| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09225053B2 |
Antenna and electronic device having the same
A multi-band antenna includes a grounding portion, a main radiating portion, and a shielding wall. The main radiating portion includes a first radiating portion having a first feed end and a second radiating portion having a second feed end. The first and second radiating portions are structurally symmetrical. The main radiating portion and the shielding wall are arranged on opposite sides of the grounding portion. |
| US09225049B2 |
Noise suppression structure
A noise suppression structure for suppressing an undesired high-frequency current in a transmission line (i.e. a sleeve) of a short-circuited termination type includes a conductor base encompassing the periphery of the transmission line and a conductor short-circuiting part which is connected to the transmission line at the opposite side to an open end of the conductor base and whose inductance is greater than that of the conductor base. It is possible to increase an inductance by modifying the shape of the terminal end of the sleeve, equivalent to a quarter wavelength of an undesired high-frequency current which occurs in a wireless circuit of a mobile wireless terminal and flows through a ground layer, thus reducing the entire length and realizing miniaturization while securing desired input impedance. |
| US09225047B2 |
Fuel cell device
A fuel cell includes a fuel cell, auxiliaries, a storage battery, an auxiliary power switching unit and a controlling device. The fuel cell is connected to a system power supply. The auxiliaries are coupled to the fuel cell. The auxiliary power switching unit switches power supplies to at least one of the auxiliaries from the storage battery. When the fuel cell device that is not operating starts operation at a time of power failure of the system power supply, the controlling device determines whether or not each of the auxiliaries need power for startup of the fuel cell and prompts the auxiliary power switching unit to supply the power from the storage battery to one or more auxiliaries for which the controlling device has determined a power demand for the startup. |
| US09225046B2 |
Protected anode and lithium air battery and all-solid battery including protected anode
A protected anode including an anode including a lithium titanium oxide; and a protective layer including a compound represented by Formula 1 below, a lithium air battery including the same, and an all-solid battery including the protected anode: Li1+XMXA2−XSiYP3−YO12 |
| US09225041B2 |
Automobile battery and method for manufacturing pole plates
A battery includes anode plates, formed as a mesh by forming cuts in series on a lead plate strip rolled into a uniform thickness, for storing electricity in a chemically reactive state by expansion processing, cathode plates formed as a mesh for storing electricity in a chemically reactive state, separators between the anode and cathode plates for electrical insulation, mechanical separation, and the impregnation of an AGM with electrolyte, such that the chemical reaction for storing electricity is facilitated and the pressure in the cell remains constant, upper and lower cases made of polypropylene and containing the anode plates, cathode plates, separators, and electrolyte in a plurality of mutually separate cells, and a cap coupled into the screw holes formed in the cell units in the upper case, for discharging gas generated during charge and discharge when the pressure of the gas is over a permissible level. |
| US09225039B2 |
Electrolytic solution, secondary battery, battery pack, electric vehicle, electric power storage system, electric power tool, and electronic apparatus
A secondary battery includes: a cathode; an anode; and an electrolytic solution. The electrolytic solution includes an unsaturated cyclic ester carbonate and one or more selected from a group configured of aromatic compounds, dinitrile compounds, sulfinyl compounds, and lithium salts. |
| US09225037B2 |
Lithium secondary battery using ionic liquid
A flame-retardant lithium secondary battery is provided that has better battery performance and higher safety than conventional batteries. The lithium secondary battery uses a positive electrode that includes a positive electrode active material of the general formula (1) below, and a nonaqueous electrolytic solution in which an ionic liquid that contains bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide anions as an anionic component is used as the solvent, (1) LiNixMnyO4, wherein x and y are values that satisfy the relations x+y=2, and x:y=27.572.5 to 22.577.5. |
| US09225035B1 |
Low profile battery module and improved thermal interface
An arrangement of a battery module and a method for making this module are presented. An embodiment is comprised of a plurality of Lithium-ion pouch type unit cells stacked in a linear array. A lightweight frame structure compresses the unit cells and the cells are encapsulated with thermally conductive epoxy. A method of assembly constrains the unit cells during encapsulation such that a thin wall of epoxy is achieved, reducing the thermal resistance of the side walls. A slotted flat panel is placed over the unit cells and the cell tabs protrude through the panel. An arrangement of slotted bus bars reside on the flat panel and the cell tabs are bent at right angles in a manner that allows the tabs to be attached to the bus bars by a soldering or similar means. In an embodiment of the battery module, the flat panel contains battery management circuitry. |
| US09225031B2 |
System for energy generation or storage on an electrochemical basis
A system for energy generation or storage on an electrochemical basis includes at least one flow cell, each flow cell including two half-cells through which differently charged electrolyte liquids (21, 22) flow and which are separated by a membrane, at least one electrode being disposed in each of these half-cells, and a tank for each of the electrolyte liquids. A common gas volume (23) connecting the tanks is provided, and at least one catalyst (24) for reducing a positive reaction partner of then redox pair in contact with the positive electrolyte liquid (22) and also with the common gas volume (23) is disposed in the tank for the positive electrolyte liquid (22). |
| US09225026B2 |
Humidification apparatus for fuel cell system
A humidification apparatus for a fuel cell system is provided herein. A membrane humidifier includes humid air inlets, through which humid air discharged from a cathode of a fuel cell stack is introduced, and air outlets, through which air humidifying dry air in hollow fiber membranes is discharged, an air line connected from a cathode outlet of the fuel cell stack to the humid air inlets of the membrane humidifier to supply humid air. Exhaust lines are connected to the air outlets. A flow control valve is provided in the air line and controls the introduction of humid air into the humid air inlets, respectively. An exhaust valve is also provided to open and close flow paths of the exhaust lines. A controller controls the opening and closing of the flow control valve and the exhaust valve based on operating conditions of the fuel cell stack. |
| US09225023B2 |
Fullerenes as high capacity cathode materials for a rechargeable magnesium battery
A magnesium electrochemical cell having a positive electrode containing a carbon cluster compound as an active material is provided. In a preferred embodiment the carbon cluster material is a comminuted fullerene. |
| US09225019B2 |
Cathode active material for lithium secondary battery
Disclosed herein is a cathode active material based on lithium nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide represented by Formula 1, wherein an ion-conductive solid compound and conductive carbon are applied to a surface of the lithium nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide. A lithium secondary battery having the disclosed cathode active material has improved rate properties and high temperature stability, in turn embodying excellent cell performance. |
| US09225016B2 |
Hydrogen absorbing alloy, negative pole, and nickel—hydrogen secondary battery
A hydrogen storage alloy wherein elution of Co, Mn, Al, and the like elements into an alkaline electrolyte is inhibited, an anode for a nickel-hydrogen rechargeable battery employing the alloy, and a nickel-hydrogen rechargeable battery having the anode. |
| US09225015B2 |
Lithium air battery
A lithium air battery including a negative electrode comprising lithium, a positive electrode using oxygen as a positive active material, and an organic electrolyte including an organic compound capable of intercalating and deintercalating electrons involved in an electrochemical reaction. |
| US09225014B2 |
Battery, negative electrode active material, and electric tool
A battery is provided including a positive electrode; a negative electrode including a first negative electrode active material; and an electrolytic solution, wherein the first negative electrode active material includes a core portion having a core portion surface, wherein the core portion has a median diameter of 0.3 μm to 20 μm, and a covering portion that covers at least part of the core portion surface, wherein the covering portion comprises at least Si, O and at least of one element M1 selected from Li, carbon (C), Mg, Al, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Ge, Zr, Mo, Ag, Sn, Ba, W, Ta, Na, and K. |
| US09225013B2 |
Method for producing cathode-active material for lithium secondary battery
The present invention provides a method for producing a cathode-active material containing an olivine-type lithium metal phosphate for a lithium secondary battery which does not need washing or sintering after hydrothermal synthesis, the method including a step in which hydrothermal synthesis is carried out by using a mixture containing HMnPO4 and a lithium source as a raw material to produce an olivine-type lithium metal phosphate. |
| US09225012B2 |
Electrode of secondary cell including porous insulating layer, and manufacturing method thereof
The present invention provides a manufacturing method of a secondary cell electrode forming a porous insulating layer on at least one surface between a negative electrode and a positive electrode, including coating an electrode layer slurry on the electrode surface, coating the porous insulating layer while in a state in which the electrode layer slurry has not been dried, and simultaneously drying the electrode layer slurry and the porous insulating layer coating slurry so a binder of the porous insulating layer does not block the pores of the electrode layer. |
| US09225011B2 |
Doped carbon-sulfur species nanocomposite cathode for Li—S batteries
We report a heteroatom-doped carbon framework that acts both as conductive network and polysulfide immobilizer for lithium-sulfur cathodes. The doped carbon forms chemical bonding with elemental sulfur and/or sulfur compound. This can significantly inhibit the diffusion of lithium polysulfides in the electrolyte, leading to high capacity retention and high coulombic efficiency. |
| US09225009B2 |
Self-assembled composite of graphene oxide and tetravalent vanadium oxohydroxide
A composite material comprising graphene oxide and an electrochemically active ingredient, in particular H4-xV3O8 with x ranging from 0.1 to 2.2, as well as a method for its manufacture were developed. The composite material is suitable for being used as electrode in an electrochemical cell. |
| US09225006B2 |
Electrode, secondary battery, battery pack, electric vehicle, electric power storage system, electric power tool, and electronic apparatus
A secondary battery includes: a cathode; an anode; and an electrolytic solution. The cathode includes a lithium composite oxide, a first compound, and a second compound. The lithium composite oxide includes lithium (Li) and a transition metal element as constituent elements. The first compound includes a first metal element different from the transition metal element as a constituent element, the first compound existing on a surface and inside of the lithium composite oxide. The second compound includes a second metal element different from the first metal element as a constituent element, the second compound existing on the surface of the lithium composite oxide. |
| US09225005B2 |
Positive-electrode material for lithium secondary-battery, process for producing the same, positive electrode for lithium secondary battery, and lithium secondary battery
A lithium-transition metal compound powder for a positive-electrode material of lithium secondary batteries can include a lithium-transition metal compound that is capable of an insertion and elimination of lithium ions. The particles in the powder contain, in the inner part thereof, a compound that, when analyzed by an SEM-EDX method, has peaks derived from Group-16 elements belonging to the third or later periods of the periodic table and Group-5 to Group-7 elements belonging to the fifth and sixth periods of the periodic table. |
| US09225001B2 |
Prismatic secondary battery
A groove is formed in a ring shape and a ring-shaped convexity is formed on the periphery of a through-hole of a positive electrode terminal plate. An upper end side of a crimping part of a positive electrode exterior terminal is inserted through the through-hole of the positive electrode terminal plate and crimped, and welded spots are formed by irradiation with high-energy beams between a distal end side of the crimping part and the convexity. The mechanical and electrical connection of an exterior terminal and a terminal plate to the crimping part through welding with high-energy beams makes it possible to provide a prismatic secondary battery of enhanced reliability in which cracking is less likely to occur in the welded spots, the coupling strength between the exterior terminal and the terminal plate is increased, and fluctuations in the internal resistance are curbed. |
| US09225000B2 |
Current collecting terminal with PTC layer for electrochemical cells
An electrochemical cell battery having current collecting terminals acting as security device. The current collecting terminals utilize layers of PTC materials strategically positioned whereby if a temperature of an electrochemical cell rises above the transition temperature of the layer of PTC material, electrical current is prevented to flow between electrochemical cells by the layer of PTC material. |
| US09224999B2 |
Vehicle battery module
The vehicle battery module includes cut rubber tubing attached to tops of voltaic cells. Tabs from the cells pass through seating apertures in a printed circuit board. The rubber tubing atop each cell buffers contact between the circuit board (PCB) and the cell's top edge. Solder joints secure electromechanical connection of the tabs to the printed circuit board. A strain relief bend in the tabs provides robust mechanical connection between the cells and printed circuit board. Printed circuits on the board allow the cells to be electrically connected in various configurations. Terminal and connectors on the printed circuit board provide connection to a load and monitoring device. A vehicle battery pack is comprised of a plurality of vehicle battery modules. |
| US09224998B2 |
Rechargeable battery for replacing dry battery and its structural component and corresponding battery compartment
Rechargeable battery for replacing dry battery and its structural component and corresponding battery compartment are provided, the structural component includes a battery shell for accommodating the electric core of the rechargeable battery, the battery shell has a first end face and a second end face opposed each other, the first end face is provided with a positive electrode and a negative electrode for external power supply, the second end face or the first end face or the side face of the battery shell is provided with a charging port, the positive electrode on the first end face is electrically connected with outwardly projecting elastic conductive structure. |
| US09224993B2 |
Battery pack encasing structure and walking assistance device using same
A connector provided in a lower middle part of a battery pack, is protected from moisture in a reliable manner while simplifying the installing and removing of the battery pack. A vertical wall of the battery pack is formed with an arch-shaped ridge having a higher middle part and a pair of lower lateral end parts. A battery pack receiving recess is provided with a vertical wall opposing the vertical wall of the battery pack, and a pair of through holes on either lower end thereof. The vertical wall of the battery pack receiving recess is formed with an arch-shaped groove configured to receive the arch-shaped ridge of the battery pack. Moisture that may be deposited on the vertical wall surfaces is trapped by a water channel defined by the groove and the ridge, and drained from the battery pack receiving recess via the through holes. |
| US09224978B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display device
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device includes a first substrate; a first electrode positioned on the first substrate; an organic light emission layer positioned on the first electrode; a second electrode positioned on the organic light emission layer; and a capping layer positioned on the second electrode to cover the organic light emission layer and including an ultraviolet (UV) interception material intercepting UV rays irradiated to the organic light emission layer from the exterior. |
| US09224976B2 |
Light-emitting element, light-emitting device, electronic device, and lighting device
Provided is a light-emitting element including an anode over a substrate, a layer containing a composite material in which a metal oxide is added to an organic compound, a light-emitting layer, and a cathode having a light-transmitting property. The anode is a stack of a film of an aluminum alloy and a film containing titanium or titanium oxide. The film containing titanium or titanium oxide is in contact with the layer containing a composite material. |
| US09224975B2 |
Organic light emitting display panel and method of manufacturing the same
An organic light emitting display panel including a partition wall to prevent different organic light emitting materials from being mixed with each other between adjacent light emitting areas. The partition wall may protrude from a surface of a pixel definition layer or a first common layer. Accordingly, desired light colors are generated by organic light emitting patterns respectively disposed in the light emitting areas. |
| US09224974B2 |
Optoelectronic device with homogeneous light intensity
An optoelectronic device comprising: a first electrical supply conductor (206); a second electrical supply conductor (212) which is connected to a first electrical terminal (104); and a functional layer (208) for emitting radiation arranged between the first electrical supply conductor (206) and the second electrical supply conductor (212), the second electrical supply conductor (212) having a lateral first electrical conductivity which changes monotonically over the extent of the second electrical supply conductor (212) away from the first electrical terminal (104). |
| US09224973B2 |
Flexible organic light emitting display device
A flexible organic light emitting display device includes: a display panel configured to output an image; a retardation film formed on an upper portion of the display panel to cover the display panel and formed by laminating a half wave plate and a quarter wave plate; and a polarizing plate attached to the retardation film. A color shift in a black screen can be improved by replacing a barrier film used for face seal with a retardation film including a half wave plate and a quarter wave plate combined at a predetermined angle. |
| US09224970B2 |
Organic light emitting diode, organic light emitting display panel including the organic light emitting diode and method of manufacturing the organic light emitting display panel
An organic light emitting diode includes a first electrode layer, a first common layer disposed on the first electrode layer, an organic light emitting layer disposed on the first common layer, a second common layer disposed on the organic light emitting layer, and a second electrode layer disposed on the second common layer. The organic light emitting layer and the first common layer have the same directional property. Since an injection/transportation of charge at an interface of the first common layer and the organic light emitting layer becomes smooth, charges are not accumulated at the interface. Thus, life of the organic light emitting diode is extended. |
| US09224967B2 |
White organic light emitting device
A white organic light emitting device includes: first and second electrodes formed to face each other on a substrate; a first stack configured with a hole injection layer, a first hole transportation layer, a first light emission layer and a first electron transportation layer which are stacked between the first and second electrodes; a second stack configured with a second hole transportation layer, a second light emission layer, a third light emission layer, a second electron transportation layer and an electron injection layer which are stacked between the first stack and the second electrode; and a charge generation layer interposed between the first and second stacks and configured to adjust a charge balance between the two stacks. |
| US09224965B2 |
Organic thin film transistor and method for manufacturing the same
An organic thin film transistor and a method for manufacturing the same is disclosed, which can improve the device properties by decreasing a contact resistance which occurs in a contact area between an organic semiconductor layer and source/drain electrodes. The organic thin film transistor includes a gate electrode formed on a substrate, a gate insulation layer formed on the gate electrode, source and drain electrodes overlapped with both edges of the gate electrode and formed on the gate insulation layer, an organic semiconductor layer formed on the gate insulation layer including the source/drain electrodes, a first adhesive layer having hydrophilic properties formed between the gate insulation layer and the source/drain electrodes, and a second adhesive layer having hydrophobic properties formed between the organic semiconductor layer and the gate insulation layer. |
| US09224964B2 |
Substrate cartridge, substrate-processing apparatus, substrate-processing system, substrate-processing method, control apparatus, and method of manufacturing display element
A substrate cartridge includes a cartridge main body that houses a substrate and an information-maintaining section that is housed in the cartridge main body and maintains information that includes at least specification information of specification values of the substrate housed in the cartridge main body. |
| US09224963B2 |
Stable emitters
Stable and efficient organic light-emitting diodes were prepared using tetradentate platinum-based blue and red emitters. In one example, a series of stable and efficient red phosphorescent OLEDs was fabricated employing a phenyl-pyridyl-carbazole based tetradentate cyclometalated Pt(II) complex as an emitting dopant and utilizing a commercially available host, transporting, and blocking materials. By implementing this platinum complex in electrochemically stable device architectures, long operational lifetimes were achieved with an estimated LT97 of over 600 hrs at luminance of 1000 cd/m2. |
| US09224962B2 |
Dendrimers containing luminescent gold (III) compounds for organic light-emitting devices and their preparation
A novel class of saturated or conjugated dendrimers containing at least one strong σ-donating group coordinated to cyclometalated tridentate gold(III) compounds having the chemical structure depicted by generic formula: wherein: (a) [Au] is a cyclometalated tridentate gold(III) group; (b) Unit A is a σ-donating chemical group; (c) Unit B is a central part of the dendrons comprising a branch point of component dendrimers; (d) Unit C is optional surface groups or dendrons of the dendrimers; (e) n=0 or 1. |
| US09224960B2 |
Light-emitting element, light-emitting device, and electronic device
A light-emitting element with improved emission efficiency is provided. The light-emitting element includes a light-emitting layer in which a first light-emitting layer and a second light-emitting layer are stacked in contact with each other over an anode, and a first substance serving as an emission center substance in the second light-emitting layer constitutes the first light-emitting layer. A second substance serving as a host material to disperse the first substance serving as an emission center substance is included in the second light-emitting layer. In the light-emitting element, the second substance is a substance having an energy gap (or triplet energy) larger than the first substance. |
| US09224959B2 |
Method for producing a pi-electron conjugated compound
A leaving substituent-containing compound including a partial structure represented by the following General Formula (I): where a pair of X1 and X2 or a pair of Y1 and Y2 each represent a hydrogen atom; the other pair each represent a group selected from the group consisting of a halogen atom and a substituted or unsubstituted acyloxy group having one or more carbon atoms; a pair of the acyloxy groups represented by the pair of X1 and X2 or the pair of Y1 and Y2 may be identical or different, or may be bonded together to form a ring; R1 to R4 each represent a hydrogen atom or a substituent; and Q1 and Q2 each represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom or a monovalent organic group, and may be bonded together to form a ring. |
| US09224958B2 |
Organic electroluminescent materials and devices
Compounds according to Formula I, devices containing the same and formulations containing the same are described. In Formula I, m1, m2 and m3 are 0, 1, 2 or 3; at least one of m1, m2 and m3 is 1, 2 or 3; n1, n2, and n3 are integers independently selected from 1 to 10; and any of the hydrogens is optionally substituted by deuterium. |
| US09224956B2 |
Method for manufacturing organic thin-film element, apparatus for manufacturing organic thin-film element, method for forming organic film, and method for manufacturing organic EL element
A method for reducing an internal pressure of a vacuum chamber while preventing impurity contamination within the vacuum chamber as much as possible is provided. The method includes: rough pumping reducing an internal pressure of a vacuum chamber by using a roughing pump, the roughing pump being a mechanical pump that is capable of reducing the internal pressure of the vacuum chamber to be less than 15 Pa; main pumping reducing the internal pressure of the vacuum chamber by using a main pump after the rough pumping, the main pump being a non-mechanical pump. Transition from the rough pumping to the main pumping is performed when the internal pressure of the vacuum chamber is no less than 15 Pa. |
| US09224952B2 |
Methods of manufacturing electronic display devices employing nozzle-droplet combination techniques to deposit fluids in substrate locations within precise tolerances
An ink printing process employs per-nozzle droplet volume measurement and processing software that plans droplet combinations to reach specific aggregate ink fills per target region, guaranteeing compliance with minimum and maximum ink fills set by specification. In various embodiments, different droplet combinations are produced through different print head/substrate scan offsets, offsets between print heads, the use of different nozzle drive waveforms, and/or other techniques. Optionally, patterns of fill variation can be introduced so as to mitigate observable line effects in a finished display device. The disclosed techniques have many other possible applications. |
| US09224950B2 |
Methods, systems, and apparatus for improving thin film resistor reliability
Provided are resistive random access memory (ReRAM) cells and methods of fabricating thereof. The ReRAM cells may include a first layer operable as a bottom electrode. The ReRAM cells may also include a second layer operable as a variable resistance layer configured to switch between at least a first resistive state and a second resistive state. The ReRAM cells may further include a third layer formed over the second layer. The third layer may have a substantially constant electrical resistivity. Moreover, the third layer may include a ternary metal-silicon nitride having a ratio of metal to silicon that is between about 1:1 and 1:4. Furthermore, the ternary metal-silicon nitride may include a metal that has an atomic weight that is greater than 90. The ReRAM cells may further include a fourth layer operable as a top electrode. |
| US09224947B1 |
Resistive RAM and method of manufacturing the same
A resistive RAM and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The resistive RAM includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a transition metal oxide (TMO) layer between the first and second electrodes, an activated metal layer between the first electrode and the TMO layer, and a metal oxynitride layer formed on a surface of the activated metal layer in the gas environment containing oxygen and nitrogen elements. |
| US09224945B2 |
Resistive memory devices
Electronic apparatus, systems, and methods can include a resistive memory cell having a structured as an operably variable resistance region between two electrodes and a metallic barrier disposed in a region between the dielectric and one of the two electrodes. The metallic barrier can have a structure and a material composition to provide oxygen diffusivity above a first threshold during program or erase operations of the resistive memory cell and oxygen diffusivity below a second threshold during a retention state of the resistive memory cell. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. |
| US09224944B2 |
Magnetic memory and method of manufacturing the same
A magnetic memory according to an embodiment includes: at least one memory cell comprising a magnetoresistive element as a memory element, and first and second electrodes that energize the magnetoresistive element. The magnetoresistive element includes: a first magnetic layer having a variable magnetization direction perpendicular to a film plane; a tunnel barrier layer on the first magnetic layer; and a second magnetic layer on the tunnel barrier layer, and having a fixed magnetization direction perpendicular to the film plane. The first magnetic layer including: a first region; and a second region outside the first region so as to surround the first region, and having a smaller perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy than that of the first region. The second magnetic layer including: a third region; and a fourth region outside the third region, and having a smaller perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy than that of the third region. |
| US09224943B2 |
Forming method of an annular storage unit of a magneto-resistive memory
The present invention discloses a method of forming an annular storage structure of a magneto-resistive memory. It relates to the manufacturing process of the semiconductor devices. The method includes the following steps: a silicon oxide layer and a silicon nitride layer is formed on the thin-film layer of a magnetic channel junction; a circular silicon nitride trench is formed; a poly-silicon thin film is deposited to cover the silicon nitride trench, the annular poly-silicon structure is formed by plasma etching back; the remaining silicon nitride thin film is removed to form the annular poly-silicon hard mask; the poly-silicon hard mask is used when the magnetic channel junction thin film layer is etched by plasma etching. At last, the unit structure of magnetic channel junction is formed. The advantages of the above technical solutions are: the diameter of the round photo-resist pattern is larger; it is possible to use the photo-etching with normal resolution, thus the method reduces the cost of production enhances market competitiveness and obtains significant economic benefits. |
| US09224937B2 |
Precursor of MgB2 superconducting wire, and method for producing the same
An MgB2 superconducting wire excellent in critical current density property is supplied by using a crystalline boron powder which is low in costs and easy to obtain. For the wire, a precursor of the MgB2 superconducting wire is used, the precursor having a linear structure including a core region containing a magnesium powder and a boron powder, and a sheath region formed of a metal covering an outer circumferential portion of the core region. The boron powder is crystalline, and has a volume-mean particle size of 2 μm or less. |
| US09224936B2 |
Thermoelectric conversion device
A thermoelectric conversion device includes: a substrate; two magnetic layers having a fixed magnetization direction with respect to the substrate; and at least one electrode including a material having a spin orbit interaction, wherein a gap (or dielectric layer of low thermal conductivity) is provided between the magnetic layers. A thickness of the gap (or dielectric layer) is of a distance within the range at that a magnetic dipole interaction is exerted, and a film thickness of the magnetic layers is of about a characteristic length determined by diffusion or the like of a magnetic excitation. |
| US09224933B2 |
Light emitting device package and package for mounting light emitting device
A package for mounting a light emitting device thereon. The package includes a substrate, a light emitting device mounting part including a wiring formed on one surface of the substrate, the wiring including two areas that are arranged facing each other and being separated a predetermined interval apart from each other in a plan view, first and second through-wirings that penetrate the substrate and are provided on the two areas, respectively, each of the first and second through-wirings including one end electrically connected to the light emitting device mounting part and another end exposed from another surface of the substrate. A part of each of the first and second through-wirings includes a maximum part having a plan-view shape that is larger than a plan-view shape of the one end of each of the first and second through-wirings. |
| US09224915B2 |
Semiconductor light-emitting device, method for producing same, and display device
A semiconductor light-emitting device (101) includes an LED chip (4), a lead (1) having a main surface (11) on which the LED chip (4) is mounted, and a resin package (5) covering the LED chip (4). The main surface (11) is roughened, and the main surface (11) is held in contact with the resin package (5). These configurations contribute to the downsizing of the semiconductor light-emitting device (101). |
| US09224914B2 |
Insulating layer for planarization and definition of the active region of a nanowire device
Various embodiments include methods of fabricating a semiconductor device that include forming a plurality of nanowires on a support, wherein each nanowire comprises a first conductivity type semiconductor core and a second conductivity type semiconductor shell over the core, forming an insulating material layer over at least a portion of the plurality of nanowires such that at least a portion of the insulating material layer provides a substantially planar top surface, removing a portion of the insulating material layer to define an active region of nanowires, and forming an electrical contact over the substantially planar top surface of the insulating material layer. |
| US09224910B2 |
Supporting substrate for preparing semiconductor light-emitting device and semiconductor light-emitting device using supporting substrates
A method may be provided for preparing a semiconductor light-emitting device. The method may include: preparing a first wafer in which a semiconductor multi-layered light-emitting structure is disposed on an upper part of an initial substrate; preparing a second wafer which is a supporting substrate; bonding the second wafer on an upper part of the first wafer; separating the initial substrate of the first wafer from a result of the bonding; and fabricating a single-chip by severing a result of the passivation. Other embodiments may be provided. |
| US09224909B2 |
GaN based light emitting devices utilizing dispersion bragg reflection layer
Light emitting devices and methods of manufacturing the light emitting devices. The light emitting devices include a silicon substrate; a metal buffer layer on the silicon substrate, a patterned dispersion Bragg reflection (DBR) layer on the metal buffer layer; and a nitride-based thin film layer on the patterned DBR layer and regions between patterns of the DBR layer. |
| US09224907B2 |
Vertical structure LEDs
A vertical structure light-emitting device includes a conductive support, a light-emitting semiconductor structure disposed on the conductive support structure, the semiconductor structure having a first semiconductor surface, a side semiconductor surface and a second semiconductor surface, a first electrode electrically connected to the first-type semiconductor layer, a second electrode electrically connected to the second-type semiconductor layer, wherein the second electrode has a first electrode surface, a side electrode surface and a second electrode surface, wherein the first electrode surface, relative to the second electrode surface, is proximate to the semiconductor structure; and wherein the second electrode surface is opposite to the first electrode surface, and a passivation layer disposed on the side semiconductor surface and the second semiconductor surface. |
| US09224905B2 |
Photoelectric conversion device and method for producing photoelectric conversion device
In this method for producing a photoelectric conversion device: an i-type non-crystalline layer and an n-type non-crystalline layer comprising a non-crystalline semiconductor film are formed on the light-receiving surface of a semiconductor substrate; an i-type non-crystalline layer and an n-type non-crystalline layer comprising a non-crystalline semiconductor film are formed on the back surface of the semiconductor substrate; a protective layer is formed on the n-type non-crystalline layer; an insulating layer is formed on the n-type non-crystalline layer; and in the state where the top of the n-type non-crystalline layer is covered by the protective layer, patterning is performed by eliminating a portion of the i-type non-crystalline layer, the n-type non-crystalline layer, and the insulating layer. |
| US09224902B2 |
Solar cell having silicon nano-particle emitter
A silicon solar cell having a silicon substrate includes p-type and n-type emitters on a surface of the substrate, the emitters being doped nano-particles of silicon. To reduce high interface recombination at the substrate surface, the nano-particle emitters are preferably formed over a thin interfacial tunnel oxide layer on the surface of the substrate. |
| US09224899B2 |
Light mixer for generating terahertz radiation
The invention relates to a light mixer for generating terahertz radiation, comprising a photodetector (PHD) coupled to an antenna (AT) for terahertz radiation, characterized in that the photodetector comprises a layer of photoconductive material capable of absorbing optical radiation, said layer having a thickness that is less than the absorption length of said radiation by the photoconductive material and being contained between an at least partially transparent so-called upper electrode and a reflective so-called lower electrode, said lower and upper electrodes comprising a resonant cavity for said optical radiation. The invention further relates to a terahertz radiation source comprising such a light mixer and to two laser radiation sources arranged to stack two laser radiation beams on the upper electrode of the photodetector. The invention also relates to the use of such a light mixer for generating terahertz radiation via light mixing. |
| US09224896B2 |
Photoelectric conversion material
A photoelectric conversion material is disclosed in the present invention and comprises at least a cone material. The cone material is composed of an isomer and comprises a plurality of grains. The sizes of the grains are arranged from smaller ones to larger ones along a direction. In the meantime, a method for fabricating the above photoelectric conversion material is also disclosed here. The method comprises the following steps. First, a precursor is provided. The precursor comprises at least a cone material and the cone material is a multilayer structured material, such as sodium titanate and potassium titanate, formed by stacking first materials and second materials. And then, the precursor is annealed to let the second materials leave from the cone material, and the cone material becomes the above photoelectric conversion material with a plurality of grains. |
| US09224891B2 |
Photodetection device
The invention relates to a photodetector for infrared light radiation having a given wavelength (λ), including a stack of layers consisting of: a continuous layer (11) of a partially absorbent semiconductor material, which constitutes the photodetection area; a spacer layer (12) of a material that is transparent to said wavelength and has an index ne; and a structured metal mirror (13), the distance (g) between the top of said mirror and the semiconductor layer being less than (λ)/ne and the mirror surface having a profile corresponding to the periodic repetition, according to period (P), of a basic pattern defined by the alternating series of raised surfaces (131, 132) and slots (133, 134) having the widths (L1, L2) and (L3, L4), respectively, the widths (L1) to (L4) being such that none are equal to zero, and that the sum thereof is equal to P and at least L1≠L2 or L3≠L4. |
| US09224890B1 |
Light sensor having transparent substrate with lens formed therein
Light sensor devices are described that have a glass substrate, which includes a lens to focus light over a wide variety of angles, bonded to the light sensor device. In one or more implementations, the light sensor devices include a substrate having a photodetector formed therein. The photodetector is capable of detecting light and providing a signal in response thereto. The sensors also include one or more color filters disposed over the photodetector. The color filters are configured to pass light in a limited spectrum of wavelengths to the photodetector. A glass substrate is disposed over the substrate and includes a lens that is configured to collimate light incident on the lens and to pass the collimated light to the color filter. |
| US09224888B2 |
Solar cell and solar-cell module
A solar cell has a passivation film formed on a crystalline silicon substrate that has at least a p-n junction, and an electrode formed by printing and heat-treating a conductive paste. The solar cell has a first electrode comprising an extraction electrode, which extracts photogenerated carriers from the silicon substrate, formed so as to contact the silicon substrate and a second collector electrode, which collects the carriers collected at the extraction electrode, formed so as to contact the first electrode. Other than the point of contact between the first electrode and the second electrode, at least, the second electrode contacts the silicon substrate only partially or not at all. By leaving the passivation film between the collector electrode and the silicon, either completely or partially, the solar cell reduces charge losses at electrode/silicon interfaces, improves the short-circuit current and open voltage, and yields improved characteristics. |
| US09224883B2 |
Optical sensor
An optical sensor has a semiconductor substrate, an insulation film formed on the semiconductor substrate, a light receiving part formed on the semiconductor substrate, and an electrode formed on the semiconductor substrate through the insulation film. The light receiving part has a light receiving element which changes light into electric charge, and a reset element which discharges the electric charge accumulated in the light receiving element. The electrode has a first electrode applying a control voltage to the reset element. The first electrode has a light shielding property. The first electrode defines a shape of a light receiving surface of the light receiving element. |
| US09224881B2 |
Layers for increasing performance in image sensors
An imaging device includes a semiconductor substrate having a photosensitive element for accumulating charge in response to incident image light. The semiconductor substrate includes a light-receiving surface positioned to receive the image light. The imaging device also includes a negative charge layer and a charge sinking layer. The negative charge layer is disposed proximate to the light-receiving surface of the semiconductor substrate to induce holes in an accumulation zone in the semiconductor substrate along the light-receiving surface. The charge sinking layer is disposed proximate to the negative charge layer and is configured to conserve or increase an amount of negative charge in the negative charge layer. The negative charge layer is disposed between the semiconductor substrate and the charge sinking layer. |
| US09224880B2 |
Method for manufacturing solar cell with interconnection sheet, method for manufacturing solar cell module, solar cell with interconnection sheet, and solar cell module
Provided is a method for manufacturing a solar cell with an interconnection sheet, a method for manufacturing a solar cell module, a solar cell with an interconnection sheet, and a solar cell module. Fixing resin is arranged at least on one side of a location between electrodes of solar cell and a location between interconnections of an interconnection sheet. Thereafter, a first cure state of fixing resin is attained. Thereafter, an adjoining member containing conductive material is provided, and a solar cell and interconnection sheet are stacked to soften the fixing resin exhibiting the first cure state and then re-cure the same to attain a second cure state. |
| US09224879B2 |
Semiconductor device and electronic device
There is provided a semiconductor device including a substrate made from a semiconductor material, and layers that are made from plural kinds of materials and formed over the substrate. An opening portion that is formed to penetrate at least a layer formed as an insulating film among the layers formed over the substrate and expose a surface of an electrode pad is filled with aluminum or an aluminum alloy. |
| US09224875B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor storage device
According to one embodiment, a control gate is formed on the semiconductor substrate and includes a cylindrical through hole. A block insulating film, a charge storage film, a tunnel insulating film, and a semiconductor layer are formed on a side surface of the control gate inside the through hole. The tunnel insulating film comprises a first insulating film having SiO2 as a base material and containing an element that lowers a band gap of the base material by being added. A density and a density gradient of the element monotonously increase from the semiconductor layer toward the charge storage film. |
| US09224872B2 |
Non-volatile memory circuit
