known in the art. |
| US09213237B2 |
Pattern forming method, actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition, resist film, manufacturing method of electronic device, and electronic device
There is provided a pattern forming method comprising (i) a step of forming a film by using an actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition containing (A) a resin capable of increasing the polarity by the action of an acid to decrease the solubility for an organic solvent-containing developer, (B) a compound capable of generating an acid upon irradiation with an actinic ray or radiation, (C) a solvent, and (D) a resin substantially free from a fluorine atom and a silicon atom and different from the resin (A), (ii) a step of exposing the film, and (iii) a step of performing development by using an organic solvent-containing developer to form a negative pattern. |
| US09213236B2 |
Fluorine-containing polymer, purification method, and radiation-sensitive resin composition
A fluorine-containing polymer for use in a radiation-sensitive resin composition is used for forming a photoresist film in a process of forming a resist pattern, including a liquid immersion lithographic process in which radiation is emitted through a liquid having a refractive index larger than the refractive index of air at a wavelength of 193 nm, and being present between a lens and the photoresist film. The fluorine-containing polymer has a weight average molecular weight determined by gel permeation chromatography in the range from 1,000 to 50,000 and a receding contact angle with water and the photoresist film formed therefrom is 70° or more. |
| US09213234B2 |
Photosensitive material and method of lithography
Photosensitive materials and method of forming a pattern that include providing a composition of a component of a photosensitive material that is operable to float to a top region of a layer formed from the photosensitive material. In an example, a photosensitive layer includes a first component having a fluorine atom (e.g., alkyl fluoride group). After forming the photosensitive layer, the first component floats to a top surface of the photosensitive layer. Thereafter, the photosensitive layer is patterned. |
| US09213228B2 |
Device and method for measuring a camera
A device and a method are described for measuring a camera having an image sensor, in particular a fixed-focus camera, the device including: a camera support for accommodating at least one camera to be tested in at least one camera position, a collimator device for emitting collimator light of a test pattern having different object distances, a mirror system for deflecting the collimator light to the camera position, the mirror system having at least one first mirror device which is pivotable by a mirror adjustment device into multiple pivot positions, and a second mirror device having multiple second mirror units, the second mirror units reflecting the light emitted by the first mirror device in its different pivot positions to the camera position for imaging the test pattern in different image regions of an image sensor. |
| US09213224B2 |
Projector having cooling device that supplies cooling air in two supply directions
A projector includes an optical element and a cooling device configured to supply cooling air along the surface of the optical element. The cooling device supplies the cooling air in two supply directions crossing each other and extending from one edge to the other edge of two opposed edges of the optical element. |
| US09213222B2 |
Control arm for an imaging device
A tripod head suitable for holding an imaging device thereon being supported by a tripod includes the tripod head being movable to position the imaging device at a desired orientation. A control arm is affixed to and movable in a two-dimensional arc, without being movable in three-dimensions over the two-dimensional arc, with respect to the tripod head. The control arm has selectable resistance to movement along the two-dimensional arc as a result of selectively increasing or decreasing the resistance between at least three friction plates having surfaces in face-to-face engagement with one another. |
| US09213217B2 |
Imaging apparatus for taking a picture of a driver of a motor vehicle through a front glass of the motor vehicle
Disclosed is an imaging apparatus provided with: a light irradiation unit which irradiates a target area with light; a differential image generation unit which generates a differential image between a first image which was taken in synchronization with the irradiation period during which the light irradiation unit irradiates the light and a second image which was taken outside the irradiation period; a transmittance estimation unit which estimates the light transmittance of an object in the target area; and a light exposure adjustment unit which adjusts the exposure based on the estimation result from the transmittance estimation unit. The transmittance estimation unit estimates the transmittance of the object from at least one of the first image, the second image, and the differential image. |
| US09213216B2 |
Low noise photo-parametric solid state amplifier
A solid state detection system includes a degenerate photo-parametric amplifier (PPA), wherein the PPA comprises a photo diode, and a periodically pulsed light source, wherein the photo-parametric, amplifier (PPA) is synchronized to the pulsed light source with a phase locked loop that generates a pump waveform for the PPA at twice the frequency of the excitation pulse rate. |
| US09213214B2 |
Optical path-changing device having curved waveguide
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an optical path-changing device having one or more curved waveguides, which not only can change an optical path at a large angle close to a perpendicular direction after light or an optical signal has been incident and reflected, but also can change the optical path in various directions, such as for straight pass, left turn, and right turn. An optical path-changing device having one or more curved waveguides according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first waveguide (11) formed in a straight line. A second waveguide (12) is configured to branch from the first waveguide in a first direction and formed in a shape of curved line. A first reflector (21) is arranged in a region in which the second waveguide branches from the first waveguide. |
| US09213211B2 |
Luminescent pixel assembly
An assembly corresponding to a pixel includes sub-assemblies that each correspond to a sub-pixel of the pixel. At least one of the sub-assemblies includes a luminescent fluid, black particles and a mirror. The luminescent fluid converts wavelengths of light less than a conversion wavelength of the sub-assembly to the conversion wavelength. The black particles are positionable within luminescent fluid in accordance with a color to be displayed by the assembly. The mirror is disposed at a bottom end of the sub-assembly. |
| US09213202B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A display device includes a first substrate having a plurality of TFTs, a passivation film, and a plurality of pixel electrodes, and a second substrate arranged with a gap with the first substrate. The passivation film has a plurality of contact holes, and the plurality of pixel electrodes are connected to the plurality of TFTs via the plurality of contact holes. The second substrate has a plurality of columnar spacers for ensuring the gap with the first substrate, and a plurality of columnar projections for misalignment prevention formed at positions corresponding to the contact holes. The number of the plurality of columnar projections is less than the number of the plurality of columnar spacers. |
| US09213198B2 |
Display apparatus, automotive display apparatus, and method for manufacturing the display apparatus
A display apparatus includes: a liquid crystal panel (31); a touch panel (31) placed on the liquid crystal panel (31); a base material layer (37, 40) stacked on the touch panel (34); and an adhesive layer (36, 39) interposed between the touch panel (34) and the base material layer (37, 40). Fiber having properties to solve polarization is contained in at least one of the base material layer (37, 40) and the adhesive layer (36, 39). |