Document Document Title
US09306098B2 Method of making photovoltaic device comprising an absorber having a surface layer
A method of fabricating a photovoltaic device includes a step of forming an absorber layer above a substrate, and a step of forming a surface layer on the absorber layer. The absorber layer includes an I-III-VI2 compound, which contains a Group I element, a Group III element and a Group VI element. The surface layer includes an I-III-VI2 compound, which contains a Group I element, a Group III element and a Group VI element, and has an atomic ratio of the Group I element to the Group III element in the range of from 0.1 to 0.9.
US09306096B2 Electrically conducting compositions for organic electronic devices
The present invention discloses an electrically conducting composition that include a charge transporting oligomer selected either from oligoanilines and/or oligothiophenes and electron accepting dopants; and further contain conductivity enhancing substances such as ionic liquids, or a nanoparticle, dissolved in a mixture of at least two solvents to achieve the desired formulation for making the electrically conductive layer for organic electronic devices.
US09306094B2 System and method for black silicon etching utilizing thin fluid layers
Systems and methods for etching the surface of a substrate may utilize a thin layer of fluid to etch a substrate for improved anti-reflective properties. The substrate may be secured with a holding fixture that is capable of positioning the substrate. A fluid comprising an acid and an oxidizer for etching may be prepared, which may optionally include a metal catalyst. An amount of fluid necessary to form a thin layer contacting the surface of the substrate to be etched may be dispensed. The fluid may be spread into the thin layer utilizing a tray that the substrate is dipped into, a plate that is placed near the surface of the substrate to be etched, or a spray or coating device.
US09306085B2 Radially arranged metal contact fingers for solar cells
A solar cell includes negative metal contact fingers and positive metal contact fingers. The negative metal contact fingers are interdigitated with the positive metal contact fingers. The metal contact fingers, both positive and negative, have a radial design where they radially extend to surround at least 25% of a perimeter of a corresponding contact pad. The metal contact fingers have bend points, which collectively form a radial pattern with a center point within the contact pad. Exactly two metal contact pads merge into a single leading metal contact pad that is wider than either of the exactly two metal contact pads.
US09306084B2 Solar cell and method of manufacturing the same
A solar cell and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The solar cell includes a substrate of a first conductive type; an emitter layer of a second conductive type opposite the first conductive type on the substrate; a first electrode electrically connected to the emitter layer; a passivation layer on the substrate; a second electrode conductive layer on the passivation layer, the second electrode conductive layer including at least one second electrode electrically connected to the substrate through the passivation layer; and a second electrode current collector electrically connected to the second electrode conductive layer.
US09306080B2 Optical wiring substrate, manufacturing method of optical wiring substrate and optical module
An optical wiring substrate includes an insulation layer including a resin, and a conductor layer formed on the insulation layer and including a metal and an inclined surface inclined relative to an optical axis of an optical fiber. A first wiring pattern and a second wiring pattern are formed in the conductor layer, the first wiring pattern including a first connecting part to which a first electrode of a photoelectric conversion element is connected, and the second wiring pattern including a second connecting part to which a second electrode of the photoelectric conversion element is connected. A distance between the first wiring pattern and the second wiring pattern is narrowest between the first connecting part and the second connecting part. A distance between the first connecting part and the second connecting part is less than a dimension of the conductor layer in a thickness direction thereof.
US09306077B2 Method for processing oxide semiconductor layer
A method for processing an oxide semiconductor containing indium, gallium, and zinc is provided. In the method, the oxide semiconductor layer comprises a plurality of excess oxygen, a first oxygen vacancy that is close to first indium and captures first hydrogen, and a second oxygen vacancy that is close to second indium and captures second hydrogen, the first hydrogen captured by the first oxygen vacancy is bonded to one of a plurality of excess oxygen to so that a hydroxyl is formed; the hydroxyl is bonded to the second hydrogen captured by the second oxygen vacancy to release as water; and then, the first oxygen vacancy captures one of excess oxygen and the second oxygen vacancy captures one of excess oxygen.
US09306069B2 Isolation structure of fin field effect transistor
The disclosure relates to a fin field effect transistor (FinFET). An exemplary FinFET comprises a substrate comprising a major surface; a fin structure protruding from the major surface comprising a lower portion comprising a first semiconductor material having a first lattice constant; an upper portion comprising the first semiconductor material, wherein a bottom portion of the upper portion comprises a dopant with a first peak concentration; a middle portion between the lower portion and upper portion, wherein the middle portion comprises a second semiconductor material having a second lattice constant different from the first lattice constant; and an isolation structure surrounding the fin structure, wherein a portion of the isolation structure adjacent to the bottom portion of the upper portion comprises the dopant with a second peak concentration equal to or greater than the first peak concentration.
US09306068B2 Stain compensation in transistors
Transistor structures having channel regions comprising alternating layers of compressively and tensilely strained epitaxial materials are provided. The alternating epitaxial layers can form channel regions in single and multigate transistor structures. In alternate embodiments, one of the two alternating layers is selectively etched away to form nanoribbons or nanowires of the remaining material. The resulting strained nanoribbons or nanowires form the channel regions of transistor structures. Also provided are computing devices comprising transistors comprising channel regions comprised of alternating compressively and tensilely strained epitaxial layers and computing devices comprising transistors comprising channel regions comprised of strained nanoribbons or nanowires.
US09306067B2 Nonplanar device and strain-generating channel dielectric
A nonplanar circuit device having a strain-producing structure disposed under the channel region is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the integrated circuit device includes a substrate with a first fin structure and a second fin structure disposed on the substrate. An isolation feature trench is defined between the first fin structure and the second fin structure. The circuit device also includes a strain feature disposed on a horizontal surface of the substrate within the isolation feature trench. The strain feature may be configured to produce a strain on a channel region of a transistor formed on the first fin structure. The circuit device also includes a fill dielectric disposed on the strain feature within the isolation feature trench. In some such embodiments, the strain feature is further disposed on a vertical surface of the first fin structure and on a vertical surface of the second fin structure.
US09306066B2 Method and apparatus of stressed FIN NMOS FinFET
A semiconductor fin is on a substrate, and extends in a longitudinal direction parallel to the substrate. The fin projects, in a vertical direction, to a fin top at a fin height above the substrate. An embedded fin stressor element is embedded in the fin. The fin stressor element is configured to urge a vertical compression force within the fin, parallel to the vertical direction. Optionally, the semiconductor material includes silicon, and embedded fin stressor element includes silicon dioxide.
US09306063B2 Vertical transistor devices for embedded memory and logic technologies
Vertical transistor devices are described. For example, in one embodiment, a vertical transistor device includes an epitaxial source semiconductor region disposed on a substrate, an epitaxial channel semiconductor region disposed on the source semiconductor region, an epitaxial drain semiconductor region disposed on the channel semiconductor region, and a gate electrode region surrounding sidewalls of the semiconductor channel region. A composition of at least one of the semiconductor regions varies along a longitudinal axis that is perpendicular with respect to a surface of the substrate.
US09306060B1 Semiconductor devices and related fabrication methods
Semiconductor device structures and related fabrication methods are provided. An exemplary semiconductor device structure includes a body region of semiconductor material having a first conductivity type, a source region of semiconductor material having a second conductivity type within the body region, a junction isolation region of semiconductor material having the second conductivity type, a drain region of semiconductor material having the second conductivity type, and first and second drift regions of semiconductor material having the second conductivity type. The first drift region resides laterally between the drain region and the junction isolation region, the junction isolation region resides laterally between the first drift region and the second drift region, and the second drift region resides laterally between the body region and the junction isolation region.
US09306059B2 Power semiconductor transistor with improved gate charge
A slotted gate power transistor is a lateral power device including a substrate, a gate dielectric formed over the substrate, a channel region in the substrate below the gate dielectric and gate electrode layer formed over the gate dielectric. The gate electrode layer overlaps the gate dielectric above the channel region, an accumulation region, and a drift region below an oxide filled shallow trench isolation (or STI) or locally oxidized silicon (LOCOS) region. The slotted gate power transistor includes one or more slots or openings on the gate electrode layer over the accumulation region. Electrical connectivity is maintained over the entire gate electrode layer without external wiring.
US09306054B2 Semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is provided. A plurality of first gate electrode structure is formed on a substrate. A recess is formed in the substrate, wherein the recess is formed between two adjacent first gate electrode structures of the plurality of first gate electrode structure. A diffusion prevention layer includes a first material and is formed on the recess of the substrate. A first pre-silicide layer includes a second material different from the first material and is formed on the diffusion prevention layer. A metal layer is formed on the first pre-silicide layer. The first pre-silicide layer and the metal layer are changed to a first silicide layer by performing an annealing process to the substrate. The diffusion prevention layer prevents metal atoms of the metal layer from diffusing to the substrate, and the first silicide layer comprises a monocrystalline layer.
US09306053B2 Method for producing a semiconductor device with surrounding gate transistor
A method for producing a semiconductor device includes a first step of forming a fin-shaped silicon layer on a silicon substrate using a first resist and forming a first insulating film therearound; and a second step of forming a second insulating film around the fin-shaped silicon layer and etching the second insulating film so as to be left on a side wall of the fin-shaped silicon layer, depositing a third insulating film on the first and second insulating films and the fin-shaped silicon layer, depositing a polysilicon thereon, planarizing a surface thereof, and etching back the polysilicon to expose the third insulating film, forming a second resist, etching the second and third insulating films and then etching the fin-shaped silicon layer and the polysilicon, and removing the second insulating film to form a pillar-shaped silicon layer and a dummy gate formed of the polysilicon.
US09306050B2 III-V semiconductor structures including aluminum-silicon nitride passivation
A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor layer that is passivated with an aluminum-silicon nitride layer. When the semiconductor layer in particular comprises a III-V semiconductor material such as a group III nitride semiconductor material or a gallium nitride semiconductor material, the aluminum-silicon nitride material provides a superior passivation in comparison with a silicon nitride material.
US09306049B2 Hetero junction field effect transistor and method for manufacturing the same
Hetero junction field effect transistors and methods of fabricating such transistors are disclosed wherein: a first compound semiconductor layer is provided on a substrate; a second compound semiconductor layer is provided on the first compound semiconductor layer; a gate insulating layer is provided on the second compound semiconductor layer; and a gate electrode is provided on the gate insulating layer such that the gate insulating layer penetrates the second compound semiconductor layer so as to be in contact with the first compound semiconductor layer.
US09306048B2 Dual depth trench-gated mos-controlled thyristor with well-defined turn-on characteristics
An insulated gate turn-off thyristor has a layered structure including a p+ layer (e.g., a substrate), an n− layer, a p-well, vertical insulated gate regions formed in the p-well, and n+ regions between the gate regions, so that vertical NPN and PNP transistors are formed. Some of the gate regions are first gate regions that only extend into the p-well, and other ones of the gate regions are second gate regions that extend through the p-well and into the n− layer to create a vertical conducting channel when biased. The second gate regions increase the beta of the PNP transistor. When the first gate regions are biased, the base of the NPN transistor is narrowed to increase its beta. When the product of the betas exceeds one, controlled latch-up of the thyristor is initiated. The distributed second gate regions lower the minimum gate voltage needed to turn on the thyristor.
US09306047B2 Semiconductor device and electric power converter in which same is used
There is provided a semiconductor device including a first emitter layer of a first conductivity type, a drift layer of a second conductivity type, adjacent to the first emitter layer, a channel layer of the first conductivity type, adjacent to the drift layer, a second emitter layer of the second conductivity type, adjacent to the channel layer, a collector electrode electrically coupled to the first emitter layer, an emitter electrode electrically coupled to the second emitter layer, a first trench-gate electrode for controlling on and off of an electric current flowing between the collector electrode and the emitter electrode, and a second trench-gate electrode for controlling a turn-off power loss. The semiconductor device further includes a thyristor unit made up of the first emitter layer, the drift layer, the channel layer, and the second emitter layer. Further, the electric current has saturation characteristics in a short circuit state, and short circuit capability of a double-gate semiconductor switching device is improved because the magnitude of electric current flowing during a short circuit is under control due to the electric current saturation characteristics.
US09306046B2 Semiconductor device having a semiconductor element and a terminal connected to the semiconductor element
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor element with a plurality of gates, an emitter pattern insulated from the plurality of gates and an emitter electrode formed on the emitter pattern, the semiconductor element being formed such that a main current flows into the emitter electrode via the emitter pattern, a first solder formed on a part of the emitter electrode, a second solder formed on a part of the emitter electrode apart from the first solder, and a terminal connected to the emitter electrode by means of the first solder and the second solder, wherein the semiconductor element includes a first solder region, a second solder region and an intermediate region, a density of the gates in each of the solder regions are equal, and a current density of the main current in the intermediate region is lower than current densities of the main currents in the other solder regions.
US09306044B2 Semiconductor configuration having reduced on-state resistance
A semiconductor configuration, which includes an epitaxial layer of the first conductivity type disposed on a highly doped substrate of first conductivity type; a layer of a second conductivity type introduced into the epitaxial layer; and a highly doped layer of the second conductivity type provided at the surface of the layer of the second conductivity type. Between the layer of the second conductivity type and the highly doped substrate of the first conductivity type, a plurality of Schottky contacts, which are in the floating state, are provided mutually in parallel in the area of the epitaxial layer.
US09306041B2 Vertical type semiconductor devices
A vertical type semiconductor device includes first and second word line structures that include first and second word lines. The word lines surround a plurality of pillar structures, which are provided to connect the word lines to corresponding string select lines. Connecting patterns electrically connect pairs of adjacent first and second word lines in a same plane. The device may be a nonvolatile memory device or a different type of device.
US09306037B2 Dummy gate electrode of semiconductor device
The disclosure relates to a dummy gate electrode of a semiconductor device. An embodiment comprises a substrate comprising a first surface; an insulation region covering a portion of the first surface, wherein the top of the insulation region defines a second surface; and a dummy gate electrode over the second surface, wherein the dummy gate electrode comprises a bottom and a base broader than the bottom, wherein a ratio of a width of the bottom to a width of the base is from about 0.5 to about 0.9.
US09306036B2 Nitride spacer for protecting a fin-shaped field effect transistor (finFET) device
Approaches for protecting a semiconductor device (e.g., a fin field effect transistor device (FinFET)) using a nitride spacer are provided. Specifically, a nitride spacer is formed over an oxide and a set of fins of the FinFET device to mitigate damage during subsequent processing. The nitride spacer is deposited before the block layers to protect the oxide on top of a set of gates in an open area of the FinFET device uncovered by a photoresist. The oxide on top of each gate will be preserved throughout all of the block layers to provide hardmask protection during subsequent source/drain epitaxial layering. Furthermore, the fins that are open and uncovered by the photoresist or the set of gates remain protected by the nitride spacer. Accordingly, fin erosion caused by amorphization of the fins exposed to resist strip processes is prevented, resulting in improved device yield.
US09306031B2 Compound semiconductor device, method of manufacturing the same, power supply device and high-frequency amplifier
A compound semiconductor device includes a substrate having an opening formed from the rear side thereof; a compound semiconductor layer disposed over the surface of the substrate; a local p-type region in the compound semiconductor layer, partially exposed at the end of the substrate opening; and a rear electrode made of a conductive material, disposed in the substrate opening so as to be connected to the local p-type region.
US09306029B2 Electronic device comprising conductive regions and dummy regions
A device includes an epitaxial region extending into a front surface of a chip. A portion of the chip adjacent the epitaxial region defines a collector. A gate is provided in a trench extending into the epitaxial region from the front surface. An emitter includes a body extending into the epitaxial region at a first side of the trench and a source extending into the body region from the front surface at the trench. A dummy emitter extends into the epitaxial region from the front surface at a second side of the trench opposite said first side. The dummy emitter lacks the source. The gate extends along a first wall of the trench facing the emitter region. A dummy gate is formed in the trench in a manner electrically isolated from the gate and extending along a second wall of the trench opposite said first wall.
US09306023B2 Semiconductor device with gate stacks and method of manufacturing the same
Embodiments of mechanisms for forming a semiconductor device are provided. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate and a first gate stack. The first gate stack includes a gate dielectric layer, a first work function metal layer and a second work function metal layer directly on the first work function metal layer. The second work function metal layer and the first work function metal layer have the same metal element. The semiconductor device also includes a second gate stack. The second gate stack includes a gate dielectric layer, a barrier layer and a second work function metal layer. The second work function metal layer and the barrier layer do not have the same metal element. A first thickness of the second work function metal layer of the first gate stack is larger than a second thickness of the second work function metal layer of the second gate stack.
US09306021B2 Graphene devices and methods of fabricating the same
A graphene device includes: a semiconductor substrate having a first region and a second region; a graphene layer on the first region, but not on the second region of the semiconductor substrate; a first electrode on a first portion of the graphene layer; a second electrode on a second portion of the graphene layer; an insulating layer between the graphene layer and the second electrode; and a third electrode on the second region of the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate has a tunable Schottky barrier formed by junction of the graphene layer and the semiconductor substrate.
US09306017B2 Bipolar transistor with lateral emitter and collector and method of production
A bipolar transistor includes a substrate of semiconductor material, a high-mobility layer in the substrate, and a donor layer adjacent to the high-mobility layer. An emitter terminal forms an emitter contact on the donor layer, and a collector terminal forms a collector contact on the donor layer. A base terminal is electrically conductively connected with the high-mobility layer. The transistor can be produced in a HEMT technology or BiFET technology in GaAs.
US09306014B1 High-electron-mobility transistors
High-electron-mobility transistors that include field plates are described. In a first implementation, a HEMT includes a first and a second semiconductor material disposed to form a heterojunction at which a two-dimensional electron gas arises and source, a drain, and gate electrodes. The gate electrode is disposed to regulate conduction in the heterojunction between the source electrode and the drain electrode. The gate has a drain-side edge. A gate-connected field plate is disposed above a drain-side edge of the gate electrode and extends laterally toward the drain. A second field plate is disposed above a drain-side edge of the gate-connected field plate and extends laterally toward the drain.
US09306009B2 Mix doping of a semi-insulating Group III nitride
Embodiments of a semi-insulating Group III nitride and methods of fabrication thereof are disclosed. In one embodiment, a semi-insulating Group III nitride layer includes a first doped portion that is doped with a first dopant and a second doped portion that is doped with a second dopant that is different than the first dopant. The first doped portion extends to a first thickness of the semi-insulating Group III nitride layer. The second doped portion extends from approximately the first thickness of the semi-insulating Group III nitride layer to a second thickness of the semi-insulating Group III nitride layer. In one embodiment, the first dopant is Iron (Fe), and the second dopant is Carbon (C). In another embodiment, the semi-insulating Group III nitride layer is a semi-insulating Gallium Nitride (GaN) layer, the first dopant is Fe, and the second dopant is C.
US09306001B1 Uniformly doped leakage current stopper to counter under channel leakage currents in bulk FinFET devices
Embodiments are directed to a method of forming a leakage current stopper of a fin-type field effect transistor (FinFET). The method includes forming at least one fin having an active region, a non-active region and a channel region in the active region. The method further includes exposing a surface of the non-active region, wherein the exposed surface leads to a portion of the non-active region that is substantially underneath the channel region. The method further includes implanting dopants through the exposed surface of the non-active region to form the leakage current stopper region.
US09305998B2 Adhesion of ferroelectric material to underlying conductive capacitor plate
Deposition of lead-zirconium-titanate (PZT) ferroelectric material over iridium metal, in the formation of a ferroelectric capacitor in an integrated circuit. The capacitor is formed by the deposition of a lower conductive plate layer having iridium metal as a top layer. The surface of the iridium metal is thermally oxidized, prior to or during the deposition of the PZT material. The resulting iridium oxide at the surface of the iridium metal is very thin, on the order of a few nanometers, which allows the deposited PZT to nucleate according to the crystalline structure of the iridium metal rather than that of iridium oxide. The iridium oxide is also of intermediate stoichiometry (IrO2-x), and reacts with the PZT material being deposited.
US09305995B1 Methods of fabricating an F-RAM
Methods of forming F-RAM cells are described. The method includes forming a contact extending through a first dielectric layer on a surface of a substrate. A barrier structure is formed over the contact by depositing and patterning a barrier layer. A second dielectric layer is deposited over the patterned barrier layer and planarized to expose a top surface of the barrier structure. A ferro-stack is deposited and patterned over the barrier structure to form a ferroelectric capacitor. A bottom electrode of the ferroelectric capacitor is electrically coupled to the diffusion region of the MOS transistor through the barrier structure. The barrier layer is conductive so that a bottom electrode of the ferroelectric capacitor is electrically coupled to the contact through the barrier structure. In one embodiment, patterning barrier layer comprises concurrently forming a local interconnect (LI) on a top surface of the first dielectric layer.
US09305992B2 Integrated circuit inductors with intertwined conductors
An inductor may be formed from a conductive path that includes intertwined conductive lines. There may be two, three, or more than three intertwined conductive lines in the conductive path. The conductive lines may be formed from conductive structures in the dielectric stack of an integrated circuit. The dielectric stack may include metal layers that include conductive traces and may include via layers that include vias for interconnecting the traces. The intertwined conductive lines may be formed from the conductive structures in the metal and via layers. In crossover regions, the conductive lines may cross each other without electrically connecting to each other. Vias may be used to couple multiple layers of traces together to reduce line resistance.
US09305986B2 Organic light-emitting diode display
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display includes: a first electrode around a center point of a virtual square; second electrodes around a first vertex and a second vertex diagonal to the first vertex of the virtual square, the second electrodes being separated from each other and with the center point of the virtual square interposed therebetween; third electrodes around a third vertex and a fourth vertex of the virtual square, the third electrodes being separated from each other and with the center point of the virtual square interposed therebetween; a pixel defining layer partially on the first electrode, the second electrodes, and the third electrodes, and partially exposing the first electrode, the second electrodes, and the third electrodes; and four spacers disposed as islands on the pixel defining layer and corresponding to four sides of the virtual square.
US09305985B2 Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display and method of manufacturing the same
An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display and method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the OLED display includes a first substrate including a display area, a display unit formed in the display area and including an insulating layer, and a second substrate formed over the display layer. A sealant material is interposed between the first and second substrates and substantially seals the first and second substrates to each other. At least one hole is formed in a first portion of the insulating layer and at least one recess is formed in a second portion of the insulating layer. The sealant is substantially filled in the hole and the recess.
US09305984B2 Flexible display and manufacturing method thereof
A method of manufacturing a flexible display includes: forming a first barrier layer on a flexible substrate; forming a second barrier layer including silicon nitride on the first barrier layer; releasing stress of the second barrier layer; forming a first buffer layer including silicon nitride on the second barrier layer; forming a second buffer layer on the first buffer layer; and forming a thin film transistor on the second buffer layer.
US09305982B2 Liquid crystal panel and manufacturing method of the liquid crystal panel
The present disclosure provides a liquid crystal panel, including: a first substrate and a second substrate opposite to the first substrate; a first optical spacer formed on one side of the first substrate facing the second substrate; a pad formed on one side of the second substrate facing the first substrate and corresponding to the first optical spacer; a TFT formed on the side of the second substrate facing the first substrate, being provided with a plurality of scanning lines and a plurality of data lines vertically intersecting with the scanning lines; and a second optical spacer and a third optical spacer formed on the side of the first substrate facing the second substrate, with the second optical spacer corresponding to two sides of the TFT along a direction of the scanning line.
US09305976B2 Electronic device including memory cells having variable resistance characteristics
An electronic device includes a semiconductor memory. The semiconductor memory includes a stack structure including a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode, an insulating layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a variable resistance layer interposed between the second electrode and the third electrode; and a selection element layer disposed over at least a part of a sidewall of the stack structure.
US09305965B2 Solid-state imaging apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
The present invention provides a solid-state imaging apparatus which has hollow portions provided around each of color filters and achieves the prevention of the peeling of each of the color filters. The solid-state imaging apparatus having a plurality of light receiving portions provided on a semiconductor substrate includes: a plurality of color filters arranged correspondingly to each of the plurality of light receiving portions; and hollow portions formed around each of the plurality of color filters, wherein each of the color filters has one peripheral part contacting with adjacent one or more of the color filters.
US09305960B2 Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. The method comprises a first step of forming a first hole opened to a side of a first surface of a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate including the first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a step of filling the first hole with an insulating member, a step of forming, on the first surface, an insulating film that covers the insulating member, a step of forming a second hole in the insulating film and the insulating member, a step of filing the second hole with a conductive member, a step of thinning the semiconductor substrate from the side of the second surface of the semiconductor substrate so as to expose the insulating member.
US09305958B2 Solid-state image sensing apparatus and electronic apparatus to improve quality of an image
A solid-state image sensing apparatus includes a solid-state image sensing device, signal processing circuit device, and a multi-layer wiring package. The solid-state image sensing device has a pixel in an image sensing area thereof. The pixel receives incident light and generate a signal electric charge. The signal processing circuit device is arranged to face the image sensing area and applies signal processing to a signal output from the solid-state image sensing device. The multi-layer wiring package has wiring layers, the solid-state image sensing device, and the signal processing circuit device. Each of the wiring layers is laminated via an insulator. The multi-layer wiring package is formed such that a first wiring layer provided between the solid-state image sensing device and the signal processing circuit device has a greater thickness than second wiring layers and has heat conductivity higher than or equal to heat conductivity of the second wiring layers.
US09305956B2 Optical assembly including plenoptic microlens array
An optical assembly includes a solid spacing layer between a plenoptic microlens array (MLA) and a pixel-level MLA, avoiding the need for an air gap. Such an assembly, and systems and methods for manufacturing same, can yield improved reliability and efficiency of production, and can avoid many of the problems associated with prior art approaches. In at least one embodiment, the plenoptic MLA, the spacing layer, and the pixel-level MLA are created from optically transmissive polymer(s) deposited on the photosensor array and shaped using photolithographic techniques. Such an approach improves precision in placement and dimensions, and avoids other problems associated with conventional polymer-on-glass architectures. Further variations and techniques are described.
US09305954B2 Solid-state image sensor and camera utilizing light attenuating films
A sensor has first pixels each including one of red, green and blue color filters, and second pixels each including one of red, green and blue color filters. In the first and second pixels including color filters of the same color, light transmittances of the light transmissive portions are different. A light transmittance of the light transmissive portion of the first pixel including the red color filter is lower than that of the light transmissive portion of the first pixel including the green color filter, and a light transmittance of the transmissive portion of the first pixel including the green color filter is lower than that of the light transmissive portion of the first pixel including the blue color filter.
US09305951B2 Pixel structure of CMOS image sensor and manufacturing method thereof
A pixel structure of a CMOS image sensor pixel structure and a manufacturing method thereof. The structure comprises a photosensitive element (37) and a multi-layer structure of a standard CMOS device arranged on the silicon substrate (31). A deep groove (38) having a light-transmitting space therein is formed above the photosensitive element, a side wall of the deep groove is surrounded by a light reflection shielding layer (39) continuously arranged in a longitudinal direction to reflect the light incident on the light reflection shielding layer. The side wall of the deep groove is surrounded by metal interconnects, vias, contact holes and polysilicon in annular configurations, thus the incident light on the deep grove is substantially completely reflected, which avoids the optical crosstalk and effectively improves the optical resolution and sensitivity of the pixel and the performance and reliability of the chip.
US09305949B2 Big-small pixel scheme for image sensors
An image sensor pixel for use in a high dynamic range image sensor includes a first photodiode, a plurality of photodiodes, a shared floating diffusion region, a first transfer gate, and a second transfer gate. The first photodiode is disposed in a semiconductor material. The first photodiode has a first light exposure area and a first doping concentration. The plurality of photodiodes is also disposed in the semiconductor material. Each photodiode in the plurality of photodiodes has the first light exposure area and the first doping concentration. The first transfer gate is coupled to transfer first image charge from the first photodiode to the shared floating diffusion region. The second transfer gate is coupled to transfer distributed image charge from each photodiode in the plurality of photodiodes to the shared floating diffusion region.
US09305935B2 Multi-level contact to a 3D memory array and method of making
A method of making multi-level contacts. The method includes providing an in-process multilevel device including at least one device region and at least one contact region. The contact region includes a plurality of electrically conductive layers configured in a step pattern. The method also includes forming a conformal etch stop layer over the plurality of electrically conductive layers, forming a first electrically insulating layer over the etch stop layer, forming a conformal sacrificial layer over the first electrically insulating layer and forming a second electrically insulating layer over the sacrificial layer. The method also includes etching a plurality of contact openings through the etch stop layer, the first electrically insulating layer, the sacrificial layer and the second electrically insulating layer in the contact region to the plurality of electrically conductive layers.
US09305931B2 Zero cost NVM cell using high voltage devices in analog process
A non-volatile memory cell and array structure is disclosed situated within a high voltage region of an integrated circuit. The cell utilizes capacitive coupling based on an overlap between a gate and a drift region to impart a programming voltage. Programming is effectuated using a drain extension which can act to inject hot electrons. The cell can be operated as a one-time programmable (OTP) or multiple-time programmable (MTP) device. The fabrication of the cell relies on processing steps associated with high voltage devices, thus avoiding the need for additional masks, manufacturing steps, etc.
US09305930B2 Finfet crosspoint flash memory
A flash memory device in a dual fin single floating gate configuration is provided. Semiconductor fins are formed on a stack of a back gate conductor layer and a back gate dielectric layer. Pairs of semiconductor fins are formed in an array environment such that shallow trench isolation structures can be formed along the lengthwise direction of the semiconductor fins within the array. After formation of tunneling dielectrics on the sidewalls of the semiconductor fins, a floating gate electrode is formed between each pair of proximally located semiconductor fins by deposition of a conformal conductive material layer and an isotropic etch. A control gate dielectric and a control gate electrode are formed by deposition and patterning of a dielectric layer and a conductive material layer.
US09305926B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor device may include, but is not limited to, a semiconductor substrate, an isolation electrode, a gate electrode, a gate insulating film, and a first insulating film. The semiconductor substrate has a first groove and a second groove. An isolation electrode is positioned in the first groove. The gate electrode is positioned in the second groove. The gate insulating film is adjacent to the gate electrode. The first insulating film is adjacent to the isolation electrode. The isolation electrode is greater in threshold voltage than the gate electrode.
US09305924B2 Semiconductor device having gate electrode embedded in gate trench
Disclosed herein is a device that includes: a substrate having a gate trench; a gate electrode embedded in the gate trench with an intervention of a gate insulation film; and an embedded insulation film embedded in the gate trench. The substrate includes a first impurity diffusion region in contact with the embedded insulation film and a second impurity diffusion region in contact with the gate insulation film. The gate trench including a first trench portion extending in a first direction and second and third trench portions branching from the first trench portion and extending in a second direction that crosses the first direction. The gate electrode including first, second and third electrode portions embedded in the first, second and third trench portions of the gate trench, respectively. The first impurity diffusion region being sandwiched between the second and third electrode portions.
US09305921B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device including: a first gate pattern disposed in a peripheral region of a substrate; a second gate pattern disposed in a cell region of the substrate; a first insulator formed on sidewalls of the first gate pattern; and a second insulator formed on sidewalls of the second gate pattern, wherein a dielectric constant of the first insulator is different from a dielectric constant of the second insulator, and wherein a height of the second insulator is greater than a height of the second gate pattern.
US09305920B2 High voltage metal-oxide-metal (HV-MOM) device, HV-MOM layout and method of making the HV-MOM device
A high voltage metal-oxide-metal (HV-MOM) device includes a substrate, a deep well in the substrate and at least one high voltage well in the substrate over the deep well. The HV-MOM device further includes a dielectric layer over each high voltage well of the at least one high voltage well and a gate structure over the dielectric layer. The HV-MOM device further includes an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer over the substrate, the ILD layer surrounding the gate structure. The HV-MOM device further includes a first inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layer over the ILD layer and a first metal feature in the first IMD layer, wherein the first metal feature is part of a MOM capacitor.
US09305913B1 Electrostatic discharge protection structure
An ESD protection structure includes a first conductive type substrate; first and second well regions of a first conductive type; a third well region of a second conductive type located between the first and second well regions; a first doped region of the first conductive type and a second doped region of the second conductive type disposed in the first well region; a third doped region of the first conductive type and a fourth doped region of the second conductive type disposed in the second well region; and fifth and sixth doped regions disposed at an interface of the first and third well regions or an interface of the second and third well regions. The fifth doped region of the first conductive type is located in the first or second well region, and the sixth doped region of the second conductive type is located in the third well region.
US09305911B2 Devices and stacked microelectronic packages with package surface conductors and adjacent trenches and methods of their fabrication
Embodiments of methods for forming microelectronic device packages include forming a trench on a surface of a package body in an area adjacent to where first and second package surface conductors will be (or have been) formed on both sides of the trench. The method also includes forming the first and second package surface conductors to electrically couple exposed ends of various combinations of device-to-edge conductors. The trench may be formed using laser cutting, drilling, sawing, etching, or another suitable technique. The package surface conductors may be formed by dispensing (e.g., coating, spraying, inkjet printing, aerosol jet printing, stencil printing, or needle dispensing) one or more conductive materials on the package body surface between the exposed ends of the device-to-edge conductors.
US09305909B2 3D semiconductor apparatus for initializing channels
A semiconductor apparatus includes a plurality of stack dies which are formed with a predetermined number of channels. The semiconductor apparatus also includes a base die configured to initialize a channel not electrically coupled with the stack dies.