A non-volatile memory circuit includes a non-volatile memory having a first source and drain region having a non-LOCOS offset structure and a second source and drain region having a LOCOS offset structure. A pair of switch circuits are connected in parallel to the respective first and second source and drain regions for switching voltages applied to the first and second source and drain regions so that the first source and drain region serves as a drain and the second source and drain region serves as a source in a writing mode, the second source and drain region serves as a drain and the first source and drain region serves as a source in a reading mode, and equal voltages are applied to the first source and drain region and the second source and drain region in a retention mode. |
| US09224864B1 |
Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same
A semiconductor device includes a fin structure, an insulating structure, a protruding structure, an epitaxial structure, and a gate structure. The fin structure and the insulating structure are disposed on the substrate. The protruding structure is in direct contact with the substrate and partially protrudes from the insulating structure, and the protruding structure is the fin structure. The epitaxial structure is disposed on a top surface of the fin structure and completely covers the top surface of the fin structure. In addition, the epitaxial structure has a curved top surface. The gate structure covers the fin structure and the epitaxial structure. |
| US09224861B2 |
Semiconductor device with notched gate
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a body region disposed in the semiconductor substrate and having a first conductivity type, a source region disposed in the semiconductor substrate adjacent the body region and having a second conductivity type, a drain region disposed in the semiconductor substrate, having the second conductivity type, and spaced from the source region to define a conduction path, a gate structure supported by the semiconductor substrate, configured to control formation of a channel in the conduction path during operation, and having a side adjacent the source region that comprises a notch, the notch defining a notch area, and a notch region disposed in the semiconductor substrate in the notch area and having the first conductivity type. |
| US09224860B2 |
Trench-gate type semiconductor device and manufacturing method therefor
A trench-gate type semiconductor device that can prevent breakdown of a gate insulating film caused by a displacement current flowing into a protective diffusion layer at a portion of a trench underlying a gate electrode at a turn-off time and simultaneously improves a current density by narrowing a cell pitch. The semiconductor device includes a gate electrode embedded into a trench penetrating a base region. The gate electrode is disposed into a lattice shape in a planar view, and a protective diffusion layer is formed in a drift layer at the portion underlying thereof. At least one of blocks divided by the gate electrode is a protective contact region on which the trench is entirely formed. A protective contact for connecting the protective diffusion layer at a bottom portion of the trench and a source electrode is disposed on the protective contact region. |
| US09224858B1 |
Lateral double-diffused metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (LDMOSFET) with a below source isolation region and a method of forming the LDMOSFET
Disclosed are a field effect transistor (FET) (e.g., a lateral double-diffused metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (LDMOSFET)) and a method of forming the FET. In the FET, an etch stop pad is on a semiconductor substrate (e.g., a P-type silicon substrate). A semiconductor layer (e.g., a silicon layer) is also on the substrate and extends laterally over the etch stop pad. A first well region (e.g., an N-well region) extends through the semiconductor layer into the substrate such that it contains the etch stop pad. A second well region (e.g., a P-well region) is in the first well region aligned above the etch stop pad. A source region (e.g., a N-type source region) is in the second well region. A buried isolation region (e.g., a buried air-gap isolation region) is within the first well region aligned below the etch stop pad so as to limit vertical capacitor formation. |
| US09224856B2 |
LDMOS transistors for CMOS technologies and an associated production method
In a semiconductor component or device, a lateral power effect transistor is produced as an LDMOS transistor in such a way that, in combination with a trench isolation region (12) and the heavily doped feed guiding region (28, 28A), an improved potential profile is achieved in the drain drift region (8) of the transistor. For this purpose, in advantageous embodiments, it is possible to use standard implantation processes of CMOS technology, without additional method steps being required. |
| US09224854B2 |
Trench gate trench field plate vertical MOSFET
A semiconductor device having a vertical drain extended MOS transistor may be formed by forming deep trench structures to define vertical drift regions of the transistor, so that each vertical drift region is bounded on at least two opposite sides by the deep trench structures. The deep trench structures are spaced so as to form RESURF regions for the drift region. Trench gates are formed in trenches in the substrate over the vertical drift regions. The body regions are located in the substrate over the vertical drift regions. |
| US09224852B2 |
Corner layout for high voltage semiconductor devices
A corner layout for a semiconductor device that maximizes the breakdown voltage is disclosed. The device includes first and second subsets of the striped cell arrays. The ends of each striped cell in the first array is spaced a uniform distance from the nearest termination device structure. In the second subset, the ends of striped cells proximate a corner of the active cell region are configured to maximize breakdown voltage by spacing the ends of each striped cell a non-uniform distance from the nearest termination device structure. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. |
| US09224850B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
In one embodiment, a first main terminal region of a first conductivity type and a second main terminal region of a second conductivity type, which is an opposite conductivity type of the first conductivity type, formed in the semiconductor substrate so as to sandwich a gate electrode, a diffusion layer of the second conductivity type coming in contact with the first and second element isolation insulator films and having an upper surface in a position deeper than lower surfaces of the first and second main terminal regions, a first well region of the first conductivity type formed between the first main terminal region and the diffusion layer, and a second well region of the first conductivity type formed between the second main terminal region and the diffusion layer. The second well region has a impurity concentration higher than that of the first well region. |
| US09224848B2 |
Compound semiconductor device and manufacturing method of the same
An AlGaN/GaN.HEMT includes, a compound semiconductor lamination structure; a p-type semiconductor layer formed on the compound semiconductor lamination structure; and a gate electrode formed on the p-type semiconductor layer, in which Mg being an inert element of p-GaN is introduced into both sides of the gate electrode at the p-type semiconductor layer, and introduced portions of Mg are inactivated. |
| US09224847B2 |
High electron mobility transistor and method of forming the same
A High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) includes a first III-V compound layer having a first band gap, and a second III-V compound layer having a second band gap over the first III-V compound layer. The second band gap is greater than the first band gap. A crystalline interfacial layer is overlying and in contact with the second III-V compound layer. A gate dielectric is over the crystalline interfacial layer. A gate electrode is over the gate dielectric. A source region and a drain region are over the second III-V compound layer, and are on opposite sides of the gate electrode. |
| US09224843B2 |
Formation of a high aspect ratio trench in a semiconductor substrate and a bipolar semiconductor device having a high aspect ratio trench isolation region
Disclosed is a trench formation technique wherein a first etch process forms an opening through a semiconductor layer into a semiconductor substrate and then a second etch process expands the portion of the opening within the substrate to form a trench. However, prior to the second etch, a doped region is formed in the substrate at the bottom surface of the opening. Then, the second etch is performed such that an undoped region of the substrate at the sidewalls of the opening is etched at a faster etch rate than the doped region, thereby ensuring that the trench has a relatively high aspect ratio. Also disclosed is a bipolar semiconductor device formation method. This method incorporates the trench formation technique so that a trench isolation region formed around a collector pedestal has a high aspect ratio and, thereby so that collector-to-base capacitance Ccb and collector resistance Rc are both minimized. |
| US09224839B2 |
Method for manufacturing semiconductor device
To provide a method for manufacturing a thin film transistor in which contact resistance between an oxide semiconductor layer and source and drain electrode layers is small, the surfaces of the source and drain electrode layers are subjected to sputtering treatment with plasma and an oxide semiconductor layer containing In, Ga, and Zn is formed successively over the source and drain electrode layers without exposure of the source and drain electrode layers to air. |
| US09224838B2 |
Method for manufacturing oxide semiconductor film and method for manufacturing semiconductor device
An object is to provide an oxide semiconductor having stable electric characteristics and a semiconductor device including the oxide semiconductor. A manufacturing method of a semiconductor film by a sputtering method includes the steps of holding a substrate in a treatment chamber which is kept in a reduced-pressure state; heating the substrate at lower than 400° C.; introducing a sputtering gas from which hydrogen and moisture are removed in the state where remaining moisture in the treatment chamber is removed; and forming an oxide semiconductor film over the substrate with use of a metal oxide which is provided in the treatment chamber as a target. When the oxide semiconductor film is formed, remaining moisture in a reaction atmosphere is removed; thus, the concentration of hydrogen and the concentration of hydride in the oxide semiconductor film can be reduced. Thus, the oxide semiconductor film can be stabilized. |
| US09224836B2 |
Semiconductor device having vertical channel, resistive memory device including the same, and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device, a resistive memory device including the same, and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a pillar extending substantially perpendicular from a semiconductor substrate, the pillar including an inner portion and an outer portion surrounding the inner portion. A junction region is formed in an upper region and a lower region of the vertical pillar, and a gate surrounds the pillar. The inner portion of the pillar includes a semiconductor layer having a lattice constant that is larger than a lattice constant of the outer portion of the pillar. |
| US09224835B2 |
Method for producing SGT-including semiconductor device
Isotropic etching is conducted by using SiN layers that are disposed on i-layers having an island structure on an i-layer substrate and have the same rectangular shape in a plan view as the i-layers. As a result, SiO2 layers each having a circular shape in a plan view are formed. Then the SiN layers are removed and the i-layers are etched by using the SiO2 layers as a mask to form Si pillars. Then surrounding gate MOS transistors are formed in the Si pillars. |
| US09224833B2 |
Method of forming a vertical device
According to an exemplary embodiment, a method of forming a vertical device is provided. The method includes the following operations: providing a vertical structure over a substrate; forming a first dielectric layer over the vertical structure and the substrate; laterally etching a sidewall of the first dielectric layer; replacing a portion of the first dielectric layer over the vertical structure with a second dielectric layer; and etching a portion of the first dielectric layer to expose the lateral surface of the vertical structure. |
| US09224832B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor integrated circuit apparatus and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor integrated circuit apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate having an active island, a gate buried in a predetermined portion of the active island, a source and a drain formed at both sides of the gate, and a current blocking layer formed in the active island corresponding to a lower portion of the drain. When current flows in from the drain, the current blocking layer is configured to discharge the current into the inside of the semiconductor substrate through a lower portion of the source. |
| US09224831B2 |
Method of manufacturing an oxide semiconductor device and method of manufacturing a display device having the same
Disclosed is a method of manufacturing an oxide semiconductor device, including: forming a gate electrode on a substrate; forming a gate insulating layer on the gate electrode; forming an active pattern on the gate insulating layer; forming a first mask pattern on the gate insulating layer and the active pattern; forming an insulating interlayer on the gate insulating layer, the active pattern, and the first mask pattern; forming a second mask pattern on the insulating interlayer, the second mask pattern comprising an opening that exposes a region where the first mask pattern is formed; forming contact holes exposing portions of the active pattern by patterning the insulating interlayer using the first mask pattern and the second mask pattern; and forming a source electrode and a drain electrode on the gate insulating layer by filling the contact holes, the drain electrode spaced apart from the source electrode. |
| US09224830B2 |
Transistor and method of fabricating the same
A field effect transistor is provided. The transistor may include a source electrode and a drain electrode provided spaced apart from each other on a substrate and a ‘+’-shaped gate electrode provided on a portion of the substrate located between the source and drain electrodes. |
| US09224823B2 |
Semiconductor apparatus
A semiconductor apparatus includes a drain region of a first-conductivity type, a drain electrode electrically coupled to the drain region, and a semiconductor layer of the first-conductivity type formed onto the drain region and having a first impurity concentration. The semiconductor apparatus further includes: a source region of the first-conductivity type formed on the semiconductor layer and having a second impurity concentration; a first source electrode electrically coupled to the source region; and a gate electrode formed via an insulating layer. The one end of the gate electrode is in a depth of the source region, and the other end is in a depth of the semiconductor layer or the drain region. A second source electrode is provided in the semiconductor layer under the gate electrodes via an insulating layer. A second spacing between the second source electrodes is larger than a first spacing between the gate electrodes. |
| US09224819B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device of an embodiment includes a semiconductor layer formed of a III-V group nitride semiconductor, a first silicon nitride film formed on the semiconductor layer, a gate electrode formed on the first silicon nitride film, a source electrode and a drain electrode formed on the semiconductor layer such that the gate electrode is interposed between the source electrode and the drain electrode, and a second silicon nitride film formed between the source electrode and the gate electrode and between the drain electrode and the gate electrode and having an oxygen atom density lower than that of the first silicon nitride film. |
| US09224817B2 |
Composite substrate of gallium nitride and metal oxide
The present invention discloses a novel composite substrate which solves the problem associated with the quality of substrate surface. The composite substrate has at least two layers comprising the first layer composed of GaxAlyIn1-x-yN (0≦x≦1, 0≦x+y≦1) and the second layer composed of metal oxide wherein the second layer can be removed with in-situ etching at elevated temperature. The metal oxide layer is designed to act as a protective layer of the first layer until the fabrication of devices. The metal oxide layer is designed so that it can be removed in a fabrication reactor of the devices through gas-phase etching by reactive gas such as ammonia. |
| US09224815B2 |
Method of tuning doping concentration in III-V compound semiconductor through co-doping donor and acceptor impurities
A method includes epitaxially growing a first III-V compound semiconductor, wherein the first III-V compound semiconductor is of p-type. The first III-V compound semiconductor is grown using precursors including a first precursor comprising Cp2Mg, and a second precursor comprising a donor impurity. A second III-V compound semiconductor is grown overlying and contacting the first III-V compound semiconductor. The second III-V compound semiconductor is of n-type. |
| US09224814B2 |
Process design to improve transistor variations and performance
The present disclosure relates to a method of forming a transistor device having a carbon implantation region that provides for a low variation of voltage threshold, and an associated apparatus. The method is performed by forming a well region within a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate is selectively etched to form a recess within the well region. After formation of the recess, a carbon implantation is selectively performed to form a carbon implantation region within the semiconductor substrate at a position underlying the recess. An epitaxial growth is then performed to form one or more epitaxial layers within the recess at a position overlying the carbon implantation region. Source and drain regions are subsequently formed within the semiconductor substrate such that a channel region, comprising the one or more epitaxial layers, separates the source/drains from one another. |
| US09224809B2 |
Field effect transistor structure comprising a stack of vertically separated channel nanowires
A field effect transistor structure comprises a source and a drain on a substrate, and a stack of n vertically separated channel nanowires isolated from the substrate and connecting the source and the drain, where n is an integer and 2≦n≦20. The channel nanowires collectively comprise at least two different thicknesses and/or at least two different dopant concentrations and/or at least two different semiconductor materials. |
| US09224806B2 |
Edge termination structure with trench isolation regions
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body and an edge termination structure. The edge termination structure comprises a first oxide layer, a second oxide layer, a semiconductor mesa region between the first oxide layer and the second oxide layer, and a doped field region comprising a first section in the semiconductor mesa region, and a second section in a region below the semiconductor mesa region. The second section overlaps the first and the second oxide layers in the region below the semiconductor mesa region. |
| US09224805B2 |
Semiconductor devices with guard rings
Semiconductor devices with guard rings are described. The semiconductor devices may be, e.g., transistors and diodes designed for high-voltage applications. A guard ring is a floating electrode formed of electrically conducting material above a semiconductor material layer. A portion of an insulating layer is between at least a portion of the guard ring and the semiconductor material layer. A guard ring may be located, for example, on a transistor between a gate and a drain electrode. A semiconductor device may have one or more guard rings. |
| US09224804B2 |
Guarding ring structure of a high voltage device and manufacturing method thereof
The present invention provides a guarding ring structure of a semiconductor high voltage device and the manufacturing method thereof. The guarding ring structure comprises a first N type monocrystalline silicon substrate (3), a second N type monocrystalline silicon substrate (8), a discontinuous oxide layer (2), a metal field plate (1), a device region (9), multiple P+ type diffusion rings (5) and an equipotential ring (4). The second N type monocrystalline silicon substrate (8) is a single N type crystalline layer epitaxially formed on the first N type monocrystalline silicon substrate (3) and has lower doping concentration than the first N type monocrystalline silicon substrate (3). N type diffusion rings (6) are embedded in the inner side of the P+ type diffusion rings (5) and are fully depleted at zero bias voltage. The guarding ring structure can achieve the same withstand voltage with less area and design time. |
| US09224803B2 |
Formation of a high aspect ratio contact hole
A small contact hole having a large aspect ratio is formed by employing a stop layer with a trench formed therein. A relatively large contact hole is formed above the trench, and the small contact hole is formed below the trench, using properties of the trench and the stop layer to limit the size of the small contact hole. |
| US09224802B2 |
Silicon carbide semiconductor device and method for manufacturing same
Each of first to third impurity regions of a silicon carbide substrate has a portion located on a flat surface of a first main surface. On the flat surface, a gate insulating film connects the first and third impurity regions to each other. On the flat surface, a first main electrode is in contact with the third impurity region. A second main electrode is provided on a second main surface. A side wall insulating film covers a side wall surface of the first main surface. The side wall surface is inclined by not less than 50° and not more than 80° relative to a {000-1} plane. In this way, a leakage current is suppressed in a silicon carbide semiconductor device. |
| US09224801B2 |
Multilayer MIM capacitor
An improved semiconductor capacitor and method of fabrication is disclosed. A MIM stack, comprising alternating first-type and second-type metal layers (each separated by dielectric) is formed in a deep cavity. The entire stack can be planarized, and then patterned to expose a first area, and selectively etched to recess all first metal layers within the first area. A second selective etch is performed to recess all second metal layers within a second area. The etched recesses can be backfilled with dielectric. Separate electrodes can be formed; a first electrode formed in said first area and contacting all of said second-type metal layers and none of said first-type metal layers, and a second electrode formed in said second area and contacting all of said first-type metal layers and none of said second-type metal layers. |
| US09224793B1 |
Display device with micro cover layer and manufacturing method for the same
There is provided a flexible display having a plurality of innovations configured to allow bending of a portion or portions to reduce apparent border size and/or utilize the side surface of an assembled flexible display. |
| US09224792B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
As a result of miniaturization of a pixel region associated with an improvement in definition and an increase in a substrate size associated with an increase in area, defects due to precision, bending, and the like of a mask used at the time of evaporation have become issues. A partition including portions with different thicknesses over a pixel electrode (also referred to as a first electrode) in a display region and in the vicinity of a pixel electrode layer is formed, without increasing the number of steps, by using a photomask or a reticle provided with an auxiliary pattern having a light intensity reduction function made of a diffraction grating pattern or a semi-transmissive film. |
| US09224788B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device and method for manufacturing same
According to an embodiment, a nonvolatile memory device includes a first wiring extending to a first direction, a second wiring disposed on the first wiring in a second direction which is orthogonal to the first direction, a first insulating film provided between the first wiring and the second wiring, a bit line extending in the second direction, and a variable resistance film contacting an end portion of the first wiring, an end portion of the second wiring, and an end portion of the first insulating film. A dielectric constant of a center portion between the first and second wirings in the second direction is higher than at vicinities of the first and the second wirings. The variable resistance film is disposed between the bit line and the first wiring, between the bit line and the second wiring, and between the bit line and the first insulating film. |
| US09224784B2 |
Non-volatile memory devices and methods of fabricating the same
A nonvolatile memory device is provided. The nonvolatile memory device comprises a plurality of impurity regions formed in a substrate, a first contact electrically connected to at least one of the impurity regions, a second contact electrically connected to at least one of the impurity regions, a first information storage portion formed at a first height from the substrate and electrically connected to the first contact, and a second information storage portion formed at a second height, which is different from the first height, from the substrate and electrically connected to the second contact. |
| US09224781B2 |
Structure of dielectric grid for a semiconductor device
An image sensor device and a method for manufacturing the image sensor device are provided. An image sensor device includes a pixel region and a non-pixel region in a substrate. In the pixel region there is a plurality of sensor elements. The non-pixel region is adjacent to the pixel region and has no sensor element. Dielectric grids are disposed in the pixel region with a first dielectric trench between two adjacent dielectric grids. The first dielectric trench aligns to a respective sensor element. Second dielectric trenches are disposed in the non-pixel region. |
| US09224779B2 |
Imaging apparatus with sensor chip and separate signal processing chips
An imaging apparatus includes a sensor chip, a substrate, upper and lower signal processing chips and connection boards. The sensor chip has pad electrodes to which electrical signals to be supplied to a pixel array are input. The substrate has first wiring patterns connected to signal lines, to which signals of the pixel array are output, and second wiring patterns connected to pad electrodes. The upper and lower signal processing chips have pad electrodes to which signals processed by signal processing circuits are output. The connection boards have FPC wiring electrically connected to the pad electrodes and FPC wiring electrically connected to the second wiring patterns formed on the substrate. |
| US09224778B2 |
Solid-state image sensor and electronic device
There is provided a solid-state image sensor including a semiconductor substrate in which a plurality of pixels are arranged, and a wiring layer stacked on the semiconductor substrate and formed in such a manner that a plurality of conductor layers having a plurality of wirings are buried in an insulation film. In the wiring layer, wirings connected to the pixels are formed of two conductor layers. |
| US09224776B2 |
Image pickup element, image pickup apparatus, and image pickup system
An image pickup element includes a first pixel, a second pixel, and a third pixel that share one microlens, a first boundary that is provided between the first pixel and the second pixel, and a second boundary that is provided between the first pixel and the third pixel, and when a charge amount of the first pixel is saturated, a first charge amount from the first pixel to the second pixel via the first boundary is larger than a second charge amount from the first pixel to the third pixel via the second boundary. |
| US09224769B2 |
Pixel device, and radiation detecting module and apparatus having the same
A pixel device having an improved energy resolution includes at least one photodiode and at least one voltage supply unit for applying a voltage to the photodiode. The pixel device includes a voltage storage unit and a voltage adjusting unit. In a precharge mode, the voltage storage unit stores a first anode voltage. In a sensing mode, the voltage adjusting unit adjusts a second anode voltage of the anode of the photodiode to be the same as the first anode voltage stored in the voltage storage unit. |
| US09224767B2 |
Method for driving photoelectric conversion apparatus
In a photoelectric conversion apparatus including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, each pixel including a photoelectric conversion unit, first and second holding units that hold electric charge, a first transfer unit that connects the photoelectric conversion unit and the first holding unit, a second transfer unit that connects the first and second holding units, and a third transfer unit that connects the photoelectric conversion unit and a power supply, each pixel is controlled so that the potential of the third transfer unit for electric charge held in the photoelectric conversion unit is higher than that of the first transfer unit at least during a charge accumulation period of the pixel, and thereafter, the potential of the third transfer unit is higher than that of the photoelectric conversion unit while the potentials of the first and second transfer units are lower than that of the photoelectric conversion unit. |
| US09224763B2 |
Display device and method of manufacturing the same
Provided are a display device and a method of manufacturing of the display device. The display device includes a substrate subjected to a primary preprocess; a conductor formed on the substrate and subjected to a secondary preprocess; and an insulating layer formed on the substrate and the conductor, in which the primary preprocess is performed for a surface energy of the first substrate higher than a first reference value and the secondary preprocess is performed for a surface energy of the conductor lower than a second reference value. |
| US09224759B2 |
Pixel array substrate structure, method of manufacturing pixel array substrate structure, display device, and electronic apparatus
A pixel array substrate structure includes: first and second planarizing films sequentially stacked on a substrate where a circuit unit is formed; and a relay wire formed between the first and second planarizing films, in which the relay wire electrically connects a first contact portion formed on the first planarizing film and connected to the circuit unit with a second contact portion formed at a position different from the first contact portion when seen from above, on the second planarizing film. |
| US09224755B2 |
Flexible active matrix display
High resolution active matrix structures are fabricated using techniques applicable to flexible substrates. A backplane layer including active semiconductor devices is formed using a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate. The substrate is thinned using a layer transfer technique or chemical/mechanical processing. Driver transistors are formed on the semiconductor layer of the substrate along with additional circuits that provide other functions such as computing or sensing. Contacts to passive devices such as organic light emitting diodes may be provided by heavily doped regions formed in the handle layer of the substrate and then isolated. A gate dielectric layer may be formed on the semiconductor layer, which functions as a channel layer, or the insulator layer of the substrate may be employed as a gate dielectric layer. |
| US09224752B1 |
Double-source semiconductor device
A semiconductor device may include a first source layer, a first insulating layer located over the first source layer, and a first stacked structure located over the first insulating layer. The semiconductor device may include first channel layers passing through the first stacked structure and the first insulating layer. The semiconductor device may include a second source layer including a first region interposed between the first source layer and the first insulating layer and a second region interposed between the first channel layers and the first insulating layer. |
| US09224750B1 |
Multi-layer memory array and manufacturing method of the same
A memory array includes a plurality of ridge-shaped multi-layer stacks extending along a first direction, and a hard mask layer formed on top of the plurality of ridge-shaped multi-layer stacks. The hard mask layer includes a plurality of stripes vertically aligned with the plurality of ridge-shaped multi-layer stacks, respectively, a plurality of bridges connecting adjacent ones of the stripes along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and a plurality of hard mask through holes between the plurality of bridges and the plurality of stripes. |
| US09224749B1 |
Method for filling polysilicon gate in semiconductor devices, and semiconductor devices
Present example embodiments relate generally to semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating a semiconductor device comprising forming an insulating base layer over a surface of a substrate. The method further comprises forming a multilayer over the insulating base layer, the multilayer having conducting and insulating layers. The method further comprises etching a pattern in the multilayer and forming a charge storage layer over the patterned multilayer. The method further comprises forming a protective silicon layer over the charge storage layer, followed by performing a heat treatment process. |
| US09224746B2 |
Inverted-T word line and formation for non-volatile storage
A non-volatile memory system, comprising non-volatile storage device with word lines having an inverted T-shape over floating gates. The inverted T-shape shape has a wider bottom portion and a thinner top portion. The thinner top portion increases the separation between adjacent word lines relative to the separation between the wider bottom portions. An air gap may separate adjacent word lines. The thinner top portion of the word lines increases the path length between adjacent word lines. The likelihood of word line to word line short may be decreased by reducing the electric field between adjacent word lines. |
| US09224744B1 |
Wide and narrow patterning using common process
A NAND flash memory chip includes narrow word lines that are directly patterned from sidewall spacers and larger structures that are patterned from sidewall spacers with covering material. Sidewall spacers with covering material define wider features than sidewalls alone. Closely spaced sidewalls with covering material define large structures such as contact pads and select lines. |
| US09224743B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device
A nonvolatile memory device includes a first active region and a second active region separated from each other; a floating gate crossing the first active region, and disposed such that an end thereof overlaps with the second active region; a selection gate crossing the first active region, and disposed side by side with and coupled to the floating gate; a dielectric layer disposed between the floating gate and the selection gate, wherein a stack of the dielectric layer, the floating gate and the selection gate forms a first capacitor in a horizontal structure; a well region disposed in the second active region and coupled to the floating gate, wherein a stack of the well region and the floating gate forms a second capacitor in a vertical structure; and a contact commonly coupled to the well region and the selection gate. |
| US09224742B2 |
Method for providing electrical connections to spaced conductive lines
An integrated circuit and a method of formation provide a contact area formed at an angled end of at least one linearly extending conductive line. In an embodiment, conductive lines with contact landing pads are formed by patterning lines in a mask material, cutting at least one of the material lines to form an angle relative to the extending direction of the material lines, forming extensions from the angled end faces of the mask material, and patterning an underlying conductor by etching using said material lines and extension as a mask. In another embodiment, at least one conductive line is cut at an angle relative to the extending direction of the conductive line to produce an angled end face, and an electrical contact landing pad is formed in contact with the angled end face. |
| US09224741B2 |
Semiconductor devices including vertical transistors, electronic systems including the same and methods of manufacturing the same
The semiconductor device includes word lines on a semiconductor substrate, common gates connected to each of the word lines and vertically disposed in the semiconductor substrate, buried bit lines intersecting the word lines at a non-right angle in a plan view, and a pair of vertical transistors sharing each of the common gates. The pair of vertical transistors is disposed on both sides of one of the word lines. Further, the pair of vertical transistors is electrically connected to the two adjacent buried bit lines. Electronic systems including the semiconductor device and related methods are also provided. |
| US09224740B1 |
High-K dielectric structure for deep trench isolation
A method of deep trench isolation which includes: forming a semiconductor on insulator (SOI) substrate comprising a bulk semiconductor substrate, a buried insulator layer and a semiconductor layer on the buried insulator layer (SOI layer), one portion of the SOI substrate having a dynamic random access memory buried in the bulk semiconductor substrate (eDRAM) and a deep trench fin contacting the eDRAM and a second portion of the SOI substrate having an SOI fin in contact with the buried insulator layer; conformally depositing sequential layers of oxide, high-k dielectric material and sacrificial oxide on the deep trench fin and the SOI fin; stripping the sacrificial oxide over the SOI fin to expose the high-k dielectric material over the SOI fin; stripping the exposed high-k dielectric material over the SOI fin to expose the oxide layer over the SOI fin. |
| US09224736B1 |
Structure and method for SRAM FinFET device
The present disclosure provides an embodiment of a fin-like field-effect transistor (FinFET) device. The device includes a first fin structure disposed over an n-type FinFET (NFET) region of a substrate. The first fin structure includes a silicon (Si) layer, a silicon germanium oxide (SiGeO) layer disposed over the silicon layer and a germanium (Ge) feature disposed over the SiGeO layer. The device also includes a second fin structure over the substrate in a p-type FinFET (PFET) region. The second fin structure includes the silicon (Si) layer, a recessed silicon germanium oxide (SiGeO) layer disposed over the silicon layer, an epitaxial silicon germanium (SiGe) layer disposed over the recessed SiGeO layer and the germanium (Ge) feature disposed over the epitaxial SiGe layer. |
| US09224733B2 |
Semiconductor structure and method of fabrication thereof with mixed metal types
A semiconductor structure includes a first PMOS transistor element having a gate region with a first gate metal associated with a PMOS work function and a first NMOS transistor element having a gate region with a second metal associated with a NMOS work function. The first PMOS transistor element and the first NMOS transistor element form a first CMOS device. The semiconductor structure also includes a second PMOS transistor that is formed in part by concurrent deposition with the first NMOS transistor element of the second metal associated with a NMOS work function to form a second CMOS device with different operating characteristics than the first CMOS device. |
| US09224730B2 |
Semiconductor device
In a semiconductor device including an IGBT and a freewheeling diode W≧2×L1/K1/2, where K≧2.5, W denotes a distance between the divided first regions, L1 denotes a thickness of the drift layer, k1 denotes a parameter that depends on structures of the insulated gate bipolar transistor and the freewheeling diode, and K denotes a value calculated by multiplying the parameter k1 by a ratio of a snapback voltage to a built-in potential between the deep well layer and the drift layer. |
| US09224720B2 |
Light-emitting device including light-emitting diode element that is mounted on outer portion of electrode
In an aspect of the present invention, a light-emitting device includes a substrate; a first electrode and a second electrode arranged on an upper surface of the substrate with a gap between the first electrode and the second electrode, the gap being positioned at a central portion of the upper surface of the substrate; a first light-emitting diode element electrically mounted on the first electrode; and a second light-emitting diode element electrically mounted on the second electrode, wherein the first electrode includes a first inner portion and a first outer portion that are two equal area portions divided at a center line of the first electrode, and the first light-emitting diode element is mounted on the first outer portion of the first electrode, and wherein the second electrode includes a second inner portion and a second outer portion that are two equal area portions divided at a center line of the second electrode, and the second light-emitting diode element is mounted on the second outer portion of the second electrode. |
| US09224719B2 |
Light emitting semiconductor
A light emitting semiconductor element includes at least two electrically conductive units, at least a light emitting semiconductor die and a light transmitting layer. A groove is located between the two electrically conductive units. The light emitting semiconductor die is cross over the electrically conductive units. The light transmitting layer covers the light emitting semiconductor and partially fills within the groove for linking the electrically conductive units. |
| US09224715B2 |
Methods of forming semiconductor die assemblies
Semiconductor assemblies, structures, and methods of fabrication are disclosed. A coating is formed on an electrically conductive pillar. The coating, which may be formed from at least one of a silane material and an organic solderability protectant material, may bond to a conductive material of the electrically conductive pillar and, optionally, to other metallic materials of the electrically conductive pillar. The coating may also bond to substrate passivation material, if present, or to otherwise-exposed surfaces of a substrate and a bond pad. The coating may be selectively formed on the conductive material. Material may not be removed from the coating after formation thereof and before reflow of the solder for die attach. The coating may isolate at least the conductive material from solder, inhibiting solder wicking or slumping along the conductive material and may enhance adhesion between the resulting bonded conductive element and an underfill material. |
| US09224714B2 |
Semiconductor device having a through-substrate via
Semiconductor devices are described that include a via that extends only partially through the substrate. Through-substrate vias (TSV) furnish electrical interconnectivity to electronic components formed in the substrates. In implementations, the semiconductor devices are fabricated by first bonding a semiconductor wafer to a carrier wafer with an adhesive material. The semiconductor wafer includes an etch stop disposed within the wafer (e.g., between a first surface a second surface of the wafer). One or more vias are formed through the wafer. The vias extend from the second surface to the etch stop. |
| US09224713B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor chip and a second semiconductor chip stacked on the first semiconductor chip. The first and second semiconductor chips are electrically connected via first bump connection parts. Stopper projections and bonding projections are provided at least one of the first and second semiconductor chips. The stopper projections are in contact with the other of the first and second semiconductor chips in an unbonded state. The bonding projections are bonded to the first and second semiconductor chips. |
| US09224712B2 |
3D bond and assembly process for severely bowed interposer die
An interposer structure containing a first set of solder balls is placed in proximity to a vacuum distribution plate which has a planar contact surface and a plurality of openings located therein. A vacuum is then applied through the openings within the vacuum distribution plate such that the first set of solder balls are suspended within the plurality of openings and the interposer structure conforms to the planar contact surface of the vacuum distribution plate. A semiconductor chip containing a second set of solder balls is tacked to a surface of the interposer structure. A substrate is then brought into contact with a surface of the interposer structure containing the first set of solder balls, and then a solder reflow and underfill processes can be performed. Warping of the interposer structure is substantially eliminated using the vacuum distribution plate mentioned above. |
| US09224710B2 |
Semiconductor package and method of fabricating the same
Provided is a semiconductor package, the semiconductor package includes a first substrate, a first semiconductor chip which is mounted on the first substrate, a second substrate which is disposed on the first semiconductor chip, at least one second semiconductor chip which is disposed on the second substrate; and a plurality of wires which are in contact with the first substrate and the second substrate to connect the first substrate and the second substrate to each other. |
| US09224709B2 |
Semiconductor device including an embedded surface mount device and method of forming the same
Embodiments of the present disclosure include devices and methods of forming the same. An embodiment is a device including a solder resist coating over a first side of a substrate, an active surface of a die bonded to the first side of the substrate by a first connector, and a surface mount device mounted to the die by a second set of connectors, the surface mount device being between the die and the first side of the substrate, the surface mount device being spaced from the solder resist coating. |
| US09224707B2 |
Substrate for semiconductor package and process for manufacturing
A semiconductor package substrate includes a core portion, an upper circuit layer and a plurality of pillars. The pillars are disposed on and project upward from the upper circuit layer. Top surfaces of the pillars are substantially coplanar. The pillars provide an electrical interconnect to a semiconductor die. Solder joint reliability as between the substrate and the semiconductor die is improved. |
| US09224706B2 |
Terminal structure, and semiconductor element and module substrate comprising the same
A preferred terminal structure comprises a base material; an electrode formed on the base material; an insulating covering layer formed on the base material and on the electrode and having an opening exposing at least part of the electrode; an under bump metal layer containing Ni, formed in a region in the opening on the electrode so that an upper surface of the metal layer is at a position lower than an upper surface of the insulating covering layer in a peripheral edge portion of the opening; and a dome-shaped bump containing Sn and Ti, formed in a region in the opening on the under bump metal layer, wherein an end portion of a boundary between the under bump metal layer and the bump is in contact with an inner wall of the opening portion in the insulating covering layer. |
| US09224705B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a substrate having a plurality of electrodes and a plurality of leads that are connected to the electrodes and a semiconductor element that is mounted on the substrate. The semiconductor element has a rectangular shape including a long side, a short side, and a corner portion, and has bumps connected to the electrodes. An underfill is filled between the substrate and the semiconductor element and extends on the substrate around the semiconductor element. An overcoat covers the leads on the substrate. At least one of the plurality of leads that is connected to the electrode corresponding to the bump arranged nearest to the corner portion along the long side of the semiconductor element has at least two successive bent portions that are bent in the same direction and is laid out toward the short side of the semiconductor element in a plan view. |
| US09224702B2 |
Three-dimension (3D) integrated circuit (IC) package
A three-dimension (3D) integrated circuit (IC) package is disclosed. The 3D IC package has a package substrate having a surface. At least one integrated circuit (IC) chip with or without suppressing a transient voltage and at least one transient voltage suppressor (TVS) chip are arranged on the surface of the substrate and electrically connected with each other. The IC chip is independent from the TVS chip. The IC chip and the TVS chip stacked on each other are arranged on the package substrate. Alternatively, the IC chip and the TVS chip are together arranged on an interposer formed on the package substrate. |
| US09224701B2 |
Protection of an integrated circuit against attacks
An integrated circuit, including: a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; a plurality of regions of the first conductivity type vertically extending from the surface of the substrate, each of the regions being laterally delimited all along its periphery by a region of the second conductivity type; and a device for detecting a variation of the substrate resistance between each region of the first conductivity type and an area for biasing the substrate to a reference voltage. |
| US09224700B2 |
Package of environmental sensitive element
A package of an environmental sensitive element including a flexible substrate, an environmental sensitive element, at least one flexible sacrificial layer and a packaging structure is provided. The environmental sensitive element is disposed on the flexible substrate. The flexible sacrificial layer is disposed on the environmental sensitive element, wherein the environmental sensitive element includes a plurality of first thin films and the flexible sacrificial layer includes a plurality of second thin films. The bonding strength between two adjacent second thin films is equal to or lower than the bonding strength between two adjacent first thin films. Further, the packaging structure covers the environmental sensitive element and the flexible sacrificial layer. |
| US09224699B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor package having magnetic shield unit
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor package having a magnetic shield function is provided. The method includes forming cracks in a lattice structure on an active surface in which electrode terminals are formed; grinding a back surface of a wafer facing the active surface, bonding a tape on the active surface of the wafer, expanding the tape such that the wafer on the tape is divided as semiconductor chips, forming a shield layer on surfaces of the semiconductor chips and the tape, cutting the shield layer between the semiconductor chips and individualizing as each of the semiconductor chips which has a first shield pattern formed on back surface and sides, bonding the semiconductor chips on a substrate, and forming a second shield pattern on each of the active surfaces of the semiconductor chips, wherein the semiconductor chips and the substrate are physically and electrically connected by a bonding wire. |
| US09224694B2 |
Traceable integrated circuits and production method thereof
An embodiment of a method for producing traceable integrated circuits includes forming on a wafer of semiconductor material functional regions for implementing specific functionalities of corresponding integrated circuits, forming at least one seal ring around each functional region of the corresponding integrated circuit, and forming on each integrated circuit at least one marker indicative of information of the integrated circuit. Forming on each integrated circuit at least one marker may include forming the at least one marker on at least a portion of the respective seal ring that is visible. |
| US09224687B2 |
Programmable fuse structure and methods of forming
Methods of forming an electrically programmable fuse (e-fuse) structure and the e-fuse structure are disclosed. One embodiment of an e-fuse structure includes: a silicon structure; a pair of silicide contact regions overlying the silicon structure; and a silicide link overlying the silicon structure and connecting the pair of silicide regions, the silicide link having a depth less than a depth of each of the pair of silicide contact regions. |
| US09224686B1 |
Single damascene interconnect structure
A single damascene interconnect structure which includes a first layer of a first dielectric material having a first filled opening that has a sidewall layer which includes a compound of a metal, O, and Si such that the metal is Mn, Ti and Al, and with Cu filling the first filled opening. The compound is in direct contact with the first dielectric material. Also included is a second layer that includes a second dielectric material having a second filled opening that has a barrier layer of a refractory material with Cu filling the second filled opening. The first layer is adjacent to the second layer and the first filled opening is aligned with the second filled opening so that one of the first and second filled openings is a via and the other of the first and second filled openings is a trench. |
| US09224685B1 |
Shielded metal-oxide-metal (MOM) capacitor structure
A metal-oxide-metal (MOM) capacitor structure is disclosed. The MOM capacitor includes a plurality of layers, each layer having a plurality of electrodes. The plurality of electrodes, separated by oxide layers, forms a first plate and a second plate of the MOM capacitor. The plurality of electrodes on each of the layers is coupled to a plurality of electrodes on an adjacent layer through a plurality of vias. A shield layer is coupled to each of the electrodes that forms the second plate of the MOM capacitor on each of the plurality of layers. |
| US09224682B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor and second semiconductor chips mounted over a package substrate. The first semiconductor chip includes a plurality of first bonding pads which are arranged along one side of the first semiconductor chip. The second semiconductor chip includes a plurality of second bonding pads and at least one third bonding pad. The second bonding pads are arranged along one side of the second semiconductor chip and for coupling respectively to the first bonding pads by wire-bonding coupling. The at least one third bonding pad is for enabling relay coupling of a corresponding second bonding pad to at least one predetermined first bonding pad which is arranged along the second bonding pads and included in the first bonding pads without crossing another wire in the wire-bonding coupling. |
| US09224678B2 |
Method and apparatus for connecting packages onto printed circuit boards
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for attaching the integrated circuit (IC) packages to printed circuit boards (PCBs) to form smooth solder joints. A polymer flux may be provided in the process to mount an IC package to a PCB. The polymer flux may be provided on connectors of the IC package, or provided on PCB contact pad and/or pre-solder of the PCB. When the IC package is mounted onto the PCB, the polymer flux may cover a part of the connector, and may extend to cover a surface of the molding compound on the IC package. The polymer flux may completely cover the connector as well. The polymer flux delivers a fluxing component that facilitates smooth solder joint formation as well as a polymer component that offers added device protection by encapsulating individual connectors. The polymer component may be an epoxy. |
| US09224674B2 |
Packaged semiconductor die with bumpless die-package interface for bumpless build-up layer (BBUL) packages
A packaged semiconductor die with a bumpless die-package interface and methods of fabrication are described. For example, a semiconductor package includes a substrate having a land side with a lowermost layer of conductive vias. A semiconductor die is embedded in the substrate and has an uppermost layer of conductive lines, one of which is coupled directly to a conductive via of the lowermost layer of conductive vias of the substrate. In another example, a semiconductor package includes a substrate having a land side with a lowermost layer of conductive vias. A semiconductor die is embedded in the substrate and has an uppermost layer of conductive lines with a layer of conductive vias disposed thereon. At least one of the conductive lines is coupled directly to a conductive via of the semiconductor die which is coupled directly to a conductive via of the lowermost layer of conductive vias of the substrate. |
| US09224672B1 |
Thermal management of electronic components
An electronic device comprises a multi-layer printed circuit board. On the printed circuit board there is installed electronic components and a metal frame that encloses at least part of the electronic components. A layer of bonded anisotropic conductive film is disposed on the frame and the electronic components. The layer connects thermally a sheet of metal foil on the frame and on the electronic components. The sheet of metal foil covers the electronic component and the metal frame. |
| US09224671B2 |
III-N device structures and methods
A III-N device is described with a III-N layer, an electrode thereon, a passivation layer adjacent the III-N layer and electrode, a thick insulating layer adjacent the passivation layer and electrode, a high thermal conductivity carrier capable of transferring substantial heat away from the III-N device, and a bonding layer between the thick insulating layer and the carrier. The bonding layer attaches the thick insulating layer to the carrier. The thick insulating layer can have a precisely controlled thickness and be thermally conductive. |
| US09224669B2 |
Method and structure for wafer level packaging with large contact area
A method to provide a wafer level package with increasing contact pad area comprising the steps of forming a first packaging layer on wafer top surface, grinding the wafer back surface and etch through holes, depositing a metal to fill the through holes and covering wafer backside, cutting through the wafer from wafer backside forming a plurality of grooves separating each chip then depositing a second packaging layer filling the grooves and covering the wafer back metal, reducing the first packaging layer thickness to expose the second packaging layer filling the grooves and forming a plurality of contact pads overlaying the first packaging layer thereafter cutting through the second packaging layer in the grooves to form individual package. |
| US09224668B2 |
Semiconductor HEMT device with stoichiometric silicon nitride layer
A semiconductor device includes: a compound semiconductor stack structure including a plurality of compound semiconductor layers stacked over a semiconductor substrate; and a first insulating film covering the surface of the compound semiconductor stack structure, the first insulating film being a silicon nitride film including, on the top side, a first region containing nitrogen element in excess of the stoichiometric ratio. |
| US09224666B2 |
Circuit arrangement for a thermally conductive chip assembly and a manufacturing method
The circuit arrangement according to the invention provides a substrate (10), a connecting element (18) and a chip (16). The substrate (10) provides at least a partial metallisation (11) on its surface. The connecting element (18) is applied to the metallisation (11). The chip (16) is applied to the connecting element (18). The connecting element (18) provides an electrically non-conductive glass layer (14), which is applied directly to the metallisation (11), and an adhesive layer (15) between the chip (16) and the glass layer (14). |
| US09224664B2 |
Bio-implantable hermetic integrated ultra high density device
An implantable bio-compatible integrated circuit device and methods for manufacture thereof are disclosed herein. The device includes a substrate having a recess. An input/output device including at least one bio-compatible electrical contact is coupled to the substrate in the recess. A layer of hermetic bio-compatible, hermetic insulator material is deposited on a portion of the input/output device. An encapsulating layer of bio-compatible material encapsulates at least a portion of the implantable device, including the input/output device. At least one bio-compatible electrical contact of the input/output device is then exposed. The encapsulating layer and the layer of bio-compatible, hermetic insulator material form a hermetic seal around the at least one exposed bio-compatible electrical contact. |
| US09224655B2 |
Methods of removing gate cap layers in CMOS applications
One illustrative method disclosed herein includes the steps of forming a masking layer that covers a P-type transistor and exposes at least a gate cap layer of an N-type transistor, performing a first etching process through the masking layer to remove a portion of the gate cap of the N-type transistor so as to thereby define a reduced thickness gate cap layer for the N-type transistor, removing the masking layer, and performing a common second etching process on the P-type transistor and the N-type transistor that removes a gate cap layer of the P-type transistor and the reduced thickness gate cap of the N-type transistor. |
| US09224653B2 |
Integrated circuit and method of forming the integrated circuit with improved logic transistor performance and SRAM transistor yield
In an integrated circuit that includes an NMOS logic transistor, an NMOS SRAM transistor, and a resistor, the gate of the SRAM transistor is doped at the same time that the resistor is doped, thereby allowing the gate of the logic transistor to be separately doped without requiring any additional masking steps. |
| US09224651B2 |
Method for plating a semiconductor package lead
A method of forming a packaged semiconductor device includes loading an array of package sites in position for saw singulation, saw singulating the array of package sites, and performing a non-electrolytic plating operation on exposed lead tips of individual packages from the array of package sites as the array of package sites is saw singulated. |
| US09224647B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of forming TSV interposer with semiconductor die and build-up interconnect structure on opposing surfaces of the interposer
A semiconductor device has a substrate with first and second opposing surfaces. A plurality of conductive vias is formed partially through the first surface of the substrate. A first conductive layer is formed over the first surface of the substrate electrically connected to the conductive vias. A first semiconductor die is mounted over the first surface of the substrate. The first semiconductor die and substrate are mounted to a carrier. An encapsulant is deposited over the first semiconductor die, substrate, and carrier. A portion of the second surface of the substrate is removed to expose the conductive vias. An interconnect structure is formed over a surface of the substrate opposite the first semiconductor die. A second semiconductor die can be stacked over the first semiconductor die. A second semiconductor die can be mounted over the first surface of the substrate adjacent to the first semiconductor die. |
| US09224645B2 |
Silicon carbide semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A silicon carbide semiconductor device includes: a silicon carbide layer, a reaction layer which is in contact with the silicon carbide layer, a conductive oxidation layer which is in contact with the reaction layer, and an electrode layer which is formed over the reaction layer with the conductive oxidation layer interposed therebetween. A thickness of the conductive oxidation layer falls within a range of 0.3 nm to 2.25 nm. |
| US09224644B2 |
Method to control depth profiles of dopants using a remote plasma source
Methods and apparatus for processing using a remote plasma source are disclosed. The apparatus includes an outer chamber enclosing a substrate support, a remote plasma source, and a showerhead. A substrate heater can be mounted in the substrate support. A transport system moves the substrate support and is capable of positioning the substrate. The remote plasma source may be used to provide a plasma surface treatment or as a source to incorporate dopants into a pre-deposited layer. |
| US09224639B2 |
Method to etch cu/Ta/TaN selectively using dilute aqueous Hf/hCl solution
Copper can be etched with selectivity to Ta/TaN barrier liner and SiC hardmask layers, for example, to reduce the potential copper contamination. The copper film can be recessed more than the liner to further enhance the protection. Wet etch solutions including a mixture of HF and HCl can be used for selective etching copper with respect to the liner material, for example, the copper film can be recessed between 2 and 3 nm, and the barrier liner film can be recessed between 1.5 and 2 nm. |
| US09224637B1 |
Bi-level dry etching scheme for transistor contacts
Contact holes of different depths for source, drain, and gate connections are formed by common etch steps using a relatively low etch rate material over the gate electrode and a relatively high etch rate material over the source and drain terminals to provide similar etch times for all three holes so that risk of over-etching is reduced. |
| US09224635B2 |
Connections for memory electrode lines
Subject matter disclosed herein may relate to word line electrodes and/or digit line electrodes in a cross-point array memory device. One or more word line electrodes may be configured to form a socket area to provide connection points to drivers and/or other circuitry that may be located within a footprint of an array of memory cells. |
| US09224634B2 |
Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device with an isolation region and a device manufactured by the method
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming trench isolation structures, exposing some of the trench isolation structures 28 to leave others 30 masked, and then selectively etching a buried layer to form a cavity 32 under an active device region 34. The active device region 34 is supported by support regions in the exposed trenches 28. The buried layer may be a SiGe layer on a Si substrate. |
| US09224633B2 |
Method for manufacturing a composite wafer having a graphite core, and composite wafer having a graphite core
According to an embodiment, a composite wafer includes a carrier substrate having a graphite layer and a monocrystalline semiconductor layer attached to the carrier substrate. |
| US09224631B2 |
Multiple bonding layers for thin-wafer handling
Multiple bonding layer schemes that temporarily join semiconductor substrates are provided. In the inventive bonding scheme, at least one of the layers is directly in contact with the semiconductor substrate and at least two layers within the scheme are in direct contact with one another. The present invention provides several processing options as the different layers within the multilayer structure perform specific functions. More importantly, it will improve performance of the thin-wafer handling solution by providing higher thermal stability, greater compatibility with harsh backside processing steps, protection of bumps on the front side of the wafer by encapsulation, lower stress in the debonding step, and fewer defects on the front side. |
| US09224629B2 |
Compliant bipolar micro device transfer head with silicon electrodes
A compliant bipolar micro device transfer head array and method of forming a compliant bipolar micro device transfer array from an SOI substrate are described. In an embodiment, a compliant bipolar micro device transfer head array includes a base substrate and a patterned silicon layer over the base substrate. The patterned silicon layer may include first and second silicon interconnects, and first and second arrays of silicon electrodes electrically connected with the first and second silicon interconnects and deflectable into one or more cavities between the base substrate and the silicon electrodes. |
| US09224628B2 |
Reduced capacity carrier, transport, load port, buffer system
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment a semiconductor workpiece processing system having at least one processing tool for processing semiconductor workpieces, a container for holding at least one semiconductor workpiece therein for transport to and from the at least one processing tool and a first transport section elongated and defining a travel direction. The first transport section has parts, that interface the container, supporting and transporting the container along the travel direction to and from the at least one processing tool. The container is in substantially continuous transport at a substantially constant rate in the travel direction, when supported by the first transport section. A second transport section is connected to the at least one process tool for transporting the container to and from the at least one processing tool. |
| US09224611B2 |
Semiconductor structure and manufacturing method and operating method of the same
A semiconductor structure and a manufacturing method and an operating method of the same are provided. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate, a main body structure, a first dielectric layer, a first conductive strip, a second conductive strip, a second dielectric layer, and a conductive structure. The main body structure is formed on the substrate, and the first dielectric layer is formed on the substrate and surrounding two sidewalls and a top portion of the main body structure. The first conductive strip and the second conductive strip are formed on two sidewalls of the first dielectric layer, respectively. The second dielectric layer is formed on the first dielectric layer, the first conductive strip, and the second conductive strip. The conductive structure is formed on the second dielectric layer. |
| US09224606B2 |
Method of fabricating semiconductor device isolation structure
A semiconductor device including reentrant isolation structures and a method for making such a device. A preferred embodiment comprises a substrate of semiconductor material forming at least one isolation structure having a reentrant profile and isolating one or more adjacent operational components. The reentrant profile of the at least one isolation structure is formed of substrate material and is created by ion implantation, preferably using oxygen ions applied at a number of different angles and energy levels. In another embodiment the present invention is a method of forming an isolation structure for a semiconductor device performing at least one oxygen ion implantation. |
| US09224603B2 |
Method of fabricating power transistor with protected channel
A transistor includes a substrate, a well formed in the substrate, a drain including a first impurity region implanted in the well, a source including a second impurity region implanted in the well and spaced apart from the first impurity region, a channel for current flow from the drain to the source, and a gate to control a depletion region between the source and the drain. The channel has an intrinsic breakdown voltage, and the well, drain and source are configured to provide an extrinsic breakdown voltage lower than the intrinsic breakdown voltage and such that breakdown occurs in a breakdown region in the well located outside the channel and adjacent the drain or the source. |
| US09224602B2 |
Sub-second annealing lithography techniques
Techniques are disclosed for sub-second annealing a lithographic feature to, for example, tailor or otherwise selectively alter its profile in one, two, or three dimensions. Alternatively, or in addition to, the techniques can be used, for example, to smooth or otherwise reduce photoresist line width/edge roughness and/or to reduce defect density. In some cases, the sub-second annealing process has a time-temperature profile that can effectively change the magnitude of resist shrinkage in one or more dimensions or otherwise modify the resist in a desired way (e.g., smooth the resist). The techniques may be implemented, for example, with any type of photoresist (e.g., organic, inorganic, hybrid, molecular photoresist materials) and can be used in forming, for instance, processor microarchitectures, memory circuitry, logic arrays, and numerous other digital/analog/hybrid integrated semiconductor devices. |
| US09224596B2 |
Methods of fabricating thick semi-insulating or insulating epitaxial gallium nitride layers
Semiconductor device structures and methods of fabricating semiconductor devices structures are provided that include a semi-insulating or insulating GaN epitaxial layer on a conductive semiconductor substrate and/or a conductive layer. The semi-insulating or insulating GaN epitaxial layer has a thickness of at least about 4 μm. GaN semiconductor device structures and methods of fabricating GaN semiconductor device structures are also provided that include an electrically conductive SiC substrate and an insulating or semi-insulating GaN epitaxial layer on the conductive SiC substrate. The GaN epitaxial layer has a thickness of at least about 4 μm. GaN semiconductor device structures and methods of fabricating GaN semiconductor device structures are also provided that include an electrically conductive GaN substrate, an insulating or semi-insulating GaN epitaxial layer on the conductive GaN substrate, a GaN based semiconductor device on the GaN epitaxial layer and a via hole and corresponding via metal in the via hole that extends through layers of the GaN based semiconductor device and the GaN epitaxial layer. |
| US09224595B2 |
Semiconductor optical element array and method of manufacturing the same
The present invention provides a semiconductor optical element array including: a semiconductor substrate having a main surface in which a plurality of concave portions is formed; a mask pattern that is formed on the main surface of the semiconductor substrate and includes a plurality of opening portions provided immediately above the plurality of concave portions; a plurality of fine columnar crystals that is made of a group-III nitride semiconductor grown from the plurality of concave portions to the upper side of the mask pattern through the plurality of opening portions; an active layer that is grown on each of the plurality of fine columnar crystals; and a semiconductor layer covering each of the active layers. |
| US09224592B2 |
Method of etching ferroelectric capacitor stack
A method of etching a ferroelectric capacitor stack structure including conductive upper and lower plates with a ferroelectric material, such as lead-zirconium-titanate (PZT), therebetween, with each of these layers defined by the same hard mask element. The stack etch process involves a plasma etch with a fluorine-bearing species as an active species in the etch of the conductive plates, and a non-fluorine-bearing chemistry for etching the PZT ferroelectric material. An example of the fluorine-bearing species is CF4. Endpoint detection can be used to detect the point at which the upper plate etch reaches the PZT, at which point the gases in the chamber are purged to avoid etching the PZT material with fluorine. A steeper sidewall angle for the capacitor structure can be obtained. |
| US09224589B2 |
Method for eliminating contact bridge in contact hole process
A method for eliminating contact bridge in a contact hole process is disclosed, wherein a cleaning menu comprising a multi-step adaptive protective thin film deposition process is provided, so that a stack adaptive protective thin film is formed on the sidewall of the chamber of the HDP CVD equipment. The stack adaptive protective thin film has good adhesivity, compactness and uniformity to protect the sidewall of the chamber of the HDP CVD equipment from being damaged by the plasma, and avoid the generation of defect particles, thereby improving the HDP CVD technical yield and eliminating the contact bridge phenomenon in the contact hole process. |
| US09224587B2 |
Apparatus and method for thermal assisted desorption ionization systems
The present invention is directed to a method and device to desorb an analyte using heat to allow desorption of the analyte molecules, where the desorbed analyte molecules are ionized with ambient temperature ionizing species. In various embodiments of the invention a current is passed through a mesh upon which the analyte molecules are present. The current heats the mesh and results in desorption of the analyte molecules which then interact with gas phase metastable neutral molecules or atoms to form analyte ions characteristic of the analyte molecules. |
| US09224586B2 |
Apparatuses and methods for portable mass spectrometry
Methods and apparatuses for portable mass spectrometry are disclosed. The apparatuses comprise at least one source of ionized analyte, at least one frequency scanning subsystem, at least one detector, and optionally at least one vacuum pump, and are portable. In some embodiments, the apparatuses comprise multiple sources of ionized analyte and/or are configured to obtain mass spectra of a large analyte, such as analyte with an m/z ratio of at least 105, or analyte with a molecular weight of at least 105 Da, as well as mass spectra of small molecule analyte. In some embodiments, the methods comprise obtaining mass spectra with a portable apparatus described above. |
| US09224585B2 |
Dose-rate measuring system
In order to obtain a dose-rate measuring system that reduces an influence of an electromagnetic induction noise acting around an ionization chamber and a signal converter, a cabinet of the ionization chamber, shields of cables, a cabinet of the signal converter, and a cabinet of a measuring unit are connected in series, and a single-point ground is performed at the measuring unit, and other units except the grounded measuring unit are insulated from the earth, and moreover, a heatproof insulating material having water repellency is coated on a fixed portion of the ionization chamber, whereby the ionization chamber is electrically insulated from a chassis at a fixed side, and the heatproof insulating material having water repellency is coated on a connecting portion of a connector for connecting a cable to another cable, after a waterproof process is performed on the connecting portion by using a bonding tape. |
| US09224581B2 |
Parallel plate reactor for uniform thin film deposition with reduced tool foot-print
A capacitive-coupled parallel plate plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition reactor includes a gas distribution unit that is integrated in an RF electrode and is formed with a gas outlet. The parallel plate reactor is configured so that layers with high thickness homogeneity and quality can be produced. The capacitively coupled parallel plate plasma enhanced vapor deposition reactor has gas distribution unit with a multiple-stage showerhead constructed in such a way that it provides an independent adjustment of gas distribution and gas emission profile of the gas distribution unit. |
| US09224573B2 |
System and method for X-ray source weight reduction
The invention provides an X-ray source having a generator for generating an electron beam, an accelerator for accelerating the generated electron beam in a desired direction, one or more magnetic elements for transporting portions of the electron beam in a more than one desired direction, and a shaped target made from a material having an atomic number lying within a predetermined range of values, the transported parts of the electron beam producing a fan beam of X rays upon striking the shaped target. |
| US09224569B2 |
Multi species ion source
A high brightness ion source with a gas chamber includes multiple channels, wherein the multiple channels each have a different gas. An electron beam is passed through one of the channels to provide ions of a certain species for processing a sample. The ion species can be rapidly changed by directing the electrons into another channel with a different gas species and processing a sample with ions of a second species. Deflection plates are used to align the electron beam into the gas chamber, thereby allowing the gas species in the focused ion beam to be switched quickly. |
| US09224567B2 |
Resin molded product
A resin molded product comprises a fiber to which a metal heating element is attached, a first attaching part that standing upright on a main body of the resin molded product to attach and fix one part of the metal heating element, a second attaching part standing upright on the main body correspondingly to the first attaching part to attach and fix the other part of the metal heating element, and a rib extended continuously and integrally from the first attaching part to the second attaching part and standing upright on the main body, wherein a gate position is provided in the vicinity of the first attaching part on a straight line connecting the first attaching part to the second attaching part in a back side of the resin molded product to set an orientation of the fiber formed in the rib in the extending direction of the rib. |
| US09224563B2 |
Electronic part and electronic control unit
A main body of an electronic part is formed in a rectangular pillared shape having a first and a second axial end surface. A first electrode is formed on the first axial end surface electrically and mechanically connected to a first wiring pattern formed on a board surface of a printed board. A second electrode is formed on the second axial end surface, to which one end of a fuse terminal is electrically connected. The other end of the fuse terminal is connected to a second wiring pattern of the printed board or a wiring member which is formed as an independent member from the printed board. A cut-off portion is formed in a connecting portion of the fuse terminal. |
| US09224561B2 |
Systems and methods for delaying actuation of a relay
A system includes a relay, an actuation circuit, and an actuation delay circuit. The relay is coupled to a source of an input voltage or current waveform. The relay includes an actuation coil. The actuation circuit detects a peak or valley of a rectified voltage ripple waveform. The rectified voltage ripple waveform is generated from the input voltage or current waveform. The actuation circuit also causes an actuation voltage to be provided to the actuation coil. The actuation delay circuit delays the actuation circuit from providing the actuation voltage. The actuation delay circuit is configured based on the peak or valley of the rectified voltage ripple waveform. The actuation delay generated by the actuation delay circuit causes the relay to begin allowing current to flow to a load device at a time coincident with a zero-crossing time value of the input voltage or current waveform. |
| US09224558B2 |
Polarity independent switching device for carrying and disconnecting direct current
A polarity-independent switching device for carrying and disconnecting high DC currents has a gastight, encapsulated, electrically insulating housing which can be filled with an insulating gas, and at least one pair of contacts disposed in the housing and made up of a fixed contact and a mobile contact. The two contacts are in contact with each other in a switched-on state of the switching device and are not in contact in a switch-off state of the switching device. An arc driver arrangement is included which generates a magnetic field at least in the region of the pair of contacts, as well as a first arc routing arrangement with which an arc produced between the contacts is guided in a first current direction to a quenching area arranged at a distance from the contacts. |
| US09224557B2 |
Switch device
A switch device has an upper case, a hollow tube that is vertically opened and provided on an upper surface of the upper case, an operation knob that is swingably supported by the tube so as to cover an upper opening of the tube, and a lower case that is fitted in the upper case. The tube has a front sidewall and a back sidewall. The front sidewall and the back sidewall are opposed in front-back direction with the upper opening interposed therebetween. A drain groove extending along the back sidewall is formed at an upper end of the back sidewall. One of or both ends in a lengthwise direction of the drain groove are opened. |
| US09224556B2 |
Switch
A switch has a base having a frame integrally formed on a periphery of an upper face of the base, a fixed contact formed on an inner side face of the frame, and a support protrusion that protrudes from the upper face of the base that is integrally formed so as to expose a common fixed contact, an electrically conductive spring member whose connecting part arranged at a center of a spiral spring is nonrotatably supported by the support protrusion and that extends a driving piece from the free end of the spiral spring, and an actuating lever whose one end is rotatably supported by the upper face of the base and that integrally forms an actuating trigger that presses the driving piece of the electrically conductive spring member. |
| US09224544B2 |
Trace structure for the touch panel and electrical testing method
A trace structure for a touch panel having a transparent substrate with a touch sensing region and a border region surrounding the touch sensing region, the trace structure including: a plurality of traces disposed on the transparent substrate and within the border region; a plurality of bonding pads disposed in the border region of the transparent substrate, wherein each bonding pad has a first side and a second side, and the first side of each bonding pad is connected to a corresponding trace of the plurality of traces; and at least two trace extending portions extended toward an outer edge of the border region from the second side of two of the plurality of bonding pads. |
| US09224543B2 |
Ceramic electronic component including glass coating layer
A ceramic electronic component includes a ceramic body, a plurality of internal electrodes provided in the ceramic body and including ends exposed on a surface of the ceramic body; a glass coating layer covering a portion of the surface of the ceramic body on which the internal electrodes are exposed; and an electrode terminal provided directly on the glass coating layer and including a plating film. The glass coating layer is made of a glass medium in which metal powder particles are dispersed. The internal electrodes project from the surface of the ceramic body into the glass coating layer without passing through the glass coating layer. The metal powder particles define conduction paths electrically connecting the internal electrodes with the electrode terminal. |
| US09224537B2 |
Electrode and/or capacitor formation
Technologies are generally described related to the design, manufacture and/or use of electrodes, capacitors, or any other similar component. In an example, a system effective to form a component may include a container effective to receive graphite nanoplatelets and effective to receive ruthenium chloride. The system may include a coating device in communication with the container. The system may further include a processor arranged in communication with the container and the coating device. The processor may be configured to control the container effective to combine the ruthenium chloride with the graphite nanoplatelets under reaction conditions sufficient to form a ruthenium oxide graphite nanoplatelets nanocomposite. The processor may further be configured to control the coaling device effective to coat a support with the ruthenium oxide graphite nanoplatelets nanocomposite. |
| US09224536B2 |
Variable capacitance device
A variable capacitance device that achieves a desired capacitance even when factors causing varied capacitances are generated is configured such that a capacitance detection pulse signal is applied from a capacitance detection signal generation unit to a driving capacitor and a reference capacitor of a MEMS mechanical unit. The device voltage of the driving capacitor based on the capacitance detection signal and a driving voltage is applied to the inverting input terminal of a comparator. The device voltage of the reference capacitor based on the capacitance detection signal and the driving voltage is applied to the non-inverting input terminal of the comparator. The comparator generates a comparison output signal including “Hi” and “Low” values from the difference between these device voltages, and applies the output signal to a driving voltage generation unit. The driving voltage generation unit increases or decreases the driving voltage based on the comparison output signal. |
| US09224535B2 |
High power electrical distribution system
A high power electrical distribution system for distribution high power to at least one consumer arranged on a rotatable element. The distribution system includes at least one high frequency alternating current HFAC generator configured to generate HFAC. A rotary power transformer is connected to the at least one HFAC generator. The rotary power transformer includes a stationary part and a rotatable part and is configured to receive HFAC from the at least one HFAC generator and to couple HFAC electrical energy from the stationary part to the rotatable part. At least one high power distribution bus is located on the rotatable element and is configured to receive HFAC from the rotary power transformer and to distribute HFAC to the at least one consumer. |
| US09224533B2 |
Wireless electric power transmission apparatus
A wireless electric power transmission apparatus as an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: two antennas having the ability to transmit electric power by a non-contact method via resonant magnetic coupling, one of the two antennas being a series resonant circuit, of which the resonant frequency is fs, the other antenna being a parallel resonant circuit, of which the resonant frequency is fp; an oscillator which is connected to one of the two antennas that transmits RF power; and a control section which controls a transmission frequency according to the magnitude of the electric power to be transmitted from one of the two antennas to the other. fs/fp is set to be a value that is less than one. |
| US09224530B2 |
Power supply apparatus
A power supply apparatus including a first magnetic core, a second magnetic core having a shape symmetrical to a shape of the first magnetic core, a third magnetic core between the first and second magnetic cores, a first coil wound around at least one of the first and third magnetic cores, and a second coil wound around at least one of the second and third magnetic cores, wherein a material for the third magnetic core is different from a material for the first magnetic core or the second magnetic core. |
| US09224526B1 |
Magnet construction by combustion driven high compaction
A neo magnet is constructed by mixing a neo magnet powder with about 1% added two-part electrical insulating resin powder. The mixed powders are placed in a die and precompacted under about 20 tsi when filling a combustion chamber with a pressurized combustible gas and air mixture. The gas is ignited and rapidly drives a punch in to the die forming a solid magnet having a density of 6.1 g/cm3 or more. The solid magnet is heat treated to cure the resin and is coated with a polymer, zinc, aluminum or gold. Before precompacting a lubricated core rod in place in the die producing a thin-walled, neo ring magnet having a length to wall thickness aspect ratio. |
| US09224525B2 |
Over-current protection device and circuit board structure containing the same
An over-current protection device, which can be surface-mounted and stand upright on a circuit board and withstand 60 to 600 volts, comprises a PTC device, first and second electrodes. The PTC device is a laminated structure comprising first and second conductive layers and a PTC material layer. The first and second conductive layers are in physical contact with first and second planar surfaces of the PTC material layer, respectively. The first electrode is disposed on the first conductive layer. The second electrode is disposed on the second conductive layer and is separated from the first electrode. The first electrode, the second electrode and the PTC device commonly form an end surface which is substantially perpendicular to the first and second planar surfaces. The first electrode and the second electrode at the end surface serve as interfaces electrically connecting to the circuit board. |
| US09224520B2 |
Cover assemblies and methods for covering electrical cables and connections
A cold-applied cover assembly for environmentally protecting an electrical substrate includes a cold-applied polymeric cover member configured to surround the electrical substrate, and a gas transmission barrier (GTB) layer. The GTB layer is configured to surround the electrical substrate to define a protected chamber containing the electrical substrate and to inhibit ingress of a gas through the cover assembly into the protected chamber. |
| US09224516B2 |
Battery tab and packaging frame design
Improved battery packaging and constructions for batteries, particularly thin, flat-profile packaged batteries are provided. The battery packaging constructions may eliminate the need for soldering by providing current collector tabs coated by electrically conductive adhesive tape such as z-axis conductive tape and may provide support for current collector tabs and a regular battery perimeter by providing supportive battery packaging and/or frame materials. Better fabrication results, particularly when the batteries are used in smart cards, RFID tags, and medical devices. |
| US09224514B2 |
Cathode active material for lithium ion battery, cathode for lithium ion battery, and lithium ion battery
There is provided a cathode active material for a lithium ion battery having good battery properties. The cathode active material for a lithium ion battery is represented by a composition formula: LixNi1−yMyO2+αwherein M is one or more selected from Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, Al, Bi, Sn, Mg, Ca, B, and Zr; 0.9≦x≦1.2; 0 |
| US09224510B2 |
Handling system for a container for nuclear fuel assembly