US09305908B2 Methods for performing extended wafer-level packaging (eWLP) and eWLP devices made by the methods
Methods are provided for making embedded Wafer-Level Packaging (eWLP) devices, packages and assemblies. The eWLP methods allow back side electrical and/or thermal connections to be easily and economically made at the eWLP wafer level without having to use thru-mold vias (TMVs) or thru-silicon vias (TSVs) to make such connections. In order to create TMVs, processes such as reactive ion etching or laser drilling followed metallization are needed, which present difficulties and increase costs. In addition, the eWLP methods allow electrical and optical interfaces to be easily and economically formed on the front side and/or on the back side of the eWLP wafer, which allows the eWLP methods to be used to form optoelectronic devices having a variety of useful configurations.
US09305905B2 Apparatuses and related methods for staggering power-up of a stack of semiconductor dies
An apparatus including semiconductor dies in a stack. The semiconductor dies are configured to power-up in a staggered manner. Methods for powering up an electronic device include detecting a power-up event with the semiconductor dies in the stack, and responsive to the power-up event, powering up a first semiconductor die in the stack at a first time, and powering up a second semiconductor die in the stack at a second time that is different from the first time.
US09305903B2 Light-emitting device and method of manufacturing the same
A light-emitting device includes a first light-emitting element disposed on a substrate, a convex-shaped first sealing resin that includes an annular portion formed in a closed annular shape in a top view and seals the first light-emitting element, a second light-emitting element disposed on the substrate in a region surrounded by the annular portion of the first sealing resin, and a second sealing resin filled in the region surrounded by the annular portion so as to seal the second light-emitting element. One of the first and second sealing resin includes a phosphor particle or the first and second sealing resins include a phosphor particle to emit a different fluorescent color from each other.
US09305898B2 Semiconductor device with combined power and ground ring structure
A semiconductor device includes a lead frame, and an integrated circuit die. The lead frame has a flag for supporting the die and leads that surround that flag and die. The lead frame also has ground ring that surrounds the flag and die. First bond wires electrically connect the die to the lead frame leads. An insulating layer is disposed on the ground ring, and a power layer is disposed on the insulating layer. The semiconductor device further includes second bond wires that connect the die to the ground ring and third bond wires that connect the die to the power layer.
US09305892B2 Adhesive for electronic component
An adhesive composition for a pre-applied underfill sealant comprising: (a) a radical polymerizable monomer having one or more functional groups selected from the group consisting of vinyl group, maleimide group, acryloyl group, methacryloyl group and allyl group, (b) a polymer having a polar group, (c) a filler, and (d) a thermal radical initiator.
US09305890B2 Package having substrate with embedded metal trace overlapped by landing pad
An embodiment package includes a conductive pillar mounted on an integrated circuit chip, the conductive pillar having a stepper shape, a metal trace partially embedded in a substrate, the metal trace having a bonding pad portion protruding from the substrate, and a solder feature electrically coupling the conductive pillar to the bonding pad portion of the metal trace.
US09305889B2 Leadless integrated circuit package having standoff contacts and die attach pad
A leadless integrated circuit (IC) package comprising an IC chip mounted on a die attach pad and a plurality of electrical contacts electrically connected to the IC chip. The IC chip, the electrical contacts, and the die attach pad are all covered with a molding material, with portions of the electrical contacts and die attach pad protruding from a bottom surface of the molding material.
US09305885B2 Multi-chip package and method for manufacturing the same
A multi-chip package structure is provided, including a substrate having a grounding structure; two semiconductor elements disposed on and electrically connected to the substrate; an encapsulant formed on the substrate and encapsulating semiconductor elements, wherein the encapsulant has a plurality of round holes formed between the semiconductor elements; and an electromagnetic shielding structure formed in each of the round holes and connected to the grounding structure to achieve electromagnetic shielding effects. A method for forming the multi-chip package is also provided.
US09305880B2 Interconnects for semiconductor devices
A semiconductor substructure with improved performance and a method of forming the same is described. The method includes providing a semiconductor dielectric layer having a recess formed therein; forming an interconnect structure with a metal liner and a conductive fill within the recess; and applying an electron beam treatment to the substructure.
US09305879B2 E-fuse with hybrid metallization
An e-fuse structure including a fuse link having a first region made of a first conductor and a second region made of a second conductor. The first conductor and the second conductor are in the same wiring level. The first conductor has a higher electrical resistance than the second conductor. The first conductor has a higher resistance to electromigration than the second conductor. The first region and the second region have a common width. The length of the first region is longer than the length of the second region.
US09305877B1 3D package with through substrate vias
A package, comprising a substrate having electrical devices disposed at a first side of the substrate, vias extending from the first side of the substrate to a second side of the substrate opposite the first side and metallization layers disposed on the first side of the substrate. Contact pads are disposed over the first metallization layers and a protection layer is disposed over the contact pads. Post-passivation interconnects are disposed over the protection layer and extend to the contact pads through openings in the protection layer. Connectors are disposed on the PPIs and a molding compound extends over the PPIs and around the connectors.
US09305875B2 Method of manufacturing semiconductor device capable of enhancing bonding strength between connection terminal and electrode
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a barrier metal film on a surface of at least one of a first electrode of a wiring board and a second electrode of a semiconductor element, providing a connection terminal between the first and second electrodes, the connection terminal being made of solder containing tin, bismuth and zinc, and bonding the connection terminal to the barrier metal film by heating the connection terminal and maintaining the temperature of the connection terminal at a constant temperature not lower than a melting point of the solder for a certain period of time.
US09305874B2 Baseplate for an electronic module and method of manufacturing the same
Various embodiments provide a baseplate for an electronic module, wherein the baseplate comprises a conductive material; and a recess formed in one main surface of the baseplate and being adapted to accommodate an electronic chip.
US09305871B2 High pin count, small packages having heat-dissipating pad
A plastic package for high power has a pair of oblong metal pins exposed from a surface of the plastic, the pins straddling a corner of the package; each pin has a long axis, the long axes of the pair forming a non-orthogonal angle. Package further includes a chip assembly pad, acting as a thermal spreader and semiconductor chip.
US09305865B2 Devices, systems and methods for manufacturing through-substrate vias and front-side structures
Methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices and semiconductor devices with through-substrate vias (TSVs). One embodiment of a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming an opening through a dielectric structure and at least a portion of a semiconductor substrate, and forming a dielectric liner material having a first portion lining the opening and a second portion on an outer surface of the dielectric structure laterally outside of the opening. The method further includes removing the conductive material such that the second portion of the dielectric liner material is exposed, and forming a damascene conductive line in the second portion of the dielectric liner material that is electrically coupled to the TSV.
US09305860B2 Cycling heat dissipation module
A cycling heat dissipation module is used for removing the heat generated by a heat-generating element of a circuit board and includes at least one main body and at least one conducting pipe. The main body has a chamber and a heat guiding part. The chamber is filled with a fluid and has a wall to divide the chamber into a first compartment and a second compartment adjacent to each other. The heat guiding part is used for conducting the heat generated from the heat generating element. The conducting pipe has a first end, a second end and a heat exchanging section. The fluid is pushed into the heat-exchanging section by the pressure difference after absorbing the heat of the heat guiding part, and then moved to the second compartment.
US09305858B2 Nanocrystalline diamond three-dimensional films in patterned semiconductor substrates
An array of through-silicon vias (TSVs) are formed in a silicone substrate. The vias can be tapered such that the diameter of the via at the surface of the substrate is larger than the diameter of the via at its bottom, with the diameter varying continuously along its depth. After the via is formed, it is seeded with a thin layer of nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) particles, and a NCD film is grown on the bottom and along the sidewalls of the via. The presence of the diamond-filled vias provides improved thermal management to semiconductor devices formed on the silicon substrate.
US09305853B2 Ultra fine pitch PoP coreless package
A bottom package for a PoP (package-on-package) may be formed with a reinforcement layer supporting a thin or coreless substrate. The reinforcement layer may provide stiffness and rigidity to the substrate to increase the stiffness and rigidity of the bottom package and provide better handling of the substrate. The reinforcement layer may be formed using core material, a laminate layer, and a metal layer. The substrate may be formed on the reinforcement layer. The reinforcement layer may include an opening sized to accommodate a die. The die may be coupled to an exposed surface of the substrate in the opening. Metal filled vias through the reinforcement layer may be used to couple the substrate to a top package.
US09305849B1 Method of making a three dimensional NAND device
A monolithic three dimensional NAND string includes a semiconductor channel, an end part of the semiconductor channel extending substantially perpendicular to a major surface of a substrate, a plurality of control gate electrodes extending substantially parallel to the major surface of the substrate, a charge storage material layer located between the plurality of control gate electrodes and the semiconductor channel, a tunnel dielectric located between the charge storage material layer and the semiconductor channel, and a blocking dielectric containing a plurality of clam-shaped portions each having two horizontal portions connected by a vertical portion. Each of the plurality of control gate electrodes are located at least partially in an opening in the clam-shaped blocking dielectric, and a plurality of discrete cover oxide segments embedded in part of a thickness of the charge storage material layer and located between the blocking dielectric and the charge storage material layer.
US09305847B2 Method of manufacturing semiconductor device having gate metal
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes the following steps. A substrate including a first transistor having a first conductivity type, a second transistor having a second conductivity type and a third transistor having the first conductivity type is formed. An inner-layer dielectric layer is formed on the substrate, and includes a first gate trench corresponding to the first transistor, a second gate trench corresponding to the second transistor and a third gate trench corresponding to the third transistor. A work function metal layer is formed on the inner-layer dielectric layer. An anti-reflective layer is coated on the work function metal layer. The anti-reflective layer on the second transistor and on the top portion of the third gate trench is removed to expose the work function metal layer. The exposed work function metal layer is removed.
US09305844B2 Method of making a semiconductor device
Some embodiments include a semiconductor device having a stack structure including a plurality of alternating tiers of dielectric material and poly-silicon formed on a substrate. Such a semiconductor device may further include at least one opening having a high aspect ratio and extending into the stack structure to a level adjacent the substrate, a first poly-silicon channel formed in a lower portion of the opening adjacent the substrate, a second poly-silicon channel formed in an upper portion of the opening, and WSiX material disposed between the first poly-silicon channel and the second poly-silicon channel in the opening. The WSiX material is adjacent to the substrate, and can be used as an etch-landing layer and a conductive contact to contact both the first poly-silicon channel and the second poly-silicon channel in the opening. Other embodiments include methods of making semiconductor devices.
US09305843B2 Chip package and method for forming the same
An embodiment of the invention provides a chip package which includes: a first chip; a second chip disposed on the first chip, wherein a side surface of the second chip is a chemically-etched surface; and a bonding bulk disposed between the first chip and the second chip such that the first chip and the second chip are bonded with each other.
US09305840B2 Cluster system for eliminating barrier overhang
A cluster tool is disclosed that can increase throughput of a wafer fabrication process by facilitating removal of barrier overhang in contact holes of contact film stacks. Individual chambers of the cluster tool provide for deposition of barrier material onto a semiconductor structure, depositing over with an amorphous carbon film (ACF), etching back the ACF, and etching a corner region of the contact hole. Removal of the barrier overhang improves the quality of metal fill-in of the contact hole. An expectedly ensuing feature entails a technique in which filling-in of the contact hole with a metal such as tungsten can be achieved with attenuated or eliminated adverse consequence.
US09305839B2 Curing photo resist for improving etching selectivity
A method includes exposing and developing a negative photo resist, and performing a treatment on the negative photo resist using an electron beam. After the treatment, a layer underlying the photo resist is etched using the negative photo resist as an etching mask.
US09305828B2 Method of forming stressed SOI layer
One or more embodiments of the invention concerns a method of forming a semiconductor layer having uniaxial stress including: forming, in a surface of a semiconductor structure having a stressed semiconductor layer and an insulator layer, at least two first trenches in a first direction delimiting a first dimension of at least one first transistor to be formed in the semiconductor structure; performing a first anneal to decrease the viscosity of the insulating layer; and forming, in the surface after the first anneal, at least two second trenches in a second direction delimiting a second dimension of the at least one transistor.
US09305826B2 Semiconductor substrate for photonic and electronic structures and method of manufacture
A method of forming a substrate with isolation areas suitable for integration of electronic and photonic devices is provided. A common reticle and photolithographic technique is used to fabricate a mask defining openings for etching first and second trench isolation areas in a substrate, with the openings for the second trench isolation areas being wider than the openings for the first trench isolation areas. The first and second trench isolation areas are etched in the substrate through the mask. The second trench isolation areas are further etched to the deeper than the first trench isolation areas. The trench isolation areas are filled with oxide material. Electrical devices can be formed on the substrate and electrically isolated by the first trench isolation areas and photonic devices can be formed over the second trench isolation areas and be optically isolated from the substrate.
US09305825B2 Methods of fabricating semiconductor devices including fin-shaped active regions
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a plurality of fins by forming a plurality of first device isolating trenches repeated at a first pitch in a substrate, forming a plurality of fin-type active areas protruding from a top surface of a first device isolating layer by forming the first device isolating layer in the plurality of first device isolating trenches, forming a plurality of second device isolating trenches at a pitch different from the first pitch by etching a portion of the substrate and the first device isolating layer, and forming a second device isolating layer in the plurality of second device isolating trenches, so as to form a plurality of fin-type active area groups separated from each other with the second device isolating layer therebetween.
US09305819B2 Substrate processing system
A first transfer apparatus unloads and transfers substrates from a cassette. A first accommodating unit accommodates the substrates. First substrate processing units divided into at least two groups and arranged in a height direction performs a process to the substrates. Second accommodating units respectively corresponding to the groups are arranged to be parallel with the first accommodating unit in the height direction. Second transfer apparatuses respectively corresponding to the groups unload and transfer the substrates from the second accommodating units corresponding to the same groups into the first substrate processing units of the same groups. Second substrate processing units respectively corresponding to the groups are arranged to be parallel with the first and second accommodating units in the height direction. A delivery apparatus delivers the substrates between the first and second accommodating units and transfers the substrates between the first accommodating unit and the second substrate processing units.
US09305817B2 Method for purging a substrate container
A method for purging a substrate container which accommodates in multiple stages a plurality of substrates to be processed by a substrate processing apparatus, the method includes: mounting the substrate container on a mounting unit; connecting a gas supply port provided in the substrate container and a gas supply line provided in a mounting unit; starting supply of a dry gas into the substrate container from a gas supply line before opening a cover of the substrate container; opening the cover of the substrate container while keeping the supply of the dry gas; closing the cover of the substrate container upon completion of processing of the substrates in the substrate container; and stopping the supply of the dry gas after closing the cover of the substrate container.
US09305815B2 Automated material handling system and method for semiconductor manufacturing
A rail transport system and method for a semiconductor fabrication facility (FAB). In one embodiment, the system includes a network of stationary rails and a wheeled vehicle movable on the rails via rolling movement. The vehicle is operable to hold a wafer carrier that stores a plurality of wafers. A cross-floor transport system is provided that may include a vehicle lifter positioned near the network of rails that extends between a first elevation and a second elevation in the FAB. The lifter is configured and operable to receive the vehicle from rails at the first elevation and vertically transport the vehicle to rails at the second elevation without removing the wafer carrier from the wheeled vehicle. In one embodiment, the lifter is configured so that the vehicle may be rolled directly onto and off of the lifter for vertical transport.
US09305808B2 Methods and apparatus of packaging with interposers
Methods and apparatus for forming a semiconductor device package on an interposer using a micro-bump layer are disclosed. The micro-bump layer may comprise micro-bumps and micro-bump lines, where a micro-bump is used as a vertical connection between a die and the interposer, and a micro-bump line is used as a horizontal connection for signal transmission between different dies above the interposer. The micro-bump lines may be formed at the same time as the formation of the micro-bumps with little or no additional cost.
US09305807B2 Fabrication method for microelectronic components and microchip inks used in electrostatic assembly
Charge-encoded chiplets are produced using a sacrificial metal mask and associated fabrication techniques and materials that are compatible with typical semiconductor fabrication processes to provide each chiplet with two different (i.e., positive and negative) charge polarity regions generated by associated patterned charge-inducing material structures. A first charge-inducing material having a positive charge polarity is formed on a silicon wafer over previously-fabricated integrated circuits, then a sacrificial metal mask is patterned only over a portion of the charge-inducing material structure, and a second charge-inducing material structure (e.g., a self-assembling octadecyltrichlorosilane monolayer) is deposited having a negative charge polarity. The sacrificial metal mask is then removed to expose the masked portion of the first charge-inducing material structure, thereby providing the chiplet with both a positive charge polarity region and a negative charge polarity region.
US09305803B2 Plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing method
Provided are a plasma processing apparatus with a radio-frequency power supply supplying temporally modulated intermittent radio-frequency power which can be controlled with high precision in a wide repetition frequency band, and a plasma processing method using the plasma processing apparatus.A plasma processing apparatus includes: a vacuum vessel; a plasma generating section plasma in the vacuum vessel; a stage installed in the vacuum vessel and mounted with a sample; and a radio-frequency power supply applying temporally modulated intermittent radio-frequency power to the stage, wherein the radio-frequency power supply has two or more different frequency bands and temporally modulates the radio-frequency power by a repetition frequency which has the same range of analog signals used in each of the frequency band.
US09305801B2 Methods for forming a semiconductor device using masks with non-metallic portions
A method of forming a semiconductor device can be provided by forming a mask pattern including non-metallic first spaced-apart portions that extend in a first direction on a lower target layer and non-metallic second spaced-apart portions that extend in a second direction on the lower target layer to cross-over the non-metallic first spaced-apart portions at locations. The lower target layer can be etched using the mask pattern.
US09305799B2 Method and system for E-beam lithography with multi-exposure
The present disclosure provides a method for electron-beam (e-beam) lithography patterning. The method includes forming a resist layer on a substrate; performing a first e-beam exposure process to the resist layer according to a first pattern; performing a second e-beam exposure process to the resist layer according to a second pattern, wherein the second patterned is overlapped to the first pattern on the resist layer; and developing the resist layer.
US09305797B2 Polysilicon over-etch using hydrogen diluted plasma for three-dimensional gate etch
Methods of polysilicon over-etch using hydrogen diluted plasma for three-dimensional gate etch are described. In an example, a method of forming a three-dimensional gate structure includes performing a main plasma etch on a masked polysilicon layer formed over a semiconductor fin. The method also includes, subsequently, performing a plasma over etch on the masked polysilicon layer based on a plasma generated from gaseous composition including hydrogen gas (H2).
US09305795B2 Plasma processing method
A plasma processing method can etch regions having different densities at the same etching rates. When etching with surface wave plasma, both of layers contain Si and N, a processing gas includes a hydro fluorocarbon gas, a rare gas, and an oxygen gas, and a high frequency bias potential is applied to a preset location at a side of a substrate. Further, a power per unit area of the substrate, which generates the high frequency bias potential, is set to be about 0 W/m2 or more to about 400 W/m2 or less.
US09305787B2 Method of manufacturing an electronic component
A method of manufacturing an electric component disclosed. A first electrically conducting layer including a first electrode of the electric component is formed on a substrate. An interlayer of a dielectric material is formed on the first electrically conducting layer, the dielectric material including an electrically insulating material. A further layer of a dielectric material is deposited on the interlayer of dielectric material, the further layer including a photo-patternable electrically insulating material. Both the further layer and said interlayer are structured, wherein the further layer of the dielectric material is used as a mask for the interlayer. A second electrically conducting layer including a second electrode of the electric component is then formed.
US09305779B2 Method for growing germanium epitaxial films
A method for growing germanium epitaxial films is disclosed. Initially, a silicon substrate is preconditioned with hydrogen gas. The temperature of the preconditioned silicon substrate is then decreased, and germane gas is flowed over the preconditioned silicon substrate to form an intrinsic germanium seed layer. Next, a mixture of germane and phosphine gases can be flowed over the intrinsic germanium seed layer to produce an n-doped germanium seed layer. Otherwise, a mixture of diborane and germane gases can be flowed over the intrinsic germanium seed layer to produce a p-doped germanium seed layer. At this point, a bulk germanium layer can be grown on top of the doped germanium seed layer.
US09305778B2 Controlled manufacturing method of metal oxide semiconductor and metal oxide semiconductor structure having controlled growth crystallographic plane
A method of controlling a growth crystallographic plane of a metal oxide semiconductor having a wurtzite crystal structure by using a thermal chemical vapor deposition method includes controlling a growth crystallographic plane by allowing the metal oxide semiconductor to grow in a non-polar direction by using a source material including a thermal decomposition material that reduces a surface energy of a polar plane of the metal oxide semiconductor.
US09305777B2 Catalyst free synthesis of vertically aligned CNTs on SiNW arrays
The present invention discloses novel one dimensional, direct nano-heterojunctions of vertically aligned silicon nanowires (SiNW)-carbon nano tube (CNT) arrays with ultra-low turn-on field useful in single electronic devices. The invention further discloses catalyst free chemical vapor deposition (CVD) route for synthesis of one dimensional, direct nano-heterojunctions of vertically aligned SiNW-CNT arrays.
US09305774B2 Method for processing thin film and method for manufacturing semiconductor device
A stable and minute processing method of a thin film is provided. Further, a miniaturized semiconductor device is provided. A method for processing a thin film includes the following steps: forming a film to be processed over a formation surface; forming an organic coating film over the film to be processed; forming a resist film over the organic coating film; exposing the resist film to light or an electron beam; removing part of the resist film by development to expose part of the organic coating film; depositing an organic material layer on the top surface and a side surface of the resist film by plasma treatment; etching part of the organic coating film using the resist film and the organic material layer as masks to expose part of the film to be processed; and etching part of the film to be processed using the resist film and the organic material layer as masks.
US09305768B2 Method for processing flat articles
A method for processing flat articles with acoustical energy. The inventive system method can remove particles from both sides of a wafer more efficiently and effectively. In one aspect, the invention is a method for processing flat articles wherein a liquid is applied to both major surfaces of the flat article. A first transducer assembly is positioned adjacent to a first of the major surfaces of the flat article and a second member is positioned adjacent to a second of the major surfaces. The first transducer assembly generates and transmits acoustical energy to the first major surface of the flat article while the second member either: (1) reflects the acoustical energy generated by the first transducer assembly back to the second major surface of the flat article; and/or (2) generates and transmits acoustical energy to the second major surface of the flat article.
US09305767B2 Liquid processing apparatus, liquid processing method and storage medium
There is provided a liquid processing apparatus including a rotation unit configured to hold the target substrate and rotate the target substrate around a vertical axis; a processing solution supply nozzle configured to supply the processing solution to the surface of the target substrate being rotated; a first gas supply unit configured to form a downward flow of a first gas that flows over the entire surface of the target substrate and is introduced into a cup in order to form a processing atmosphere suitable for a liquid process to be performed; and a second gas supply unit configured to form a downward flow of a second gas different from the first gas in a region outside the downward flow of the first gas. The first gas supply unit and the second gas supply unit are provided at a ceiling portion of the housing serving as the processing space.
US09305765B2 High frequency induction lighting
An induction RF fluorescent lamp, comprising a bulbous vitreous portion filled with a working gas mixture, a power coupler comprising at least one winding of an electrical conductor for receiving an alternating voltage, and an electronic ballast providing appropriate voltage and current to the power coupler and operating at a frequency greater than 5 MHz wherein the electronic ballast comprises an EMI filter, an AC-to-DC converter, a DC bus, an input choke inductor and a DC-to-AC inverter.
US09305762B2 Mass analysis system with low pressure differential mobility spectrometer
A mass analysis system including a low pressure dissociation region and a differential mobility spectrometer. The differential mobility spectrometer including at least one pair of filter electrodes defining an ion flow path where the filter electrodes generate an electric field for passing through a selected portion of the sample ions based on the mobility characteristics of the sample ions. The differential mobility spectrometer also includes a voltage source that provides DC and RF voltages to at least one of the filter electrodes to generate the electric field, an ion inlet that receives sample ions that have passed through the low pressure dissociation region, and an ion outlet that outputs the selected portion of the sample ions. A mass spectrometer receives some or all of the selected portion of the sample ions.
US09305761B2 Ion source for mass spectrometer and method of producing analyte ion stream
An ion source for a mass spectrometer and a method of ionizing a sample are disclosed. A droplet generator is configured to emit a stream of analyte droplets, which are ionized upon impact with a target, thus forming an ion stream. Preferably, the droplets have a diameter that is greater than a preset value to increase the kinetic energy of the droplets. Additionally, the droplet generator can be configured to create a gas flow that increases the kinetic energy of the droplets. In one embodiment, the target is positioned upstream of an inlet of a mass spectrometer so that the ion stream enters the inlet. In another preferred embodiment, the target is positioned downstream of the inlet so that the stream of droplets passes through the inlet of the mass spectrometer, and the inlet is provided with a pressure drop that increases the kinetic energy of the droplets.
US09305760B2 Electron source for an RF-free electronmagnetostatic electron-induced dissociation cell and use in a tandem mass spectrometer
An electron source for electron-induced dissociation in an RF-free electromagnetostatic cell for use installation in a tandem mass spectrometer is provided. An electromagnetostatic electron-induced dissociation cell may include at least one magnet having an opening disposed therein and having a longitudinal axis extending through the opening, the magnet having magnetic flux lines associated therewith, and an electron emitter having an electron emissive surface comprising a sheet, the emitter disposed about the axis at a location relative to the magnet where the electron emissive surface is substantially perpendicular to the magnetic flux lines at the electron emissive surface.
US09305757B2 Ion extraction method for ion trap mass spectrometry
A method is provided for processing ions in a multipole ion trap, comprising generating RF radial confinement fields within a first and second multipole rod set positioned in tandem, a ratio of q value exhibited by the second rod set relative to the first rod set being greater than one for any m/z, said RF axial confinement fields within the first and second rod sets interacting in an interaction region between the first and second rod sets so as to produce a fringing field; transmitting ions through said first rod set towards said second rod set; and increasing the radial oscillation amplitude of at least a portion of the ions within said first rod set such that at least a portion of said ions having an increased radial oscillation amplitude are repulsed by said fringing field.
US09305756B2 Preparation enhancements and methods of use for MALDI mass spectrometry
Provided herein are compositions and methods useful for preparing and analyzing a sample on a substrate by matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry (MS). In some embodiments, compositions provided herein comprise a substrate, matrix and nanoparticles, and sometimes comprise one or more additives and sometimes an analyte. Compositions provided herein sometimes comprise nanoparticles that include or are made up of silicon dioxide.
US09305752B2 Method for operating substrate processing apparatus
A method for operating a substrate processing apparatus is provided which can contain generation of particles by generating plasma in a stable manner. After a substrate is disposed in an evacuated vacuum chamber, a rare gas is initially supplied into the vacuum chamber, a voltage is applied to a plasma generating means, and plasma of the rare gas is generated. Subsequently, a reaction gas is supplied into the vacuum chamber, the reaction gas is brought into contact with the plasma of the rare gas, and plasma of the reaction gas is generated. The plasma of the reaction gas is brought into contact with the substrate; and the substrate is processed. Plasma is stably generated not by turning the reaction gas into plasma but by first turning the rare gas into plasma by the plasma generating means, and generation of particles is subsequently suppressed.
US09305748B2 Method of matching two or more plasma reactors
Etch rate distributions are captured at a succession of hardware tilt angles of the RF source power applicator relative to the workpiece and their non-uniformities computed, and the behavior is modeled as a non-uniformity function for each one of at least two plasma reactors. An offset Δα in tilt angle α between the non-uniformity functions of the two plasma reactors is detected. The two plasma reactors are then matched by performing a hardware tilt in one of them through a tilt angle equal to the offset Δα.
US09305747B2 Data path for lithography apparatus
The invention relates to a maskless lithography system for patterning a target using a plurality of charged particle beamlets. The system comprises an electron optical column including a blanker array for modulating the beamlets. The blanker array includes receivers for receiving data signals and blanker elements for modulating the beamlets in accordance with the data signals. The system further comprises a data path comprising a preprocessing system for processing pattern data and a plurality of transmission channels for transmitting processed pattern data to the blanker elements. The data path further comprises a pattern streaming system for receiving pattern data and generating data signals. First and second channel selectors connect a subset of selected transmission channels for pattern data transmission. The first channel selector is connected between the preprocessing system and the transmission channels. The second channel selector is connected between the channels and the blanker elements.
US09305743B2 Marking apparatus and marking method
In accordance with an embodiment, a marking apparatus includes a charged particle beam device and a marking unit. The charged particle beam device generates a charged particle beam, irradiates a sample including a laminated body with the charged particle beam, detects secondary charged particles generated from the sample, and acquires a sample image. The marking unit bores a hole reaching at least a second layer from a surface layer in the laminated body in a viewing field of the charged particle beam device.
US09305742B2 Method and device for bunching a beam of charged particles
A method for packetizing a beam-charged particle, in which the particles pass through an electric field in a device is provided. The device includes an annular shaped central electrode which, in the direction of the beam, is arranged between a first outer electrode and a second outer electrode. A time-dependent electric voltage signal is applied to the central electrode, the temporal course thereof being selected such that particles inside the device undergo a position-dependent speed modification. The course of the speed modification is approximately sawtooth-shaped in the direction of the beam. An associated device is also provided.
US09305732B2 Electronic part and electronic control unit
A main body of an electronic part is supported by terminals at a position above and separated from a board surface of a printed board. Each of the terminals is composed of a supporting member made of electrically insulating material and a wiring member. Each of the wiring member has an electrode-connected portion electrically connected to an electrode formed on the main body and a land-connected portion electrically connected to a land formed in the printed board. One of the wiring members is composed of a fuse wiring member having a cut-off portion, which is melted down when excess current flows. The wiring member is outwardly expanded in a direction opposite to the main body.
US09305730B2 Remote control relay
A polarized electromagnet in a remote control relay includes a pair of armatures into which opposite ends of the plunger in a forward/backward movement direction are respectively inserted and fixed; a yoke to which one of the armatures becomes closer than the other when the plunger is at a stop position; an auxiliary yoke which contacts with one magnetic pole of a permanent magnet whose the other magnetic pole contacting with the yoke, the auxiliary yoke becoming closer to the other of the armatures than the one of the armatures; and a gap maintaining portion for maintaining a gap between the other of the armatures and the auxiliary yoke. When the plunger is at the stop position, the other of the armatures and the auxiliary yoke comes close to each other with the gap, a space is provided between the one of the armatures and the yoke.
US09305728B2 Electromagnetic actuating apparatus, in particular for camshaft adjustment of an internal combustion engine
An electromagnetic actuating apparatus with a first armature arrangement axially displaced between a rest and actuating position and connected to a first actuating element. A pole core is brought into magnetic operative connection with the first armature arrangement. An axially oriented coil unit is energized, influencing the magnetic connection between the first pole core and the first armature arrangement, and a second armature arrangement is connected to a second actuating element and axially displaced between a rest and actuating position. A second pole core can be brought into magnetic operative connection with second armature arrangement, its pole core oriented axially to first pole core influencing its magnetic operative connection with second armature arrangement. A permanent magnet unit, the magnet axis is oriented radially and stationary, generates magnetic operative connection both between the first pole core and first armature arrangement and between the second pole core and second armature arrangement.
US09305727B2 Systems, methods, and apparatuses for controlling the power supply of a vacuum cleaner motor
Applicant has created systems, methods, and apparatuses for controlling the power supply of a vacuum cleaner motor. The systems and apparatuses include pressure taps to detect a pressure differential within a vacuum cleaner, a float that adjusts depending on an amount of liquid stored, and a power switch that toggles based on the pressure differential created by the position of the float. Alternatively, the float can be replaced by an air chamber so that the pressure differential is created by liquid rising above the volume of air trapped in the chamber. The method can include interrupting the current supplied to an electrical circuit of a power switch based upon a pressure differential created within the vacuum. By controlling the power supply to a vacuum cleaner motor based on a pressure differential created by the amount of liquid stored within the vacuum cleaner, the vacuum cleaner can automatically disable the vacuum cleaner's motor as the vacuum approaches its maximum liquid capacity.
US09305724B2 Circuit breaker
A circuit breaker includes: a first arc-extinguishing chamber and a second arc-extinguishing chamber that interrupt a current by opening contact points and extinguish an arc during the current is being interrupted; and a connection unit that connects the first arc-extinguishing chamber and the second arc-extinguishing chamber to each other. The first arc-extinguishing chamber and the second arc-extinguishing chamber are connected to the connection unit in such a manner that shaft lines of the arc-extinguishing chambers form an angle of substantially 90 degrees. The first arc-extinguishing chamber is arranged on a side of the connection unit in such a manner that the shaft line thereof is substantially horizontal, and the second arc-extinguishing chamber is arranged on an upper side of the connection unit in such a manner that the shaft line thereof is substantially vertical.
US09305721B2 Switch and keyboard provided therewith
A switch comprising: a cover; a base; and a push button comprising: an elastic touch piece formed in a sidewall of a sliding part of the push button, wherein the push button is vertically and slidably installed in a space formed by assembling the cover to the base, wherein a free end of the elastic touch piece is configured to abut the base when the push button is pushed, and the free end is configured to abut the cover when the pushed push button is returned.
US09305718B2 Electromagnetic relay
An electromagnetic relay, includes: a first movable contact that comes in contact with a first fixed contact; a second movable contact that comes in contact with a second fixed contact; a first elastic body that biases the first movable contact; a second elastic body that biases the second movable contact; a pressing member that presses the first elastic body and contacts the first movable contact to the first fixed contact, presses the second elastic body and contacts the second movable contact to the second fixed contact; wherein the pressing member contacts the second movable contact to the second fixed contact before contacting the first movable contact to the first fixed contact.
US09305714B2 Solar cell device
A photovoltaic cell including: (a) a housing including an at least partially transparent cell wall having an interior surface; (b) an electrolyte, disposed within the cell wall, and containing an iodide based species; (c) a transparent electrically conductive coating disposed on the interior surface; (d) an anode disposed on the conductive coating, the anode including: (i) a porous film containing titania, the porous film adapted to make intimate contact with the iodide based species, and (ii) a dye, absorbed on a surface of the porous film, the dye and the porous film adapted to convert photons to electrons; (e) a cathode disposed on an interior surface of the housing, and disposed substantially opposite the anode; (f) electrically-conductive metallic wires, disposed at least partially within the cell, the wires electrically contacting the anode and the electrically conductive coating, and (g) a second electrically conductive coating including an inorganic binder and an inorganic electrically conductive filler, the second coating bridging between and electrically communicating between each of the wires and the transparent coating, the wires adapted to boost collection of a current generated by the cell.
US09305712B2 Tantalum capacitor and method of manufacturing the same
There is provided a tantalum capacitor, including: a capacitor body including a tantalum powder and having a tantalum wire, a molding part formed to expose an end portion of the tantalum wire and enclose the capacitor body, an anode lead frame including an anode mounting part and an anode terminal part, the anode terminal part being connected to the tantalum wire, a thin plate electrode formed on a lower surface of the capacitor body and exposed through the other end surface of the molding part, and a cathode lead frame including a cathode mounting part and a cathode terminal part, the cathode terminal part being connected to the thin plate electrode.
US09305709B2 Method of forming a multi-level thin film capacitor
In accordance with the teachings described herein, a multi-level thin film capacitor on a ceramic substrate and method of manufacturing the same are provided. The multi-level thin film capacitor (MLC) may include at least one high permittivity dielectric layer between at least two electrode layers, the electrode layers being formed from a conductive thin film material. A buffer layer may be included between the ceramic substrate and the thin film MLC. The buffer layer may have a smooth surface with a surface roughness (Ra) less than or equal to 0.08 micrometers (um).
US09305708B2 Multilayer ceramic electronic device
A multilayer ceramic electronic device comprising a lamination in which an internal electrode layer 3 and a dielectric layer 2 are laminated alternatively, wherein the dielectric layer 2 is comprised of a dielectric ceramic composition including a main component represented by a general formula of ABO3 and a rare-earth component R, and segregation phases 5 including the rare-earth component R are present in the dielectric layer 2. When the dielectric layer 2 is separated to six areas by dividing the dielectric layer 2 sandwiched by a pair of the internal dielectric layers 3 in the thickness direction, there are the R segregation phases present in two neighboring areas 2a respectively adjacent to the pair of the internal electrode layers 3 in the dielectric layer 3 at a ratio of double or more compared with the R segregation phases present in two central areas 2b located at a substantially center in the dielectric layer 2.
US09305705B2 Multilayer ceramic electronic component
There is provided a multilayer ceramic electronic component including a ceramic body having internal electrodes formed therein, external electrodes formed on external surfaces of the ceramic body and connected to the internal electrodes, and a buffer layer formed on surfaces of contact between the internal electrodes and the external electrodes among external surfaces of the ceramic body, in an interior direction of the ceramic body, wherein when a thickness of the external electrode is denoted by T, a thickness of the buffer layer is denoted by t, a thickness of an active region is denoted by TA, and a thickness of the ceramic body is denoted by Tc, T≦10 μm, TA/TC>0.8, and t≦5 μm, so that a multilayer ceramic electronic component having excellent reliability may be realized.
US09305701B2 Power transfer
Apparatus comprises: an induction, coil (40) arrangement, the induction coil arrangement having a first set of at least one coil (41) with a first diameter and a second set of at least one coil (42) with a second diameter, the second diameter being different to the first diameter, a first tap (A) connected at a first end of the first set, a second tap (B) connected at connection common to a second end of the first set and a first end of the second set, and a third tap (C) connected at a second end of the second set; a power transmit arrangement (61) selectively connectable to a first combination of two of the first to third taps; and a power receive arrangement (62) selectively connectable to a second combination of two of the first to third taps, the second combination being different to the first combination.
US09305699B2 Transformer driver circuit with IC protection circuitry
A transformer driver circuit couples to a transformer having a primary winding, a secondary winding, and a transformer tap that is connected to a first voltage source. The primary winding electrically connects at its ends to respective unipolar controllable current sinks that form part of an integrated circuit. The transformer driver circuit operates by each current sink selectively sinking current from the end of the primary winding to which it is connected so as to cause current to flow in the secondary winding in a push-pull fashion. The transformer driver circuit further includes a load electrically connected to the secondary winding and protection circuitry operative to protect the integrated circuit from input levels greater than it can withstand.
US09305691B2 Superconducting magnet apparatus
According to one embodiment, a superconducting magnet apparatus includes: a first superconducting coil and a second superconducting coil respectively arranged in a vacuum container; a first cooling unit configured to cool the first superconducting coil; and a second cooling unit configured to cool the second superconducting coil and controlled independently from the first cooling unit by a cooling method different from the cooling method of the first cooling unit.
US09305689B2 Injection molding composition and producing method thereof
An injection molding composition includes a ferrite powder which is a collection of ferrite particles, a first binder and a second binder, wherein a softening point of the second binder is lower than that of the first binder, a weight and a specific surface area of the ferrite powders are represented by Wp and S, and a weight and a density of the first binder and the second binder is represented by Wb1, Wb2, and Db1, Db2, and a hypothetical thickness Tb1 of the first binder is 0.6 to 3.0, and a hypothetical thickness Tb2 of the second binder is 5.0 to 16.0. In the composition, it is preferable that coated ferrite particles covering the outer circumference of the ferrite particles with the first binder and the second binder exist. Tb1 [nm]=(Wb1×103)/(Db1×Wp×S)  formula (1) Tb2 [nm]=(Wb2×103)/(Db2×Wp×S)  formula (2).
US09305685B2 Chip resistor and mounting structure thereof
A chip resistor includes a resistor board, a first electrode, a second electrode and an insulating layer. The second electrode is offset from the first electrode in a lateral direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the resistor board. The obverse surface of the resistor board includes a first region in contact with the first electrode, a second region in contact with the second electrode and an intermediate region in contact with the insulating layer. The intermediate region is disposed between the first region and the second region in the lateral direction. The first electrode includes a first underlying layer and a first plating layer. The first underlying layer is disposed between the first plating layer and the insulating layer in the thickness direction of the resistor board.
US09305684B2 Substrate gap supporter and method for manufacturing same
The substrate gap supporter (30) according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a body (31) having a hexahedron shape and made of an insulator, metal foils (32a) and (32b) installed on opposite side surfaces of the body (31) to expose the upper portions of both side surfaces and cover the lower portions of both side surfaces, and a substrate (210) attached to the bottom surface of the body (31). According to the present invention, the gap supporter can be made through an automated process, thus precisely controlling size. Since the gap supporter is attached to the surface of the substrate, there is little possibility for a height difference to occur. And also, because the gap supporter can be installed in an automated process, it is suitable for a mass production process.
US09305672B2 Vitrified chemically bonded phosphate ceramics for immobilization of radioisotopes
A method of immobilizing a radioisotope and vitrified chemically bonded phosphate ceramic (CBPC) articles formed by the method are described. The method comprises combining a radioisotope-containing material, MgO, a source of phosphate, and optionally, a reducing agent, in water at a temperature of less than 100° C. to form a slurry; curing the slurry to form a solid intermediate CBPC article comprising the radioisotope therefrom; comminuting the intermediate CBPC article, mixing the comminuted material with glass frits, and heating the mixture at a temperature in the range of about 900 to about 1500° C. to form a vitrified CBPC article comprising the radioisotope immobilized therein.
US09305668B2 Pressurized water reactor flow skirt apparatus
A pressurized water reactor vessel having a flow skirt formed from a perforated cylinder structure supported in the lower reactor vessel head at the outlet of the downcomer annulus, that channels the coolant flow through flow holes in the wall of the cylinder structure. The flow skirt is supported at a plurality of circumferentially spaced locations on the lower reactor vessel head that are not equally spaced or vertically aligned with the core barrel attachment points, and the flow skirt employs a unique arrangement of hole patterns that assure a substantially balanced pressure and flow of the coolant over the entire underside of the lower core support plate.
US09305655B2 Solving MLC NAND paired page program using reduced spatial redundancy
Reduced spatial redundancy of lower bits data provides data protection for a flash memory having MLC NAND devices operated in page mode. An interrupted write operation of most significant bit pages can corrupt previously written data in lower bit pages. The lower bits redundant memory assists in restoring the data, using less than a full back up storage.
US09305650B2 Junction field-effect floating gate memory switch with thin tunnel insulator
A dense binary memory switch device combines the function of a pass transistor and a memory cell and has low programming and operation voltages. The device includes a charge storage region coupled to a gate electrode through a gate dielectric layer and to a channel region through a tunneling dielectric layer. The charge storage region includes a floating gate charged by tunneled carriers from the channel region. Charge retention is facilitated by the band offset between the charge storage region and the tunneling dielectric layer.
US09305649B1 Page buffer circuit for NAND flash memory
A page buffer for a NAND flash memory array includes a pre-charge switch, a first switch, a read switch, a write switch, a latch, and a data switch. The pre-charge switch is coupled between a supply node with a supply voltage and a bit line that is coupled to a selected cell of the NAND flash memory array. The first switch is coupled between the bit line and a data node. The read switch is coupled between the data node and an I/O node. The write switch is coupled between an inverse data node, which is out of phase with the data node, and the I/O node. The latch is coupled between the data node and the inverse data node. The data switch is coupled between the inverse data node and a first node. The enable switch is coupled between the first node and a ground.
US09305647B2 Write operation method and device for phase change memory
A write operation method for a phase change memory (PCM) is disclosed. The method includes when a PCM performs a write operation, generating a corresponding voltage pulse signal according to to-be-written data, and applying the voltage pulse signal to a phase change material included in a phase change storage unit corresponding to the to-be-written data and applying the voltage pulse signal to a voltage divider resistor serially connected to the phase change material; comparing voltage values at both ends of a sampling resistor with a threshold voltage to generate an indicator value; determining, according to the indicator value, whether data that is stored in the phase change storage unit and is corresponding to the indicator value is the same as the to-be-written data; and skipping writing if the same; or writing if different, thus reducing the delay time of writing data into the phase change storage unit.
US09305646B2 Semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device according to an embodiment comprises a memory cell and a control circuit, the control circuit performing write of data to the memory cell. The memory cell includes a second resistance varying layer sandwiched between a first resistance varying layer and a third resistance varying layer. The second resistance varying layer has a resistance value which is smaller than that of the other resistance varying layers. The control circuit applies to the memory cell a first voltage pulse, and then applies to the memory cell a second voltage pulse that has a rise time which is shorter than that of the first voltage pulse.
US09305638B1 Operation method for memory device
Operation methods for a memory device is provided. An operation method for the memory device comprises programming the memory device as described in follows. Data are provided. The data comprise a plurality of codes. Each number of the codes is counted. Then, a mapping rule is generated according to each number of the codes. In the mapping rule, each of the codes is mapped to one of a plurality of verifying voltage levels which are sequentially arranged from low to high. After that, the data are programmed into the memory device according to the mapping rule.
US09305637B2 Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array having nonvolatile memory cells in which one of multiple values is programmable therein by setting one of a plurality of threshold values therein and a control circuit that performs a writing operation on the memory cells. The writing operation performed by the control circuit includes a pre-programming verification operation to determine a threshold level of a memory cell in an erasure state, and a program operation in which a program voltage is selected from a plurality of program voltages on the basis of a determination result of the pre-programming verification operation.
US09305636B2 Resistive random-access memory cells
Improved random-access memory cells, complementary cells, and memory devices. RRAM cells are provided for storing information in a plurality of programmable cell states. An electrically-insulating matrix is located between first and second electrodes such that an electrically-conductive path, which extends in a direction between the electrodes, can be formed within the matrix on application of a write voltage to the electrodes. The programmable cell states correspond to respective configurations of the conductive path in the matrix. An electrically-conductive component extends in a direction between the electrodes in contact with the insulating matrix. The arrangement is such that the resistance presented by the component to a cell current produced by a read voltage applied to the electrodes to read the programmed cell state is at least about that of the conductive path and at most about that of the insulating matrix in any of the cell states.
US09305634B1 Parking address scheme for reducing risk of short circuits during memory readout
The invention comprises an improved process of reading out SRAM or like memory elements which utilize pre-charging of cell output buses. In the output configuration of the invention, Gray Code counter outputs are used as inputs in a decoder block, the decoder block being configured to output a valid column selection address for every two address inputs. These column outputs are mapped sequentially to the columns of the memory array, such that the columns are sequentially read out, each readout operation being interspersed with a parking interval. The Gray code address inputs reduce readout addressing errors and the parking interval creates a delay between cell readout operations that reduces glitch errors.
US09305633B2 SRAM cell and cell layout method
Embodiments include an array of SRAM cells, an SRAM cell, and methods of forming the same. An embodiment is an array of static random access memory (SRAM) cells including a plurality of overlapping rectangular regions. Each of overlapping rectangular regions including an entire first SRAM cell, a portion of a second adjacent SRAM cell in a first corner region of the rectangular region, and a portion of a third adjacent SRAM cell in a second corner region of the rectangular region, the second corner region being opposite the first corner region. Embodiments also include multi-finger cell layouts.
US09305631B1 Profiling method of address access count of semiconductor device and profiling circuit using the same
Provided is a profiling unit and method for profiling a number of times that an input/output address of a semiconductor device is accessed. The profiling unit includes a hash unit configured to produce at least one hash value by perform a hash operation on the input/output address, and a profiling circuit configured to profile the number of times that the input/output address is accessed by using the at least one hash value.
US09305626B2 Method and apparatus for reading a magnetic tunnel junction using a sequence of short pulses
A magnetic random access memory (MRAM) array having a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) to be read using a magnetic state of the MTJ, the MTJ being read by applying a current there through. Further, the MRAM array has a reference MTJ, a sense amplifier coupled to the MTJ and the reference MTJ, the sense amplifier operable to compare the voltage of the MTJ to the reference MTJ in determining the state of the MTJ; a first capacitor coupled to the sense amplifier at a first end and to ground at a second end; and a second capacitor coupled to the sense amplifier at a first end and to ground at a second end, the first capacitor storing the, wherein short voltage pulses are applied to the first end of each of the first and second capacitors when reading the MTJ thereby makes the current flowing through the MTJ there through for small time intervals thereby avoiding read disturbance to the MTJ.
US09305622B1 Data strobe to data delay calibration
A method and apparatus for performing a data strobe-to-data delay calibration is disclosed. In one embodiment, a data strobe signal, along with data, is conveyed from a memory controller to a memory. An initial delay calibration procedure may be performed to align the data and the data strobe signals at the memory, with subsequent calibrations performed there between in order to compensate for changes due to various factors such as voltage and temperature. In the calibrations performed between the delay calibration procedures, a calibrated delay value may be multiplied by a first scaling factor and a second scaling factor to generate a scaled code. A DLL configured to convey the data strobe signal may then be programmed based on this code.
US09305620B2 Techniques for reducing a rate of data transfer to at least a portion of memory
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for reducing a rate of data transfer to at least a portion of memory. In operation, a rate of degradation of at least a portion of memory associated with a drive is determined. Furthermore, a rate of data transfer to the at least a portion of the memory is reduced, based on the determined rate of degradation.
US09305619B2 Implementing simultaneous read and write operations utilizing dual port DRAM
A method, system and memory controller are provided for implementing simultaneous read and write operations in a memory subsystem utilizing a dual port Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) configuration. A DRAM includes a first partition and a second partition. A memory controller determines if memory requirements are above or below a usage threshold. If the memory requirements are below the usage threshold, the memory is partitioned into a read buffer and a write buffer, with writes going to the write buffer and reads coming from the read buffer, data being transferred from the write buffer to the read buffer through an Error Correction Code (ECC) engine. If the memory requirements are above the usage threshold, the entire memory is used for reads and writes.
US09305618B2 Implementing simultaneous read and write operations utilizing dual port DRAM
A method, system and memory controller are provided for implementing simultaneous read and write operations in a memory subsystem utilizing a dual port Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) configuration. A DRAM includes a first partition and a second partition. A memory controller determines if memory requirements are above or below a usage threshold. If the memory requirements are below the usage threshold, the memory is partitioned into a read buffer and a write buffer, with writes going to the write buffer and reads coming from the read buffer, data being transferred from the write buffer to the read buffer through an Error Correction Code (ECC) engine. If the memory requirements are above the usage threshold, the entire memory is used for reads and writes.
US09305616B2 Semiconductor memory cell array having fast array area and semiconductor memory including the same
A semiconductor memory cell array is provided which includes a first memory cell array area including first group memory cells arranged in a chip in a matrix of rows and columns and having a first operating speed; and a second memory cell array area including second group memory cells arranged in the chip in a matrix of rows and columns and having a second operating speed different from the first operating speed. The first and second memory cell array areas are accessed by addressing of a DRAM controller.
US09305615B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a data output circuit suitable for transferring an output data to an external data line during a data output operation, and a controller suitable for generating control signals for controlling the data output circuit during the data output operation, wherein the data output circuit senses a variation and transfers the output data to the external data line based on the sensing result.
US09305614B2 Memory device with internal combination logic
Embodiments of the present invention include an apparatus, method, and system for integrating data processing logic with memory. An embodiment of a memory integrated circuit is designed to execute a task on the data in a memory array within a memory integrated circuit. The memory integrated circuit can include a memory array, a data access component, a data holding component, and a logic component. The data access component can be coupled to the memory array and configured to provide an address to the memory array. The data holding component can be coupled to the memory array and configured to temporarily store the data in the memory array located at the address. The logic component can be coupled to both the data access component and the data holding component, and be configured to execute a task using data received from the data holding component. The logic component can include combinational or sequential logic.
US09305611B2 Sense amplifier for a memory cell with a fast sensing speed
A sense amplifier comprises a cell current generator, a reference current generator, a first and a second charge/discharge elements, a first and a second voltage trigger circuits, and a data holder. The cell current generator is used to output a cell current of a memory cell. The reference current generator is used to output a duplicated reference current. The first and the second charge/discharge elements are used to convert the cell current and the duplicated reference current to voltage signals respectively. The first voltage trigger circuit is used to output a data signal according to a voltage signal outputted from the first charge/discharge element. The second voltage trigger circuit is used to output a hold control signal according to a voltage signal outputted from the second charge/discharge element. The data holder is used to hold a voltage level of the data signal according to the hold control signal.
US09305599B2 Storage device with a cover supporting portion
A disk drive assembly having a base; a voice coil motor assembly (VCM) comprising a VCM cover; a post extending from the base toward the VCM cover; and a latch movable mounted on the post such that the post extends there through, wherein the post comprises a cover supporting portion configured to support the VCM cover, and prevent the VCM cover from compressing the latch and causing the latch to contact both the VCM cover and the base simultaneously when a load is applied to a portion of the VCM cover above the latch.
US09305598B2 Package and container assembly and method of manufacturing same
A package assembly including a first layer having a bottom surface and a top surface, and at least two panels coupled to the top surface of the first layer such that a first panel is disposed along a right edge of the first layer and the second panel is disposed along a left edge of the first layer, the first panel being pivotally engaged to the second panel along an axis, the at least two panels having formed therein a recess.
US09305597B2 Accessing stored multi-media content based on a subscription priority level
A method begins with a processing module of a centralized digital video storage (DVS) system storing, for playback, a plurality of sets of encoded data slices in storage units, where multi-media content is encoded to produce the plurality of sets of encoded data slices. The method continues with the processing module monitoring the storage units for a failure mode and monitoring a number of subscriber devices requesting playback of the multi-media content. The method continues with the processing module determining whether a sufficient number of unique combinations of a decode threshold number of encoded data slices per set of slices exists to service playback of the multi-media content. When the sufficient number of the unique combinations do not exist, the method continues with the processing module reassigning unique combinations of the decode threshold number of encoded data slices per set of encoded data slices to some of the subscriber devices.
US09305593B2 Skew-tolerant multiple-reader array in array-reader based magnetic recording
A method for enhancing read performance in an ARMR system includes: obtaining CTS information for a plurality of readers in a multi-reader head of the ARMR system, the CTS information defining a relationship between skew angle and CTS between respective combinations of subsets of the readers; determining, as a function of the CTS information, a subset of the readers which provides enhanced read performance among the readers for each of a plurality of skew angles; assigning a weight value to each of a plurality of read signals generated by a corresponding one of the readers for each of the skew angles, the weight value being indicative of a performance of the corresponding one of the readers relative to one another; and decoding information read from at least one target track of a magnetic storage medium being read as a function of the read signals and corresponding weight values.
US09305590B2 Prevent data storage device circuitry swap
A device comprises a data storage media storing data content and a digital signature. At least a portion of the digital signature is encrypted on the data storage media. The device also includes a removable control circuitry including a unique key. If the unique key corresponds to the encrypted portion of the digital signature, the removable control circuitry allows access to the data content. If the unique key does not correspond to the encrypted portion of the digital signature, the removable control circuitry prevents access to the data content. Embodiments of the invention may be useful to prevent a user from accessing the data content without the original control circuitry used to write the data content. For example, embodiments of the invention may prevent a user from using a different control circuitry that would readily allow unauthorized copying and distribution of the data content.
US09305588B2 Drive base regulation member for disk device
In a disk device, as a switching slider which is disposed on a drive base moves in a first direction, a roller bracket moves in a second direction and a transport roller moves toward a facing member. Then, a roller bracket serves as a restriction member and the drive base is restricted in a housing. Before the drive base is restricted, a regulation member which is provided on the switching slider abuts a regulation projection of the housing so as to regulate inadvertent upward movement of the drive base. Accordingly, a disk during an unloading operation can be guided to an insertion/ejection port in a reliable manner.
US09305586B2 Microwave-assisted magnetic recording device and method of formation thereof
A magnetic head, according to one embodiment, includes a magnetized high-speed rotor placed in the vicinity of a main magnetic pole, wherein the main magnetic pole generates a magnetized rotating magnetic field, wherein information is recorded by generating a high-frequency magnetic field from the magnetized high-speed rotor and switching the magnetic head between a magnetic resonance state and a magnetization state, and wherein the magnetic head has a structure such that leaking is reduced for magnetic fields applied parallel to a magnetized rotating surface of the magnetized high-speed rotor from the main magnetic pole. Additional systems and methods are also presented.
US09305583B1 Method for fabricating a magnetic writer using multiple etches of damascene materials
A method provides a magnetic transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS) location. An intermediate layer that includes a first sublayer in a side shield region and a second sublayer outside of the side shield region is provided. A trench is formed in the intermediate layer using multiple etches. A first etch removes part of the second sublayer, providing a first portion of the trench having a first sidewall angle. A second etch removes part of the first sublayer, providing a second portion of the trench having a second sidewall angle. The second sidewall angle is greater than the first sidewall angle. A main pole is provided in the trench and has a plurality of sidewalls. The sidewalls have the second sidewall angle in the second portion of the trench and at least one main pole sidewall angle corresponding to the first sidewall angle in the first portion of the trench.
US09305582B2 Systems and methods for fly-height control using servo data
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for determining changes in fly-height. For example, various embodiments of the present invention provide storage devices that include a storage medium having servo data thereon. A read/write head assembly is disposed in relation to the storage medium. A servo based fly-height adjustment circuit receives the servo data via the read/write head assembly, and calculates a first harmonics ratio based on the received data and compares the first harmonics ratio with a second harmonics ratio to determine an error in the distance between the read/write head assembly and the storage medium.
US09305577B2 Magnetic recording head and disk drive provided therewith
According to one embodiment, a magnetic recording head includes a main pole configured to apply a recording magnetic field to a recording layer of a recording medium, a trailing shield opposed to the main pole with a write gap therebetween, and a high-frequency oscillator between the main pole and the trailing shield in a range of a width of the main pole in a track width direction, and configured to generate a high-frequency magnetic field. The high-frequency oscillator includes a spin injection layer, an intermediate layer, and an oscillation layer, and at least the oscillation layer comprises divided oscillation regions.
US09305573B2 Thermally assisted recording head utilizing laser light with limited wavelength range
A thermally assisted magnetic recording head includes core that propagates laser light as propagation light, a near-field light generator that faces a portion of the core and extends to an air bearing surface (ABS), the near-field light generator coupled to the propagation light propagating through the core so as to generate a surface plasmon, propagating the surface plasmon to an end part facing the ABS, and generating near-field light at the end part to irradiate the near-field light to a magnetic recording medium, a main magnetic pole layer provided in the vicinity of the near-field light generator where an end part is positioned on the ABS, a laser diode that generates laser light of wavelength 890 nm to 1,000 nm and enters the laser light into the core, and a photodiode provided on a silicon substrate measures an intensity of the laser light entering from the laser diode to the core.
US09305572B2 Methods of forming portions of near field transducers (NFTS) and articles formed thereby
Methods that include forming at least a portion of a near field transducer (NFT) structure; depositing a material onto at least one surface of the portion of the NFT to form a metal containing layer; and subjecting the metal containing layer to conditions that cause diffusion of at least a portion of the material into the at least one surface of the portion of the NFT; and devices formed thereby.
US09305566B2 Audio signal processing apparatus
A computing part computes a correlation coefficient representing a level of correlation among acoustic signals for a plurality of channels. A filtering part smoothes a time variation of the correlation coefficient computed. A center component reducer reduces a correlation component that is common in the acoustic signals by using the correlation coefficient. Then, the correlation component extracted by the reducer is reduced from each of the acoustic signals.
US09305565B2 Methods and systems for speech adaptation data
Computationally implemented methods and systems include receiving speech data correlated to one or more words spoken by a particular party, receiving adaptation data that is at least partly based on at least one speech interaction of a particular party that is discrete from the received speech data, wherein at least a portion of the adaptation data has been stored on a particular device associated with the particular party, obtaining target data regarding a target configured to process at least a portion of the received speech data, and determining whether to apply the adaptation data for processing at least a portion of the received speech data, at least partly based on the acquired target data. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text.
US09305564B2 Apparatus and method for reproducing an audio signal, apparatus and method for generating a coded audio signal, computer program and coded audio signal
An apparatus for reproducing an audio signal includes a first reproducer configured to reproduce a first portion of the audio signal in a first frequency band based on the first data. A provider is configured to provide a patch signal in a second frequency band, wherein the patch signal is at least partially uncorrelated with respect to the first portion of the audio signal or is at least partially a decorrelated version of the first portion of the audio signal, which has been shifted to the second frequency band. A second reproducer is configured to reproduce a second portion of the audio signal in the second frequency band based on second data and the patch signal. A combiner is configured to combine the reproduced first portion of the audio signal and the patch signal.
US09305558B2 Multi-channel audio encoding/decoding with parametric compression/decompression and weight factors
The invention includes several techniques and tools, which can be used in combination or separately. For example, an audio encoder can encode information directly using coding processes that include a windowed overlapped transform, a selective multi-channel transform, scalar quantization and entropy encoding. The audio encoder can also encode information parametrically according to a parametric compression mode that accounts for audibility of distortion according to an auditory model. A corresponding audio decoder can decode first information directly and second information according to the parametric decompression mode.
US09305547B2 System and method for adapting automatic speech recognition pronunciation by acoustic model restructuring
Disclosed herein are systems, computer-implemented methods, and computer-readable storage media for recognizing speech by adapting automatic speech recognition pronunciation by acoustic model restructuring. The method identifies an acoustic model and a matching pronouncing dictionary trained on typical native speech in a target dialect. The method collects speech from a new speaker resulting in collected speech and transcribes the collected speech to generate a lattice of plausible phonemes. Then the method creates a custom speech model for representing each phoneme used in the pronouncing dictionary by a weighted sum of acoustic models for all the plausible phonemes, wherein the pronouncing dictionary does not change, but the model of the acoustic space for each phoneme in the dictionary becomes a weighted sum of the acoustic models of phonemes of the typical native speech. Finally the method includes recognizing via a processor additional speech from the target speaker using the custom speech model.
US09305541B2 Method and an active device for treating noise on board a vehicle, and a vehicle provided with such a device
A noise treatment device (D) comprising at least one local noise sound sensor (30) and at least one sound system having a support (11, 12) and at least one sound actuator (21, 22, 21′, 22′). The device also includes a position sensor for determining the position of a person's head, at least one treatment unit (40, 40′) connected to the local noise sound sensor to receive a local noise signal and configured to deliver a control signal to each sound actuator (21, 22, 21′, 22′), the control signal being a function of the local noise signal and of at least one transfer function per ear, and active matching means (70) co-operating with the position sensor in order to keep each transfer function used in preparing each control signal representative of the path to be traveled by the anti-noise.
US09305539B2 Acoustic dispersing airflow passage
A plenum with features to disperse acoustic energy in an airflow while maintaining a relatively small pressure drop in the airflow is disclosed. A general structure of the plenum may include a perforated airflow passage surrounded by a substantially large space enclosed between the airflow passage and a plenum. The perforated airflow passage has a perforated wall that may allow the acoustic energy to be dispersed into the substantially large space when flowing through the airflow passage. Acoustic energy dispersing materials may also be disposed in the substantially large space and/or on the perforated wall to help disperse acoustic energy by, for example, absorbing the acoustic energy. The plenum can help disperse the acoustic energy while helping minimize the pressure drop in the airflow.
US09305536B2 Bag for insertion into a cavity of a silencer, which cavity is intended for sound damping
The invention relates to a bag (1) for insertion into a cavity of a silencer, which cavity is intended for sound damping or absorption, having a cover (2) which is closed on all sides and having a sound-damping or sound-absorbing filling (3). It is provided according to the invention that the cover consists of glass fibers and the filling is blown into the interior of the bag through the cover of the bag.
US09305533B2 System and method for remotely generating sound from a musical instrument
Disclosed is a system and method for remotely generating sound from a musical instrument. In one embodiment, the system includes an input configured to receive a signal representative of the sound of a first musical instrument, an exciter for converting the signal to mechanical vibrations, and a coupling interface for coupling the mechanical vibrations into a second musical instrument. The method for remotely generating sound includes the steps of generating a signal representative of the sound of a first musical instrument, transmitting the signal, receiving the signal at an input, converting the signal to mechanical vibrations, and coupling the mechanical vibrations to a second musical instrument capable of producing sound waves.
US09305526B1 Multi-tool for stringed instrument
Disclosed herein is a multi-tool for a stringed instrument. The multi-tool has several tools, such as a puller, a tuning socket, a clipper, and a hexagonal tool, on a main body, so that it is unnecessary to separately carry respective tools in the case of replacing the string of the stringed instrument, thus affording easy portability and enhancing operational convenience. Further, the multi-tool is configured such that a receiving portion receiving a tuning handle therein is rotatably provided, thus enabling the tuning handle to be rapidly and conveniently rotated.
US09305524B2 Electronic musical instrument
An electronic musical instrument capable of suppressing resonance of a soundboard and reducing a peak dip of the frequency characteristic of a musical tone to enable excellent musical sound to be obtained. The soundboard has first and second ends which extend parallel to each other. The first and second ends are secured to a predetermined part of the instrument by first screws and second screws. A vibration exciter is provided on the soundboard and driven according to a musical tone signal to vibrate the soundboard to cause the soundboard to generate a musical tone. The first and second screws are arranged along the respective first and second ends in a staggered manner such that each first screw and each first screw are not opposed to each other in symmetrical relation in a direction orthogonal to the first and second ends.
US09305523B2 Method of editing contents and an electronic device therefor
Methods for editing contents in a touch screen electronic device are provided. One method detects user selection of a plurality of displayed contents to be combined within one contents region, such as a memo. Main contents and sub-contents are determined from the selected contents, based on a predetermined input gesture. The sub-contents are combined with the main contents, where a style of the sub-contents is automatically changed to a style of the main contents. Techniques for separating combined contents are also disclosed.
US09305519B2 Image color adjusting method and electronic device using the same
An image color adjusting method and an electronic device thereof are provided. The image color adjusting method includes following steps: obtaining multiple groups of first pixel data of an image in a first color space, and performing a color space transforming process for the first pixel data to obtain multiple groups of second pixel data of the image in a CIELAB color space, wherein each of the second pixel data includes a luminance component L*, a first color component a* and a second color component b*; adjusting the first color component and the second color component of the second pixel data to obtain multiple groups of third pixel data, and performing a color space transforming process for the third pixel data to obtain multiple groups of fourth pixel data corresponding to the third pixel data in the first color space.
US09305515B2 Content player with transference reader
A first proximity-based device at a content player receives content modification data from a second proximity-based device within a product and/or a product package when the product or product package is placed within a proximity to the first proximity-based device. A processor at the content player performs modified playback of media content based on the content modification data.
US09305511B2 Common electrode voltage compensating method, apparatus and timing controller
A common electrode voltage compensating method, apparatus and a timing controller, the method comprising making statistics for grey scale data of every pixel for displaying a display picture; calculating a grey scale shifting rate between two adjacent rows of pixels, and obtaining common electrode voltage compensation signal parameters based on the grey scale shifting rate; generating positive/negative polarity information of the common electrode voltage compensation signal parameters based on a pixel voltage polarity inversion signal; generating a common electrode voltage compensation control signal based on the common electrode voltage compensation signal parameters and the positive/negative polarity thereof. The common electrode voltage compensating method, apparatus and timing controller address the problem of display picture pixels grey scale shifting due to a reversion of the positive/negative polarity of grey scale voltage.