A handling system including a tool for lifting the container, wherein the lifting tool includes a lifting carrier to be suspended and a member for gripping the container comprising removable devices for fastening the container onto the gripping member.According to one aspect of the invention, the gripping member is mounted so that it may rotate on the lifting carrier about a substantially horizontal rotation axis when the lifting carrier is suspended. |
| US09224509B2 |
Container, device and method for encapsulating a fuel rod or a fuel rod portion in a gas-tight manner
A container, a device, and a method encapsulate a fuel rod or a fuel rod portion in a gas-tight manner. The container has a hollow cylindrical container part which is closed at the free ends of the container part in a fluid-tight manner by a respective single-piece closure stopper. The closure stopper is provided with a channel that fluidically connects the flushing chamber of the container part to the exterior exclusively in an intermediate position, which is assumed prior to reaching an end position during the assembly process and in which the closure stopper additionally projects out of the container part by an axial length compared to the end position of the closure stopper. |
| US09224508B2 |
Radiation resistant medical gown
Disclosed is a radiation resistant medical gown. More specifically, the invention relates to a medical gown that incorporates a radiation resistant and/or dissipating material into select portions of the garment. The gown further includes an upstanding collar that protects the wearer's thyroid from radiation exposure. The collar includes a Velcro® type fastener that prevents the collar from sagging. The gown is both sterile and disposable. |
| US09224507B2 |
Systems and methods for managing shared-path instrumentation and irradiation targets in a nuclear reactor
Systems and methods permit discriminate access to nuclear reactors. Systems provide penetration pathways to irradiation target loading and offloading systems, instrumentation systems, and other external systems at desired times, while limiting such access during undesired times. Systems use selection mechanisms that can be strategically positioned for space sharing to connect only desired systems to a reactor. Selection mechanisms include distinct paths, forks, diverters, turntables, and other types of selectors. Management methods with such systems permits use of the nuclear reactor and penetration pathways between different systems and functions, simultaneously and at only distinct desired times. Existing TIP drives and other known instrumentation and plant systems are useable with access management systems and methods, which can be used in any nuclear plant with access restrictions. |
| US09224500B2 |
Systems and methods for testing and assembling memory modules
Embodiments described herein relate to systems and methods for testing and assembling memory modules. In at least one embodiment, the method comprises: assembling a memory module, the memory module comprising at least one memory device having one or more defective memory locations; wherein the assembling comprises storing the data that identifies the one or more defective memory locations on the memory device in a persistent store on the memory module, wherein the memory module comprises a microprocessor and persistent memory associated with the microprocessor, and wherein the persistent store on the memory module comprises the persistent memory associated with the microprocessor. |
| US09224497B2 |
One time programmable memory cell capable of reducing leakage current and preventing slow bit response
The present invention provides a one time programmable (OTP) memory cell including a select gate transistor, a following gate transistor, and an antifuse varactor. The select gate transistor has a first gate terminal, a first drain terminal, a first source terminal, and two first source/drain extension areas respectively coupled to the first drain terminal and the first source terminal. The following gate transistor has a second gate terminal, a second drain terminal, a second source terminal coupled to the first drain terminal, and two second source/drain extension areas respectively coupled to the second drain terminal and the second source terminal. The antifuse varactor has a third gate terminal, a third drain terminal, a third source terminal coupled to the second drain terminal, and a third source/drain extension area coupled with the third drain terminal and the third source terminal for shorting the third drain terminal and the third source terminal. |
| US09224491B1 |
Average voltage band detection and use for tuning of voltages in ASICS
The timing and power consumption of controller circuits are is dependent on Process, Voltage, and Temperature. If the controller ASIC can measure the average voltage level during run-time, then firmware can use this information to tune the voltages for optimal speed/power performance. A voltage detector generates an output of, for example, 3 bits, where each state of the three bit bus represents a voltage band. These bits can then be used by the firmware to trim the appropriate regulators to boost/lower the voltages. This can be done for both the core voltage and I/O voltages. The firmware can be further optimized to take into account the states of temperature detectors and process detectors along with voltage band detector to optimize the system performance. |
| US09224490B1 |
Voltage switch circuit
A voltage switch circuit includes plural transistors, a first control circuit and a second control circuit. The first transistor has a source terminal connected to a first voltage source and a gate terminal connected to a node b1. The second transistor has a source terminal connected to a drain terminal of the first transistor, a gate terminal receiving an enabling signal and a drain terminal connected to a node b2. The third transistor has a source terminal connected to the node b2, a gate terminal connected to a second voltage source and a drain terminal connected to an output terminal. The first control circuit is connected to the node b1. The second control circuit is connected to the output terminal. |
| US09224486B1 |
Control gate driver for use with split gate memory cells
A circuit for driving a control gate of a split-gate nonvolatile memory cell may include a switched current source; a first transistor having a current electrode coupled to the switched current source and a control electrode coupled to a voltage source; a second transistor having a current electrode coupled to a second node of the switched current source, and a control electrode coupled to a third voltage source; a third transistor having a control electrode coupled to the second transistor, a current electrode coupled to the first transistor and a fourth switched voltage source; and a fourth transistor having a current electrode coupled to the first switched voltage source, a control electrode coupled to the switched current source, and a second current electrode coupled to the second transistor at a driver voltage node, wherein a voltage level at the driver voltage node is operable to drive the control gate. |
| US09224479B1 |
Threshold voltage adjustment in solid state memory
A method is disclosed for setting or modifying a threshold voltage in a NAND flash memory, using an optimization method and based on an error, such as stored in a threshold voltage table. In an embodiment, a method is provided to optimize the read voltage on a NAND flash memory in order to minimize the errors on the NAND flash memory in the fewest reads operations as possible. Advantageously, the method of the present disclosure is more reliability as the method minimizes a Raw Bit Error Rate (RBER) on the NAND flash memory. In an embodiment, a NAND controller adjusts an existing cell read threshold voltage for a selected cell, using an iterative optimization method, based on a difference between first and second error rates, or a difference between first and second probabilities, to generate an adjusted cell read threshold voltage. |
| US09224478B2 |
Temperature-based adaptive erase or program parallelism
A method includes, in one implementation, performing a memory operation to place memory cells of a memory array to a first logic state using a voltage of a charge pump. A portion of the operation is performed on the memory cells using the voltage of the charge pump. A temperature of the memory array is compared to a threshold. If the temperature is above a reference level, a load on the charge pump is reduced by providing the voltage to only a reduced number of memory cells. |
| US09224475B2 |
Structures and methods for making NAND flash memory
A NAND flash memory chip includes wide openings in an inter-poly dielectric layer through which gaps are later etched to define structures such as select gates. Such select gates are asymmetric, with inter-poly dielectric on a side adjacent to a memory cell and no inter-poly dielectric on a side away from a memory cell. Gaps etched through such openings may also define peripheral devices. |
| US09224473B1 |
Word line repair for 3D vertical channel memory
A memory device includes a plurality of stacks of conductive strips alternating with insulating strips, including at least a bottom plane of conductive strips, a plurality of intermediate planes of conductive strips, a top plane of conductive strips, and an additional intermediate plane. A plurality of vertical structures is arranged orthogonally to the plurality of stacks. Memory elements are disposed in interface regions at cross-points between side surfaces of the plurality of stacks and the plurality of vertical structures. A stack of linking elements is connected to conductive strips in respective intermediate planes and to the additional intermediate plane. Decoding circuitry is coupled to the plurality of intermediate planes and the additional intermediate plane, and is configured to replace an intermediate plane indicated to be defective with the additional intermediate plane. |
| US09224472B2 |
Memory device and driving method of the memory device
A memory device which can reduce power consumption and a driving method thereof are disclosed. In a memory element including an inverter and the like, a capacitor for holding data and a capacitor switching element for controlling store and release of charge in the capacitor are provided. The capacitor switching element is designed so that the off-state current is sufficiently low. Therefore, even when power supply of the inverter is stopped after charge corresponding to data is stored in the capacitor, data can be held for a long period of time. In order to return data, potentials of output and input terminals of the inverter are set to a precharge potential, then charge in the capacitor is released, and power is supplied to the inverter. A switching element for supplying the precharge potential may be provided. |
| US09224469B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and memory system
A semiconductor memory device according to an embodiment includes a memory cell array and a control circuit. The memory cell array includes first lines and second lines intersecting each other, a third line commonly connecting to the first lines, memory cells disposed at intersections of the first lines and the second lines, respectively. The control circuit is configured to execute a state determining operation detecting a voltage of the third line, and adjust a voltage applied to the first lines and the second lines during a resetting operation or a setting operation based on a result of the state determining operation. The resetting operation raises a resistance value of the variable resistance element. The setting operation lowers the resistance value of the variable resistance element. |
| US09224468B2 |
Resistive memory and associated operation method
A resistive memory includes a resistive memory cell, a main transistor and an auxiliary transistor. The drain of the main transistor and the drain of the auxiliary transistor are coupled to one end of the resistive memory cell. When the resistive memory cell is programmed, the main transistor is turned on and the auxiliary transistor is turned off. When the resistive memory cell is erased, the main transistor and the auxiliary transistor are turned on. |
| US09224466B1 |
Dual capacitor sense amplifier and methods therefor
Methods and apparatus are provided for reading a selected memory cell of a memory array using a sense amplifier that includes a first capacitor and a second capacitor. The selected memory cell is coupled to a bit line and a selected word line. A first noise voltage is generated on the first capacitor, and a selected memory cell voltage and a second noise voltage are generated on the second capacitor. The first noise voltage is an estimate of the second noise voltage. An output signal value is generated proportional to a difference between the selected memory cell voltage and a reference voltage, and a difference between the first noise voltage and second noise voltage. The output signal value is used to determine a data value for the selected memory cell. |
| US09224463B2 |
Compact volatile/non-volatile memory cell
A memory device includes at least one memory cell having a first transistor coupled between a first storage node and a first supply voltage; a second transistor coupled between a second storage node and the first supply voltage and a single resistance switching element. Control terminals of the first and second transistors are coupled to the second and first storage nodes respectively. The single resistive switching element is coupled in series with the first transistor and is programmable to have one of first and second resistances. The first storage node is coupled to a first access line via a third transistor connected to said first storage node, and the second storage node is coupled to a second access line via a fourth transistor connected to the second storage node. |
| US09224462B2 |
Resistive memory device having defined or variable erase unit size
A resistive memory device that simultaneously erases memory cells connected to selected word line(s) included in an erase unit. The erase unit includes fewer word lines than are included in a memory block of the resistive memory device. However, erase verification may nonetheless be performed on a block basis. |
| US09224459B1 |
Memory device and method of initializing memory device
According to one embodiment, a memory device includes a semiconductor layer connected between a first conductive line and one end of a third conductive line, resistance change elements connected between second conductive lines and the third conductive line respectively, a select FET having a select gate electrode, and using the semiconductor layer as a channel, and a control circuit changing a condition of initialization of each of non-completed elements in which the initialization is not completed among the resistance change elements based on a number of completed elements in which the initialization is completed among the resistance change elements. |
| US09224456B2 |
Setting operating parameters for memory cells based on wordline address and cycle information
Disclosed is an apparatus and method for adjusting operating parameters in a storage device. A controller in a solid state drive monitors current operating conditions of the drive's flash memory, and when the flash memory has been subjected to a predetermined number of program/erase cycles one or more stored bias values are retrieved from a storage location based on the wordline(s) associated with a current memory operation. Parameters of the memory operation are then adjusted based on the retrieved bias values, and the memory operation is performed using the adjusted parameters. |
| US09224446B2 |
Multi-port memory circuit, accessing method and compiler
A memory circuit includes first and second word lines, a plurality of memory cells and a timing controller. Each memory cell includes a first access port and a second access port. The first access port is coupled to the first word line and configured to be enabled by a first word line signal on the first word line. The second access port is coupled to the second word line and configured to be enabled by a second word line signal on the second word line. The timing controller is configured to receive a timing select signal and to control a time delay between the first word line signal and the second word line signal to be different in response to different first and second states of the timing select signal. |
| US09224444B1 |
Method and apparatus for VT invariant SDRAM write leveling and fast rank switching
A method, non-transitory computer readable medium and apparatus for synchronizing a clock signal data path, a write strobe signal data path and a write data signal data path are disclosed. The method determines an amount of phase shift between the clock signal data path and the write strobe signal data path and between the clock signal data path and the write data signal data path, gates a clock signal to generate strobe clock signals that are phase shifted by at least one phase shift, applies a fine phase shift to the strobe clock signals where the strobe clock signals have an overall phase shift that is approximately equal to the amount of phase shift, and synchronizes a launch of the clock signal data path, the write strobe signal data path, and the write data signal data path using the strobe clock signals with the overall phase shift. |
| US09224443B2 |
Semiconductor devices and electronic systems including the same
Semiconductor devices are provided. The semiconductor device includes an internal clock generator and an internal strobe signal generator. The internal clock generator generates an internal clock signal having a frequency which is higher than that of an input clock signal according to a phase difference between the input clock signal generated from an external device and a first input control signal. The internal strobe signal generator generates an internal strobe signal having a frequency which is higher than that of an input strobe signal according to a phase difference between the input strobe signal generated from the external device and a second input control signal. |
| US09224436B2 |
Apparatuses including a memory array with separate global read and write lines and/or sense amplifier region column select line and related methods
Apparatuses and methods for memory arrays with separate global read and write lines and/or sense amplifier region column select lines are disclosed. An example apparatus includes first and second memory sections, and further includes a sense amplifier region. A memory section includes a word line extending in a first direction and a digit line extending in a second direction, and the sense amplifier region is disposed between the first and second memory sections. The sense amplifier region includes a sense amplifier coupled to the digit line, a local input/output (LIO) line, a column select circuit coupled to the sense amplifier, and a column select line. The column select line extends in the first direction and is configured to provide a column select signal to the column select circuit. Capacitance of a LIO line may be reduced by coupling fewer sense amplifiers of a group to the LIO line. |
| US09224430B2 |
Devices, methods, and systems supporting on unit termination
The present disclosure includes devices, methods, and systems supporting on unit termination. A number of embodiments include a number of memory units, wherein a memory unit includes termination circuitry, and a memory unit does not include termination circuitry. |
| US09224425B2 |
Time stamped imagery assembly for course performance video replay
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to video imagery assembly for course oriented activities and provide a method, system and computer program product for time stamped imagery assembly for course performance video replay. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for time stamped imagery assembly can include acquiring different images from different cameras disposed about an activity course traversed by a moving object and time stamping each of the different images. The method also can include repeatedly acquiring position and time stamp data for the moving object as the moving object traverses the activity course. Finally, the method can include assembling the different images acquired from the different cameras in a single sequence of images with positions in the sequence determined by correlating time stamps for each of the images with the acquired position and time stamp data of the moving object. |
| US09224423B1 |
Re-writing of initial sectors in a storage device
Technologies are described herein for rewriting the initial sectors of a data track on a recording medium of a storage device in order to reduce the occurrence of initial sector weak writes and/or adjacent track erasure. Upon receiving a write command at the storage device, a plurality of sequential segments on the recording media targeted by the write command is determined. The plurality of sequential segments is written to the recording medium, and then data is rewritten to an initial segment of the plurality of sequential segments. |
| US09224421B2 |
Non-decision directed magnetoresistive asymetry estimation
Systems and methods for magnetoresistive asymmetry estimation may include, but are not limited to, operations for: receiving a magnetic read head transducer output; computing a mean value of the magnetic read head transducer output; computing a median value of the magnetic read head transducer output; and applying a correction coefficient to a magnetic read head detector input according to at least the mean value of the magnetic read head transducer output and the median value of the magnetic read head transducer output. |
| US09224418B2 |
Accessing protected content on an optical disc
Embodiments for validating an optical disc storing protected content are provided. In one example, a method comprises receiving the optical disc in an optical disc drive, detecting with a signal detector a signal while the optical disc is at rest, spinning the optical disc, determining, with the signal detector, one or more of an electrical and magnetic effect on the signal resulting from the spinning of the optical disc, and validating the optical disc if the one or more of the electrical and magnetic effect meets a predetermined condition. |
| US09224417B2 |
Casing for receiving an extractible hard drive and including a rocking cam for extracting said hard drive
A casing is provided which includes a housing for receiving an extractable element and an extractor member mounted in the vicinity of the housing. The extractor member includes a tilting cam having a bearing end extending into the housing and an actuation end co-operating with a slidable lever having a drivable first end and a second end provided with a recess having the actuation end of the cam passing therethrough. The actuation end of the tilting cam includes a rear edge provided with an indentation and resilient return means holding said rear edge pressed against a rear end of the recess so that the rear end of the recess drops into the indentation at the end of insertion of the extractable element. |
| US09224411B1 |
Magnetic layers having granular exchange tuning layer
An apparatus includes a first magnetic layer including a plurality of grains. The first magnetic layer has a first anisotropy value. The apparatus also includes a second magnetic layer including a plurality of grains. The second magnetic layer has a second anisotropy value that is different than the first anisotropy value. The apparatus also includes an exchange tuning layer including a plurality of grains and located between the first and second magnetic layers. The exchange tuning layer has stronger inter-granular exchange coupling than the first and second magnetic layers. The exchange tuning layer has an anisotropy value less than the first and second anisotropy values. |
| US09224398B2 |
Compressed sampling audio apparatus
Apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer code, the at least one memory and the computer code configured to with the at least one processor cause the apparatus to at least perform: transforming an audio signal into a sparse domain signal, the sparse domain signal representing the audio signal; transforming the sparse domain signal into a measurement domain signal; determining a sampling pattern dependent on the measurement domain signal; and measuring the measurement domain signal dependent on the sampling pattern. |
| US09224394B2 |
Service oriented speech recognition for in-vehicle automated interaction and in-vehicle user interfaces requiring minimal cognitive driver processing for same
A system and method for implementing a server-based speech recognition system for multi-modal automated interaction in a vehicle includes receiving, by a vehicle driver, audio prompts by an on-board human-to-machine interface and a response with speech to complete tasks such as creating and sending text messages, web browsing, navigation, etc. This service-oriented architecture is utilized to call upon specialized speech recognizers in an adaptive fashion. The human-to-machine interface enables completion of a text input task while driving a vehicle in a way that minimizes the frequency of the driver's visual and mechanical interactions with the interface, thereby eliminating unsafe distractions during driving conditions. After the initial prompting, the typing task is followed by a computerized verbalization of the text. Subsequent interface steps can be visual in nature, or involve only sound. |
| US09224391B2 |
Method and system for automatically providing linguistic formulations that are outside a recognition domain of an automatic speech recognition system
A method for automatically providing a hypothesis of a linguistic formulation that is uttered by users of a voice service based on an automatic speech recognition system and that is outside a recognition domain of the automatic speech recognition system. The method includes providing a constrained and an unconstrained speech recognition from an input speech signal, identifying a part of the constrained speech recognition outside the recognition domain, identifying a part of the unconstrained speech recognition corresponding to the identified part of the constrained speech recognition, and providing the linguistic formulation hypothesis based on the identified part of the unconstrained speech recognition. |
| US09224390B2 |
Coordinated deep tagging of media content with community chat postings
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to deep tagging of media content and provide a method, system and computer program product for coordinating deep tagging of media content with chat postings. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for coordinating deep tagging of media content with chat postings can be provided. The method can include monitoring a group chat of participants co-browsing media content, identifying a token in the group chat appearing a threshold number of times within a temporal window, and creating a deep tag in the media content in association with a portion of the media content played back concurrently with the temporal window. |
| US09224388B2 |
Sound recognition method and system
A method for generating an anti-model of a sound class is disclosed. A plurality of candidate sound data is provided for generating the anti-model. A plurality of similarity values between the plurality of candidate sound data and a reference sound model of a sound class is determined. An anti-model of the sound class is generated based on at least one candidate sound data having the similarity value within a similarity threshold range. |
| US09224380B2 |
Audio device, and methods for designing and making the audio devices
An audio device is provided with a plurality of Helmholtz resonators. Whereas a cross-sectional area of a neck and a volume of a cavity communicating with the neck are same between at least two of the Helmholtz resonators, a ratio of minimum and maximum values of distances between a center of gravity of the cross section of the neck and individual points defining an outer periphery of the cross section is different between said at least two of the Helmholtz resonators. |
| US09224376B1 |
Electric violin
An electric violin comprises a head, a body and a bowstring module; the head is attached to the body via a connecting rod. The head includes a display screen and several string-buttons mounted at a side of the display screen. Each string-button is corresponding in position with one line of string-related instructions. The body includes a main CPU module, a data storage device, an audio circuit, a sound amplifier and a speaker therein. The body includes a control button and a bowstring-holding mechanism. The bowstring-holding mechanism includes a mounting groove in the body and a signal interface mounted in the bottom of the mounting groove. The bowstring module includes a base and a playing element; the playing element and the connection terminal are mounted on the base; the base is attached to the mounting groove by snap joint; and the connection terminal is connected with the signal interface. |
| US09224373B2 |
Musical notation systems for guitar fretboard, visual displays thereof, and uses thereof
There are provided visual displays for graphically showing on a visual representation of a guitar fretboard a location relationship between a given chord and its chord tones as well as for graphically showing on a visual representation of a guitar fretboard a location relationship between a given position and its scale tones. The present disclosure also relates to a method for visually expressing, on a visual representation of a guitar fretboard, the location relationship between a given chord, its chord tones and its scale tones, in a given key; a music notation method for representing a location relationship between a given chord, its chord tones and the scale tones of the scale to which said given chord belong, on a visual representation of at least a portion of a guitar fretboard; and visual display for expressing musical harmonic functions. |
| US09224371B1 |
Three-in-one drum
A three-in-one drum includes a drum chamber, a drum skin and pressing rings. A beating tray is vertically and adjustably disposed in the drum chamber and covered with a cushion. The bottom of the beating tray has a microphone vibrator connected to a loudspeaker box. When the adjusting rod is rotated clockwise, the beating tray rises and the cushion is close to the drum skin. The drum skin does not ground when being beaten, this is the mute drum function. An beating trigger connected with an electronic sound source sends electronic signal to perform the electric drum function. The microphone vibrator amplifies the audio frequency signal to perform the audio amplification function. When the adjusting rod is rotated counter clockwise, the beating tray is lowered and the cushion is located away from the drum skin which sounds when being beaten to perform the raw sound drum function. |
| US09224367B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and image processing program
There is provided an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, and an image processing program realizing natural scroll display and high-speed scroll. The image processing apparatus includes: a detector detecting a scroll request; and a processor, when the detector detects a high-speed scroll request, employing a blurred picture created through a blurring process as a new picture required for a subsequent update of image displayed in a scroll region, thereby generating an image to be displayed. |
| US09224366B1 |
Bendable stereoscopic 3D display device
Disclosed is a bendable stereoscopic 3D display device that includes a display panel including a plurality of left-eye pixels and a plurality of right-eye pixels, the display panel being divided into a plurality of blocks; a separator on the display panel to transmit or block images output from the left-eye pixels and the right-eye pixels; a gate driver and a data driver to drive the display panel; a timing controller to receive image data and a timing signal for driving the gate driver and the data driver; and a control unit to receive a bending information on at least one of the plurality of blocks when there is a change in curvature of the display panel, reset a view map of the at least one of the plurality of blocks based on the bending information, and rearrange the image data based on the view map. |
| US09224364B2 |
Apparatus and method for interacting with handheld carrier hosting media content
Improved techniques for interacting with one or more handheld carriers hosting media content are disclosed. The handheld carrier hosting media content may be sensed, and at least a portion of the media content may be integrated into operation of a media activity provided by a computing device, upon recognizing the media activity and the media content. The media activity provided by the computing device may involve creating or editing an electronic document. The integration of the media content into operation of the media activity may involve insertion or importation of the media content into the electronic document. |
| US09224362B2 |
Monochromatic edge geometry reconstruction through achromatic guidance
Many imaging scenarios involve an achromatic image (e.g., a panchromatic image or a near-infrared image) and one or more concurrently captured monochromatic images (e.g., RGB images captured through a Bayer filter array), and the compositing of these images through de-mosaicing and/or pan-sharpening to generate a high-resolution color image. However, in many such scenarios, the monochromatic images may exhibit distortion of edge geometry, resulting in artifacts and/or color distortions near visual edges of the composite image. However, such distortions may be absent from the achromatic image, and edge geometry may be represented as an intensity gradient among respective neighborhoods of achromatic pixels. Presented herein are techniques for reducing such distortions in monochromatic images through iterative adjustment of monochromatic pixel intensity to reflect the gradients of the neighborhoods of the corresponding achromatic pixels. Convergence of such adjustments produces composite images exhibiting accurately reconstructed edge geometry. |
| US09224361B2 |
Method, device and system for compensating brightness of a liquid crystal module
A method for compensating the brightness of a liquid crystal module involves acquiring an image of a liquid crystal module to obtain the acquired image. The acquired image of the liquid crystal module is compared with a standard image to find a dark region. The compensation coefficient of each pixel in the dark region is calculated. In a display control circuit of the liquid crystal module, the calculated compensation coefficient of pixels is stored for compensating the backlight unit corresponding to pixels in dark region. |
| US09224358B2 |
Proximity-based multi-display configuration
A process is utilized to provide a multi-display configuration. The process detects, at a first proximity-based device within a first display device, a presence of a second proximity-based device within a second display device. The presence is within a proximity. Further, the process displays a first portion of a multi-display image at the first display device based upon a location of the first display device relative to the second display device. |
| US09224356B2 |
Digital to-analog-conversion circuit and data driver for display device
DAC includes a decoder that receives N number of reference voltages and an n-bit digital signal (n 4) to select first to third voltages, and an operational amplifier to output (first voltage+second voltage+2 third voltage)/4 voltage. The operational amplifier is able to output, for respective 2^n combinations of the n-bit digital signal, voltage levels from an Ath level, as a base level, to an (A−1+2^n)th level. The N number of reference voltages include Ath level, (A+4)th level, (A−4+2^n) and (A+2^n), and an at most {−4+2^(n−2)} reference voltages obtained by decimating a pre-set at least one reference voltage from {−3+2^(n−2)} reference voltages that are other than the four number of reference voltages from the {1+2^(n−2)} reference voltages corresponding to the voltage levels spaced each other at an interval of 4 levels from the Ath level. N is not less than 4 and not more than 2^(n−2). |
| US09224350B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and driving method of liquid crystal display device
In one frame period, a field period in which an image signal is input to pixels in odd-numbered rows and a field period in which an image signal is input to pixels in even-numbered rows are alternately provided. Hues of light transmitted to a pixel portion from a light supply portion are different between two sequential field periods. Further, in a plurality of field periods in one frame period, hues of light transmitted to the pixel portion from the light supply portion are different among a plurality of field periods in which image signals are input to the pixels in the odd-numbered rows, and/or those are different among a plurality of field periods in which image signals are input to the pixels in the even-numbered rows. |
| US09224349B2 |
Display device and driving method thereof
A disclosed display device includes a display panel with data lines and gate lines, the gate lines including odd-numbered gate lines and even-numbered gate lines. The display device also includes a timing controller to generate a gate output enable signal, and a gate output enable signal division circuit to extract odd-numbered high logic periods of the gate output enable signal to output a first gate output enable signal and to extract even-numbered high logic periods of the gate output enable signal to output a second gate output enable signal. The display device further includes a gate driver to supply a first gate pulse to an odd-numbered gate line in response to the first gate output enable signal and a second gate pulse to an even-numbered gate line in response to the second output enable signal. |
| US09224335B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display device and method for driving the same
Discussed are an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device and a method for driving the same. The OLED display device includes pixels each including a light emitting element, and a pixel driving circuit. The pixel driving circuit includes a driving switching element connected in series between high and low-level voltage supply lines, together with the light emitting element, a first switching element for connecting a data line and a first node connected to a gate of the driving switching element in response to a first scan signal, a second switching element for connecting an initialization voltage supply line and a second node connected to a source of the driving switching element in response to a second scan signal, and a third switching element for connecting the high-level voltage supply line and a drain of the driving switching element in response to an emission signal. |
| US09224332B2 |
Organic light-emitting display device
An organic light-emitting display device includes: an organic light-emitting panel in which a plurality of pixel regions are arranged, the pixel regions each including a drive transistor configured to drive an organic light emission element and a sensing transistor configured to detect a threshold voltage of the drive transistor during a sensing interval; and a controller configured to compare a pixel number of a low grayscale range and a pixel number of a high grayscale range, which are obtained from an image signal, and adjust the sensing interval according to a compared resultant. |
| US09224330B2 |
Display device for reducing dynamic false contour
A display device includes a display panel and a timing controller. The display panel includes a plurality of pixels, and the timing controller determines a driving method that includes a first sub-frame arrangement method and a second sub-frame arrangement method. An arrangement of weight values of a plurality of sub-frames of the second sub-frame arrangement method is given in an opposite order from an arrangement of weight values of a plurality of sub-frames of the first sub-frame arrangement method. The timing controller applies the first sub-frame arrangement method to a first pixel among the pixels, and applies the second sub-frame arrangement method to a second pixel that is disposed next to the first pixel. |
| US09224327B2 |
Power supply device, display apparatus having the same, and power supply method
A display apparatus includes an OLED panel receiving an input of a video signal and a plurality of driving power levels for RGB colors and displaying an image, a video signal providing unit providing the video signal to the OLED panel, and a power supply supplying the plurality of driving power levels to the OLED panel unit and performing individual feedback control for each of the plurality of driving power levels. |
| US09224316B2 |
Wall plaque with decorative graphic and methods of making the same
Implementations of the present invention provide systems, apparatus, and methods for precisely placing a graphic in a desired position between a face panel and a rear panel. In particular, implementations of the present invention comprise wall plaques having graphics that are printed directly to the back surface of face panels. Printing a graphic directly to the back surface of a face panel may help to ensure that the graphic is flat on the back surface of the face panel and is not misaligned. In addition, printing a graphic directly to the back surface of a face panel may help to eliminate the possibility that the graphic will be wrinkled, torn, or otherwise damaged prior to being laminated on the back surface of a face panel. Implementations of the present invention may also make the manufacturing process more efficient both in terms of cost and time. |
| US09224314B2 |
Identification label unit
An identification label unit capable of allowing authenticity determination of a product is provided.According to the present invention, an identification label unit, including: an identification label provided with an identifier; a viewer plate to cover the identification label; and a retaining member to retain the identification label and the viewer plate so as to allow relative rotation of the identification label or the viewer plate with respect to each other; wherein: display and non-display of the identification label is switched by relative rotation of the identification label or the viewer plate with respect to each other, is provided. |
| US09224306B2 |
Soil behavior simulator for agricultural implement blades
A soil behavior simulator is provided that includes a particle recirculation system configured to flow particulate material along an agricultural implement blade, and a drive unit configured to drive the agricultural implement blade in rotation. |
| US09224303B2 |
Computer based system for training workers
A computer based system having one or more computers is provided. In one embodiment, the system comprises a plurality of trainee client computers. The system can include at least one controlled digital character and a non-trainee digital entity, a plurality of models, and a rendering module for rendering the models on a display. The system is usable in training workforce teams and in a wide variety of additional applications. |
| US09224301B2 |
System and method for providing advisory support information on downlink clearance and reports
A method for requesting air traffic control (ATC) clearance comprising receiving user input to display an ATC clearance request page corresponding to a respective flight parameter; based on the received user input, requesting a computed value for the respective flight parameter from a flight management (FMS) system; and displaying the computed value with the ATC clearance request page corresponding to the respective flight parameter. |
| US09224295B2 |
Automated system for preventing vehicle bunching
The present invention contemplates a distributed automatic control system for preventing the vehicle bunching. Information of vehicle locations is automatically detected and used to determine the positions and velocities of vehicles along a route. Vehicles pass predetermined points, such as stations, along the route. Information about whether the vehicle skipped the station, arrived at the station, or departed from the station, is automatically calculated based on the position and velocity information. This information is distributed among the vehicles that belong to the same route. An in-vehicle controller dynamically calculates holding times at each station and displays the information to the driver so that buses do not get too close to one another, thereby preventing bunching while maintaining appropriate speeds of the vehicles. |
| US09224294B1 |
Automobile emergency vehicle warning display system
An factory installed automobile emergency vehicle warning display system to alert a motorist of an approaching emergency vehicle as the emergency vehicle transmits an RF (or other) signal which is received by a sensory-receiver. The sensory-receiver then communicates to a visual-alarm to display a message and to an audible-alarm to transmit a corresponding audible message through a speaker. |
| US09224290B1 |
Presence-based device operation
Data indicative of user proximity to one or more devices is provided to a server. Based on the proximity data, the server may modify content distribution to, or the behavior of, the one or more devices. In one implementation, determination that no user is proximate to the device may result in pausing or stopping streaming of content to the server. |
| US09224289B2 |
System and method of determining occupant location using connected devices
A vehicle computing system enabling one or more processors to establish a communication connection with at least one of a plurality of handheld computing devices within a vehicle while enabling and determining infotainment control based on the location of the handheld device in the vehicle. The system may determine if the at least one of a plurality of handheld computing devices is a driver or non-driver handheld computing device based on a detected location of the communication connection. The system may determine that the at least one of a plurality of handheld computing devices is a non-driver handheld computing device based on the detected location, therefore enabling infotainment control from the non-driver handheld device. The system may determine that the at least one of a plurality of handheld computing devices is a driver handheld computing device based on the detected location, therefore limiting infotainment control from the driver handheld device. |
| US09224285B1 |
Alarm probability
Alarm system technology, in which an alarm event is detected at a property monitored by an alarm system when the alarm system was set in an armed state. Based on detection of the alarm event, an alarm probability score that indicates a likelihood of the alarm event being an emergency situation is determined and the alarm event is handled based on the determined alarm probability score. |
| US09224281B2 |
Smoke detector sensor network system and method