US09305508B2 Display device
A substantially rectangular display panel includes a first edge extending in a first major axis direction of the rectangular shape and a second edge extending in a second major axis direction of the rectangular shape, the second direction being different from the first direction. The display panel includes: a plurality of gate lines extending in the first direction; and a gate lines driver including a plurality of main stages sequentially connected to each other and configured for outputting gate signals to the gate lines, where the plurality of stages further includes one or more dummy stages arranged in a row along the second edge and not connected to the plurality of gate lines, and where a layout arrangement of a plurality of thin film transistors included in the main stage is different from a corresponding layout arrangement of corresponding thin film transistors included in the at least one dummy stage.
US09305504B2 Display device and liquid crystal display panel having a plurality of common electrodes
A liquid crystal display panel and a display device are provided. The liquid crystal display includes a first common electrode, a second common electrode and pixels. The second common electrode and the first common electrode are electrically independent from each other. First pixels of the pixels are coupled to the first common electrode, and second pixels of the pixels are coupled to the second common electrode. Accordingly, usage or operation of the liquid crystal display panel is more flexible.
US09305500B2 Projector
A projector includes a light source unit that supplies light, and a spatial light modulator that modulates light supplied from the light source unit according to an image signal. The spatial light modulator is driven by an applied voltage whose polarity is reversed according to a polarity-reversing frequency which is specific to the spatial light modulator. The light source unit supplies light which is modulated according to pulse width modulation for which fundamental frequency is set based on the polarity-reversing frequency.
US09305499B2 Driving apparatus, driving apparatus operating method, and self-judgement slew rate enhancing amplifier
A driving apparatus applied in a liquid crystal display is disclosed. The driving apparatus at least includes a first latch, a second latch, an output buffer, and a slew rate enhancing module. The first latch is used to store a second data signal. The second latch is used to store a first data signal. The first data signal is previous to the second data signal. The slew rate enhancing module is used to compare the first data signal and the second data signal to generate a compared result, and correspondingly output a control signal to the output buffer according to the compared result to control a driving current of the output buffer.
US09305496B2 Electric field driving display device
It is an object to provide an electric field driving display device capable of displaying a high quality image and to provide an electric field driving display device in which residual images in an outline of a pixel is prevented from occurring. An insulating film is formed over a second electrode and a plurality of first electrodes are provided over the insulating film. Each of the first electrodes is electrically connected to the second electrode. The second electrode is provided to partly overlap a region between the adjacent two first electrodes. In other words, viewing the top and the bottom of the display device, the adjacent first electrodes are provided apart from each other and the second electrode is provided to embed a space between the adjacent first electrodes.
US09305490B2 Pixel selection control method, driving circuit, display apparatus and electronic instrument
A pixel selection control method, driving circuit, display apparatus and electronic instrument are disclosed. A driving circuit includes a logic circuit configured to receive a reference signal associated with a line of pixels. The reference signal has a first logic level or a second logic level. The driving circuit also includes a switch circuit configured to receive the reference signal and an enable signal, and to provide the enable signal to the logic circuit when the reference signal is at the first logic level. A display apparatus may be provided that includes the driving circuit.
US09305486B2 Display device and method for driving same having selection control wire for scanning wires and secondary data wire
A display device includes: a plurality of pixel circuits; a first gate signal wire arranged for every two rows of the pixel circuits; a second gate signal wire arranged for every row of the pixel circuits, a source signal wire arranged for every column of the pixel circuits; a switch arranged at each intersection of the second gate signal wire and the source signal wire; and a secondary source signal wire arranged to correspond to each of the switches, each of the pixel circuits including a switch and a storage capacitance, the switch switching between conduction and non-conduction between the source signal wire and the secondary source signal wire in accordance with the voltage of the second gate signal wire, and the switch switching between conduction and non-conduction between the secondary source signal wire and the storage capacitance in accordance with the voltage of the first gate signal wire.
US09305482B2 Display device and method of calibrating color
A display device includes an image acquisition device, a display which displays a reference color standard and displays a color standard acquired by photographing on a screen the reference color standard through the image acquisition device, a color measurer which measures color of the acquired color standard displayed on the screen of the display, and a color calibrator which calibrates colors of an image acquired through photographing by the image acquisition device using color information measured by the color measurer.
US09305467B1 Customizable media content system for an article
A customizable media content system for an article for allowing a consumer to customize one or more types of media within a card. The customizable media content system for an article generally includes selecting a card by a customer, selecting a first media module by said customer, wherein said first media module includes a first media content and assembling said first media module with said card by the customer.
US09305466B2 Dynamic illustration generation system
A dynamic illustration generation system is disclosed. Said dynamic illustration generation system comprises a tank, a fluid medium, a fluid impeller and a rotary drive source. Said tank having a four walls and a base portion. Said rotary drive source attached to said fluid impeller.
US09305465B2 Method and system for topic based virtual environments and expertise detection
A method and system for creating a topic-based 3D virtual environment. The inventive method and system provides a 3D virtual environment that includes images, scenery, and content that relate to the topic of discussion in the virtual environment. If the virtual “meeting” should be adjourned or ended, the system saves the data, discussions that occurred during the meeting, and all the scenery and content related to the virtual meeting so that the meeting can be continued with all of the content and imagery in place. A virtual environment template containing this information is loaded and used for subsequent virtual meetings discussing the same topic.
US09305458B2 Proximity-detection systems and methods
When two or more devices are near each other, they are likely to hear the same ambient sounds. To detect such proximity, each device captures a short digital audio signal from its microphone and uploads it to a proximity-detecting service along with a timestamp that indicates when the clip was captured. The proximity-detecting service maintains a history of sound clips for its clients and analyzes recently received sound clips that have similar time stamps. The devices can then be grouped according to the similarities of their sound clips. Devices that are grouped together in this way are deemed to be near each other.
US09305456B2 Wireless sensor reader
A wireless sensor reader is provided to interface with a wireless sensor. The wireless sensor reader transmits an excitation pulse to cause the wireless sensor to generate a ring signal. The wireless sensor reader receives and amplifies the ring signal and sends the signal to a phase-locked loop. A voltage-controlled oscillator in the phase-locked loop locks onto the ring signal frequency and generates a count signal at a frequency related to the ring signal frequency. The voltage-controlled oscillator is placed into a hold mode where the control voltage is maintained constant to allow the count signal frequency to be determined.
US09305454B2 Apparatus and method for controlling communications to and from fixed position communication devices over a fixed bandwidth communication link
An apparatus and method control transmission of messages over a fixed bandwidth communication link from fixed position client or communication devices to a central controller. In one exemplary embodiment, the central controller determines an identifier associated with each communication device, a reporting period during which messages are to be transmitted by the communication devices, and transmission increments within the reporting period. The central controller allocates each transmission increment to a respective group of multiple communication devices. The central controller then determines transmission times for messages from the communication devices, such that a transmission time for any particular communication device is based on (a) the identifier for the particular communication device, (b) a duration of a transmission increment allocated to a group of communication devices that includes the particular communication device, and (c) a quantity of communication devices in the group of communication devices that includes the particular communication device.
US09305451B2 Seismic alarm and warning system
An improved seismic alarm system designed to alarm users of an upcoming seismic event and other natural disasters, and aid victims' survival after an earthquake. The seismic alarm system includes an accelerometer, a controller, an acoustic-to-electric transducer for acoustic pattern detection, and RF module to receive emergency radio signals. The alarm system has central controlling unit that sets off an alarm after processing signals from several module and components: accelerometer detects seismic P wave acceleration changes for early earthquake detection; acoustic-to-electric transducer detects human acoustics or predetermined acoustic patterns, then initiates an alarm that brings rescue attention to survivors; RF module is tuned to receive emergency radio signals.
US09305450B2 Interactive wireless life safety communications system
An interactive wireless life safety communications system is disclosed. A central coordination server is linked to a first network, over which there is a connection to at least one resident life safety device at a specific location or for specific resident. An alarm signal is generated by the resident life safety device upon detection of an alarm condition and transmitted to the central coordination server. A caregiver communications device is connected to the central coordination server over a second network, and is receptive to an alarm notification that is generated by the central coordination server in response to the alarm signal. The caregiver communications device is also receptive to a caregiver user input, from which an action status response is generated for transmission to the central coordination server.
US09305446B1 Security camera with internal sealing arrangement
A security camera is provided. The security camera includes an outer two-part housing having a front cover and a back cover. A camera assembly is disposed internally within the housing. The camera assembly includes a camera module carried by a support body. A seal arrangement is provided which seals the camera assembly from a portion of the interior of the camera housing, as well as the exterior. The security camera does not require the use of a sealing compound around its mounting holes when surface mounting the security camera using the mounting holes as a result of the sealing arrangement.
US09305444B2 Combination non-programmable and programmable key for security device
A security device for an item of merchandise is provided. The security device includes a non-programmable locking mechanism comprising a mechanical lock and a programmable locking mechanism comprising a monitoring circuit operatively coupled to an alarm. The security device is configured to secure an item of merchandise from theft or removal when the mechanical lock is locked and to be separated from the item of merchandise when the mechanical lock is unlocked. The alarm is configured to provide an alarm signal if the security device is separated from the item of merchandise while the monitoring circuit is armed.
US09305441B1 Sensor experience shirt
The present invention includes systems and methods for enhancing audience sensory experience. Light-emitting diodes and vibrators may activate on an audience member shirt when an actor receives a hit while wearing a shirt having sensors. The audience member may choose to receive input from a particular actor's shirt. The audience member may also choose to view a replay of an event and activate the associated light-emitting diodes and vibrators.
US09305440B2 Identification display
A message presentation method and system is disclosed. The method includes receiving by a computer processor of an electrical device, data associated with a function of the electrical device. The electrical device comprises light emitting devices. The computer processor generates an identification code identifying the function, a first bit signal associated with a first bit of the identification code, and a second bit signal associated with a second bit of the identification code. The computer processor transmits the first bit signal to a first light emitting device. The first bit signal results in the first light emitting device indicating the first bit signal as a first illuminated color.
US09305436B2 Gaming machine
In a gaming machine including a symbol region where reels having symbols are arranged in predetermined arrangement. The symbols are displayed in an arranged manner in longitudinal and transverse directions. A reel control unit that independently controls movement and stop of each of the reels, such that the symbols appearing in the symbol region change and a winning determination unit that determines whether the symbols appearing on a valid line set to span the reels form a predetermined winning pattern, when each of the reels is stopped, layers are set in the symbol region, and in the gaming machine, at least one reel is disposed in each layer, a symbol group is provided in at least one specific reel arranged in a specific layer of the layers in such a manner that symbols capable of forming at least portion of the winning pattern are arranged in the symbol group.
US09305435B2 Gaming system and method for redeeming a winning ticket and/or a plurality of non-winning tickets having corresponding symbols for an award
Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a gaming system and method for redeeming a winning ticket and/or a plurality of non-winning tickets having corresponding symbols for an award. Generally, in various embodiments, the gaming system of the present disclosure enables a player to: (a) redeem a winning ticket for a first award, and (b) redeem a set of two or more non-winning tickets having corresponding symbols for a second award. Thus, while an individual ticket may be a non-winning ticket when standing alone, the gaming system of the present disclosure enables that non-winning ticket to provide value to the player (in the form of an award) when combined with at least one additional non-winning ticket.
US09305434B2 Server based gaming system providing multiple side bet awards
A gaming system including at least one gaming machine enabling a player to select at least one of a plurality of different selectable side bets. A side bet controller maintaining at least one side bet. A side bet revenue manager configured to communicate with the gaming machine and side bet controller to accept and track fund data associated with a side bet from the gaming machine; transfer fund data to the side bet controller; accept and track fund data from the side bet controller; and transfer fund data to the gaming device.
US09305433B2 Systems, methods and devices for playing wagering games with distributed competition features
Gaming devices, gaming systems, methods of conducting wagering games, and computer programs for executing wagering games are disclosed. A gaming system for playing a wagering game is disclosed which includes a processor(s) and a memory device(s) storing instructions that, when executed by at least one of the processors, cause the gaming system to: display, via a display device(s), a randomly determined outcome of the wagering game; responsive to a triggering event, transmit an offer to participate in a competitive gaming feature to a second player(s); randomly determine a first final outcome of the competitive gaming feature for the first player; randomly determine a second final outcome of the competitive gaming feature for the second player; and, in response to a valuation of the first final outcome being better than a valuation of the second final outcome, award a competitive gaming feature award to the first player.
US09305432B2 Electronic gaming device with scripted functionality
Examples disclosed herein relate to systems, devices, and methods, which may receive wagers on one or more paylines. The systems, devices, and methods may determine a winning outcome and/or a losing outcome. The systems, devices, and methods may determine one or more key values. The systems and methods may determine a scripted scenario based on the determined one or more key values. The systems and methods may display one or more presentations based on the determined scripted scenario. The scripted scenario may utilize symbols, characters, and/or other gaming objects.
US09305427B2 Methods and systems for determining and selling wagering game outcomes to be viewed remotely
In accordance with some embodiments, a plurality of outcomes are generated and used to create a video presentation of representative outcomes. The video presentation is recorded onto a tangible medium (e.g., DVD or CD-ROM) or otherwise provided to a player (e.g., player may access the video presentation online). This allows a player to purchase a video presentation of (e.g., predetermined) outcomes in a jurisdiction in which gambling is legal yet view the presentation at the player's convenience (e.g., from any jurisdiction and at any time). A player who purchases such a video presentation may subsequently redeem it for a redemption value associated therewith.
US09305425B2 Integration of multiple games
Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for providing online games that are non-monolithic programs. One method includes an operation for providing access to a plurality of online games and to a wrapper game. Each of the online games and the wrapper game is directly accessible to be loaded utilizing a corresponding internet address, which is different for each online game. The wrapper game includes options to load any of the plurality of online games. In addition, the method includes another operation for providing a chat interface in the plurality of online games and in the wrapper game. The chat interface allows users accessing any of the online games to exchange messages with other users accessing any of the online games, and the chat interface is unavailable to users currently absent from the online games and absent from the wrapper game.
US09305419B2 Gaming system and a method of gaming
A gaming controller arranged to conduct a game having an overall return to player (RTP) and including a base game and a feature game. The gaming controller is arranged to conduct a base game and a feature game and includes an RTP controller arranged to operate in response to a player RTP instruction to configure a relative contribution of the base game and the feature game to the overall RTP.
US09305418B2 Vending machine for scrubs with time expiring badges and related methods
A vending machine for scrubs may include a housing configured to store different sized scrubs. The vending machine also may include a scrub dispenser, a labeler, and a controller carried by the housing. The controller may be configured to cooperate with the scrub dispenser to dispense a selected sized scrub. The controller may also be configured to cooperate with the labeler to generate a time expiring badge for the selected sized scrub.
US09305415B2 Paper sheet management system, paper sheet mangement apparatus, paper sheet management method, and paper sheet management program
A banknote management system 1 includes a banknote handling apparatus 2 having stackers for stacking banknotes, the banknote handling apparatus sorting the banknotes based on sorting conditions set for the respective stackers, and sequentially stacking the sorted banknotes in the stackers corresponding to the sorting conditions; and a banknote management apparatus 3 managing the banknote handling apparatus. The system includes a DB registration specifying unit 32B specifying a stacker 11 a DB registration necessity of which is specified among the stackers; a banknote detailed information creating unit 37B creating banknote detailed information for recognizing a banknote that is stacked in the stacker a DB registration of which is set to be necessary; and a DB control unit 37D registering the banknote detailed information in a database 33. The system can minimize a memory capacity of the database and a volume of banknote detailed information to be registered in the database.
US09305408B2 Multiple electronic control unit diagnosing system and method for vehicle
A multiple electronic control unit (ECU) diagnosing system and a method thereof for a vehicle by which a diagnosis time for an ECU can be shortened by using an Ethernet protocol and a communication gateway. The multiple ECU diagnosing system for the vehicle applies a multiple ECU diagnosing algorithm of a one-to-n method which is more efficient than a diagnosis algorithm of a one-to-one method between diagnostic equipment. ECUs for the vehicle are connected through various communication networks (K-Line, CAN, LIN, FlexRay, and MOST) by using a communication gateway transferring messages and signals between the ECUs, thus significantly shortening a diagnosis time for the ECUs and acquiring a large amount of diagnosis information at the same time.
US09305407B1 Method for fleet management
A method for fleet management can be created using a vehicle maintenance tracker for at least one vehicle and performing a vehicle inspection on the at least one vehicle using an inspection device to identify services needed on the vehicle. The vehicle inspection can then be transferred to a mechanic for verification of services needed on the vehicle. The vehicle inspection can provide a verification of services needed to the vehicle maintenance tracker and generate at least one of: vehicle repair information prioritized by importance of services, a schedule for vehicle service prioritized by importance of services needed, and a vehicle return to service date based on a schedule for vehicle service prioritized by importance of services needed.
US09305406B2 Asset monitoring and fueling system
The present application discloses systems and methods for managing assets. In one exemplary embodiment, a system for monitoring an asset is disclosed. The system comprises at least one asset monitoring device, at least one fuel control device, and a central server. The asset monitoring device is configured for use with the asset to collect asset data about the asset. The fuel control device is configured for use with a fuel source to collect fueling data about fueling of the asset. The fuel control device is configured to communicate with the asset monitoring device to receive the asset data from the asset monitoring device. The central server is configured to communicate with the fuel control device to receive the asset data and the fueling data from the fuel control device.
US09305404B2 RFID vehicle tag with manually adjustable data fields
An RFID tag for use in a vehicle for use in an electronic toll collecting system. The tag is capable of transmitting data to a tag interrogator indicating the occupancy status of the vehicle. In an embodiment, the tag has a user input and a visual and audible tag status indicator. The user input is used to change the occupancy status of the tag, wherein the occupancy status is a portion of a message sent by radio frequency to the interrogator when the vehicle passes through a toll area.
US09305401B1 Real-time 3-D video-security
An image analysis technology that enables real-time fully 3-dimensionally integrated reconstruction of the live video-data derived from CCTV system's multiple camera observations of a spatially connected surveillance scene.
US09305398B2 Methods for creating and displaying two and three dimensional images on a digital canvas
A trajectory is drawn on a digital canvas with a pointing device, wherein the trajectory comprises a plurality of spaced points, and each spaced point has a plurality of characteristics, including a geometric profile, a depth, and a color if a color trajectory or an intensity if a monochromatic trajectory. One or more of the plurality of characteristics is adjusted by manually controlling a speed of the drawing, and a faster drawing speed results in spacing between two successive points that is greater than that resulting from a slower speed. A line is generated by interpolating the space between the points. A picture is created with a number of trajectories and/or lines. A three-dimensional image may be created from the picture by creating, then integrating a set of multi-view images from the picture. The picture in progress and/or as completed may be displayed, for example, on a three-dimensional display.
US09305396B2 Identifying features in polygonal meshes
A polygonal mesh is received and the edges and vertices of the polygonal mesh are analyzed. A positive (e.g., convex or protruding) feature may be identified where the positive feature is bound by a non-concave edge (e.g., a convex edge or a planar edge). A negative (e.g., concave or receding) feature may also be identified where the negative feature is bound by a non-convex edge (e.g., a concave edge or a planar edge).
US09305391B2 Apparatus and methods for detailing subdivision surfaces
The present disclosure provides a system and method for the development and manipulation of three-dimensional voxel-based models. The method includes accessing, by a processor of a computing device, a subdivision surfacing geometry (SubD) model and converting a portion of features of the SubD model to a voxel model. The method includes accessing a texture for application to the voxel model and combining the texture and the voxel model to create a textured voxel model. The method includes determining displacement maps determined based in part on a difference between a surface portion of the voxel model and a surface portion of the SubD model and applying the displacement maps to the surface portion of the SubD model to determine a second SubD model where the second SubD model is configured for manipulation while preserving a visual aesthetic and a geometric placement of the added texture.
US09305385B2 Animation creation and management in presentation application programs
An animation timeline is analyzed to determine one or more discrete states. Each discrete state includes one or more animation effects. The discrete states represent scenes of a slide in a slide presentation. The concepts of scenes allows user to view a timeline of scenes, open a scene, and direct manipulate objects in the scene to author animations. The animations can include motion path animation effects, which can be directly manipulated utilizing a motion path tweening method. To aid in direct manipulation of a motion path of an object, a ghost version of the object can be shown to communicate to a user the position of the object after a motion path animation effect that includes the motion path is performed. The ghost version may also be used to show a start position when a start point is manipulated.
US09305383B2 Chart layout which highlights event occurrence patterns
A method of charting event occurrence counts includes processing event occurrence data recorded during operation of an industrial process to generate a chart having chart entries representing occurrence counts and chart positioning information. The chart positioning information includes an x-axis with a first time interval between x-positions and a y-axis with a second time interval between y-positions. Respective ones of the chart entries are positioned at intersections between the x-positions and y-positions by placing an element at the intersections having first feature attribute which indicates a relative magnitude of its event count. Time division count sums are computed to indicate a relative magnitude of a count sum across the x-positions and y-positions. The time division count sums are represented with a second feature attribute. The time division count sums are positioned for the x-positions adjacent to the second ending time and for the y-positions adjacent to the first ending time.
US09305381B1 Multi-threaded rasterisation
Methods for drawing content to a display are provided. In one aspect, a method includes receiving input indicating content to be drawn to a display, and providing a request to prepare the content for display to a first thread. The method also includes receiving, in response to the provided request, instructions for drawing the content to the display, and providing the instructions for drawing the content to the display to a second thread. The method further includes executing, by the second thread, the instructions for drawing the content to the display. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.
US09305376B2 Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and method of acquiring functional image
A method of acquiring a functional image whose artifacts due to a motion of an object are corrected includes acquiring functional image data of an object, acquiring structural image data of the object, acquiring motion information of the object based on the structural image data, correcting the functional image data based on the motion information related to motion of the object, and obtaining a functional image of the object.
US09305375B2 High-quality post-rendering depth blur
The present invention may provide techniques for blurring an image. The image may be a light field image with color values and depth values for each pixel. The method may include retrieving the image and calculating a blurred color value of a subject pixel of the image. Calculating the blurred color value may include calculating first and second circles of confusion proximate coordinates of the subject pixel for a first depth and second depth greater than the first depth. Color values may be retrieved for first and second sets of pixels within the first and second circles of confusion with depth values proximate the first and second depths, respectively. The second set of pixels may not include pixels occluded by the first set of pixels. The blurred color value may be selected based on the color values of the first and second sets of pixels.
US09305372B2 Method and device for image processing
Embodiments provide a method for processing a first image based on a second image, wherein each pixel in the first image has a plurality of color components and has a corresponding pixel in the second image, and wherein each value of a color component in the first image corresponds to a value of a color component in the second image. The method may include deciding, for each color component of a pixel in the first image, whether to modify the value of the color component dependent on a predetermined criterion. The method may further include determining a similarity index between the pixel in the first image and the corresponding pixel in the second image based on, for each color component of the pixel, the value of the color component of the pixel, or if it is decided that the value of the color component of the pixel is to be modified, the corresponding value of the color component in the second image.
US09305370B2 Graphical rendering with implicit surfaces
Techniques are described for rendering objects formed by implicit surfaces using ray-tracing, where each implicit surface is defined by a surface equation. The techniques utilize presence of real-roots to determine which implicit surfaces are intersected by a ray. If all implicit surfaces classified as uncomplemented surfaces intersect the ray, and none of the implicit surfaces classified as completed surfaces intersect the ray, the techniques determine a maximum from among a set of real-root values of the surface equations for the uncomplemented surfaces to determine an intersection point of the ray. The techniques utilize the intersection point for further processing such as per-pixel color and depth processing.
US09305368B2 Compression and decompression of graphics data using pixel region bit values
Techniques related to graphics rendering including techniques for compression and/or decompression of graphics data by use of pixel region bit values are described.
US09305364B2 Motion estimation systems and methods
A motion estimation system is disclosed. The motion estimation system may include one or more memories storing instructions, and one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to receive, from a scanning device, scan data representing at least one object obtained by a scan over at least one of the plurality of sub-scanning regions, and generate, from the scan data, a sub-pointcloud for one of the sub-scanning regions. The sub-pointcloud includes a plurality of surface points of the at least one object in the sub-scanning region. The one or more processors may be further configured to execute the instructions to estimate the motion of the machine relative to the at least one object by comparing the sub-pointcloud with a reference sub-pointcloud.
US09305363B2 System and method for detecting, tracking and counting human objects of interest using a counting system and a data capture device
A method for counting and tracking defined objects includes the step of receiving subset data with a data capturing device, wherein the subset data is associated with defined objects and includes a unique identifier, an entry time, an exit time, and location data for each defined object. The method further includes the steps of receiving subset data at a counting system, counting the defined objects, tracking the defined objects, associating a location of a defined object with a predefined area, and/or generating path data by plotting X and Y coordinates for the defined object within the predefined area at sequential time periods.
US09305362B1 Image stabilization
A method relating generally to image processing is disclosed. In such a method, an image is preprocessed for noise suppression and edge detection with filters. The image is hierarchically decomposed to provide an image pyramid. The hierarchical decomposition includes successively down-scaling the image to provide different resolutions of the image corresponding to levels of the image pyramid. The image and the different resolutions of the image provide a set of images. A scene analysis of the set of images is performed. The performing of the scene analysis includes determining qualifications of blocks of the set of images for feature tracking. A subset of the blocks determined to be qualified for the feature tracking is selected. Motion estimation is performed on the subset of the blocks. The motion estimation is performed using a hierarchical set of motion estimation engines corresponding to levels of the image pyramid.
US09305361B2 Resolving homography decomposition ambiguity based on orientation sensors
A homography between two captured images of a planar object is decomposed into at least one possible solution, and typically at least two ambiguous solutions. The ambiguity between the two solutions is removed, or a single solution validated, using measurements from orientation sensors. The measurements from orientation sensors may be used by comparing at least one of the yaw, pitch, and/or roll angles derived from a relative rotation matrix for the one or more solutions to a corresponding at least one of the yaw, pitch, and/or roll angles derived from the measurements from the orientation sensors.
US09305358B2 Medical image processing
Certain embodiments provide a computer system for determining a registration mapping between a novel medical image and a reference medical image, the computer system comprising: a storage system adapted to store data representing the novel medical image and the reference medical image and variance data for a plurality of different locations in the reference medical image representing a statistical variation for corresponding locations identified in a plurality of training medical images; and a processor unit operable to execute machine readable instructions to determine a registration mapping between the novel medical image and the reference medical image in a manner that takes account of the variance data for the plurality of different locations in the reference medical image.
US09305356B2 Image processing method and apparatus
A method of selecting image data representative of a subject from an image data set comprises determining regions of image data, wherein each region of image data consists of a respective plurality of connected voxels, and selecting at least one region as being representative of the subject based upon at least one of the size and shape of the region.
US09305354B2 Apparatus and method for mapping a three-dimensional space in medical applications for diagnostic, surgical or interventional medicine purposes
The present invention relates to an apparatus and to a method for mapping a three-dimensional space in medical applications for diagnostic, surgical or interventional medicine purposes. The apparatus and the method according to the invention use acquisition means, capable of recording two-dimensional images of said three-dimensional space from at least a first recording position and from a second recording position, and a reference target, comprising a plurality of marker elements and movable between a first target point and a second target point of said three-dimensional space. A processing unit, adapted to receive data indicative of a first image and of a second image of said three-dimensional space, comprises computerized means adapted to calculate registration data to register the two-dimensional reference systems, used to express the coordinates of the points of said first image and of said second image, with the three-dimensional reference system, defined by the marker elements of said reference target.
US09305353B1 Landmark based positioning
Disclosed are devices, methods and storage media for use in determining position information for imaging devices or mobile devices. In some implementations, a landmark is identified in an image which is obtained from an imaging device which in turn is positioned at a location and in a pose. A virtual two-dimensional image that would be visible from the landmark is determined based, at least in part, on the pose. The location or position information is based, at least in part, on the virtual two-dimensional image.
US09305352B2 Deformable tree matching with tangent-enhanced coherent point drift
Deformable, anatomical trees represented by scan data from different times are matched. Coherent point drift (CPD) solved using expectation maximization is enhanced with tangent or other curve information. By including point-curve information, another characteristic than GMM-based probabilities are included in the cost function for matching. The angle information provided by the tangent, normal, or other point-curve measure may more likely match points in one set representing a tree to points in another set representing the tree.
US09305347B2 Automatic volumetric image inspection
Systems and methods for inspecting data generated during a scan of an object. One system includes a processor. The processor is configured to receive projection data generated by a CT scan of an object, generate a three-dimensional, volumetric data set based on the projection data, and automatically generate a plurality of cinematic frames of a cinematic sequence based on the three-dimensional, volumetric data set. Each of the plurality of cinematic frames has a different value for at least one parameter. The processor is also configured to automatically generate a signal to display the cinematic sequence in a frame-by-frame manner. In some embodiments, the processor continuously displays the cinematic sequence until a user accepts the three-dimensional, volumetric data set or stops the cinematic sequence (e.g., to perform a manual inspection of the three-dimensional, volumetric data set and/or re-initiate a scan of the object).
US09305346B2 Method and apparatus for efficient defect inspection
A method of inspecting fabricated articles includes receiving a fabricated article to be inspected for defects, the fabricated article having a pattern thereon, and the pattern being based on a pattern design and creating a rule set for defining critical regions of the pattern as represented in the pattern design, the critical regions being regions in which defects are more likely to be found during inspection. The method also includes applying the rule set to the pattern design to identify a critical region of the pattern on the fabricated article and a non-critical region of the pattern on the fabricated article. Further, the method includes inspecting the non-critical region of the pattern on the fabricated article for defects at first resolution and inspecting the critical region of the pattern on the fabricated article for defects at a second resolution higher than the first resolution.
US09305345B2 System and method for image based inspection of an object
A method for image based inspection of an object includes receiving an image of an object from an image capture device, wherein the image includes a representation of the object with mil-level precision. The method further includes projecting a measurement feature of the object from the image onto a three-dimensional (3D) model of the object based on a final projection matrix; determining a difference between the projected measurement feature and an existing measurement feature on the 3D model; and sending a notification including the difference between the projected measurement feature and the existing measurement feature.
US09305343B2 Observation device and observation method
A plurality of images is captured, and the plurality of images is integrated and displayed after one or more ROIs included in the captured images are extracted and classified. At integration, an integration method is controlled according to a classification result of the ROI.
US09305332B2 Creating details in an image with frequency lifting
Input image information is received. Enhancement information is determined based on frequency characteristics of the input image information. The enhancement information is mixed with the input image information to generate an enhanced image.
US09305329B2 Low memory content aware fill
A first image at a first resolution is received, the first image having a first hole therein. Based on the first image, a second image is generated at a second resolution lower than the first resolution, the second image having a second hole therein corresponding to the first hole. In the second image, one or more second-image source patches for the second hole are identified. At least one first-image source patch in the first image is identified based on a location of the identified second-image source patch. The identified at least one first-image source patch are stored in memory. Fill content are identified in the at least one first-image source patch stored in the memory. The identified fill content are placed in the first hole.
US09305326B2 Apparatus and method for tile elimination
An exemplary embodiment describes a method for tile elimination, including: reading in data of a new tile; reading signature values corresponding to the new tile from a signature value repository; generating signature values for the new tile; comparing the read signature values and the generated signature values of the same tile to determine whether the two sets of signature values being identical; when the two sets of signature values being identical, copying the new tile directly from a tile frame buffer without rendering; otherwise, updating the signature value repository with the generated signature values replacing the stored signature values; rendering the tile; and updating the tile frame buffer with the newly rendered tile.
US09305325B2 Neighbor context caching in block processing pipelines
Methods and apparatus for caching neighbor data in a block processing pipeline that processes blocks in knight's order with quadrow constraints. Stages of the pipeline may maintain two local buffers that contain data from neighbor blocks of a current block. A first buffer contains data from the last C blocks processed at the stage. A second buffer contains data from neighbor blocks on the last row of a previous quadrow. Data for blocks on the bottom row of a quadrow are stored to an external memory at the end of the pipeline. When a block on the top row of a quadrow is input to the pipeline, neighbor data from the bottom row of the previous quadrow is read from the external memory and passed down the pipeline, each stage storing the data in its second buffer and using the neighbor data in the second buffer when processing the block.
US09305324B2 System, method, and computer program product for tiled deferred shading
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for tiled deferred shading. In operation, a plurality of photons associated with at least one scene are identified. Further, a plurality of screen-space tiles associated with the at least one scene are identified. Additionally, each of the plurality of screen-space tiles capable of being affected by a projection of an effect sphere for each of the plurality of photons are identified. Furthermore, at least a subset of photons associated with each of the screen-space tiles from which to compute shading are selected. Moreover, shading for the at least one scene is computed utilizing the selected at least a subset of photons.
US09305318B2 Social network system and method of operation
A method of forming unique, private, personal, virtual social networks on a social network system that includes a database storing data relating to corresponding user entities. The method includes: a first user entity sending an invitation to a second user entity, recording in the database the second user entity as a direct contact of the first user entity and determining that third user entities, directly connected to the second user entity, are indirect contacts. A unique, personal, social network formed from direct and indirect contacts is thereby created for each user entity. Each user entity is able to control privacy of its data with respect to other user entities depending on the connection factor to that other entity and/or that other entity's attributes.
US09305313B2 System and method for a graphical user interface having a resizable recommendations area
A system and method for rendering a graphical user interface having recommendations. The method includes accessing, within a mobile device, a data store corresponding to a multimedia container. The multimedia container comprises a first object and a second object and the multimedia container is operable to comprise one or more applications, widgets, pieces of content, and other multimedia containers. The data store comprises metadata associated with the first object and the second object. The method further includes displaying a plurality of images each corresponding to a respective recommendation based at least on the metadata associated with the first object and receiving an input. The plurality of items is displayed within a first portion of a display device. The method further includes in response to the input, displaying the plurality of images within a second portion of the display device. The second portion of the display device is greater in size than the first portion of the display device.
US09305307B2 Selecting content associated with a collection of entities
Methods, systems, and apparatus include computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, including a method for providing content. An indication is received from a content sponsor of a first collection of entities, sharing common characteristics, to be used for selection criteria for presenting a first content item. References to the first content item and selection criteria are stored. A query is received including terms or phrases associated with a first entity. It is determined that the first entity is included in the first collection of entities, wherein the terms or phrases do not include the first collection. Eligible content items are identified, each being associated with selection criteria including criteria specifying the first collection of entities. At least a portion of the first collection of entities is provided for presentation along with search results, including providing one or more of the eligible content items and the first content item.
US09305305B2 Delivering offers
A method and system for delivering offers is provided. The method includes enabling for a user via a device, a Web browser and an associated URL. A processor determines a manufacturer and model of the device and that the device is associated with a shared device list. A user agent receives the manufacturer and model of the device and the processor transmits the user agent, the manufacturer and model of the device, and the associated URL. The manufacturer and model of the hardware device is extracted from the user agent and a rules engine is evaluated with respect to the manufacturer and model of the device. Specified content associated with the device is determined based on results of the evaluation. The specified content is transmitted to the Web browser.
US09305304B2 Methods and apparatuses to select communication tracking mechanisms
Methods and apparatuses to select tracking mechanisms for the performance determination of advertisements. One embodiment includes: selecting one reference type from a plurality of reference types; and determining a reference of the selected type, the reference to be embedded in an advertisement to count communication leads generated from the advertisement. In one embodiment, the advertisement is to be charged according to a performance measure based on communication leads generated from the advertisement. For example, a price for the advertisement can be specified by a party for which the advertisement is to be presented. For example, the advertisement can be charged in response to a voice communication responding to the advertisement. In one embodiment, the plurality of reference types correspond to different mechanisms to track communication leads generated from the advertisement.
US09305288B2 System and method for provisioning electronic mail in a vehicle
Systems and methods are disclosed for wirelessly communicating electronic mail messages at a vehicle. A computer processor is in communication with a memory device having software for an e-mail service, and electronic mail account credentials enabling access to one or more electronic mail accounts. A transceiver is in communication with the computer processor, and is capable of pairing with one or more wireless communication devices (e.g. cellular phone, etc.) for wirelessly communicating data between the processor and electronic mail servers located remotely from the vehicle. The processor operates the transceiver to wirelessly access the one or more electronic mail accounts at the electronic mail server(s) to wirelessly send or receive electronic mail messages at the vehicle. The computer processor convert received electronic mail messages to speech signals for playback.
US09305285B2 Heads-up display for improving on-line efficiency with a browser
Embodiments are directed to a heads-up display for improving efficiency for displaying information using a web browser. Content-of-interest may be determined in web documents based in part on content profiles corresponding to the web documents. The determined content-of-interest may be compared with other information stored separately from the web browser. Business Information associated with the determined content-of-interest may be determined based on the comparison of the other information and the content-of-interest. Plugin information for a plugin document may be generated based on the a portion of the business information and the at least a portion of content-of-interest. The generated plugin document may be displayed in the web browser. The web documents may be modified based on the business information that may correspond to the determined content-of-interest. And, the modified web documents may displayed in the web browser.
US09305284B2 Methods and systems for managing a multi participant event
A method for managing communication among a plurality of social network members. The method comprises defining a multi participant task, setting at least one forward rule limiting the distribution an invitation message for participating in the multi participant task, forwarding the invitation message to at least one addressee from a plurality of social network members, allowing the at least one addressee to forward the invitation message to at least one additional addressee from the plurality of social network members under the at least one forward rule, monitoring a plurality of feedbacks to the invitation message to determine whether the multi participant task is achieved, and updating a status of the multi participant task according to the determination.
US09305280B1 Airborne fulfillment center utilizing unmanned aerial vehicles for item delivery
Described is an airborne fulfillment center (“AFC”) and the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (“UAV”) to deliver items from the AFC to users. For example, the AFC may be an airship that remains at a high altitude (e.g., 45,000 feet) and UAVs with ordered items may be deployed from the AFC to deliver ordered items to user designated delivery locations. As the UAVs descend, they can navigate horizontally toward a user specified delivery location using little to no power, other than to stabilize the UAV and/or guide the direction of descent. Shuttles (smaller airships) may be used to replenish the AFC with inventory, UAVs, supplies, fuel, etc. Likewise, the shuttles may be utilized to transport workers to and from the AFC.
US09305276B2 Foundry production planning
Various embodiments include computer-implemented methods of modeling production for a semiconductor foundry. One method includes: obtaining a multi-part order including: a first order for a fixed number of preliminary products; and a second order for a fixed number of completed products formed from the fixed number of preliminary products; and determining an amount of inventory required to fulfill the first order and the second order, wherein the determining includes: creating a first model including a first inventory amount required to meet the first order; and creating a second model including a second inventory amount required to meet the second order, wherein the second model accounts for results from the first model, including the first inventory amount; and running a single linear programming (LP) process using the first model and the second model to determine the amount of inventory required to fulfill the first order.
US09305275B2 Platform for rapid development of applications
Various embodiments are directed towards a platform for rapid development of applications. A data processing application may be generated by applying templates, work streams, change entries, and user modifications to generate data processing applications. In at least one of the various embodiments, the applications may be generated based project initial instructions and by receiving and processing example data in combination with templates, change entries, and work streams. Further, in at least one of the various embodiments, modifications made to the generated applications may be preserved as change entries associated with a work stream. In at least one of the various embodiments, separate applications may be generated based on the work streams and/or change streams of other applications. In at least one of the various embodiments, if a generated application may be modified a new revision number may be associated with the modified version of the application.
US09305272B2 Information management detailed task scheduler system
A method for managing information relating to a deployment of changes in order to communicate some or all the information to users includes providing an interface to a plurality of users at a plurality of workstations accessible by one or more of the users, receiving information comprising initiative data corresponding to each of the plurality of changes, the initiative data comprising data relating to a plurality of parameters corresponding to each of the plurality of changes, initiating display of some or all the initiative data corresponding to some or all the plurality of changes, logging event data related to a plurality of events associated with the deployment of the plurality of changes, the event data comprising change status data indicating a status of at least one of the plurality of changes, and initiating display of at least some of the event data to the users via the interface.
US09305261B2 Knowledge management engine for a knowledge management system
A system includes a memory operable to store an ontology. The ontology includes a plurality of instances, and a plurality of relationships between the instances. The system also includes a processor communicatively coupled to the memory. The processor is operable to receive a proposed knowledge assertion. The proposed knowledge assertion includes a plurality of classified tokens and a plurality of relationships between the classified tokens. The processor is further operable to determine whether the classified tokens correspond to instances in the ontology. The processor is further operable to validate the proposed knowledge assertion based on the ontology. The processor is further operable to determine whether to update the ontology with the proposed knowledge assertion.
US09305260B2 System and method for distinguishing human swipe input sequence behavior
Recording, analyzing and categorizing of user interface input via touchpad, touch screens or any device that can synthesize gestures from touch and pressure into input events. Such as, but not limited to, smart phones, touch pads and tablets. Humans may generate the input. The analysis of data may include statistical profiling of individual users as well as groups of users, the profiles can be stored in, but not limited to data containers such as files, secure storage, smart cards, databases, off device, in the cloud etc. A profile may be built from user/users behavior categorized into quantified types of behavior and/or gestures. The profile might be stored anonymized. The analysis may take place in real time or as post processing. Profiles can be compared against each other by all the types of quantified behaviors or by a select few.
US09305259B2 Apparatus, program, and method for solving mathematical programming problem
An apparatus and method for solving mathematical programming problems. The apparatus includes a first-time-point-solution generating unit generating at least one solution to a mathematical programming problem, a second-time-point-problem generating unit generating a plurality of mathematical programming problems to be on the basis of the solution to the mathematical programming problem to be solved at the first time point, a second-time-point optimum value calculating unit calculating an optimum value of each of a plurality of mathematical programming problems to be solved at the second time point, a relational expression estimating unit estimating a relational expression between the solution to the mathematical programming problem to be solved at the first time point and an optimum value of a mathematical programming problem to be solved at the second time point, and a correcting unit correcting the mathematical programming problem at the first time point based on the relational expression.
US09305252B1 Systems and methods for RFID-enabled pressure sensing apparatus
Methods, apparatuses and systems for radio frequency identification (RFID)-enabled information collection are disclosed, including an enclosure, a collector coupled to the enclosure, an interrogator, a processor, and one or more RFID field sensors, each having an individual identification, disposed within the enclosure. In operation, the interrogator transmits an incident signal to the collector, causing the collector to generate an electromagnetic field within the enclosure. The electromagnetic field is affected by one or more influences. RFID sensors respond to the electromagnetic field by transmitting reflected signals containing the individual identifications of the responding RFID sensors to the interrogator. The interrogator receives the reflected signals, measures one or more returned signal strength indications (“RSSI”) of the reflected signals and sends the RSSI measurements and identification of the responding RFID sensors to the processor to determine one or more facts about the influences. Other embodiments are also described.
US09305249B2 Image forming apparatus, image forming method, and computer-readable medium for rasterizing scan line using intermediate data
An image forming apparatus which divides image data into predetermined unit blocks and forms an image, the apparatus comprises: a determination unit that determines continuous block lines, that include closed regions having identical components, among a plurality of block lines included in a block; a generation unit that generates data of an intermediate language of each of the blocks using pieces of information of the plurality of block lines and the determination result obtained by the determination unit; a selection unit that selects an image forming method corresponding to the data of the intermediate language of each of the blocks, that is generated by the generation unit; and a forming unit that forms an image of the data of the intermediate language of each of the blocks, in accordance with the image forming method selected by the selection unit.
US09305248B2 Test pattern data, non-transitory computer readable medium, and test pattern
Test pattern data corresponds to a test pattern including a first pattern area and a second pattern area. In the first pattern area, patterns extending in a second direction are provided in a stepwise manner in correspondence with respective recording elements such that a gap in the second direction is provided between a back end of one of the patterns or each pattern and a front end of the pattern adjacent thereto. In the second pattern area, pattern columns extending in the second direction are provided in a stepwise manner in correspondence with a set of a predetermined number of consecutively provided recording elements such that a gap in the second direction is provided between a back end of one of the pattern columns or each pattern column and a front end of the pattern column adjacent thereto, the predetermined number being two or more consecutively provided recording elements.
US09305247B2 Image forming device that performs misregistration correction to correct positions of color images
In an image forming device, a processor acquires a reference value set for the color combination of two different colors; determines whether the reference value meets an execution condition for correcting misregistration between the two different colors in two image pieces to be superposed one on the other, the determination being performed before forming a finished image including at least a color image portion formed by superposing one of the color image pieces on at least one of remaining color image pieces by using a plurality of image-forming units; forms registration marks for the two different colors in response to determination that the reference value meets the execution condition; and adjusts image-forming positions corresponding to the two different colors subject to correction of misregistration based on outputs of an light-receiving element providing detection results of the position of each of the registration marks.
US09305243B2 Adaptable classification method
An adaptable classification method is provided. The method performs the classification by using a classification standard having a plurality of categories. The classification standard is classified into different categories based on probability ranges. The adaptable classification method includes training a classifying device with a plurality of samples and using the trained classifying device to determine the categories of the samples to obtain classification model scores of the samples, transferring, by using logistic-like functions, the classification model scores into probability values; and adjusting parameters of logistic-like functions to iterate the training of the classifying device such that the probability values conform to value ranges corresponding to categories of the classification standard. The adaptable classification method is applicable to various classification methods based on the probability ranges, and can also retrieve a specific category from the classified categories for further classification to increase the efficacy.
US09305241B2 Systems and methods for reducing a data set
Systems and methods for reducing a point cloud data set are provided. According to aspects of the present disclosure, a method includes receiving a point of a point cloud data set, the point having three-dimensional coordinates. The point's coordinates are mapped to a location to determine whether a different point's coordinates have already been mapped to the location. The point is discarded when a different point's coordinates have been mapped to the location.
US09305240B2 Motion aligned distance calculations for image comparisons
Image comparison techniques allow a quick method of recognizing and identifying faces or other objects appearing in images. A series of quick distance calculations can be performed between an unknown input image and a reference image. These calculations may include facial detection, normalization, discrete cosine transform calculations, and threshold comparisons to determine whether an image is recognized. In the case of identification uncertainty, slower but more precise motion aligned distance calculations are initiated. Motion aligned distance calculations involve generating a set of downscaled images, determining motion field and motion field-based distances between an unknown input image and reference image, best scale factors for aligning an unknown input image with reference images, and calculating affine transformation matrices to modify and align an unknown input image with reference images.
US09305236B2 Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and computer-readable, non-transitory medium
The image processing apparatus includes an input image acquisition module for acquiring an input image generated by reading a document, a character string information calculator for calculating character string density or character string variance in the input image, and a document type identification module for identifying a type of the document based on the character string density or the character string variance.
US09305235B1 System and method for identifying and locating instances of a shape under large variations in linear degrees of freedom and/or stroke widths
A system and method for identifying and locating instances of a shape under large variations in linear degrees of freedom is provided. The invention extracts boundary segments from an image and generates potential match candidates for boundary models based on the extracted boundary segments. The invention also extracts skeletal segments from the obtained image. Potential match candidates are then generated for skeletal models based on the extracted skeletal segments. Once the match candidates for the boundary models and skeletal models have been generated, the present invention then corresponds the various boundary segments and outputs a best correspondence. The output from the present invention may be utilized by a user to signify acceptance of the various correspondences located by the present invention. These correspondences may then be utilized to train a machine vision system.
US09305234B2 Key word detection device, control method, and display apparatus
A key word detection device and a method for detecting a search key word from a target image in order to perform a search with a search engine on the internet, the key word detection device comprising: a processor configured to operate as a feature point detector configured to detect a feature point of a specific character string from the target image, the specific character string prompting a user to perform the search; a key word recognition unit configured to recognize a character string existing in surroundings of the feature point detected by the feature point detector as the search key word in the target image; and a storage for storing character information and data of the target image used by the processor.
US09305233B2 Isotropic feature matching
A computer-implemented method and apparatus for detecting an object of interest. An edge image is generated from an image of a scene. A sectioned structure comprising a plurality of sections is generated for use in analyzing the edge image. The edge image is analyzed using the sectioned structure to detect a presence of the object of interest in the edge image.
US09305232B2 Display orientation change for wireless devices
A method for controlling an orientation of a display of a wireless device using a combination of accelerometer-determined orientation and camera-determined orientation, the camera being a frontal camera used to confirm or reverse the orientation found by the accelerometer.
US09305229B2 Method and system for vision based interfacing with a computer
System and method which allow a user to interface with a machine/computer using an image capturing device (e.g. camera) instead of conventional physical interfaces e.g. keyboard, mouse. The system allows the user to interface from any physical and non-physical location within the POV of the camera at a distance that is determined by the resolution of the camera. Using images of the hand, the system may detect a change of hand states. If the new state is a known state that represents a hit state, the system would map the change of state to a key hit in a row and column of the keyboard and sends the function associated with that key for execution. In an embodiment, the system determines the row based on the rotation of the wrist and/or position of the hand.
US09305223B1 Vision-based indicator signal detection using spatiotemporal filtering
An autonomous vehicle is configured to detect an active turn signal indicator on another vehicle. An image-capture device of the autonomous vehicle captures an image of a field of view of the autonomous vehicle. The autonomous vehicle captures the image with a short exposure to emphasize objects having brightness above a threshold. Additionally, a bounding area for a second vehicle located within the image is determined. The autonomous vehicle identifies a group of pixels within the bounding area based on a first color of the group of pixels. The autonomous vehicle also calculates an oscillation of an intensity of the group of pixels. Based on the oscillation of the intensity, the autonomous vehicle determines a likelihood that the second vehicle has a first active turn signal. Additionally, the autonomous vehicle is controlled based at least on the likelihood that the second vehicle has a first active turn signal.
US09305219B2 Method for estimating free space using a camera system
A method estimates free space near a moving object from a sequence of images in a video acquired of a scene by a camera system arranged on the moving object by first constructing a one-dimensional graph, wherein each node corresponds to a column of pixels in the image. Features are determined in the image, and an energy function is constructed on the graph based on the features. Using dynamic programming, the energy function is maximized to obtain the free space.
US09305216B1 Context-based detection and classification of actions
Actions or activities occurring within an environment may be detected, recognized and classified based on the presence or absence of objects within the environment, which may be recognized within imaging data. The states or changes in states of the objects may be tracked within the imaging data and associated with one or more actions or activities with various probabilities. By tracking the motion of objects, rather than the motion of humans or other actors, the detection and classification of actions or activities may be performed more quickly and efficiently, and may be used to determine the timing associated with one or more steps of such activities, as well as whether each of the steps of an activity has been satisfactorily performed and in an appropriate order.
US09305212B2 Image acquisition system for processing and tracking mail pieces
An image acquisition system for processing and tracking mail pieces in a mailing system (2) of the type comprising at least one mail piece processing machine (4, 6, 8) comprising at least one accumulation device (14, 16) for producing mail pieces and generating electronic processing and tracking details for these mail pieces, at least one imaging device (10, 12) for acquiring images of the mail pieces, and a computer (24) coupled to the at least one imaging device and the at least one mail piece processing machine, the at least one imaging device acquiring the images of mail pieces for simultaneously providing both these processing and tracking details and a filling level of the at least one accumulation device.
US09305209B2 Biometric authentication apparatus, biometric authentication method, and computer program for biometric authentication
A biometric authentication apparatus includes a storage unit which stores first shape data representing a shape of biometric information of a registered user's hand with fingers at a first posture and second shape data representing a shape of biometric information of the hand with the fingers at a second posture; a posture specification unit which calculates an index representing a third posture of fingers of a user's hand in a biometric image; a biometric information extraction unit which generates third shape data representing a shape of biometric information of the user's hand in the biometric image; and a correction unit which obtains corrected shape data by correcting the first or the second shape data to cancel a shape difference of the biometric information due to a difference between the third posture and the first or the second posture based on the index for matching.
US09305207B2 Depth-photographing method of detecting human face or head
A depth-photographing method of detecting human face or head includes the steps of using the specific light to illuminate the target under an environmental light, receiving and detecting the reflected light from the target with the detector, generating first depth detecting information corresponding to the depth of the target, turning off the specific light, detecting another reflected light from the target, generating second depth detecting information corresponding to the depth of the target, performing the detection/calculation process based on the first and second depth detecting information to generate the appearance of the target, determining if the appearance of the target represents a human face or head, and if yes, generating depth-photographing detection information used to cancel a lock state, thereby avoiding unintentionally entering power saving (or standby mode), speeding up entering the desired power saving or dynamically changing/adjusting the display content.
US09305206B2 Method for enhancing depth maps
A system for enhancing a depth map associated with a 2D image wherein a face detector analyzes the 2D image to determine a position of a face in the 2D image, the system utilizes the position to derive a depth model; and the depth model is combined with the depth map to generate an enhanced depth map.
US09305205B2 Methods and systems for tracking movement of microscopic worms and worm-like organisms, and software therefor
Methods and systems for tracking one or more worms or worm-like organisms over a sequence of video frames in virtual real time. The methods and systems can include a robust organism model that accounts for shape changes that occur from one frame to another, such as peristaltic progression, longitudinal deformation, lateral deformation, and bending action. Other features disclosed include: features that allow a user to correct tracking errors, such as splitting a single organism track into two tracks, joining two organism tracks into a single track, switching locations of physical features (such as heads and tails of worms), deleting undesired tracked organisms, and manually tracing organism outlines for model fitting; features that allow a user to set tracking parameters by selecting one or more organisms having desired characteristics; features for automatedly resolving interactions between/among multiple organisms; and features for handling multiple tracking hypotheses, among others.
US09305200B2 Information acquisition apparatus, information acquisition method, and non-transitory recording medium
The imager and controller of an information apparatus images the back face of another information apparatus to acquire the manufacturing number of the other information apparatus corresponding to the two-dimensional bar code provided on the back face of the other information apparatus and acquire visible light information corresponding to blinking of light emitted by the light emitter arranged on the back face of the other information apparatus. Furthermore, the controller controls the imager so as to be able to image the two-dimensional bar code and the light emitted by the light emitter.
US09305198B2 Imaging reader with improved illumination
A data reading system, such as for reading optical codes being passed through a read zone, including one or more imagers, and at least one illumination module, all disposed in a reader housing, the illumination module in one configuration having a reflector housing comprised of a cone-shaped structure of generally rectangular cross-section, with a top inner surface and a bottom inner surface, wherein area of the cross-section of the cone-shaped structure increasing from a rear end to a front end, and an illumination source (such as a plurality of light emitting diodes) disposed at the rear end of the reflector housing and operative to generate illumination out through the reflector housing along an outgoing illumination path, the top inner surface of the reflector housing being a surface of high reflectivity relative to the bottom inner surface of the reflector housing which has a surface of relatively low reflectivity. Also disclosed are imager configurations for providing multiple fields of views of multiple imagers co-mounted on a common PCB.
US09305193B2 Contactless communication device and user device including the same
A contactless communication device is provided which includes a field strength detecting circuit configured to detect a strength of a field induced on an antenna; a card circuit configured to demodulate a signal received via the antenna during a reception interval of a card mode; a processing unit configured to process the demodulated signal; and a reader circuit configured to transmit data via the antenna during a transmission interval of the card mode, the data provided from the processing unit, wherein an output power of the reader circuit is adjusted according to the field strength detected.
US09305190B2 Anti-tamper device for integrated circuits
An anti-tamper device (10) for one or more integrated circuits (12) includes a firing assembly (14) and a breach assembly (16). The firing assembly (14) includes a contained energy source (24), an impact element (26) and a breach assembly (16). The breach assembly (16) is configured to house one or more integrated circuits (12) and a propellant charge (30). Upon an attempt to improperly remove or dislodge an integrated circuit (12) from the anti-tamper device (10), the contained energy source (24) is actuated. The energy source (24) propels the impact element (26) against the propellant charge (30), causing the charge to ignite. The resultant forces from the impact element (26) and ignition of the charge imparts a shock wave through the anti-tamper device (10). This shock wave induces spalling of the integrated circuit (12) such that the circuit is physically altered and rendered unreadable.
US09305189B2 Ruggedized, compact and integrated one-way controlled interface to enforce confidentiality of a secure enclave
A rugged, integrated network interface appliance for ensuring secure data transfer comprising send-only network interface circuitry comprising a microprocessor, a program memory, a first host interface, and a first serial interface; receive-only network interface circuitry comprising a microprocessor, a program memory, a second host interface, and a second serial interface; a single data link connecting the first serial interface of the send-only network interface circuitry to the second serial interface of the receive-only network interface circuitry that is configured such that the send-only network interface circuitry is configured not to receive any data from said data link, and the receive-only network interface circuitry is configured not to send any data to said data link.
US09305187B2 Data security management systems and methods
Data security management system and methods are provided. First, a first system having a management authority is provided. The first system displays an input interface on an input device. A switch switches the management authority from the first system to a second system, wherein the second system operates with a secure mechanism. When the management authority is switched to the second system, the first system transmits layout information of the input interface and an input device characteristic of the input device to the second system. The second system receives input data via the input device, and decodes the input data according to the layout information and the input device characteristic.
US09305180B2 Data obfuscation system, method, and computer implementation of data obfuscation for secret databases
A data obfuscation system, method, and computer implementation via software or hardware allows a legitimate user to gain access via a query to data of sufficient granularity to be useful while maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive information about individual records. Output values of a data request are obfuscated in a repeatable manner, via the use of an Obfuscating Function (OF), while maintaining the amount of obfuscation within a range so that the transformed values provide to a user information of a prescribed level of granularity. The data obfuscating system and method is particularly applicable to databases. The data obfuscation engine may be implemented in hardware and/or software within a stand alone or distributed environment.
US09305175B2 Data communication system, device, and method
A data communication device that can communicate with an external device includes a scanner, a log-in processing unit, a sending unit, and a log-out processing unit. The scanner inputs image data. The log-in processing unit enables a user to log in to the data communication device. The user who logs in to the data communication device can submit an instruction to send image data input by the scanner to the external device. The sending unit sends the image data input by the scanner to the external device. The log-out processing unit enables the user to log out of the data communication device even if sending of the image data is not completed. Even if the user logs out of the data communication device after the user has submitted the instruction and before sending of the image data is completed, the sending unit continues the sending of the image data.
US09305174B2 Electronic clipboard protection
A clipboard in an electronic system protects sensitive data by copying data into a clipboard of an electronic system as an entry and selectively blocking access to the sensitive data. An entry protect status is associated with a clipboard entry that is arranged to store copied data that is sensitive. The entry protect status is changed to indicate the entry protect status is set to block access to the copied data. Access to the copied data for which the entry protect status has been changed is selectively blocked.
US09305173B2 Portable authorization device for authorizing use of protected information and associated method
An authorization system and associated method for selectively authorizing a host system to use one or more items of protected information associated with the host system. The authorization system includes a portable authorization device that is removably couplable to the host system. The portable authorization device is capable of receiving and storing multiple items of authorization information associated with a plurality of respective items of protected information from one or more information authorities. Preferably, the portable authorization device is capable of communicating with multiple types of information authorities. The portable authorization device selectively authorizes the host system to use the one or more respective items of protected information based upon the respective authorization information stored therein.
US09305171B2 Encryption apparatus, encryption method, decryption apparatus, decryption method and system
An encryption method includes encrypting a first portion and second portion each of which is included in data to be encrypted, encrypting first information used for decryption of the first data portion, and associating second information used for decryption of the second portion with a predetermined part of the first data portion.
US09305170B1 Systems and methods for securely providing information external to documents
A computer-implemented method for securely providing information external to documents may include identifying a document that may include at least one link to content external to the document, retrieving the content external to the document from the link, converting the content external to the document to embeddable content in a secure format that can be embedded within the document and creating a secure version of the document at least in part by embedding the embeddable content that has been converted to the secure format into the document. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09305169B2 System and methods for scalably identifying and characterizing structural differences between document object models
A security auditing computer system efficiently evaluates and reports security exposures in a target Web site hosted on a remote Web server system. The auditing system includes a crawler subsystem that constructs a first list of Web page identifiers representing the target Web site. An auditing subsystem selectively retrieves and audits Web pages based on a second list, based on the first. Retrieval is sub-selected dependent on a determined uniqueness of Web page identifiers relative to the second list. Auditing is further sub-selected dependent on a determined uniqueness of structural identifiers computed for each retrieved Web page, including structural identifiers of Web page components contained within a Web page. The computed structural identifiers are stored in correspondence with Web page identifiers and Web page component identifiers in the second list. A reporting system produces reports of security exposures identified through the auditing of Web pages and Web page components.
US09305168B2 Modular static application security testing
Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage media for analyzing source code of an application. In some implementations, actions include determining, for at least one procedure invoked by the source code, a procedure specification specifying one or more conditions under which one or more parameters of the procedure are exploitable according to a parameter security specification; performing static application security testing on the source code by using the procedure specification on reaching an invocation of the procedure in the source code, including: comparing one or more invoking parameters of the invocation of the procedure to the conditions of the procedure specification; and determining whether the invocation of the procedure is exploitable.
US09305166B2 Method and systems for detecting and isolating hardware timing channels
A method for detecting a timing channel in a hardware design includes synthesizing the hardware design to gate level. Gate level information flow tracing is applied to the gate level of the hardware design via a simulation to search for tainted flows. If a tainted flow is found, a limited number of traces are selected. An input on the limited number of traces is simulated to determine whether the traces are value preserving with respect to taint inputs, and to determine that a timing flow exists if the traces are value preserving with respect to the taint inputs.
US09305164B1 Tiered network flow analysis
The effects on networking systems of attacks on vulnerabilities, such as vulnerable modules in a webserver, SYN flooding, etc, can be devastating to a network environment. In various embodiments, a first, quick, or inexpensive analysis is performed on incoming network flows. If an intrusion issue or other problem is suspected based on the first, rapid, or an inexpensive analysis, then the flow can be flagged for redirection to another process, virtual machine, or physical computer module that will perform a deeper, more expensive analysis on the network flow. If there are no issues detected in the second, deeper analysis, then the network flow can be forwarded to its intended recipient. If an issue is detected in the second, deeper analysis, then the network flow can be throttled, quarantined, ignored, sent to an un-trusted portion of the system, sent for more analysis, or otherwise handled or flagged.
US09305161B1 Password hardening system using password shares distributed across multiple servers
A password hardening system is arranged between one or more clients and a domain controller or other authentication entity. The password hardening system comprises a plurality of servers configured to store in a distributed manner respective shares of at least one of a hardened surrogate password and a corresponding user password. The password hardening system is configured to intercept a first set of one or more communications based at least in part on the user password and directed to an authentication entity external to the password hardening system, and to provide to the authentication entity in place of at least a portion of the intercepted first set of one or more communications a second set of one or more communications based at least in part on the hardened surrogate password. The password hardening system may be configured to serve as a proxy between an authenticating client and the authentication entity.
US09305159B2 Secure system for allowing the execution of authorized computer program code
Systems and methods for selective authorization of code modules are provided. According to one embodiment, a kernel mode driver monitors events occurring within a file system or an operating system. Responsive to observation of a trigger event performed by or initiated by an active process, in which the active process corresponds to a first code module within the file system and the event relates to a second code module within the file system, performing or bypassing a real-time authentication process on the second code module with reference to a whitelist containing content authenticators of approved code modules, which are known not to contain viruses or malicious code. The active process is allowed to load the second code module into memory when the real-time authentication process is bypassed or when it is performed and determines a content authenticator of the code module matches one of the content authenticators.
US09305155B1 Toggling biometric authentication
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for receiving user input indicating a first user selection of a first form of biometric authentication from a plurality of forms of biometric authentication, providing a first interface for display on a user device, the first interface corresponding to the first form, receiving first biometric data, the first biometric data being provided using the first interface, and selectively enabling communication between the user device and a back-end system based on the first biometric data.
US09305150B2 Method and system for managing user login behavior on an electronic device for enhanced security
Security is enhanced for a user of an electronic device by providing a method for managing user login behavior. When an entered password that is different from a defined password is received, the method includes identifying alternative characters for at least one character of the entered password based on a location of a key corresponding to the character of the entered password on a keyboard used to enter the password. When the alternative characters are identified, a variation of the entered password is generated by replacing a character of the entered password with an alternative character of the character. When information relating to the variation matches information relating to the defined password, the entered password is determined to be valid.
US09305149B2 Sorting mobile banking functions into authentication buckets
Embodiments are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for sorting mobile banking functions into authentication buckets. Embodiments determine, for each of a plurality of mobile banking functions, a corresponding authentication buckets, where each authentication bucket corresponds with a level of authentication. Some embodiments receive a request, from a user, to access a function; access the plurality of authentication buckets to determine which of the authentication buckets corresponds with the requested function; determine the level of authentication associated with the determined authentication bucket; determine which authentication types are associated with the level of authentication; request authentication credentials corresponding to the authentication types; receive authentication credentials from the user; validate the authentication credentials, thereby resulting in a successful validation of the authentication credentials; and, in response to the successful validation of the authentication credentials, enable access to the function requested by the user.
US09305148B2 Economically secure digital mass media systems
Content is encoded with a watermark that associates it with a particular consumer. When presented for playback, the rendering equipment examines the watermark to confirm that the consumer with whom the content is associated, is also the consumer with whom the equipment is associated. If there is no watermark—or if the watermark is associated with a different consumer, then playback is refused. The equipment also desirably checks whether the content has a second watermark (or even a very feeble remnant thereof), indicating that the content has been derived from content earlier provided to a different consumer. If so, playback is again refused. Thus, this embodiment will refuse to play if there is no watermark; if there is one watermark not associated with the proprietor of the equipment; or if there are two or more watermarks.
US09305147B1 Preventing license exploitation using virtual namespace devices
Some embodiments include a method of preventing software licensing exploitation in a virtual environment. The method includes: retrieving, by a first instance of a licensed application running on an original virtual machine as permitted by an original software license, an original unique identifier from a virtual device in the original virtual machine; creating, by a hypervisor of the virtual environment, a cloned virtual machine instance as a copy of the original virtual machine; retrieving, by a second instance of the licensed application running on the cloned virtual machine instance, a new unique identifier from a virtual device in the cloned virtual machine instance; and determining, by the second instance of the licensed application running on the cloned virtual machine instance, that the original software license does not apply to the cloned virtual machine instance because the new unique identifier is different from the original unique identifier.
US09305146B2 License management device, license management system, license management method, and program
A license management device causes a wireless device to enter a state in which all functions are restricted by overwriting key information of the wireless device with a default key specific to the wireless device. A key generating device generates an upgrade key specific to the wireless device, and transmits the update key to the license management device. The license management device can release a restriction of a function in the wireless device by applying the upgrade key to the key information of the wireless device overwritten with the default key.
US09305141B2 Method, system and program product for identifying a user on an exercise equipment
A method, a system and a program product for identifying a user on a exercise equipment. An equipment identification code associated to a exercise equipment is acquired by means of an electronic portable device of the user. The equipment identification code and the user identification code are sent, by means of the electronic portable device, to an electronic calculator operatively connected to the exercise equipment.