A system and method for detecting smoke in a compartment that includes a first set of sensors, a second set of sensors and a processor. Each sensor in the first set is configured to sense particles. Each sensor in the second set is configured to sense at least one gas. The processor is configured to receive first input data from the first set of sensors and second input data from the second set of sensors, to compare the second input data with a noise level when the first input data indicates that particles are present in the compartment, and to generate an alert signal when the second input data exceeds the noise level. The processor preferably calculates a rate of change of the second data and compares the second input data with the noise level only when the rate of change of the second data exceeds a third threshold. |
| US09224280B2 |
Security wrap
A security wrap (20) for protecting an electronic component (16) includes a substrate (26) having a first side and a second side opposite to each other. A conductive path (22) is disposed over the first side of the substrate (26) and has first and second ends coupled to the electronic component (16), and a pattern selected from a plurality of predetermined patterns. A layer of adhesive (28) is over the first side of the substrate (26) and bonds the first side of the substrate (26) to the electronic component (16) with the conductive path (22) sandwiched there between. |
| US09224279B2 |
Tour monitoring device
A monitoring device that is capable of setting both of the tour monitoring time and the unmoving object monitoring time without restriction. A tour monitoring unit causes an image pickup unit to perform a tour monitoring. An unmoving object monitoring unit performs an unmoving object detection process and an unmoving object determination process at positions subjected to the tour monitoring. A control unit performs a control such that the tour monitoring is performed at a position different from the position where the unmoving object detection process is performed after the unmoving object detection process is performed and the unmoving object determination process is performed after the tour monitoring is performed at the different position. |
| US09224276B2 |
Writing underlay that generates awakening effect
Power of concentration of a person at a study time usually declines with the passage of time. However, a practical and concrete method of actively providing a stimulus that makes the person less drowsy, that is, a device that realizes provision of a local exercise stimulus that vibrates a part of a human body, has not been developed. The invention provides an underlay that is used as a stationery product and that generates an awakening effect, the underlay having plural shapes of protrusions and indentations at an upper surface side of the underlay. |
| US09224275B2 |
Media processing method using multiple processing units for performing multiple processes
A media processing method comprising receiving, by a first connection unit, a command sent from a host computer; and detecting, by an external device control unit, a process that can be executed by an external processing device. One or more controlling operations are performed by a control unit based on the command received by the first connection unit. Such control entails (i) executing a first process by a first processing unit, or (ii) executing a second process by a second processing unit when the external processing device cannot execute the command, the second process being different than the first process, or (iii) transmitting the command by a second connection unit to the external processing device when the external processing device can execute the command. |
| US09224274B1 |
System and method for financial services device usage
A system and method is provided to enable a financial services device, such as, for example, an ATM or financial services kiosk, to support a variety of card types. The card may be used for login purposes. The financial services device according to exemplary embodiments may be capable of supporting both magnetic strip only cards and EMV type cards. A card is inserted into a card reader, the card type is determined, and the card is removed. When an EMV card is recognized, the financial services may request the card be reinserted into the card reader whereupon it is clamped and held for the duration of interaction with the financial services device. |
| US09224271B2 |
Alphanumeric slot game system and method
A slot game and systems and methods for administering the slot game wherein the slot administrator defines game parameters that in turn define the contours of the slot game. Game play consists of wagers made on plays of alphanumeric combinations that a player tries to successfully match with the characters on spinning slot wheels. |
| US09224265B2 |
Gaming system and method for providing an offer and acceptance game
A gaming system for providing a multiple round offer and acceptance game with a multi-component offers. In various embodiments, the offer and acceptance game is a multi-round offer and acceptance game, wherein the player's decisions during one or more rounds of the offer and acceptance game determine, at least in part, whether the player will play or participate in each of the subsequent rounds of the offer and acceptance game. In these embodiments, for each played round of the offer and acceptance game, the gaming system enables the player to accept or reject one or more different offers which have different award values and also contribute different amounts toward terminating the play of the offer and acceptance game. |
| US09224264B2 |
Multiple currency bill acceptor
Provided is a multi-currency bill acceptor that can easily convert an existing cashless system into a multi-currency cashless system at low cost. In the case of reading a ticket, the multi-currency bill acceptor converts information on the ticket into data in a ticket format readable by a game controller and sends it to the game controller; in the case of reading a bill, it sends information on the bill to the game controller in a form of data converted into a ticket format. |
| US09224257B2 |
Payment authorized lock system and methods of making and using the same
A payment authorized door and/or gate lock system that controls access to a given area through the processing, storage and recollection of data input through a touchscreen user interface. |
| US09224256B2 |
Walk-through security gate, in particular for use at airports
The invention relates to a walk-through security gate (1), in particular for the use at airports for demarcation between a secured zone and an unsecured zone, wherein the gate can be opened in accordance with the checking of access data such as a flight ticket and a blocking element (6) that blocks the gate is pivoted from a blocked position into a walk-through position in the context. Corresponding fully automatic solutions are part of the prior art in the context. For various reasons, however, there is a need for being able to also operate such “self-boarding gates” semi-automatically, i.e. in conjunction with support staff, wherein in the context the problem of the operating personnel obstructing the gate delimited by guide elements (4) arises. According to the invention, the problems is solved in that a console (5) is associated with at least one of the guide elements (4) that delimit the gate, by means of which console (5) the access data can be automatically retrieved. At the same time, the console (5) is additionally provided with a manual scanner (8). When the manual scanner is put into operation, the scanner (7) of the console (5) used for the automatic checking is taken out of operation and thus the checking of the access data is possible in manual operation, and at least one blocking element (6) that blocks the gate is pivoted into a walk-through position only in accordance with the checking of the access data by means of a manual scanner (8). |
| US09224255B2 |
Vehicle diagnostic system, vehicle diagnostic method, and vehicle
Provided are a vehicle configured such that if idling does not automatically stop, an in-vehicle display will occur immediately if a malfunction is the cause, thereby enabling a driver to have peace of mind and concentrate on driving, without giving the driver an unnecessary sense of unease; a vehicle diagnostic system therefor; and a vehicle diagnostic method. The vehicle comprises an idle stop error display unit provided corresponding to a specific ECU among a plurality of ECUs, and that indicates that an idle stop malfunction has occurred, being a malfunction corresponding to a second IS malfunction code, when a malfunction has occurred within a control target range for any among the plurality of ECUs, said malfunction recording the second IS malfunction code which does not cause the operation of a warning light requesting inspection or repair of an error that has occurred inside the vehicle. |
| US09224253B2 |
External diagnosis device, vehicle diagnosis system and vehicle diagnosis method
In an external diagnosis device, a vehicle diagnosis method and a vehicle diagnosis system, when an IGSW is on, power is supplied from a vehicle-mounted power supply to the external diagnosis device, and a capacitor provided on the external diagnosis device is charged, and when the IGSW is turned off, the power supply from the vehicle-mounted power supply to the external diagnosis device is stopped, and power is supplied from the capacitor to the external diagnosis device. |
| US09224249B2 |
Peripheral access devices and sensors for use with vehicle telematics devices and systems
A telematics method and system includes, and uses, a telematics device with a controller in communication with a diagnostic system configured to receive diagnostic information from a host vehicle; a position-locating system configured to determine location information of the host vehicle; a wireless transceiver configured to transmit and receive information through a wireless network to and from at least one Internet-accessible website; and, a communication interface including at least a short range wireless interface link. The telematics device may be embodied in an access device, which may include the position-locating system. The access device may be a smartphone, or similar device, that retrieves/transmits diagnostic data/information, and other data/information to/from the vehicle via the short range wireless link. The access device performs various telematics device functions; it uses a long range wireless interface to communicate diagnostic and related information to a central host computer, and to receive related information from same. |
| US09224244B2 |
Parameterized graphical representation of buildings
The invention relates to generating a three-dimensional (3D) graphical representation of a building. The method comprises establishing appearance control data comprising information on parameterized architectural features of the building and on building blocks which are fragments indicative of the building, and retrieving template data from a database based on references in the appearance control data, wherein the template data relates to a prefabricated graphical representation of the building blocks. The method further comprises, for each building block, calculating a 3D graphical representation of the building block based on the respective template data and the appearance control data, and combining the 3D graphical representations of the building blocks based on the appearance control data to generate the 3D graphical representation of the building. |
| US09224239B2 |
Look-based selection for rendering a computer-generated animation
A system and method for computing a rendered image of a computer-generated object in a computer-generated scene. A dependency graph is accessed, the dependency graph including a plurality of interconnected nodes including a look-selector node. An asset is accessed at an input to the look-selector node. The asset includes a plurality of looks for the computer-generated object, each look of the plurality of looks corresponding to a different visual appearance of the computer-generated object. At the look-selector node, an active look is selected from the plurality of looks. The active look is passed to a next node of the dependency graph. The rendered image of the computer-generated object is computed having a visual appearance that corresponds to the active look. |
| US09224236B2 |
Interactive changing of the depiction of an object displayed using volume rendering
A depiction of a three-dimensional object that is displayed using volume rendering is influenced. A representation of the object, in which values of a variable characterizing the object are given at spatial points of the object and in which color values are allocated to the variable during the course of rendering, is provided. A set of points defined in the space of representation of the object is input, and a distance from spatial points incorporated by the representation to the set of points is calculated. Color values allocated to spatial points are modified, or color values are determined according to the calculated distance. A depiction of the object by volume rendering is calculated using the representation of the object, the representation incorporating the modified or determined color values. |
| US09224232B2 |
Stereoscopic image generation device, stereoscopic image display device, stereoscopic image adjustment method, program for causing computer to execute stereoscopic image adjustment method, and recording medium on which the program is recorded
A stereoscopic image generation device that generates a stereoscopic image including a right-eye image and a left-eye image is provided. The stereoscopic image generation device includes an image enlarging/reducing unit that enlarges or reduces the right-eye image and the left-eye image which constitute stereoscopic image data, and a display control unit that performs control to display a stereoscopic image by showing the right-eye image and the left-eye image of the stereoscopic image data for a right eye and a left eye, respectively. The image enlarging/reducing unit enlarges or reduces the right-eye image and the left-eye image on the basis of parallax amount adjustment information, which includes a position of a right-eye-image reference point and a position of a left-eye-image reference point which are respectively provided at different positions for the right-eye image and the left-eye image, and enlargement ratios of the right-eye image and the left-eye image, with reference to the right-eye-image reference point and the left-eye-image reference point. Accordingly, a position in the depth direction can be easily controlled while adjusting a parallax. |
| US09224231B2 |
Augmented reality system indexed in three dimensions
A portable computerized device is configured to display a three dimensional graphic. The portable computerized device includes a camera device capturing an image including location data for each of a plurality of tokens. The portable computerized device is configured to display the three dimensional graphic based upon the location data. |
| US09224230B2 |
Method of displaying three-dimensional image and display apparatus for performing the same
A method of displaying a three-dimensional (“3D”) image includes generating a frame image including a plurality of image blocks having a left-eye image and a right-eye image which are alternately arranged, the frame image displayed on a display panel and driving each of a plurality of shutter blocks in an active 3D panel as a first mode corresponding to the left-eye image or a second mode corresponding to the right-eye image so that left and right eyes of the viewer view the left-eye image and the right-eye image. |
| US09224229B2 |
Process and apparatus for data registration
A process of bringing first and second data sets into registration/conformity with each other. A plurality of candidate data sets are provided, each being a differently shifted or distorted form of a reference data set. Each of the first and second data sets and the reference data set being a representation of a particular physical object. The process compares respectively the first and second data sets with each of the candidate data sets and in dependence on the comparisons to determine respective first and second transformations that bring into registration or conformity with each other the reference data set and a particular candidate data set out of the plurality of candidate data sets which provides a best match with the respective first and second data sets, and brings the first and second data sets into registration/conformity with each other in dependence on the first and second transformations. |
| US09224224B2 |
Methods and systems for predictive clinical planning and design and integrated execution services
Systems and methods for predictive clinical planning, design, and integrated execution services are provided. The system may comprise a database, a web server, an application server, and a client.The system may be used to develop a strategic map of a proposed clinical plan, wherein the clinical plan may include a draft launch label attribute, one or more strategies, and a schema; linking the clinical plan and schema to one or more trials; subsequently linking the trials to one or more objectives and measures; subsequently linking none, one, or a plurality of objectives to none, one, or a plurality of measures; identifying patient criteria and enrolling patients from one or more investigator sites located in one or more countries; and integrating the clinical plan with a clinical plan execution application. |
| US09224222B2 |
Interactive multidimensional drilldown analysis
Analytical functions to be applied to business intelligence data may be sequentially selected from a set of chips, each corresponding to a different function. A function associated with a selected chip may be applied to the business intelligence data and the selected chip may be added to an analysis path with other selected chips in a sequential order of selection. A result, which may include at least two selectable data points, may be displayed. Once a data point selection is made, the selection may be used to limit the functions associated with subsequently displayed chips to the selected data points. The chips listed in the analysis path may be used to change prior data point selections, the changes of which may be automatically propagated to any subsequently selected chips as indicated in the analysis path. |
| US09224220B2 |
Eye image simulation device, eye image generation method, and eye image generation program
An eye image simulation device is provided that generates an eye image using information relating to an eyelash shape that is set up by a user. The eye image simulation device includes an eyelash generation unit that generates eyelashes with polygons using the information relating to the eyelash shape, a form alteration unit that alters a form that is configured by connecting the tips of the eyelashes generated by the eyelash generation unit, and a simulation image generation unit that generates the eye image using the eyelashes generated by the eyelash generation unit or the form altered by the form alteration unit. |
| US09224219B2 |
Systems and methods for presenting a free-form drawing
Systems and method for presenting a free-form drawing are described. In some aspects, a first point, a second point, and a third point from an input curve in the free-form drawing are received. A first quadratic Bezier curve is determined, where a control point of the first quadratic Bezier curve includes the second point and endpoints of the first quadratic Bezier curve include the first point and the third point. A first portion of the first quadratic Bezier curve is provided for display, where endpoints of the first portion of the first quadratic Bezier curve include the first point and a second terminal point, and where the first portion of the first quadratic Bezier curve does not include the third point. |
| US09224217B2 |
Analytical charting
Methods, program products, and systems for analytical charting are described. A system implementing analytical charting techniques can receive a selection input from a data view displaying data retrieved from a database table. The system can determine a context of the selection input, a data environment in which the selection input is received, and characteristics of data being selected. Based on the context, the data environment, and the characteristics, the system can generate a chart data grouping that specifies a relationship between data in a chart. The system can automatically specify one or more data series for the chart based on the chart data grouping. The system can generate chart parameters automatically and transparently to the user. The system can provide the system-generated chart parameters for display and allow user modification to the system-generated chart parameters. The system can then generate a chart using the chart parameters. |
| US09224215B2 |
Apparatus and method for encoding/decoding images for intra-prediction
A method of decoding an image includes the steps of restoring a residual value by performing inverse quantization and inverse transform on the residual value by entropy decoding a received bit stream, generating a prediction unit by performing intra prediction selectively using one of a plurality of prediction modes on a prediction unit split by conducting at least one of asymmetric partitioning and geometrical partitioning, and restoring an image by adding the residual value to the prediction unit. It may be possible to enhance encoding efficiency of high-resolution images having a resolution of HD or higher by performing intra prediction on the asymmetric partitioning and/or geometrical partitioning. |
| US09224211B2 |
Method and system for motion detection in an image
Embodiments for moving object detection in an image are disclosed. These include detecting a moving object in an input image by selecting video frames that are visually similar to the input image, generating a model motion image by estimating motion for each selected video frame, and detecting, using the model motion image, a moving object in the input image based on differences between the model motion image and the input image. |
| US09224200B2 |
Computer vision based method for extracting features relating to the developmental stages of Trichuris spp. eggs
There is provided a computer vision based method for extracting features relating to the developmental stages of Trichuris spp. eggs, wherein for the final developmental stages a larva is present inside the egg, said Trichuris spp. eggs having a substantially oblong or elliptical shape with a protruding polar plug at each end, the shape of the Trichuris spp. eggs thereby defining a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction of the eggs. |
| US09224198B2 |
Analysis of the digital image of the surface of a tyre and processing of non-measurement points
In a method for processing an image of a surface of a tire, a 3D digital image of the surface is captured, and each pixel of the captured image is assigned a grey level value proportional to an elevation of a corresponding point with respect to the surface. The pixels are placed in rows and columns. A search is made for zones of the surface that include pixels having a grey-level value lower than a given threshold. Boundaries of an encompassing box that includes one or more of the zones are determined. Inside the encompassing box, a grey-level value equal to a mean grey-level value of a set of reference pixels (Kij, si) positioned in a zone situated in immediate proximity to a pixel under consideration is assigned to each of the pixels whose grey-level value is lower than the given threshold. |
| US09224197B2 |
Method and apparatus for implementing optical roll scanning to identify defects in roll components used in an image production device
A system and method are provided for employing a unique optical roll scanning technique, scheme or process for detecting and identifying periodic surface defects associated with rolls usable in image production devices. An apparatus is provided for mounting the roll to implement an inspection technique that facilitates forming an image of a surface of the roll by rotating the roll through an entire cycle above a full width scanner device. The formed image of the surface of the scanned roll is filtered and analyzed particularly by applying a Fourier analysis technique, and/or by subjecting the filtered image data to a series of fast Fourier transforms (FFTs), potentially including 2D FFTs. The analysis process allows detected periodic defects in the formed image of the surface of the roll under analysis to be characterized by a magnitude of a response in a spatial frequency domain. |
| US09224194B2 |
Joint video deblurring and stabilization
Joint video deblurring and stabilization techniques are described. In one or more implementations, a deblurring and stabilization module is configured to jointly deblur and stabilize a video by grouping video frames into spatial-neighboring frame clusters, and building local mesh homographies for video frames in each spatial-neighboring frame cluster. |
| US09224190B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing image taken under low illumination environment
A method and apparatus for processing an image for enhancing an image quality captured in a low illumination environment is disclosed. The method for processing the image may include estimating motion information based on a base frame among input frames captured using a short exposure time and high ISO sensitivity conditions, removing noise of the base frame using the motion information, and enhancing an image quality of the base frame from which the noise has been removed using a reference frame captured under a long exposure condition. |
| US09224189B2 |
Method and apparatus for combining panoramic image
The disclosure discloses a method and an apparatus for combining panoramic image. The method includes: obtaining multiple original images of the same scene, performing folding change and coordinates transformation to the multiple original images, and determining an overlapping area of the multiple original images; establishing a mathematical model of the multiple original images, aligning the overlapping area of the multiple original images, and transforming the multiple original images to a coordinate system of a reference image; obtaining the space transformation relationship among/between the multiple original images according to the coordinate system of the reference image, selecting an appropriate image combining strategy, and completing the combining of the images. The solution can realize obtaining scene picture with large field of view without reducing image resolution. |
| US09224187B2 |
Wavefront order to scan order synchronization
Blocks of pixels from a video frame may be encoded in a block processing pipeline using wavefront ordering, e.g. according to knight's order. Each of the encoded blocks may be written to a particular one of multiple buffers such that the blocks written to each of the buffers represent consecutive blocks of the frame in scan order. Stitching information may be written to the buffers at the end of each row. A stitcher may read the rows from the buffers in order and generate a scan order output stream for the frame. The stitcher component may read the stitching information at the end of each row and apply the stitching information to one or more blocks at the beginning of a next row to stitch the next row to the previous row. Stitching may involve modifying pixel(s) of the blocks and/or modifying metadata for the blocks. |
| US09224184B2 |
Methods and arrangements for identifying objects
The present disclosure relates generally to digital watermarking and grocery/retail store checkout. One claim recites a system comprising: a 2D camera for capturing imagery of packaged items, the packaged items including digital watermarking printed on product packaging; one or more processors programmed for: prioritizing at least some image areas from within at least one captured imagery frame for digital watermark detection based on: i) area brightness, and on ii) area frame location; and detecting digital watermarks from one or more image areas prioritized from the prioritizing image areas, in which the detecting digital watermarks analyzes image areas in order of prioritization. Of course, other features, combinations and claims are also provided. |
| US09224180B2 |
Remotely-executed medical diagnosis and therapy including emergency automation
Devices, systems, methods, and software for providing remote medical diagnosis and therapy to a subject comprising: a module for conducting telecommunications with a telemedicalist; a module for applying a diagnostic or a therapeutic analysis; an apparatus for dispensing one or more medical items from an inventory of medical items, the inventory of medical items risk profiled to a subject, a population, a venue, or a situation; and optionally, a biosensor apparatus. |
| US09224177B2 |
Systems and methods for searching for and translating real estate descriptions from diverse sources utilizing an operator-based product definition
Disclosed herein are: systems capable of searching, receiving and conglomerating the data from real estate databases of varying formats, and translating that received into a common format; execution of pre-defined translation rules referencing data tags used within the system or the originating databases; rules constructed in a simple, hierarchical or a class-based structure whereby one rule depends upon the output of another rule for its input; data sources prioritized or merged where the same property-related information is presented in more than one source; map definitions containing rule sets crafted for a particular use, such as for a particular consumer or user; such systems used in the course of real estate appraisals, in property search reports, extending across databases of differing formats. Detailed information on various example embodiments of the inventions are provided in the Detailed Description below, and the inventions are defined by the appended claims. |
| US09224175B2 |
Collecting naturally expressed affective responses for training an emotional response predictor utilizing voting on content
Described herein are systems, methods, and computer program products for collecting naturally expressed affective responses for training an emotional response predictor utilizing voting on content. In one embodiment, a label generator is configured to receive a vote, provided by a user, on a segment of content consumed by the user. The label generator determines whether the user consumed the segment during a duration that is shorter than a predetermined threshold, and utilizes the vote to generate a label related to an emotional response to the segment. A training module receives the label and measurement of an affective response of the user taken, at least in part, during a period that starts at most 30 seconds before the vote is provided, and trains the emotional response predictor with the measurement and the label. |
| US09224174B2 |
Determining influence in a social networking system
An influence metric describing the influence of a social networking system object on social networking system users is determined based on affinities between the users and the object. For example, affinities between the associated users and the object are combined to determine the influence metric. Content may be selected for presentation to users based in part on influence metrics of the content. Additionally, influence metrics of objects associated with a user may be combined to determine the relevance of objects associated with the user, which may also be used to select content for presentation to the user. |
| US09224172B2 |
Customizable content for distribution in social networks
Particular embodiments of the present invention are related to customizing content based on a social context associated with the viewer of the content. The social context may include information regarding the viewer's friends or contacts in a social network, and information regarding the interaction of such friends or contacts with the customizable content. |
| US09224166B2 |
Retrieving product information from embedded sensors via mobile device video analysis
A system for accessing product information from embedded sensors via mobile device video analysis is disclosed. The system includes a processing device configured for analyzing a video stream of the surrounding environment captured on a mobile device. At least one product that has one or more embedded sensors associated therewith is identified within the surrounding environment. The system retrieves information associated with the one or more products from the one or more embedded sensors. Information retrieved, or information derived from the information retrieved, from the embedded sensors is presented to the user via a display of the video stream on the mobile device. |
| US09224161B2 |
System and method for verifying message delivery integrity in a wireless mobile message broadcasting system
A system and method verifying the operational integrity of a wireless message broadcasting messaging system with a heartbeat message generator module and a heartbeat feedback reporting system for receiving a broadcast message record including the broadcast message and the broadcast target area defined as geographical information, generating a heartbeat broadcast message, identifying by the broadcast message routing subsystem at least one wireless network providing point to multipoint cell broadcasting messaging to at least a portion of the broadcast target area, transmitting the broadcast message to each of the identified wireless networks, and transmitting the generated heartbeat message to at least one coupled wireless network in addition to transmitting the heartbeat broadcast message to each of the identified wireless networks, and receiving an indication of receipt of the heartbeat broadcast message from a remote feedback receiver verifying the receipt of the message as indicated by the received indication. |
| US09224160B2 |
System and method for message receipt verification in a wireless mobile message broadcasting system
A system and method for verifying the receipt of wireless broadcast messages over a wireless message broadcasting system having a broadcast control module and a feedback reporting system for performing the receiving a broadcast message record including the broadcast message and the broadcast target area defined as geographical information, identifying at least one wireless network from among one or more coupled wireless networks that provides point to multipoint cell broadcasting messaging to at least a portion of the message specific broadcast target area as received in the broadcast message record, and transmitting the broadcast message to each of the identified wireless networks, and receiving an indication of receipt of the broadcast message by a remote feedback receiver located within a transmission area of at least one of the coupled wireless networks, and verifying the receipt of the message as indicated by the received indication. |
| US09224157B2 |
Method and apparatus for presenting content in response to user inputs using dynamic intelligent profiling
Different users may receive different information in response to a selection of the same link that is displayed on a website, mobile site or in the real world. The content delivered to a particular user may be dependent on the time of the selection, the geographic location of the user, a weather condition at the geographical location, personal information associated with the user, a number of previous selections of the link by prior individuals, and any combination of the these or other variables, which may be determined by an originator of the link or another party. Dynamic intelligent profiling platforms may be established for determining content or destinations to be presented to customer devices interacting with any of a variety of touchpoints, based on the real-world conditions of each customer. |
| US09224155B2 |
Systems and methods for managing publication of online advertisements
Exemplary embodiments provide systems, devices, one or more non-transitory computer-readable media and computer-executable methods for managing publication of online advertising. In exemplary embodiments, computer-based publication techniques may include, but is not limited to, automatically determining whether the content of a particular web page article is suitable or unsuitable for accompaniment with one or more advertisements, automatically determining whether an advertisement is suitable or unsuitable for publication on a web page associated with a web page article, and automatically determining a category that may be used to classify the content of a web page article in order to select one or more categories of advertisements suitable for accompaniment with the web page article. |
| US09224154B2 |
System and method for administering a loyalty program and processing payments
The present invention is directed to a system and method for administration of a customer loyalty program at a point of sale terminal. The system, in one embodiment, contains a database of customer records for the loyalty program where each customer record contains information about a customer's payment device and information about a customer's mobile device. The system may locate a customer record in a database based on payment device or mobile device information captured at the point of sale terminal and apply any applicable loyalty program discounts. The system may then forward the payment device information to a third-party payment processor for payment processing. The system may print out a receipt at the point of sale terminal indicating any discounts and containing a promotional message. The system may also send a promotional message to the customer's mobile device using the mobile device information stored in the customer's record. |
| US09224146B2 |
Apparatus and method for point of sale terminal fraud detection
A system, apparatus, method and computer programming for monitoring security of a payment terminal is described. There is provided monitoring of one or more security parameters associated with the payment terminal; detecting any violation of any one of the security parameters; classifying the detected any violation of the one or more of the security parameters into a classification; transmitting data regarding the any violation of the one or more of the security parameters, including the classification thereof, to a centralized terminal management server. If the any detected violation of the one or more of the security parameters is classified as potential fraudulent activity, there is also provided one or more security actions in response to the any detected violation of the one or more of the security parameters. |
| US09224145B1 |
Venue based digital rights using capture device with digital watermarking capability
A system for tracking copyright compliance comprises a database, the database including unique identifiers for a plurality of content capture devices. The unique identifiers may be obtained from devices prior to the presentation of protectable content, for example, by pre-registration during the process of obtaining a ticket to a performance or at a security checkpoint at an event. The unique identifiers may be associated with a copyright policy pertaining to content at the event. Each device may embed its unique identifier in content captured by the device, such as via a watermark. Software may obtain data embedded in content and access the database to determine the copyright status of the content by sending a request including data identifying the capture device. If content is obtained from an unauthorized source, the content may be traced back to a specific device. |
| US09224144B2 |
Securing communications with a pin pad
Described in an example embodiment herein is an apparatus comprising an input device and a processor communicatively coupled with the input device. The processor employs asymmetric encryption to provision the input device with a terminal master key. The processor employs the terminal master key with a symmetric encryption algorithm to transfer a communication key to the input device. The processor obtains data representative of a financial account. The processor receives data representative of the personal identification number for authorizing a financial transaction with the financial account from the input device, the data representative of the personal identification number is encrypted with the communication key. The processor receives a request for a financial transaction associated with the financial account via the input device. The processor determines whether the financial transaction is authorized based on the data representative of the personal identification number received from the input device. |
| US09224143B2 |
System and method for checkless cash advance settlement
Methods, devices, and systems for conducting a checkless cash access settlement are provided. In one embodiment, a cash advance method includes the following: a customer initiates a cash access transaction with a financial card via a cash access system; the customer receives authorization or denial; the customer provides identification and the financial card to a cashier or attendant; the cashier or attendant validates the customer's identity, retrieves the transaction information, and completes the cash advance application; the application prints a non-negotiable instrument, such as a transaction receipt; the customer signs the receipt confirming the transaction with a physical receipt or electronic capture; the receipt image is stored electronically for subsequent transmittal to a central server; the transaction information, including the receipt image if applicable, is recorded on the central server; and the central server generates an ACH file and electronically transmits the ACH file to a designated financial institution. |
| US09224142B2 |
Card reader with power efficient architecture that includes a power supply and a wake up circuit
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in a card reader with a read head positioned in a housing. The read head is configured to be coupled to a mobile device and has a slot for swiping a magnetic stripe of a card. The read head reads data on the magnetic stripe and produces a raw magnetic signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe. A power supply is coupled to wake-up electronics and a microcontroller. An output jack is adapted to be inserted in a port of the mobile device and deliver an output jack signal to the mobile device. |
| US09224141B1 |
Encoding a magnetic stripe of a card with data of multiple cards
A method and apparatus for encoding a magnetic stripe area of a magnetic stripe card with account data from multiple cards are disclosed. The magnetic stripe card (“the card”) can be associated with account data from multiple cards, such as account data from a driver's license and from various payment cards, such as a credit card, a debit card, and a pre-paid gift card. Location information indicating the location of the card can be obtained, and account data for the multiple cards associated with the card can be selected based on a criterion, such as based on the location information. The card includes a magnetic stripe emulator, and the emulator is encoded with account data of the multiple cards, such that with a single swipe of the card through a card reader, the card reader can read the account data of the multiple cards from the magnetic stripe area. |
| US09224140B2 |
Near field communication activation and authorization
A method of activation and authorization of a near field communication (NFC) enabled device comprising: receiving login information from an NFC enabled device; sending packet data via a network in response to receiving the login information from the NFC enabled device; and receiving corresponding data from the NFC enabled device in response to the sending of the packet data, the sending of the packet data and the receiving of the corresponding code facilitates the activation and authorization of the NFC enabled device, and the subsequent activation of the NFC device via a NFC link without further authorization of the NFC enabled device, is described herein. |
| US09224138B2 |
POS control system, control method of a POS control system, and printing device
A POS control system 1 has a POS terminal 8 that transmits print control data; a printer 12 including a print unit 41, a print control unit 29 that controls the print unit 41 based on the print control data, and a print data communication unit 26 that transmits the print control data by a first WebSocket connection CT1; and a print data process unit 51 that executes a process based on the received print control data. |
| US09224135B2 |
Method and apparatus for adaptive configuration for translation of business messages
A method of adapting a message translation system includes receiving a message from a sender; selecting a configuration set from a stored plurality of configuration sets based on at least two of: information regarding the sender of the message, information regarding a recipient of the message, and information regarding the message type; processing the message in accordance with information derived from the selected configuration set; identifying an issue with the processing of the message in accordance with information derived from the selected configuration set; determining a resolution for the identified issue with the processing of the message in accordance with information derived from the selected configuration set; updating the selected configuration set based upon the determined resolution; reprocessing the message in accordance with information derived from the updated configuration set; and transmitting the message reprocessed in accordance with information derived from the updated configuration set to a recipient. |
| US09224134B2 |
Arranging a conversation among a plurality of participants
Arrangements disclosed herein relate to arranging a conversation among a plurality of participants. At least one user input related to a conversation intended by at least one user to take place can be identified. The desired conversation can include the plurality of participants. The conversation need not pre-scheduled. Contextual information of the plurality of participants can be monitored in real time to determine whether it is presently appropriate for the conversation to take place. When the contextual information of the plurality of participants indicates that it is presently appropriate for the conversation to take place, initiation of the conversation can be attempted. |
| US09224133B2 |
Method for establishing interpersonal communication and system
A method includes determining a set of individuals available to participate in a chat event, and determining a pairing of individuals from the first set including a first individual and a second individual, the pairing based on matching criterion. The method also includes providing an invitation to the first individual and to the second individual, establishing communication between the first individual and the second individual in response to an acceptance of the first invitation by the first individual or in response to an acceptance of the first invitation by the second individual. |
| US09224126B2 |
Collaborative decision making
Techniques for collaborative decision making are presented. A collaborative decision making process is referred to as a buzz. A principal creates and defines the policies for the buzz as well as the criteria for participants of the buzz. The buzz is launched for online collaboration and is managed according to the policies. Actions and decisions are logged and recorded during the buzz. |
| US09224121B2 |
Demand-driven collaborative scheduling for just-in-time manufacturing