US09305138B2 Analyte-testing device
A device adapted to determine an analyte concentration of a fluid sample using a test sensor. The device comprises a display adapted to display information to a user. The device further comprises at least one user-interface mechanism adapted to allow the user to interact with the device. The device further comprises a body portion including at least one opening formed therein, the at least one opening being of sufficient size to receive the test sensor. The device further comprises a memory adapted to store a plurality of stored analyte concentrations. The device further comprises a processing feature adapted to inhibit the stored analyte concentrations from being displayed on the display.
US09305136B2 Determining a layout and wiring estimation for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system of a building
Devices, methods, and systems for determining a layout and wiring estimation for a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system of a building are described herein. One method includes receiving information from a building information model associated with a building, receiving information from a pre-engineering tool associated with the building, and determining a layout and wiring estimation for an HVAC system of the building based, at least in part, on the information from the building information model and the information from the pre-engineering tool.
US09305134B2 Semiconductor device design method, system and computer program product
A semiconductor device design method includes extracting voltage data associated with at least one electrical component in a layout of a semiconductor device and based on a result of a simulation of an operation of the semiconductor device. Based on location data of the at least one electrical component, the extracted voltage data is incorporated in the layout to generate a modified layout of the semiconductor device. One or more operations of the method are performed by at least one processor.
US09305132B1 Approximate calculation of 2D matrix entries via GPU
Minimizing memory access by converting a given matrix computation into a set of low-order polynomials. The set of polynomials is processed using parallel computational hardware such as graphical processing units.
US09305131B2 Method for flip chip packaging co-design
The present invention provides a method for flip chip packaging co-design. The method comprises steps of: providing an I/O pad information of a chip and a connection information of a PCB; performing a first I/O pad placement according to the I/O pad information of the chip and the connection information of the PCB; utilizing a RDL routing analysis device to perform a bump pad pitch analysis for the first I/O pad placement of the chip to generate a bump pad pitch analysis result; performing a bump pad planning for a package according to the bump pad pitch analysis result to generate a bump pad planning result; and performing a second I/O pad placement for the chip according to the bump pad planning result to generate an I/O pad placement result.
US09305130B2 Method for forming semiconductor layout patterns, semiconductor layout patterns, and semiconductor structure
A method for forming semiconductor layout patterns providing a pair of first layout patterns being symmetrical along an axial line, each of the first layout patterns comprising a first side proximal to the axial line and a second side far from the axial line; shifting a portion of the first layout patterns toward a direction opposite to the axial line to form at least a first shifted portion in each first layout pattern, and outputting the first layout patterns and the first shifted portions on a first mask.
US09305126B2 Switching activity reduction through retiming
Aspects of the invention relate to techniques for using retiming to reduce circuit switching activity. Switching activity values at output ports of circuit elements of a circuit design are first computed based on switching activity values at input ports of the circuit elements and scaling factors associated with the circuit elements. Based on the switching activity values at the output ports of the circuit elements, one or more regions of the circuit design for retiming are identified. Retiming location information is then determined for the one or more regions. Finally, the identified one or more regions are then retimed to reduce switching activity based on the retiming location information.
US09305119B1 System, apparatus and method for determining correct metadata from community-submitted data
A system, apparatus, and method for processing or correcting metadata used to characterize content such as images, video, books, or music, where that metadata may be provided by a community of users or other source. The metadata may be searched as part of a process of identifying and accessing content of interest to a user or of sharing content among users of a network. The metadata is typically a string or strings of characters that is submitted by a community, so that the accuracy of specific data cannot be guaranteed and consistent formats and unambiguous descriptions may not be used by all members of the community.
US09305115B1 Method and apparatus for reducing power consumption during rule searches in a content search system
A method and apparatus for comparing a search key with a plurality of rules of an access control list (ACL) stored in a plurality of content addressable memory (CAM) blocks of a content search system are disclosed. The search key is compared with a plurality of covering prefix entries stored in a covering prefix table, wherein a respective covering prefix entry includes first and second common prefix values. The first common prefix value is shared by all of the rules stored in a first of the CAM blocks, and the second common prefix value is shared by all of the rules stored in a second of the CAM blocks. A bitmap associated with a matching covering prefix entry selectively enables a subset of the CAM blocks for comparison with the search key to determine the highest priority matching rule.
US09305108B2 Semantic selection and purpose facilitation
Computer-implemented methods for proposing actions to a user to select based on the user's predicted purpose for selecting content are provided. In one aspect, a method includes receiving an identifier of a referent entity associated with user-selectable content, identifying, based on a prediction of a purpose in selecting the content, at least one action to be executed that is associated with the entity, and providing, for display, at least one identifier of the at least one action to the device for selection by a user. Systems, graphical user interfaces, and machine-readable media are also provided.
US09305107B2 Method and apparatus for pre-fetching place page data for subsequent display on a mobile computing device
A computer-implemented method and system for pre-fetching place page data from a remote mapping system for display on a client computing device is disclosed. User preference data collected from various data sources including applications executing on the client device, online or local user profiles, and other sources may be analyzed to generate a request for place page data from the remote mapping system. The user preference data may indicate a map feature such as a place of business, park, or historic landmark having the characteristics of both a user's preferred geographic location and the user's personal interests. For example, where the user indicates a geographic preference for “Boston” and a personal interest for “home brewing” the system and method may request place page data for all home brewing or craft beer-related map features near Boston.
US09305105B2 System and method for aggregating analytics data
A method and system for aggregating analytics data is discussed. The system differentiates between analytics data that is context sensitive and therefore cannot be reliably updated incrementally (e.g., unique page views, time on site, etc.) and analytics data that is not context sensitive. The system aggregates the context insensitive metrics and dimensions incrementally, while aggregating the context sensitive metrics and dimensions after a specified time duration, such as at the end of the day. It is estimated that less than 10% of all metrics and dimensions are context sensitive. In this way, the aggregator server 160 is able to improve the freshness of more than 90% of the analytics data (represented by the context insensitive metrics and dimensions) to a shorter period of time than the prior art. Further, this reduces the possibility of over-counting metrics.
US09305100B2 Object oriented data and metadata based search
An object oriented search mechanism extracts structural metadata and data based on type of document contents and data sources connected to the documents. Relationships between textual and non-textual elements within documents as well as metadata associated with the elements and data sources are utilized to generate a unified object model with the addition of semantic information derived from metadata and taxonomy, which are used to enhance search indexing, ranking of search results, and dynamic adjustment of result rendering user interface with fine tuned relevancy. Additional data from data sources connected to the documents may also be used to unlock hidden data such as data that has been filtered out in an original document.
US09305099B1 Ranking documents based on user behavior and/or feature data
A system generates a model based on feature data relating to different features of a link from a linking document to a linked document and user behavior data relating to navigational actions associated with the link. The system also assigns a rank to a document based on the model.
US09305096B2 Uniform resource identifier template manipulation
Data may be bound to a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) template using a bind operation. Conversely, a URI may be matched against a URI template to result in data extracted from the URI. A URI may be matched against multiple URI templates using, for example, a template table to thereby generate an estimated best-match URI template for the URI, and potentially also return matched data extracted from the URI using the best-match URI template.
US09305095B2 Real-time shared web browsing among social network contacts
A determination is made that each of at least two social network contacts involved in a social messaging interaction initiate a separate web search associated with the social messaging interaction. A separate set of web search results returned to each of the at least two social network contacts is captured in association with each initiated separate web search. A combined live search results view that includes each captured separate set of web search results is provided to each of the at least two social network contacts. The combined live search results view provides navigation to web content returned to other social network contacts.
US09305094B2 Real-time shared web browsing among social network contacts
A determination is made that each of at least two social network contacts involved in a social messaging interaction initiate a separate web search associated with the social messaging interaction. A separate set of web search results returned to each of the at least two social network contacts is captured in association with each initiated separate web search. A combined live search results view that includes each captured separate set of web search results is provided to each of the at least two social network contacts. The combined live search results view provides navigation to web content returned to other social network contacts.
US09305093B2 Systems, methods, and computer program products for gesture-based search and discovery through a touchscreen interface
A touchscreen-based user interface that allows the user to perform information searching on a mobile information appliance, such as a tablet computer or smart phone. By moving one or two fingers in appropriate direction(s) across the touchscreen, a search may be specified. Moreover, by using the appropriate gestures, a search may be broadened or narrowed by specifying additional search terms. This may be performed iteratively to allow the user to discover information, at various times narrowing or broadening a search.
US09305092B1 Search query auto-completions based on social graph
In general, aspects of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include the actions of receiving a search query initial input from a user, receiving a plurality of query auto-completions based on the search query initial input, receiving social graph data, the social graph data being specific to the user, for each query auto-completion of the plurality of query auto-completions, determining a ranking score, the ranking score being determined at least partially based on the social graph data, and transmitting instructions to display the plurality of query auto-completions to the user in a rank order that is determined based on ranking scores.
US09305089B2 Search engine device and methods thereof
A search engine is operable to receive keyword information and semantic information that gives meaning and context to the keyword information. The search engine searches a keyword database with the keyword information to determine a set of links to web pages. The search engine also searches a semantic database with the semantic information, and ranks the set of web links based on the search.
US09305081B2 Information processing device
An information processing device 900 is equipped with an attribute value estimating part 901 configured to, based on at attribute value associated with a connection object that is an object connected to an estimation target object that is one object in a universal set including a plurality of objects associated with an attribute value that is a value representing the possession or absence of an attribute, estimate an attribute value associated with the estimation target object.
US09305080B2 Accelerating queries using delayed value projection of enumerated storage
A system, method, and computer program product for processing a database query are presented. Steps for identifying a table needed to resolve the query, creating an enumeration value, determining whether the enumeration value is semantically equivalent to data from a data field in the table, and using a temporary data structure to evaluate the query are disclosed.
US09305076B1 Flattening a cluster hierarchy tree to filter documents
In an automatic electronic discovery search tool, documents can be clustered into a cluster hierarchy according to a first clustering approach. Once a hierarchy tree is created, portions of the tree can be flattened for application of a second superior clustering approach. Clustered portions may be used in a document review tool or further filtered according to specified criteria. Clusters may be filtered or used in a document review tool.
US09305075B2 Extending dynamic matrices for improved setup capability and runtime search performance of complex business rules
A mechanism by which rule attributes of varying types and numbers can be stored and searched in an efficient manner is provided by storing attribute values of each rule in a child table of a parent rule table. The child table is normalized and contains a foreign key pointing back to the parent rule table and has attribute-value pairs as table columns of the child table. Each rule is then represented by one row of the parent rule table and one or more corresponding rows of the child rule details table. A variable and unlimited number of attribute dimensions is supported among the rules, and search performance is improved through the use of database indexes on the rule details table attribute columns. Metadata representing the structure of the child rule details table will identify the data attributes for each dimension.
US09305074B2 Skew-aware storage and query execution on distributed database systems
Distributing rows of data in a distributed table distributed across a plurality of nodes. A method includes identifying skewed rows of a first table to be distributed in a distributed database system. The skewed rows include a common data value in a column such that the skewed rows are skewed, according to a predetermined skew factor, with respect to other rows in the first table not having the common data value. Non-skewed rows of the first table that are not skewed according to the skew factor are identified. The skewed rows of the first table are distributed across nodes in a non-deterministic fashion. The non-skewed rows of the first table are distributed across nodes in a deterministic fashion. The rows of the first table distributed across the nodes, whether distributed in a deterministic fashion or non-deterministic fashion, are stored in a single table at each of the nodes.
US09305071B1 Providing virtual storage processor (VSP) mobility with induced file system format migration
A technique provides virtual storage processor (VSP) mobility with induced file system format migration. The technique involves receiving a command specifying (i) a source VSP which includes source file systems which store data in a source file system format, (ii) a destination, and (iii) a destination file system format. The technique further involves forming, in response to the command, a destination VSP which includes destination file systems. The technique further involves copying, while the source VSP is accessed by a set of host computers, data from the source file systems of the source VSP to the destination file systems of the destination VSP. The destination file systems store the copied data in the destination file system format. The technique further involves synchronizing, after the data is copied from the source file systems to the destination file systems, state changes between the source VSP and the destination VSP.
US09305067B2 Creation of change-based data integration jobs
A computer software implemented method for transforming a first extract transform load (ETL) job having at least some unload transform load (UTL) portions. The method includes the following steps: (i) decomposing the first ETL job into an intermediate set of one or more jobs; and (ii) for each job of the intermediate set, transforming the job into a transactionally equivalent job to yield a final set of one or more jobs. The decomposing is performed so that each job of the intermediate jobs set is a Simple UTL job. The transforming is performed so that each job of the final set includes no UTL portions.
US09305063B1 Determining geographic areas of interest for a query
Methods, systems, and apparatus for selecting geographic areas of interest for a query. A method includes for each query stored in search log data, determining an origin location for each occurrence of the query, determining a content location for each occurrence of the query, for each of a plurality of catchment areas, determining catchment area matches for the query based on the origin location of each occurrence of the query and the content location of the occurrence of the query, determining, for each catchment area, a catchment area score that is indicative of an interest level for the catchment area for a query, the determination based on a number of catchment area matches for the catchment area for the query and selecting, for the query and based on the catchment area scores for the catchment areas, one of the catchment areas as a selected catchment area for the query.
US09305059B1 Methods, systems, and computer readable media for dynamically selecting questions to be presented in a survey
According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for dynamically selecting questions to be presented in a survey. The method includes providing for assignment of priorities to potential survey questions. The method further includes determining a selection probability for each question based on the assigned priorities. The method further includes storing questions in a database embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium. The method further includes dynamically selecting, from the database and based on the selection probabilities, questions to be included in surveys to be presented to a plurality of individuals such that different individuals are presented with different sets of questions.
US09305058B2 Determining an execution ordering
There is provided a computer-implemented method of determining an execution ordering. An exemplary method comprises generating a directed graph based on a hierarchy. The hierarchy includes a plurality of pattern queries. The method also includes determining a minimum spanning tree of the directed graph. The method further includes determining an execution order of the pattern queries based on the minimum spanning tree.
US09305056B1 Results cache invalidation
Embodiments may include storing a query result in a results set cache with the query result being generated from execution of a particular query on a plurality of data records. One or more probabilistic data structures may be generated based, at least in part, on a subset of the data records that is reflected in the query result. An indication may be received that the plurality of data records has been modified. It may then be determined whether to invalidate the query result in the results set cache based, at least in part, on the one or more probabilistic data structures and a representation of modified plurality of data records.
US09305055B2 Method and apparatus for analysing data packets
A method is disclosed for extracting a data packet including metadata and useful data from a datastream. The metadata and useful data are stored in a first and second memory area, with an association being maintained. A transaction number is formed based upon a signature of the data packet. The useful data or partially reconstructed network sessions may be searched for at least one search term, and at least one successful search may be recorded in the metadata. If the data packet is currently not being processed, the associated useful data may be read from the buffer store and a flag may be set in the metadata which indicates that this data packet is now being processed. If all the metadata and the useful data from a network session have been read and the search for the search term was successful, the network session is then reconstructed.
US09305052B2 System and method for queried patient abstract
A system and method for generating a patient abstract containing data about a patient selected from the patient's medical records is presented. A medical order for a patent is analyzed and at least one term is extracted from the medical order. Based upon the extracted term, at least one medical concept related to an extracted term is identified. Then at least one medical data element related to an identified medical concept is identified. A database containing at least a portion of the patient's medical records is queried for the identified at least one medical data element, and at least a portion of a result from the query is displayed, for example, via a user interface.
US09305050B2 Aggregator, filter and delivery system for online context dependent interaction, systems and methods
A method of providing information to a user is provided. The method includes; establishing an user system interface between a client device and an information system; processing informal queries input from the client device with at least one neural network that converts the informal queries from the client device into formal queries; storing interface context in a browser of the client device, the interface context created in forming formal queries from informal queries, wherein the client device contains unique interface context in the client device's browser that is secure to the client device, the interface context aiding in the determination of future formal queries from future informal queries; searching at least one database in response to the formal queries; and providing responses to the informal queries processed by the neural network to a user through the client device.
US09305047B2 Commit-one-phase distributed transactions with multiple starting participants
A request from previous coordinator node to assume control of a two-phase commit distributed transaction is received. The previous coordinator node has sent a commit query to multiple participants of the two-phase commit distributed transaction. Each participant can respond with one of a commit message, an abort message, or a read-only message. A read-only message is received from all but one participant. A one-phase commit distributed transaction is initiated for the one participant that did not respond with a read-only message.
US09305046B2 Compressing a multi-version database
Managing a multi-version database is provided. A logical record identifier to physical record row identifier indirection mapping table on a solid-state storage device is extended to include a plurality of delta blocks. A delta block within the plurality of delta blocks is maintained for each primary key in a plurality of primary keys associated with a data table on a magnetic hard disk storage device.
US09305044B2 System and method for modelling data
The disclosure generally describes computer-implemented methods, software, and systems for receiving and aggregating anonymized data reports about when prescribers provide wireless device applications to patients. The disclosure discusses ways of analyzing the data reports in combination with other electronic medical information to generate useful conclusions about scenarios in the health care process.
US09305043B2 Stream data anomaly detection method and device
The present invention is a stream data anomaly detection method for detecting an anomaly in input data received by a computer. The computer has: an input module for receiving the input data; an anomaly detection unit for detecting an anomaly in the input data; and an index management unit for calculating an index for the detection of an anomaly in the input data. The anomaly detection unit compares the received input data with the index and detects an anomaly in the input data when the difference between the value of the input data and the index satisfies a predetermined condition. The index management unit determines whether or not the index should be recalculated, and, when the index is determined to be recalculated, the index management unit recalculates a new index on the basis of the input data and substitutes the index with the calculated index.
US09305040B2 Efficient B-tree data serialization
B-Tree data is serialized to existing data for all types of workloads by converting a B-Tree data structure into a format capable of being stored and resurrected while containing all data stored in the B-Tree data structure and information relating to the B-Tree data structure.
US09305029B1 Inventory centric knowledge management
A method of managing data communication network inventory is provided. The method comprises analyzing a plurality of separate data stores, the data stores comprising information about trouble tickets, change requests, and scheduled maintenance, where the analysis is conducted with reference to network inventory items. An integrated data store structured according to network inventory items is built, comprising trouble ticket information, change request information, and scheduled maintenance associated with the network inventory items, where the network inventory items comprise one or more port interfaces. A selection of a network inventory item is received. Filtered information is retrieved from the integrated data store summarizing the trouble ticket information, the change request information, and the scheduled maintenance related to the selected network inventory item. The filtered information is transmitted.
US09305027B2 User configurable quick groups
This invention is directed to defining quick groups for easily associating keywords with an object (e.g., a media objection) accessible using an electronic device. The user of an electronic device may define several keywords that identify attributes of an object accessible using the electronic device. The user may associate keywords with an object to link the attribute of the keyword with the object (e.g., associate a keyword entitled “vacation” to vacation pictures). The user may assign a shortcut key to each of a subset of the keywords, referred to as quick groups, by which the user may rapidly associate the keyword to an object. In some embodiments, the electronic device may select the shortcut key of a quick group from the letters of the quick group to help the user remember the shortcut key.
US09305026B2 Systems and methods for digital images utilizing an infinite cylinder user interface
Systems and methods presenting digital images utilizing an infinite cylinder user interface that includes a plurality of modes of movement to variously display the digital images in an efficient and convenient manner. An image viewing system utilizing an infinite cylinder user interface includes a data store storing a plurality of images in a local visual dictionary, each of the plurality of images configured to convey a message to at least one additional user as a replacement for words; a network interface communicatively coupled to a network; a processor communicatively coupled to the data store and the network interface; and instructions executable by the processor, and in response to such execution causes the processor to: present a set of the plurality of images in an infinite cylinder user interface; and manipulate the infinite cylinder user interface in a plurality of movement modes based on user input.
US09305022B2 System and method for associating a geographic location with an internet protocol address
The present application is directed to systems and methods for associating a geographic location with an IP address. Generally, an IP address from which each of a plurality of users accesses a network is recorded. A geo tag is associated with each of the plurality of users and a subset of the plurality of users is identified, the subset including users associated with a first IP address. The subset of the plurality of users is clustered into a spatial cluster including users associated with geo tags located with a defined distance of a geo tag of at least one other user of the cluster. A geographic location associated with a geographic center of the cluster is then associated with the first IP address.
US09305018B2 Contextual and semantic differential backup
A backup system that utilizes contextual and semantic concepts is described. The backup system provides for the ability to create a version changes log for listing and tracking all the changes in the different versions of the file. The version changes log creates a contextual description around the changes, deletions and additions. The semantic concept log is created from the version changes log to create a log of all of the semantic concepts associated with each change. A visualization builder then creates visualizations that can be used by the user to search for changes, deletions and additions whether in a text file or an image file.
US09305014B2 Method and system for parallelizing data copy in a distributed file system
Multiple servers sharing a distributed file system are used to perform copies of regions of a source file in parallel from a source storage unit to corresponding temporary files at a destination storage unit. These temporary files are then merged or combined into a single file at the destination storage unit in a way that preserves the inode structure and attributes of the source file. A substantial speedup is obtained by copying regions of the file in parallel.
US09305011B2 Method for improving mean time to data loss (MTDL) in a fixed content distributed data storage
An archival storage cluster of preferably symmetric nodes includes a data protection management system that periodically organizes the then-available nodes into one or more protection sets, with each set comprising a set of n nodes, where “n” refers to a configurable “data protection level” (DPL). At the time of its creation, a given protection set is closed in the sense that each then available node is a member of one, and only one, protection set. When an object is to be stored within the archive, the data protection management system stores the object in a given node of a given protection set and then constrains the distribution of copies of that object to other nodes within the given protection set. As a consequence, all DPL copies of an object are all stored within the same protection set, and only that protection set. This scheme significantly improves MTDL for the cluster as a whole, as the data can only be lost if multiple failures occur within nodes of a given protection set. This is far more unlikely than failures occurring across any random distribution of nodes within the cluster.
US09305009B1 Synchronous replication of virtualized storage processors
A technique for managing replication of VSPs (Virtualized Storage Processors) proceeds on a per-VSP basis by (i) identifying the data objects associated with a VSP, (ii) establishing a common set of replication settings across all of the data objects associated with the VSP, and (iii) replicating the VSP by replicating each of the identified data objects associated with the VSP in accordance with the common set of replication settings established across all of the data objects associated with the VSP. The technique avoids the need for administrators to separately configure and manage replication on large numbers of individual data objects and thus reduces administrative burdens.
US09305004B2 Replica identification and collision avoidance in file system replication
A unique file-system node identification (ID) is created for each newly created node in a file system repository by combining a grid identification (ID), a repository identification (ID), and a node identification (ID) to form the unique file-system node ID. The unique file-system node ID is associated with a unique association identification (ID) for creating an association for linking the node from a source repository to a target repository when performing a replication operation between a repository and another repository. The different replication instances of the node in the file system repository are distinguished by the unique association ID assigned to each of the replication instances.
US09304999B1 Virtual storage processor load balancing
A technique performs virtual storage processor (VSP) load balancing. The technique involves receiving a VSP move command to load balance a particular VSP from a source physical storage processor to a destination physical storage processor. The technique further involves relinquishing, by the source physical storage processor, access to a set of VSP definitions that define the particular VSP. The technique further involves obtaining, by the destination physical storage processor, access to the set of VSP definitions that define the particular VSP, the particular VSP being load balanced from the source physical storage processor to the destination physical storage processor upon the destination physical storage processor obtaining access to the set of VSP definitions that define the particular VSP.
US09304998B2 Main-memory database checkpointing
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for main-memory database checkpointing. Embodiments of the invention use a transaction log as an interface between online threads and a checkpoint subsystem. Using the transaction log as an interface reduces synchronization overhead between threads and the checkpoint subsystem. Transactions can be assigned to files and storage space can be reserved in a lock free manner to reduce overhead of checkpointing online transactions. Meta-data independent data files and delta files can be collapsed and merged to reduce storage overhead. Checkpoints can be updated incrementally such that changes made since the last checkpoint (and not all data) are flushed to disk. Checkpoint I/O is sequential, helping ensure higher performance of physical I/O layers. During recovery checkpoint files can be loaded into memory in parallel for multiple devices.
US09304992B2 Story element indexing and uses thereof
A story index of story elements is provided in which each story element is able to be referenced in a story by name and by language that does not include the name. The story index may also contain references to the same story elements in other associated stories, including other stories in a series or that are in a different type of media. An associated story presentation application program may enable a viewer to view the entries in the story index for a specified story element and to then view the specified story element at any of the referenced locations. The application may enable purchase or downloading of the associated stories.
US09304990B2 Translation of text into multiple languages
Methods and systems for translating a text into multiple languages performed by at least one software component executed by at least one processor, comprise: maintaining a translation repository having a plurality of entries associating different types of content with user-specified languages; monitoring the text received by a program to identify one or more types of content and a source language of the text; retrieving the user-specified languages from the translation repository associated with the identified types of content; and for each of the identified types of content, translating the content thereof from the source language to the corresponding user-specified language when the source language is different from the corresponding user-specified language.
US09304988B2 System and method for performing automatic audio production using semantic data
There is described a computer implemented method for performing automatic audio production, comprising: receiving an audio signal to be processed; receiving semantic information; determining at least one semantic-based rule using the received semantic information, the semantic-based rule comprising production data that defines how the audio signal to be processed should be produced; processing the audio signal to be processed using the production data, thereby obtaining a produced audio signal; outputting the produced audio signal.
US09304987B2 Content creation support apparatus, method and program
According to one embodiment, a content creation support apparatus includes a speech synthesis unit, a speech recognition unit, an extraction unit, a detection unit, a presentation unit and a selection unit. The speech synthesis unit performs a speech synthesis on a first text. The speech recognition unit performs a speech recognition on the synthesized speech to obtain a second text. The extraction unit extracts feature values by performing a morphological analysis on each of the first and second texts. The detection unit compares a first feature value of a first difference string and a second feature value of a second difference string. The presentation unit presents correction candidate(s) according to the second feature value. The selection unit selects one of the correction candidates in accordance with an instruction from a user.
US09304985B1 Promoting content
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, and including a computer-implemented method for providing creatives. The method comprises identifying, using one or more processors, a creative for processing, the creative including a title portion and a body portion, where the body portion includes a visual uniform resource locator (URL), the visual URL comprising a visual portion and a link to a resource. The method further comprises evaluating the visual URL for inclusion in the title portion, including determining when promotion of the visual URL satisfies one or more promotion criterion, and if so, promoting the visual URL for inclusion in the title portion. The method further comprises providing the creative including the title portion with the promoted visual URL.
US09304977B2 Methods and apparatus for character set control, verification and reporting
Systems and methods for character set control, verification and reporting are provided. In an example embodiment, a data evaluation system comprises at least one module, executing on one or more computer processors, to implement a language and character set phase in which an authorized character set comprising authorized characters is defined; a document phase including receipt of an input document, the input document comprising document characters; a detection phase including a comparison of the document characters against the authorized characters in the authorized character set to detect unauthorized characters in the input document not forming part of the authorized character set; and a reporting phase including display of the unauthorized characters to a user.
US09304976B1 Positioning media to go viral
Systems and techniques are disclosed for positioning, based on a position velocity measure, related media content within a media outlet such as a website, a blog, an aggregation page, an application, or the like. The related media content may be related to a media content and may link to the media content, be a derivative of the media content, summarize the media content, or the like. A location within a media outlet for a related media content may be determined and the related media content may be published accordingly. The location of a related media content may be modified from a first location to a second location. The size of a related media content may be increased and/or a related media content may be highlighted. Further, techniques are disclosed for publishing related media content within a zone from a plurality of zones associated with a media outlet.
US09304969B2 Hybrid construction machine
The present charging rate of a battery is accurately calculated. The calculation mode of the present charging rate is switched to a current integration mode during operation of a generator motor while the mode is switched to a voltage reference mode at a predetermined switchover timing. In the current integration mode, charge current of the battery is integrated and added to the initial charging rate and an integrated discharge current value is subtracted from the initial charging rate of the battery to calculate the present charging rate. In the voltage reference mode, the present charging rate is calculated based on a predetermined map and detected voltage of the battery. After calculation of the present charging rate according to the voltage reference mode, the calculation mode is restored from the voltage reference mode to the current integration mode and the suspension of operating the generator motor is cancelled.
US09304967B2 Reconfigurable processor using power gating, compiler and compiling method thereof
Provided is a reconfigurable processor that may process a first type of operation in first mode using a first group of functional units, and process a second type of operation in second mode using a second group of functional units. The reconfigurable processor may selectively supply power to either the first group or the second group, in response to a mode-switch signal or a mode-switch instruction.
US09304966B2 Providing local access to managed content
A method for providing local access to managed content is disclosed. The method comprises receiving from a remote host a request to perform an operation with respect to content associated with a set of managed content and obtaining information required to respond to the request. The method further comprises providing in response to the request a content locator usable to perform the requested operation through direct communication with a local content system associated with the remote host.
US09304963B2 Data table structure for self-organized management of communication with functional modules coupled via backplane assembly based on received module description including control logic
Systems and methods self-organize a multifunctional power and energy control and management system by integrating multiple backplane based modules through module descriptions, the module descriptions including control logic and parameters associated with the modules. Dynamic data table structures may be configured based on information provides with the module descriptions and provide for improved data accessing, storing, and updating.
US09304958B2 Device for transmitting sensor data
A device for transmitting sensor data, includes a slave interface connectable to a master interface of a control device, a master interface connectable to a slave interface of a measuring device, at least one sensor interface connectable to a sensor, and a circuit configuration including a manipulation unit and protocol unit. A master-data input signal of the master interface and a sensor-data output signal are supplied to the manipulation unit, which outputs a slave-data output signal to the slave interface. At least one protocol-relevant interface signal of the slave interface or the master interface, and a sensor-data signal of the sensor interface, are supplied to the protocol unit, which generates the sensor-data output signal and, based on manipulation rules and the at least one protocol-relevant interface signal, selects when the manipulation unit outputs the master-data input signal of the master interface or the sensor-data output signal as slave-data output signal.
US09304957B2 Image processing method, image processing apparatus, and control program
An image processing method includes: dividing received data into a header and a body; and writing the data in at least one buffer through a direct memory access (DMA) transfer.
US09304952B2 Memory control device, storage device, and memory control method
According to one embodiment, a memory control device includes: queues in channels; first controller; generator; and second controller. The queues hold write commands for data pieces. The first controller causes: (i) when a read command is received, and until the write commands are held in the queues, the channels are synchronized with each other, and processes of the write commands become ready to be performed, a read process based on the read command prior to the write commands; and, (ii) when the processes of write commands become ready to be performed, synchronization of the channels and write processes for the data pieces based on the write commands. The generator generates error correction codes based on the data pieces when the channels are synchronized with each other and the processes based on the write commands are performed. The second controller writes the error correction codes on the storage medium.
US09304951B1 Policy based input/output dispatcher
Disclosed is a policy-based I/O dispatcher that intercepts I/O requests from several individual volumes made to a shared storage system (such as a RAID array) and manages these I/O requests so that no single volume monopolizes the I/O bandwidth and excludes the other volumes from timely completing their own I/O requests. Also disclosed are a plurality of attributes that may be assigned to each volume sharing a disk array to effectively manage the sharing of the disk array among the volumes. The I/O policy manager may handle I/O requests from several sources including volume-based iSCSI I/O requests as well as the file-share-based XFS I/O requests.
US09304948B2 Sensing user input at display area edge
One or more sensors are disposed to sense user inputs in an active display area as well as user inputs in an extended area that is outside of the active display area. Data for user inputs, such as gestures, may include data from user inputs sensed in both the active display area and outside of the active display area. The user inputs can begin and/or end outside of the active display area.
US09304947B2 Remotely controllable electrical sockets with plugged appliance detection and identification
Embodiments of the present invention provide for a remotely controllable electrical socket. Such sockets may include an electrical conductor for receiving a plug of an electrical device. The plug may be associated with a tag for receiving identifying information that corresponds to the electrical device. Exemplary sockets may further include a tag reader for obtaining identifying information from the tag, a sensor for detecting if the plug is inserted in the outlet, and a communications interface for wirelessly sending information to a computing device regarding the identifying information and whether the plug is inserted in the outlet. The communications interface may also receive operational instructions from the computing device (e.g., to turn the power to the plug/electrical device ON or OFF).
US09304946B2 Hardware-base accelerator for managing copy-on-write of multi-level caches utilizing block copy-on-write differential update table
Technologies are described herein for providing a hardware-based accelerator adapted to manage copy-on-write. Some example technologies may identify a read request adapted to read a block at an original memory address. The technologies may utilize the hardware-based accelerator to determine whether the block is located at the original memory address. When a determination is made that the block is located in at the original memory address, the technologies may utilize the hardware-based accelerator to pass the original memory address so that the read request can be performed utilizing the original memory address. When a determination is made that the block is not located in the memory at the original memory address, the technologies may utilize the hardware-based accelerator to generate a new memory address and to pass the new memory address so that the read request can be performed utilizing the new memory address.
US09304943B2 Processor system and control method thereof
A processor system according to the present invention includes a storage unit (10), a control information area (12) that stores an access prohibit flag (13) capable of switching from an allow side to a prohibit side, a main PEa that issues an access request to the storage unit (10) and a request for rewriting a copy register (32), a security PE that evaluates whether or not the request for rewriting the copy register (32) is valid, the copy register (32) that stores, when the access prohibit flag (13) is set to the allow side, a value corresponding to the allowance and, when the access prohibit flag (13) is set to the prohibit side, a value corresponding to an evaluation result by the security PE, and an access control circuit (21) that controls whether or not to allow access from the main PEa to the storage unit (10) based on an output value from the copy register (32).