A schedule manager may include a chromosome comparator configured to compare a plurality of schedule chromosomes, each schedule chromosome including a potential schedule of use of manufacturing resources within one or more time intervals in producing one or more items, and configured to compare each of the plurality of schedule chromosomes relative to constraints, to thereby output a selected subset of the plurality of schedule chromosomes. The schedule manager may include a chromosome combiner configured to combine schedule chromosomes of the selected subset to obtain a next generation of schedule chromosomes for output to the chromosome comparator and for subsequent comparison therewith of the next generation of schedule chromosomes with respect to the constraints, as part of an evolutionary loop of the plurality of schedule chromosomes between the chromosome comparator and the chromosome combiner, and a scheduler configured to select a selected schedule chromosome therefrom. |
| US09224115B2 |
Information technology energy wastage management system
Various technologies related to managing energy wastage management in the information technology (IT) domain are described. Implementation of the described features can lead to considerable energy savings for organizations having significant information technology hardware. Attendance information from various sources can be incorporated into the system. Power state information from a lightweight client running at nodes can also be incorporated. Wastage results can be generated and provided to encourage reduction of wastage. Enforcement of wastage policies can also be implemented. Monitoring can be done on an individual, department, or campus-wide level. Management can be accomplished in many cases without having to invest in specialized sensors or other costly infrastructure. |
| US09224113B2 |
Preparing preliminary transaction work for a mobile banking customer
Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for transaction queuing. In some embodiments, a system is configured to: receive information associated with an intended transaction, wherein a user will execute the intended transaction at a facility at a user-defined time; determine preliminary work associated with the intended transaction that can be performed prior to the user-defined time; and perform the preliminary work associated with the intended transaction. The preliminary work is placed on a transaction queue until the user arrives at the facility. |
| US09224111B2 |
Message queue based product asset management auditing system
A server detects a product asset management operation and generates an event message corresponding to the product asset management operation. The event message includes data describing the product asset management operation. The server sends the event message to one or more message queues. One or more listeners that are associated to the one or more message queues can obtain the event message to perform an auditing action that indicates to a user an occurrence of the product asset management operation. |
| US09224110B2 |
Sub-problem optimization of supply chain planning problems
A system and method is disclosed for optimizing supply chain planning problems associated with a supply chain network. The system includes a supply chain planner coupled with one or more supply chain entities. The supply chain planner determines a supply chain plan for managing the flow of one or more items through the supply chain network. |
| US09224109B2 |
Filtered peer-to-peer business communication in a distributed computer environment
A method for filtered peer-to-peer business communication in a distributed computer environment includes accessing offers associated with one or more offerors and requests associated with one or more requestors, each offer and each request including a set of filter components. Filter components of offers are compared with corresponding filter components of requests to determine whether one or more offers match one or more requests. A match is determined between an offer and a request if the filter components of the offer match the corresponding filter components of the request. In response, at least a matching portion of the offer and request is replicated and communicated to both the offeror associated with the offer and the requestor associated with the request to provide filtered peer-to-peer communication between the offeror and requestor. |
| US09224106B2 |
Computationally efficient whole tissue classifier for histology slides
Systems and methods are disclosed for classifying histological tissues or specimens with two phases. In a first phase, the method includes providing off-line training using a processor during which one or more classifiers are trained based on examples, including: finding a split of features into sets of increasing computational cost, assigning a computational cost to each set; training for each set of features a classifier using training examples; training for each classifier, a utility function that scores a usefulness of extracting the next feature set for a given tissue unit using the training examples. In a second phase, the method includes applying the classifiers to an unknown tissue sample with extracting the first set of features for all tissue units; deciding for which tissue unit to extract the next set of features by finding the tissue unit for which a score: S=U−h*C is maximized, where U is a utility function, C is a cost of acquiring the feature and h is a weighting parameter; iterating until a stopping criterion is met or no more feature can be computed; and issuing a tissue-level decision based on a current state. |
| US09224102B2 |
Apparatus and method for analysing events from sensor data by optimisation
The present invention relates to sensor signal analysis. It relates particularly, but not exclusively, to methods, systems and devices for monitoring and processing the sensor signals to determine automatically characteristics of events represented by the sensor signals. The present invention is particularly, but not exclusively, related to methods, systems and devices for monitoring moisture in absorbent articles such as diapers, incontinence garments, dressings and pads resulting from wetness events caused by, for example, urinary and/or faecal incontinence. In an embodiment, the invention includes a method for processing sensor signals representing an event in an absorbent article. The method comprises: receiving sensor signals from a sensor representing one or more events in an absorbent article; and processing the sensor signals to determine a characteristic of at least one event in the absorbent article. One such characteristic can include the volume of a voiding event such as a urinary incontinence event. In another embodiment, the method includes carrying out a learning phase including the steps of: receiving sensor signals representing one or more events in each of one or more absorbent articles; receiving observation data indicative of a cumulative characteristic of the one or more events in each absorbent article; and identifying an optimal mathematical model describing a relationship between the sensor signals and the observation data. Such events can include urinary incontinence events occurring in absorbent articles such as diapers. Observation data can be measured cumulative volume of a cycle of voiding events occurring in a diaper. |
| US09224098B2 |
Sensitivity analysis tool for multi-parameter selection
Methods, software, products and systems used to support decision making in complex multidimensional problem environments. Methods, software, products and systems to prioritize solutions for selection based upon selection criteria and available data regarding the possible solutions. The methods achieve a robust approach to determine the sensitivity of a selection to a multi-parameter profile of selection criteria and the importance of such criteria. |
| US09224091B2 |
Learning artificial neural network using ternary content addressable memory (TCAM)
A circuit is provided for that includes one or more TCAM arrays including one or more matchlines configured to model a neural network. Each of the one or more TCAM arrays models a connected group of neurons such that input search data into the one or more matchlines is modeled as neuron dendrite information, and the output from the one or more matchlines is modeled as neuron axon information. The circuit further includes one or more additional bits included within each of the one or more matchlines that are configured to model connectivity strength between each neuron dendrite and axon. The circuit also includes a real-time learning block included within each of the one or more TCAM arrays configured to modify the connectivity strength between each neuron dendrite and axon using wild-cards written and stored in the one or more additional bits. |
| US09224090B2 |
Sensory input processing apparatus in a spiking neural network
Apparatus and methods for feedback in a spiking neural network. In one approach, spiking neurons receive sensory stimulus and context signal that correspond to the same context. When the stimulus provides sufficient excitation, neurons generate response. Context connections are adjusted according to inverse spike-timing dependent plasticity. When the context signal precedes the post synaptic spike, context synaptic connections are depressed. Conversely, whenever the context signal follows the post synaptic spike, the connections are potentiated. The inverse STDP connection adjustment ensures precise control of feedback-induced firing, eliminates runaway positive feedback loops, enables self-stabilizing network operation. In another aspect of the invention, the connection adjustment methodology facilitates robust context switching when processing visual information. When a context (such an object) becomes intermittently absent, prior context connection potentiation enables firing for a period of time. If the object remains absent, the connection becomes depressed thereby preventing further firing. |
| US09224087B2 |
Secure identification of a product
In a method for marking a product first a product identification (12) is generated (S1) and applied (S5) onto the product (21). Subsequently the product identification (26) applied onto the product (21) is captured (S6) and stored (S8, S9) in a product database (11). Here in particular also an independent authentication feature (22) is designated (S3, S5) and applied (S6) together with the product identification (26) onto the product (21) and stored (S8, S9) in the product database (11). |
| US09224086B2 |
Method for contacting a chip
The invention relates to a method for contacting a chip with a conductor arrangement and also to a conductor arrangement, particularly a transponder antenna, an intermediate carrier or the like, with a carrier substrate (55) for accommodating the chip and with a chip having chip terminal faces formed thereon, wherein a conductor material layer (66) is formed on the carrier substrate, wherein the conductor material layer forms a conductor arrangement (64) having at least two conductors (56, 57) which are connected to each other in a chip contact area (58), wherein an insulating gap (59) is formed in the chip contact area, such that mutually electrically insulated conductor terminal faces (60, 61) of the conductors are formed, wherein the chip terminal faces are contacted with the conductor terminal faces, and wherein the insulating gap is formed by removal of the conductor material layer by means of a laser. |
| US09224085B2 |
Electronic passport
An electronic passport in the form of a booklet, bearing a plurality of sheets sewn there among at the respective longitudinal center lines is described. The electronic passport has a cover sheet and a data sheet. The cover sheet has a layer made of fabric, an electronic inlay and an internal flyleaf layer and embedding an electronic data storage means provided with an antenna for radio transmission. The data sheet is made by a first and a second layer of plastic material. The data sheet defines a data page bearing identification data of a subject and a connecting page made fixed with the cover sheet, and also comprises an intermediate layer of flexible material extending at the center line of sewing. |
| US09224082B2 |
Combination of luminescent substances
The invention relates to a luminescent composition comprising a component which can be excited by infrared (IR) radiation and a component which can be excited by ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The composition has a characteristic emission spectrum and may optionally be used together with a reading system adapted to the emission spectrum in order to mark substances or mixtures of substances. |
| US09224081B2 |
Image recording apparatus
An image recording apparatus includes: at least one container, a recorder, a communication unit, an input device, a memory, a display, and a controller. The controller performs: receiving a recording command via the communication unit; storing the recording command in the memory; and detecting a remaining amount of the consumables in the container. And the controller further performs: calculating a consumption amount of the consumables in accordance with the stored recording command; receiving authentication information; authenticating the stored recording command and comparing the detected remaining amount of the consumables with the calculated consumption amount to be consumed for the image of the authenticated recording command; and displaying information of a first authenticated recording command with a first indication indicating the first authenticated recording command is executed, when the calculated consumption amount is equal to or less than the detected remaining amount. |
| US09224078B2 |
Image forming apparatus, method, and computer-readable storage medium for forming images on recording media such as paper having different sizes
An image forming apparatus is provided with a storage unit for storing setting information including at least a size of a substitute recording medium, and a processing unit for executing a print instruction by automatically changing a size of a recording medium to be used to the size of the substitute recording medium based on the setting information stored in the storage means, when the size of the recording medium specified by the print instruction is not available. |
| US09224072B2 |
System and method for generating a user interface from a printer description
Systems, methods, and machine-readable media for generating a user interface from a printer description file are discussed. The system comprising an interface module, an option module, and an interface generation module. The interface module may be configured to receive a printer description file comprising a plurality of printer options for a remote printer and the option module may be configured to select a subset of the plurality of printer options for the remote printer based on a list of prioritized printer options. The interface generation module may be configured to generate rendering code based on the subset of the plurality of printer options for the remote printer, the rendering code to enable a computing device to generate a user interface for the remote printer. The rendering code may be transmitted to a computing device in response to receiving, from the computing device, a print request for the remote printer. |
| US09224061B1 |
Text orientation estimation in camera captured OCR
A system estimates text orientation in images captured using a handheld camera prior detecting text in the image. Text orientation is estimated based on edges detected within the image, and the image is rotated based on the estimated orientation. Text detection and processing is then performed on the rotated image. Non-text features along a periphery of the image may be sampled to assure that clutter will not undermine the estimation of orientation. |
| US09224057B2 |
Biometric identification
A system for biometrically authenticating a user includes: elements for obtaining image data that are representative of at least one user-associated biometric feature and at least one user-associated identifier, elements for extracting the at least one biometric feature in the image data, elements for extracting the at least one identifier in the image data, elements for performing a search for a reference biometric feature associated with the at least one identifier, elements for comparing the extracted biometric feature with the reference biometric feature, and elements for authenticating the user in accordance with a result of the comparison. |
| US09224052B2 |
Method for in-image periodic noise pixel inpainting
A method for in-image periodic noise pixel inpainting is provided. It is determined whether a current frame includes periodic noise pixels, and locations of periodic noise pixels are identified. Non-periodic-noise pixels in a reference frame are utilized to inpaint the periodic noise pixels in the current frame. |
| US09224051B2 |
Lens-attached matter detector for determining presence or absence of attached matter, lens-attached matter detection method executed by the same, and vehicle system having the same
A lens-attached matter detector includes an edge extractor configured to create an edge image based on an input image, divide the edge image into a plurality of areas including a plurality of pixels, and extract an area whose edge intensity is a threshold range as an attention area, a brightness distribution extractor configured to obtain a brightness value of the attention area and a brightness value of a circumference area, a brightness change extractor configured to obtain the brightness value of the attention area and the brightness value of the circumference area for a predetermined time interval, and obtain a time series variation in the brightness value of the attention area based on the brightness value of the attention area, and an attached matter determiner configured to determine the presence or absence of attached matter based on the time series variation in the brightness value of the attention area. |
| US09224049B2 |
Detection of static object on thoroughfare crossings
Foreground object image features are extracted from input video via application of a background subtraction mask, and optical flow image features from a region of the input video image data defined by the extracted foreground object image features. If estimated movement features indicate that the underlying object is in motion, a dominant moving direction of the underlying object is determined. If the dominant moving direction is parallel to an orientation of the second, crossed thoroughfare, an event alarm indicating that a static object is blocking travel on the crossing second thoroughfare is not generated. If the estimated movement features indicate that the underlying object is static, or that its determined dominant moving direction is not parallel to the second thoroughfare, an appearance of the foreground object region is determined and a static-ness timer run while the foreground object region comprises the extracted foreground object image features. |
| US09224046B2 |
Multi-view object detection using appearance model transfer from similar scenes
View-specific object detectors are learned as a function of scene geometry and object motion patterns. Motion directions are determined for object images extracted from a training dataset and collected from different camera scene viewpoints. The object images are categorized into clusters as a function of similarities of their determined motion directions, the object images in each cluster are acquired from the same camera scene viewpoint. Zenith angles are estimated for object image poses in the clusters relative to a position of a horizon in the cluster camera scene viewpoint, and azimuth angles of the poses as a function of a relation of the determined motion directions of the clustered images to the cluster camera scene viewpoint. Detectors are thus built for recognizing objects in input video, one for each of the clusters, and associated with the estimated zenith angles and azimuth angles of the poses of the respective clusters. |
| US09224045B2 |
Video camera with capture modes
Embodiments provide a video camera that can be configured to allow tagging of recorded video and/or capture of video segments or sequences of images in response to user actuation of a camera control identifying an event of interest. For example, a user may press a button on the camera when an event of interest occurs, and in response the camera may tag a captured video file at a timestamp corresponding to the event. In another example, the user may initiate capture of video segments or sequences of images at an occurrence of an event of interest by pressing a button. The camera may include an image data buffer that may enable capture of video segments and/or sequences of images occurring before the user initiates capture of the event. User interfaces may enable the user to quickly review the captured video or sequences of images of the events of interest. |
| US09224043B2 |
Map generation apparatus, map generation method, moving method for moving body, and robot apparatus
Performing map construction under a crowded environment where there are a lot of people. It includes a successive image acquisition unit that obtains images that are taken while a robot is moving, a local feature quantity extraction unit that extracts a quantity at each feature point from the images, a feature quantity matching unit that performs matching among the quantities in the input images, where quantities are extracted by the extraction unit, an invariant feature quantity calculation unit that calculates an average of the matched quantities among a predetermined number of images by the matching unit as an invariant feature quantity, a distance information acquisition unit that calculates distance information corresponding to each invariant feature quantity based on a position of the robot at times when the images are obtained, and a map generation unit that generates a local metrical map as a hybrid map. |
| US09224038B2 |
Partial overlap and delayed stroke input recognition
An optimal recognition for handwritten input based on receiving a touch input from a user may be selected by applying both a delayed stroke recognizer as well as an overlapping recognizer to the handwritten input. A score may be generated for both the delayed stroke recognition as well as the overlapping recognition and the recognition corresponding to the highest score may be presented as the overall recognition. |
| US09224037B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling presentation of information toward human object
A human object recognition unit recognizes a human object included in a captured image data. A degree-of-interest estimation unit estimates a degree of interest of the human object in acquiring information, based on a recognition result obtained by the human object recognition unit. An information acquisition unit acquires information as a target to be presented to the human object. An information editing unit generates information to be presented to the human object from the information acquired by the information acquisition unit, based on the degree of interest estimated by the degree-of-interest estimation unit. An information display unit outputs the information generated by the information editing unit. |
| US09224035B2 |
Image classification and information retrieval over wireless digital networks and the internet
A method and system for matching an unknown facial image of an individual with an image of a celebrity using facial recognition techniques and human perception is disclosed herein. The invention provides a internet hosted system to find, compare, contrast and identify similar characteristics among two or more individuals using a digital camera, cellular telephone camera, wireless device for the purpose of returning information regarding similar faces to the user The system features classification of unknown facial images from a variety of internet accessible sources, including mobile phones, wireless camera-enabled devices, images obtained from digital cameras or scanners that are uploaded from PCs, third-party applications and databases. Once classified, the matching person's name, image and associated meta-data is sent back to the user. The method and system uses human perception techniques to weight the feature vectors. |
| US09224032B2 |
Methods for analyzing absorbent articles
A method for analyzing an absorbent article may include providing a three-dimensional computed tomography data set comprising a mannequin image and an article image. The article image may be constructed from projections collected while the absorbent article is fitted to a mannequin. An outer surface of the mannequin image may be identified. A desired distance may be provided. A volumetric demarcation may be spaced the desired distance away from the outer surface of the mannequin image. An image volume may be disposed between the outer surface of the mannequin image and the volumetric demarcation. A relevant portion of the article image may be enhanced using a processor. The relevant portion of the article image may be coincident with the image volume. |
| US09224030B2 |
Sensor identification
Techniques described here use variations in the sensor to generate an identifier for the sensor. Each sensor may be comprised of sub-sensing units, called pixels that may demonstrate variation in their sensing capability from one pixel to another. Embodiments of the invention, describe a method for using the relative variance of each pixel (relative to the whole sensor or/and a portion of the sensor) in generating an identifier for the sensor. In one embodiment, the method may obtain information associated with a plurality of pixels from a sensor, detect variations in the information associated for each of the pixels from a subset of the plurality of pixels and generate an identifier for the sensor using the detected variations in the information associated with each of the pixels from the subset of plurality of pixels. |
| US09224029B2 |
Electronic device switchable to a user-interface unlocked mode based upon a pattern of input motions and related methods
An electronic device may include a finger biometric sensor, a display, and a processor coupled to the finger biometric sensor and the display. The processor may be switchable between a user-interface locked mode and a user-interface unlocked mode. The processor may be capable of determining a pattern of input motions on the finger biometric sensor and displaying an image on the display corresponding to the pattern of input motions. The processor may also be capable of switching between the user-interface locked mode and the user-interface unlocked mode when the pattern of input motions matches a stored pattern representing a user unlock code. |
| US09224025B2 |
Decodable indicia reading terminal with optical filter
A decodable indicia reading terminal can comprise a housing including a housing window, a multiple pixel image sensor disposed within the housing, an imaging lens configured to focus an image of decodable indicia on the image sensor, an optical bandpass filter disposed in an optical path of light incident on the image sensor, an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter configured to convert an analog signal read out of the image sensor into a digital signal representative of the analog signal, and processor configured to output a decoded message data corresponding to the decodable indicia by processing the digital signal. |
| US09224024B2 |
Invariant design image capture device
An indicia reading terminal for reading of a decodable indicia is provided wherein the indicia reading terminal includes an image sensor integrated circuit comprising an image sensor having a plurality of pixels; a memory for storing image data, and a unit for processing the image data for attempting to decode decodable indicia represented in the image data; and an optical system, including a lens assembly and at least a first aperture and a second aperture, the second aperture being smaller than the first aperture. The lens assembly comprises one or more lens elements. The first aperture is disposed in the lens assembly, and the second aperture is disposed at a distal end of the optical system, adjacent to the lens assembly. |
| US09224023B2 |
Apparatus operative for capture of image data
There is set forth an apparatus for capturing image data. In one embodiment, an apparatus is operative for capture of a first frame of image data and a second frame of image data. In one embodiment, an apparatus is operative for processing the first frame of image data and the second frame of image data. |
| US09224022B2 |
Autofocus lens system for indicia readers
An autofocus lens system includes no conventional moving parts and has excellent speed and low power consumption. The system includes a small electronically-controlled focusing-module lens. The focusing-module lens includes two adjustable polymeric surfaces (e.g., two adjustable-surface lenses in a back-to-back configuration). The curvature of the surfaces can be adjusted to change focus. The performance of the autofocus lens system is extended by adding a conventional first and second lens, or lens group, on either side of the focusing-module lens. What results is an autofocus lens system with excellent near field and far field performance. |
| US09224020B2 |
Method, transponder, and circuit for selecting one or more transponders
A method and device for selecting one or more transponders, in particular backscatter-based transponders, from a plurality of transponders by a base station, which method is based on a slotted ALOHA method, in which the base station defines numbered time slots and a random number generated in a given transponder determines a time slot when the transponder transmits its transponder-specific identification to the base station. The random number is generated in a given transponder with the aid of a random number generator, the relevant random number generator is switched into a counter operating mode after reception of a selection command transmitted by the base station, while a count state of the random number generator is decremented or incremented when the base station transmits the start of a time slot, the relevant transponder transmits a transponder-specific identification to the base station if the count state of its random number generator is equal to a predetermined value, and the relevant random number generator is then switched back into the operating mode for random number generation. |
| US09224019B2 |
Electromagnetic interference device identification system and method
A system and method for device identification includes a receiver adapted to detect an electromagnetic radiation interference signal emitted by a device and a microprocessor operatively connected to the receiver. The microprocessor may identify at least one device characteristic parameter of the electromagnetic radiation signal. The system includes memory for storing at least one constant or predicted future characteristic value associated with the device and the microprocessor may compare the detected characteristic parameter to the at least one constant or predicted future characteristic value to identify and recognize the device that emitted the electromagnetic radiation signal. |
| US09224018B1 |
Swipe-guide for card reader
Aspects of the technology relate to a swipe-guide attachment for use with a mobile card reader. In some aspects, the swipe-guide attachment is configured to facilitate insertion of a payment card into the card reader and prevent rotation of the card reader. A swipe-guide may include a harness for enclosing the card reader, and can include an aperture, for example, to permit passage of an audio plug of the card reader into a headphone port of a host mobile device. |
| US09224016B2 |
Automatic gain control and baseband preintegration to reduce computation requirements at lower data rates
A method for processing baseband signals according to one embodiment includes receiving I and Q baseband signals; and selectively reducing an amount of samples of the baseband signals to be processed in a correlator, wherein the reduction rate is based on a data rate of the baseband signals. A preintegrator module according to one embodiment includes an automatic gain control section for performing automatic gain control on I and Q baseband signals; a first preintegrator coupled to an output of the automatic gain control section, the first preintegrator being for selectively reducing an amount of samples in the I baseband signal based on a data rate of the I baseband signal; and a second preintegrator coupled to an output of the automatic gain control section, the second preintegrator being for selectively reducing an amount of samples in the Q baseband signal based on a data rate of the Q baseband signal. Additional systems and methods are also presented. |
| US09224015B2 |
Smart wallet
A smart wallet that can only be exclusively opened by an authorized individual through biometric authentication is disclosed. The smart wallet also has a security system associated therewith to prevent the smart wallet from being lost or stolen. The system comprises a fob key configured to send periodic wireless transmissions to the smart wallet device having the ability for approximate range detection. Various embodiments include audible, visual and vibrational indications for authentication, battery power and range detection. |
| US09224014B2 |
Hard disk drive sanitizer system and method
A hard disk drive (HDD) sanitizer system comprises an electronic device having a basic input/output system (BIOS), the BIOS comprising a sanitizer routine executable for sanitizing a HDD. |
| US09224013B2 |
Secure processing sub-system that is hardware isolated from a peripheral processing sub-system
Systems and methods are provided that allow a secure processing system (SPS) to be implemented as a hard macro, thereby isolating the SPS from a peripheral processing system (PPS). The SPS and the PPS, combination, may form a secure element that can be used in conjunction with a host device and a connectivity device to allow the host device to engage in secure transactions, such as mobile payment over a near field communications (NFC) connection. As a result of the SPS being implemented as a hard macro isolated from the PPS, the SPS may be certified once, and re-used in other host devices without necessitating re-certification. |
| US09224011B2 |
Embedded system, information processing unit, and image forming apparatus
An embedded system includes a nonvolatile memory, a control section, and a firmware update section. The nonvolatile memory stores firmware and a public key in a normal area, and stores a hash value concerning the public key in an access restricted area. The control section reads and executes the firmware from the nonvolatile memory. The firmware update section receives new firmware in which the hash value is encrypted and given as an electronic signature, and updates the firmware to the new firmware. The firmware update section is configured to: read the public key from the nonvolatile memory to calculate the hash value concerning the public key; when the hash value is identical to the hash value stored in the nonvolatile memory, calculate a hash value of the new firmware; decrypt the electronic signature with the public key to restore the hash value; and when these hash values are identical to each other, update the firmware. |
| US09224010B2 |
Secure document creation from potentially unsecure source templates
An illustrative embodiment of a computer-implemented method for generating secured documents using a source template is disclosed, in which a computer system receives the source template; converts the source template into a secured template comprising user-modifiable extension points, wherein the secured template is not user-modifiable outside of the user-modifiable extension points; receives a user input comprising one or more user-indicated modifications at one or more of the user-modifiable extension points; modifies the secured template into a custom document with modifications to the one or more user-modifiable extension points in accordance with the one or more user-indicated modifications; and transforms the custom document into a secured custom document that comprises the modifications to the one or more user-modifiable extension points and that is in a format that is executable using a source schema associated with the source template. |
| US09224008B1 |
Detecting impersonation on a social network
In one implementation, a method includes receiving a claim that identifies a first user profile page as allegedly impersonating a second user profile page on a social network, and retrieving first information associated with the first user profile page and second information associated with the second user profile page. The method can also include comparing the first information and the second information to identify indicators of impersonation. The method can further include, based upon the identified indicators of impersonation, determining that the first user profile page is likely impersonating the second user profile page on the social network, wherein first user profile page is determined to be likely impersonating the second user profile page when the first and second user profile pages are determined to be similar to each other; and returning a flag indicating that the first user profile page is likely impersonating the second user profile page. |
| US09224006B1 |
System and method of secure data access
Disclosed are systems, methods and a computer readable medium for providing multi-level data access security. An example method includes performing an analysis of hardware and software of a user's computer system in order to mitigate the risk of unauthorized data access; receiving a user's request for data access from an application on the user's computer system, wherein the request contains a query for retrieving data; modifying the user's request for data access for possible risk mitigation based on results of the hardware and software analysis; authenticating a user sending the request for data access and redirecting the request for data access in case of successful authentication; identifying user's clearance level; retrieving query result from data storage based on user's clearance level and user's query; applying access control policies to query result for modifying query result in order to exclude from query result information requiring suppression; and transmitting final query result to the user's computer system. |
| US09224005B2 |
Cloud key directory for federating data exchanges
Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing attribute-based data access. Embodiments include receiving a data request specifying search data attributes describing requested data that is to be found in an anonymous directory. The anonymous directory provides access to secured data of clients according to access controls, including secured data comprising a first portion that is unencrypted and readable by the anonymous directory and a second portion that is encrypted and unreadable by the anonymous directory. The second portion is encrypted using multi-authority attribute-based encryption that associates the second portion with encryption data attributes. The anonymous directory provides the first acid second portions of data f conditions in the access controls are met. The first and second portions of data are provided, based on determining that the conditions in the access controls are met, and that at least one data attribute is relevant to at least one encryption data attribute. |
| US09224002B2 |
Method and apparatus for file encryption/decryption
A file encrypting method and apparatus, and a file decrypting method and apparatus is provided. The method includes following steps: creating a virtual disk; the virtual disk receiving a writing request from a file system, encrypting data in the writing request; and notifying the file system to write the encrypted data into a corresponding physical disk, so that the file system writes the encrypted data into the corresponding physical disk after receiving a notification from the virtual disk. The methods and apparatuses can employ the virtual disk to encrypt data in the writing request and decrypt the data required by the reading request, and this manner achieves highly-reliable, secure and effective file encrypting. |
| US09224000B1 |
Systems and methods for providing information security using context-based keys
Systems and methods for securing or encrypting data or other information arising from a user's interaction with software and/or hardware, resulting in transformation of original data into ciphertext. Generally, the ciphertext is generated using context-based keys that depend on the environment in which the original data originated and/or accessed. The ciphertext can be stored in a user's storage device or in an enterprise database (e.g., at-rest encryption), or shared with other users (e.g., cryptographic communication). Use of context-based encryption keys enables key association with individual data elements, as opposed to public-private key pairs, or use of conventional user-based or system-based keys. In scenarios wherein data is shared by a sender with other users, the system manages the rights of users who are able to send and/or access the sender's data according to pre-defined policies/roles. |
| US09223998B1 |
System and method for enhancing data security by use of dynamic honey tokens
Systems and methods for enhancing the security of confidential data such as customer email lists or similar contact information. Specifically, the invention is directed to a method of inserting a form of data referred to as a honey token into a data set when it is accessed by a user (such as an employee of the rightful owner of the data). In contrast to conventional forms of such tokens, the inventive token is dynamically generated and includes information identifying the user (i.e., the party accessing the data). |
| US09223997B2 |
Detecting and breaking CAPTCHA automation scripts and preventing image scraping
A security device may receive a request from a client device and intended for a server device. The security device may identify the request as being associated with a malicious activity. The malicious activity may include one or more undesirable tasks directed to the server device. The security device may generate a challenge-response test based on identifying the request as being associated with the malicious activity. The challenge-response test may be generated using one or more construction techniques. The security device may provide the challenge-response test to the client device. The security device may receive, from the client device, a proposed solution to the challenge-response test. The security device may identify the proposed solution as being generated using an optical character recognition (OCR) program. The security device may protect the server device from the client device based on identifying the solution as being generated using an OCR program. |
| US09223996B2 |
Protection of memory areas
A method for loading a program, contained in at least a first memory, into a second memory accessible by an execution unit, in which the program is in a cyphered form in the first memory, a circuit for controlling the access to the second memory is configured from program initialization data, instructions of the program, and at least initialization data being decyphered to be transferred into the second memory after configuration of the circuit. |
| US09223992B2 |
System and method for evaluating a reverse query
Real-time techniques for determining all access requests to an attribute-based access control policy which evaluate to a given decision, “permit” or “deny”. The policy is enforced to control access to one or more resources in a computer network. In one embodiment, a method includes: (i) receiving a reverse query and a set of admissible access requests, each of which includes one or more attributes in the policy and values of these; (ii) extracting attributes to which all access requests in the set assign identical values; (iii) reducing the ABAC policy by substituting values for the extracted attributes; (iv) caching the policy as a simplified policy; (v) translating the simplified policy and the given decision into a satisfiable logic proposition; (vi) deriving all solutions satisfying the proposition; and (vi) extracting, based on the solutions, all access requests from the set for which the policy yields the given decision. |
| US09223987B2 |
Confidential information identifying method, information processing apparatus, and program
An information processing apparatus includes a clustering unit configured to read messages from a log and to classify the read messages into clusters according to similarities of the messages; a variable portion finding unit configured to find a portion variable between messages; an attribute determination unit configured to estimate and determine a confidential attribute of the variable portion by using predefined rule; and an attribute estimation unit configured to, in a case where there is a portion whose confidential attribute is undeterminable by using the rules, estimate the confidential attribute of the portion having the undeterminable confidential attribute with use of either a correspondence between appearance locations in the messages, or a co-appearance relation of a portion having a determined confidential attribute and the portion having the undeterminable confidential attribute. |
| US09223986B2 |
Method and system for information content validation in electronic devices
Content validation on an electronic device comprises detecting information content on an electronic device and validating the information content in real time in the electronic device. Validating the information content includes analyzing the information content to detect selected content and preventing dissemination of the selected content via the electronic device. The information content comprises content originating and/or terminating on the electronic device. The electronic device may comprise a mobile electronic device. |
| US09223984B2 |
After-the-fact configuration of static analysis tools able to reduce user burden
A method includes mapping, based on a first mapping from possible security findings to possible configuration-related sources of imprecision, actual security findings from a static analysis of a program to corresponding configuration-related sources of imprecision, the mapping of the actual security findings creating a second mapping. A user is requested to configure selected ones of the configuration-related sources of imprecision from the second mapping. Responsive to a user updating configuration corresponding to the selected ones of the configuration-related sources of imprecision, security analysis results are updated for the static analysis of the program at least by determining whether one or more security findings from the security analysis results are no longer considered to be vulnerable based on the updated configuration by the user. The updated security analysis results are output. Apparatus and program products are also disclosed. |
| US09223982B2 |
Continuation of trust for platform boot firmware
This disclosure is directed to continuation of trust for platform boot firmware. A device may comprise a processing module and a memory module including read-only memory (ROM) on which is stored platform boot firmware. On activation, the processing module may load the platform boot firmware. The platform boot firmware may cause the processing module to first load a trusted pre-verifier file to load and verify the signature of a hash table loaded from the platform boot firmware. The processing module may then load firmware program files from the platform boot firmware, calculate a hash for each file, and verify whether each program hash is in the hash table. Firmware program files with hashes in the hash table may be allowed to execute. If any firmware program file hash is not in the hash table, the processing module may perform platform specific security actions to prevent the device from being compromised. |
| US09223981B2 |
Apparatus for processing with a secure system manager
Method and apparatus for secure processing. The method includes detecting communication among secure and non-secure data entities, prohibiting execution of non-secure executable instructions on secure data entities unless the non-secure executable instructions are recorded in a permitted instruction record, and prohibiting execution of non-secure executable instructions if the non-secure executable instructions are recorded in a prohibited instruction record. The apparatus includes a processor, at least one non-secure data entity, and secure data entities including: a communication monitor adapted to detect communication among secure and non-secure data entities; a permitted instruction record; a first prohibitor adapted to prohibit execution of non-secure executable instructions on secure data entities unless the non-secure executable instructions are recorded in the permitted instruction record; a prohibited instruction record; and a second prohibitor adapted to prohibit execution of non-secure executable instructions if the non-secure executable instructions are recorded in the prohibited instruction record. |
| US09223967B2 |
System and method for validating program execution at run-time
A pipelined processor comprising a cache memory system, fetching instructions for execution from a portion of said cache memory system, an instruction commencing processing before a digital signature of the cache line that contained the instruction is verified against a reference signature of the cache line, the verification being done at the point of decoding, dispatching, or committing execution of the instruction, the reference signature being stored in an encrypted form in the processor's memory, and the key for decrypting the said reference signature being stored in a secure storage location. The instruction processing proceeds when the two signatures exactly match and, where further instruction processing is suspended or processing modified on a mismatch of the two said signatures. |
| US09223958B2 |
Accessory authentication for electronic devices
Improved techniques to control utilization of accessory devices with electronic devices are disclosed. The improved techniques can use cryptographic approaches to authenticate electronic devices, namely, electronic devices that interconnect and communicate with one another. One aspect pertains to techniques for authenticating an electronic device, such as an accessory device. Another aspect pertains to provisioning software features (e.g., functions) by or for an electronic device (e.g., a host device). Different electronic devices can, for example, be provisioned differently depending on different degrees or levels of authentication, or depending on manufacturer or product basis. Still another aspect pertains to using an accessory (or adapter) to convert a peripheral device (e.g., USB device) into a host device (e.g., USB host). The improved techniques are particularly well suited for electronic devices, such as media devices, that can receive accessory devices. One example of a media device is a media player, such as a hand-held media player (e.g., music player), that can present (e.g., play) media items (or media assets). |
| US09223956B2 |
Mobile terminal and method for controlling the same
A mobile terminal and a control method thereof are disclosed. According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, a mobile terminal may include a mobile terminal body, a wireless communication unit configured to receive an information input request for user authentication from an external server connected to the body, and a controller configured to transmit a wireless signal for sensing the wearing of a second mobile terminal formed to be paired with the body and wearable on a specific portion of a human body to the second mobile terminal in response to the request, wherein the controller performs wearer authentication for the second mobile terminal in response to receiving at least one of a response signal to the wireless signal from the second mobile terminal and a wearer's biometric signal sensed through the second mobile terminal, and controls the authentication method of the user authentication or processing for an information input corresponding to the authentication method to be determined in a different manner based on at least one of the execution result of the wearer authentication and the analysis result of the received biometric signal. |
| US09223955B2 |
User-authentication gestures
This document relates to user-authentication gestures. One example can capture multiple biometric features when a user-authentication gesture is performed as a device authentication attempt. The example can compare values of the multiple biometric features to previous values stored for the user. The example can further unlock the computing device in an instance where the values of the multiple biometric features satisfy a similarity threshold relative to the previous values. |
| US09223953B2 |
Enabling secure transactions between spoken web sites
A system and computer program product for enabling a secure transaction with a remote site that uses voice interaction include authenticating a remote site to enable a secure transaction, wherein authenticating the remote site comprises using a dynamically generated audio signal. |
| US09223950B2 |
Security challenge assisted password proxy
Systems, apparatus, and methods of authentication utilizing contextual data to authenticate individuals and prevent security breaches are described herein. An example proxy engine may monitor interactions with a computing device to obtain contextual data unique to a user. The contextual data may be utilized to generate unique challenge questions in response to requests for access to a secure resource, and may eliminate the need for a user to remember credentials to access the resource. Challenge questions may be limited to a single use and vary in difficulty in proportion to the value of the resource. In response to correct responses to challenge question(s), the proxy engine may access a vault containing a credential authorizing access to the resource. The vault and proxy engine may be entirely contained on the computing device or they may be implemented on a remote apparatus accessed via an application or interface on the computing device. |
| US09223948B2 |
Combined passcode and activity launch modifier
A method and system are disclosed whereby an activity launch modifier is combined with a passcode. The activity launch modifier is used to determine a portion of an application to activate upon valid authentication. |
| US09223943B2 |
Method for scalable access control decisions
Content access may be provided and processed by assigning responsibility for obtaining entitlement data to the client's browser. Thus, in one example, the client may be configured to synchronize and coordinate data lookups associated with a content request, rather than relying on the server to do so. The network architecture may use a mediator design pattern, in which the client's browser acts as the mediator (i.e., middleman) between a content server and an entitlement data server. Accordingly, synchronous calls between server-side services might not be required. Instead, data necessary for the content server to process a client request for access to protected content may be received in the incoming request from the client's browser. |
| US09223941B2 |
Using a URI whitelist
A method and/or system for using a URI whitelist may include receiving a request to approve an application for release in an application store. The request may comprise application data. The application data may comprise a resource manifest and/or a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) whitelist. The resource manifest may comprise, for example, one or more resource items. The URI whitelist may comprise, for example, one or more URI items. The request may be analyzed based on application data. A determination may be made whether the applications may be released in the application store based on the analyzing of the applications data. A request to access a particular URI may be received. A determination of whether to grant the request may be based on a resource manifest and/or a URI whitelist associated with the application. |
| US09223934B2 |
System and method for identifying medical articles in an enclosure
An automatic data collection system tracks medical articles by providing a robust electromagnetic (EM) field within an enclosure in which the articles are stored. Respective data carriers, such as RFID tags, attached to each article respond to the electromagnetic field by transmitting data identified with each article. An RFID scanner receives the transmitted RFID tag identification data and a processor compares the received identification data to a data base. The data base associates the identification data with data concerning the medical article to which the RFID tag is affixed, such as the name of the medicine, the size of the dose, and the expiration date. The processor is also programmed to keep track of the number of articles of a particular type remaining in the enclosure, to note receipt of an article in the enclosure, and to note removal of the article. |
| US09223932B1 |
Handheld medical imaging mobile modality
A method of acquiring medical image data for a subject having a subject medical record and subject identifying information includes capturing medical image data related to the subject with a mobile wireless-communication optical-imaging device. The mobile wireless-communication optical-imaging device includes an optical imaging component, an input component, and a wireless two-way communication component. The method also includes providing a program that includes a program includes a request for subject identifying information, providing the subject identifying information in said program, and wirelessly transmitting data derived from the medical image data and the subject identifying information from the mobile wireless-communication optical-imaging device to a second device. The second device is separate from the mobile wireless-communication optical-imaging device. |
| US09223929B2 |
Method and apparatus for detection, identification and quantification of single-and multi-analytes in affinity-based sensor arrays
The disclosure provides methods, device, and systems for analyzing biological array data. In particular, the disclosure provides methods and computer implemented techniques for reducing interference in microarray data, and exploiting it to obtain more accurate readouts. |
| US09223925B2 |
Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for implementing electronic circuit designs with simulation awareness
Disclosed are methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for implementing electronic designs with simulation awareness. A schematic is identified or created and simulated at the schematic level to characterize the functional behavior of the circuit or to ensure the circuit design meets the required design specifications. Physical data of a component of the design is identified, created, or updated, and the electrical parasitic associated with physical data is characterized. One or more electrical characteristics associated with the parasitic is further characterized and mapped to the simulator to re-simulate the circuit design to analyze the impact of parasitics. Some embodiments re-run the same simulation process incrementally in an interactive manner by accepting incremental design or parameter changes from the design environment. |
| US09223923B2 |
Implementing enhanced physical design quality using historical placement analytics
A method and apparatus are provided for implementing enhanced physical design quality using historical placement analytics in a design of an integrated gate. Mathematical data analysis is performed to determine placement trends in order to seed an initial placement of subsequent physical design placement processes. A placement seed is generated for a subsequent placement process. |
| US09223921B1 |
Compilation of HLL code with hardware accelerated functions
In an example implementation, a method is provided for compiling an HLL source file. The HLL source file checked for function calls to a set of hardware-accelerated functions having hardware implementations specified in a hardware library. For each HLL function call to a hardware-accelerated function, a circuit design is retrieved from the hardware library. The circuit design specifies a hardware implementation of the hardware-accelerated function. HLL interface code configured to communicate with the hardware implementation of the hardware-accelerated function is also generated. The HLL function call to the hardware-accelerated function in the HLL source file is replaced with the generated interface code. The HLL source file is compiled to generate a program executable on a processor of a programmable IC. Configuration data is generated that implements the retrieved circuit designs on the programmable circuitry of the programmable IC. |
| US09223916B2 |
Timing analysis of asynchronous clock domain crossings
Various implementations of a method, system, and computer program product for executing timing analysis of an asynchronous clock domain crossing are disclosed. In one embodiment, a signal group and a corresponding timing specification are determined for one or more signals of an electronic design. For each of the signals, a clock associated with the signal is renamed based, at least in part, on the signal group associated with the signal. The asynchronous clock domain between a transmit domain and a receive domain is identified in the electronic design based, at least in part, on identifying a signal path associated with one or more renamed clocks that is asynchronous to a clock associated with the receive domain. For each of the one or more renamed clocks, timing analysis is executed across one or more signals associated with the renamed clock at the asynchronous clock domain crossing. |
| US09223908B2 |
Antenna designing method and apparatus
An antenna designing method, performed by a computer, includes: inputting a first antenna characteristic of an antenna; creating an antenna model that includes the antenna and a matching circuit which is connected to the antenna and is formed by a matching element including parasitic reactance and loss resistance; calculating a second antenna characteristic of the created antenna model by using the first antenna characteristic; determining whether or not the calculated second antenna characteristic satisfies a desired standard value; and displaying a determined result. |
| US09223904B2 |
Correction of topology interference for solid objects in a modeling environment
The present invention provides a method, system, and instructions stored on a computer readable storage medium that resolve interference between surfaces in a modeling environment, such as a CAD environment. Further, exemplary embodiments of the present invention may modify the surfaces of a model to ensure that parts of the model constitute a solid body. In exemplary embodiments, when the manipulation of a first surface or set of surfaces causes interference with a second surface or set of surfaces, the topologies of the surfaces are modified to account for the interference. The individual surfaces involved in the intersection may be treated as a merged surface or set of surfaces having a single topology, surface area, and volume. If an ambiguity arises whereby more than one option exists for resolving the interference or providing a solid body, the modeling environment may provide multiple potential solutions to a user, and allow the user to select from among the solutions. |
| US09223903B2 |
Analyzing data from a sensor-enabled device
An approach for analyzing data collected by a sensor-enabled device over a network is provided. Specifically, in a typical embodiment, a set of usage data will be received from a device over a network. The set of usage data may be collected via at least one sensor integrated with the device, and the set of usage data may pertain to use of the device by a user. Regardless, the set of usage data will be compared to a set of diagnostic information stored in at least one computer storage device. The set of diagnostic information typically pertains to a condition (e.g., medical) treated by use of the device (e.g., dental, cardiac, renal, etc.). Based on the comparison, at least one determination (e.g., diagnosis, treatment plan, level of compliance with applicable standards, etc.) will be made and a set of reports will be generated based thereon. |
| US09223895B2 |
System and method for contextual commands in a search results page
The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for providing contextual commands for affecting plurality of items in a search results page. The method of the present invention comprises displaying a search engine results page (SERP), said SERP comprising a plurality of search result resources and access to contextually relevant commands. At least one resource identifier is transmitted to a content provider with a request for a subsequent SERP and the subsequent SERP is modified based upon the at least one resource identifier. The subsequent SERP is provided and displayed on the end user device. |
| US09223894B2 |
Method for producing at least a portion of a data visualization layout on a display of a device provided with at least a smart card, method for codifying a plurality of HTML instructions and corresponding system
A method for generating at least one portion of a data display layout on a display of a device equipped with at least one smart card may include generating a code sequence to define at least one portion of the data display layout and to store the code sequence in the at least one smart card. Each code of the code sequence may have a first portion including a first numerical code, and a second portion including a second numerical code. The first numerical code may correspond to a coded primitive action suitable to produce at least one part of the display layout. The second numerical code may correspond to a coded item of data correlated with a respective primitive action. The method may further include processing the code sequence to generate, on the device display at least one part of the display layout with the items of data in predefined positions of the layout. |
| US09223893B2 |
Updating social graph data using physical objects identified from images captured by smartphone
This technology concerns, in one aspect, using a person's social network graph data as a virtual visual cortex—taking image input from a smartphone or the like, and processing it with the graph data to yield a personalized form of processing based on the imagery. The user's network graph data is typically updated by such processing—providing a form of virtual image memory that can influence future social network behavior. In another aspect, the technology concerns identifying content (e.g., audio) by both fingerprint-based and watermark-based techniques, and arrangements employing such identification data. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. |
| US09223887B2 |
Self-organizing community system
The invention provides self-organization methodologies and system for internet users to build web-based organizational hierarchical structure that is constituent of units within which direct and sufficient communication can be fulfilled. Each unit is administrated autonomously through the democratic-decision process, and processes information internally. The members of unit can designate or replace its leader anytime though election; the leader elect of a unit will then become a member of its direct upper unit in the structure, representing its unit to participate in the management and election of upper unit and to bring the consolidated results of its unit to the upper unit for further consolidation; recursively, a hierarchical structure is to form from bottom to upper progressively, and to produce different level of end products at different layer. Taking the advantage of self-organization methodologies, the SOC & SOwiki platform and systems are to be designed and implemented to support various applications of SOC & SOwiki structures that are created to satisfy different social needs or business models. |
| US09223886B1 |
System, device, and method for reducing pilot interaction between pages shown on a display unit
A present novel and non-trivial system, device, and method for reducing pilot interaction between pages presented on the screen of a display unit are disclosed. The system comprises a source for providing pilot input data, a window generator (“WG”), processor, and a display unit; the system could also comprise an aural alert unit. Data received from the pilot input source includes data responsive to a pilot's interaction with one or more graphical user interfaces (“GUIs”). After receiving the input data, the WG generates window image data representative of a window, one or more menus, a front page integrated with at least front page GUI, and one or more window GUIs. Then, the display unit receives the window image data and presents the information on the display unit. Additionally, the WG generates aural alert data. An aural alert unit receives the aural alert data and aurally presents the alert. |
| US09223884B2 |
Resource identifier personalization
A uniform resource locator (URL) including an identification of a network resource and one or more tag-variable sets may be determined. One or more variables associated with the URL may be determined based on the tag-variable sets, wherein each tag-variable set may include a variable and a corresponding tag. A target recipient of the URL, associated with one or more values corresponding to the one or more variables, may be determined. Each of the one or more variables may be replaced with the corresponding one or more values in the URL. The URL including the identification of the network resource and one or more tag-value sets may be provided to the target recipient, each tag-value set including the one or more tags and the corresponding one or more values, wherein upon a selection of the URL, the tag-value sets are provided to the network resource via the URL. |
| US09223883B2 |
Context driven arrangement of portlets in a portal
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for context driven arrangement of portlets in a portal page. In an embodiment of the invention, a method of context driven arrangement of portlets in a portal page can be provided. The method can include computing a context for an application co-executing with a portal page in a computing client, and arranging portlets in the portal page in the computing client based upon the computed context. |
| US09223882B2 |
Method, apparatus, and recording medium for selecting location of mobile device
A method, an apparatus, and a recording medium for selecting a location are provided. The present method uses a communication module to position a mobile device so as to get a first location of the mobile device. Then, an electronic map of a range around the first location is displayed. A second location selected on the electronic map by a user is received and used as location information. Accordingly, the user can select precise location of himself/herself in an indoor place and share the location information to remote contacts. |
| US09223880B2 |
Evaluation of web pages
A web page evaluation technique includes obtaining a plurality of web pages with the same or approximately the same content. Further, a plurality of generation times and a plurality of first evaluation values that correspond to respective ones of the plurality of web pages are determined. A web page among the plurality of web pages that has the earliest generation time is identified. A second evaluation value of the identified web page is determined according to the plurality of first evaluation values. The second evaluation value can be used to indicate a ranking of the identified web page. |
| US09223876B2 |
Optimizing search engine ranking by recommending content including frequently searched questions
Systems and method of the present invention provide for one or more server computers configured to receive one or more keywords topically relevant to a content of a web page, request from a search engine a first metric comprising a quantity of times the keywords have appeared in a search query with one or more question keywords during a time period and a second metric comprising a probability of receiving a high rank associated with the one or more keywords and the one or more question keywords, receive, from the search engine, the first metric and the second metric, calculate a keyword effectiveness index from the first metric and the second metric, and generate and transmit to a client computer one or more recommendations to include a high ranked suggested content on the web page according to the keyword effectiveness index. |
| US09223875B2 |
Real-time distributed in memory search architecture
Disclosed here are distributed computing system connection configurations having multiple connection bandwidth and latency tiers. Also disclosed are connection configurations including a suitable number of network segments, where network segments may be connected to external servers and clusters including search managers, analytics agents, search conductors, dependency managers, supervisors, and partitioners, amongst others. In one or more embodiments, modules may be connected to the network segments using a desired bandwidth and latency tier. Disclosed here are hardware components suitable for running one or more types of modules on one or more suitable nodes. One or more suitable hardware components included in said clusters include CPUs, Memory, and Hard Disk, amongst others. |
| US09223874B2 |
Collaborative searching
A first user computing device is identified as being collocated with a second user computing device and an invitation is sent over a wireless communication channel for delivery to the first user computing device. The invitation invites the first user computing device to join a collaborative search session with the second user computing device. A first one of a plurality of search contexts is selected for use by the second user computing device within the collaborative search session. The first user computing device uses a second, different one of the plurality of search contexts during the collaborative search session, and presentations of search results within the collaborative search session are organized according to the first search context on the second user computing device and organized according to the second search context on the first user computing device. |
| US09223871B2 |
System and method for automatic wrapper induction using target strings
Wrappers are induced for multiple domains where, for a given target string having relatively universal distribution across domains of interest, a first wrapper may be defined and trained for a particular domain. Target strings extracted from that domain may be used to search for documents in other domains. New wrappers may be learned for other domains also containing the target strings. Further, a first wrapper may be learned for a given domain using a limited amount of training data from that single domain. The first wrapper is then applied to all pages in the domain to extract the relevant information. A few of the new words extracted are then searched against the document collection to obtain a list of domains that contain the extracted words. The updated information may be used as training data to learn new wrappers on those domains. |
| US09223867B2 |
Methods and systems for data processing
Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for data processing. In one exemplary embodiment, a method is provided that includes extracting data from a Semantic Web and processing the data with an enterprise resource planning system. |
| US09223866B2 |
Tagged favorites from social network site for use in search request on a separate site
A tag is received from a member of a social network site. The tag is associated with a favorite of the member. Tag data obtained from the tag is provided to a second site that hosts a searching service. The second site determines the relevancy of the tag data relative to a new search request received by a user on the second site. |
| US09223859B2 |
Method and apparatus for summarizing communications
A method, apparatus and computer program are provided for summarizing one or more communications. The method, apparatus and computer program process and/or facilitate a processing of one or more communications to generate at least one summary. The method, apparatus and computer program further cause, at least in part, a transformation of the at least one summary based, at least in part, on at least one narrative viewpoint. The method, apparatus and computer program further cause, at least in part, a presentation of the transformation. |
| US09223857B2 |
Systems and methods for generating a two-dimensional graphical grid representation of the treatment of a document
Systems and methods for generating a two-dimensional graphical grid representation of the treatment of a document are disclosed. A method includes receiving a request to generate the two-dimensional graphical grid representation of the treatment of the document with respect to at least one variable. In response to the received request, the method further includes retrieving, by a computer, treatment information associated with the document with respect to the at least one variable from a database. The method further includes generating a message containing the retrieved treatment information of the document with respect to the at least one variable, transmitting the generated message, and providing for display the two-dimensional graphical grid representation of the treatment of the document with respect to the at least one variable based on the transmitted message. |
| US09223855B1 |
Method and system for training athletes based on athletic signatures and a classification thereof
A method for training athletes is disclosed. The method comprises: maintaining a classification for signatures generated based on movement data associated with athletes; wherein the movement data is stored in a database; associating guidance with each signature in the classification; and assigning a signature from the database to at least some athletes in the database. |
| US09223854B2 |
Document relevance determining method and computer program
Disclosed is a method and computer program product of determining the relevance of at least a part of an electronic document comprising a plurality of terms distributed over a plurality of regions of said document, comprising displaying the electronic document to a user; determining the gaze characteristics of the person on a region of the electronic document; assigning a relevance score to an individual term in said region based on said characteristics; and generating a term relevance label for said electronic document, said term relevance label comprising relevance scores for the respective individual terms in said document The relevance scores may also be used to define a user profile for the user that can aid in retrieving future documents of relevance to the user. |
| US09223853B2 |
Query expansion using add-on terms with assigned classifications
In various embodiments, systems and methods are provided for query expansion using add-on terms with classifications. A query is received. An add-on term is identified for the query. A classification is determined for the add-on term. The classification is a designation associated with the add-on term that is used to distinguish the add-on term from the query. An appended query is generated based on the add-on term. The appended query is generated by concatenating the query with the add-on term. The appended query is executed on a resource stack as a single reformulated query to identify one or more resources. Upon execution, the classification of the add-on term distinguishes the one or more resources identified for the add-on term based on tagging the one or more resources with the classification of the add-on term. The appended query is used to generate content items. |
| US09223851B2 |
Recommending queries when searching against keywords
A query including one or more current search terms is received from a user and executed against a target database. When the query yields a number of results less than a defined search threshold (a.k.a. an “unsuccessful” search), the current search terms are compared with an associations database. The associations database includes associations between search terms in previously-executed queries that yielded less than a threshold number of results and replacement search terms that were substituted to generate a successful query yielding at least the threshold number of results. Upon finding a match between one or more of the search terms and the current search terms, the associations between the search terms and the replacement search terms are used to identify suggested replacement search terms and present them to the user. |
| US09223850B2 |
Data retrieval and indexing method and apparatus
A method of searching a plurality of data files, wherein each data file includes a plurality of features. The method: determines a plurality of feature groups, wherein each feature group includes n features and n is an integer of 2 or more; expresses each data file as a file vector, wherein each component of the vector indicates the frequency of a feature group within the data file, wherein the n features which constitute a feature group do not have to be located adjacent to one another; expresses a search query using the feature groups as a vector; and searches the plurality of data files by comparing the search query expressed as a vector with the file vectors. |
| US09223848B2 |
System and method of combined database system
A system, including both an OLTP database and a warehouse database, that is configured to manage the coordination between the OLTP database and the warehouse database. An aspect relates to a combined OLTP and warehouse database which manages duplicate copies, in both the OLTP database and the warehouse database, of data expected to have a relatively high update and query rate. Data which has a low update and query rate is removed from the OLTP database, such that it remains only in the warehouse database. Updates of the duplicate copy data are performed in the OLTP. Periodically, for example every several minutes, data recently changed in the OLTP database is copied to the warehouse database. Queries are optionally primarily handled by the warehouse database, and are supplemented, when necessary, by data from the OLTP database. |
| US09223845B2 |
Mobile hadoop clusters
Techniques for mobile clusters for collecting telemetry data and processing analytic tasks, are disclosed herein. The mobile cluster includes a processor, a plurality of data nodes and an analysis module. The data nodes receive and store a snapshot of at least a portion of data stored in a main Hadoop storage cluster and real-time acquired data received from a data capturing device. The analysis module is operatively coupled to the processor to process analytic tasks based on the snapshot and the real-time acquired data when the storage cluster is not connected to the main storage cluster. |
| US09223844B2 |
Dynamically synching elements in file
An approach is provided for synchronizing elements in files across a technical environment. In one embodiment, a processor obtains a first change to a first file. The processor also obtains data identifying a second file. The processor determines if the change is supported by a data library in a pre-defined list of data sources. The processor analyzes the data library to determine a type of the change. The processor applies the type of the change to the second file. |
| US09223843B1 |
Optimized log storage for asynchronous log updates
A log-structured data store may implement optimized log storage for asynchronous log updates. In some embodiments, log records may be received indicating updates to data stored for a storage client and indicating positions in a log record sequence. The log records themselves may not be guaranteed to be received according to the log record sequence. Received log records may be stored in a hot log portion of a block-based storage device according to an order in which they are received. Log records in the hot log portion may then be identified to be moved to a cold log portion of the block-based storage device in order to complete a next portion of the log record sequence. Log records may be modified, such as compressed, or coalesced, before being stored together in a data block of the cold log portion according to the log record sequence. |
| US09223839B2 |
Supervisor history view wizard
An approach for selecting points of archived history data for viewing. The approach may relate to a user interface workflow of selecting points. Site controllers may be configured using control entity definitions, history extensions, point group naming and template features of a supervisor. The supervisor may provide for selection of groups or categories of sites and controllers within selected sites using selection boxes. This may permit a user to quickly refine site selection by, for example, filtering by group, site category, and a refined site list box. Once a site, the controllers and desired point groups and other appropriate items have been selected, the user may proceed to view historical data for the selected sites and controller points. |
| US09223836B1 |
Document ranking systems and methods
Systems and methods are provided for ranking document data retrieved from a data source in response to a search request. A ranking system retrieves document data from documents in the data source that each includes at least one key term that matches a search term in the search request. For each document, a term frequency value is calculated based on a number of occurrences of the key term in the document. Prefix and suffix term rules are used to determine whether a particular occurrence of the key term in a particular document should be included in determining a term weight value for that particular occurrence of the key term. A relevancy ranking value is determined for each document based on the corresponding term frequency and term weight values. The document data is displayed according to each document's corresponding relevancy ranking value. |
| US09223833B2 |
Method for in-loop human validation of disambiguated features
Methods for providing in-loop validation of disambiguated features are disclosed. The disclosed methods may include disambiguating features in unstructured text that may use co-occurring features derived from both the source document and a large document corpus. The disambiguating systems may include multiple modules, including a linking on-the-fly module for linking the derived features from the source document to the co-occurring features of an existing knowledge base. The system for disambiguating features may allow identifying unique entities from a knowledge base that includes entities with a unique set of co-occurring features, which in turn may allow for increased precision in knowledge discovery and search results, employing advanced analytical methods over a massive corpus, employing a combination of entities, co-occurring entities, topic IDs, and other derived features. The disclosed method may use validation to provide input to the system for disambiguating features. |
| US09223832B2 |
Insight determination and explanation in multi-dimensional data sets
Techniques are disclosed for determining reasons underlying insights gleaned from multi-dimensional data. In one embodiment, a contingency table is accessed that represents multiple dimensions of the data, in order to identify one or more insights. One or more dimensions, other than the represented dimensions, are evaluated to identify one or more reasons underlying a first insight of the one or more insights, and the one or more reasons are output. |
| US09223826B2 |
Pushing suggested search queries to mobile devices
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving an indication of a location of a mobile-client system of a user, determining an intent of the user based on the location of the user, generating one or more suggested queries based on the determined intent of the user; and transmitting a notification to the mobile-client system of the user that includes one or more of the suggested queries. |
| US09223825B2 |
Methods and devices for applying constraints to data object
In one example embodiment, a processor-implemented method is described. The processor implemented method includes: associating a first notebook with one or more predetermined constraints; receiving input associating a data object with a notebook; and when the notebook associated with the data object is the first notebook, applying the one or more predetermined constraints associated with the first notebook to the data object. |
| US09223817B2 |
Virtual repository management
Virtual repository management is disclosed. An indication is received that a content management functionality is desired to be available with respect to one or more external content items. A reference object is created for each for the one or more external content items that represents the external content item and enables the content management functionality to be performed with respect to the external content item. |
| US09223816B2 |
Opening a data set
A method of and system for opening a data set is disclosed. The method and system may include structuring a storage facility to have address spaces. The address spaces may include a first address space having an open manager. The open manager may be configured and arranged to manage activities associated with an open request in response to receiving the open request. The method and system may include performing pseudo-opens associated with the open request in the address spaces. The method and system may include performing a batch-open utilizing the pseudo-opens and a resource used to complete the open request. |
| US09223810B2 |
Storage advisor for hybrid-store databases
Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage media for recommending a storage layout for the hybrid-store database with actions including receiving one or more data characteristics associated with data that is to be stored in the hybrid-store database, receiving one or more query characteristics associated with one or more queries that are expected to be applied to the hybrid-store database, processing the one or more data characteristics and the one or more query characteristics using a cost model to generate a plurality of costs, each cost being associated with a respective storage layout, identifying, based on the plurality of costs, a recommended storage layout, and providing the recommended storage layout for application to the hybrid-store database. |
| US09223807B2 |
Role-oriented database record field security model
A database management system implements a role-oriented authorization scheme that facilitates operating system (OS) supported encrypted field access for a table in the database. A security model provides for various roles that have varying responsibilities and rights with respect to the database tables and the data supported therein. In this approach, data that is considered sensitive is encrypted. A system administrator role is authorized to create, update, and maintain a table but is not authorized to view sensitive field data, i.e., data stored in encrypted columns of the table. A security administrator role is authorized to define column masks with OS-enforced security access control to the sensitive field data. By separating (fencing) these responsibilities, the security model enforces end-to-end encryption across the entire database management system. |
| US09223798B2 |
Virtualized workspaces for standardization of access to data
A system and method for bridging between various operating systems, applications, file formats and file structures and the like is described. The system and methods described include the creation of a virtual workspace transparent to a user that allows the user to access information stored on an accessible computer readable medium in a manner that is compatible with the user's system, even where the requested data may reside on a system having an operating system or file structure that is incompatible with the user's system or application. |
| US09223791B2 |
System and method for reading file blocks
A system and method for reading file blocks includes reading an inode associated with the file from the file system, the inode including one or more first block pointers, determining a height of a file tree associated with the file, and determining whether a value of a second block pointer selected from the one or more first block pointers is consistent with the file having been stored using a block allocation pattern. When the value of the second block pointer is consistent with the file having been stored using the block allocation pattern the method further includes pre-fetching a plurality of file blocks based on the block allocation pattern, verifying that the pre-fetched file blocks are consistent with the file tree, and retrieving one or more data blocks of the file. In some examples, the block allocation pattern corresponds to the file being stored in streaming order to consecutively and contiguously located blocks. |
| US09223790B1 |
Managing deletion of data in a data storage system
In certain embodiments, a system comprises a memory and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory. The memory includes executable instructions that upon execution cause the system to generate, at a first time, a first snapshot capturing data stored in storage units of a storage device. The executable instructions upon execution cause the system to receive an indication to delete at least a portion of the data in the storage units and captured by the first snapshot, and to mark, in response to receiving the indication, the one or more storage units that store the at least a first portion of the data as available. The executable instructions upon execution cause the system to generate, at a second time subsequent to the first time, a second snapshot that omits the one or more storage units marked as available. |
| US09223789B1 |
Range retrievals from archived data objects according to a predefined hash tree schema
Ranges of data stored within archived data may be retrieved according to a predefined hash tree schema. A retrieval request for a range of one or more data chunks of an archived data object stored in archival data store may be retrieved. In response, the requested range of the archived data object may be determined to be tree-hash aligned. In response to determining that the requested range is tree-hash aligned, a retrieval job may be initiated to obtain the range of one or more data chunks and to stage the one or more data chunks for download. A download request may for one or more of the obtained and staged data chunks, and if determined to be tree-hash aligned, a tree hash root node may be sent to the requesting client in addition to the requested data. |