US09304941B2 Self-encrypting flash drive
A method comprises receiving a plaintext message (m), encrypting the plaintext message and generating a cipher text (c) and authentication data (t), storing the cipher text in a user data portion of a data storage device, and storing the authentication data in a meta data portion of the data storage device.
US09304940B2 Processors, methods, and systems to relax synchronization of accesses to shared memory
A processor of an aspect includes a plurality of logical processors. A first logical processor of the plurality is to execute software that includes a memory access synchronization instruction that is to synchronize accesses to a memory. The processor also includes memory access synchronization relaxation logic that is to prevent the memory access synchronization instruction from synchronizing accesses to the memory when the processor is in a relaxed memory access synchronization mode.
US09304931B2 Providing data to a user interface for performance monitoring
A method, system, and computer readable storage medium for providing data to a user interface for performance monitoring are disclosed, in which an a data definition is acquired, where the data definition is generated in response to a definition of the user interface. Data is acquired from data sources based on the data definition. The acquired data is processed based on the data definition, and the processed data is cached.
US09304930B2 HDD write buffer zone for vibration condition
Technologies are described herein for temporarily writing data to a buffer zone on a recording medium of a storage device when the device is operating in a vibration condition. A vibration condition is detected in the storage device, and upon detecting the vibration condition, data of a current write operation is written to a buffer zone on a recording medium of the storage device, the buffer zone being configured with a lower areal density of storage than primary storage zones on the recording medium. At a later time, an idle condition may be detected in the device, and upon detecting the idle condition, it may be determined whether the vibration condition exists. If it is determined that the vibration condition no longer exists, the data is transferred from the buffer zone to the primary storage zones on the recording medium.
US09304927B2 Adaptive stride prefetcher
The disclosed embodiments relate to a method for dynamically changing a prefetching configuration in a computer system, wherein the prefetching configuration specifies how to change an ahead distance that specifies how many references ahead to prefetch for each stream. During operation of the computer system, the method keeps track of one or more stream lengths, wherein a stream is a sequence of memory references with a constant stride. Next, the method dynamically changes the prefetching configuration for the computer system based on observed stream lengths in a most-recent window of time.
US09304926B2 Coherency control message flow
A coherent memory system includes a plurality of level 1 cache memories 6 connected via interconnect circuitry 18 to a level 2 cache memory 8. Coherency control circuitry 10 manages coherency between lines of data. Evict messages from the level 1 cache memories to the coherency control circuitry 10 are sent via the read address channel AR. Read messages are also sent via the read address channel AR. The read address channel AR is configured such that a read message may not be reordered relative to an evict message. The coherency control circuitry 10 is configured such that a read message will not be processed ahead of an evict message. The level 1 cache memories 6 do not track in-flight evict messages. No acknowledgement of an evict message is sent from the coherency control circuitry 10 back to the level 1 cache memory 6.
US09304919B2 Detecting multiple stride sequences for prefetching
The present application describes some embodiments of a prefetcher that tracks multiple stride sequences for prefetching. Some embodiments of the prefetcher implement a method including generating a sum-of-strides for each of a plurality of stride lengths that are larger than one by summing a number of previous strides that is equal to the stride length. Some embodiments of the method also include prefetching data in response to repetition of one or more of the sum-of-strides for one or more of the plurality of stride lengths.
US09304911B2 Semiconductor storage device and buffer operation method thereof
A method of operating a semiconductor storage device is provided. A memory space of a buffer memory is allocated into a data area for storing user data and a map area for storing map data. The user data and the map data are read from a nonvolatile memory. A size of the user data to be stored in the data are compared with a size of the data area. The size of the data area and the size of the map area are adaptively varied according to the comparison result.
US09304909B2 Garbage collection based on temperature
A storage device made up of multiple storage media is configured such that one such media serves as a cache for data stored on another of such media. The device includes a controller configured to manage the cache by consolidating information concerning obsolete data stored in the cache with information concerning data no longer desired to be stored in the cache, and erase segments of the cache containing one or more of the blocks of obsolete data and the blocks of data that are no longer desired to be stored in the cache to produce reclaimed segments of the cache.
US09304908B1 Small block write operations in non-volatile memory systems
A first portion of an asymmetric memory is configured as temporary storage for application data units with sizes corresponding to a small memory block that is smaller than the size of a logical write unit associated with the asymmetric memory. A portion of the remaining asymmetric memory is configured as a reconciled storage for application data units with varying sizes. A first application data unit is received for writing to the asymmetric memory. Based on computing the size of the first application data unit as corresponding to the small memory block, the first application data unit is written to the temporary storage. Upon determining that a threshold is reached, a memory write operation is performed for writing the application data units from the temporary storage to the reconciled storage. The application data units written to the reconciled storage are removed from the temporary storage.
US09304907B2 Data management method, memory control circuit unit and memory storage apparatus
A data management method is provided, and the method includes: receiving first data and identifying a first address. The method also includes: determining whether the first data is incompressible; and, if the first data is incompressible, determining whether the first address is meeting a requirement of start address. The method further includes: if the first address is not meeting the requirement of start address, storing the padding data starting from the first address, and storing the first data starting from a following address, wherein the following address is meeting the requirement of start address.
US09304906B2 Memory system, controller and control method of memory
According to one embodiment, a memory system includes non-volatile memory, a block management table that stores whether data in the non-volatile memory is valid or invalid in a unit of cluster, and a controller configured to execute compaction. In the block management table, first information related to likelihood that valid data within the block is invalidated is registered for each of the blocks. The controller is configured to select a block to be a target of the compaction based on the first information and use the selected block to execute the compaction.
US09304905B2 Memory controller and data management method thereof
The present invention provides a flash memory controller for mapping the logical addresses to the physical addresses of memory including a plurality of blocks, each having a plurality of pages, wherein the memory controller includes a processor. The processor includes hot page decision unit and an address translation unit. The hot page decision unit classifies pages in each block into hot pages and cold pages based on a predetermined criterion. When there is a plurality of the classified hot pages, the address translation unit respectively arranges the classified hot pages in different target blocks.In accordance with this configuration, upon performing a merge operation, hot pages and cold pages are determined, and the hot pages are respectively distributed to empty blocks, so that concentration of an erase operation on a specific physical block may be avoided, thus wear-leveling may be performed more efficiently.
US09304899B1 Network interface circuitry with flexible memory addressing capabilities
An integrated circuit that includes network interface circuitry is provided. The network interface circuitry may include memory for buffering incoming data and associated control circuitry for loading the incoming data into and retrieving data from memory. The memory may be organized into multiple individually addressable memory blocks. The control circuitry may include read and write barrel shifters, a controller for providing read and write address signals, write address circuitry for controlling the write barrel shifter and for generating write address bits, and read address circuitry for controlling the read barrel shifter and for generating read address bits. The read and write circuitry may each include division and modulus arithmetic circuits for processing the address signals received from the controller and may include control logic for generating the read and write address bits that are used to address each of the multiple memory blocks.
US09304898B2 Hardware-based array compression
Technologies are generally described herein for compressing an array using hardware-based compression and performing various instructions on the compressed array. Some example technologies may receive an instruction adapted to access an address in an array. The technologies may determine whether address is compressible. If the address is compressible, then the technologies may determine a compressed address of a compressed array based on the address. The compressed array may represent a compressed layout of the array where a reduced size of each compressed element in the compressed array is smaller than an original size of each element in the array. The technologies may access the compressed array at the compressed address in accordance with the instruction.
US09304897B2 Image data producing apparatus, image forming apparatus and computer readable medium
An image data producing apparatus includes: a page dividing portion that divides data described in a page description language into a page unit; a plurality of image processors that form raster data from divided data; and a controlling portion that allocates pages on which the raster data is formed to each of the plurality of the image processors, and causes each of the plurality of the image processors to execute registration of a printing resource on respective pages with at least a change of the printing resource by controlling each of the plurality of the image processors irrespective of a page allocation.
US09304893B1 Integrated software development and test case management system
Improved techniques involve marking each test case routine written in the source code with test case identifiers that describe that test case routine. Software in a development system parses source code to locate such identifiers and, upon compilation of the source code, generates a report based on those identifiers. Advantageously, the improved techniques ensure that test cases remain current with the source code.
US09304892B2 Determining behavior models
Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage media determining a behavior model of a computing system under test. In some implementations, actions include executing, using a user interface of a computing SUT, an initial test script on the SUT; recording, after executing the initial test script, a state of the SUT in the behavior model by observing one or more events that can be triggered using the user interface of the SUT; and iteratively refining the behavior model until an end condition is reached by generating one or more new test scripts, executing the new test scripts on the SUT to test unobserved behavior, and recording one or more new states reached by executing the new test scripts on the SUT in the behavior model.
US09304891B1 Load-test generator
During a test-generation technique, a test session with web flows associated with a set of users and a browser is recorded. Then, the test session is modified to generalize the web flows to a larger set of users. For example, data may be converted into variables, requests may be added or removed, and/or delays may be inserted between requests. In addition, the test session may be filtered using one or more filters to remove: static content, images and/or types of requests. After the test session has been generalized, it can be incorporated into a load test that accurately simulates interactions with multiple users.
US09304889B1 Suspending data replication
In one aspect, a method includes monitoring a replication process, predicting performance based on the monitoring, receiving a suspend notification and determining whether to suspend the replication process or wait to suspend the replication process based on the performance predicted. In another aspect, an apparatus includes electronic hardware circuitry configured to monitor a replication process, predict performance based on the monitoring, receive a suspend notification and determine whether to suspend the replication process or wait to suspend the replication process based on the performance predicted. In a further aspect, an apparatus includes electronic hardware circuitry configured to: monitor a replication process, predict performance based on the monitoring, receive a suspend notification and determine whether to suspend the replication process or wait to suspend the replication process based on the performance predicted.
US09304887B2 Method and system for operating system (OS) verification
A method for operating system application performance verification of a mainframe server system is provided. The method comprises comparing system snapshots of the operating system application. The method further comprises determining results of operational changes to the operating system application based on the compared system snapshots. The method further comprises comparing system log verification of the operating system application with previous system logs of the operating system application. The method further comprises determining results of operational changes to the operating system application based on the compared system log verification with the previous system logs. The method further comprises determining results of operational changes to the operating system application based on the compared system log verification with the previous system logs. The method further comprises performing system checkouts of vendor tools installed on the operating system application.
US09304885B2 Passive monitoring of virtual systems using agent-less, near-real-time indexing
Aspects of the present invention provide a solution for passively monitoring a computer system. In an embodiment, a read-only target is created based on the configuration of the virtual server disk used by the virtual server to access the storage associated therewith. This read-only target can be used to expose the virtual server disk for access by a monitoring crawler. Using the read-only target, a monitoring crawler can acquire a set of features regarding the virtual server from the virtual server disk. One or more of this set of features can be analyzed to perform passive monitoring of the virtual server.
US09304884B2 Test apparatus for testing two communication protocol chips based on power relay signals
A test apparatus applicable to a server includes a processing unit, a control unit, a switch unit and a power relay unit. The processing unit outputs a reset signal and a processing signal. The control unit includes a first physical layer chip performing a first communication protocol, and a second physical layer chip performing a second communication protocol. The switch unit receives a working voltage and a processing signal to select a powering signal or a disconnection signal to output. The power relay unit receives the powering signal or the disconnection signal. When the power relay unit receives the powering signal, the server performs a test task on the first physical layer chip. When the power relay unit receives the disconnection signal and the processing unit outputs the reset signal to the control unit, the server performs the test task on the second physical layer chip.
US09304883B2 Testing optimization of microprocessor table functions
Embodiments relate to testing memory write operations. An aspect includes detecting a first write operation to a set of “n” divisions in a memory table, and defining a selected set of entries of an optimization checking table corresponding to the set of “n” divisions of the memory table. The aspect includes determining that at least one selected entry of the selected set of entries is not among an optimal set of entries of the checking table. The aspect further includes determining whether to generate an optimization error or to end an optimization analysis of the first write operation without generating the optimization error by comparing the first time stamps of one or both of the at least one selected entry and one or more optimal entries of the optimal set of entries to a temporal window defined by a predetermined duration.
US09304882B2 Multi-stage application layer test packet generator for testing communication networks
Systems and methods are disclosed for generating application layer test packets for testing packet communication networks. The disclosed embodiments utilize multi-stage application layer test packet generator to generate high volumes of network layer test packets in an efficient and cost effective manner. A first co-processor generates tokenized test packets that include non-application layer content and include token values representing desired application layer content. A second co-processor analyzes the token values and replaces the token values with stateful application layer content associated with the token values. Once devices-under-test (DUTs) have received and processed the application layer test packets, the DUTs generate return packets that include stateful application layer content. These return packets are then received and processed by the multi-stage application layer test packet generator.
US09304880B2 System and method for multicore processing
A method and apparatus for an asynchronous multicore common debugging system is described. Debug signals from a plurality of processor cores are synchronized to a common timing domain. Processing completed within the plurality of processor cores during a common timing interval is tracked. A single debugging tool chain is utilized to provide debugging results in response to the tracking the processing completed within the plurality of processor cores during the common timing interval.
US09304878B2 Providing multiple IO paths in a virtualized environment to support for high availability of virtual machines
High availability of a virtual machine is ensured even when all of the virtual machine's IO paths fail. In such a case, the virtual machine is migrated to a host that is sharing the same storage system as the current host in which the virtual machine is being executed and has at least one functioning IO path to the shared storage system. After execution control of the virtual machine is transferred to the new host, IO operations from the virtual machine are issued over the new IO path.
US09304877B2 Mobile agent based memory replication
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, computer program product, and system for memory replication. In one embodiment, in accordance with the present invention, the computer implemented method includes the steps of executing a mobile agent on a server node, wherein the server node is within a cluster of server nodes connected via network communications, capturing a memory state of the server node during operation of the server node, wherein the memory state includes session information stored on computer memory of the server node, which is captured and stored by the mobile agent, monitoring the server node to determine whether the server node has failed, and responsive to determining that the server node has failed, migrating the mobile agent to an active server node within the cluster of server nodes, wherein the mobile agent carries the captured memory state.
US09304874B2 Virtual machine-guest driven state restoring by hypervisor
An example method of saving and restoring a state of one or more registers for a guest includes detecting exit of a virtual machine mode of a guest running on a virtual machine. A set of registers is accessible by the guest and includes a first subset of registers and a second subset of registers. The method also includes identifying the first subset of registers. The first subset of registers includes one or more registers to be overwritten by the guest upon re-entry of the virtual machine mode. The second subset of registers is mutually exclusive from the first subset of registers. The method further includes after detecting exit of the virtual machine mode of the guest, detecting re-entry of the virtual machine mode of the guest. The method also includes restoring a saved state of the second subset of registers for the guest.
US09304868B2 Scalable relational database replication
A relational database replication system includes a client, at least one primary database, a plurality of secondary databases and replication agents which coordinate database transactions. The system provides a high level of performance, reliability, and scalability with an end result of efficient and accurate duplication of transactions between the primary and secondary databases. In one implementation, the client transmits sets of database update statements to the primary database and primary agent in parallel; the primary agent replicates the statements to at least one secondary agent. A transaction prepare and commit process is coordinated between the primary database and the primary agent, which in turn coordinates with the at least one secondary agent. Databases can be partitioned into individual smaller databases, called shards, and the system can operate in a linearly scalable manner, adding clients, databases and replication agents without requiring central coordination or components that cause bottlenecks.
US09304863B2 Transactions for checkpointing and reverse execution
A method of backstepping through a program execution includes dividing the program execution into a plurality of epochs, wherein the program execution is performed by an active core, determining, during a subsequent epoch of the plurality of epochs, that a rollback is to be performed, performing the rollback including re-executing a previous epoch of the plurality of epochs, wherein the previous epoch includes one or more instructions of the program execution stored by a checkpointing core, and adjusting a granularity of the plurality of epochs according to a frequency of the rollback.
US09304854B2 Semiconductor device and operating method thereof
A semiconductor device includes a controller configured to receive a request for a first memory device, determine whether or not a multi-bit error has occurred at a requested address of the first memory device, and process the request on a second memory device instead of the first memory device, when the multi-bit error has occurred.
US09304853B2 Apparatus, system, and method to increase data integrity in a redundant storage system
In various embodiments, an apparatus, system, and method may increase data integrity in a redundant storage system. In one embodiment, a request is received for data stored at a storage system having a plurality of storage elements, where one or more of the plurality of storage elements include parity information. A determination is made that one of the plurality of storage elements is unavailable, the unavailable storage element being a functional storage element and including at least a portion of the data. Responsive to the determination, the data is reconstructed based on at least a portion of the parity information and data from one or more of the plurality of storage elements other than the unavailable storage element; a response is provided to the request such that the response includes the reconstructed data.
US09304844B2 System and method for preserving critical debug data in a portable computing device
One or more triggers may be coupled to sources on a system on a chip of a portable computing device. The sources monitor the system for status conditions. The one or more triggers are coupled to a trigger bus. A sequencer engine is coupled to the trigger bus and a communication bus. The sequencer engine receives one or more instructions from the communication bus for determining how the sequencer engine should monitor the one or more triggers via the trigger bus and preserve data received from the one or more triggers before a system reset. The sequencer engine then receives data from the one or more triggers and stores the data in local memory storage. The sequencer engine, if programmed, may generate at least one of a trace packet, an interrupt signal, and a general purpose input/output signal in response to receiving data from one or more triggers.
US09304834B2 Parallel runtime execution on multiple processors
A method and an apparatus that schedule a plurality of executables in a schedule queue for execution in one or more physical compute devices such as CPUs or GPUs concurrently are described. One or more executables are compiled online from a source having an existing executable for a type of physical compute devices different from the one or more physical compute devices. Dependency relations among elements corresponding to scheduled executables are determined to select an executable to be executed by a plurality of threads concurrently in more than one of the physical compute devices. A thread initialized for executing an executable in a GPU of the physical compute devices are initialized for execution in another CPU of the physical compute devices if the GPU is busy with graphics processing threads.
US09304832B2 Methods and systems for filtering encrypted traffic
Application programming interface (API) hooks are injected into an application program executing at a client during run-time. Responsive to these hooks, data intended for encryption prior to transmission from the client is diverted, for example for content filtering, compression, etc., prior to being encrypted. In the case of encrypted data received at the client, the data is decrypted but before being passed to the application it is diverted, under control of the API hooks, for content filtering, decompression, etc.
US09304831B2 Scheduling execution contexts with critical regions
A scheduler in a process of a computer system detects an execution context that blocked from outside of the scheduler while in a critical region. The scheduler ensures that the execution context resumes execution on the processing resource of the scheduler on which the execution context blocked when the execution context becomes unblocked. The scheduler also prevents another execution context from entering a critical region on the processing resource prior to the blocked execution context becoming unblocked and exiting the critical region.
US09304826B2 System and method for improved dynamic allocation of application resources
A self-help application platform such as one hosting an interactive voice response (IVR) has a browser that executes application scripts to implement the self-help application. The execution of the application scripts is performed by utilizing various application resources, such as media conversions from text to speech (TTS) and speech to text (automatic speech recognition ASR) and other media servers. The platform is provided with a dynamic resource selection mechanism in which the application is executed with an updated optimum set of application resources distributed over different locations. The selection is based on the profiles of the browser, users, route, and quality of service. The selection is further modulated by the browser's previous experiences with the individual resources. The selection is made dynamically during the executing of the application script.
US09304824B1 Method and apparatus for providing isolated virtual space
Various embodiments provide a method and apparatus of creating an application isolated virtual space without the need to run multiple OSs. Application isolated virtual spaces are created by an Operating System (OS) utilizing a resource manager. The resource manager isolates applications from each other by re-writing the network stack and the I/O subsystem of the conventional OS kernel to have multiple isolated network stack/virtual I/O views of the physical resources managed by the OS. Isolated network stacks and virtual I/O views identify the resources allocated to an application's isolated virtual space and are mapped to applications via an isolating identifier.
US09304823B2 Method and apparatus for optimizing download operations
A method and apparatus for optimizing downloading operations is disclosed. The method comprises determining a condition for a download speed for a plurality of threads for a file to a computer, wherein each thread is used to download a portion of the file; evaluating a plurality of environmental factors on the computer, wherein evaluating is only performed when the download speed meets a given condition; and performing one of increasing, decreasing, and not changing a number of threads used to perform the download depending on the evaluated plurality of environmental factors.
US09304822B2 Resource configuration for a network data processing system
A method and apparatus for managing a service is disclosed. A program system running on a computer system in a network data processing system identifies the service on the computer system and a set of resources used by the service. The program system collects information about the service and the set of resources used by the service. The program system uses the information collected to identify a change to a configuration for the service which will increase performance of the service. The program system then makes the identified change to the configuration for the service.
US09304820B2 Sharing resources allocated to an entitled virtual machine
A mechanism is provided for sharing resources allocated to an entitled virtual machine (VM). A blocked domain is created around the entitled VM and one or more processors allocated to the entitled VM. A first dispatching algorithm is implemented that prevents the dispatching of processes from other operating systems within other VMs to the one or more processors allocated to the entitled VM. Responsive to utilization of the one or more processors allocated to the entitled VM falling below a predetermined threshold, a second dispatching algorithm is implemented that allows dispatching of processes from the other operating systems within the other VMs to the one or more processors allocated to the entitled VM.
US09304811B2 Methods and systems to identify and migrate threads among system nodes based on system performance metrics
Methods and systems to identify and migrate threads among system nodes based on system performance metrics. An example method disclosed herein includes sampling a performance metric of a computer program thread, the computer program thread executing on a home node of a computer system having multiple nodes, and determining whether the performance metric exceeds a threshold value. The method also includes identifying a remote node associated with a remote memory if the threshold value is exceeded, the remote memory being accessed by the computer program thread, and identifying the computer program thread as a candidate for migration from the home node to the remote node if the threshold value is exceeded. In this way, a computer program thread that frequently accesses a remote memory can be migrated from a home node to a remote node associated with the remote memory to reduce the latency associated with memory accesses performed by the computer program thread and thereby improve system performance.
US09304810B2 Time monitoring in a processing element and use
System and method for controlling thread execution via time monitoring circuitry in a processing element. Execution of a thread may be suspended via a thread suspend/resume logic block included in the processing element in response to a received suspend thread instruction. An indication of a wakeup time may be received to a time monitoring circuit (TMC) included in the processing element. Time may be monitored via the TMC using a clock included in the processing element, until the wakeup time obtains. The thread suspend/resume logic block included in the processing element may be invoked by the TMC in response to the wakeup time obtaining, thereby resuming execution of the thread.
US09304809B2 Systems and methods for event stream processing
Disclosed are systems and methods for processing events in an event stream using a map-update application. The events may be embodied as a key-attribute pair. An event is processed by one or more instances implementing either a map or an update function. A map function receives an input event from the event stream and publishes one or more events to the event stream. An update function receives an event and updates a corresponding slate and publishes zero or more events. Systems and methods are also disclosed herein for implementing a map-update application in a multithreaded architecture and for handling overloading of a particular thread or node. Systems and methods for providing access to slates updated according to update operations are also disclosed.
US09304808B2 Updating a workflow when a user reaches an impasse in the workflow
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for updating a workflow when a user reaches an impasse in the workflow. A workflow program processes user input at a current node in a workflow comprised of nodes and workflow paths connecting the nodes, and wherein the user provides user input to traverse through at least one workflow path to reach the current node. The workflow program processes user input at the current node to determine whether there is a next node in the workflow for the processed user input. The workflow program transmits information on the current node to an analyzer in response to determining that there is no next node in the workflow. The analyzer processes the information on the current node to determine whether there are modifications to the current node. The analyzer transmits to the workflow program an update including the determined modifications to the current node in response to determining the modification.
US09304806B2 Provisioning virtual CPUs using a hardware multithreading parameter in hosts with split core processors
A cloud manager monitors available resources on host computer systems, including a number of hardware threads supported by CPUs on the host computer systems and whether or not the CPUs have split core enabled. The cloud manager receives a request to provision a virtual machine (VM) that includes a hardware multithreading parameter that specifies whether hardware multithreading is allowed on the host computer system. The cloud manager then selects a host computer system for the VM taking into consideration the hardware multithreading parameter, the hardware threads supported by the CPU, and the split core settings. The VM is then placed on the selected host computer system using the hardware multithreading parameter. The result is more efficient utilization of CPU resources in a host for a virtual machine.
US09304801B2 Elastic enforcement layer for cloud security using SDN
An efficient elastic enforcement layer (EEL) for realizing security policies is deployed in a cloud computing environment based on a split architecture framework. The split architecture network includes a controller coupled to switches. When the controller receives a packet originating from a source VM, it extracts an application identifier from the received packet that identifies an application running on the source VM. Based on the application identifier, the controller determines a chain of middlebox types. The controller further determines middlebox instances based on current availability of resources. The controller then adds a set of rules to the switches to cause the switches to forward the packet toward the destination VM via the middlebox instances.
US09304800B1 Using virtual provisioning machines to provision devices
Systems and methods are disclosed for establishing a connection between a provisioning environment having one or more virtual provisioning machines associated therewith and a set of devices located remotely from the provisioning environment, and for facilitating establishment of a provisioned state for the set of remote devices based at least in part on a provisioning state associated with the virtual provisioning machines.
US09304798B2 Scalable multi-tenant network architecture for virtualized datacenters
A scalable, multi-tenant network architecture for a virtualized datacenter is provided. The network architecture includes a network having a plurality of servers connected to a plurality of switches. The plurality of servers hosts a plurality of virtual interfaces for a plurality of tenants. A configuration repository is connected to the network and each server in the plurality of servers has a network agent hosted therein. The network agent encapsulates packets for transmission across the network from a source virtual interface to a destination virtual interface in the plurality of virtual interfaces for a tenant in the plurality of tenants. The packets are encapsulated with information identifying and locating the destination virtual interface, and the information is interpreted by switches connected to the source virtual interface and the destination virtual interface.
US09304796B1 Identification of virtual computing instance issues
Technology for identifying virtual computing instance issues is described. An operating information report of a virtual computing instance may be parsed to obtain a diagnostic result. The diagnostic result may be compared against a data store of known computing instance issues to determine whether there is an issue for the virtual computing instance. The issue may be flagged when identified and provided for resolution.
US09304795B2 Function-targeted virtual machine switching
Technologies are provided for function-targeted virtual machine switching. In some examples, function usage times on a virtual machine (VM) may be profiled by a virtual machine manager (VMM) and used to manage VM switching in order to preferentially switch VMs during specific targeted functions. The targeted functions and/or VM switching preferences may be adjusted over time in order to provide switching unpredictability, for example to frustrate side-channel attackers by forcing the attackers to gather data for much longer periods of time (e.g., weeks or months) if they want to detect or attack.
US09304794B2 Virtual machine control method and virtual machine system using prefetch information
Provided is a virtual machine including a first virtualization module operating on a physical CPU, for providing a first CPU, and a second virtualization module operating on the first CPU, for providing second CPU. The second virtualization module includes first processor control information holding a state of the first CPU obtained at a time of execution of the user program. The first virtualization module includes second processor control information containing a state of the physical CPU obtained at the time of the execution of the second virtualization module, third processor control information containing a state of the physical CPU obtained at the time of the execution of the user program, and prefetch entry information in which information to be prefetched from the third processor control information is set, and, upon detection of a event, the information set in the prefetch entry information is reflected to the first processor control information.
US09304793B2 Master automation service
A method and system is provided for managing virtual machine instances (VMs) and other computing and network infrastructure within a data center. A user designates a computing device or resource (whether physical or virtual) as a master automation object (e.g., a virtual machine instance may be designated as a virtual template for command replication). The user then establishes an association between the master object and a set of physical and/or virtual computing resources that should replicate a set of designated commands sent to the master object. An automation service then intercepts/observes commands sent to the master object and sends the intercepted/observed commands to each computing device linked to the master object.
US09304790B2 Masking power usage of co-processors on field-programmable gate arrays using negative feedback to adjust a voltage variation on an FPGA power distribution trace
Technologies are generally described for masking power usage of co-processors on field-programmable gate arrays. In some examples, one or more moat brick circuits may be implemented around a co-processor loaded on a held-programmable gate array (FPGA). The moat brick circuits may be configured to use negative feedback and/or noise to mask the power usage variations of the co-processor from other co-processors on the FPGA.
US09304789B2 Virtual machine control device, virtual machine control method, computer-readable recording medium, and integrated circuit
A pseudo task generation requester 200 generates a request for generating a pseudo task 283 indicating that a certain one of CPUs is in an use state, and notifies a second OS 125 of the generation request, in the case where a task to be processed by a first virtual machine 110 is assigned to the one CPU, but a task to be processed by a second virtual machine 120 is not assigned to the one CPU. A pseudo task finishing requester 206 finishes the pseudo task 283 when a task in the first virtual machine 110 is finished with respect to the CPU to which the pseudo task 283 is assigned.
US09304787B2 Language preference selection for a user interface using non-language elements
Described is a technique for establishing an interaction language for a user interface without having to communicate with the user in a default language, which the user may or may not understand. The technique may prompt the user for multiples responses in order to determine a specific language. The responses may include speech input or selecting particular regions on a map. In some implementations, the language may be precise to a particular dialect or variant preferred or spoken by the user. Accordingly, this approach provides an accurate and efficient method of providing a high degree of specificity for language selection without overwhelming the user with an unmanageable list of languages.
US09304786B2 Information processing apparatus, method of controlling the same, and program
An information processing apparatus includes a display apparatus that is provided with a button that can be used by users of different native language-types with names that are registered as character strings in language-types displayable on the display apparatus. Accordingly, when a user switches language-types to be displayed, the button is displayed with a name as a character string in the switched language-type among the registered character strings, which allows users of different native language-types to understand the button name, thus enhancing the usability of the apparatus.
US09304785B2 Localizing a software product
Localizing a software product is improved. A plurality of attributes of a plurality of interface elements according to a specified type of user interface are retrieved. Responsive to user input, one or more countries in which the software product is to be localized are specified. An interface element for the user interface is selected. From the attributes of the selected interface element, it is determined whether the interface element is consistent with the specified countries. If not, an alert on a computer display is displayed, in the event the selected interface element is not consistent with the countries specified by the user. The invention also calculates a cost of localizing the selected interface element, wherein the projected cost of localizing the user interface is incremented with the cost of localizing the selected interface element. An alert for the projected cost of localizing the user interface is displayed on the computer display.
US09304784B2 Positionally informative remote display selection interface
A user interface presented on a local display eases user discrimination between multiple remote displays connected to a remotely controlled computer, thereby easing selection of remote display(s) for remote viewing on the local display. The user interface can incorporate information indicating physical positional orientations of remote displays relative to each other, such as whether one remote display is physically located to the left of another remote display. The icons can additionally illustrate sizes of the remote displays relative to each other. Each remote display can be represented within a particular user interface icon as a rectangle whose size and position relative to the other remote display(s) reflect that remote display's actual physical size and position relative to those other remote display(s). Different icons can show different subsets of active and inactive remote monitors, and can be selected to activate different subsets of remote monitors for presentation on the local display.
US09304783B2 Digital signage management and content delivery system and method thereof
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods of managing and delivering digital media content data. In certain embodiments, a management device in communication to a computing device via a universal serial bus (USB) connector is provided. The management device has a processor, a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory includes a first partition storing a firmware and a second partition. When executed at the processor, the firmware emulates an emulated bootable storage device for the computing device at the USB connector. In response to an access instruction from the computing device to access data stored at an emulated address of the emulated bootable storage device, the management device converts the emulated address to a physical address of the second partition, and accesses the data at the physical address. The data includes digital media content data and a control module configured to play the content data.
US09304782B2 Network switch, systems, and servers implementing boot image delivery
Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for providing a program to a server. One method includes an operation for receiving a request by a switching device from a first server, the request being for a boot image for booting the first server. In addition, the method includes operations for determining if the boot image is available from non-volatile storage in the switching device, and for forwarding the request to a second server when the boot image is absent from the non-volatile storage. Further, the method includes an operation for sending the boot image to the first server from the switching device when the boot image is available from the non-volatile storage.
US09304776B2 System and method for mitigating the impact of branch misprediction when exiting spin loops
A computer system may recognize a busy-wait loop in program instructions at compile time and/or may recognize busy-wait looping behavior during execution of program instructions. The system may recognize that an exit condition for a busy-wait loop is specified by a conditional branch type instruction in the program instructions. In response to identifying the loop and the conditional branch type instruction that specifies its exit condition, the system may influence or override a prediction made by a dynamic branch predictor, resulting in a prediction that the exit condition will be met and that the loop will be exited regardless of any observed branch behavior for the conditional branch type instruction. The looping instructions may implement waiting for an inter-thread communication event to occur or for a lock to become available. When the exit condition is met, the loop may be exited without incurring a misprediction delay.
US09304773B2 Data processor having dynamic control of instruction prefetch buffer depth and method therefor
A data processor (102) includes a prefetch buffer (112) and a fetch control unit (116). The prefetch buffer (112) has a plurality of lines. The prefetch buffer (112) has a variable maximum depth that defines a number of lines of the plurality of lines that are capable of storing instructions. The fetch control unit (116) is coupled to the prefetch buffer to monitor at least one of the plurality of lines of the prefetch buffer (112) and to adjust the variable maximum depth of the prefetch buffer (112) in response to a state of the data processor (102).