| US09223788B2 |
File system consistency check on part of a file system
A file system that includes multiple logical devices can be subdivided into multiple containers. The containers each include respective non-overlapping sets of the logical devices. An amount of memory allocated to a container is dynamic. A set of the containers can be selected for a file system consistency check. The file system consistency check is performed on only the set of the containers instead of on the entire file system. |
| US09223777B2 |
Self-learning semantic search engine
A method, machine readable storage medium, and system for providing a self learning semantic search engine. A semantic network may be set up with initial configuration. A search engine coupled to the semantic network may build indexes and semantic indexes. A user request for business data may be received. The search engine may be accessed via a semantic dispatcher. And based on the access, search engine may update the indexes and semantic indexes. |
| US09223776B2 |
Multimodal natural language query system for processing and analyzing voice and proximity-based queries
The disclosure provides a natural language query system and method for processing and analyzing multimodally-originated queries, including voice and proximity-based queries. The natural language query system includes a Web-enabled device including a speech input module for receiving a voice-based query in natural language form from a user and a location/proximity module for receiving location/proximity information from a location/proximity device. The query system also includes a speech conversion module for converting the voice-based query in natural language form to text in natural language form and a natural language processing module for converting the text in natural language form to text in searchable form. The query system further includes a semantic engine module for converting the text in searchable form to a formal database query and a database-look-up module for using the formal database query to obtain a result related to the voice-based query in natural language form from a database. |
| US09223775B2 |
User question processing method and system
Provided is a user question processing method and system. The method includes: extracting first feature information from a user question; calculating the similarity between the first feature and second feature information of each of at least two websites; posting the question on at least one of the at least two websites according to the similarity. The solution of the embodiment can be applied to a website providing a question and answer service, and the website can post a received user question on another website related to the concerned field of the question, thereby enlarging the scope of the user information exchange. |
| US09223773B2 |
Template system for custom document generation
Systems and techniques for flexibly generating custom documents from data objects are described herein. Templates with embedded code instructions, which may be evaluated separate from a document reading or editing program, may be used to generate custom documents. The template system may use the embedded code instructions to dynamically access properties of data objects. An editing program may be used initially to generate a mockup document that may be used as the basis for a template. |
| US09223772B2 |
Filtering user interface for a data summary table
A graphical user interface for creating a data summary table includes a data summary table including a plurality of fields, and a filtering pane programmed to apply filters to items in the fields of the data summary table, the filtering pane including a field selector control, wherein the field selector control is programmed to allow for selection of a field of the fields in the data summary table to define filtering for the field. |
| US09223765B1 |
Encoding and decoding data using context model grouping
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon. When executed by at least one processor, the instructions may be configured to cause a computing system to at least determine, for each of a plurality of current symbols in a data block, frequencies of succeeding symbols within the data block, generate a plurality of clusters, each of the plurality of clusters including a subset of the plurality of current symbols, generate, for each of the clusters, a code, the code including variable length codewords for each of the succeeding symbols of the current symbols included in the respective cluster, and encode each of the succeeding symbols in the data block based on the code for the cluster that includes the succeeding symbol's respective current symbol. |
| US09223763B2 |
Document generation apparatus, method, and storage medium
A document generation apparatus comprises: a first acquisition unit adapted to acquire, based on identification information appended to a first document, layout data and data acquisition information required to acquire data to be laid out in accordance with the layout data; a second acquisition unit adapted to acquire data based on the data acquisition information acquired by the first acquisition unit; and a generation unit adapted to generate a second document on which the data acquired by the second acquisition unit are laid out in accordance with the layout data acquired by the first acquisition unit. |
| US09223762B2 |
Encoding information into text for visual representation
The disclosed subject matter relates to computer implemented methods for encoding information into text for visual representation. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a body of text which includes one or more portions of text. The method further includes receiving a body of information to be encoded. The body of information includes one or more portions of information to be encoded. The method further includes selecting at least one of the portions of text. The method further includes formatting the selected portion(s) of text to generate a formatted body of text. Formatting the selected portion(s) of text includes applying one or more formatting schemes to the selected portion(s) of text. Formatting schemes correspond to one or more portions of the information to be encoded. The method further includes providing the formatted body of text for visual representation. |
| US09223760B2 |
Method of encapsulating diverse user interface components while consistently enforcing external constraints
A computer-implemented method, apparatus, and computer readable storage medium encapsulate user interface components that collect data for a case management solution, while consistently enforcing metadata and constraints. Multiple types of interactive documents are supported, and a configuration indicates the type whose user interface components are to be encapsulated. A wrapper widget is created based on the interactive document type and implements an interface that enables it to interact externally with the case management environment and internally with the interactive document. The wrapper widget injects case property data values, metadata and/or constraints from the case management environment into the interactive document, which then enables editing of the case property data values and the effecting of the metadata and/or enforcing of the constraints. The wrapper widget is responsive to requests from the case management environment to validate and persist the interactive document to a case of the case management solution. |
| US09223756B2 |
Method and apparatus for identifying logical blocks of text in a document
A computer implemented method and apparatus for identifying logical blocks of text in a document where document structure information is absent. The method comprises accessing a document, wherein the document comprises a plurality of words; identifying word information for each word in the plurality of words; creating a plurality of text lines based on the word information, wherein each text line in the plurality of text lines comprises one or more words in the plurality of words; and creating a plurality of text blocks derived from the plurality of text lines. |
| US09223750B2 |
Dynamic tag generating apparatus and dynamic tag generating method thereof for use in display apparatus
A dynamic tag generating apparatus and a dynamic tag generating method thereof are provided. The dynamic tag generating apparatus is disposed in a display apparatus, and the display apparatus is connected to a server. The dynamic tag generating apparatus receives tag update information from the server through the display apparatus, and updates a tag content of the display apparatus according to the tag update information. The dynamic tag generating apparatus provides the tag content to a tag analyzing apparatus so that the tag analyzing apparatus analyzes the tag content. |
| US09223749B2 |
Celestial navigation system for an autonomous vehicle
A navigation control system for an autonomous vehicle comprises a transmitter and an autonomous vehicle. The transmitter comprises an emitter for emitting at least one signal, a power source for powering the emitter, a device for capturing wireless energy to charge the power source, and a printed circuit board for converting the captured wireless energy to a form for charging the power source. The autonomous vehicle operates within a working area and comprises a receiver for detecting the at least one signal emitted by the emitter, and a processor for determining a relative location of the autonomous vehicle within the working area based on the signal emitted by the emitter. |
| US09223737B1 |
Computer interconnect isolation
Methods and systems are provided routing access requests produced by a function to a physical sharing machine on a computer interconnect fabric. Access requests are routed through a switch that includes an NTB, the NTB using an address-lookup table to ensure that access requests made by multiple physical sharing machines are appropriately isolated from one another. |
| US09223735B2 |
Providing a consolidated sideband communication channel between devices
In an embodiment, the present invention includes a protocol stack having a transaction layer and a link layer. In addition a first physical (PHY) unit is coupled to the protocol stack to provide communication between a processor and a device coupled to the processor via a physical link, where the first PHY unit is of a low power communication protocol and includes a first physical unit circuit. In turn, a second PHY unit is coupled to the protocol stack to provide communication between the processor and the device via a sideband channel coupled between the multicore processor and the device separate from the physical link, where the second PHY unit includes a second physical unit circuit. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09223732B2 |
Apparatus and method of recognizing external device in a communication system
An apparatus and a method of recognizing an external device in a portable terminal are provided. The apparatus includes a connector connected to the external device, and a controller configured to transmit a connection message, if the portable terminal is connected to the external device through the connector, the connection message asking whether the external device supports a second connection scheme to the external device by using a first connection scheme, configured to receive a connection response message as a response to the connection message from the external device, configured to determine based on the connection response message whether the external device supports the second connection scheme, and configured to recognize at least one device supporting the second connection scheme in the external device by activating the second connection scheme, if the external device supports the second connection scheme. |
| US09223729B2 |
Servicing a globally broadcast interrupt signal in a multi-threaded computer
Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for servicing a globally broadcast interrupt signal in a multi-threaded computer comprising a plurality of processor threads. Embodiments include an interrupt controller indicating in a plurality of local interrupt status locations that a globally broadcast interrupt signal has been received by the interrupt controller. Embodiments also include a thread determining that a local interrupt status location corresponding to the thread indicates that the globally broadcast interrupt signal has been received by the interrupt controller. Embodiments also include the thread processing one or more entries in a global interrupt status bit queue based on whether global interrupt status bits associated with the globally broadcast interrupt signal are locked. Each entry in the global interrupt status bit queue corresponds to a queued global interrupt. |
| US09223727B2 |
Input-output circuit
An identification terminal voltage detecting circuit detects a voltage of an identification terminal. A video switch is inserted into a signal line connecting a video circuit included in an internal circuit and the identification terminal. When a voltage representing that a video cable is connected to a connector is detected, and then a voltage representing that the video cable is terminated with specified impedance is detected, the control unit turns on the video switch. |
| US09223726B2 |
Apparatus and method for programmable read preamble with training pattern
A memory device is provided. The memory device includes a preamble memory and a memory controller. The preamble memory is arranged to store a read preamble such that the read preamble includes a training pattern that is suitable for aligning a capture point for read data. Further, the training pattern is programmable such that the training pattern can be altered at least once subsequent to manufacture of the preamble memory. In response to a read command, the memory controller provides the read preamble stored in the preamble memory, as well as the read data. |
| US09223725B2 |
Method and apparatus for selectively reading image data
A method of reading data includes setting first addresses defining a full image and second addresses defining a blocking region included in the full image and not reading blocking region data corresponding to the blocking region among image data corresponding to the full image using the first addresses and the second addresses. |
| US09223724B2 |
Information processing device
A device of one embodiment includes a host device including a first memory unit and host controller, and memory device. The host controller controls input/output accesses to the first memory unit. The memory device includes a nonvolatile semiconductor memory, second memory unit, protection circuit, and device controller. The second memory unit temporarily stores data to be transferred between the first memory unit and the nonvolatile semiconductor memory. The protection circuit protects data to be transferred from the second memory unit to the first memory unit by converting the data into an incomprehensible format. The device controller switches according to a control program whether or not to protect the data by the protection circuit. |
| US09223722B2 |
Efficient online construction of miss rate curves
Miss rate curves are constructed in a resource-efficient manner so that they can be constructed and memory management decisions can be made while the workloads are running. The resource-efficient technique includes the steps of selecting a subset of memory pages for the workload, maintaining a least recently used (LRU) data structure for the selected memory pages, detecting accesses to the selected memory pages and updating the LRU data structure in response to the detected accesses, and generating data for constructing a miss-rate curve for the workload using the LRU data structure. After a memory page is accessed, the memory page may be left untraced for a period of time, after which the memory page is retraced. |
| US09223720B2 |
Systems and methods for rapidly generating suitable pairs of hash functions
A lookup circuit evaluates hash functions that map keys to addresses in lookup tables. The circuit includes multiple hash function sub-circuits, each of which applies a respective hash function to an input key, producing a hash value. Candidate pairs of hash functions to be implemented by the hash function sub-circuits (or hash function bit matrices thereof) may be generated and tested for suitability in hashing a particular collection of keys. Each hash function bit matrix may be generated according to heuristics chosen to improve the likelihood that it will be suitable for use in a pair, and may be tested against previously generated hash function bit matrices contained in one or more pools (each of which may contain matrices generated using different heuristics) to identify suitable pairs. The hash function bit matrices may be represented in the pools in a tabulated form, which may reduce the suitability testing time. |
| US09223718B2 |
Memory device responding to device commands for operational controls
A memory device responding to device commands for operational controls. An embodiment of memory device includes one or more memory elements, a system element including a memory controller, and a physical interface including command input pins to receive commands for the memory device. The commands include commands for operational controls for the memory device, including one or both of a first command for a reset control to reset the memory device and a second command for a clock enable (CKE) control to halt internal clock distribution for the memory device. |
| US09223706B2 |
System, method and a non-transitory computer readable medium for a pre-fetch operation
A method for pre-fetching information units, the method may include: (I) Receiving, by a storage system, write requests for writing information units to the storage system. Each write request includes a first identifier and a second identifier. The first identifier identifies a logical address. A combination of the first and second identifiers identifies an accessing entity that initiated the write request. (II) Receiving a read request for reading at least one information unit from the storage system, the read request is initiated by a certain accessing entity. (III) Determining whether to perform a pre-fetch of at least one additional information unit in response to at least one write request that was initiated by the certain accessing entity. If is determined to perform the pre-fetch then fetching the at least one additional information unit. |
| US09223704B2 |
Memory access control circuit, prefetch circuit, memory device and information processing system
Disclosed herein is a memory access control circuit including: a determination section adapted to determine whether a target requested by a first wraparound memory access request from a processor is stored in a prefetch buffer; a request generation section adapted to generate a second wraparound memory access request including the target if it is determined that the target is not stored in the prefetch buffer; and an address conversion section adapted to convert the start address of the first wraparound memory access request according to predetermined rules for use as a start address of the second wraparound memory access request. |
| US09223700B2 |
Managing global cache coherency in a distributed shared caching for clustered file systems
Systems. Methods, and Computer Program Products are provided for managing a global cache coherency in a distributed shared caching for a clustered file systems (CFS). The CFS manages access permissions to an entire space of data segments by using the DSM module. In response to receiving a request to access one of the data segments, a calculation operation is performed for obtaining most recent contents of one of the data segments. The calculation operation performs one of providing the most recent contents via communication with a remote DSM module which obtains the one of the data segments from an associated external cache memory, instructing by the DSM module to read from storage the one of the data segments, and determining that any existing contents of the one of the data segments in the local external cache are the most recent contents. |
| US09223696B2 |
Data storage device for holding erasure of victim block having valid page copied to merge block and method of operating the same
An operating method of a data storage device including nonvolatile memory devices includes making a victim block list for victim blocks for which a merge operation is to be performed and copying valid pages of the victim bocks to a merge block. The method also includes determining whether there is a victim block which has an erase-held valid page selectively erasing the victim blocks included in the victim block list, according to which victim blocks have an erase-held page, and updating the victim block list according to which victim blocks are erased. |
| US09223694B2 |
Data storage device and operating method thereof
A data storage device includes a first memory device configured to store data having a first property, and a second memory device including a first block configured to store data having a second property and a second block configured to store data transferred from the first memory device. |
| US09223693B2 |
Memory system having an unequal number of memory die on different control channels
A flash memory system having unequal number of memory die and method for operation are disclosed. The memory system includes a plurality of flash memory die distributed unevenly among different control lines, such that there are an unequal number of die between control lines. A total physical capacity of the plurality of flash memory die is greater than a total logical capacity such that the memory system is over provisioned with physical capacity. A logical address splitter directs data received from a host system and associated with host logical block addresses such that each control line only receives data associated with predetermined host logical block address ranges and directs the data such that a ratio of physical capacity to logical capacity is equal among each of the control lines, regardless of the different number of die and associated different physical capacity per control line. |
| US09223692B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device with multi-level memory cells and programming method
A non-volatile memory (NVM) includes a memory cell array of multi-level memory cells (MLC) arranged in physical pages. A programming method for the NVM includes; receiving first data and partitioning the first data according to a single bit page capacity of a physical page to generate partitioned first data, programming the partitioned first data as single-bit data to a plurality of physical pages, and receiving second data and programming the second data as multi-bit data to a selected physical page among the plurality of physical pages, wherein the second data is simultaneously programmed to the MLC of the selected physical page. |
| US09223691B2 |
Data storage device and method for flash block management
A data storage includes a flash memory and a controller. The flash memory comprises a spare block pool and a data block pool, wherein the spare block pool comprises a plurality of spare blocks, and the data block pool comprises a plurality of data blocks, wherein the spare blocks with erase counts higher than a hot threshold are determined as hot spare blocks, and a hot spare block count indicates a total number of the hot spare blocks. The controller receives target data from the host, writes the target data to a current data block, determines whether a current programming page is the first page of the current data block, determines whether the hot spare block count is greater than zero when the current programming page is the first page, and sets data move information for a wear-leveling process when the hot spare block count is greater than zero. |
| US09223690B2 |
Freeing memory safely with low performance overhead in a concurrent environment
Freeing memory safely with low performance overhead in a concurrent environment is described. An example method includes creating a reference count for each sub block in a global memory block, and each global memory block includes a plurality of sub blocks aged based on respective allocation time. A reference count for a first sub block is incremented when a thread operates a collection of data items and accesses the first sub block for a first time. Reference counts for the first sub block and a second sub block are lazily updated. Subsequently, the sub blocks are scanned through in the order of their age until a sub block with a non-zero reference count is encountered. Accordingly, one or more sub blocks whose corresponding reference counts are equal to zero are freed safely and with low performance overhead. |
| US09223688B2 |
Data storing method and memory controller and memory storage device using the same
A data storing method for a rewritable non-volatile memory module and a memory controller and a memory storage device using the same are provided. The data storing method includes moving or writing data into a physical erase unit of the rewritable non-volatile memory module and determining whether the physical erase unit contains a dancing bit. The data storing method further includes when the physical erase unit contains the dancing bit, restoring the rewritable non-volatile memory module to the state before the data is moved or moving the data from the physical erase unit to another physical erase unit. Thereby, the data storing method can effectively ensure the reliability of the data. |
| US09223681B2 |
Automated debug trace specification
Debugging a debug target software by: (i) generating a first log file set, including at least one log file, based upon how the computer hardware set executes the instructions of the computer software set; (ii) responsive to a first error in the execution of the computer software set, examining at least a portion of the first log file set; and (iii) creating, based at least in part upon the examination of the first log file set, augmented logging instructions for generating augmented logging information, which is helpful for debugging. |
| US09223677B2 |
Generation of trace data in a multi-processor system
A data processing apparatus is provided having a plurality of processing circuits each having access to a memory. Tracing circuitry is provided for generating a stream of trace data for generating a stream of trace data corresponding to at least one of the plurality of processing circuits. Selection circuitry is provided to enable selective switching of the tracing circuitry from generating a first trace data stream corresponding to a first one of the plurality of processing circuits generating a second different trace data stream corresponding to a different one of the plurality of processing circuits. The selective switching is performed in dependence upon processing state information associating with one or more of the plurality of processing circuits. A corresponding method and computer program product are also provided. |
| US09223671B2 |
Method and system for providing high availability to computer applications
A system and method for distributed fault detection. In an exemplary method, unplanned application exits and crashes may be detected at a node local level. Further, application hangs may be detected using at least one of a script and a binary at the node local level. Also, node crashes and operating system crashes may be detected using node to node heart-beating. |
| US09223667B2 |
Method for identifying root cause failure in a multi-parameter self learning machine application model
A method for identifying root cause failure in a multi-parameter self learning machine application model is presented. At least one multi-function sensor having the capability to measure at least one of a voltage and current of the machine application model is provided. The method includes measuring voltages and currents of a multi-phase load with the multi-function sensors in a passive manor and calculating at least one of a time-varying variable KW, PF, kVAr, or Z out of the measured voltages and currents. The method further provides calculating a first, second or third order derivative of the time-varying variable and classifying segments of at least one of the time-varying variables depending on a state. Then, a step of choosing at least one of the variables and learning their normal behavior is undertaken. Finally, normal behavior is compared to a pattern difference and a root-cause meaning to the pattern difference is identified. |
| US09223666B2 |
Disaster recovery for databases
A method and apparatus for managing data in a database. A determination is made as to whether a number of logs created for a primary database located on a first computer system is ready for transfer to a second computer system. A number of sessions is identified based on resources available to transfer the number of logs across a network to the second computer system to form an identified number of sessions in response to a determination that the number of logs is ready to be transferred. The first computer system and the second computer system are in communication with the network. The number of logs is transferred from the first computer system to the second computer system using the identified number of sessions. |
| US09223665B2 |
Apparatuses and methods for memory testing and repair
Some embodiments include apparatuses and methods having a first interface to communicate with a processing unit, a second interface to communicate with a memory device, and a module coupled to the first and second interfaces. In at least one of the embodiments, the module can be configured to obtain information stored in the memory device and perform at least one of testing and repairing of a memory structure of the memory device based at least in part on the information. |
| US09223663B2 |
Resolving memory faults with reduced processing impact
A fault occurs in a virtual environment that includes a base space, a first subspace, and a second subspace, each with a virtual address associated with content in auxiliary storage memory. The fault is resolved by copying the content from auxiliary storage to central storage memory and updating one or more base space dynamic address translation (DAT) tables, and not updating DAT tables of the first and second subspace. A subsequent fault at the first subspace virtual address is resolved by copying the base space DAT table information to the first subspace DAT tables and not updating the second subspace DAT tables. A fault occurring with association to the virtual address of the first subspace is resolved for the base space and the base space DAT table information is copied to the first subspace DAT tables, and the second subspace DAT tables are not updated. |
| US09223661B1 |
Method and apparatus for automatically archiving data items from backup storage
A method and apparatus for automatically archiving data items from backup storage without having to first restore the data items is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises processing at least one data item in backup storage using a mapping, wherein the mapping indicates at least one location of the at least one data item and ingesting the at least one data item into an archive database. |
| US09223660B2 |
Storage device to backup content based on a deduplication system
Chunks that commonly occur in each content type are aggregated in a first container. To be more specific, a storage device used for content backup is configured with: (1) a memory device that provides a memory region for one or a plurality of first containers used to store first chunks that commonly occur in each content type among chunks extracted from the contents of writing targets, and for one or a plurality of second containers used to store other chunks than the first chunks; and (2) a backup unit that decides whether each of the chunks extracted from the contents of the writing targets is a first duplication chunk duplicating a chunk stored in the first container, and further decides, for only a chunk that is decided not to be the first duplication chunk, whether each of the chunks is a second duplication chunk duplicating a chunk stored in the second container, and then stores only a chunk that is decided not to be the second duplication chunk in the second container. |
| US09223656B2 |
Operating method for memory system including nonvolatile RAM and NAND flash memory
An operating method for a memory system including a nonvolatile random access memory (NVRAM) and a NAND flash memory includes performing a normal read operation directed to the target memory cell in response to a read request, determining that a read fail has occurred as a result of the normal read operation, then performing a read retry operation by iterations directed to the target memory cell according to a first read retry scheme until a pass read retry iteration successfully reads the target memory cell, and storing pass information associated with the pass read retry iteration in the NVRAM. |
| US09223653B2 |
Modifying a dispersed storage network memory data access response plan
A method includes storing tasks in a task queue. The method continues with computing devices retrieving at least some of the plurality of tasks for execution. The method includes a computing device issuing read requests and initiate delete requests to storage units regarding an unassigned task, wherein the initiate delete requests instruct the storage units to flag for deletion, but not execute deletion, of a set of encoded task slices corresponding to the unassigned task. The method continues with the computing device receiving responses. When the responses include encoded task slices, the method continues with the computing device decoding them to recover the unassigned task. The method continues with the computing device executing the recovered task and, when execution is successful, issuing commit delete requests to the storage units that instruct the storage units to delete the set of encoded task slices for the unassigned task. |
| US09223651B2 |
Data processing system and method for recording and reproducing holographic optical information
Provided is a data processing system for recording holographic optical information. The data processing system includes, a data interface constructing a data page by using data transmitted from a host information device, a memory storing data transmitted from the data interface, an encoder ECC-encoding data that is stored in the memory, and a modulator modulating the encoded data so as to record optical information. Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently transmit data when recording and reproducing holographic optical information. |
| US09223650B2 |
Solid state disk controller apparatus
A solid state disk controller apparatus comprises a first port; a second port having a plurality of channels; a central processing unit connected to a CPU bus; a buffer memory configured to store data to be transferred from the second port to the first port and from the first port to the second port; a buffer controller/arbiter block connected to the CPU bus and configured to control read and write operations of the buffer memory based on a control of the central processing unit; a first data transfer block connected between the first port and the buffer controller/arbiter block and configured to transfer data to be stored/read in/from the buffer memory bypassing the CPU bus; and a second data transfer block connected between the second port and the buffer controller/arbiter block and configured to transfer data to be stored/read in/from the buffer memory bypassing the CPU bus. |
| US09223648B2 |
Memory storage device, memory controller thereof, and method for processing data thereof
A data processing method adapted for a rewritable non-volatile memory module is provided. The method includes receiving a first data stream and performing an error-correction encoding procedure on the first data stream to generate an original error checking and correcting (ECC) code corresponding to the first data stream. The method also includes converting the original ECC code into a second ECC code according to a second rearrangement rule, and the original ECC code is different from the second ECC code. The method further includes respectively writing the first data stream and the second ECC code into a data bit area and an error-correction code bit area of the same or different physical programming units in the rewritable non-volatile memory module. |
| US09223646B2 |
Error detection systems and methods
Error detection systems and methods are provided. An error detection system (100) can include a plurality of networked output devices (110) and a processor (130) coupled via a network (120) to the plurality of output devices. The processor can be configured to aggregate output data (135) from at least a portion of a plurality of parallel, networked, output devices. The processor can be further configured to compare (140) the aggregated output data with an output data sample selected from one of the plurality of output devices and detect (145) a discrepancy between the output data sample and the aggregated output data. The processor can also be configured to compare (150) the detected discrepancy to a predetermined threshold and signal (155) when the detected discrepancy exceeds the predetermined threshold. |
| US09223645B2 |
Storage apparatus and method for controlling storage apparatus
Provided is a storage apparatus and a method for controlling the storage apparatus which are capable of achieving both enhancement of data transfer processing efficiency and enhancement of apparatus availability. A storage apparatus including a storage medium for providing an external apparatus with a data storage area has a processing unit including a plurality of processors and a shared memory for storing programs executed by the processors and is configured such that the processors receive data I/O requests and store the data I/O requests in the shared memory as storage medium control information for the storage medium. The storage medium controller executes data processing of writing or reading target data for the corresponding data I/O processing request to or from the storage medium on the basis of the storage medium control information transmitted from the external apparatus. The data transfer controller executes data transfer processing between the processing unit and the storage medium controller in accordance with a predetermined communication method. When the storage medium controller transmits a data transfer request to the data transfer controller and the data transfer controller transfers the data transfer request from the storage medium controller to the processing unit, the data transfer controller sends the storage medium controller data including predetermined error information stipulated for the communication method when determining that the processing unit does not execute the data transfer processing normally, and the storage medium controller determines that a failure has occurred to the processor which is the target of the data transfer request transmitted to the data transfer controller when receiving the predetermined error information. |
| US09223643B2 |
Content interruptions
Techniques that address content interruptions are described. In an implementation, an interruption is detected at the client device in receipt of a stream of content from a distribution system that is to be recorded locally in memory at the client device. A stream of content is generated at the client device and the generated stream of content is recorded to fill the interruption in the stream of content from the distribution system in the memory of the client device. |
| US09223638B2 |
Lockless spin buffer
Implementations of the present disclosure are directed to enabling data transfer between data producers and data consumers. Implementations include generating a data structure, the data structure including a lockless spin buffer (LLSB), the LLSB including two or more lockless components, each of the two or more lockless components including a plurality of elements to be written to and read from, providing one or more write pointers to enable one or more data producers to write to each of the two or more lockless components, and providing one or more read pointers to enable one or more data consumers to read from each of the two or more lockless components, the one or more data producers being able to write to the LLSB concurrently with the one or more data consumers being able to read from the LLSB. |
| US09223637B1 |
Method and apparatus to advise spin and yield decisions
Methods and apparatus provide for a busy resource encoder to allow for a finer control of spin versus yield decisions. Specifically, the busy resource encoder allows for the execution a first thread, where the first thread is using a particular resource. Additionally, the busy resource encoder allows for the execution of a second thread, where the second thread requires use of the resource which is locked due to first thread execution. The busy resource encoder creates a busy code to indicate the progress of the execution of the first thread in relation to use of the resource by the first thread. The second thread can then read the busy code to determine to execute one of a spin and a yield routine by the second thread. |
| US09223636B2 |
Low-risk server consolidation
A method for virtual machine (VM) consolidation includes providing a plurality of resource usage levels for a set of VMs to be consolidated including a first resource usage level and a last resource usage level. An optimization problem is formulated to minimize an objective function such that any of one or more VMs of a set of VMs to be allocated to a target server may be assigned to the first resource level and remaining VMs of the set may be assigned to the last resource level while not exceeding a resource capacity of the target server. The set of VMs are allocated to a number of servers is accordance with the formulating to consolidate the set of VMs. |
| US09223634B2 |
System and method for simulating virtual machine migration in a network environment
A method includes simulating network resources of a portion of a cloud in a simulated cloud within a enterprise network, the cloud being communicable with the enterprise network over a first communication channel, which may be external to the enterprise network. The method can also include simulating network behavior of the first communication channel in a second communication channel within the enterprise network, and validating application performance in the simulated cloud. Simulating network resources includes providing a cloud resources abstraction layer in the enterprise network, and allocating enterprise network resources in the enterprise network to the simulated cloud by the cloud resources abstraction layer. The method further includes adding a virtual network service appliance to the simulated cloud, and determining a change to a network topology of the enterprise network to accommodate the virtual appliance without materially impacting application performance. |
| US09223631B2 |
Performing an operation using multiple services
Some embodiments provide a method for distributing an operation for processing by a set of background services. The method automatically determines a number of background services for performing an operation. The method partitions the operation into several sub-operations. The method distributes the several sub-operations across the determined number of background services. |
| US09223630B2 |
Method and apparatus for energy efficient distributed and elastic load balancing
Various embodiments provide a method and apparatus of providing a load balancing configuration that adapts to the overall load and scales the power consumption with the load to improve energy efficiency and scalability. The energy efficient distributed and elastic load balancing architecture includes a collection of multi-tiered servers organized as a tree structure. The handling of incoming service requests is distributed amongst a number of the servers. Each server in the virtual load distribution tree accepts handles incoming service requests based on its own load. Once a predetermined loading on the receiving server has been reached, the receiving server passes the incoming requests to one or more of its children servers. |
| US09223629B2 |
Data processing system and method
A method of optimizing an application in a system having a plurality of processors, the method comprising: analyzing the application for a first period to obtain a first activity analysis; selecting one of the processors based on the activity analysis for running the application; and binding the application to the selected processor. |
| US09223628B2 |
Task scheduling based on dependencies and resources
An example system identifies a set of tasks as being designated for execution, and the set of tasks includes a first task and a second task. The example system accesses task dependency data that corresponds to the second task and indicates that the first task is to be executed prior to the second task. The example system, based on the task dependency data, generates a task dependency model of the set of tasks. The dependency model indicates that the first task is to be executed prior to the second task. The example system schedules an execution of the first task, which is scheduled to use a particular data processing resource. The scheduling is based on the dependency model. |
| US09223627B2 |
Management of task allocation in a multi-core processing system
A system and method for management of task allocation in a multi-core processing system. A controller of the processing unit may, at an initialization stage determine a number of worker threads to be a prime number not smaller than a multiplication of the number of the processing cores and a predetermined factor, assign a worker identification number (ID) to each worker thread, wherein the worker IDs are consecutive positive integers ranging from zero to the number of workers minus one. At a processing state the controller may receive from a dispatcher of the processing system a task associated with a numeric context ID and designate the task to one of the worker threads, wherein the worker ID of the designated worker thread equals the numeric context ID of the task, modulo the number of worker threads. |
| US09223626B2 |
Task execution and management in a clustered computing environment
Machines, systems and methods for task management in a computer implemented system. The method comprises registering a task with brokers residing on one or more nodes to manage the execution of a task to completion, wherein a first broker is accompanied by a first set of worker threads co-located on the node on which the first broker is executed, wherein the first broker assigns responsibility of execution for the task to the one or more worker threads in the first set of co-located worker threads, wherein in response to a failure associated with a first worker thread in the first set, the first broker reassigns the responsibility of execution for the task to a second worker thread in the first set, wherein in response to a failure associated with the first broker, a second broker assigns responsibility of execution for the task to one or more co-located worker threads. |