US09304770B2 Method and system adapted for converting software constructs into resources for implementation by a dynamically reconfigurable processor
A method and system are provided for deriving a resultant software code from an originating ordered list of instructions that does not include overlapping branch logic. The method may include deriving a plurality of unordered software constructs from a sequence of processor instructions; associating software constructs in accordance with an original logic of the sequence of processor instructions; determining and resolving memory precedence conflicts within the associated plurality of software constructs; resolving forward branch logic structures into conditional logic constructs; resolving back branch logic structures into loop logic constructs; and/or applying the plurality of unordered software constructs in a programming operation by a parallel execution logic circuitry. The resultant plurality of unordered software constructs may be converted into programming reconfigurable logic, computers or processors, and also by means of a computer network or an electronics communications network.
US09304767B2 Single cycle data movement between general purpose and floating-point registers
Systems and methods for providing single cycle movement of data between a floating-point register file (FRF) and a general purpose or integer register file (IRF) of a microprocessor system are provided. The system may include an integer execution unit operative to execute instructions with single cycle latency, a floating-point execution unit, a working register file (WRF), an FRF, and an IRF. To achieve the single cycle movement functionality, the integer execution unit may physically own the WRF, IRF, and FRF, and may monitor and control any dependencies between them. Thus, since the integer execution unit has direct read access to both the IRF and the FRF, data may be moved between the two register files using the single cycle operation of the integer execution unit, without the need to store and load the data from memory.
US09304758B2 Modification of terminal and service provider machines using an update server machine
A system including a terminal machine and a service provider machine is modified using a service provider machine. The terminal machine includes a terminal application for displaying a prompt in a first sequence of prompts and accepting a user data entry in a first series of data entries. The service provider machine includes a provider application for receiving the user data entry. The update server machine sends a dialog module including a first and second set of updated code to the terminal machine and the service provider machine, respectively. The dialog module does not modify computer-executable instructions saved on the terminal or service provider machines. The first and second set of updated code adapts the terminal application and provider application, respectively, to use a second sequence of prompts and a second sequence of data entries.
US09304757B2 Peripheral device detection with short-range communication
In general, embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to techniques for configuring a mobile device according to detection of one or more peripheral devices in an environment using short-range wireless communication. In one example, a method includes, receiving, by a computing device that communicates with a peripheral device using short-range wireless communication, a unique identifier of the peripheral device. If the computing device recognizes the unique identifier of the peripheral device, the computing device may determine a configuration operation based on the unique identifier that changes a current operating state of at least one application executing on the computing device to a different operating state. If the computing device does not recognize the unique identifier of the peripheral device, the computing device may send a lookup request to a network resource external to the computing device that requests data specifying the configuration operation for the computing device.
US09304754B2 Modernization of legacy applications using dynamic icons
Methods, systems, and techniques for automatically allocating and dynamically determining icons for placement on legacy task output as part of modernizing such tasks are provided. These enhanced modernization techniques may be used for many different applications to automatically provide graphical enhancement to legacy applications in ways heretofore not pragmatically possible because of the sheer volume of menus in typical enterprise scenarios running legacy applications. Example embodiments provide a Role-Based Modernization System (“RBMS”), which uses these enhanced modernization techniques to provide role-based modernization of menu-based legacy applications.
US09304752B2 Software deployment in a distributed virtual machine environment
A computer implemented method for deploying, in a distributed virtual environment, a multi-component software product is disclosed. The method may include requesting and receiving product installation parameters, which may include virtual machine IDs corresponding to subsets of the product installation parameters. The method may also include copying software product installation files and parameters onto a first virtual machine, halting the first virtual machine, cloning the first virtual machine to a second virtual machine and setting virtual machine IDs on the virtual machines. The method may also include starting the virtual machines and identifying, based on virtual machine IDs, subsets of the product installation parameters. The method may also include deploying, based on subsets of the product installation parameters, the software product by installing first and second components of the software product on the first and second virtual machines, respectively.
US09304750B2 System and method for processor with predictive memory retrieval assist
A system and method are described for a memory management processor which, using a table of reference addresses embedded in the object code, can open the appropriate memory pages to expedite the retrieval of information from memory referenced by instructions in the execution pipeline. A suitable compiler parses the source code and collects references to branch addresses, calls to other routines, or data references, and creates reference tables listing the addresses for these references at the beginning of each routine. These tables are received by the memory management processor as the instructions of the routine are beginning to be loaded into the execution pipeline, so that the memory management processor can begin opening memory pages where the referenced information is stored. Opening the memory pages where the referenced information is located before the instructions reach the instruction processor helps lessen memory latency delays which can greatly impede processing performance.
US09304742B2 Modifying a middleware
A method for modifying a middleware shared by multiple tenants by preparing a data packet comprising modification information and tenant information, the modification information comprising information of a specific class to be modified in the middleware as well as modification content for the specific class, the tenant information indicating a specific tenant of the plurality of tenants to which the modification content is directed; and in response to acquisition of the data packet: modifying the specific class in the middleware in runtime according to the modification information to create a modified specific class; and applying the modified content only to the specific tenant. When multiple tenants share a same middleware, different versions of the middleware may be provided for respective tenants, without affecting the use by other tenants, thereby satisfying sharing and customization requirements of each of the multiple tenants.
US09304741B2 Apparatus, method and system for random number generation
Techniques and mechanisms for generating a random number. In an embodiment, a first signal is received from a first cell including a first source follower transistor. Circuit logic detects for a pulse of the first signal and, in response to the pulse, generates a signal indicating detection of a first random telegraph noise event in the first source follower transistor. In another embodiment, a first count update is performed in response to the indicated detection of the first random telegraph noise event. The first count update is one basis for generation of a number corresponding to a plurality of random telegraph noise events.
US09304739B1 Optimized 3D lighting computations using a logarithmic number system
Embodiments of the present invention set forth a technique for optimizing the performance and efficiency of complex, software-based computations, such as lighting computations. Data entering a graphics application programming interface (API) in a conventional arithmetic representation, such as floating-point or fixed-point, is converted to an internal logarithmic representation for greater computational efficiency. Lighting computations are then performed using logarithmic space arithmetic routines that, on average, execute more efficiently than similar routines performed in a native floating-point format. The lighting computation results, represented as logarithmic space numbers, are converted back to floating-point numbers before being transmitted to a graphics processing unit (GPU) for further processing. Because of efficiencies of logarithmic space arithmetic, performance improvements may be realized relative to prior art approaches to performing software-based floating-point operations.
US09304733B2 Display apparatus, display synchronization apparatus, display synchronization system, and method for synchronizing of display apparatus
A method of synchronizing of a plurality of display apparatuses. The method includes determining a victim function, receiving a count value counting a number of times that the victim function is called in a predetermined period of time from at least one display apparatus, determining a minimum count value by comparing the received count values with each other, and synchronizing the plurality of display apparatuses based on the determined minimum count value such that the plurality of display apparatuses synchronize to the display apparatus with the slowest display execution speed.
US09304730B2 Direct communication between GPU and FPGA components
A system may include a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) and a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The system may further include a bus interface that is external to the FPGA, and that is configured to transfer data directly between the GPU and the FPGA without storing the data in a memory of a central processing unit (CPU) as an intermediary operation.
US09304729B2 Client device, print device and non-transitory computer readable medium for realizing print of target image represented by target data
A client device may cause an information memory to store communication information related to whether or not two devices are capable of directly communicating, and decide a specific communication path using the communication information. The specific communication path may be a path capable of supplying print data to a print device. The client device may send a print indication to a first device that is to perform a process performed first among one or more processes performed sequentially for realizing a print. In a case where a data format of target data is not a data format which the print device is capable of interpreting, the client device may decide the specific communication path such that the converting device is present on the specific communication path.
US09304721B2 Printing system, image forming apparatus, method of controlling the same, and storage medium
An image forming apparatus capable of being connected to a network via a print server updates media data in response to a modification operation for modification of the media data, and starts a recording of the updating of the media data when the print server is in a power saving state. Then, the print server transmits to the print server, in a case where the updating of the media data has been recorded when a notification that the print server returned from the power saving state is received, the updated media data.
US09304720B2 Print job management apparatus
A print job management apparatus includes a print job storage unit that stores print jobs with respect to each user, a stored time counter that counts each stored duration time of the print jobs, a threshold value setting unit that sets a warning judgment threshold value, a stored time comparator that judges whether or not the each stored duration time exceeds the warning judgment threshold value by comparing the each stored duration time of the print jobs with the warning judgment threshold value, and a warning unit that provides a warning to a user of a print job when it is judged by the stored time comparator that a stored duration time of the print job exceeds the warning judgment threshold value. According to the print job management apparatus, it can be prevented to erroneously print out a print job(s) stored in a printer for a long time.
US09304718B2 Apparatus, method, and program product providing specific version of color profile, according to print job attributes, to each client to be associated with version independent unified name
There are provided a profile providing apparatus, a profile providing system, a profile providing method, and a profile providing program that allow providing a profile of the appropriate version while reducing the burden relevant to a setting on the client side. A version selection unit, which selects one of a plurality of versions stored in a profile database as a specific version, and a transmission processing unit, which transmits a profile of the selected specific version to each client apparatus so as to be associated with a unified name that does not depend on the version, are provided.
US09304716B2 Printing device, control system, and control method of a control system
A printer 11 can connect to a tablet device 10 that generates and transmits data using a browser function; has a communication unit 20b that receives data from the tablet device 10 on either a first logical communication channel K1 or a second logical communication channel K2 and processes the received data as required according to the communication channel; and has a print unit control unit 20a that prints based on data received by the communication unit 20b.
US09304710B2 Storage system and data transfer method of storage system
A storage system is described and includes a storage apparatus for storing data used by an external apparatus, first and second temporary data storage units, a host interface, a disk interface, and first and second controllers. The first controller is configured to select as a data transfer process, when the host interface receives a command from the external apparatus, one of a first data transfer process and a second data transfer process based on the command. The first data transfer process is a data transfer from the first temporary data storage unit to the external apparatus by the host interface. The second data transfer process is a data transfer from the first temporary data storage unit to the second temporary data storage unit by the second controller, and a data transfer from the second temporary data storage unit to the external apparatus by the host interface.
US09304708B2 Data accessing method and electronic apparatus utilizing the data accessing method
A data access method applicable on an electronic apparatus is provided. The electronic apparatus comprises a control unit, a first storage apparatus, and a second storage apparatus. The method comprising: storing a first part of data and a second part of data of a data group in the first storage apparatus and the second storage apparatus, respectively; and selectively accessing the first storage apparatus and the second storage apparatus via different data paths for the first part of data and the second part of data, wherein access speed to the first storage apparatus is different from access speed to the second storage apparatus.
US09304706B2 Efficient complex network traffic management in a non-uniform memory system
A network appliance includes a first processor, a second processor, a first storage device, and a second storage device. A first status information is stored in the first storage device. The first processor is coupled to the first storage device. A queue of data is stored in the second storage device. The first status information indicates if traffic data stored in the queue of data is permitted to be transmitted. The second processor is coupled to the second storage device. The first processor communicates with the second processor. The traffic data includes packet information. The first storage device is a high speed memory only accessible to the first processor. The second storage device is a high capacity memory accessible to multiple processors. The first status information is a permitted bit that indicates if the traffic data within the queue of data is permitted to be transmitted.
US09304696B2 Mirroring multiple writeable storage arrays
Systems, methods, and computer program products for mirroring dual writeable storage arrays are provided. Various embodiments provide configurations including two or more mirrored storage arrays that are each capable of being written to by different hosts. When commands to write data to corresponding mirrored data blocks within the respective storage arrays are received from different hosts at substantially the same time, write priority for writing data to the mirrored data blocks is given to one of the storage arrays based on a predetermined criterion or multiple predetermined criteria.
US09304689B2 Modeling workload information for a primary storage and a secondary storage
Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for modeling workload information for a primary storage and a secondary storage. A determination is made of: a first type and second type of Input/Output (I/O) operations with respect to extents configured in the primary storage; a cumulative I/O workload for the primary storage based on a first type and a second type of I/O operations at different cumulative storage amounts of the primary storage indicating a concentration of the I/O workload on the primary storage; and cumulative I/O workload for the secondary storage based on the first type and the second type of I/O operations at different storage amounts indicating a concentration of the I/O workload of the first type of I/O operations on the secondary storage. A performance gap is determined based on the cumulative I/O workloads for the primary and secondary storages at one of the storage amounts.
US09304682B2 Creation and manipulation of canvases based on ink strokes
A canvas in an inking application is created and manipulated based on ink strokes. An ink stroke outside a presented canvas, even outside a user interface of the inking application, is recorded and the presented canvas enlarged to cover the recorded ink stroke. If the ink stroke begins on a command area such as a canvas size control icon, the command associated with the area is executed. If the ink stroke begins in a typed text area, lines are frozen and separated responsive to the first stroke. A new canvas is presented between the separated lines. A size of the new canvas is adjusted based on ink entry or a size of the first ink stroke.
US09304676B2 Multi-use segments of touch screen control
A display category icon displayed on the display screen is provided in a first segment location, the category icon including one of time, day, temperature, humidity or setpoint category; and each category icon having at least dual functionality including a first function and a second function and the second function programmed to display in sequence following the first function. Control logic allows a user to select a first category icon, then at the next step, the microprocessor can initiate a first function paired to a first category icon. At the next step, the user selects the first category icon again and in response the microprocessor will initiate a second function paired to a first category icon to finish the process.
US09304675B2 Portable electronic device for instant messaging
A portable electronic device for instant messaging is disclosed. One aspect of the invention involves a graphical user interface (GUI) on a portable electronic device with a touch screen display. The GUI has a set of messages exchanged between a user of the device and another person. The set of messages are displayed in a chronological order. In response to detecting a scrolling gesture comprising a substantially vertical movement of a user contact with the touch screen display, the display of messages are scrolled in accordance with a direction of the scrolling gesture. The detecting of the scrolling gesture is substantially independent of a horizontal position of the user contact with the touch screen display.
US09304671B2 Printing apparatus and controller therefor
A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium, said computer program configured to control a controller to: output, to a display driver, data for causing the display driver to drive a display of a printing apparatus to display, in a first area of the display, a plurality of images including a first image, wherein the plurality of images are representative of a plurality of respective different types of label data field, and to display a second image representative of the appearance of a label medium occupying a second area of the display that is different from the first area; and in response to receiving, from a selector, information comprising data representative of an operation of the selector by a user to select the first image and data representative of a position within the second area, output, to the display driver, data for causing the display driver to drive the display to display a revised version of the second image representative of the appearance of the label medium; wherein the revised version of the second image comprises a label data field of the type of label data field of which the first image is representative, and wherein the label data field comprised in the revised version of the second image is located at a location determined in dependence on said position within the second area.
US09304667B2 System, devices, and platform for education, entertainment
A system, platform and network are disclosed. The system may be at least partially enabled by one or more processors, and may include a first device having a display for displaying a selected content item made accessible to the first device via download and/or streaming from a network. The first device may have a first device input to interact with the content item. A second device may be coupled to the network and may be configured to control access to and/or to monitor the use of the content item by the first device. A heuristics module may be included for determining whether the first device has utilized the content item to a level of utilization greater than a predetermined value and to form a suggestion based on the determination made by the heuristics module. A communication module may be included to send the suggestion to the second device to provide the first device with an updated and/or a second content item.
US09304666B2 Supporting navigation on touch screens displaying elements organized in a fixed number of dimensions
An aspect of the present disclosure stores information related to the elements in the form of an array of objects. Each object contains information indicating the area covered by the object on the display. The index values used for accessing an element may be viewed as forming an N-tuple, with each value of the N-tuple representing the value of the corresponding dimension/index. A swipe is first mapped to a single one of the dimensions and an end position along the dimension. The value of the tuple corresponding to only the dimension is modified and the object corresponding to the tuple is accessed. The area information in the accessed object is examined to determine whether the end position of swipe falls in the display area covered by the element. The tuple value of only the dimension is modified in searching for the element that covers the end position.
US09304663B1 Centralized, scalable, resource monitoring system
A method, apparatus, and computer program product are disclosed to provide host-independent resource monitoring for distributed networks. The method includes determining, from a set of jobs, one or more jobs to execute that monitor the status of resources within a distributed network. The method determines one or more environments in which to run the one or more jobs, and instantiates the one or more jobs with one or more environment variables for the determined one or more environments such that the one or more jobs are configured for operation in the determined one or more environments. The method accordingly displays, using a graphical user interface, a job environment matrix including a list of the set of jobs in conjunction with a running status of each of the jobs in each of one or more environments. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also provided.
US09304662B2 User interface virtualization techniques
User interface virtualization describes a technique for providing a user with access to one computing device from another computing device, while translating the ergonomics of one computer's user interface style into the ergonomics of the other's. An agent running on a remote desktop exchanges metadata and input events with a corresponding client running on a client device that accepts a “touch and swipe” style input. The agent running on the remote desktop may use an interface interaction API or software framework to programmatically manipulate the user interface of the remote desktop and act as a proxy for the corresponding client. The client constructs and displays native graphical user interface elements at the client device that are virtual representations of a corresponding user interface element at the remote desktop, including file dialogs, clipboards, start menus, and task switchers.
US09304657B2 Audio tagging
Various embodiments are provided for enabling audio tagging of image files. The audio messages are obtained by the system, usually by recording an audio message from a user, and then converted into a textual tag, using speech recognition technology. In some implementations semantic analysis of text component of these massages is performed. In some implementations the textual tags are then propagated to other image files associated with the user.
US09304653B2 Method and apparatus for creating 3D image based on user interaction
A method of creating a three-dimensional (3D) image based on user interaction, the method including receiving an input image; receiving a user input; segmenting an object, which is included in the input image, based on the received user input; editing an area of the segmented object; configuring a layer for the segmented object, based on the edited area; and creating a 3D image, based on the configured layer.
US09304650B2 Automatic cursor rotation
A method for displaying of a touch cursor is provided. The method is adapted to an electronic apparatus having a touch display unit. The touch display unit has a display area. The method includes the following steps. At least one first dimension boundary and at least one second dimension boundary are defined in the display area. A cursor, which has a pointing area and a touchable area, is displayed. When a touch event occurs in the touchable area, the cursor is correspondingly moved according to a touch coordinate of the touch event. When a reference point of the cursor passes two of the at least one first dimension boundary or two of the at least one second dimension boundary, the cursor is rotated for adjusting a relative position of the pointing area and the touchable area.
US09304647B1 User interface screen presentation prioritization
A system and method for user interface screen presentation prioritization is provided. The display of a plurality of panes may be determined based on either priorities of each pane received in messages or based on combined weightings of each pane based on a weighting provided by a user and a weighting provided by a content source. The display of the panes may relocate the panes and/or change the size of the panes based on changed priorities of each pane or based on changed combined weighting of each pane. The panes may comprise selectable items.
US09304646B2 Multi-user content interactions
Information from a position and/or gesture detection system can be embedded in a Web page, or other such presentation of content, and used to select or otherwise interact with content on the page. In some embodiments, video is captured and displayed showing a current view of the user. Position data corresponding to the video is provided and used to determine directions and extents of motion without having to do significant amounts of image processing. The position data is used to determine locations on the page where the user is attempting to provide input, such as to select an item of content. The content can be modified and/or rendered to appear to be associated with the user in the rendered view. Information from multiple gesture systems can be combined on a single page, and information from one or more gesture systems can be shared among multiple pages and devices.
US09304645B2 Manufacturing method of touch module
A manufacturing method of touch module includes steps of: providing a substrate and disposing a shield layer on the substrate, a section of the substrate where the shield layer is positioned being defined as a non-touch section, a section of the substrate, which is free from the shield layer being defined as a touch section; printing multiple touch electrodes on the touch section and the non-touch section of the substrate by means of printing process; disposing an insulation layer on the touch electrodes of the non-touch section, the insulation layer being formed with multiple electrical connection holes on the touch electrodes; disposing a lead layer with multiple metal leads on the insulation layer to pass through the electrical connection holes to electrically connect with the touch electrodes; and disposing a protection layer on the touch electrodes and the lead layer.
US09304641B2 Multiple bridges single sided touch sensor
A touch sensor panel can include a plurality of drive lines crossing a plurality of sense lines, forming an array. The plurality of drives lines and the plurality of sense lines can be formed by interconnecting sections of at least one conductive material with a plurality of bridges. The geometry and size of one or more of the plurality of bridges and the arrangement of the sections can be altered to reduce the overall resistance of a section, improve optical uniformity, and/or increase conductance. Additionally, the sensitivity to and differentiation between touch, hover, or proximity can be enhanced based on the number of bridges and the number of hot spots.
US09304638B2 Display device with a touch panel for determining a normal touch and driving method thereof
Discussed is a display device and a driving method thereof. The driving method includes respectively receiving a plurality of sensing signals from a plurality of touch electrodes formed at a touch panel, determining whether there is a normal touch, by using a size of a touch region defined by the received sensing signals, and when it is determined that there is the normal touch, performing an operation of extracting touch coordinates of the touch region, or when it is determined that there is an abnormal touch, performing an operation of receiving the sensing signals without performing the operation of extracting the touch coordinates.
US09304634B2 Touch panel and fabrication method thereof
The present disclosure relates to a touch panel, and more particularly, to a kind of touch panel which actualizes various touch response functions on a same surface and a fabrication method thereof. The touch panel includes an upper cover substrate, a first electrode array, a patterned mask layer, and at least a second electrode array. The upper cover substrate includes a display area and a peripheral area surrounding the display area. The first electrode array is disposed corresponding to the display area. The patterned mask layer is disposed corresponding to the peripheral area. At least a second electrode array is disposed corresponding to a first patterned area of the patterned mask layer. A fabricating method for the touch panel is also provided.
US09304633B2 Device and method for detecting touch screen
The invention discloses a full screen driven detection. A driving signal is simultaneously provided to all first conductive strips arranged in parallel in a first direction in a touch screen, and mutual capacitive signals are detected from all second conductive strips arranged in parallel in a second direction. The mutual capacitive signals can be used for determining whether an external conductive object coupled to the ground is touching or approaching the touch screen or not even if water or other conductive object not coupled to ground is on the touch screen. When the driving signal is simultaneously provided to all conductive strips arranged in the first direction, the driven signal is also simultaneously provided to a plurality of guarding conductive strips. The guarding conductive strips, the first conductive strips and the second conductive strips are exposed and separated from each other.
US09304629B2 Radial transducer for acoustic wave touch sensor
Radial transducers are provided for acoustic touch sensors. Different radial transducer arrangements may allow for locating multiple simultaneous touches without ambiguity, in some embodiments without a bezel. Instead of transmitting acoustic waves along a line to be reflected at multiple points, surface acoustic waves are transmitted in a radial wave pattern. Surface acoustic waves are transmitted along different angles spread out over at least part of the touch region. Various techniques may be used to generate the radial wave pattern, such as a convex wedge of a wedge transducer, interference patterns, a curved piezoelectric element, a curved reflector, a curved edge of the substrate, a curved grating, or one or more lenses. These devices for controlling the spread of the surface acoustic waves may alternatively be used for control of the surface acoustic rays for transmission along a single line or just along two lines (e.g., X and Y axes).
US09304620B2 Touch sensor integrated type display device
A touch sensor integrated type display device includes gate lines and data lines crossing over each other, pixel electrodes respectively formed in areas defined by crossing the gate lines and the data lines, first electrodes, each of which is formed between the pixel electrodes and in parallel with the gate line, the pixel electrodes being adjacent to each other with the gate line interposed therebetween, second electrodes formed in parallel with the data lines to overlap the pixel electrode, first routing wires connecting some of the first electrodes to form first electrode groups arranged in a first direction, second routing wires connecting another some of the first electrodes to form second electrode groups arranged in the first direction; and third routing wires connecting some of the second electrodes to form third electrode groups arranged in a second direction.
US09304618B2 Creating a summary of content and stroke association
A method and apparatus for summarizing a session are described. In one embodiment, the system associates strokes with image data and comprises: a display surface; a memory coupled to the display surface to store stroke contexts for a plurality of strokes, wherein each stroke context represents an association between at least one stroke and a portion of image data previously displayed; a stroke capture module operable with the display surface and communicably coupled with the memory to capture one or more strokes written over image data presented on the display surface; and a summarization unit coupled to the memory to generate a summary of a session based on content displayed during the session containing one or more strokes made during the session.
US09304612B2 Off-screen input capture for mobile device
A method includes capturing stylus input via a background task running on a mobile device, wherein the stylus input is from user interactions with the stylus separate from the mobile device, suppressing display of stylus input on a display screen of the mobile device while capturing stylus input via the background task, and storing the stylus input on a computer readable storage device accessible by the mobile device.
US09304610B2 Expanding pen for information handling device
An aspect provides an expandable pen, including: an internal portion; an external portion that is flexible; and a biased component that is flexible and positioned between the internal portion and the external portion; the biased component applying force to the external portion to flex it away from the internal portion. Other aspects are described and claimed.
US09304608B2 Stylus device
Various embodiments for inserting data are disclosed. One embodiment is a system that comprises a stylus device and a computing device. The stylus device comprises an input device configured to capture data, memory configured to store the captured data, and logic for transmitting the stored data. The computing device comprises a touchscreen display, a stylus interface for receiving the transmitted capture data, and an application executable in the computing device, where the application comprises logic that inserts the data received by the stylus interface on the touchscreen display.
US09304602B2 System for capturing event provided from edge of touch screen
A data entry system, having an input interface adapted to identify a plurality of user interactions. The system includes a processor adapted to associate user interactions identified by the input interface with a plurality of letters of the alphabet, such that all the letters of the alphabet are assigned to at most eight user interactions. Most of the letters are assigned to specific user interactions according to one or more features of their shape in their printed form, such that most of the letters assigned to each user interaction have the same shape feature.
US09304593B2 Behavior recognition system
A system for recognizing various human and creature motion gaits and behaviors is presented. These behaviors are defined as combinations of “gestures” identified on various parts of a body in motion. For example, the leg gestures generated when a person runs are different than when a person walks. The system described here can identify such differences and categorize these behaviors. Gestures, as previously defined, are motions generated by humans, animals, or machines. Multiple gestures on a body (or bodies) are recognized simultaneously and used in determining behaviors. If multiple bodies are tracked by the system, then overall formations and behaviors (such as military goals) can be determined.
US09304592B2 Electronic device control based on gestures
Systems and methods for electronic device control based on gestures are provided. A particular method includes sending a menu from a gesture controller to a display device. The menu includes selectable options to control at least one electronic device. The method includes detecting a first user gesture at the gesture controller in response to three dimensional (3D) image data obtained from a gesture camera. The method includes determining at least one command for one or more electronic devices at the gesture controller based on the first user gesture and based on the menu. The method also includes sending the at least one command from the gesture controller to the one or more electronic devices.
US09304590B2 Intuitive thermal user interface
An electronic device that provides thermal feedback to a user is described. In particular, when the user provides a setting via tactile interaction with a surface of a user-interface device in the electronic device, a thermal mechanism in the electronic device establishes a temperature gradient on the surface based on the setting. For example, the thermal mechanism may include a heat source that increases a temperature of the portion of the user-interface device and/or a heat sink that decreases a temperature of another portion of the user-interface device. Moreover, the thermal mechanism may dynamically modify the temperature gradient based on the tactile interaction and an environmental condition (such as the temperature) in an external environment that includes the electronic device. Note that the tactile interaction with the user may occur with a physical control object (such as a knob) and/or with a virtual icon displayed on a multi-touch display.
US09304589B2 Haptic solenoid and haptic solenoid mounting structure
A haptic solenoid comprises a fixed member and a movable member that supports the fixed member with an elastic member, wherein the fixed member is fastened to a mounting device, and the movable member is linked to a vibrated body to transmit vibration by the movable member to the vibrated body. The fixed member includes a reference hole as a reference point for fastening to the mounting device using a screw. The movable member includes first adjustment holes that are larger than the first mounting holes provided on the vibrated body.
US09304587B2 Force sensing mouse
A force sensing input device (such as a force sensing mouse) includes at least one force sensor and at least one top portion movably connected to at least one bottom portion. When a force is applied to the top portion, the top portion exerts pressure on the force sensor. The force sensor obtains force data based upon the pressure. The amount of force applied to the top portion, within a range of force amounts, is determined from at least the force data. In this way, a broader range of inputs may be receivable from the force sensing input device as compared to input devices that merely detect whether or not a button or similar element has been pushed.
US09304584B2 System, apparatus, and method for identifying related content based on eye movements
An apparatus, system, and method for identifying related content based on eye movements are disclosed. The system, apparatus, and method display content to a user concurrently in two or more windows, identify areas in each of the windows where a user's eyes focus, extract keywords from the areas where the user's eyes focus in each of the windows, search a communications network for related content using the keywords, and notify the user of the related content by displaying it concurrently with the two or more windows. The keywords are extracted from one or more locations in the two or more windows in which the user's eyes pause for a predetermined amount of time or, when the user's eyes pause on an image, from at least one of the text adjacent to and the metadata associated with that image.
US09304582B1 Object-based color detection and correction
A system may utilize a projector, a camera, and a depth sensor to produce images within the environment of a user and to detect and respond to user actions. Depth data from the depth sensor may be analyzed to detect and identify items within the environment. A coordinate transformation may then be used to identify corresponding color values from camera data, which can in turn be analyzed to determine the colors of detected items. A similar coordinate transformation may be used to identify color values of a projected image that correspond to the detected items. In some cases, camera color values corresponding to an item may be corrected based on the corresponding color values of a projected image. In other cases, projected color values corresponding to an item may be corrected based on the corresponding camera color values.
US09304581B1 Programmable availability for a high availability storage system
Storage systems include a plurality of enclosures interconnected to provide a network. Each enclosure includes a first power supply module, a redundant power supply module, a first electronics module, and a redundant electronics module in electrical communication with the first electronics module and providing redundant functionality of the first electronics module. Each of the modules of each enclosure is individually associated with a separate power profile dedicated to that module. The power profile of each given module includes one or more programmable power parameters that determine when to power down and power up that given module during operation of the storage system.
US09304579B2 Fast-wake memory control
A memory controller is transitioned to a low-power mode in which an active-mode resource required to transmit memory access commands to a memory device at a first command-signaling frequency is disabled. The memory controller transmits a first memory access command to the memory device using an alternative signaling resource during a transitional interval in which the active-mode resource is re-enabled.
US09304578B2 Control device, data processing device, controller, method of controlling thereof and computer-readable medium
A control device according to embodiments comprises a data-copying unit, a data-processing instructing unit, and a power-control unit. The data-copying unit copies data in a first memory to a second memory of which power consumption is less than power consumption of the first memory. The data is to be processed at a first data processing unit. The data-processing instructing unit instructs the first data processing unit to process the data copied to the second memory. The power-control unit switches power for the first memory from a first power to a second power while the first data processing unit is processing the data copied to the second memory. The first power is power supplied to the first memory at a time when the data is copied from the first memory to the second memory. The second power is lower than the first power.
US09304576B2 Power management for a wearable apparatus
Apparatus, systems, and/or methods may provide power management. An attachment portion may secure an apparatus to a user. In one example, an apparatus includes a wearable wristwatch having a wristband attachment portion. A context corresponding to a user state may be determined from context data such as, for example, sensor context data, database context data, companion context data, and/or user context data. The context may be used to specify a power mode applicable to a part of the apparatus to manage power.
US09304574B2 Remote device and power saving method of interactive system
A remote device includes an image sensor, a readout circuit and a processing unit. The image sensor successively captures a first image and a second image containing at least one reference beacon image. The readout circuit is configured to read first image data of the first image and second image data of the second image from the image sensor. The processing unit is configured to calculate an image feature of the at least one reference beacon image according to the first image data and control the readout circuit to only read the second image data of a range of interest in the second image according to the image feature. There is further provided a power saving method of an interactive system.
US09304570B2 Method, apparatus, and system for energy efficiency and energy conservation including power and performance workload-based balancing between multiple processing elements
An apparatus, method and system is described herein for efficiently balancing performance and power between processing elements based on measured workloads. If a workload of a processing element indicates that it is a bottleneck, then its performance may be increased. However, if a platform or integrated circuit including the processing element is already operating at a power or thermal limit, the increase in performance is counterbalanced by a reduction or cap in another processing elements performance to maintain compliance with the power or thermal limit. As a result, bottlenecks are identified and alleviated by balancing power allocation, even when multiple processing elements are operating at a power or thermal limit.
US09304569B2 Processor performance state optimization
A processor performance state optimization includes a system to change a performance state of a processor. In an embodiment, the system to change a performance state of the processor includes a processor and a step logic sub-system operatively coupled with the processor and is operable to communicate a performance state change request to the processor. A core voltage regulator is operatively coupled with the step logic sub-system. An end performance state sub-system to determine a desired end performance state is coupled with the step logic sub-system. And, an enable sub-state transition sub-system to enable sub-state transitions is coupled with the step logic sub-system.
US09304567B2 Server and power chip detecting method
A power chip detecting device, applied in a server, includes a power chip, a power sequence control module, a base management controller, a GPIO module, and a signal detecting module. The power sequence control module sends an initial power enable signal to the power chip after the server is switched on, and the power sequence control module receives an initial power good signal from the power chip after the power chip receives the initial power enable signal. The signal detecting module sends a time abnormal result to the GPIO module after determining that time difference between sending out of the initial power enable signal and the initial power good signal is less than a reference value. The GPIO module sends the time abnormal result to the base management controller.